November 13, 2025 • 25 mins
Carrie Gross Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare | CEO's You Should Know
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi everyone, the Steve Dlison and welcome to this Speek's
edition of CEOs. You should know. I'm thrilled to be
joined by Carrie Gross, the co founder of doctor Dennis
Gross Skincare.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Kerry, thanks for being here, Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
We're so excited to jump into your journey and learn
of course more about the company.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Great.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
So why don't we kick it off to your early
career when you worked in fashion as a merchandising director
at Norstrom. How did that experience really shape you into
building the skincare brand.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
I think that the experience I had with clients was
really instrumental, and I equate it, you know to building wardrobes,
and building that wardrobe instills confidence and gives the clients
the ability to just like move forward and achieve their
(00:49):
goals in life, you know, without having anything holding them back.
They feel great. And skincare is very similar. I build
a skincare wardrobe for my clients and it's you know,
it's their morning routine, their evening routine, their weekend routine.
And so there's those two elements. It's really a business
(01:09):
about people and relationships, meaningful relationships, and there's a lot
of creativity in it as well.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
So I love that great analogy, not.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
To mention, you know, budgets and p and ls.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
So yeah, absolutely, I know that you and your husband
met in an elevator and bonded over skincare on your
first day. Is that correct?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
That's correct.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
It was a dinner date that sort of morphed into
a Q and A I will say, and Dennis likes
to say it was scientist meets consumer, but I like
to say Sun worshiper from California meets the new anti
aging guru.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
That was kind of for me how it played out.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
I love that. And what was that moment that the
two of you knew that that shared passion could turn
into a business.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Well, it was early on. My wheels were turning from.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
That first date.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
I was like, Wow, he gave me such hope and optimism.
And I started to invite him into my apartment and
show him the products that I was spending my heart
earned dollars on and talking to him about the facials
that I was spending my rent money on. And he
(02:25):
was not that impressed. You know, He's like, Okay, you're
getting a lot of hydration, but that's about it. I
was like, whoa, Okay, let's disrupt the industry.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
So we talked about how the fashion industry really influenced
the skincare side of it, right, But what were some
of the biggest mind shifts that you had to make
when you took that leap from fashion to skinsure.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
So there's an element to fashion that is very trend driven,
and you know, I think, you know, I'm always thinking
about the investments that the consumers making in when when
I was in fashion, the investments they're making in their skin.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
But we aren't.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
We have a very different approach than fashion in that regard.
So we follow trends that are lifestyle driven, not trends
around like a smoky.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Eye or a bold lift.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Obviously we're skincare, but there are skincare trends that drive
the industry. We are built to last all the way.
Our number one hero product was the first product we launched,
and it's a these these these are all based on
science and proof and they're not trendy in any way,
(03:46):
but we do follow lifestyle trends. So for right now,
as an example, you know, everyone's very very you know,
the buzzword is longevity, and we're thinking about, you know,
how to live the health our health span rather than
our life span, and so that really factors into our
brand because we're you know, science and research based and
(04:08):
proof based, and you know, we do so many clinical studies,
but we're really you know, Dennis's practice serves as a
living lab, and we're listening to people and really hearing
how they're feeling about their life. You know, your skin,
Your life shows up on your in your skin, So
whether you're sleeping, while eating, while exercising, taking the right supplements,
(04:32):
using the right skin, all of those things factor in
and that's you know, part of our philosophy and how
we consult with clients.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
That's great to hear. Yeah, I love when I saw this.
You describe yourself as a lifelong connector how does thatlocity
really influence the way that you lead your team and
the company.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
So I think it's you know, for me, it's about
the real world is quality and having quality interactions and
quality relationships are critical and as opposed to quantity, and
so I feel like, you know my team, So by
(05:13):
the time we hit our thirties, we spend more time
with our co workers than we do with our family
and friends. It's a fact, and so you know, thinking
about that. I'm also a mother of four, and so
I definitely am thinking about their careers. I'm thinking about
the quality of the time they spend with at work,
(05:37):
with their colleagues.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
And with me and on the brand.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
And I want to make sure they're being challenged, stimulated
using all of their superpowers that they feel, you know,
like a part of the engine that's driving the business.
And because we spend so much time together, you know,
I always want to like know the name of their
(06:00):
and what books they're reading. And it's very it's very genuine,
and we just enjoy each other. And I like to
mentor them. I like to mentor outside of of the
you know, the team as well. But my team means
everything to me.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
That's so important, so refreshing to hear. Yeah, we touched
on this a little bit earlier, really listening to the consumer.
