Latest / CEOs and ABCs / Anncy Rowe (Rodan +Fields, L'Oreal, Avon, Strivectin) From L’Oréal to C-Suite: The Confidence Pattern That Changed Everything #023

Transcript

Anncy Rowe (Rodan +Fields, L'Oreal, Avon, Strivectin) From L’Oréal to C-Suite: The Confidence Pattern That Changed Everything #023 · CEOs and ABCs

• 0:00
  Speaker A: I never thought about what is my end goal, what do I want to be in 10 years? I was just loving what I did. I remember being promoted to vice president and leaving the l' Oreal offices and calling my sister and saying to her, I could die tomorrow and I would feel accomplished in my career. I remember being in meetings with very executive level people and feeling like, why am I here? I did the red eyes for my son's birthday that he will never remember. So who did I do that for? To leave her on that campus, to get in a car, for me to get to the airport, it felt like an extraction. There's something I saw that really resonated with me. Who are you when you're not caring for someone?
• 0:48
  Speaker B: Welcome to CEOs and ABC's Real Stories from execs who lead at work and show up at home. Career moves, parenting, wins and fails, and everything in between. I'm your host. Host Kevin Rice. Here's today's episode. Welcome back to CEOs and ABCs. Today I'm joined by Ansi Rowe, a C suite beauty insider who has spent decades building brands, teams, and world class culture across some of the most recognizable names in the category. Ansi rose through the ranks at l', Oreal, helping build the Maybelline brand and earn multiple promotions into senior leadership. She now leads as the Chief Commercial Officer at Rodan and Fields, guiding the brand through one of its most significant transformations in history. But this conversation isn't just about career milestones or titles. It's about what it takes to grow as a leader over time. Ansi opens up about the true power of passion, navigating imposter syndrome at every new level and leading with conviction even when the path forward isn't clearly defined. We also explore what it means to redefine your own identity as your children grow up and how she thinks about legacy not just in business, but the way she shows up for her family. My guest today is Ansi Rowe. Ansi, thank you so much for being here.
• 2:00
  Speaker A: I'm so happy to be here with you. Kevin.
• 2:03
  Speaker B: Yeah, I'm really excited to chat with you about this amazing career you've had because you've gone from moving up the ranks at l' Oreal to being a SVP of marketing. You were the CMO at and I might pronounce this wrong, but is it strivectin?
• 2:17
  Speaker A: Got it.
• 2:18
  Speaker B: Okay. And now you're the acting Chief Commercial Officer at Rodan and Fields. What gave you the confidence as you kind of moved up through the ranks of the Corporate ladder. Did you ever feel any sort of sense of, like, imposter syndrome along the way?
• 2:31
  Speaker A: That's such a big and meaty question. Um, Kevin. So I never thought about what, you know, what is my end goal? What do I want to be in 10 years? Like, all those questions, all the interview questions I would ask people as they're joining my teams. L' Oreal was an amazing experience for me. I love the beauty industry. I love how fast paced it is, how innovative it is. The people at l' Oreal were dreamers. I felt like people that had big dreams, but also could have resources to make them happen. And so I loved that environment. As you're talking about my career, I remember the. The moment, the day that I got promoted from an assistant vice president. I was on the Maybelline brand at the time to vice president. And Kevin, I had no idea it was coming. No idea. So. Meaning I didn't rally for it. I was, like, doing all the networking or creating the meetings or meeting with hr. I wasn't doing any of those things. I wasn't navigating to build my career. I was just loving what I did. And I remember being promoted to vice president and leaving the l' Oreal offices and calling my sister and saying to her, I could die tomorrow and I would feel accomplished in my career. And that was so many years ago. And it was to say, because I had no. I wasn't like, gunning for this C suite position. I really was just loving what I did. And, you know, I worked in other industries, not in beauty. And I never felt that passion, nor did I feel that I could do it, that I could do more than what I was doing. I felt very much uninspired. And so, fast forward to your question. I was promoted to vice president. Then I was promoted to svp. Kevin. It was the same thing. I didn't know I would be promoted. That day. My boss calls me. Ironically, I was home. And this was even like before work from home was a real thing. I just happened to be home that day, think it was a Friday, had no idea. He called me and said, you're being promoted to senior vice president. And again, I'm like, what? No idea. And. And I think with those experiences and realizing that I have a gift in certain aspects of what I'm doing, I built that confidence. And those times, those opportunities, being in those rooms and realizing I have something to contribute gave me the confidence. But also, I have built that confidence over time, I think, but across many different aspects, I have, I think There's a tenacity where I like it or not, I think I can do certain things that probably are outside of my capability. And so, you know, just a story that you and I were laughing about as we were prepping is we have some home improvement stuff to do in my house and we have to paint a door and get a door painted, which for me seems like that's an easy thing to do. And my husband is getting quotes from painters and I said to him, I think I can do it. And he looks at me like, you are out of your mind.
