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Out Of Office: Vennette Ho Lee

Published December 5, 2024
Published December 5, 2024

If you haven’t heard the name Vennette (no last name required), you haven’t been paying attention to some of the biggest investment and M&A deals to happen in beauty over the last few years. Vennette and her firm, Raymond James, have found themselves at the center of a dizzying list of deals involving some of beauty’s hottest brands. To namedrop a few, she sold Paula’s Choice to Unilever, Hero to Church and Dwight, Drunk Elephant to Shiseido, Tula to Procter & Gamble, Olaplex to Advent International, Tatcha to Unilever, Briogeo to Wella, Curlsmith to Helen of Troy, Sol de Janeiro to L’Occitane, Dr. Dennis Gross to Shiseido, K18 to Unilever, and RoC Skincare to Bridgepoint. Despite having mastered the art of beauty deal matchmaking, she’s also making deals at home with her husband and two children. Just how does she do it all? Apparently, with an occasional plate of spaghetti carbonara.

Beauty’s doyenne of the deal (not to mention, BeautyMatter's 2024 Person of the Year) tells us 28 things we've always wanted to know but have been too shy to ask until now.

Admire: My 14-year-old son Dylan. He has a rare genetic disorder and special needs; the most basic of tasks are very difficult for him. He definitely has challenges, but he is always confident in who he is, is always passionate, loves people, and has a great sense of humor

Airline: Jet Blue

Bedtime Ritual: 4 sprays of Osea Vagus Nerve Pillow Mist

Birthday: October 28th (♏️)

Book:Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

Cold Weather Day: Dreaming of summer and reapplying moisturizer

Currently Wearing:Wildfox sweatshirt, Vuori joggers, and a ponytail

Dessert: Black Forest Cake

Extravagance: Silence

First Job: Assistant Buyer of Trend Jewelry at Bloomingdale's

Flaw: I work too hard (haha 😄) Also, I have a habit of buying beautiful notebooks I don’t have the heart to use

Fragrance: At the moment - Rose Atlantic by DS & Durga

Hotel:Torel Palace Porto - A beautiful little hotel in the middle of the city where the rooms are named after famous Portuguese writers

Indulgence: Spaghetti Carbonara

Inspired By: People who are amazing at what they do but are also humble and down-to-earth

Life's Work: Helping people

Love: My daughter's kind and pure heart

Morning Ritual: Walking in the park near my apartment at sunrise and taking pictures of flowers and buildings along the way

Most Like to Live: As a writer on a tropical island

Most Overused Phrase: "It is what it is"

Movie: Inception

Notorious Among Friends For: Being late because I was stuck at work

On a Rainy Day: Still outside on the rooftop spinning with Comeback Cycle

Restaurant (New York):Misi (Brooklyn) for lunch & dinner; Good Thanks Café (LES) for breakfast

Television Series:Never Have I Ever

Wake Up Time (Weekday): 5:45 AM

Wake Up Time (Weekend): 6:00 AM

Writing This From: A coffee shop, waiting to pick my daughter up from a playdate

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