MAM
Introducing the Iconic Women Podcast stories of dreams, perseverance, and triumph
Mumbai: A platform for women to open up about their lives, the Iconic Women Podcast is officially live. Season 1 unveils the extraordinary stories of inspiring women from diverse backgrounds, showcasing their resilience, determination, strength and triumphs. Each episode encapsulates heartfelt conversations, learnings and grit, ending with a creative tribute to legendary women, where the host Kadambari Misra styles the guest as a woman who has been her strength.
A brainchild of industry veterans Eternative Design co-founder Kadambari Misra), BrandStory Digital founder Bala Kumaran, and Ebony & Ivory PR founder Nidhi Agarwal, IWP was born when they came together with a shared passion to create a platform that is committed to the stories of women past and present.
Now streaming weekly, the inaugural season features the narratives of real-life sheroes like Nisha Millet, Susan Thomas, Sahar Mansoor, Shwetambari Shetty, Amrita Samant, Sonu Venugopal, Alicia Souza, and Sonali Swami. The episodes delve into topics like mental health, fitness in one’s 40s, and the importance of resilience and perseverance in the face of challenges, among many others.
IWP traces its roots back to Kadamabari’s time in Mexico, where she discovered the rivetingly beautiful works of artist Frida Kahlo, her art a revelation of her pain and suffering. These moments of connecting deeply with one woman’s quest for self-realisation left an indelible mark on Kadambari. What started as a casual post on her Instagram handle transformed into a passion project. Over the years, she has researched several inspiring women from various walks of life, spotlighted their achievements, and effortlessly brought their personalities to life by transforming herself into each of them.
Speaking of her project-to-podcast journey, Kadambari said, “What remains common is that these are real women overcoming real challenges. The Project was about women from history inspiring the women of today; I am one of them! And we hope that through the Podcast, today’s inspiring women will inspire the women of tomorrow.”
On co-founding the podcast, Bala Kumaran said, “Brandstory Productions is dedicated to amplifying the remarkable stories of iconic women, sparked off by my life’s journey alongside strong and inspiring women. We aspire to inspire women to break barriers and thrive in every aspect of their lives.”
Reflecting on the power of authentic narratives, Nidhi Agarwal said, “The podcast format of storytelling is transformative! In just three weeks since launch, the love we have received is very humbling. We believe in the power of forging genuine connections, and are super excited to create a safe space to foster real conversations that inspire women and communities at large.”
Season 1 was released with Nisha Millet, an Olympic Swimmer on December 16th and every following week with Ms Susan Thomas IRS Office and ex-NIFT Director, Alicia Souza- Illustrator, Shwetambari Setty, Fitness Entrepreneur on IWP’s YouTube channel and will also be available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and Google Podcast.
Catch these compelling narratives that have propelled women to follow their dreams no matter what.
Brands
Estée Lauder to shed 10,000 jobs as new boss bets on digital shift
The cosmetics giant raises its profit outlook but stays silent on a possible merger with Spain’s Puig, as job cuts deepen and a three-year sales slump weighs on the turnaround
NEW YORK: Stéphane de La Faverie is not done cutting. Estée Lauder announced on Friday that it plans to eliminate as many as 3,000 additional jobs, taking its total redundancy programme to as many as 10,000 roles, up from a previous target of 7,000 announced a year ago. The company, which owns La Mer, The Ordinary, Tom Ford, and Aveda, employs roughly 57,000 people worldwide. The mathematics of what is now being contemplated is stark.
The fresh round of cuts is expected to generate a further $200 million in savings, bringing the total annual savings from the programme to as much as $1.2 billion before taxes. That money, De La Faverie has made clear, will be ploughed back into the turnaround.
A CEO in a hurry
De La Faverie, who took the helm in January 2025, inherited a company that had endured three consecutive years of annual sales declines. His response has been to move fast and cut deep. A significant portion of the latest redundancies reflects his push to reduce headcount at US department stores, long a cornerstone of Estée Lauder’s distribution model but now a channel in structural decline. In their place, he is accelerating the shift toward faster-growing online platforms, including Amazon.com and TikTok Shop, a pivot that is reshaping not just where Estée Lauder sells but how it thinks about its customers.
The numbers are moving in the right direction
Despite the pain, there are signs the medicine is working. Estée Lauder raised its profit outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year, guiding for adjusted earnings per share in the range of $2.35 to $2.45, above analyst estimates and a notable step up from the $2.05 to $2.25 range it had guided for in February. Organic net sales growth is expected to come in at 3 per cent, the company said, at the high end of the range it set out in February.
The share price tells a mixed story. After De La Faverie took charge, the stock surged nearly 60 per cent, buoyed by investor optimism that a longtime company insider could finally arrest the decline. But 2026 has been rougher: the shares have fallen 27 per cent this year, weighed down by disappointing February results and the overhang of unresolved merger talks with Spanish beauty giant Puig Brands SA. The company gave no additional details about those discussions on Friday, leaving the market to guess.
Silence on Puig
The proposed tie-up with Puig remains the most consequential unknown hanging over Estée Lauder. A deal with the Barcelona-based group, which owns brands including Carolina Herrera and Rabanne, would reshape the global luxury beauty landscape. But with nothing new to say and a turnaround still very much in progress, De La Faverie is asking investors to trust the process.
Three years of sales declines, 10,000 job cuts, and a merger that may or may not happen. At Estée Lauder, the overhaul has barely started.
