Shows
There Is No Alternative: Lessons in Entrepreneurial Leadership with Tina Henry Bou-SabaWellness Is Eating the World: Specialist Investor Rachel Hirsch Breaks It DownIn this episode of There Is No Alternative, Tina Bou-Saba, founder of CXT Investments, hosts Rachel Hirsch, founder of Wellness Growth Ventures, to unpack how to invest in the rapidly evolving world of wellness. Rachel shares her journey from Wall Street to launching her own specialist seed fund, and the “delusional” optimism it takes to build from scratch. They discuss the explosion of GLP-1s, why being on a Sephora shelf isn’t a differentiator anymore, and the wellness themes that Rachel is investing against. She opens up about the hard-won lessons of early-stage investing, the power of investor specia...
2026-03-1031 minThere Is No Alternative: Lessons in Entrepreneurial Leadership with Tina Henry Bou-SabaBelieve In Yourself: Troy Alexander on Building a Men's Skincare BrandIn this episode of There Is No Alternative, Tina Bou-Saba, founder of CXT Investments, sits down with Troy Alexander, founder of T363 Skin, to talk about his journey from prison to purpose-driven entrepreneurship. Troy opens up about the life-altering experience that became his personal business school and the inspiration behind T363: a men’s skincare brand rooted in transformation, resilience, and intention.Troy shares how T363 was born not from trend-chasing but from a personal commitment to helping men simplify self-care and feel confident. Troy and Tina discuss the power of storytelling, building with vision, what men ac...
2026-02-2426 minThere Is No Alternative: Lessons in Entrepreneurial Leadership with Tina Henry Bou-SabaExponential Thinking: Lessons from Three-Time Entrepreneur Liz WhitmanIn this episode of There Is No Alternative, Tina Bou-Saba, founder of CXT Investments, sits down with Liz Whitman, founder and CEO of Exponent Beauty, to talk about her journey as a three time entrepreneur.Liz shares how her experience as a corporate beauty leader and consumer sparked the idea to launch Exponent Beauty, a clinical skincare brand solving for ingredient potency and product performance. She opens up about lessons learned from her first two start-ups, the decision to attend business school, the imposter syndrome that so many of us experience, selling her second company, the nitty-gritty...
2026-02-101h 09There Is No Alternative: Lessons in Entrepreneurial Leadership with Tina Henry Bou-SabaMarketing Strategy For Indie Beauty Brands: How Anna Vale Went From Global Exec to Founder WhispererIn this episode of There Is No Alternative, Tina Bou-Saba, founder of CXT Investments, sits down with Anna Vale, a veteran beauty executive and trusted advisor to some of the most exciting emerging brands.They explore Anna’s journey from Estée Lauder to Space NK to launching her own marketing consultancy, and how she helps indie founders cut through the noise to find traction. Anna breaks down the new rules of brand storytelling, what it really means to “do marketing” today, and why listening (to your team and your customer) is the underrated superpower.They al...
2026-01-2751 minThere Is No Alternative: Lessons in Entrepreneurial Leadership with Tina Henry Bou-SabaTest, Learn, Glow: Brand-Building in the Creator Economy with Asha Talwar CocoIn this episode of There Is No Alternative, Tina Bou-Saba, founder of CXT Investments, sits down with Asha Coco, founder and CEO of Glow Up Partners, to trace her path from classically trained ballerina and Rockette to beauty executive to trailblazer at the intersection of creator talent and brand building. Asha shares how her early experiences in performance shaped her fluency in beauty, and how she carved a career working with top creators like the Lipstick Lesbians to build smarter, more emotionally resonant consumer brands.Asha and Tina dive into the transformation of the beauty industry, from...
2026-01-1453 minThere Is No Alternative: Lessons in Entrepreneurial Leadership with Tina Henry Bou-SabaTry New Things: Ben Davis on E-Commerce Innovation and Team Building *Video Episode*What happens when an investor becomes a founder, and decides to rebuild e-commerce from the ground up?In this episode of There Is No Alternative, Tina Bou-Saba, founder of CXT Investments, sits down with Ben Davis, Founder & CEO of TryNow, to unpack his entrepreneurial journey and the lessons learned building a company that helps shoppers “try before they buy.”Ben shares how his background in investing shaped his view on capital efficiency, what he’s learned about leadership, and why resilience matters more than experience when building start-up teams. Together, they explore the state of the co...
