For a generation that is seeing more moves towards gender equality than any generation before, there are still major strides to take for women in leadership positions in major and minor sectors. When it comes to business however, specifically in the beauty industry, female founders are pushing the envelope when it comes to innovation and seeing huge levels of success as a result.
However with males still making up 71 percent of leadership positions in the beauty industry*, we still have a lot of work to do… but in a post Glossier world, to the first female CEO of Revlon being named in the brand’s 86 year history, change is slowly but surely happening. So whether a large or small business, we have rounded up the best ways you can help support female founders this International Women’s Day.
1/ Buy products from female founded and owned brands
Brands such as Tarte are leading the pack when it comes to having females in leadership positions. The cult (and vegan) brand’s leadership team is made up entirely of women with Maureen Kelly, founder and CEO, Candace Craig Bulishak as President, Heather Hemsley as the CFO, Kim Tran as COO, Heather Raushny as the Executive Director of Operations and Product Development and Donna Regii as the Executive Director of Sales and Education. Now, that’s something worth talking about. Other female founded brands we love include Kosas, Slip, Pai, OUAI and Tatcha.
2/ Share your favourite products with friends
The easiest and cheapest, but possibly also the most effective – talk about the brands you love with friends and family to spread the word. We don’t mean physically sharing products (because, hygiene) but it’s less commonly known that buying decisions are most likely to be influenced by recommendations from friends more than any other medium. So, get sharing, about the female founded, inclusive and diverse brands you love, especially on social media.
3/ Utilise your network
More relevant for the smaller brands in your community or circles but utilising and sharing your network and connections could make a world of difference. As founders and leaders, participating in mentor or young leadership programs to motivate the next generation. And even if you’re not directly involved in the beauty industry, sharing cross-industry connections could lead to participation in panels, partnerships and the reaching of new audiences, consumers and opportunities.
We may not be there yet, but we’re closer than we were and we can’t wait to see the next generation take even bigger leaps towards closing the gap for equality. Happy International Women’s Day!
*According to a 2019 LedBetter Gender Equality Index