Top beauty pros talk about lessons learned in their first job – WWD

“My first job was as a day camp counselor at the local recreation center in my community. I was 14 and it was a five-day-a-week job during the summer. It taught me discipline because I had to be there at 7am – and I had to get there on my bike. It also taught me a lot about patience and made me appreciate the positive power of play.” —Amy Gordinier, Founder and CEO, Skinfix

“I was a salesman at Footaction. I love shoes, but selling them was a completely different thing. The job was so humbling in that you have to deal with so many different types of people and also – just – feet. I have seen firsthand the power of a drop. It was then, so the era of some of the hottest Air Jordans to date. It was so exciting to see a hot launch come to life! — Bee Shapiro, Founder, Ellis Brooklyn

“My first job was as a dining room waitress in a retirement home. It was humbling to serve some of the most vulnerable members of our society. I learned about the fragility of life and how to stand up for those who need it most. And I have benefited from decades of wisdom from our residents – what a gift to receive at such a young age! —Cara Sabin, CEO, Shea Moisture

“I worked behind the counter at Macy’s Herald Square as a beauty consultant for the launch of Fahrenheit by Christian Dior. To this day, it remains one of the hardest jobs I’ve ever done in beauty, and the lesson was immeasurable: it’s imperative to listen to your customer – this includes your end consumer as well as your sales staff – and focus on solving their problems. problems rather than trying to sell them features. — Tina Hedges, Founder and CEO, Loli Beauty

“At 21, I joined PepsiCo as a management trainee and my first assignment was as a sales representative for Frito-Lay. I was the only woman working with men twice my age who wondered why I had to direct them. It was a test of resilience and strength, and while I understood their doubts, they also pushed me to prove myself. Over time, we have become the most successful team in the region. I learned these valuable lessons: 1. Respect is something you earn; it’s not given by your title. 2. Leverage each other’s strengths to collectively create a powerful team. 3. Build followers by winning their minds and hearts. 4. Celebrate victories and learn from adversity. —Annie Young-Scrivner, CEO, Wella

My first job after college, building a 38-suite executive office center in San Francisco, taught me the importance of identifying customer needs and designing the physical space and services supported by equipment, technology and systems to best meet these needs. The in-depth upstream work to fully understand the client’s objectives and needs enabled us to fully occupy the office suites in record time. One of the tenants was working on a joint venture with the Chinese Ministry of Petroleum and offered me a job. I lived and worked in Zhenzhen, China in 1984 for four months. It was the most inspiring time, to see how China learned to do business by partnering and leveraging the knowledge of other global companies and nations, and seeking understanding and technologies to advance its own economy. . It’s amazing to think back to all the changes that have taken place over the past 36 years. Learning from others is a constant, no matter your size or situation. —Britta Cox, Co-Founder, K18 Hair

My first job in the industry was at Revlon, as an assistant product manager. My role was to test the product formula, and/or copy it. I learned to listen to the voice of the consumer and better understand what he was saying. Today, I still listen, because I believe that all great leaders are great listeners. And the voice of the consumer has never been louder. — Jill Scalamandre, President and CEO, Beekman1802