Jamie Kern Lima Shares Powerful Lessons with Columbia Business School Graduates

Jamie Kern Lima's '04 path to entrepreneurial success is anything but conventional. A Columbia Business School alumna, former waitress, local TV news anchor, and the founder of IT Cosmetics—which she sold to L'Oréal for $1.2 billion in 2016—Lima returned to Columbia's Morningside campus to deliver the commencement address to the MBA, EMBA, MS, and, PhD classes of 2025.

In her speech, Lima offered a deeply personal meditation on internal power, urging graduates to trust their intuition and embrace the discomfort of taking significant risks to pursue their calling. Her story also served as a blueprint for navigating the self-doubt and external pressures of chasing dreams and creating disruption. At the core of her message was a question: "What will you do with the power that is you?" 

Below are four key insights that Lima shared.

Power Comes from Within, Not From Titles

Lima emphasized that success is not about titles, prestige, or credentials. True power, she suggests, is internal—it comes from aligning with who you are and trusting that inner compass, even when others can't see what you see. She reflected on how she once doubted herself, questioning whether someone like her—lacking industry connections and financial resources—could ever succeed.

Many professionals fall into the trap of chasing externally defined milestones, but Kern Lima cautions against this. The real work, she says, is listening to your sense of purpose, even when the path isn't linear or logical. 

"If you're like me, you didn't come this far to be impressive. You came this far to be impactful,” Kern Lima said.

For leaders, this means asking themselves what kind of impact they want to have—not just what job they want to land. Power, Lima made clear, is something you claim when you choose to live in alignment with your deepest values.

Choose Purpose Over Pressure

Lima's early career decisions seem counterintuitive—from taking a low-paying journalism job after Columbia to walking away from a rising TV career to start a beauty brand from scratch. Each step is marked not by safety but by a commitment to something bigger than herself.

She encouraged graduates to resist the immense pressure to follow traditional career trajectories, especially when those paths don't align with their calling. From financial concerns to family expectations, the weight of responsibility can easily drown out the voice of purpose. But over time, ignoring that voice leads not to fulfillment but to regret.

According to Lima, the path of purpose is rarely the most comfortable, but it's where the most meaningful growth happens. She reminded graduates that the real risk isn't failure—it's choosing a life that's safe but misaligned with who they are meant to be.

Rejection is a Crucible for Growth

Few entrepreneurs face more rejections than Lima in the early years of IT Cosmetics. Retailers said no, investors passed, and mentors dismissed her vision. 

Rather than seeing these moments as stop signs, she reframes them as lessons. Rejection, she explained, is often a redirection—an opportunity to refine your vision, sharpen your skills, and build resilience. It's not a reflection of your worth but a challenge to stay committed.

"Pressure never stops. But the real pain doesn't come from pressure, it comes from regret, from ignoring your gut, from silencing the whisper inside, from doubting the power that's inside of only you, from not answering the call that has your name on it,” Lima said.

She reminded graduates that the most important thing isn't avoiding rejection but deciding how to respond when it comes. With each "no," Lima kept moving forward, using the setbacks as stepping stones toward a billion-dollar outcome.

Authenticity is a Strategic Advantage

When she got IT Cosmetics on QVC, Lima boldly rejected the industry's norms and showcased real women with real skin challenges. Instead of following the standard industry playbook, she led authentically, even if it meant risking everything.

By being real—sharing her own struggles with rosacea and wiping off her makeup live on air—she created a brand that resonated deeply with consumers. That moment helped propel IT Cosmetics into a top-selling beauty brand, ultimately leading to its acquisition by L'Oréal.

In a world full of curated perfection, Lima argues that showing up as your full, imperfect self is not only courageous but also good business. She urges graduates to embrace what makes them different because that difference might just be their greatest asset.