How Two Beauty Executives Work from Home – Part 1

Working from home presents unique challenges, especially for those of us who haven’t worked this way before. That’s why we’ve called in the experts: Four Beauty Executives who have found a way to stay productive, connected, and sane while working remotely. 

Read on for great tips from Rose Fernandez, CEO of Algenist and Lisa Maiman Hoffman, Marketing & Product Development Consultant at Clover Worldwide. Keep an eye out for Part 2 with Jennifer Ritter, VP Product Development & Innovation at Haus Laboratories, and Jennifer Weiderman, CMO at Hempz. 

Rose Fernandez, CEO, Algenist

What is your experience with remote work? 

Rose Fernandez: Algenist has been working remotely since 2017. Our original policy was that all corporate employees, regardless of level, work from home one day of their choosing a week. Once COVID happened, everyone went fully remote. This was not a challenging transition for my team – in fact, our IT team commented that it basically required nothing, as everyone was already set up with the right tech. 

Personally, I’ve been based largely remote most of my career. That way of thinking is embedded in me. I’ve always valued the flexibility that comes with working remotely. In entrepreneurial-minded companies like the ones I’ve worked for, there is an understanding that meeting the business’ needs doesn’t happen in a specified time frame or location. 

Do you have a dedicated space for working from home?

RF: I find spaces in my home that are easier to work in. In the past, I’ve managed one business at the dining room table of a small apartment the entirety of the time I worked there – managing a significant amount of revenue. I have a desk that was my dedicated space previously, but lately I’ve been back at a dining room table – which has a window – for a change of scenery.. I like having a space where I can look outside and enjoy the beauty of nature. 

How do you manage distractions and stay organized?

RF: I adapted to being paperless early on – 2007 or 2008. I had to tell people I wouldn’t accept fax. That was part of adapting to remote work – I personally appreciate having less things around, and I don’t like clutter. That’s important in a work-from-home environment, as any kind of clutter can be very distracting. 

My daughter is taking her university courses online, and my partner is working out in the garage. We need to be very respectful of each other’s space. We make sure to communicate high priority calls and meetings so we can coordinate. The best thing you can do is share with other people in your space what is important for you that day, some rules for how to engage. Whoever is in your space, having a shared understanding of how you communicate when things need to be quiet and respected so you don’t have frustrating distractions. 

I’ve avoided distractions by relying on my calendar as my guide for the day. If it’s not on my calendar, it’s not a priority. I’ll even calendarize exercise and lunch, allowing myself time to step away from my space. Even if I only have fifteen minutes for lunch, scheduling that time for breaks is important. 

Do you follow a schedule?

RF: I have a routine. I get up at the same time every day, and begin by reading industry trades and newspapers. I’ll quickly do some correspondence for international business, then focus on anything personal for an hour to an hour and a half in the morning. I follow my calendar after that to avoid distractions. 

At the end of the day, I close everything up and put it away and out of sight – my computer, notebooks, cords, anything that is related to work. I think that’s incredibly important – to close out and signal to yourself that you are done for the day. It gives you a feeling of closure. 

How do you combat the challenges of working remotely?

RF: Now that we’re working from home 100% of the time, it’s important to be mindful and think of everything differently. Before, when I was only partially remote, it was very important to me to schedule Zoom calls so I could see the person. However, now my focus is on keeping things to a reasonable amount of time. 

We’ve lost the ability to pass each other in the hallway and have those quick catch-ups and interactions. We need to focus on new ways of building relationships and rapport, which involves being more lax in the modes of communication we’re using. The reality of our homes being the primary place of work for the moment is that some communications can be a quick text or a quick call – we don’t have to be so formal. It’s important to be flexible to the needs of this moment. 

As the leader of my organization, it’s also been helpful for me and my team to have a 9:30am daily catch up. It may last anywhere between 5 to 30 minutes, but it gives us the ability to connect and see each other. It’s important to maintain your culture. 

What is your advice to Beauty Executives who are now working from home for the first time?

RF: Keep a schedule. Get up and get dressed. It’s helpful to start your day as if you were leaving the house. Make sure you prioritize yourself, and calendar in time to take a break and exercise. Get up and move around – you don’t have to take a phone call sitting. Get out for some sunshine if you can, especially if you’re by yourself. Lastly, connect with other people in any way you can. 

Lisa Maiman Hoffman, Product Development & Marketing Consultant and Advisor Beauty, Health & Lifestyle Brands, Clover Worldwide

What is your experience with remote work? 

Lisa Maiman Hoffman: I’ve been a consultant for the past seven and a half years. I’ve worked from home a lot of that time, or from an office – depending on the client’s needs and resources. Back in the late 90’s/early 2000s, I owned my own business and frequently worked from home. I’ve always been of that mindset and have had to know how to stay productive while working remotely, even early on. 

Do you have a dedicated space for working from home? 

LMH: I have two kids that are home right now, so right now my space is dependent on where they are. I don’t have an office or separate room that’s just my own, so you could say that I’m very “remote” even within my own house. If my kids are in the main living space and I need to take a call, for instance, I may go outside so I can be engaged and free of distractions. 

How do you manage distractions and stay organized?

LMH: At the end of each day, while things are still fresh in my mind, I make a list of things I want to accomplish the following day. I also have a friend and colleague who I’ve been checking in with on a daily basis. We tell each other one goal that we want to accomplish and then check in each morning to see if it was done and to set the next goal. 

It’s helpful to put it out into the universe, and to be held accountable by someone who is going to ask about it. Otherwise, it’s easy to not even accomplish one thing with so many distractions. 

Do you follow a schedule?

LMH: I’m kind of old school – I have a written daily planner with a weekly overview. I sit down at the beginning of the week and write down my list of work and personal things that need to get done – the big things and the small things. I’m constantly adding to it throughout the week. It’s important to keep track of everything – especially the small things that tend to slip through the cracks if you let them. 

How do you combat the challenges of working remotely?

LMH: One of the challenges I’ve found is scheduling conference calls and Zoom meetings with the kids running around and at home. To help with this, I take time on Sunday to make a schedule with blocks of activities for my kids. It’s an Excel spreadsheet. This way, they know what they’re supposed to be doing from 8am-2pm every day. 

I try to schedule my calls when I know that both of them are occupied, and won’t need to ask questions about math homework, for example. I’ve also been working out with my husband when he is going to be available and I’m not, and vice versa so we can stagger our schedules. We want to be attentive to their needs; that is the most important thing right now. But we also need to manage our business.

What is your advice to Beauty Executives who are now working from home for the first time? 

LMH: The main takeaway is to try to set goals for yourself and keep moving. Writing things down really helps me, especially now that we have so much going on. By checking things off your list, you’ll keep moving forward and accomplishing all the big and small tasks you need to keep your personal life and business running.

Thank you to Rose Fernandez and Lisa Maiman Hoffman for their insights. Make sure to check out Part 2 with Jennifer Weiderman and Jennifer Ritter for their tips!