Establish a Comfortable Work Environment: physical symptoms of menopause are no easy feat! It’s important to provide options for women experiencing menopause like making sure there are fans by their desk if needed. Myself and the president of Grande Cosmetics found that taking a quick walk outside and getting fresh air helps to clear the head and reduce the hot flash symptoms.
Menopause is a natural part of life, yet it remains a challenging topic in many workplaces. Many women face symptoms that can impact their work experience and performance, but few organizations have policies or resources in place to support them. How can employers create a more understanding and supportive environment? What steps can be taken to normalize and address the needs of women going through this stage? As part of this interview series, we are interviewing Alicia Grande.
With a lifelong passion for beauty, Alicia Grande founded Grande Cosmetics in 2008 as the first “functional cosmetics” makeup brand. Alicia’s road to beauty success was navigated early on, when as a teen she dove into beauty retail. But it was when Alicia discovered a lash enhancing serum that truly worked for her most discerning client (herself after experiencing postpartum lash loss,) that her entrepreneurial spirit kicked into high gear. Now, 17 years later, Alicia is the CEO at the helm of Grande Cosmetics’ thriving business that has expanded internationally into multiple categories of award-winning products.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to ‘get to know you’. Can you tell us a bit about your background and your backstory?
For as far as I can remember, I have always been obsessed with beauty. My mother worked behind a beauty counter when I was growing up and I watched her apply and sell makeup to women which ultimately lead me to loving the industry. While I was with her, I would always remember the instant confidence boost the other women would get after seeing how the products transformed their looks. From there, I hosted my own radio show called the “Health Buzz” where I found innovative products to feature. It was there I discovered a lash serum formula and while I was struggling with postpartum lash loss after having my two sons, I decided to try it out and was completely shocked by the results. Suddenly, I had my lashes back and then some. I knew I wanted to bring this product to the world, and thus became Grande Cosmetics with our hero product, GrandeLASH-MD.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to your particular career path?
It truly was because of my mother that I gravitated towards the beauty industry. Women of all ages want to look and feel good and I knew I had products and ideas that I wanted to bring to the world. In 2008, my husband worked in finance and was actually laid off from his job. At the same time, I had sold out of GrandeLASH-MD at a trade show. It was there I really dialed in and did everything I could to make Grande Cosmetics a successful business, and now almost 17 years later, we’re the #1 Lash & Brow Serum Brand in the US*
What inspired you to focus on the issue of menopause in the workplace, and why do you believe it’s an important topic for modern organizations?
There are so many things changing in the world around us. Social media, advancing technology, remote workplaces, etc that women of all ages are having to constantly evolve and learn new skills to keep up. With a younger audience becoming key buyers in the beauty space, I felt that women over the ages of 40 were becoming more underrepresented and frankly, forgotten about. We want to feel beautiful too! And when women don’t feel their best, this can affect everything, their relationships, mental state, their attitude towards work, etc. It was important to me that I remained an inspirational leader to my 97% female staff and helped guide them through any stage of their life + career.
What are some of the most common symptoms or challenges women experience during menopause that can affect their work life? How can these be better understood by employers?
Going through menopause can affect you emotionally especially with mood swings, increased anxiety, and reduced confidence which can impact how you deal with work-related stress and lead to self-doubt or fear of underperforming. Employers can make this transition easier by keeping the conversation open about menopause and other stages in women’s life that are hard to face. Having an open door policy and allowing flexibility in the workplace is essential. It’s also important to have a company culture that makes employees know they are safe, secure and empowers them to do the best they could and they will be seen for it.
Many workplaces have policies for maternity leave or illness but lack support for menopause. What are some specific policies or practices that could help address this gap?
In your opinion, what are the biggest misconceptions or stigmas surrounding menopause, and how can workplace leaders work to dispel these among staff?
I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that menopause should be a “secret.” I never want my friends, loved ones, or my employees to feel like they have to struggle in secret. I think that talking about it, normalizes it and brings more awareness about it in the workplace.
Another misconception is that menopause is a single event. In reality, menopause is a process that also includes perimenopause and post menopause, which can last years and each come with a set of unique challenges.
