Women In Aesthetics: Helen Fang, CEO of Acclaro Medical

Helen Fang took an unusually circuitous route to the field of medical aesthetics. Her parents helped to instill the strong work ethic that has played a role in her career. Her mother and father worked for the People’s Bank of China, and her father became the head of the Shandong Province Financial Research Center. Today he is a well-known economist with numerous publications.
Helen earned advanced degrees in economics and engineering, and her early career focused on engineering, marketing, and sales. She pivoted into the finance world and made her mark in the male-dominated investment community.
She was introduced to the aesthetics category when she was recruited to manage a research project for a medical device manufacturer. This experience pivoted her career, and she found her true calling in aesthetics. As the CEO of a medical device company, she is on a mission to grow the Acclaro brand.
Wendy Lewis talked to Helen to learn more about her journey.
WL: Who were some of your mentors throughout your career?
Helen: My good friend and business partner, Dr. Jianmei Kochling, has been a great source of inspiration for me even to this day. We founded Wellesley Chinese Language school together and I have always been inspired by Jianmei’s positive, glass-half-full attitude. We went through some big challenges while developing the school from the ground up, with established competitors just 20 miles away. Jianmei’s attitude of “never give up” and always thinking outside of the box were infectious to the team. We positioned our school to be strictly “small class sized” and adopted a unique curriculum that turned out to be a big success.
My business partner, Shlomo Assa, has also had a huge influence. He is a brilliant entrepreneur who invented many leading aesthetic platforms and successfully built and sold four startups before he founded Acclaro. I’ve learned a lot from him about how to take calculated risks, stay open-minded for new opportunities, and to look for the win-win in business negotiations. Most importantly, he showed me how to be relentless about finding solutions in face of challenges that present along the way.
WL: How did you get your start in the aesthetics field?
Helen: In my professional career of 20+ years, I have had a diverse background in engineering, marketing, sales, and analytics. Before I co-founded Acclaro, I served in a variety of leadership roles in Fidelity Investments. I was invited to join the New Business Opportunity Committee to brainstorm ideas for new revenue streams when the trade commission was cut to $0. I also owned and operated a commercial real estate company that was invested in three states in the US.
In 2010, I co-founded Wellesley Chinese Language School in Wellesley, MA which today is a thriving private school. Due to my deep relationships in the Asian community, 5 years ago I was asked to help a prosperous aesthetic company recruit Asian patients for clinical studies for a medical aesthetic device. This was a turning point for me.
I personally witnessed how enthusiastic these patients were about aesthetic treatments once they became educated about the technology. In Asian culture, physical appearance is extremely important for social acceptance, and also for employment opportunities. In the medical aesthetic industry, the Asia Pacific region has demonstrated the fastest growth of any region. I have been living and breathing every aspect of this fascinating field for several years and have become very familiar with the growing aesthetic landscape.
When Shlomo Assa, my co-founder at Acclaro, spotted the MID IR Fiber Laser technology and explained how this would be a game changer for treating Asian and darker skin types, I was intrigued. Shortly after, we formed a partnership to bring this unique technology to market.
WL: What is your advice for women who are rising stars in this industry?
Helen: I have learned throughout my career not to let being a woman ever hold you back or get in your way. In Asian culture, women are still often considered to be inferior to men, but that is finally changing all over the world. If you work hard and treat your colleagues, employees, and customers with respect and kindness at all times, women can be as successful and more so than their male counterparts.
I believe that the sky is the limit for what you can achieve as long as you follow your passion and dedicate yourself to success. I have tried to instill this in my daughter. Women can do anything and be whatever they want to be.
WL: How would your colleagues describe your management style?
Helen: I hope they would say that I lead with compassion. I try to empower my whole team by delegating and constantly want to encourage them to grow into their roles. It is very important today to motivate your team with praise and appreciation. We are growing quickly, and each new person who joins us has something important and valuable to bring to the table. I think the team can see that I value their individual expertise and the strong work ethic they bring to the company to help meet our goals.
WL: Name a quote or quotes that best describe your philosophy
Helen: “People with great passion can make the impossible happen;” “Leaders are people who can see potential where others see roadblocks;” “Great leaders surround themselves with very capable people who can make the impossible possible.”
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