The President Who Won’t Answer Slack at Night and Turned Pimple Patches into a $90 Million Business

Left brained versus right brained, logic versus intuition, analytical versus creative—some say you can’t have both. Then there’s Kara Bothers, president of Starface World, the skincare company that is revolutionizing the beauty industry. Under her leadership, Starface has expanded to 20,000 retail locations and grown revenue from $5 million to $90 million in just four years.

As a teenager, Brothers loved creating her own business ventures to make extra money. She was a dog walker and had a house cleaning business. She was also the girl who loved to draw and create ideas. The goal was to combine her business acumen with creativity. 

“My sweet spot is right in the middle. Some days, I lean one way, and some days, I lean the other,” Brothers says. “It’s that marriage of both of those that is exciting and hard.”

After a decade at Google, a career coach introduced her to Starface founder Brian Bordainick, who took a chance on her. Four years later, she’s thriving as president, navigating what were once uncharted C-suite waters. Brothers recently joined Balanced Black Girl host Lestraundra Alfred to talk about her  executive journey at Starface, intentional leadership, prioritizing balance, and building a brand.

Balancing the Personal With the Professional

Brothers challenges the idea that high-powered women can’t achieve balance. “I believe so strongly in balance. I always have in every stage of my life.”

Despite her “big, sexy job,”  Brothers maintains her focus on family, creative projects, and relationships. She continually evaluates her priorities by asking, “What are the things you’ll care about for the rest of your life?”

Each week, Brothers conducts weekly self-check-ins to ensure she’s addressing each priority: relationships, creative projects, and health. “Checking in with yourself is the key to finding balance,” Brothers says. “I am a person who needs balance. I go to sleep early and won’t answer Slack at night. There’s something about that balance that helps me to thrive.”

She models this balance for her team and sets that precedent: “I speak a lot about that balance with my team. I genuinely believe we are better in a steady state.”

Leading in Unchartered Territory

Starface is transforming skincare with its hydrocolloid pimple patch that quickly heals blemishes (you’ve probably even seen some of your favorite celebs rocking those cute stickers out in public). Brothers joined as SVP of Strategic Initiatives in 2020. One year later, she was promoted to president, having honed her leadership skills after building her career in digital advertising, Google, and AI.

As a first-time executive leading a viral skincare company, Brothers relies heavily on intuition. “I brought my gut reaction and decisiveness to this role, even in the face of complete uncertainty,” Brothers says.

Brothers also approaches leadership with realism. “Perfection is not my goal; it’s not about always getting it right,” she says. “I knew if I ever got this opportunity, I was going to be the leader that I always wanted.”

She embraces being a lifelong learner and believes it’s critical to surround yourself with a team who will help you learn and move forward. “The mindset of a student is important. I am always looking for help and a teacher in all forms—a therapist, a coach for business, a coach for my mindset. I believe in having a team.”

Creating a Culture of Inclusion and Connection

As Starface scales, Brother admits the need for more processes and protocols but keeps human relationships at the top of her priorities. Interpersonal relationships are key to driving a healthy culture.

She laughs at the idea of a corporate environment that removes humanity from the workplace: “The hierarchy, the lack of transparency, the fronting you have to do—it makes me want to laugh.”

Even with the pressures of a big title, Brothers says she prioritizes laughter. “I wanna laugh, and I wanna play. I approach a lot of things at work with ease and try to teach my team to do the same.” 

The company launched a new product, the star balm, in August 2024. As Starface continues to grow, Brothers is welcoming experimentation: “We have been adding ingredients and colors. We are just kind of playing, testing, and learning, which has bred a culture of innovation.”