Women In Aesthetics: Niquette Hunt

Niquette Hunt is an executive and entrepreneur with more than 25 years of general management experience and extensive experience in medical aesthetics and consumer marketing. Her first breakthrough product, Brella™ SweatControl Patch™, for primary axillary hyperhidrosis recently received FDA clearance.

Wendy Lewis talked to her about her long career in medical aesthetics and her newest venture.

Wendy Lewis: How did you get your start in the aesthetics field?

Niquette Hunt: It seems as though I have been in aesthetics in some form or another for my entire career. I started out at Procter and Gamble (P&G) in the early days of their Beauty Care Division working on the hair care businesses, when P&G was just learning how to maneuver in a world where emotional/well-being benefits (eg, feeling beautiful when your hair looked great) were as important as physical benefits (like getting hair clean). While P&G is mostly known as a marketing company, it is deeply rooted in product innovation and identifying ways to surprise and delight consumers. It was there that I learned how to translate technology into product benefits.

After leaving P&G, I went to Warner Lambert to run the skincare franchise which my first entrée into dermatology. I then moved to Silicon Valley and started a consulting practice where it became a natural transition to utilize those same skills to translate healthcare technologies from biotech and MedTech into meaningful benefits to customers, ie, physicians. Given my consumer background, I focused on consumer-oriented healthcare–categories where the consumer made most of the decisions on their care. Initially, I was involved in diabetes, ophthalmology and orthopedics and eventually moved into dermatology and aesthetics.

WL: Who are some of your mentors throughout your career and how did they influence your management style today?

Ms. Hunt: I have been incredibly lucky to have had many amazing mentors and managers from whom I learned a great deal about leadership, decision making, and most importantly, managerial courage.

My advice to women is to surround yourself with peers who make you better. Cultivate a group of people who are at the same stage of your career (or slightly ahead) and are going through similar challenges and triumphs. I find it a tremendous source of strength to be able to share difficulties with these peers to get real-time advice and counsel.

WL: How would your colleagues and team describe you as a leader?

Ms. Hunt: I decided to ask my team directly and this is what I heard:

Comfortable taking risks and quickly assesses options and tradeoffs. Passionate and driven. Having the ability to gather the right resources and wisdom from her internal team and external network. Ability to make decisions based on the information at hand with a view to long-term outcomes. Dedicated to the success of the company while committed to fostering a culture of engagement and empowerment.

WL: What advice can you offer women who are rising stars in medical aesthetics?

Ms. Hunt: Stick to your principles and have the courage of your convictions. I have found that one of the most important factors in successful leadership is making thoughtful decisions and then having the fortitude to see them through.

Never be afraid to lean into your femininity and the unique perspective that being a woman in this field brings. We have intuition and insights that many around you won’t have, and you need to trust those instincts.

Finally, be better. Period. Though the world is changing and there are more of us in leadership positions there are still not enough. To truly make it in this business or any other we simply must be better than our peers. The good news is, it’s not that hard–we naturally work harder and juggle more priorities than most. Use those skills to your advantage.

WL: What are some of your pet causes?

Ms. Hunt: I believe deeply in economic empowerment. Economic empowerment which comes from education and work skills; especially among those who have fewer advantages. I have served on the Board of New Door since 2002, and am deeply committed to their mission of preparing opportunity youth to transition to independent adulthood by providing the jobs, training, education to enable them to realize their potential.

WL: A quote best describing your philosophy?

Ms. Hunt: I’ll take a creative license and have two: Character matters and real character is what shows when no one is looking. The other is “Life is too short”. I apply this axiom liberally across all areas–it is too short for putting up with a mediocre job, friends that don’t fulfill you; even a bad cocktail. Life is precious and I hope to enjoy every moment of it.