Gwyneth Paltrow joined forces with the CEO of her company Goop, Lisa Gersch, for a discussion with Katie Couric Tuesday in New York City as part of the Fast Company Ideas Festival. Lisa and Gwyneth had a number of exciting updates to share, including the release of Gwyneth's third cookbook in 2016 and the launch of a Goop book imprint with the Hachette Book Group.
But what really stuck with people in the audience, though, were Gwyneth's candid comments about the perception of her business as being only for the affluent. Gwyneth contends that Goop doesn't only sell high end fashion and beauty - although their annual gift guide, which often is filled with eye-popping items, should hold some gems this year. Gwyneth also shared some interesting insight about the rise of celebrity female entrepreneurs, and tried to set the record straight about her own image.
- On overcoming Goop's high-end image:"We sell what we love and what we are looking for and we want to buy, and that might be a Stella McCartney skirt that's on the higher end of the price point range. It might be an $8 lip balm - it might be a $15 T-shirt. If people have that [high end] stigma attached to the site, it's not actually accurate."
- On the upcoming release of Goop's annual holiday gift guide: "Our gift guide is coming out on Thursday. . . This year we actually have a number of gift guides, but one of them is just called 'Ridiculous.' I think there's a trip to space on there, and a hot air balloon or something. I think the most ridiculous thing is there's a website that's selling solid-gold dumbbells."
- On starting a wave of celebrity entrepreneurship: "Jessica and Reese are friends of mine...I think it's wonderful. We're living in such an exciting time where women feel that they have the capability and the permission to expand and to go into different areas. It's wonderful to see women feeling entrepreneurial and bullish about what they can bring to the market and to the culture."
- On admitting that not everything about her is super high fashion: "I do. I have un-Goop moments all the time-but I don't think it's un-Goop. Like, i'm very forthcoming about my proclivity for martinis and a cigarette at a party once in a while, and french fries, and cheese."