2026-01-0738 minThere Is No Alternative: Lessons in Entrepreneurial Leadership with Tina Henry Bou-SabaVolition over Convention: VC turned Founder Patricia Santos on Building a Creator-led Beauty Brand *Video Episode*What prompts someone to leave a successful investing career to start a beauty brand from scratch?In this episode of There Is No Alternative, Tina Bou-Saba, founder of CXT Investments, sits down with Patricia Santos, founder & CEO of Volition Beauty, to talk about the moment she realized that she could be an entrepreneur, what it means to lead with conviction, and how Volition is changing the beauty industry by putting creators at the center.Patricia opens up about her path from VC to founder, how challenges shaped her early experiences, and the lessons she’s learned about resilience, leadership, an...
2026-01-0249 minThere Is No Alternative: Lessons in Entrepreneurial Leadership with Tina Henry Bou-SabaSkin In The Game: From Athlete to Entrepreneur with Huron's Matt Mullenax *Video Episode*What happens when you trade the corporate playbook to build something from the ground up?In this episode of There Is No Alternative, Tina Bou-Saba, founder of CXT Investments, sits down with Matt Mullenax, Co-Founder and CEO of Huron, to talk about the mindset, grit, and optimism it takes to turn a founder’s own problem into a brand that’s rethinking men’s personal care.Matt shares how his years as a college football player shaped his leadership style and his approach to entrepreneurship. From long days filled with “no’s” to the belief that “the mark of a good leader...
2025-12-2443 minThere Is No Alternative: Lessons in Entrepreneurial Leadership with Tina Henry Bou-SabaBuilding the Firm, Backing the Future: Sarah Foley on the Art and Science of Consumer InvestingIn this episode of There Is No Alternative, Tina Bou-Saba, founder of CXT Investments, interviews Sarah Foley, Managing Partner at InviNext Growth Partners, to explore her unique journey from private equity to early-stage consumer investing. Sarah shares the pivotal moments that shaped her career, the lessons she’s learned from both the boardroom and the trenches, and why she believes building brands is about emotional connection, strategic clarity, and a decade-long commitment.They discuss the frameworks behind identifying “maverick founders,” the rise of content-driven commerce, and the deep empathy needed to be both a great investor and partne...
2025-12-1652 minThere Is No Alternative: Lessons in Entrepreneurial Leadership with Tina Henry Bou-SabaSweat Equity: How Sarah Moret Built Curie from $12K to 4,000 Walmart StoresIn this episode of There Is No Alternative, Tina Bou-Saba, founder of CXT Investments, sits down with Sarah Moret, Founder & CEO of Curie, to unpack how she went from bootstrapping her deodorant business from her apartment to getting major deals with QVC, Shark Tank, andWalmart.They dig into the gritty truths behind finding and building on early product-market fit, developing a highly engaged customer community, the sales lessons learned from QVC, and how founder enthusiasm, conviction, and social media magic help Curie punch far above its weight.If you're...
2025-12-0948 minThere Is No Alternative: Lessons in Entrepreneurial Leadership with Tina Henry Bou-SabaTry New Things: Ben Davis on E-Commerce Innovation and Team BuildingWhat happens when an investor becomes a founder, and decides to rebuild e-commerce from the ground up?In this episode of There Is No Alternative, Tina Bou-Saba, founder of CXT Investments, sits down with Ben Davis, Founder & CEO of TryNow, to unpack his entrepreneurial journey and the lessons learned building a company that helps shoppers “try before they buy.”Ben shares how his background in investing shaped his view on capital efficiency, what he’s learned about leadership, and why resilience matters more than experience when building start-up teams. Together, they explore the state of the co...
2025-12-0338 minThere Is No Alternative: Lessons in Entrepreneurial Leadership with Tina Henry Bou-SabaVolition over Convention: VC turned Founder Patricia Santos on Building a Creator-led Beauty BrandWhat prompts someone to leave a successful investing career to start a beauty brand from scratch?In this episode of There Is No Alternative, Tina Bou-Saba, founder of CXT Investments, sits down with Patricia Santos, founder & CEO of Volition Beauty, to talk about the moment she realized that she could be an entrepreneur, what it means to lead with conviction, and how Volition is changing the beauty industry by putting creators at the center.Patricia opens up about her path from VC to founder, how challenges shaped her early experiences, and the lessons she’s le...
2025-11-1849 minThere Is No Alternative: Lessons in Entrepreneurial Leadership with Tina Henry Bou-SabaSkin in the Game: From Athlete to Entrepreneur with Huron’s Matt MullenaxWhat happens when you trade the corporate playbook to build something from the ground up?In this episode of There Is No Alternative, Tina Bou-Saba, founder of CXT Investments, sits down with Matt Mullenax, Co-Founder and CEO of Huron, to talk about the mindset, grit, and optimism it takes to turn a founder’s own problem into a brand that’s rethinking men’s personal care.Matt shares how his years as a college football player shaped his leadership style and his approach to entrepreneurship. From long days filled with “no’s” to the belief that “the ma...
