In Episode 49 of Earned, Conor sits down with Shai Eisenman, founder and CEO of the affordable, Gen Z-tailored skincare brand Bubble. We start by discussing the challenges of launching and scaling a business during the pandemic, and hear why Shai was inspired to disrupt the outdated mass skincare market and create a brand catering to today’s teens. Shai then explains how every decision the brand makes is rooted in research, and how Bubble invited over 10,000 teens and Gen Zers to provide insight and feedback about their product and shopping preferences. We explore how the brand’s mission to educate Gen Z consumers—without pushing products—inspired the creation of Bubble’s “Skin School,” and helped foster more genuine connection among its community. We then take a step back to discuss Shai’s background, learning why she decided to attend university at 15 and graduate at 18, and how playing chess professionally was a hugely formative experience that contributed to her business savvy. Next, Shai reveals how she learned that every assumption she had about Gen Z was wrong, and why it became her top priority to listen to these young consumers and understand their unique needs in order to create the best possible brand for them. To close the show, we hear why Bubble entered a retail partnership with Walmart while still nurturing its community through DTC.