• 5:50
  Speaker B: Little known fact, I ran a house painting business in college and staining a front door is actually a lot more difficult than it might appear.
• 6:02
  Speaker A: So I think my husband might know that too, because he was like ansi, why do you think you can do that? Like, why do you think you are a jack of all trades? So I think something Kevin, over time has built up my confidence to feel like I can tackle things that I might not have 100% of the qualifications for, but I can learn it and I can do it. I can watch the YouTube videos, get to materials, talk to people and do it. And I'm the, I'm the oldest of three girls and so I think there's also something in being the oldest where I felt like I had to figure it out because I was the first one doing things in our family. The, the confidence, I think to your question came with time, but there's also something that almost was foundational in me. But on the flip side to your point on imposter syndrome, which is obviously such a buzzword and hot topic, either you believe it exists or there people that don't. And for me, I absolutely felt it over time. Especially, you know, when I think of my career journey and being put into places when I didn't even think I was ready or didn't even think it was going to happen, I remember being in meetings with very executive level people and feeling like, why am I here? But also looking around the room and not seeing anyone that look like me. And so really second guessing my validity of being in those rooms. Imposter syndrome is a real thing. It is something that I think can be squashed if you are one with that belief in yourself, really like underscoring you got here for a reason, remembering your accomplishments, but then continuing to have accomplishments under your belt, the results will speak for themselves. So I think that's what helps to offset or battle that imposter syndrome. And as I think of my career, that's really how the journey is. But it's not to say that I feel confident in every room I go into. No, but I feel better equipped now, whether it is my delusion or not, I feel better equipped based on my experience.
• 8:10
  Speaker B: Well, I guess you're right. That was a hefty question with a lot to unpack there, I would say. I sense also, like, the effort and energy you put in to build your confidence. It also was built with an underlying just passion. Cause you were passionate about what you were doing at l' Oreal and now at Rodan and Fields. And when you have that something you're passionate about, it feels meaningful and it pulls you towards putting in the work, putting in the effort, which in turn builds the confidence. When you're doing something that just feels like a grind, like you're pushing a boulder up the hill, it's a lot more difficult to get through and put the same amount of effort and energy into building confidence. So I think there's is a lot to be said for the culture. I had the privilege of working on the outside as a vendor with l'. Oreal. And my experience was everyone I worked with was certainly a high performer, high achiever, very driven and very passionate about what they were doing. And that culture was very easy to feel like the second you walked into the room. So we talked about imposter syndrome, felt imposter syndrome at every time our company and my role started to grow. So I resonate with what you said about I'm in this room for a reason. At the previous stage, like one layer lower, I didn't know what I was doing either, but I figured it out to get to this level. And so that kind of gave me the confidence to know that as we get to the next level, I'm going to feel some imposter syndrome. And I actually think that's a good thing because to me, it told me I am stretching myself. I'm putting myself in a situation that is designed to force me to grow. And because we don't grow when we're in our comfort zone. And so it was always kind of a signal to me to know that, okay, this is actually where I need to be right now, otherwise I'm going to stagnate. And it was uncomfortable, but it was actually like, the right place to be.
