At Function of Beauty, we’re proud to be made up of over 60% women (not to mention one very inspiring female co-founder). That’s why this International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating by shining a light on a few of the smart and incredibly talented leaders who help make the magic happen. Learn more about their careers, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the women that inspire them!
Ashley Lister, Customer Returns Supervisor
Hometown: Charleston, SC
Currently works in: Catawissa, PA
What’s your day-to-day like?
Problem Solving. Shipping errors and packages that are returned take investigation to resolve as soon as possible so that the order gets to our customers on time. This includes reaching out to our valued customers to resolve any shipping problems we run into.
What’s something you’ve learned while being a leader at Function?
Take care of your team and your team will take care of you. Communication is key!
If you could share a message with other women around the globe, what would it be?
Put yourself out there. Don’t try to be perfect! Be brave!
What’s your favorite function product?
I absolutely LOVE the color Ocean and Magenta with Cherry Bl(awesome). I currently have 2 different Shampoos with the same hair goals that I use every other day. Once a week I also use our dark purple shampoo to reduce any brassiness.
What is the biggest hurdle you’ve overcome?
I’ve been deaf all my life. I’ve learned to use hearing aids at the age of one. My parents started me in speech therapy at the age of two until I graduated high school. I communicate with people by reading lips and using my voice. I do know some sign language, but am out of practice with my travels around the globe with my husband while he was in the Navy. I still struggle to understand people when they talk too fast or turn their face away from me. I politely ask them to face me when they are speaking. I’ve learned so much through the opportunities abroad in the Navy and at Function of Beauty about communication despite my uniqueness. Again—put yourself out there. Don’t try and be perfect! Bravery is what the world needs from women like you and me!
Lewissa Barndt, Packing Subject Matter Expert
Hometowns: Philadelphia and Bloomsburg, PA
Currently works in: Catawissa, PA
What is your favorite part about being a leader at Function of Beauty?
I would say my favorite part about being a leader is helping others strive to reach a goal for themselves and also for the company.
What’s one important thing you’ve learned about being a leader?
So far what I’ve learned about being a leader here at Function is to take things one at a time and to not get stressed out about a situation.
Do you have a favorite Function fragrance?
My favorite would be the milk(shea)ke scent
What is the biggest hurdle you’ve overcome or what makes you unique?
The biggest hurdle I’ve overcome was being in a bad abusive relationship for 3 years and then getting involved with the wrong crowd and drugs. I’m proud to say I’ve never felt better. I have my head straight and I’m able to see the good in life. What makes me unique, is that you will never find another person like me because I’m just me. There is only 1 Lewissa in the world and you can’t compete with that.
Ansley Burnett, Senior Compliance Manager
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Currently works in: New York, NY
What’s your day to day like at the Function of Beauty Soho Lab?
On a typical day I meet with R&D to discuss product safety and newly approved materials, I email or chat on the phone with suppliers to learn about testing. I work with customer service and social media to approve claims and help answer questions.
What’s your favorite thing about being a woman?
Being a mom, and being able to have brought my daughter into the world.
What’s one important thing you’ve learned about being a leader?
Talk less and listen more. When you understand how people feel and what they need, you can do your job more effectively than if you are just trying to communicate your own agenda.
If you could share a message with other women around the globe, what would it be?
Don’t be afraid to speak up, ask for what you want, negotiate and challenge rules/standards etc. You do not have to make everyone around you comfortable and happy to be successful/ happy/ good.
What is the biggest hurdle you’ve overcome?
I was the first person in my family to graduate from college—Dartmouth c/o 2007
Shraddha Shah, Senior Chemist R+D
Hometown: Mumbai, India
Currently works in: New York, NY
What’s your favorite part of doing your job at Function of Beauty?
I can be a mad scientist at work; and have the pleasure of experimenting with a lot of ingredients, colors and fragrances! This being said, my job allows me to create new hair care products that are catered to every individual’s needs. This is very exciting and challenging at the same time.
What’s your favorite function product?
Hair serum, not just because I worked on it but for the fact that it prevents my hair from the everyday straightener damage.
What brought you to your line of work?
After getting a degree in Pharmacy, I just knew that I wanted to work in a lab environment surrounded by chemicals and being tasked to create new innovative products that would be beneficial for people around the globe. I was also very passionate about the personal care industry so I pursued a Masters in Cosmetic Science and ever since I have enjoyed working on various hair care and skin care products.
What is the biggest hurdle you’ve overcome?
The biggest hurdle I have had to overcome was to relocate to the United States by myself knowing that everything would be different and that my family would be halfway across the globe. At first it was quite difficult to adjust to the new culture, room-mates, new friends, new school but I knew that was just something I had to overcome to grow professionally and personally.
Alissa McColgan, VP Ops, Procurement, and Customer Service
Currently works in: Grand Rapids, MI
What’s your day-to-day like at Function of Beauty?
Ever evolving… function is always changing and innovating so that no two days are ever the same. The only consistency is the daily collaboration with my teams to brainstorm and execute ideas
If you could share a message with other women around the globe, what would it be?
Stop apologizing. Own your ideas, stand up for what you believe, and continuously challenge the status quo.
What’s your favorite Function product?
Serum! I can’t go a day without this magical product.
Sam Mang, SVP Brand + Innovation
Hometowns: Hong Kong and Beijing, China
Currently works in: New York, NY
What’s your day-to-day like?
Long! Depending on the day, sometimes I’ll start with an early morning workout, and then arrive at work. Then the day changes depending on what I’m focused on – a new product launch, or a marketing campaign, or longer term innovation – but mostly a lot of meetings and decisions that have to be made. After work, I’ll usually train at my Muay Thai gym for another 2-ish hours, before I head home and snuggle with my pup, Theo.
What’s your favorite thing about being a woman?
I love that we are constantly challenging, changing, and redefining what it means to be a woman.
Who inspires you?
My mom, who pushed boundaries and succeeded in a traditionally male-dominated field in China. I watched her be a successful working mom as I was growing up, and she was an absolute role model.
What brought you to your line of work?
As a girl growing up in China, a can of Campbell’s Soup caught my attention – and from there, it became a lifelong love affair with consumer products. I can’t imagine anything more exciting than being a part of something that hundreds of thousands to millions of people touch and use every day, so here we are!
What’s your favorite career highlight?
I would say there’s more to come, but one of the very many so far was being on the team that made the Lipton tea commercial that spawned the infamous Kermit-drinking-tea meme (“but that’s none of my business“).
What makes you unique?
In addition to my day job, I always have a pretty serious passion on the side. I used to be a nationally-ranked competitive ballroom dancer that represented the US in the Worlds; I’ve done competitive boxing and am now looking to start competing in Muay Thai.
Melissa Miller, Senior Operations Manager
Hometown: Northeastern PA
Currently works in: Grand Rapids, MI
What’s your favorite part of being a leader at Function of Beauty?
One of my favorite things about being a leader at function is the opportunity to help develop a culture that encourages learning, collaboration, and support between teams! I also love being a part of a company that understands how different every person really is!
Who inspires you?
I am inspired by women who follow their passion and who have a “challenge accepted” way of living.
What’s your favorite function product?
I love to change up my orders to try new color and fragrance combinations and my current favorite is ocean with nude (p)each fragrance.
What brought you to your line of work?
Feeling burned out in my work life is what brought me to this line of work. I worked in the nonprofit world for many years in community engagement and training, decided it was time for a change, and found myself in a career that I never expected! I have been lucky to have mentors who recognized my strengths, were (and are) willing to help me learn, and challenge me with new opportunities.
