The Company I Keep by Leonard A. Lauder

“The Company I Keep” is Leonard A. Lauder’s insightful memoir, tracing his journey from childhood to leading The Estée Lauder Companies into a global beauty powerhouse. From the very start, Leonard provides readers with an in-depth look at how his mother, Josephine Esther, started the business from her kitchen and how she turned it into an iconic brand.

Joining the family business in 1958 after his Navy service, Lauder propelled the company with bold moves: launching the revolutionary Youth Dew fragrance, entering international markets, and navigating fierce competition with creativity and grit. Beyond business, he shares his passions - building a world-class art collection and championing education, healthcare, and cultural philanthropy.

The book is more than a memoir filled with a detailed history of the cosmetics juggernaut, but a masterclass in leadership, innovation, and strategy. For anyone fascinated with cosmetics or global brands or just an extremely insightful memoir, The Company I Keep, by Leonard Lauder, is truly worth a read.

Four key quotes from the book:

• “I remember lying in my bunk at night thinking, “I will get through this.” It’s a matter of finding your intrinsic worth, what makes you work. I eventually realised, “okay, I am not the smartest guy around. But I only need to prove myself to myself. I don’t need to prove myself to others.”
• Ownership doesn’t come from the shares of stock that you have. It comes from the responsibility you feel for your company and your colleagues.
• Committees are the death of creativity and productivity. Everyone loves the phrase “Ask the task force.” But a task force is just another term for the “Anvil Chorus.” It will flatten a good idea as thoroughly as a blacksmith’s hammer will flatten a piece of hot metal.
• Be careful to recognise the difference between a trend and a fad. The trend is important and will take you somewhere. A fad doesn’t last long. It’s easy to get on the bandwagon, but in today’s rapidly changing environment, don’t give up your hard-earned brand equity to follow a flash in the pan.

Link to Book

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