Gwyneth Paltrow Rethinks Her “Conscious Uncoupling” Announcement, But Doesn’t Mind You Making Fun of Her
Gwyneth Paltrow‘s goop is a booming business. One that’s accepted investor money from venture capitalists. The type of venture capitalists who aren’t afraid to ask company founders hard questions like what might happen to their business if they die. Even if that founder happens to be, well, Gwyneth Paltrow.
In an interview with LinkedIn, Paltrow reveals that she’s getting used to being asked those tough questions in boardrooms, even ones about her own mortality.
Though, that might reveal why the actress announced this summer that she wants to make sure that the goop brand could survive without her (a comment that some interpreted meant Paltrow might be leaving her company, which, as it turns out, isn’t true). The actress-turned-businesswoman is as committed to the site as ever, but just wants to make sure that the goop brand means something beyond just that its run by Gwyneth Paltrow.
That also might be why Paltrow now says she’s sort of regrets revealing her “conscious uncoupling” from ex-husband Chris Martin on her goop newsletter.
“At that time goop wasn’t the size it is now, there was a lot less people, it was a very, very personal project for a long time, and I wrote in the first person all the time,” said Paltrow.
“It was such a difficult time in my life and I was trying so hard to protect my children and my family, Chris included. We were both fragile. It was really tough. To me it felt like this is a quiet way to do this and it is contained.”
Though, when asked if she’d do it now, Paltrow said, “It sort of wouldn’t be appropriate now. It’s a much bigger business.”
Essentially, Paltrow’s “conscious uncoupling” newsletter was the equivalent of most people’s old LiveJournal comments or first few months of Tweets. Internet artifacts that you’d be embarrassed if anyone but your closest friends knew about now, even though, at the time, you were effectively putting them out on the internet for anyone to find.
Of course, your internet artifacts probably didn’t become fodder for dozens of late night jokes and snarky Tweets.
Which, as it turns out, Paltrow doesn’t mind being the target of a bit of online snark.
“When something that is criticism that is not well researched, it doesn’t mean anything,” she said.
“People can say ‘this and that,’ but meanwhile my business is doubling,” she said. “When you have an e-commerce business, no press is bad press. Everything drives people to the site.”
Essentially, she’s developed a thick skin (flawless-looking skin, but thick none the less) and can handle it.
“I (basically) walked away from a career where people kissed my ass to being grilled by a VC or my board,” she wrote in an accompanying essay. “I used to worry about myself and myself alone, and now I am responsible for the livelihoods of 50+ people.”
So write whatever garbage tweet you want about Gwynnie. She’s got employees to pay and venture capitalists to meet.
