Scaling Beauty and Breaking Barriers: Tepper School Alumna Monique Benoit Returns to Share Her Story and Inspire Students

The Tepper School of Business recently welcomed alumna Monique Benoit (MBA ’15), Senior Merchant at Ulta Beauty and host of the Scaling Emerging Beauty podcast, back to campus to share her experience and insights with current students. Known for her innovative leadership in the beauty retail industry and commitment to emerging brands, Benoit returned to the Tepper School for a day of connection and mentorship.

Benoit's visit included one-on-one meetings, classroom visits, and informal discussions that showcased her expertise in brand development and merchandising, as well as her dedication to fostering the next generation of business leaders. She spoke candidly about ethical social media practices, how to tailor engagement strategies to different audiences, and the importance of staying data-informed in a creative industry.

In her current role at Ulta Beauty, she supports over 100 brand partners and oversees the 10-week MUSE Accelerator program, which helps early-stage, underrepresented founders become retail-ready and poised for long-term success.

“Retail is an extremely collaborative industry. I leverage my leadership and communication skills to influence cross-functional partners and brands that I work with regularly,” Benoit shared. “On the analysis side, retail requires a mix of art and science. I like to ground my gut feeling in data on sales or industry insights to guide recommendations and strategic direction.

Since graduating from the Tepper School, Benoit’s career has been marked by steady growth and innovation. She began at Target, working closely with both Fortune 500 brands and high-growth startups. From there, she moved to Anthropologie and later to The Emerson Group, helping to bring emerging beauty brands into the national spotlight. Along the way, she launched her own consulting company, SoFull Creations, LLC, and her podcast, Scaling Emerging Beauty, which provides strategic guidance for brands growing from $0 to $20M in revenue.

“The Tepper School and the Consortium made my MBA experience possible,” Benoit said, reflecting on her journey. “Together, the two organizations provided me with a tuition scholarship. They also connected me to companies that eventually led me to my current career in retail merchandising and brand development.”

A mother of four, Benoit also spoke openly during her visit about managing career ambitions while balancing family and personal life, encouraging students to define and regularly revisit their priorities.

“Know your priorities, and be intentional about them,” she advised. “Check in with yourself regularly to confirm you are still spending your time with your chosen priorities, and never limit yourself or put yourself in a box based on a title or your past experience.”

Benoit’s story demonstrates how an MBA from the Tepper School can lead to both professional success and personal fulfillment. You can hear more from Benoit on her podcast, Scaling Emerging Beauty, available at www.scalingemergingbeauty.com and on all major podcast platforms.

We’d like to hear from you!

Are you a Tepper School alumnus who wants to share your story? Contact teppermktg@andrew.cmu.edu.