A Journey from Cold War Economics to Russian Capitalism
Missiles to Mascara is the story of a young American businesswoman’s experience helping multi-billion-dollar U.S. companies navigate the wild west capitalism of the chaotic post-Soviet time period—from the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 to the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
From Virginia to Moscow
Fluent in Russian and a Sovietologist by training, Julie Rasmussen grew up in McLean, Virginia, where her father worked as an analyst in the Trade and Economics division of the CIA.
Unbeknownst to her, his work involved detailed analysis of the Soviet economy and its defense capabilities. Spurred by her love of Russian language and literature—and encouraged by then-boyfriend Jay Carney, former White House Press Secretary for both Vice President Joe Biden and President Barack Obama—she pursued an undergraduate degree in Russian from the University of Virginia, studying comparative economics under former CIA analysts Gertrude Schroeder and Vladimir Treml.
Educated for the World Stage
Julie went on to complete a master’s in International Affairs and Soviet Studies at Columbia University and earned her MBA from the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford.
These experiences equipped her with a rare blend of cultural fluency and strategic insight—skills that would soon prove invaluable in the newly opened markets of post-Soviet Russia.
Building Business in the New Russia
Julie began her business career in the 1990s at a Park Avenue merchant bank, advising global giants including RJR Nabisco, Kodak, Johnson & Johnson, ADM, and Chevron on joint venture projects with the Gorbachev government after the fall of the Iron Curtain. She was then hired by Mary Kay Cosmetics to open their company operations in Moscow.
From high-level negotiations to on-the-ground challenges, she was at the center of a historic transformation—one that blurred the lines between diplomacy, enterprise, and survival.
A Story of Risk, Resilience, and Reinvention
Missiles to Mascara recounts Julie’s escapades and adventures—from being forced to drink Armenian cognac with old Bolsheviks to establishing her own security firm to protect her life and property from Russia’s burgeoning mafia.
This vivid memoir places the exuberant post-Soviet era into the broader context of 1,000 years of Russian and Soviet history, offering readers both gripping personal narrative and deep historical perspective.