Who We Are
Our Story
Louisville Ladies is a certified woman-owned business offering Sales & Marketing expertise & experience that spans over 40 years
With almost 40 years Beauty & CPG experience, we have taken a woman owned and operated small business and opened the US market for multiple other women owned international brands, and as well as launched many US brands with major retail partners in North America.
Louisville Ladies isn’t a sports team or a ladies Social Club, Louisville Ladies is a more than competent facilitator and connection think tank. The name reflects the pride in where we live, work and grow our families. I am proud to say that after leaving Corporate America in 2010 and starting Louisville Ladies, we have expanded our base operations to work with partners located all over the world from our 2 headquarter offices located in Kentucky & Florida.
Louisville Ladies is a business that takes pride in everything that we touch; be it a new partnership or a 10+ year relationship, with both retail and manufacturing partners. Our turn key & brand supplier partners are looking for opportunities in the North American Market, while our long time retail partners are looking for amazing products to delight their store guests. We not only facilitate the relationship, but manage the expectations & deliverables with best practices and regulatory compliance with honesty and integrity.
Our Team
Karen Chenault Combest
President & Founder
Karen is a 35+ year veteran in the Beauty CPG industry from a buyer for 10 years, Designer in multiple categories in Asia, to VP of Sales Del Labs/Coty Beauty for 15 years, to SVP of Sales at Elizabeth Arden. After almost 30 years working for Corporate America, Karen decided it was time to start her own business journey and based the business model on integrity, honesty and hard work. Karen is actively engaged on every project and with every partnership Louisville Ladies engages with.
Lindsay Combest, MPH
Director of Sales & Marketing
Lindsay joined Louisville Ladies in 2011, leaving behind a successful career in Oncology Office Management. She onboarded as brand marketing manager and Office Manager, and has grown with Louisville Ladies to her role of VP of Sales & Marketing. Lindsay brings a tactical approach to brand & relationship management, ensuring success both internally and externally.
Samantha Combest Wingate
Brand Marketing & Media Manager
Samantha joined the team in 2019, after interning since 2015 while she attended the University of Louisville obtaining her BA in Communications. Samantha brings her amazing expertise in beauty brand ecommerce and social media engagement.
Vanessa Pennoyer, MBA
Business Support
Vanessa joined our team in 2021 as Business Support. Her role as a contractor, through her business with Go 2 Girl LLC, is to secure and maintain women-owned certification and develop opportunities with more supplier diversity initiatives that we have tasks the entire Louisville Ladies team with.