• 10:07
  Speaker A: I love that. Kevin, you're right. At every level, there is a bit of uncertainty, but you made it through. And so remembering that is so important. And then just on what you said about passion, which I am very passionate about what I do and, and to, you know, to talk about a little bit of my experience. When I first graduated from business school, I started working in the oral care industry, Kevin. Which I am not passionate about. I mean, oral care is very important, but that passion, I felt, it wasn't there. And so to talk about passion, I think part of almost that, that switch that flipped, that also gave me confidence and that also was integrated with like having a passion for what you do. I, I started in beauty actually at Avon, which is, you know, obviously a big direct selling business who's gone through a lot of changes over the years. But I started at Avon and I, when I entered Avon and started working on product development and big campaigns and global work, it changed my entire way I looked at work from what I was doing before. And part of it was because I loved helping women feel more confident. And to me, it's part of my purpose. So the purpose is linked to my passion. Like that is. It's all intersecting. And so what, when I have looked at my roles and my trajectory and everything I'm working on is, it is all about how do I bring that confidence to women, helping them look the very best that they can at every decade that they're in. And, and that is really why I'm so excited about Rodan and Fields as well. It's the number one female founded dermatologist brand. So that gives me tremendous pride. We're going from a direct selling model to something that's Omnichannel, so every woman can experience. Rodan feels before it was only if you knew a brand consultant that was selling our products could you experience the transformation of the product. So now we're, you know, Omnichannel distribution. And to me it's, it's bringing my purpose to life even further because I'm bringing the product and the brand equity to so many more women around the country. And so anyway, it's a long winded way of me saying, you know, part of overcoming imposter syndrome and having that confidence and also passion, because you are so much more compelling to a board of directors when you're super passionate about what it is you're doing comes with also identifying what's your purpose, what are you here for? And are you living that in your day to day doesn't have to be at work, it can be outside of work. But are you living that in your day to day to feel really fulfilled and confident?
• 12:55
  Speaker B: Yeah. And that's kind of a, a theme that spans across the cosmetics industry is helping, you know, women or even Today, men feel like their best selves and how they feel on the inside, showing it on the outside. So there's always like an underlying purpose theme that makes the work more meaningful. Okay, so I want to talk about this big change that Roan and Fields has gone through because historically everything has gone through brand consultants and now you've shifted to also sell direct consumer. And a change like that can be pretty jarring to an organization. And I'm really interested to hear about, like, what were you considering through that process, through that change, what change management went into place to not create friction with your beauty consultants as you created this entirely new business model?
• 13:53
  Speaker A: That's a. It's a great question. Rodan and Fields, for those that don't know, as Kevin said, it is the brand that actually, I like to say, is the original influencer. Marketing Kevin, when Dr. Rodan and Field, that actually was part of their thinking. Like they wanted to equip women to be able to sell and make a livelihood for themselves. And really the proof is in the pudding. The products are phenomenal. The loyalty on the brand is like women have been with the brand for a decade because they've seen transformational results. So it was started with these independent brand consultants, an army of them that were selling the product. And it was one to one me at Kevin's kitchen table and showcasing the products and the formulas and what I think you should know about. And so over the course of time, we wanted to make sure the brand wanted to make sure that we truly were giving access to all women that wanted amazing skincare. And you know, you can only get to a certain amount of reach with your brand consultants. And so in 2024, we opened up direct to consumer. Kevin, if you know ex, you know, you just like to shop online and you know exactly what you're looking for. And you can use tools online. You shop direct through our website. And last year in February, we launched at Ulta. So we are at Ulta Beauty in store and online. And so that has been phenomenal. If you're a consumer that really likes to touch and feel and explore the products now you can do that. So that has been amazing. But to your point. So the company brought me on in 2024 to be part of this omnichannel change, something that I have never done before. This is a theme. I'm doing something I've never done. But how exciting because Kevin, we cannot find another precedence for this. A brand that's gone from one model to now a completely different selling model. And with that to your point, internal systems and experience that is to be built. So we are building that infrastructure. So I have in my course of time on the business, been building up my teams, bringing in experts, having that subject matter, expertise within the building, building up a brand marketing team, people that have worked on other beauty businesses and know how to sell within this omnichannel realm. We are relooking at our processes. I would say it ha. It has been challenging because you're entering the unknown, but we're doing it all together. And unlike other more established businesses, we can be super agile. If an assumption is not paying out, you change it. There's not 5,000 meetings to be had or you know, five months of analysis. Like, let's just change it, let's adapt. And so I love to learn. And so it's been really exciting being in an environment where testing and learning is the norm because we don't know the best way to reach our consumer. We are learning. We don't know the best messaging, the right products. We're learning all of these things. And so that has been really exciting for me working one building a team, but also challenging every assumption that's been there before because we're working in unchartered territories.