And I know that at doctor Dennis Grows Skincare you
really blend clinical science but make sure that you still
have that consumer friendly design. How do your team approach
that innovation without losing touch of that human element.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
It's I think it's something that is just baked into
our philosophy, and as I said, like your life shows
up on your face, so you can't really separate them.
And you know, we are, we are in it for
the long term, and so when we meet our clients,
(06:59):
we want to We're never transactional. We're very, very intentional
about everything that we create from an innovation standpoint, like
we understand their lifestyle. We want we know that maybe
they have three kids and they don't have time in
the morning. So when we're creating our products, we're thinking
consumer centric. Like even when I think about marketing, I
(07:22):
pretend like I know nothing and I put my consumer
hat on and say she's walking through the door of
Sephora and she knows nothing about skincare. Does my messaging
work Do my products make it easy for her to
navigate and understand? So it's it's all driven by that.
And again back to Dennis's practice. You know we call
(07:43):
it the living Lab. We learn so much from him
and from his interactions with his with his patients and
like buzzwords and what resonates, and so that all factors
into how we create our products and our messaging of.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
That and continuing the thematic around the messaging right to
the consumers. I know, in your current role as chief
creative officer, it's probably a little complex sometimes to be
able to take that dermatology science but also make it
relate to the everyday consumer. Like you just mentioned, how
do you find that you're able to tell those stories
to really resonate with consumers?
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Now, Sough, storytelling is a huge part of what we do,
and I have compelling real life stories to share with clients.
Like you know, I'll do an event out of Sephora
and the girls will drive three hours to walk through
(08:39):
the door with their cell phones in hand to show
me there before and afters and I literally get tears
in my eyes and.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Like hug them feeling out.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
It really is And so sharing those stories when we
do events is something that really resonates. But I also
talk to my team about like read the room, look
at your client and know what they're after. Because some
of the clients they want to go all in on
(09:08):
the science. They want to know, you know, the clinical study,
the results from the study, and they want to know
data about the ingredients and where they come from. Others
come in and they just they need a hug and
they need a story to encourage them.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
So read the room. I love that.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
I know that making professional skincare accessible at home has
been really a key and a cornerstone to the brand.
How's that mission really evolved over time?
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Well, that was our go to market strategy. So back
when we first started, Sephora had only just entered the US.
There wasn't like you know, so we really coming from
a doctor doctor's environment. We went straight to the estheticians
and we went straight to the professional channel. And so
(10:00):
if you're going to see a professional and you're investing
in a professional treatment, you want to protect the investment
that you just made. You want to continue to get
those results. And so creating home care to support that
in office experience was our strategy. And so we created
(10:22):
a box of alphabet appeals that was a thirty day
supply because in the perfect scenario, you go for a
facial once a month might not be you know, maybe
every other month, so then you could buy two boxes
or whatever. But and then as you finish your supply appeals,
it triggers your memory, Okay, I need to book my
(10:43):
next appointment. And it creates also a relationship with your
esthetician where you're you know, doing you're on a journey
together and you come back to the esthetician and you
celebrate this success and you look at the skin and
together you know your working magic. And so that whole
(11:05):
scenario was super successful. And after a very short, short
short period of time, retail came knocking. And that was
also another way to create a journey for the clients.
So maybe they go to Ritz Carlton or Saint Regis
or Four Seasons and get a facial from doctor Dennis Gross,
(11:29):
and then they go home and they shop at Nordstrom
or Sophora, and then they can go to our website
to learn more. So it was just like a beautiful
client journey for us.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
And you're everywhere the consumer.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Was, Yeah, meet her where she is.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
Yeah, I love that. Speaking of the journey, you guys
have had a very successful journey. So what's next? What's ahead?
As you look at the future of skincare, how do
you see yourselves preparing for that?
Speaker 3 (11:56):
So I think that, you know, again, science research. It's
incredible the focus that the industry has on longevity, and
so we continue to innovate. We never want ever ever
like a me too brand. We're just not that kind
(12:18):
of a brand. And Dennis has the mind of an inventor, okay,
and an architect.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
He builds ideas.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
And so we're continuing to innovate in very very exciting ways.
