Katia Beauchamp, Co-founder and CEO of Birchbox: “You just have to swing for the home run.”

Katia Beauchamp started her career in finance. But after a few years, she decided that she didn’t feel challenged. So Katia switched gears … and went to Harvard Business School. Casual. That’s where she met her cofounder, Hayley Barna. And together, they launched Birchbox, the subscription company that helps people discover new beauty products. Since Katia and Hayley launched it in 2010, the company has grown and changed a lot: they’ve earned two and a half million active subscribers. They were acquired by one of their investors. And Hayley decided to leave in 2015. Katia has stayed on board as CEO. On the couch, she talks to us about learning to lead on her own, working through a complicated pregnancy, and the time she cold-emailed Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. And got a response.