• 17:21
  Speaker B: Yeah, I know. It's super interesting to think about such a seismic shift in an organization and you coming from a CMO role now being in a chief Commercial officer role. Did you have the thought of like, what gives me the right to be here? Because there's things that overlap, but it's a very different seat to be in. And it's like what gives me the right to be in this new position when I've always been over in this other function, Right?
• 17:49
  Speaker A: What gives me the right? I think, Kevin, that's the tenacity we were talking about. And like you said, if I have figured it out before, I can figure it out again. I'll tell you practically, it's those subject matter experts that I talk, that I was talking about before, making sure that now our direct to consumer team is filled with subject matter experts that know how to get it done. Making sure that we have a sales team that knows how to sell and to build collaboration with Ulta, our retail partner. Making sure that we have the subject matter experts within. Because it, it's not me on my own, right. It's me and this team. And so that has been part of my focus, making sure that we have the right team to be part of the transformation. And then, you know, you can, you can do anything together.
• 18:35
  Speaker B: Amazing. You mentioned you grew up as the oldest sibling. And I want to hear more about how your childhood influenced this mindset of I can figure it out, I can do this. And then did you consciously think about how to translate that to your own children as they were growing up?
• 18:56
  Speaker A: That's, that's a good question. You know, my parents were immigrants, so I'm a child of two immigrants who, when you hear the stories from my parents, which I think we don't do enough of listening to our parents and their stories, to be honest. And I'm doing it way too late in life and I wish I did it more when I was younger, but you know, my dad came here, he was a truck driver. My mom was a nurse living in New York City. And I think my parents showed tremendous resilience. My dad told this story as we were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. And it's the first time I heard this story. So again, to the point of like, we should listen to the stories of our parents because they tell our legacy, right? Our history. My dad said the routine was living in New York, like a walk up apartment, whatever they could afford as being immigrants here. My mom had the 11pm nursing shift, the night shift. He would have to take me and my sister. There was two of us at that time, put us in the car, drive my mom to work, come back, find parking in New York City, 11 o' clock at night, maybe, you know, by then, 11:15, my sister and I would be asleep in the car. Kevin, he would have to put me and my sister on his shoulders and walk up flights of stairs. I mean that when you think about what our kids see and the unwritten, like to, to. Look, I'm getting choked up thinking about it, but like it's such a visual in my mind that like this is what our parents do do. And so back to your question. Look, obviously I don't remember that at 4 years old, but I've seen that throughout, like the sacrifices our parents can do and the life they built here. I think it's amazing. And so I think to your point, it's part of my upbringing, it's part of what's in, inherent in me, that if my parents can do that, I'm gonna make them so proud and do so much more. Now let's talk about what you said about the children. Because my children are growing up so, so differently than the way I grew up. They're like, we would have to walk upstairs. Mom, what are you talking about? Like, I haven't figured that out? I would say no, they haven't seen the resilience and the tenacity that is born out of having nothing and building it. Right? But do they see their mom and dad working really hard and the belief that we have in them, that they can do anything if they're put. If they put their mind to it, but also giving them all the resources and tools that I didn't have? Kevin, you're not there yet. Wait till you see what this college process is like. From when I went to school. I was on my own writing essays. Like, who knows what I wrote. No help. Nobody edited it. This is totally different. Like, the way we invest in our kids is so different. So the kids are both good kids, good heads on their shoulders, but growing up so very differently than me. Like, they. They were there to hear my dad tell that story. And I was looking at them like, do you really understand what we're talking about here? It is so dramatic and different. So I would say, you know, between. Between the two, they see the tenacity that I have because of how I invest in them versus me. Growing up, I saw what my parents had to do to build a comfortable life in this country. It's very different. But hopefully the result is that my kids know that I believe in them and they have that confidence because of the way my husband and I have invested in them.