And there's a lot of new new research happening. Whether
it's AI driven a little bit, maybe, but so much
of it has to do with like the science and
the proof. And there's a lot happening, and it's happening quickly,
(12:53):
and we're innovating with some very exciting new things coming
all new devices, new serums, new everything, everything very cool.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Something very unique is building the brand with your spouse, right,
That's something that we don't see as often, especially with
successful companies. I'm sure that there are the rewards in it,
but also their challenges. Would you be able to share
with us with some of those rewards and challenges that
have been along the journey.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
So I think that one of the most impactful rewards
for me personally was seeing Dennis, you know, become this
very renowned dermatologist. And you know, it's kind of it's
kind of funny when because like to me, he's just
(13:41):
my husband that leaves like dirty dishes in the sink, right,
But when we're out, like, oh, my god, I can't
believe this is the doctor Dennis Gross. And it gives
me such joy because he deserves that. Awesome and he
is an incredible, incredible human being, father, you know, doctor,
(14:06):
just educator, he's just he's very very special and he's
worked so hard. When I tell the story about the
backstory to the brand story and Dennis's career, I mean,
he spent time in internal medicine at Einstein doing you know,
in the er doing helping people live through gunshot wounds
(14:27):
and drug overdoses. And he spent time in that icee
you saving people's lives. And then he went into dermatology
because skin's very visual. He's a very visual person and
he really and he also had a passion for skin
cancer research and protecting people from that you know, devastating disease,
(14:49):
and he had you know, his background is so incredible.
There's so much to tell, but in any case, seeing
that him, you know, grow in.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
This way was the reward. The challenge.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
You know, it is not easy working with your spouse,
and you know, because when you're starting a business, it's
a twenty four to seven I was.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Gonna say, don't get to go home.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Oh my god, yeah, I'm having dream I'm dreaming about it.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
I'm waking up in the middle of the night.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
I'm waking up at five point thirty in the morning,
like saying, do you want to have coffee?
Speaker 2 (15:22):
I have an idea.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
So so those are challenges. You know, he'll say to
me like turn it off. And you know, my kids
used to tell me, Mommy, stop talking about skin. So
it's you know, those are that's the challenge. But any
husband and wife, whether they're working together or not, you
come home from work and you say, like, you know,
(15:44):
how is your day? Of course, and so you know
it's he had his office and I had mine.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
That saved us. We weren't under the same roof.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
I'm glad to hear. And it's awesome to see you
guys continue to accomplish amazing, amazing things together. I always
love to ask every guest comes in to share some
advice for people that are tuning in and for you,
I know you had a very unique experience obviously transitioning
industries from the fashion to the skincare side. If someone
was tuning in, that's thinking about making a career change,
(16:13):
and they're thinking about completely changing what they're doing what
advice would you wish you had given yourself then that
you know now, Well, a lot.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Of it happened, and I learned from from doing so.
I don't think I had all the right advice up
front necessarily, but what I did learn was and a
lot of it comes from just talking to my team
and I'm like, wow, you know, so I started this
brand when I was forty okay, And I think a
(16:44):
lot of a lot of young entrepreneurs think they have
to do it early.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Yeah, right, they.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Think, you know, I'm twenty eight, I'm thirty. I need
to do it right now. And quite honestly, having that experience,
that life experience behind me allowed me to be the
leader that you know, walked into the room and cared
about my team like I didn't care about my career
that much. I was like, I want to start this business,
(17:12):
and the business is what's important. It's not about me.
It's never about me, And so that was that was
really powerful. And I had a conversation with one of
the girls and she's like, yeah, I'm thirty three now,
and I'm really thinking like I should have but I
realized you didn't start till forty, So I have time,
I'm like, yes, you do.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
And I think when you are at an age where
you can prioritize and you know, you understand the balance
between you know, the financial responsibilities and the financial responsibilities
you have to your team when your team has children
that have to go to college and they have a
mortgage and like all these things, like you just take
(17:55):
it all into account as you lead the company.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
The other thing is finding a.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
Mentor, and that is super super important and I had
the most incredible mentor I could ever have asked for,
and I'm eternally grateful for that.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
That's great advice. Thank you for sharing that. I know
that the beauty industry could be very competitive. How have
you been able to obviously have success in such a
competitive environment without compromising any of your values?
Speaker 3 (18:33):
So, you know, it's challenging for sure, because there's this
you know, the competition really is around like these viral brands.
