Gwyneth Paltrow’s wellness empire, Goop, has faced new scrutiny following revelations in Amy Odell’s biography, *Gwyneth: The Biography*. The book details a surprisingly candid look at the inner workings of the company, including a peculiar incident involving a Slack message and a toilet seat.
According to Odell, Paltrow, 52, once found urine on a toilet seat in the Goop office and addressed it publicly via the company’s Slack channel. “Someone tinkled,” Paltrow reportedly wrote, “Make sure to clean up after yourselves, I’d appreciate it.”
Beyond this startling event, the biography paints a picture of a somewhat controlling environment. Odell alleges Paltrow was often “cold” with her employees, particularly those who dared to approach her office. She described a dynamic where employees were met with “impatience” and an “attitude,” noting that responses like “thanks” or “on it” were met with rebukes, as she considered them “a waste of time.” The book suggests a subtle but impactful “dynamic was damaging” within the office, with almost no one, including the Goop board, willing to contradict Paltrow.
The story began in September 2008, following Paltrow’s father’s throat cancer diagnosis. Driven by her desire to understand his illness and a burgeoning interest in “big wellness,” Goop was initially conceived. Paltrow’s father’s battle shaped the brand’s initial focus.
While Goop began as a weekly newsletter, it has since evolved into a significant e-commerce business estimated to be worth $250 million. Despite these successes, Paltrow almost abandoned it entirely, as she recounted in a 2011 interview with *Harper’s Bazaar*, stating, “There were a couple of times when I thought, ‘I’m just gonna stop doing it. People are so mean to me. I don’t want to do it.’”
The biography offers a behind-the-scenes look at the company’s growth and challenges, revealing a complex relationship between Paltrow and her employees, and a brand fueled, in part, by a desire to emulate her privileged lifestyle.