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Issue link: https://dayspamagazine.epubxp.com/i/115935
5 QUESTIONS WITH... Mary Beth Peterson, President, Americas and Europe for Jurlique When it comes to the beauty business, Mary Beth Peterson is quite the veteran. In stepping into her role at Jurlique in 2011, she brought some 25 years of experience, along with an impeccable knack for brandbuilding. Not too shabby for a Midwestern girl whose childhood dreams did not involve leading a skincare empire. "I originally was going to be a teacher, but ultimately felt a pull to be in fashion or cosmetics," says Peterson. After graduating from Ohio's University of Toledo, Peterson moved to Southern California, where she quickly landed the job of an account executive for Estée Lauder. "At the time, this was an amazing training ground, as it canvassed all aspects of cosmetics, skin care, color and fragrance," recalls Peterson. "You became strong in the important elements of business building through retailer relationships, education and promotional execution." Such comprehensive training served Peterson well in her subsequent endeavors, which included stints at Elizabeth Arden, Murad, Sephora, and her latest assignment: spearheading the expansion of Jurlique's European and American business. From its biodynamic farm in South Australia to its natural skincare innovations, the brand has spent the past 25 years working to unlock the potential of "nature plus science" to create an effective line. In just 18 months Peterson has already made significant headway in spreading Jurlique's message of health and wellness in skin care, and in strengthening its commitment to developing a truly organic and eco-friendly product. And the ride is far from over. DAYSPA recently had the opportunity to pick Peterson's brain about her company's unique point of view, and its ambitious goals for the future. —Angela Melero 22 DAYSPA | APRIL 2013 What were your initial goals in taking on the role of president at Jurlique? I knew I had to re-merge the brand into what I believed was its most natural fit. My first order of business was opening up the North American office in Santa Monica, California, which entailed filling all the important cross-functional positions in education, marketing, sales, finance and operations. Having the financial backing to create a company from scratch afforded me the luxury of handpicking the best talent with the necessary passion to reignite a unique brand like Jurlique in our very competitive world. 1 What have you accomplished thus far? In our Santa Monica office, we house a product development team that has done an outstanding job of bringing new, innovative products to the spa arena by way of our Resurfacing Enzyme Peel, Firm & Sculpt Boosting Serum and Moisture Repair Boosting Serum, professional-level products made with ingredients from our beautiful biodynamic farm in South Australia. 2 What goes into a biodynamic farm's operations? At our manufacturing plant, we honor a strong commitment to sustainability, with multiple projects in place to reduce our energy, water and waste to landfill over time. We have a motivated and active 'Green Team,' and we are working with several universities within the area to research a number of ingredients and formulas that are 3 substantiating product efficacy as a result of biodynamic farming. We are already seeing a significant improvement in our ingredients' performance over both the short and long term, vs. more traditional methods of extracting ingredients. These studies will be utilized in the launches of products that will be hitting the market this year. The day-to-day challenge is to ensure that we keep pushing ourselves to improve our environmental performance, and to not simply be satisfied with what we have already achieved. I am proud of our commitment to the environment, and excited about the journey ahead. What do you do when you're not lending your expertise to spreading the word about Jurlique? My free time is all about family. Since I travel frequently, I enjoy spending as much time as possible at home, trying new recipes and attending my kids' sporting events. 4 Has working for an ecoconscious company impacted your personal lifestyle and practices at home? It has made me more aware of my own energy usage. Jurlique tracks all air travel miles, which relates to our carbon footprint. Our office in Santa Monica promotes riding a bike to work vs. driving a car, which is a challenge, given that most people in Los Angeles commute. I do work with my family to become more conscientious about the items we use and consume, by buying organic. 5