Ep. 287: Filament Founder Nathan on Ditching Corporate Beauty to Do It Right

Nathan spent years climbing the corporate ladder at L'Oreal, eventually reaching senior vice president level across brands like Kiehl's and Baxter of California. But the more success he found in corporate beauty, the more disconnected he felt from what stylists and their clients actually wanted — so he walked away to start his own company from scratch. That company became Filament Sciences, home to the haircare brand Filament. Unlike most beauty startups that lean on contract manufacturers or repackaged formulas, Nathan self-funded years of custom molecular research and development, building a patented technology that repairs broken bonds inside damaged hair — bonds broken by color, heat tools, sun, and chemical services — and holds that repair in place for weeks at a time. Nathan talks through what it actually took to build the company solo: designing his own packaging and logo, going through hair and aesthetics school while still working in corporate, and deliberately avoiding paid influencer marketing in favor of building credibility directly with elite stylists, dermatologists, and aestheticians. He also opens up about the brand's roots as an LGBTQ-owned company, his approach to hiring and representation on his team, and his exclusive launch partnership with retailer Violet Grey. The conversation moves well beyond business, too — Nathan shares his skincare and skin-resurfacing routine (no Botox, ever), his years living and working in China, his fluency in Mandarin, and how he met his husband of over 16 years. It's a wide-ranging conversation about building something real in an industry full of shortcuts, and doing it without losing yourself along the way. Learn more about Filament: https://filamentsciences.com/ Follow Nathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathaninthelab/   Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.