Founder Jane Wurwand discusses how to discover our paths and never shrink from success.
Wurwand beneath an image of one of her teenage idols, David Bowie.Wurwand beneath an image of one of her teenage idols, David Bowie.
On Monday, March 2, DAYSPA editors were among the 200-plus skincare professionals and media members invited to hear a talk by Jane Wurwand, founder and chief visionary of Dermalogica and founder of FITE (Financial Independence Through Entrepreneurship), which has helped more than 50,000 women start their own businesses.
The event, held at The International Dermal Institute and Dermalogica headquarters in Carson, California, was timed to coincide with International Women’s Day. This Sunday, March 8, tens of thousands of people will rally for women’s rights in New York City.
Following introductions by the company’s senior director of U.S. education Heather Hickman and director of global impact Natalie Byrne, Wurwand took to the stage for more than an hour, while additional attendees from around the world joined the audience via Livestream.
Wurwand spoke about how her mother, widowed overnight at the age of 38 and with four daughters to feed, fell back on her nursing training to rebuild her career. From that point on, Wurwand decided she would always have the ability to be financially independent (and, as if proof were needed that she chose a thriving field, 40% job growth is predicted for skin therapists in the spa and salon industry by 2022).
The overarching theme of her speech was how to write the script for our lives, and, when doing so, how to “big ourselves up”. For those of you unfamiliar with the phrase, it was popularized by actor-comedian Sacha Baron Cohen and means to toot our own horns!
Wurwand spoke about how we should never be discouraged from doing what we want to do. For those of us who don’t already know what our passion is, we need to take the time to figure out what it is we want to do. We need to ask ourselves what hasn’t been done before (or, if it has, how we can do it in a new or better way.) And in order to do that, we need to create space, mentally and physically.
As Wurwand acknowledged, life for many of us has become one big, long to-do list. We’ve become addicted to technology—to the point that we recharge our electronic devices more than we recharge ourselves. “I’m stressed and miserable but my phone is fully charged!” she quipped.
She then shared some staggering statistics: we check our phones every 6.5 minutes, or 150 times a day! According to one survey, 9% of people use their phones during sex, and 12% while they’re in the shower!
Instead of looking down at our devices, we need to look up, to see what’s going on around us.
She also frequently cited “compassionate empathy” as the core emotion of anyone who’s successful in the spa industry, and encouraged her audience to keep building relationships and partnerships, and to find any excuse to connect and have conversations with clients and each other.
Finally, she discussed the loneliness epidemic and suggested ways in which spas can play a role as a community hub—for example, by hosting events showcasing art, poetry or new entrepreneurs. She also encouraged us to use these opportunities to turn our perceived competitors into partners.
Here are some key takeaways from Wurwand’s highly inspirational talk:
– “Speak your truth even if your voice is shaking” (we have a responsibility to use our voice for those who don’t have one)
– “Be a disruptor”
– “Don’t shrink yourself for someone else’s comfort”
– “Operate from passion, not from fear” (don’t be afraid to take risks: risks are the things that will light up your life) ”
– “Don’t allow anyone to trivialize what you do”
– “Ask yourself, “What more could I be doing? ”
– “Never underestimate yourself”
– “Don’t give up”
– “Give it enough time”