And you know, when we started our brand twenty five
years ago, there was no Internet and there were no influencers,
no social media. So we're not a digitally native brand. Sure,
(19:00):
We've always been science driven and built to last, and
so keeping your brand DNA and your philosophy and your
unique selling point or your point of difference top of
mind as you move through, you know, year over year
strategy planning. You know, it's it's tempting, yeah, to go
(19:24):
down a different path, and then you just have to
reel yourself back in and make sure that you're staying focused,
super focused, and not trying to be everything to everybody,
not trying to take on too much, not trying to
follow trends, not trying. So that is a discipline that
(19:45):
you have to live by and the team has to
agree on it and we all have to be in
lockstep in that regard.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Love that. So what's next? What is next for doctor
Dennis grew skincare. Is there any exciting developments, any expansions
that you're able to share with us?
Speaker 3 (20:05):
So right now we are enjoying a focus on global expansions,
but within the same channels. Okay, So I'm not looking
to you know, move away. So I choose my partners
very very carefully, very intentionally, and it is no different
(20:27):
than the relationships that I build with my clients or
my team, and we build our brand together, and so
I have every intention of driving the business in the
current channels that we're in to you know, gain rank
and make sure that we're you know, gaining new clients
(20:49):
every single day and keeping our messaging evolving in a
you know, a beautiful way evolving with the consumer. And
so I go like very slow and intentional, and if
there's an opportunity, I would say my biggest opportunity is
to continue to focus on the SPA channel and the
(21:12):
professional channel, because I feel like the consumer's more sophisticated
than ever and it's a beautiful experience when they can
go in and have those consultations and the relationships with
the professional. So that's really really important, and continuing to
focus on I think two pillars. One is meeting your
(21:37):
skin goals for life, and a lot of times, what
we're seeing now is that clients are discovering clinical skincare
for the first time when they're forty and fifty and sixty.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
They just you know, they might have been.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
Afraid, but their daughters are bringing them in because their
daughters learned on TikTok and they're bringing their moms in
and they're like, I don't like the cleanser she's using,
I don't like the moisturizer. She's using and so there's
that element and so I think that that there's there's
just so much to be done in the current channels
(22:12):
that we're in. So anyway, I think that's the true answer.
So the clinical and medical channel and then so meet
your skin goals for life. And then the other the
other phenomenal, you know, pillar that we hold onto is
bring the clinic home. So even if they're not seeing
(22:33):
that skincare professional, we're giving them tools to have control
over their skin at home and they can be their
own professional. So we have a facial steamer, we have cleansers,
we have you know, our peals that are based on
Dennis's treatment, the number one treatment in his practice, and
we have devices and we can you know, so we
(22:54):
can really give them the tools and the confidence to
be their own professional at home.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
I love that we covered a lot. But if there
was one key takeaway that you want our listeners to
know about the mission of the company, what would that be?
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Well, I think I just said it in those two pillars.
If you're not seeing a professional, don't worry because we're
giving you the tools that you need and we're there
for them. Like when I meet the clients. I give
them my email and my Instagram and my cell phone
and we stay in touch. And you know, they can
(23:30):
start slow. They can start with one or two of
our treatments. I'd rather have them start slow and build
and experience their routine so that they feel confident and
not overwhelmed. And yeah, we're just the whole team wears
the white coat.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
So when they're in store, when they're in SPA, that's
who we are. We consult, We know how to consult.
Dennis teaches them how to to, you know, really ask
the right questions and get to the nitty gritty of
what's going to give the client the best impact.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Awesome are the scared. If anyone that is tuning in
wants to learn more, what should they do?
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Oh? They can.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
They can go to our website and start to do
a little research.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Read.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
We know that that's really how the clients enter our brand,
and we love for them to check on us and
read reviews. But other than that, they can they can
go to our Instagram and message us. They can go
to my Instagram and message me. I was just at
an event in Toronto, another event down at Oculus, and
(24:43):
I've got clients that I have to get back to
the office too to get to get back to them
on some of their questions. So, you know, being Chief
Creative Officer, it gives me the beautiful ability to connect
with these clients. I have more time than I used
to as CE. I don't have to manage supply chain
and finance anymore, so I'm all about the clients.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
That's awesome. Well, Kerie, thank you so much for sharing
your journey with us, for teaching us more about the company.
