The Venus Guide with Charissa Chioccarelli

Welcome to Episode 009 of The Venus Guide with Charissa Chioccarelli, founder of isla, a progressive beauty and lifestyle brand and creative studio born in Berlin’s cultural landscape of international music and female talent.

Eight years ago, Charissa moved from Amsterdam to Berlin and opened a concept store built by and for her friends: nail art the city didn’t have yet, and DJ decks where women could practice without having to earn their way into male-dominated spaces. Her reference? The skate shops she loved but never felt welcome in. She built her very own version of it.

“It’s always been about empowering women and creating a platform for women. Nails were kind of the vehicle for that.”

As we trace isla’s path from a Berlin concept store to press-ons that can travel anywhere, we explore what happens when a brand outgrows its own room, and the courage it takes to close the doors of a fully booked salon.

“I still believe in the power of IRL and communities, but it just got a different shape now.”

From the first steps to the pivots of building a business, we talk about why the coolest brands aren’t always the most profitable, bootstrapping before a first funding round, and learning to put yourself first.

In this conversation, we explore the cities that feel like coming home, the running shoes that go into every suitcase, and a perception on beauty that glimpses into the future:

“In 10 or 15 years, I’m sure I’ll look back and be like: what a bombshell, I wish I would have enjoyed that more.”

We recorded this in Virgo season, the season of harvest, when visions want to become real and the seeds we planted slowly show the first sign of fruition. As I finish this summary, it dawns on me that building something tangible means holding the tension between where your mind already is and where the world has yet to grow into.

Listen to this episode on Substack, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube.

Enjoy <3

The Venus Guide is an exploration of a new way of being in the world.

Mentioned and additional resources from this episode

NailsRay’s favorite picks from isla:isla press-on set in purple

BooksStart With Yourself: A New Vision for Work & Life by Emma Grede

Placesisla, born in Berlin, now available everywhereSoho House Berlin: where we first metWestfield, London: Charissa’s favorite spot to observe and absorbSupreme, London: the skate shop that inspired a feminine version

Disclaimer: no sponsorships. We genuinely talked about these brands and places.

keywords: brand building, nails, nail art, press-on nails, beauty brand, female-founded, women empowerment, platform for women, pivot, bootstrapping, fundraising, scaling, IRL community, DJ culture, Berlin club scene, berlin, amsterdam, london, interview magazine

Explore the world through a Venusian lens: