Maya Crothers
Although she was a beauty junkie since childhood, secretly playing with what seemed to be mysterious potions on her mother's nightstand, her mechanical engineering undergrad coupled with her Wharton MBA did not immediately direct Crothers into the skincare universe. She spent her early adult years working with Fortune 100 companies including one of the world's largest computer networking companies, a domestic airline and a large multi-national snack/beverage/fast food company.
After retiring and moving to the small mountain town of Jackson Hole and enduring the harsh, high altitude climate, Crothers discovered a renewed interest in skincare. Bringing together the exacting standards she learned in the business world, an appreciation of science from her undergrad days, the needs of a busy mom and her love of skincare to create the luxury skincare line, Circ-Cell. Crothers currently lives in Jackson Hole, WY and shares an active love of the outdoors with her husband and two children.
How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?
I have always found myself to be super driven and fascinated by the beauty space, but I don't necessarily see myself as a leader or think about leadership directly. I suppose leadership becomes more of a by-product than a starting point. What matters is working to achieve a goal. I am happy to let someone else lead.
How has your previous employment experience aided your tenure at Circcell?
The two experiences that stand out the most....my time at Bain and Company taught me how to be data driven... in other words, use historical data and analysis to guide your decision making. This does not mean there is no room for emotion or gut feelings. But the analysis does give you a sober platform to launch from and it can identify where the risks are. I try to use this data driven approach whenever possible in making decisions.
The other experience...being married to a deal guy. Deal guys are always on the phone discussing deals. Their social groups consist heavily of other deal guys and professionals that support the deal business. Even when they are not talking about deals they frame most of their conversations with deal language. In the beginning I was so confused even if I wouldn't admit it out loud. Slowly, it began making sense. Eventually, I learned something about how investors view companies and analyze potential acquisition targets. Having this understanding for how the financial community assesses companies makes me a better entrepreneur.
What have the highlights and challenges been during your tenure at Circcell?
The highlights for me ARE the challenges. On more then one occasion we nearly had to shut the company down. Capital is always a challenge. There is never enough. Partner problems, regulatory issues, supplier problems, manufacturing setbacks. For me the real "highlight" is how failures and hardship shape you - not your successes. Successes are fleeting and can make you arrogant.
What is the most important lesson you've learned in your career to date?
Never give up. Cash is king.
What do you think is the biggest issue for women in the workplace?
It has been so long since I have been in a real workplace. I had been retired for eight years before I founded Circcell. I'm not sure entrepreneurs have the same workplace issues that one would find in a corporation. The indie beauty business (our segment) is heavily dominated by women with lives very similar to mine. Again, a departure from typical corporate life. My big workplace issue is getting my children to be quiet when I am on the phone! The dogs don't seem to take direction very well either.
How has mentorship made a difference in your professional and personal life?
Mentors help you narrow down the sea of possibilities. They can make the difference between a straight line between point A and B and a zig zagged one. Experience is priceless. Not listening to experience is heartbreaking. It has taken me years to unwind problems that could have been avoided if I had just listened!!
Which other female leaders do you admire and why?
The female Secretaries of State. Can you imagine going from one head of state to another with no sleep while traveling across time zones with the very simple job of keeping the world on track. Real bad assess!!
What do you want Circcell to accomplish in the next year?
Increased top line, increased bottom line, cool product launches.