Women in Aesthetics: Caroline Van Hove, NC8, an ExploraMed Company

Caroline Van Hove, or “Caro” as she is known, is a global commercial leader with over 20 years of diverse experience in the pharmaceutical, consumer, and medical device industry. Her experience spans the globe.
Caro is currently President and CEO of NC8, a venture-backed, clinical-stage medical aesthetics company uniquely focused on smartly solving cellulite and born out of the ExploraMed incubator founded by med tech guru, Joshua Makower. She previously held several commercial leadership roles at both start-up and large-cap companies and also serves as Executive Chair on the Board of Directors of Sientra, a publicly-traded medical aesthetics company specialized in breast aesthetics.
Caro has held a variety of diverse commercial positions, ranging from COO at a start-up company, to SVP responsible for Allergan’s $1+ Billion Medical Aesthetics international franchise, and more.
The mom of three girls and wife to a firefighter is committed to giving back and serves on the Board of Directors of Mission Plasticos, a global non-profit that provides reconstructive surgery to children in need.
Who were some of your mentors throughout your career?
I have had many extraordinary people guide me throughout my career, both at Allergan where I spent close to 20 years of my professional life and worked for one of the most exceptional CEOs in our industry, David Pyott, and in my role today as first-time CEO of an ExploraMed company.
None of these opportunities would have materialized for me if not for a trailblazer named Kate Triggs whom I interned for right out of college. She was a true renaissance woman in health care and had built Johnson & Johnson’s crisis management programs worldwide. I, on the other hand, was a foreign student with no professional experience and no medical background. Her tough love and focus on fundamentals—from how to do a good diagnostic, to filling your blind spots, to always staying focused on the bigger picture—shaped my career.
Importantly, two decades later, I cherish and leverage mentorship even more so. With time, as we gain more years and experiences, it is easy to be fooled by how much you know and ignore what you don’t. The world is moving at the speed of light with technologies and the next generations rapidly outpacing our own smarts. So, I am intensely aware of the need to advance your knowledge, stay current, and ensure your company is well-rounded with both highly seasoned and novel expertise.
I also still embrace “adult supervision,” or more directly said, “schooling” from those who want to give it to me. I find that it enables you to seize opportunities more quickly and helps you avoid mistakes others have made before. And it keeps you very humble and honest!
How did you get your start in aesthetics?
I started out in crisis management consulting. With medical aesthetics being one of the most dynamic yet controversial specialties, Allergan was one of my first clients. As a woman passionate about helping other women have the best relationship with themselves, I fell in love instantly with the opportunity to create a new category and with its potential for explosive growth. When Allergan asked me to come on board to help build this market and launch Botox Cosmetic, which was led by Tom Albright, it was an instant “Yes.” Today, that passion is still at an all-time high.
What advice do you have for women who are rising stars in this industry?
In this field, we all need to be critical champions. We need to think more judiciously for the women we serve and keep raising the bar—both in terms of the innovation we develop for women and the way we market to them. Specifically, new technology for women has to be more practical than it was even a few years ago. If your innovation cannot fit into our everyday juggling act, it’s a non-starter. Efficiency is everything.
Your product’s return on investment needs to be greater than before. The value proposition needs to be exceedingly compelling and not only meet but often surpass expectations—and consistently. There is simply no room for disappointment.
Finally, women don’t just want to be marketed to, they want to be the marketer of your product and have a voice in sharing their experience. This is changing the entire marketing playbook in “Femtech,” with the emphasis on establishing an authentic voice for your brand in social channels and issuing a call to action that both celebrates and inspires women.
How would your colleagues describe your management style?
I believe they would describe me as genuine and “big picture” oriented. I comfortably show my cards and work hard at being focused and fair, with a healthy dose of fun and laughter!
In running a start-up, preparation is key to move forward through both the good and the inevitable rough times. So, my team will likely say I pay a lot of attention to transparency and synchronizing our work streams so we are prepared to face few surprises and control our own destiny.
Finally, it’s not lost on anyone that I have an intense love and energy for our field, for the vision of NC8, and for the exceptional team that makes up our DNA. We are obsessively focused on developing truly progressive solutions in aesthetics with an initial focus on cellulite. My management style is very much focused on succeeding from the inside out.
Name a quote or quotes that best describe your philosophy
“Don’t tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon!” It is one of my very favorite expressions, simply because we should never put a cap on progress.
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