Maureen Kelly, tarte’s CEO & Creator, Woman of the Year

by Shannon on January 3rd, 2007

I certainly didn’t mean to put this announcement on the backburner since I received this press release several days ago (sorry Candace!) I have to say, I absolutely love seeing women who started their own company make it to the top and be recognized for their efforts. Kudos to you Maureen Kelly, this is some well deserved recognition!

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Entrepreneur Magazine, January 2007
Women on the Rise

Announcing the 2006 Entrepreneur Magazine and OPEN from American Express(R) Woman of the Year

IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 27 /PRNewswire/ — Maureen Kelly, founder of Tarte Cosmetics, is the Entrepreneur magazine and OPEN from American Express(R) 2006 Woman of the Year.

Entrepreneur’s editorial staff and OPEN from American Express(R) chose Kelly for best exemplifying the qualities critical to success today: competitiveness, compassion and clarity of vision. “Despite her inexperience, Kelly was unafraid to brave an industry with big-name competitors like Estee Lauder and Lancome,” says Rieva Lesonsky, senior vice president and editorial director of Entrepreneur magazine. “Her competitive spirit and fearlessness are some of the greatest strengths of successful entrepreneurs.”

Kelly started with just an idea for down-to-earth makeup that was simple, easy to use and conveniently packaged. Her vision was to create makeup that made real women look and feel spectacular. Even though she had no industry experience, Kelly courageously moved forward with her idea, carefully researching laboratories and chemists as well as packaging to bring her vision to life. Her determination has carried her to great success: Among other achievements, Tarte Cosmetics broke sales of $15 million last year.

At every step, Kelly chose never to sacrifice the quality of her products or the needs of her customers. Instead, she made it a point to grow steadily, stay in touch with her customers, and join in a partnership with QVC only when she felt her company was ready. Tarte Cosmetics is now a powerful presence in the industry and was recently invited by QVC to do a “Today’s Special Value,” a 24-hour period of sales for a product at a discounted rate. The exposure translates into a million-dollar opportunity.

“Women-owned businesses are the fastest growing segment of the small business sector. Yet, just 3 percent of all women-owned companies generate $1 million in annual revenues compared to 7 percent of men-owned firms,” says Gina Taylor, vice president of OPEN from American Express. “OPEN from American Express is committed to programs and initiatives, such as Entrepreneur magazine’s Women in Charge Conference, that empower women entrepreneurs with inspiration and resources to help propel their businesses to substantial growth. As Maureen Kelly’s success illustrates, women-owned businesses continue to make positive economic and social contributions in the U.S., and OPEN is working to help further the success of women entrepreneurs.”

With that said, the success of Tarte Cosmetics has also given the 2006 Woman of the Year a platform from which to give back. This year, the company contributed to and helped build a house for Habitat for Humanity. Tarte Cosmetics also donated 15 percent of select products’ proceeds to the Young Survival Coalition, a group of young women united to fight breast cancer.

Kelly is featured in the January issue of Entrepreneur magazine available on newsstands. Her tips for success can also be found at http://www.entrepreneur.com/women. As the Woman of the Year, she will share her insights on success at the luncheon portion of the Women in Charge Conference, a one-day event designed to give women actionable tactics to help start and grow their businesses. The conference will be held on January 31, 2007 in Long Beach, California (http://www.entrepreneur.com/womenincharge).

*photo of gilt trip from the tarte website