You could tell from from your words, how passionate and
how much you love what you do, which is always
refreshing this day.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
It's the truth. I love it.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Well, thank you for being here today. Thanks and thank
you all for tuning in. Tune in next week for
next week's edition of CEOs. You should Know
Hi everyone, the Steve Dlison and welcome to this Speek's
edition of CEOs. You should know. I'm thrilled to be
joined by Carrie Gross, the co founder of doctor Dennis
Gross Skincare.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Kerry, thanks for being here, Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
We're so excited to jump into your journey and learn
of course more about the company.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Great.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
So why don't we kick it off to your early
career when you worked in fashion as a merchandising director
at Norstrom. How did that experience really shape you into
building the skincare brand.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
I think that the experience I had with clients was
really instrumental, and I equate it, you know to building wardrobes,
and building that wardrobe instills confidence and gives the clients
the ability to just like move forward and achieve their
(00:49):
goals in life, you know, without having anything holding them back.
They feel great. And skincare is very similar. I build
a skincare wardrobe for my clients and it's you know,
it's their morning routine, their evening routine, their weekend routine.
And so there's those two elements. It's really a business
(01:09):
about people and relationships, meaningful relationships, and there's a lot
of creativity in it as well.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
So I love that great analogy, not.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
To mention, you know, budgets and p and ls.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
So yeah, absolutely, I know that you and your husband
met in an elevator and bonded over skincare on your
first day. Is that correct?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
That's correct.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
It was a dinner date that sort of morphed into
a Q and A I will say, and Dennis likes
to say it was scientist meets consumer, but I like
to say Sun worshiper from California meets the new anti
aging guru.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
That was kind of for me how it played out.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
I love that. And what was that moment that the
two of you knew that that shared passion could turn
into a business.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Well, it was early on. My wheels were turning from.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
That first date.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
I was like, Wow, he gave me such hope and optimism.
And I started to invite him into my apartment and
show him the products that I was spending my heart
earned dollars on and talking to him about the facials
that I was spending my rent money on. And he
(02:25):
was not that impressed. You know, He's like, Okay, you're
getting a lot of hydration, but that's about it. I
was like, whoa, Okay, let's disrupt the industry.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
So we talked about how the fashion industry really influenced
the skincare side of it, right, But what were some
of the biggest mind shifts that you had to make
when you took that leap from fashion to skinsure.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
So there's an element to fashion that is very trend driven,
and you know, I think, you know, I'm always thinking
about the investments that the consumers making in when when
I was in fashion, the investments they're making in their skin.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
But we aren't.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
We have a very different approach than fashion in that regard.
So we follow trends that are lifestyle driven, not trends
around like a smoky.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Eye or a bold lift.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Obviously we're skincare, but there are skincare trends that drive
the industry. We are built to last all the way.
Our number one hero product was the first product we launched,
and it's a these these these are all based on
science and proof and they're not trendy in any way,
(03:46):
but we do follow lifestyle trends. So for right now,
as an example, you know, everyone's very very you know,
the buzzword is longevity, and we're thinking about, you know,
how to live the health our health span rather than
our life span, and so that really factors into our
brand because we're you know, science and research based and
(04:08):
proof based, and you know, we do so many clinical studies,
but we're really you know, Dennis's practice serves as a
living lab, and we're listening to people and really hearing
how they're feeling about their life. You know, your skin,
Your life shows up on your in your skin, So
whether you're sleeping, while eating, while exercising, taking the right supplements,
(04:32):
using the right skin, all of those things factor in
and that's you know, part of our philosophy and how
we consult with clients.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
That's great to hear. Yeah, I love when I saw this.
You describe yourself as a lifelong connector how does thatlocity
really influence the way that you lead your team and
the company.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
So I think it's you know, for me, it's about
the real world is quality and having quality interactions and
quality relationships are critical and as opposed to quantity, and
so I feel like, you know my team, So by
(05:13):
the time we hit our thirties, we spend more time
with our co workers than we do with our family
and friends. It's a fact, and so you know, thinking
about that. I'm also a mother of four, and so
I definitely am thinking about their careers. I'm thinking about
the quality of the time they spend with at work,
(05:37):
with their colleagues.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
And with me and on the brand.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
And I want to make sure they're being challenged, stimulated
using all of their superpowers that they feel, you know,
like a part of the engine that's driving the business.
And because we spend so much time together, you know,
I always want to like know the name of their
(06:00):
and what books they're reading. And it's very it's very genuine,
and we just enjoy each other. And I like to
mentor them. I like to mentor outside of of the
you know, the team as well. But my team means
everything to me.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
That's so important, so refreshing to hear. Yeah, we touched
on this a little bit earlier, really listening to the consumer.
