Women In Aesthetics: Janna Ronert

Image Skincare is a professional clinical brand that was designed for skincare professionals. The physician-formulated products and treatments have won their share of awards and consistently generate rave reviews. Today, this uber popular skincare brand boasts a loyal customer base of more than 20,000 in 60 countries. With it, Janna Ronert pioneered her own skincare category that she calls, “clean clinical skincare” that delivers efficacy and evidence-based results.

Yet, it all started with a single hydrating serum she formulated in her own kitchen. Her very first skincare product was destined to become an award-winning best-seller, and so the Image Skincare brand was born. After struggling with her own skincare woes, Janna trained to become a certified aesthetician to help people achieve the joy and confidence of healthy, radiant skin. With a team of chemists, physicians, and skincare professionals, she set out to create a range of effective solutions suitable for all skin types and conditions.

Fast forward to 2019 and Janna has come a long way. Most recently, she received Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award. She along with her husband, plastic surgeon Marc Ronert, also co-founded a luxury nutraceutical range called Hush & Hush.

Janna is also committed to giving back. In 2011, she founded the Care for Skin Foundation, a charitable foundation with a board of Medical Directors that is dedicated to helping patients from developing countries in need of skin replacement.

Who were some of your mentors throughout your career?

I have been fortunate to have had some amazing mentors that have really guided me through the business, but my father is definitely the one who made the biggest impact on me. He instilled in me a strong can-do attitude. He taught me tough love, but it paid off in my fierce confidence to never, ever be scared of failure or success!

How did you get your start in the aesthetics field?

After graduating from the University of Nebraska, I entered into the big corporate world. I always suffered from rosacea and tried so many products to help with the condition but grew frustrated because I was unable to find a clean skincare line made without parabens or chemicals. I then became so interested in solving my own skin issue, I got my estheticians license. I started researching specific ingredients to understand why some work and others don’t and found a common thread: unnecessary chemicals and ingredients are in so many products, which can easily instigate skin conditions. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and in my Houston apartment began concocting formulations with safe, proven active ingredients and effective botanicals. I started Image Skincare with my own self-funding and savings. Since 2003, we now are a global professional skincare brand available in more than 60 countries, 250+ super passionate team members, and more than 100 products to help you Age Later. It was my dream to have the number one professional skincare brand, and we are on our way to achieving it!

Since launching Image Skincare about 16 years ago, I have taken on another beauty-related endeavor. In April 2019, we launched Hush & Hush, a line of luxury beauty supplements that focus on age related issued from the inside out. There is nothing quite like it on the market—truly the first Clean Clinical Beauty Supplements. The results we have seen from customers are mind blowing!

What advice do you have for women who are rising stars in this industry?

There are so many pearls of wisdom I can offer women in this industry, but these two pieces of advice always ring true: invest in good people and show up. Showing up and putting yourself out there is half the battle. It takes courage and not everyone is willing to do this, but it pays off. Also, you must surround yourself with the absolute best people that you can trust to carry out your vision. No successful business has ever been a one-woman show; you need strong, smart, capable, and experienced team members to scale a business. Best advice I have for a rising star: when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Show up!

How would your colleagues describe your management style?

I think they would say I have a visionary leadership style—communicating a big goal, a clear direction, and purpose. If you don’t love what you do, then the best leader cannot motivate the team to be successful. We work very, very hard but have a whole lot of fun. Some call me the CFO: Chief Fun Officer.

Name a quote or quotes that best describe your philosophy

“When life is going great; it’s easy to be happy. When life throws you curve balls and knocks you down, this is when your true character comes to life. Don’t ever quit because it is too hard.”

“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” —Coco Chanel