• 22:49
  Speaker B: It's such a touching story to think about what parents do, the sacrifices they make, carrying your kids up flights of stairs and in your family. It's a real, like, testament and should be celebrated. The spirit of immigrants, because this country was built, it's a country of immigrants. And I think we've kind of lost sight of celebrating what that spirit is all about. I've been known to carry my kids from the car up one flight of stairs to their bedroom, but it's a little different. But the thought does repeat in my head. When I'm tired, I'm exhausted, and I'm doing things to get ready to have a family outing. I can remember just a few weeks ago getting the kids ready for a bike ride and picnic. I was tired and I was doing all of these things. It probably took me 30 minutes to get us ready. And in the back of my mind, I just kept going and thinking, this is what we do as parents. Like, this is just what we do. There's no use complaining about it. There's no use being grumpy. Like, this is what we do for our kids. And then it set us up to go have, like, a Fun bike ride and picnic together. And that's, that's kind of the job. That's what we signed up for. So it's not really fair for us to get frustrated. Our kids for, you know, having a messy living room or something like. That's their job. Their job is to be kids, to play, to learn boundaries. Our job is to be the adult.
• 24:20
  Speaker A: Yeah, it's. That's absolutely true. You know, on the, on the flip side, as you were talking about the sacrifice, I think for me, looking back on all the things I did to try and be super mom, but at the same time try and be super career woman and to try and be super wife also, some of it, Kevin, I don't know if you feel this way. Some of it was unnecessary because it is. It's almost like setting yourselves up. Setting myself up for burnout. For failure. When you try to carry all the things, try to carry all the titles all the time. Do you know like you were asking about even the holidays, like, how do you. So now I'm in a rhythm where I know like when I have to start holiday planning versus work. But even in raising my children, there were times I did crazy things to try to keep up, keep juggling all the balls, which is just. If I had to go back, there are definitely different choices I would have made. I'll, I'll, I'll give you the story. So my son's birthday is May 10th. And Kevin, I was working in a dream job and my boss had set up a meeting in the uk, so we had to go to London, me and a few other colleagues. This was, we have a work trip, we have a meeting in London on a Friday. And then my boss also set up a meeting on Monday in Paris.
• 25:57
  Speaker B: And of course you took red eyes back and forth.
• 26:00
  Speaker A: Yes, Kevin, I did. I did do that for my son's birthday that he will never remember that I did that. So who did I do that for? I don't know. Maybe he was turning 6, 7 or 8. It's somewhere in that he will never. I did that. I did the red eyes while the rest of the team stayed there and had the best time in London and then to Paris, I came back and forth and I wish somebody would have told me he won't even know it's his birthday. And you can celebrate it like the following weekend it would be fine. But sometimes those are the things where we are over sacrificing and we need a wake up call where I think you said it earlier, like we need to care for ourselves as all the roles that we play. And sometimes it's not doing the red eye back and forth because then you're gonna end up being burnt out. So.
• 26:55
  Speaker B: So if your cup is totally depleted, you can't pour for anybody else. And so it kind of goes back to the like oxygen mask analogy that you gotta put your oxygen mask on first.
• 27:06
  Speaker A: Absolutely.
• 27:08
  Speaker B: Hi, Kevin here. If you're enjoying this conversation and you know someone else who's working to grow in their career while staying present at home, I'd really love it if you could share this episode with them. It's one of the best ways you can help us and help more leaders build their careers in a way that they're proud of without missing the moments that matter most. What are some of the things you do to keep your cup full as you're kind of navigating stressful periods of work and life and family and parenting?
• 27:35
  Speaker A: You know, my, my faith grounds me. I spend every day with some time just focused on me and the big guy having a conversation, setting my day. So I, I make sure to do that. I, I like to say I want to feed my spirituality, my physicality, my mental everyday. And so I would say I'm, I, you know, I work out. That's so important and it's so interesting to see how you know people that, the people that prioritize their health. Like our health is our number one thing. Right. It is the number one greatest gift. And so I have been working out for decades so that I do and it, it is my me time. Once I reframed it as this is not me getting up to lift weights or to run. It's me focusing on me and filling my cup. As you said, that helped to reframe that. So I work out, you know, Monday through Friday. I spend time with God, I spend time with friends, which is so nourishing. I need downtime for myself. That can be like wrapping myself up in a book, Kevin. So, you know, being, being cognizant of self care. Spa. I'm a spa girly. So many things. So I, there, there's a list of things I do to care for myself. So don't worry, I am taking care of myself. But those are a few of those ways.
