“We hire for culture first”–CEO Q&A: Sonia Deasy, Pestle & Mortar

What are your main priorities and goals in your role?

My main priorities are to drive brand awareness, innovate product development and implement the company mission internally. We are a brand that is built on customer trust. Retaining that trust means everything to us and it’s what informs every action I take in my role.

What are your biggest challenges as CEO?

We are in a rapid growth phase as a company which can be challenging. In order to fuel growth, we need to expand our team. Finding people who have the right combination of skills and talent can be a process. I discovered that it’s not about finding them so much as it’s about attracting them. To this end, we have invested a lot of energy into employer branding.

How do you keep your team/staff motivated?

We have developed a culture-driven employee onboarding programme which articulates the company’s “Why” and “How”. We hire for culture first, and my leadership strategy is to encourage collaboration across organisational boundaries. 

What are the challenges facing the industry going forward?

Consumer demand is rapidly shifting towards clean, sustainable and eco-friendly skincare. Trends like heavy make-up have fallen out of favour as consumers take a more natural approach to their skin, focusing on getting the base clean and healthy. If skincare companies can’t pivot to meet these demands, or are not already positioned to do so, they will lose customer loyalty.

What new trends are emerging in your industry?

The biggest ‘trend’ emerging in my industry is probably the absence of a trend! For a couple of years, complex, multi-layered routines were in vogue, but now, people are reverting to basics. I think the consumer is saying, ‘I don’t want to be overwhelmed with choice. I want a simple skincare routine that delivers all the active ingredients that my skin needs to look and feel its best.’

Are there any major changes you would like to see in your sector?

I would like sustainable solutions to be more readily available and practical for smaller operators and start-ups. I think that the biggest challenge for producers is in convincing consumers that sustainable packaging is worth the extra cost.