Dennis Leupold/Uncommon James
We live in an era where reality TV stars seem to burst onto the screen with a business plan in hand.
From social media endorsements to brand deals, the celebs-turned-influencers are as savvy about their side hustles as they are their best angles. But when MTV’s pop culture phenomenon Laguna Beach premiered in 2004, reality TV was a very different place. Especially because its stars were real-life high schoolers in Orange County, California.
It was there we met then-17-year-old Kristin Cavallari. The beach blonde stood out from her co- stars (read: classmates) with her bold, take-charge attitude and a streak of confidence far beyond her years. From single-handedly making chokers and tank tops a thing to playing a key role in one of the greatest cinematic love triangles of all time, it was clear this kid was going somewhere.
But back then there was no social media, no creators’ fund, no influencer affiliate program. When Cavallari graduated from high school (and the show), she went on with her life. Acting gigs followed, of course, as did a brand deal—but all that came about organically. With each offer, the budding businesswoman followed her gut. It’s a tactic she still employs today as she runs her 30-million-dollar company.
We chatted with Cavallari about making it on her own and the gut decisions that made her the entrepreneur she is today.
1 of 2
Uncommon James
2 of 2
Dennis Leupold/Uncommon Beauty
When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?
I did Laguna Beach and then I left reality TV and I was serious about acting. I didn’t necessarily want to be in the tabloid world anymore, but The Hills came to me with an offer that I just honestly couldn’t refuse. That was a really tough decision for me because it was literally, “Do I want to continue down this path or do I want to make a complete 180?” And I knew that if I joined The Hills, I needed to capitalize on the reality world and that notoriety it was going to give me. I really wanted a shoe line—that was a dream of mine—and when I joined The Hills I ended up getting a shoe line with Chinese Laundry. It was really fun for me and it was a great introduction into the branding world, or more specifically just the ins and outs of a brand.
What did you take away from that experience?
That was a great learning lesson for me because I really learned to trust my instincts that I know what my girl wants—what my customer wants. And I sometimes think it’s more valuable to learn what not to do than what to do. But because of that experience [with Chinese Laundry] I was able to launch Uncommon James.
Talk a little bit about the early days of Uncommon James. How did that empire take shape?
I felt like jewelry was the next natural step because I love accessories; I think they can make or break your outfit. I didn’t really have a business plan. I just had this fire within me to show everyone that I knew what I was talking about and that I could really crush it with a brand. In hindsight, I don’t know if that was the right move—maybe I should have thought things out a little bit more, but I run off of passion and instinct and gut and I just go. I had a person to create my website and I had a manufacturer and that was it. From the time I decided to launch Uncommon James to the time that it actually launched was only four months. And from there I was unstoppable. Was it the best quality jewelry [in the beginning]? No. We’ve come a really long way because I didn’t know the right questions to ask. I’ve learned a lot over the years. And that’s what I mean about in hindsight maybe I should have spoken to some people who had more experience in this field, but it is my story. I don’t have a BA. I didn’t even go to college. So I am very proud of where Uncommon James has gotten because, back then, it was solely based on my passion and my drive, and now it’s because I have the best team underneath me. I’m really grateful and thankful for it all.
How has the way you run the business or even make decisions for the business changed?
With Uncommon James and pretty much everything in life. I think it’s important to listen to people’s advice or get another perspective, but ultimately to listen to yourself and trust your gut. I’ve had to learn how to really trust my gut over the years and now it is my foolproof method. I run off of gut instinct. I’m super decisive. I immediately know if I like something or if I don’t like something and the direction I want to go. It’s when I start thinking about things too much or I start asking other people’s opinions that I always end up regretting it because it’s not authentic. It’s not me. The whole point of Uncommon James is that it’s a reflection of me and my personal style. That’s what separates us from some of these other brands.
Has there been a “wow, I’ve made it” moment for you with Uncommon James?
I’ve only had one of those moments, which is probably not a good thing. [Laughs] I just had a hard time sitting in the success. I just want to keep going and going. But the first time I walked into our warehouse—our fulfillment center here in Nashville—I was blown away. That was a time when I thought, “Holy shit, we’ve really done something here.” It’s pretty incredible. It looks like Home Depot. We got it at 20,000 square feet and added another 10,000 square feet. To go from a little room in my house with plastic bins to hold all of the jewelry to where it’s at now is incredible. Truly not a day goes by that I don’t realize that and that I’m not grateful for that.
And now you’ve launched Uncommon Beauty, a line of accessible, clean products meant to streamline the daily skincare/makeup routine. How did you decide to make beauty your next venture?
I really credit my old marketing guy. It wasn’t on my radar at all, to be honest, but he noticed that the number one question people were asking me was about my skincare routine. So, he thought maybe there was something there. It was a world that I didn’t know a whole lot about. We started talking to a lab that he had previously worked with and I sent in the products that I was using, which I thought were relatively clean. Come to find out they’re not clean at all. If these products have all these additives in them, you’re actually doing the opposite effect of what you want them to do. I think I can speak for most people when I say we’re trying to have products that are hydrating and anti-aging and, all the things. If they’re just loaded with chemicals and crap, you’re actually hurting your skin. That was alarming to me and because of that, I felt that there was a real need to have a skincare line that was in fact clean and that did what it said it was going to do. We launched with our five core products, which is the foundation of my own skincare routine. I really believe it could be the foundation of anyone’s skincare routine. I selfishly created products that I wanted to use. And we’ve had so many great customer testimonials and people really have been like, “These products have changed my skin.” For me, that’s it. I feel like I’ve done it. If I can help one person that makes me feel great.
Do you have a favorite product in the line?
The bronzing drops, which came out [this summer], are one of my favorites. I’ll mix a few drops in with my moisturizer and it gives you a really nice glowy little tint. Or on vacation, if I have a little bit more color, I’ll use that almost as a foundation at night. It’s so beautiful. Those are my current obsession. It makes your skin glow so perfectly.
You have written multiple bestselling cookbooks, done reality TV, hosted a podcast with your Laguna Beach co-star Stephen Colletti, started a successful brand empire, and you’re raising three kids—how do you decide what to take on and what to delegate or even turn down?
For the last six years, I’ve had Uncommon James and there was a period for about three and a half years where I couldn’t necessarily step away from that. But now I have such an incredible team that I was able to work on my most recent cookbook, Truly Simple. That was the first time I really stepped away from the office for an extended period of time. I did the cooking portion in the fall and did the writing portion in the spring, so that was like seven months that I really stepped away from the office. And it was actually kind of nice for me to change things up and know that my team is so incredible that I could do that. During the pandemic, I hired a COO, a CFO, and a CMO and that was the best thing I’ve ever done. They’ve taken so much off my plate and changed the entire company in the best way possible, so I’m really thankful to them. I have this new mantra that I’m telling myself because I find that I’m always thinking, “What do I have to do later? What do I have to do tomorrow?” And I’m trying hard to be present. So, what I do now is I tell myself, this is what we’re doing. I’m not thinking about later.
How do you balance being a businesswoman and being a mom?
I made a decision during Covid with my divorce that when I had my kids, that was it. I have my kids. I’m not working, I’m not doing anything else. And I’ve really stuck by that. I can count on two hands how many times I’ve gotten a babysitter in the last three and a half years. And I’m really proud of that. At the end of the day, my kids are the most important people to me— especially these years where they are doing all the sports. It’s just really fun. I don’t want to miss that. This is what’s important in life.
Uncommon James