And I know that at doctor Dennis Grows Skincare you
really blend clinical science but make sure that you still
have that consumer friendly design. How do your team approach
that innovation without losing touch of that human element.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
It's I think it's something that is just baked into
our philosophy, and as I said, like your life shows
up on your face, so you can't really separate them.
And you know, we are, we are in it for
the long term, and so when we meet our clients,
(06:59):
we want to We're never transactional. We're very, very intentional
about everything that we create from an innovation standpoint, like
we understand their lifestyle. We want we know that maybe
they have three kids and they don't have time in
the morning. So when we're creating our products, we're thinking
consumer centric. Like even when I think about marketing, I
(07:22):
pretend like I know nothing and I put my consumer
hat on and say she's walking through the door of
Sephora and she knows nothing about skincare. Does my messaging
work Do my products make it easy for her to
navigate and understand? So it's it's all driven by that.
And again back to Dennis's practice. You know we call
(07:43):
it the living Lab. We learn so much from him
and from his interactions with his with his patients and
like buzzwords and what resonates, and so that all factors
into how we create our products and our messaging of.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
That and continuing the thematic around the messaging right to
the consumers. I know, in your current role as chief
creative officer, it's probably a little complex sometimes to be
able to take that dermatology science but also make it
relate to the everyday consumer. Like you just mentioned, how
do you find that you're able to tell those stories
to really resonate with consumers?
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Now, Sough, storytelling is a huge part of what we do,
and I have compelling real life stories to share with clients.
Like you know, I'll do an event out of Sephora
and the girls will drive three hours to walk through
(08:39):
the door with their cell phones in hand to show
me there before and afters and I literally get tears
in my eyes and.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Like hug them feeling out.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
It really is And so sharing those stories when we
do events is something that really resonates. But I also
talk to my team about like read the room, look
at your client and know what they're after. Because some
of the clients they want to go all in on
(09:08):
the science. They want to know, you know, the clinical study,
the results from the study, and they want to know
data about the ingredients and where they come from. Others
come in and they just they need a hug and
they need a story to encourage them.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
So read the room. I love that.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
I know that making professional skincare accessible at home has
been really a key and a cornerstone to the brand.
How's that mission really evolved over time?
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Well, that was our go to market strategy. So back
when we first started, Sephora had only just entered the US.
There wasn't like you know, so we really coming from
a doctor doctor's environment. We went straight to the estheticians
and we went straight to the professional channel. And so
(10:00):
if you're going to see a professional and you're investing
in a professional treatment, you want to protect the investment
that you just made. You want to continue to get
those results. And so creating home care to support that
in office experience was our strategy. And so we created
(10:22):
a box of alphabet appeals that was a thirty day
supply because in the perfect scenario, you go for a
facial once a month might not be you know, maybe
every other month, so then you could buy two boxes
or whatever. But and then as you finish your supply appeals,
it triggers your memory, Okay, I need to book my
(10:43):
next appointment. And it creates also a relationship with your
esthetician where you're you know, doing you're on a journey
together and you come back to the esthetician and you
celebrate this success and you look at the skin and
together you know your working magic. And so that whole
(11:05):
scenario was super successful. And after a very short, short
short period of time, retail came knocking. And that was
also another way to create a journey for the clients.
So maybe they go to Ritz Carlton or Saint Regis
or Four Seasons and get a facial from doctor Dennis Gross,
(11:29):
and then they go home and they shop at Nordstrom
or Sophora, and then they can go to our website
to learn more. So it was just like a beautiful
client journey for us.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
And you're everywhere the consumer.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Was, Yeah, meet her where she is.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
Yeah, I love that. Speaking of the journey, you guys
have had a very successful journey. So what's next? What's ahead?
As you look at the future of skincare, how do
you see yourselves preparing for that?
Speaker 3 (11:56):
So I think that, you know, again, science research. It's
incredible the focus that the industry has on longevity, and
so we continue to innovate. We never want ever ever
like a me too brand. We're just not that kind
(12:18):
of a brand. And Dennis has the mind of an inventor, okay,
and an architect.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
He builds ideas.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
And so we're continuing to innovate in very very exciting ways.
