Why is CEW membership important to you?

I believe that you can never stop learning or sharing your knowledge and the membership offers so many ways to do this.  CEW has been with me throughout my international beauty career and has helped me stay connected and informed. I love learning from industry peers, mentoring, exploring valuable industry insights, seeing colleagues be recognized and experiencing the constant growth of the industry.

Do you have any tips for getting the most out of CEW membership?

Attend as many of the events as you can, especially now that they are virtual. Treat these events as opportunities to connect with your network, add value where you can and and gain lots of useful industry insights.  Participate in the mentoring program and keep your profile up to date. The industry changes rapidly and you need to keep your personal brand as active as the brand(s) you work with.

What do you love most about working in the beauty Industry?

There’s no industry that has a heart and soul like the beauty industry. It’s always evolving and innovating and has the ability to tackle complex subjects while offering solutions to many people.

Last year changed the beauty industry forever. Consumer engagement took on a new meaning and connecting and listening to the consumer has been accelerated through virtual events, live commerce, AI, AR and an increased number of social platforms.  Many brands are still reimagining their new beauty journey.  There’s still a lot more change and innovation to come.

What advice would you give someone who is inspired by your career and one day wants to be in a similar position?

Success is different for everyone but no matter what that looks like I truly believe that you should always be authentic and kind.  I’ve worked in many environments, large and small, around the world, and remaining true and authentic has built trust with my teams, peers and clients.  Authenticity sees you through the good and bad times.  Connectivity is important – read a lot about many industries, not just beauty, stay active on social media and remain a consumer. As much as embodying a brand, it’s important to remain a consumer so you keep focused on what you need to deliver.

How important has mentorship been in your career journey?

Being a mentee and mentor has been key to my career.  Mentoring comes in many shapes and sizes and sharing knowledge along my career path has been so rewarding.  Seeing my mentees grow in their careers and knowing I may have played a tiny part in that is always an honor.

I have been fortunate to have some incredible mentors during my career who have pushed me out of my comfort zone, supported my growth and taught me invaluable lessons.  Look for a mentor that will help you think differently and challenge you. You can always be a mentee, no matter how far along you are in your career.