1078. A Day in the Life: What's It Really Like to Be a Skincare and Wellness Innovator

“When I was very young, my grandmother would take me into Boston for lunch and shopping. She took me to the cosmetic counters or jewelry counters of top retail stores–some days it was about the diamonds and some days it was about the beauty. Around 8 or 9 years of age my mother gave me a kit to make my own perfume, which I also enjoyed a lot, and friends and family liked the fragrances I came up with! I guess you could say I was indoctrinated into the field, purely by accident, but these childhood experiences greatly influenced my later decisions. After graduating from college I joined my brother who had just started a skateboarding company in California—Powerflex—which is still going strong today. While I enjoyed working with my brother and loved skateboarding, I realized that this industry was not where my passions were. I knew that the beauty industry, which was very much in its formative growth stages, was where I wanted to focus. I did a great deal of research and homework into the entire industry worldwide and then sat down and over a period of weeks outlined what I call a ‘Career Pie’ that summarized, with the many product and service segments inside of a large circle (‘pie’), the many facets of the field and where my interests and passions lay. Over my entire career, that Career Pie, which is always evolving, has been my compass, if you will, whenever I face important decisions at any turning point of my life and career. I believe that every one of us should follow their passions in our career, and having a vision and plan of action, in my experience, are vital to success.”

Karen Ballou has been a leader and innovator in the skincare and wellness space her entire career. Most recently, she is the founder and CEO of Immunocologie, an all-natural skincare brand focused on skin health and immune protection as well as co-founder of LB Equity, a growth equity fund investing in emerging brands in beauty, wellness and personal care. During her career, Karen has helped formulate, position, and launch more than 75 brands. In addition, she is a licensed esthetician, has founded and owned day spas in Atlanta, Chicago and Connecticut and authored curriculum for the American Esthetician Association.