Women In Aesthetics: Nancy Marchain

How did you get your start in the aesthetics field?

Beauty has always been a passion of mine. I was the girl in school who would help other girls with their beauty questions, so I started working in a salon at the age of 18. My long-term goal was to open my own spa, and so I would recommend products to my clients based on what I thought their needs were. My career pivoted when I began taking business classes to get my business venture started. I was recruited by one of my clients to work in the cosmetic department at the May Company.

I didn’t know that I was a natural-born salesperson until I quickly became a top performer. My passion for making people look and feel better about themselves is what drove my desire to get involved in the industry. When I was growing up, I loved sports and had a passion for winning, which helped me get to where I am today.

As I grew in my career, I worked with some of the best companies and brands. I was in management at Nordstrom in the cosmetics department where I learned how to lead people to succeed in sales. The training and knowledge I received in business building and leadership was invaluable for my career.

From there, I had the opportunity to venture into professional skincare sales and worked at Murad, SkinCeuticals, and Dermalogica in national accounts, sales, and training, serving as a regional sales director and national sales director. At ZO Skin Health (ZO), I was vice president and senior vice president, and I am now the chief domestic sales officer. Working at ZO has been incredibly rewarding to me, and watching the transformation we have provided to patients who use our products is very humbling.

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

Blake Nordstrom was inspiring to me. Listening to him speak about customer service and growing in leadership really caught my attention early in my career. He said, “If you want to get promoted at Nordstrom, work like you’re interviewing for your next role. You never know who is watching.” That taught me to give my best performance every day and his sage advice encouraged me to achieve success. I took this with me to every role in my career and still use it today.

Dr. Howard Murad was a mentor and role model to me. He always had a positive outlook on life and treated people with kindness. He truly invests in taking great care of people holistically.

In the many years I have spent at ZO, Dr. Zein Obagi has taught me much more than I have room to write about. He has shown me how helping people achieve their skin-health goals can transform how they feel about themselves. His vision for what we call the “ZO glow,” utilizing his innovative products and protocols, is second to none.

Two of my ZO colleagues also have been mentors to me. Mark Williams, our former CEO, taught me to put the team first and ensure that we take care of them so they will take care of our account partners. He has shown me the importance of listening to their needs to create a great culture of camaraderie. When people join the ZO family, they stay with us because we put people first.

Finally, our Chief Commercial Officer, Noelle Denlinger, has been an incredible partner and colleague. I truly believe that a huge part of ZO’s success is due to her vision and close relationship with me and our team. We brainstorm and come up with ideas; then Noelle runs with these ideas, making them better and bigger than we ever imagined.

How do you think your colleagues and team would describe you as a leader?

I have been leading the sales and training team at ZO for over 11 years. I think my team would say that I lead with a passion for what we do. We make everything about our clients and their patients. I challenge each of my teammates to discover their “why.” When you discover your “why,” you can forge forward with passion and conviction. My colleagues know I only hire the best of the best. I also think they know I say what I mean, and I mean what I say. I sincerely care about each of their successes, and nothing makes me happier than to help them grow.

What are some of your pet causes and/or passions?

My pet cause is to make a difference in people’s lives wherever I can. At ZO, the majority of employees are women. This is not by design; rather, most of the candidates who apply for a position in sales and training are female. Watching women become leaders is incredibly rewarding to me, and I hope to continue to inspire more women to reach the top. I want them to believe that it is possible to become a leader in the C-Suite by having passion, drive, and dedication.

I have always strived to be a good role model for my two daughters who are flourishing in their careers.

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

Work on being the best version of you. Listen, watch, learn, and move forward with tenacity and pride. Know your business, watch what is going on in your industry, and always be a student. I never feel like I know everything—there is always something more to learn. Take what you do and focus on being the best. One of the best quotes that describe my philosophy is “Learn from the past, prepare for the future, live in the present.”