And there's a lot of new new research happening. Whether
it's AI driven a little bit, maybe, but so much
of it has to do with like the science and
the proof. And there's a lot happening, and it's happening quickly,
(12:53):
and we're innovating with some very exciting new things coming
all new devices, new serums, new everything, everything very cool.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Something very unique is building the brand with your spouse, right,
That's something that we don't see as often, especially with
successful companies. I'm sure that there are the rewards in it,
but also their challenges. Would you be able to share
with us with some of those rewards and challenges that
have been along the journey.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
So I think that one of the most impactful rewards
for me personally was seeing Dennis, you know, become this
very renowned dermatologist. And you know, it's kind of it's
kind of funny when because like to me, he's just
(13:41):
my husband that leaves like dirty dishes in the sink, right,
But when we're out, like, oh, my god, I can't
believe this is the doctor Dennis Gross. And it gives
me such joy because he deserves that. Awesome and he
is an incredible, incredible human being, father, you know, doctor,
(14:06):
just educator, he's just he's very very special and he's
worked so hard. When I tell the story about the
backstory to the brand story and Dennis's career, I mean,
he spent time in internal medicine at Einstein doing you know,
in the er doing helping people live through gunshot wounds
(14:27):
and drug overdoses. And he spent time in that icee
you saving people's lives. And then he went into dermatology
because skin's very visual. He's a very visual person and
he really and he also had a passion for skin
cancer research and protecting people from that you know, devastating disease,
(14:49):
and he had you know, his background is so incredible.
There's so much to tell, but in any case, seeing
that him, you know, grow in.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
This way was the reward. The challenge.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
You know, it is not easy working with your spouse,
and you know, because when you're starting a business, it's
a twenty four to seven I was.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Gonna say, don't get to go home.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Oh my god, yeah, I'm having dream I'm dreaming about it.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
I'm waking up in the middle of the night.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
I'm waking up at five point thirty in the morning,
like saying, do you want to have coffee?
Speaker 2 (15:22):
I have an idea.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
So so those are challenges. You know, he'll say to
me like turn it off. And you know, my kids
used to tell me, Mommy, stop talking about skin. So
it's you know, those are that's the challenge. But any
husband and wife, whether they're working together or not, you
come home from work and you say, like, you know,
(15:44):
how is your day? Of course, and so you know
it's he had his office and I had mine.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
That saved us. We weren't under the same roof.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
I'm glad to hear. And it's awesome to see you
guys continue to accomplish amazing, amazing things together. I always
love to ask every guest comes in to share some
advice for people that are tuning in and for you,
I know you had a very unique experience obviously transitioning
industries from the fashion to the skincare side. If someone
was tuning in, that's thinking about making a career change,
(16:13):
and they're thinking about completely changing what they're doing what
advice would you wish you had given yourself then that
you know now, Well, a lot.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Of it happened, and I learned from from doing so.
I don't think I had all the right advice up
front necessarily, but what I did learn was and a
lot of it comes from just talking to my team
and I'm like, wow, you know, so I started this
brand when I was forty okay, And I think a
(16:44):
lot of a lot of young entrepreneurs think they have
to do it early.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Yeah, right, they.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Think, you know, I'm twenty eight, I'm thirty. I need
to do it right now. And quite honestly, having that experience,
that life experience behind me allowed me to be the
leader that you know, walked into the room and cared
about my team like I didn't care about my career
that much. I was like, I want to start this business,
(17:12):
and the business is what's important. It's not about me.
It's never about me, And so that was that was
really powerful. And I had a conversation with one of
the girls and she's like, yeah, I'm thirty three now,
and I'm really thinking like I should have but I
realized you didn't start till forty, So I have time,
I'm like, yes, you do.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
And I think when you are at an age where
you can prioritize and you know, you understand the balance
between you know, the financial responsibilities and the financial responsibilities
you have to your team when your team has children
that have to go to college and they have a
mortgage and like all these things, like you just take
(17:55):
it all into account as you lead the company.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
The other thing is finding a.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
Mentor, and that is super super important and I had
the most incredible mentor I could ever have asked for,
and I'm eternally grateful for that.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
That's great advice. Thank you for sharing that. I know
that the beauty industry could be very competitive. How have
you been able to obviously have success in such a
competitive environment without compromising any of your values?
Speaker 3 (18:33):
So, you know, it's challenging for sure, because there's this
you know, the competition really is around like these viral brands.
