LumiNicole Appoints Retail Pioneer Linda Johansen-James and Operations Leader Fred Collins to Advisory Board; Announces Rollout of 40 Automated Retail Stores in 2026

Industry veterans join LumiNicole's Advisory Board as the company prepares to launch 40 automated retail stores and scale its alternative beauty and wellness marketplace nationwide

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- LumiNicole, a next-generation alternative retail marketplace transforming how beauty and wellness products reach consumers in high-traffic, non-traditional environments, today announced the appointment of Linda Johansen-James and Fred Collins to its Advisory Board.

Founded by retail and beauty industry veterans Leslie Roberson and Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, LumiNicole is redefining access to prestige and emerging beauty and wellness brands through:

• Automated retail stores and smart vending
• Pop-up retail and digital kiosks
• Airport and hospitality activations
• On-campus retail experiences

In 2026, LumiNicole plans to roll out its first 40 automated retail stores across airports, hotels, college campuses, hospitals and event venues, powered by a proprietary, data-driven, AI-powered curation model that leverages traveler behavior, location insights, and SKU-level performance analytics to optimize product assortments by environment.

"LumiNicole is entering a critical growth phase as we move from concept to national rollout and prepare to launch our first 40 automated retail stores in 2026," said Leslie Roberson, Co-Founder of LumiNicole.

"Having Linda Johansen-James and Fred Collins join our Advisory Board adds invaluable perspective from leaders who have built, scaled, and sustained retail businesses at the highest levels," adds Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, Co-Founder of LumiNicole.

Retail Visionaries Join LumiNicole's Advisory Board

Linda Johansen-James: Retail, Kiosk & Automated Retail Pioneer
Linda Johansen-James brings more than 40 years of leadership experience across large-scale retail operations, automated retail, staffing, and experiential commerce. She is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in the evolution of carts, kiosks, and unmanned retail formats.

She previously spent 19 years building American Kiosk Management, which became the largest owner-operator of carts, kiosks, and automated retail stores globally. Under her leadership:

• The company scaled to 1,500+ locations across shopping malls, airports, military bases, and major department stores
• Built and trained a workforce of 54,000+ employees
• Generated over $2 billion in revenue, including managing Proactiv's global retail expansion across five countries

"As an advisor, I'm excited to support LumiNicole as it brings a thoughtful, innovative, and data-driven approach to automated retail," said Johansen-James. "This model represents a meaningful evolution in how beauty and wellness brands meet consumers where they are."

Fred Collins: Brand Strategy, Operational Leader & Investor
Fred Collins is a seasoned operator and brand strategist whose résumé spans P&G, KAO, Henkel, and Coty. A hands-on advisor and angel investor in 15+ startups, Collins blends blue-chip discipline with entrepreneurial speed to help brands sharpen positioning, streamline operations, and win with consumers. Collins is also an experienced brand founder, bringing firsthand build-and-scale insight to the role.

His expertise spans:

• Retail Expansion — Orchestrated large-scale growth across mass and prestige channels in North America, the UK, and the EU, unlocking access to 40,000+ retail doors and accelerating velocity and market share.
• Strategic Planning — Architect of multi-year, data-driven growth plans that synthesize performance analytics, consumer insight, and competitive intelligence paired with forward modeling to anticipate and capitalize on future market shifts.
• Operational Excellence — Built and institutionalized scalable operating systems, policies, procedures, and cross-functional rhythms that increase efficiency, shorten time-to-market, and provide a durable backbone for high-growth start-ups.

"LumiNicole is building a platform that expands access while centering innovation and inclusion," said Collins. "I'm honored to support the team as an advisor during this pivotal growth phase."

LumiNicole's Expansion: Scaling Automated Retail Nationwide

With the launch of its first 40 automated retail stores in 2026, LumiNicole plans to scale to 1,500+ machines nationwide over the coming years. As part of this expansion, the company is introducing an alternative capital approach that allows select investors to participate in performance-based economics tied to individual machines.

This model offers early supporters an opportunity to receive returns tied to machine performance, while maintaining LumiNicole's long-term growth strategy creating a differentiated pathway for investor participation within the automated retail ecosystem.

"Alongside the innovation we're bringing to automated retail, we're also rethinking how investors participate in growth," said Bracken-Ferguson. "Having raised and invested more than $15 million in beauty and wellness brands, I understand the long timelines often required to see returns. This model creates earlier participation while still building long-term value."

Details of this capital approach will be shared separately and are subject to applicable securities laws.

About LumiNicole

LumiNicole is a next-generation alternative retail marketplace redefining how beauty and wellness brands reach consumers in high-traffic, non-traditional environments. Founded by beauty industry veterans Leslie Roberson and Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, LumiNicole delivers curated product discovery through automated retail stores, smart vending, pop-up retail, and experiential activations across airports, hotels, college campuses, hospitals, and major event venues.

Powered by a proprietary, data-driven curation model, LumiNicole optimizes product assortments by location, consumer behavior, and performance insights creating elevated retail experiences that increase accessibility, relevance, and conversion for both brands and venue partners.

Learn more at www.luminicole.com.

MEDIA CONTACT

LumiNicole Press Office
[email protected]

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including plans related to expansion and growth. Actual results may differ materially due to market conditions and other factors.

SOURCE LumiNicole