Beauty & Wellness Founders on Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneurs of The Year Roster

Glow Recipe’s Christine Chang and Sarah Lee and Kitsch’s Cassandra Thurswell win at the category level; other founders named finalists.

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By: Christine Esposito

Editor-in-Chief

Glow Recipe's Christine Chang and Sarah Lee and Kitsch's Cassandra Morales Thurswell (right).

The co-founders and co-CEOs of Glow Recipe—Christine Chang and Sarah Lee—were honored in the Ernst & Young’s 2024 Entrepreneurs of The Year (US) competition. Chang and Lee won in the consumer products category.

Cassandra Morales Thurswell, CEO of Kitsch, the Los Angeles-based haircare lifestyle brand, was honored as the retail winner in the competition. Thurswell began selling her homemade hair ties and has since expanded to sell a range of haircare products, including shampoo and conditioner bars. Kitsch products are sold in more than 20,000 stores worldwide, including major retail and e-commerce sites.

Winners were selected by a panel of independent judges comprised of entrepreneurs and other respected business leaders from across the US. The candidates were evaluated based on their demonstration of building long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact, among other core contributions and attributes. The program honors original founders who grew their business from inception; visionary CEOs who transformed existing companies with innovation, and family business leaders who modernized legacy models for future success.

“With each passing year, the world is becoming increasingly complex, and the potential challenges to a business’s success are always evolving. This year’s national award winners have remained undaunted in the face of market, geopolitical and economic uncertainties,” said Jordan. They’ve managed to grow, transform and innovate within their industries and contribute to their communities even in the face of seemingly insurmountable hurdles. They lead by example and embody spirits of ambition, drive and purpose. I cannot wait to see how they continue to shape the future.”

Finalists in the Ernst & Young program included founders operating across beauty, personal care and wellness. The 2024 finalists included:

• Deeannah Seymour, co-founder and CEO of pH-D Feminine Health, a women’s wellness brand;

•  Amy Liu, founder and CEO of Tower 28 Beauty;

• Darren Litt, founder and CEO of Hiya Health, a VMS brand for children; and

•  Melissa Palmer, Co-Founder and CEO of OSEA Malibu, a skincare maker

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