AFTER BUILDING Beautycounter INTO ONE OF THE most recognizable names IN CLEAN BEAUTY,

Gregg Renfrew could have easily stepped away from the chaos of startup life for good.

Instead, she did the exact opposite. She chose to dive headfirst into reinvention with the launch of her clean makeup and skincare brand Counter. This fearless risk-taker is embracing the grind all over again, fueled by the belief that clean beauty is still worth fighting for.

But this chapter for Renfrew is different: she’s wiser, more agile, and even more committed to the community that believed in her the first time around. Renfrew is leading Counter with the kind of conviction that can’t be manufactured. Read about Gregg Renfrew’s journey in her C&C 100 interview below.

You’ve accomplished so much since the last time you were featured on the C&C 100 list, including launching your new brand Counter. What factors went into that decision?

When I had just 48 hours to decide whether to buy the assets back from my old brand, Beautycounter, I had to sit my family down and make sure everyone was actually down for me to dive back into startup mode. Honestly, I couldn't just stand by and let a decade of work done by a large group of people and our mission die, so I decided to hit the reset button and keep the fight going. Because clean is still worth fighting for.

What is the one thing you'd tell other founders about having to pivot as you did, both from a business and a personal perspective?

First of all, with every business change is inevitable. Agility is a key component to being a strong leader. The best laid plans are only that: plans. Whether it’s personal or professional, you have to be ready to navigate change. Humility and confidence will help you through those pivots, ups, and downs.

What’s a risk you’ve taken in this latest chapter of your career that paid off?

Quite frankly, the biggest risk was building a brand-new company and betting that the community who lifted us up once would be willing to do it again — especially in a moment when the beauty market (and marketing) is saturated to an extent that clean means nothing. But it paid off because it proved our connection is rooted in shared values, not just products. Seeing them show up for this new chapter has been the ultimate validation that this mission was worth the fight.

What was the biggest mindset shift required to go from where you started to where you are now?

The biggest shift was realizing I couldn’t just pick up where I left off, I had to fully embrace being back in total startup mode and rebuild everything from scratch — with the hours and stress that implies. My daughter gave me a reality check that I’m officially back in the grind.

What is something you will not sacrifice in the name of success? Have you ever had to turn down opportunities to stay aligned with your values?

My family is my absolute non-negotiable, period. I’ve always said that I could be in the middle of a meeting with the President, but if I see one of my kids calling, I’m picking up the phone.

Your journey—from building Beautycounter to launching Counter—is incredibly rare and inspiring. What did that experience teach you about resilience and reinvention?

First of all, there is not a single successful person in the world, whether in sports, business, or the arts, that hasn’t had to deal with setbacks along the way. In order to be successful you have to be resilient. More generally, as consumer markets change, leaders are constantly asked to reimagine their business strategies and leadership style. What worked yesterday doesn’t work today.

What does success look like to you right now versus when you first started?

Success looks like building a sustainable business that has a significant social impact and a strong corporate culture — one that affords some semblance of balance in my life, and the lives of our associates.

What’s something you would do more of if you had the time?

Sleep. And travel for inspiration. I do a lot of business travel, but I’d love to just go out into the world more to see what is happening culturally, and gain knowledge and inspiration.