It’s best to be scrappy.
That’s some of the career advice three executives from Shiseido agreed upon on February 18 when they convened for a presentation to students called Explore the World of Beauty, an opportunity to share an inside look at what it’s like to work at a major beauty brand.
The speakers were Laksmi Sam, national director, Stylists and Events, NARS; Allison Afflixio, executive director, Global Product Marketing and Development, Dr. Dennis Gross; and Erin Manahan, manager, Global Brand Communications, Drunk Elephant, all brands of Shiseido Americas at Shiseido.
Each executive gave a brief presentation about their company, and then answered questions as part of a panel discussion before opening up the floor to questions from students. One student asked, “What qualities or skills do you need to work for your company?”
All three agreed that “to be scrappy,” “to do a lot with a little,” and “to be agile” were top qualities they would recommend.
“You might not have a huge team when you’re first starting out,” said Manahan. “You need really scrappy people who will get their hands dirty and who can figure out how to get things done and how to make things happen. That attitude of ‘I can’ will go a long way.”
“The things we’ve been telling our students for decades are really true,” said Virginia Bonofiglio, associate chair, Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing. “This is an industry built on passion. If you’re passionate, if you can communicate with others, you have a career in the industry.”