2025-11-1343 min
The Orita PodcastHard Calls, Clear Advice: Why Tina Bou-Saba is a Founder's "First Call" for Strategic ShiftsWhen Tina Bou‑Saba talks consumer strategy, the smartest founders start taking notes.In this episode of The Orita Podcast, we talk with Bou-Saba about how she helps founders navigate high-stakes decisions, from product pivots to capital strategy. We also dig into the biggest opportunities in consumer, the trends shaping where capital is flowing next, and the lessons she’s carried from Harvard to Wall Street to today’s boardrooms. They tackle:The one trait every breakout founder shares (spoiler: it’s not an MBA)Brand ver...
2025-08-0153 min
Skin AnarchyE.382: Venture Capital’s Leading Lady, Tina Bou-Saba, Explains Beauty Brand FundingSend a textLet’s ChatTina Bou-Saba is Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner at Verity Venture Partners, an early-stage consumer-focused investment firm. Verity Venture Partners invests in purpose-driven entrepreneurs who are building the next generation of great consumer companies, including emerging brands and the technologies that enable them. Tina has been actively investing since 2016 through CXT Investments, her personal investment vehicle, with a focus on beauty, personal care, health and wellness, e-commerce, and enabling technology. Tina is a problem solver, creative and independent thinker, and trusted partner to entrepreneurs, with sharp instincts for commercial opportunities. After st...
2022-11-0346 min
The Dream Bigger PodcastTina Bou-Saba, VC & Co-Founder of Verity Venture Partners: Setting Expectations For Raising Money, Networking & Leveraging Investor Relationships, Prep 101 For Your First Investor Pitch and MoreOn today’s episode I’m chatting with Verity Venture Partners co-founder, Tina Bou-Saba. From angel investing to co-founding Verity Venture Partners, Tina has all the insight and expertise when it comes to raising money and seeking investors for your business. Tina spills the tea on what type of investors you should choose for your business, what to expect when approaching investors, networking and building relationships, prepping your first investor pitch, and so much more. To check out Today’s hot tip Thorne Berberine, click HERE. To learn more about Verity Venture Partners, click HE...
2022-07-0552 min
Rooibos cosmeticsVerity Venture Partners' Tina Bou-Saba: 'I'm not going to be constrained' by the current landscapeTina Bou-Saba didn't anticipate becoming a dedicated beauty investor, but the path become clearer once she started investing in indie brands. "A few years into investing as an individual, founders started telling me, 'Tina, you've been our best investor. Could you lead our next round?'" Bou-Saba said on the latest Glossy Beauty Podcast. Bou-Saba started her career in investment banking before transitioning to angel investing. As an angel investor, she was early to makeup brands like Kosas. "As a small individual investor, that was certainly not something that I could do, but it highlighted the opportunity for a specialist...
2022-06-1634 min
The Glossy Beauty PodcastVerity Venture Partners' Tina Bou-Saba: 'I'm not going to be constrained' by the current landscapeTina Bou-Saba didn't anticipate becoming a dedicated beauty investor, but the path become clearer once she started investing in indie brands."A few years into investing as an individual, founders started telling me, 'Tina, you've been our best investor. Could you lead our next round?'" Bou-Saba said on the latest Glossy Beauty Podcast. Bou-Saba started her career in investment banking before transitioning to angel investing. As an angel investor, she was early to makeup brands like Kosas. "As a small individual investor, that was certainly not something that I could do, but it highlighted the opportunity...
2022-06-1636 min
How I Raised It - The podcast where we interview startup founders who raised capital.Ep. 178 How I Raised It with Zuleyka Strasner of ZeroGroceryProduced by Foundersuite.com, "How I Raised It" goes behind the scenes with startup founders who have raised capital. This episode is with Zuleyka Strasner of ZeroGrocery.com which offers a grocery delivery platform that provides shoppers with a convenient and plastic-free delivery service.
In this episode, Zuleyka talks about how she started the business and validated the market with $2,500 from her apartment building, what it's like navigating Silicon Valley and raising capital as a Black, trans, woman immigrant (and why resilience is key), why it's important to not waste time on investors who are "just not that into you,"...
2021-01-1448 min
groupTHINK w/ Troy AlexandergroupTHINK 008: CXT InvestmentsgroupTHINK 008 w/ Troy Alexander
A conversation with Tina Bou-Saba, investor and advisor at CXT Investments. A seed fund that specializes in beauty & health, lifestyle and technology. Tina founded the fund to support exceptional, diverse, creative founders who are attacking high-potential opportunities.
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@TROYSkincare
Follow CXT Investments:
www.tinabousaba.com/portfolio
2020-05-211h 08