• 28:56
  Speaker B: I started writing my goals for this year and some of them started to sound like what you just listed. You know, reading a book a month, meditating daily, journaling daily. And I had this like thought of, I need to kind of reframe this because these aren't goals. Like these are Just standards. These are the things that I do to create who I am and, you know, my identity. And so it's like working out every day. That's not a goal. A goal is something that ends. This is just who I am and this is how I show up for the world as my best self.
• 29:31
  Speaker A: That you're so right. That's so true. And that actually then makes it not finite. This is like just who you are and what you do for yourself.
• 29:40
  Speaker B: Exactly. How has the first few weeks been back for you after the holiday rush?
• 29:45
  Speaker A: You know, Kevin, it actually has not been so bad. I will tell you. Typically every holiday and those that know me know this is the truth. We host Christmas, we'll have all the family over, and then I literally will take the week, 10 days and do nothing but just be in my pajamas eating leftovers. And so usually as we start the beginning of the year, I am like raring to go and in it and booked and busy because I, I had that rest. This is the first year in a long time that I felt busy throughout the holiday. So, Kevin, last weekend, just a few days ago, I literally did nothing. Like nothing. And it was glorious. Glorious.
• 30:30
  Speaker B: There's different definitions of self care and sometimes you just gotta shut it all down.
• 30:35
  Speaker A: Yes. And I've realized that I need that sometimes and I really need that downtime. It was a different. It was a bit of a different holiday.
• 30:44
  Speaker B: Yeah. In my old company we used to have like a shutdown the week of Christmas or between Christmas and New Year's. And I was not very good at actually shutting down because I was in just like full all in, go work mode. And so I looked at it as an opportunity to get even more work done because I didn't have emails and slack messages coming in. I'm curious, were you actually able to turn it off and not be thinking about work during that shutdown?
• 31:12
  Speaker A: So that's interesting, Kevin. Over the years there have been moments where I used that break to do some of the strategic thinking that I couldn't do during the workday. So obviously none of the tactical things because no one else is working. I dare not bother my teams over the holidays, but I remember specifically on holiday where I had a big meeting where I had to present this strategic deck. And so I have been guilty of using that time to work. But I. It's been the. It has been more the exception than the norm.
• 31:49
  Speaker B: I can say, yeah, maybe as I mature in my career, I'll be able to set those similar boundaries. But actually what I think is the most impressive boundary that you just set was for your team, that you dare not bother your team when it's their break. And that was something that I thought when I was younger in my career, as long as I set an expectation of like, hey, it's. It's your time off. I'm going to be working, so I might send a few emails, but don't worry about replying to them until after the break. I thought that was like checking the box of. Of creating space for them to take time off. I didn't realize that while I was saying one thing and doing another, it sent a very different message. And I noticed my employees would reply to. And it took a while for me to realize that even if I was telling them, this is your time off, if I'm emailing them, even with the caveat of, you don't have to email back, I'm setting an expectation that we work on days off. And that was something that I had to stop doing because it wasn't good for our company culture.
• 32:51
  Speaker A: No, I totally agree, Kevin. And you're so right. You try to say, hey, you take your vacation, I'm not gonna bother you. But then when I'm on vacation, I am, like, catching up at night. But you're right, Our teams watch us, right? We model the behavior no matter what we say. I can definitely be better about that, too. It's so good that you recognize it. Even now, it sets a precedence because then your teams are like, oh, but Ansi is doing that. She's still on. She's still responding. That means I need to, too, as much as you say it. So it's such a good point.
• 33:27
  Speaker B: You also mentioned something about mirroring behavior, and this is kind of where the interesting parallels between career and family started to come into play, because that's probably the most important thing I've found with my own kids, is that if I tell them to pick their clothes up off the floor and keep their room clean, but my room's not clean, my words don't mean anything. And I've really had to focus on changing my own behaviors and before I try to correct theirs, and then I can authentically help to educate them.
• 34:01
  Speaker A: It's so true. Kids are the biggest mimics, right. And it's almost shocking how much they watch and they observe that they hear and the. And the precedents that we set in their minds. Right. I think for us, and, you know, my kids are a bit older than yours, and so for me, it's, how can we be present fully when we're with each other. That's one of our biggest challenges. And I'm sure, honestly a lot of families out there, regardless of kids, ages, putting our phones away. And so I used to have to say, guys, dinner, phone free. Like, let's put our phones away. But sometimes, you know, like, you know, not to put my husband out there, but he might grab his phone during dinner and start to look at emails or I just have to respond to this thing or if we're talking about something, him or any of us or me could go to my phone to look something up. But it's supposed to be phone free. And so you're 100% right. The kids are watching. We are modeling for them whether we like it or not. And things like technology, being fully present, having a good bedtime, not getting on your phone first thing in the morning, like all of those things that I tell them, I have to be super aware and conscious to model. And I, and I try, we're all human. Even on that front, when you realize that maybe you would have broken a rule or seem like a hypocrite just saying like addressing it head on so.
