Professional Beauty brings to you our Powerful Women series – interviews with the leading ladies behind some much-loved salon industry brands across the skincare, cosmetics and technology spaces. Anita Quade caught up with derma aesthetics’ Brittany Vescio.
Brittany Vescio, what inspires you as a woman in business?
“I am inspired by endless growth opportunities. My background in information technology, operations and sales has equipped me with the skill set to drive successful business initiatives and my inspiration is to continue to do so – the sky is the limit! The key is to identify these opportunities and then successfully lead and empower the organisation to realise them.
I strongly believe that to be successful you must take responsibility for developing your team, which is why I place huge emphasis on empowering our people to take on new responsibilities as we grow and diversify. Working with them and providing them with opportunities to develop is what drives me to succeed – my inspiration comes from my team and working with talented people. A major client focus at derma aesthetics is our standard of education and so it is internally too, it’s a fantastic way to inspire others to reach their full potential.”
What was one of the hardest challenges of your journey early on?
“One of my most difficult challenges early on was also my biggest learning experience. I know it’s cliché but that’s usually how it works, right?
From the get-go, my hardest challenge and one I continue to manage is the family relationship which exists between myself and Co-Managing Director Simone Vescio. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever desire to work with my mother but I’m forever grateful we took that chance just over nine years ago. You might think that this doesn’t sound like much of a challenge, however it most definitely has been, even more so as an employee driven by career progression. I made it my prerogative to prove to my peers that each and every opportunity I was granted was truly earned and not a given. If anything, I’ve had to jump through more hoops than I could have imagined!
Simone Vescio and Reika Roberts started the company together as Co-Founders and firmly remain Co-Directors. After working in the corporate world, I was attracted to being part of the growth opportunities at derma aesthetics, so in early 2013 I kicked off my journey here as IT Support and Business Development Manager.
I am immensely proud and honored to have worked across all departments to create the internal and external business processes that we effectively operate by today, all before landing the role of General Manager.”
Being a powerful woman as a business leader – what is an important piece of advice you can share with your peers?
“The best piece of advice I have is to surround yourself with the right people and be open to learning from them too! I’ll be the first one to say that I don’t always have the answers for everything but it’s important to surround yourself with people who can help get you there. For me, this is applicable to both personal and professional relationships.
Surrounding yourself with the right people is also a great way to keep yourself focused and challenged. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so being well supported is the best thing we can do as business leaders – it allows us to do exactly what we need to do, and that’s to lead and to do so with purpose, calm and clarity.”
“I strongly believe that to be successful you must take responsibility for developing your team, which is why I place huge emphasis on empowering our people to take on new responsibilities as we grow and diversify.”
How have you found the support from likeminded women in the industry (any examples)?
“My two greatest supports in this industry have of course been the derma aesthetics Co-Founders Simone and Reika. Having worked with them for the past nine years, I have only felt love and support to succeed. I transitioned through every role in the company before I took on the duty of General Manager. Throughout my journey at derma aesthetics, they have given me incredible training opportunities and their own personal mentorship which I attribute to my success.
I have huge respect for what they have achieved with dermaviduals and I am honored to be entrusted to build and lead the organisation as their General Manager.
I am proud to lead an organisation that’s already known for its positive and supportive culture, from Employee Assistance Programs to flexible work policies, accessible training and development for all. Our culture is bred from the top and it’s even felt by our partners too, via the business development initiatives we continue to offer. I am committed to sustaining this remarkable culture and aim to provide every one of our employees with a strong career pathway and opportunity to develop within derma aesthetics.”
What is it you love most about being an industry trailblazer?
“The opportunity to influence change is what I love most about being a ‘trailblazer’; it brings me so much joy to see the journey of our clinics when they partner with us. From their lightbulb moments upon treating skin ‘the dermaviduals way’, all the way through to seeing them thrive upon the addition of our unique and dedicated business support, passionately offered by our people. I love that we have the opportunity to change lives and not just skin!”
This article originally appeared in the March-April 2022 print issue of Professional Beauty.
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