Asked & Answered: Regina Merson, ’07
Founder and owner of Reina Rebelde makeup brand
Regina Merson, ’07, has had an unusual and interesting career journey from practicing corporate and bankruptcy law to founding a growing makeup brand inspired by her Mexican heritage. Merson’s success story has been covered by Forbes, the Dallas Morning News, and the ABA Journal, among others.
What originally motivated you to go to law school?
I joined the debate team when I was fifteen and loved the intellectual sparring. I knew I wanted to be a lawyer after that. UChicago was the option that contrasted most with my prior education at Yale. I knew it would push me out of my intellectual comfort zone and force me to grow and expand in different ways.
You started out doing corporate and bankruptcy work. How did that segue into launching a makeup brand?
A few years into practicing law, I enjoyed the intense focus and specialization, but the lack of a creative element was something that I missed deeply. As a Mexican immigrant raised with makeup as a form of creative self-expression, I felt there was a void in the market for products that spoke to that tradition. I set out to address the lack of inclusivity plaguing the industry by launching my beauty brand Reina Rebelde (“Rebel Queen” in Spanish).
How did your legal training come into play in your new life as an entrepreneur?
In every single way. For me, UChicago was about learning how to think, analyze, issue spot, and problem solve. These skills have informed how I’ve approached everything from market analysis to designing and launching a brand to running a business. On the flip side, my legal training cemented my aversion to risk, which is not helpful in business. I’m a work in progress!
What makes you passionate about what you do?
Our customers are a very diverse group, and I am passionate about creating products and a brand ethos that resonates with people on multiple levels. On the surface, it may seem that it is just a lipstick, but beauty rituals and representation in the industry are very personal. Reina Rebelde is all about encouraging people to be unapologetic about who they are.
What does a typical day on the job look like for you?
Every day is a little bit of everything. I am creating new shades, working on marketing concepts, managing distributors and manufacturers, negotiating contracts, and keeping up with regulatory and legal compliance measures.
Describe a difficulty you’ve faced in getting established.
Navigating all the limitations and challenges in producing new products from cash management to figuring out the supply chain. Creating and selling just one lipstick is an interesting mix of a creative process, complex chemistry experiment, and unit economics.
What advice would you offer to others seeking to establish a business outside the traditional practice of law?
First, practice law for a few years before you jump. Experiential knowledge, more than theoretical, will help you in business. Second, save as much money as possible in the process. It will take much longer than anticipated to get a business cash flowing, so it is helpful to have a healthy runway. Third, practice failing and get comfortable with it. Learn how to pick yourself back up and try again—the path to success has more twists and turns than a traditional law career.
What’s something others might find surprising about you?
I considered transferring out of the Law School the summer after my first year. I had a clerkship at the US Attorney’s Office and my fellow clerks were all discussing how easy law school was for them. First year at UChicago was anything but easy! But I stuck with it, ended up loving it, and feel so grateful I graduated from there. Now, if I find myself in an especially challenging phase of life, I remind myself that I’ve survived hard things and can tackle more hard things as a result.
What was a favorite Law School experience?
The 1L Law and Economics class I had with Cass Sunstein and Geof Stone’s Constitutional Law class my 3L year were my two favorite experiences. The UChicago education is like nothing else I have ever experienced, and it continues to pay dividends. I often regret that I was so focused on grades and getting my summer clerkships that I didn’t stop to smell the flowers more when I was there.
Do you have a favorite quote or inspirational phrase?
You have the right to change your mind. We are conditioned to think that we don’t have a lot of choice at a certain point in our careers and lives. And the opportunities for big changes become less frequent (and evident) as you get settled into your working life. I always tell people, you must give yourself permission to change course, and equally important, you must own all the responsibility that comes with that decision.