Conversations

Dianna Cohen launched Crown Affair, an intentional haircare brand, in 2020 and has since become an inspirational entrepreneur to many, myself included. Crown Affair empowers consumers to redefine their relationship with haircare through simple, efficacious, non-toxic products alongside an educational community, implementing small rituals into moments of self-care. But she wasn’t an influencer with a built-in audience ready to support at launch; instead, she had built a steady career behind the scenes at a multitude of consumer goods brands that have influenced and impacted culture.¹ She was actually named to Forbes 30 Under 30 before launching the business for her expertise in brand marketing at high-growth consumer businesses.² Crown Affair is a culmination of all that experience, but high-growth start-up culture also informed her vision and philosophy. She didn’t chase growth at all costs. She built with an intention that takes time, weaving the brand ethos directly into the business. I was lucky enough to ask a few questions about her philosophy, as she was the first person I wanted to talk to about building the Steibel community. She built a brand where external values match internal culture, with care for the people who support it. I admire her commitment to that above all, and know this community will too! Intentional Consumption What does intentional consumption mean to you? “For me, that means fewer impulse buys and more thoughtful investments — a well-made brush, linen sheets, or a product that earns a permanent place in my ritual. It’s about valuing durability, usefulness, and how an object makes you feel over time, not just the moment you first see it. Intentional consumption is also ethical: knowing where something came from and that it was made responsibly matters just as much as how beautiful it is.” Sustainable Growth What’s your best advice for building intentionally while also pursuing business growth? “Clarity and boundaries are everything. You need to know not just what you want to be known for, but also what you’re willing to say no to in order to protect that vision. Growth can happen in a way that’s steady and deliberate — testing, learning, refining — without sacrificing the essence of why you started. My advice is to stay rooted in your north star, and let that guide the opportunities you pursue and the ones you let pass by.” Sustainability How do you think about sustainability across products, people, and the planet? “At Crown Affair, sustainability is about building thoughtfully at every level. We create products designed to last — from durable tools to formulas in recyclable packaging — so that our community isn’t constantly replacing or discarding. It’s also about the people behind the work: we care deeply about the partners we choose, the artisans and manufacturers who make our products, and the long-term health of the communities we touch.” Creativity & Inspiration When your creativity needs a spark, where do you turn for inspiration? “I go where the senses wake up: museums, quiet mornings by the water, or wandering in cities I love. Japan always resets me — the attention to craft and quiet design there is endlessly generative — and time in places like Boulder or the desert gives me a different kind of clarity, a reminder to simplify. I also return to collage, journaling, and my Substack; putting images and words next to each other often surfaces my next, small experiment.” Inspiration Who has inspired you as an entrepreneur? “I’ve learned so much from people who build with curiosity and patience — founders who care about craft and community. Early in my career, I was fortunate to work alongside people who taught me the importance of creating something that feels both useful and beautiful. Emily Weiss taught me how powerful storytelling and community can be for building a brand; that experience shaped a lot of what I try to do at Crown Affair. I also learned a ton from Ara Katz about grassroots marketing and the patient work of growing a product-driven company, and my time at Away showed me how a focused product idea can change how people think about everyday objects. Those lessons — craft, community, and thoughtful growth — are the through line of how I try to lead.” Thanks for reading, and shop on ShopMy to support this publication! Footnotes ¹ Dianna Cohen’s work experience includes Into the Gloss and Away, leading product collaborations with Madewell, West Elm, the NBA, etc. ² Dianna Cohen founded Levitate, a brand marketing agency, in 2017, working with Harry’s & Flamingo, Outdoor Voices, Buck Mason, etc.