• 35:33
  Speaker B: They can also see too modeling the repair. I'm, I'm sorry I messed up. Here's what I should have done differently. I'm going to try to be better next time. Are we okay? You know, like showing them how to repair and just being consistent and repetitive is really the best way for them to learn. You are personally going through a pretty substantial life transition as well. As you mentioned, your daughter's recently gone off to college. I'm not yet at that stage of parenting. My oldest is only nine, but I think about it often. In fact, my son, the other night when we were kind of snuggled up watching a show together, something on the show might have prompted it. But he said, hey dad, when I go off to college, are you going to cry? I said, absolutely. I'm going to be bawling. When you go off to college, what did it feel like when you dropped your daughter off and now she was beginning her life as an independent adult.
• 36:29
  Speaker A: That is something, Kevin, like even the fact that your son asked you and so it's kind of in your mindset. I knew she was going off to school, right? We went through the whole process, the application process, we even this, the summer before she left, went to Paris, just a mommy daughter trip. Like we did all of the things and I knew she was leaving, but yet and still going to drop her off in a two hour plane ride away and giving the final hugs, they. They make it a thing like the school says, okay, parents, turn to your students and say your farewells.
• 37:14
  Speaker B: Oh, my God, so much buildup.
• 37:17
  Speaker A: So much build up. Because there is a bit of an orientation process, but then it is, okay, say your farewells. I'm looking around, all the. Everyone's crying. All the parents are crying. Kevin. To leave her on that campus to get in a car for me to get to the airport. I have a friend that I think explained that for feeling best, which is. It felt like an extraction, like she was extracted from me. And I got in the car and I had to get on a call with someone on my team. Kevin. I couldn't do it. The Uber driver was looking at me as I'm crying. Leaving the campus is. It is something that is so monumental and, and who knows, maybe it will only be with my first. With your oldest. Maybe. Maybe it will happen again with my son. But I was not prepared. I think now I have a better sense. And honestly, because I realize now she is out of the house, I am treasuring the moments with my son who's here, and. And then now that countdown is in my head, like, okay, I have now 16 months left with him. You know, like those. That calculation is happening and I'm trying to make more memories during that time because I'm like, wow, they are leaving the house, starting their own lives. And the role that you have. The role I have now with my daughter is one of advisor and coach, which starts a bit. Right? Of course it starts in high school, but now, truly she's making decisions on her own. And so it's a. It's a different life stage and. And there's. There's obviously positives and negatives, but I'm excited for her and the journey and seeing the young woman that she's turning into.
• 38:59
  Speaker B: So, I mean, you must be incredibly proud. She's. She got into Northwestern, right? I mean, such a great school. What's she studying?
• 39:08
  Speaker A: She wants to be a dermatologist. So I know it's like the. Yeah. She's interested in.
• 39:13
  Speaker B: Sounds like you left an impression.
• 39:15
  Speaker A: Yes, I think so. Between her, my husband and me, he's a. He's a doctor by training, so. And in the pharma space. So I think there is something with what she's seen from both my husband and I, and so she wants to be a dermatologist. Dermatologist. Have her own skincare line. And I know she's going to do it, so I'm so proud of her.
• 39:33
  Speaker B: Have you started to notice any sort of, like, your sense of identity or self perception started to change as you've moved into this new chapter of life?
• 39:43
  Speaker A: Not yet, but I know it will, Kevin, and I'm starting to plan for it. I think, you know, I'm not an empty nester yet, but there's something I saw in social media, I saw a post that really resonated with me and it was, it said, the woman said, who are you when you're not caring for someone? And that really struck a chord with me because. Right. What does my next chapter look like? What do I. What are the things I focus on? And a lot of what I'm thinking about is also like, what's my legacy? And so it's really different types of thoughts and, and I think there has to be preparation. Someone gave me that advice. She was trying to prepare me for my daughter leaving, but she was saying, even so, when your son leaves, have a plan, you are going to have time to focus on other things. What's that gonna look like? And for me, I've, there's, I've had a heart for philanthropy for so long. That's my homework, Kevin. Like in my downtime, how do I think about what that next chapter looks like and how do I give back and leave a legacy that I can be proud of?