How can training and awareness programs benefit managers and colleagues in understanding and supporting women going through menopause? Can you share examples of effective approaches?
Training and awareness products can help everyone better understand each other. This is important to me because I always say that my employees should “row in the same direction,” this isn’t only via their work but also with how they emphasize, understand, and speak to one another.
Ok. Here is the main question of our discussion. Can you please share “5 Ways Workplaces Can be More Supportive of Women Dealing With Menopause”? If you can, kindly share a story or example for each.
1. Establish a Comfortable Work Environment: physical symptoms of menopause are no easy feat! It’s important to provide options for women experiencing menopause like making sure there are fans by their desk if needed. Myself and the president of Grande Cosmetics found that taking a quick walk outside and getting fresh air helps to clear the head and reduce the hot flash symptoms.
2. Creating a Safe Space: It’s important to create a safe space in any work environment. Grande Cosmetics is operated by a female-dominated team and it’s important to me that they all understand their bodies at any stage of life. It is also important to me that everyone keeps an open mind to any struggles women go through. I want my teams to be open, understanding and educated on these issues. I remember an employee of mine continuously seemed groggy and was falling asleep at her desk. I remember asking her if she was okay and she let me know she was dealing with symptoms of menopause. It’s important to be lenient and flexible when it comes to these changes in our bodies that we experience.
3. Celebrate Woman-Hood: Part of my mission at Grande Cosmetics is to empower women to embrace their most authentic selves, this mission is spread throughout my employees as well. It’s amazing what women can do — our bodies, mind, and resilience should be celebrated! I am an activist for Women’s Health and I was introduced to a group called the Katz Institute for Women’s Health. I am now on the advisory board, their focus is to research and create medical testing for women as most testing was done on men.
4. Provide Resources: It’s important to provide resources to my employees. We do yearly blood screenings on-site and provide a plethora of information in newsletters and information around the office. We also provide each employee with a subscription to the Calm app, which can be great for a quick meditation or breathing exercise when you are experiencing symptoms of menopause. I follow Dr. Stephanie Mcnally, who I love. She has a humorous way of talking about and dealing with menopause. I always make sure to send her “Menopause Monday” to my employees that understand what it’s like. Sometimes a laugh is all you need to feel better!
5. Looking into new resources/treatments: I am looking in to HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) . I’ve heard great things about it, but before I recommend it to anyone else, I would like to try it for myself. I too am dealing with sleepless nights and hot flashes, I feel like an oven at night! If it works for me, I will share this treatment with my staff and let them know my experience.
How can businesses measure the impact of menopause-friendly policies on their workplace culture, employee satisfaction, or productivity?
Looking ahead, what is your vision for the future of workplace support for women’s health needs, including menopause? How can organizations lead the way in setting new standards?
With my partnership with the Katz Institute of Women’s Health, I hope that I can continue to bring the advancements of women’s medical testing to my employees and potentially provide free testing and medical services.
Wonderful. We are nearly done. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)
Brooke Shields! She has always been so generous sharing her love for my products and she is also passionate about creating beauty products for women over 40. I admire her for growing up a child star and balancing being a mother and entrepreneur.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
About the Interviewer: Shawna Robins is an international best-selling author of two books — Powerful Sleep — Rest Deeply, Repair Your Brain and Restore Your Life, and Irresistibly Healthy — Simple Strategies to Feel Vibrant, Alive, Healthy and Full of Energy Again. Shawna is the founder and CEO of Third Spark, an online wellness hub for women over 40 who want to reignite their sleep, reset healthier habits and respark their lives. Shawna is a sleep expert, hormone health expert, and a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBHWC). She has been featured on many podcasts including Dr. Mindy Pelz’s “The Resetter Podcast” and in Authority Magazine, Thrive Global, and The Huffington Post. A free download of her latest book can be found at www.thirdsparkhealth.com/powerful-sleep/ You can follow her on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Shawna Robins is an executive interviewer and contributor covering leadership, culture, and business for Authority Magazine.
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