And you know, when we started our brand twenty five
years ago, there was no Internet and there were no influencers,
no social media. So we're not a digitally native brand. Sure,
(19:00):
We've always been science driven and built to last, and
so keeping your brand DNA and your philosophy and your
unique selling point or your point of difference top of
mind as you move through, you know, year over year
strategy planning. You know, it's it's tempting, yeah, to go
(19:24):
down a different path, and then you just have to
reel yourself back in and make sure that you're staying focused,
super focused, and not trying to be everything to everybody,
not trying to take on too much, not trying to
follow trends, not trying. So that is a discipline that
(19:45):
you have to live by and the team has to
agree on it and we all have to be in
lockstep in that regard.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Love that. So what's next? What is next for doctor
Dennis grew skincare. Is there any exciting developments, any expansions
that you're able to share with us?
Speaker 3 (20:05):
So right now we are enjoying a focus on global expansions,
but within the same channels. Okay, So I'm not looking
to you know, move away. So I choose my partners
very very carefully, very intentionally, and it is no different
(20:27):
than the relationships that I build with my clients or
my team, and we build our brand together, and so
I have every intention of driving the business in the
current channels that we're in to you know, gain rank
and make sure that we're you know, gaining new clients
(20:49):
every single day and keeping our messaging evolving in a
you know, a beautiful way evolving with the consumer. And
so I go like very slow and intentional, and if
there's an opportunity, I would say my biggest opportunity is
to continue to focus on the SPA channel and the
(21:12):
professional channel, because I feel like the consumer's more sophisticated
than ever and it's a beautiful experience when they can
go in and have those consultations and the relationships with
the professional. So that's really really important, and continuing to
focus on I think two pillars. One is meeting your
(21:37):
skin goals for life, and a lot of times, what
we're seeing now is that clients are discovering clinical skincare
for the first time when they're forty and fifty and sixty.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
They just you know, they might have been.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
Afraid, but their daughters are bringing them in because their
daughters learned on TikTok and they're bringing their moms in
and they're like, I don't like the cleanser she's using,
I don't like the moisturizer. She's using and so there's
that element and so I think that that there's there's
just so much to be done in the current channels
(22:12):
that we're in. So anyway, I think that's the true answer.
So the clinical and medical channel and then so meet
your skin goals for life. And then the other the
other phenomenal, you know, pillar that we hold onto is
bring the clinic home. So even if they're not seeing
(22:33):
that skincare professional, we're giving them tools to have control
over their skin at home and they can be their
own professional. So we have a facial steamer, we have cleansers,
we have you know, our peals that are based on
Dennis's treatment, the number one treatment in his practice, and
we have devices and we can you know, so we
(22:54):
can really give them the tools and the confidence to
be their own professional at home.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
I love that we covered a lot. But if there
was one key takeaway that you want our listeners to
know about the mission of the company, what would that be?
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Well, I think I just said it in those two pillars.
If you're not seeing a professional, don't worry because we're
giving you the tools that you need and we're there
for them. Like when I meet the clients. I give
them my email and my Instagram and my cell phone
and we stay in touch. And you know, they can
(23:30):
start slow. They can start with one or two of
our treatments. I'd rather have them start slow and build
and experience their routine so that they feel confident and
not overwhelmed. And yeah, we're just the whole team wears
the white coat.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
So when they're in store, when they're in SPA, that's
who we are. We consult, We know how to consult.
Dennis teaches them how to to, you know, really ask
the right questions and get to the nitty gritty of
what's going to give the client the best impact.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Awesome are the scared. If anyone that is tuning in
wants to learn more, what should they do?
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Oh? They can.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
They can go to our website and start to do
a little research.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Read.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
We know that that's really how the clients enter our brand,
and we love for them to check on us and
read reviews. But other than that, they can they can
go to our Instagram and message us. They can go
to my Instagram and message me. I was just at
an event in Toronto, another event down at Oculus, and
(24:43):
I've got clients that I have to get back to
the office too to get to get back to them
on some of their questions. So, you know, being Chief
Creative Officer, it gives me the beautiful ability to connect
with these clients. I have more time than I used
to as CE. I don't have to manage supply chain
and finance anymore, so I'm all about the clients.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
That's awesome. Well, Kerie, thank you so much for sharing
your journey with us, for teaching us more about the company.
You could tell from from your words, how passionate and
how much you love what you do, which is always
refreshing this day.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
It's the truth. I love it.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Well, thank you for being here today. Thanks and thank
you all for tuning in. Tune in next week for
next week's edition of CEOs. You should Know
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