• 40:53
  Speaker B: Right. Because the default after, you know, years in a career is when space opens up, is just to fill it with more work. Are there certain things that you're looking forward to exploring and rediscovering about yourself when you have more free time?
• 41:07
  Speaker A: No, it's all tbd. You know what, I want to move, Kevin. I want to move in my purpose. So definitely something philanthropic to help women and I don't know what. So check. Can we check in in a year?
• 41:22
  Speaker B: Let's do it.
• 41:22
  Speaker A: I should have more because honestly, on your, on your goals. That was part of my goals for the year. New Year's resolution, start thinking about what does chapter two look like. And so by the end of the year, I should have a better answer for you.
• 41:36
  Speaker B: That concept of the next act was part of the seeds that led me to create this podcast. Right. I had sold my company at the end 2021. I spent some time transitioning. I resigned my role, became kind of full time parent. That's all I was doing. And then I was at a conference last summer and randomly it was Halle Berry who was on stage talking about her stage two, her act two in life. Right. She had had this insane, impactful career in Acting, it literally changed the industry. And. And then she's in her Act 2, and she's creating a women's healthcare longevity company, and that was her kind of, like, next act in her career. And it got me thinking about, like, what's my next act in my career? And a few other synchronicities lined up, and I had the idea to do this podcast, so I'm kind of starting my Act 2.
• 42:33
  Speaker A: That is great inspiration, Kevin. I love it.
• 42:36
  Speaker B: So you mentioned legacy. Is there anything you can share about what you want your legacy and your career or your legacy with your family to look like as you continue to grow and evolve in life and work?
• 42:49
  Speaker A: You know, as I think about my career and my journey and, you know what. What I've been trying to build for me, the legacy, I want it to be that people think of me and they think of the feeling that I left them with, that they. They felt invested in, they felt seen, they felt cared for, they felt kindness. More so than the results. To me, it's. It's more about how I'm leaving people and me being very cognizant of that. I've spent a lot of my career chasing the results, but I always wanted to do it with care and with concern for my teams, for my family. And so when I leave this earth one day, I want my kids to be like, you know, she was. She was a super mom. And I don't know how she did it, which is honestly how I think about my mom today. I don't know how she did it. And I want that to be the same for my kids. I want it to be for all of the people that I've interacted with, that I always hear, you know, I hear such great things that I don't always see in the moment, but the fact that people do feel seen and cared for by me, I want that to continue. And I've always gotten that. My passion is infectious. So I also want it to be that whatever I did was a catalyst for whatever they wanted to do. So if. If that would be the legacy, and I was able to spark so many more people to find their passion, to find their purpose, to also impact the communities that we serve. I'm golden. I. I'll be smiling down from heaven, so. And I know we weren't talking about a eulogy, but that. That is what would make me so proud.
• 44:30
  Speaker B: That's beautiful. I think you are well on your way, knowing how many people you've already impacted, how much you've contributed through your career, and your family. I just look forward to continuing to watch as, you know, the next chapter unfolds. Ansi, thank you so much for being here with me today. I really appreciated, you know, the passion you have for what you do and like how candid you were, especially when you were talking about like the seasons of parenting and the reality of just trying to be super everything for everyone all at once. The depth of love and care that you have for your parents and the respect for the way that they pave the way for you and your siblings is really beautiful. And I know our audience is going to take a lot away from this conversation. So Anzi, thank you so much. I'm really excited to keep following along in the next chapter for you and everything you're building at Rodan Fields.
• 45:23
  Speaker A: I loved meeting you. Kevin, thank you so much and thank you for the time of reflection. It was awesome.
• 45:28
  Speaker B: If you're enjoying this conversation, make sure to hit subscribe so you don't miss future episodes. CEOs and ABCs is all about helping you grow in your career and show up at home. We've got many more amazing guests coming up, so tap, follow and stay tuned.