“You Can’t Operate in Fifth Gear Forever”—How Ling Ling Nie Learned to Slow Down Before It Broke Her

Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed

Cut The Tie Podcast
Episode 270

What happens when a high-powered attorney walks away from a 20-year career to launch a beauty brand built around healing? In this vulnerable and inspiring episode of Cut the Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Ling Ling Nie, founder of Tender Cosmetics, a company reshaping how we think about beauty, with products that feel as good as they look.

Ling Ling opens up about health scares, identity struggles, and her journey from burnout to bold reinvention. She shares how stepping away from law helped her reconnect with her creativity, build a more sustainable life, and create a brand focused on self-care and empowerment.

About Ling Ling Nie:
Ling Ling Nie is the founder of Tender Cosmetics, a premium beauty brand designed around a unique cooling effect that refreshes the skin and uplifts the wearer. Before founding Tender, she spent two decades as a successful attorney and in-house counsel. After a health crisis forced her to rethink everything, Ling Ling cut ties with the career that defined her and stepped into a more purpose-driven, balanced path as a founder and creative entrepreneur.

In this episode, Thomas and Ling Ling discuss:

• Why redefining success starts with reclaiming your health
  Ling Ling shares how a medical emergency forced her to reassess her identity, priorities, and purpose, eventually leading her to leave law and launch her own beauty brand.
• How Tender Cosmetics was born out of healing
  More than a makeup line, Tender is a reflection of Ling Ling’s personal transformation. Each product is designed to help people feel good, especially in life’s hardest moments.
• What it really takes to cut the tie to your career identity
  Ling Ling explains how she untangled her self-worth from professional titles and learned to value herself beyond performance.
• The power of diversifying your identity
  From volunteering in hospital emergency departments to launching a startup, Ling Ling talks about the importance of exploring new roles—and finding success in unexpected places.

Key Takeaways:

• Your job is not your identity
  Tying your entire self-worth to a career is a recipe for burnout. You’re more than your title.
• Healing can be a brand mission
  Beauty isn’t just how you look—it’s how you feel. Products can restore confidence and energy, especially during life’s low points.
• Just start—even if you don’t know it all
  Perfection kills momentum. You don’t need to know everything before you begin.
• Be curious about yourself
  Try new things. Follow strange ideas. Growth happens when you step outside the role you’ve always played.

Connect with Ling Ling Nie:
💄 Website: www.tender-cosmetics.com
📸 Instagram: @tender.cosmetics

📸 Instagram: @_linglingnie_

💼 LinkedIn: Ling Ling Nie

Connect with Thomas Helfrich:
🐦 Twitter: @thelfrich
📘 Facebook: Cut the Tie Group
💼 LinkedIn: Thomas Helfrich
🌐 Website: www.cutthetie.com
📧 Email: [email protected]
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Chapters

1. Introduction to Ling Ling Ni (00:00:00)

2. Defining Personal Success (00:04:08)

3. Health Crisis and Identity Transformation (00:09:42)

4. The Hospital Moment That Changed Everything (00:15:44)

5. Diversifying Identity After Career Obsession (00:19:49)

6. The Impact of Supportive Relationships (00:27:49)

7. Gratitude and Closing Advice (00:36:28)