Heroes of the COVID Crisis: How Alicia Grande Stepped Up To Make A Difference During The Covid19 Pandemic
Anyone has the potential to be a hero by being compassionate and selfless enough to make sacrifices for others’ well-being.
As part of my series about people who stepped up to make a difference during the COVID19 Pandemic, I had the pleasure of interviewing Alicia Grande.
Alicia Grande is the CEO of Grande Cosmetics. She has spent 25 years in the anti-aging, skin care, and beauty industry. In 2009, she discovered the secret to naturally beautiful eyelashes, a lash enhancing conditioner she called GrandeLASH-MD.
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 — that her entrepreneurial spirit kicked into high-gear.
Early in her beauty career, Alicia began her own radio show, “The Health Buzz,” on which she interviewed top beauty experts and doctors about trends and innovations. Those innovations are what inspired her next big beauty adventure, the founding of Grande Cosmetics and the highly-coveted and award-winning product that started it all; GrandeLASH-MD Lash Enhancing Serum, as a solution to some of today’s top beauty challenges.
Today, Alicia is the CEO at the helm of Grande Cosmetics’ thriving business that has expanded into multiple categories, including best-selling, beauty-enhancing formulas that help promote healthy, vital lashes, brows, lips and hair. Her female-founded brand employs a diverse staff of women of all ages and backgrounds to help keep Grande Cosmetics’ assortment of functional cosmetics robust, fun, and inclusive.
And the industry has rewarded her for her hard work with Grande Cosmetics winning significant beauty awards from leading publications NewBeauty, Cosmopolitan and Harper’s Bazaar. With broad availability at beauty retailers, Grande Cosmetics can be found at Sephora, Macy’s, ULTA, Salon Centric and Amazon in addition to beauty specialty stores and salons nationwide.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how and where you grew up?
I grew up in a humble townhouse in Rockland County, New York with my mother and sister. My parents got divorced at a young age which led to years of bullying by my peers and even my teachers, so my sister and I became very close. She’s my best friend. We were also very close with our neighbors. Living in a townhouse development really formed my sense of community — everybody was right there on top of each other but also there for each other. It was truly a great experience growing up there.
I started working at the age of 13 and haven’t stopped! From jobs like flipping burgers at White Castle, to my start in the beauty industry via flea market sales, my upbringing developed a strong work ethic in me.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
Yes! Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. It’s a truly remarkable story of a young girl in France during World War II. I think what impacted me the most was the sister’s protective nature amidst the horrible and vile time they were living in. It’s absolutely unbelievable the way that humans treated other humans during that time. As a sister myself, the girl’s protective and caring nature really resonated with me. I think there’s multiple lessons to be learned from this phenomenal novel.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or your work?
I’m an optimist in life and business so I’d say my favorite “life lesson quote” would be that the glass is half-full, and you can make the best of any situation. When you focus on the positives, it helps you through even the toughest situations.
Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. You are currently leading a social impact organization that has stepped up during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to address?
The number of Americans who face hunger and have to choose between paying for household utilities or groceries is staggering and so very heartbreaking. Here in New York, COVID-19 really started having a strong presence in mid-March. I immediately realized this was going to affect our economy and most significantly — families. With so many communities shaken, and jobs lost from the necessary stay-at-home orders, it was clear that many others will face a new challenge of determining where their next meal will come from. This heartbreaking reality made it apparent that we wanted to step up to the plate and do our part to help those in need while we stay safe and mitigate the spread of the virus. I quickly worked with my team to put together a fundraiser for Feeding America.
In your opinion, what does it mean to be a hero?
To me, being a hero means putting others before yourself. I can’t tell you how many heroes I have seen step up during this unprecedented time. Heroes are selfless and treat others even better than they want to be treated themselves.
In your opinion or experience, what are “5 characteristics of a hero? Please share a story or example for each.
A hero has so many wonderful characteristics it’s hard to narrow them down. The five that come to mind most immediately are: selflessness, compassion, energy, passion and nurturing.
Selflessness is seen every day by our essential workers. Grocery store clerks and healthcare employees are putting themselves at risk every day, often for extremely long periods of time, all to help others. That’s as selfless as it gets.
Compassion is a characteristic often overlooked by employers, yet it’s so impactful. I pride myself in our employee retention rate being above industry average and I think it’s due to the compassionate nature of our leadership team at Grande Cosmetics.. Our managers and directors look at their team as individuals and not numbers — that’s compassion.
Energy is probably not the first quality that comes to mind when you think of a hero, but it’s incredibly important. Energy and passion often go hand-in-hand. Having the energy to show up everyday and put others first is incredible.
When you have a drive and a true passion to do what you do, you find the willpower to make it happen. I first noticed the significance of passion when I was a teenager starting off in the beauty industry. I truly loved the magic of working with cosmetics, so even though sometimes my job wasn’t the greatest, passion got me through. I now recognize that quality in others and I think that’s what makes passion one of the characteristics of a hero, when someone goes for what they are passionate about despite any obstacles in their way.
And finally, nurture; another quality I learned about first-hand. When my husband was diagnosed with cancer late last year, I began to notice the nurturing qualities of everyone around us as they help us navigate such a difficult time. I’m immensely impressed by all of his caregivers. They embody what it means to be a hero.
If heroism is rooted in doing something difficult, scary, or even self-sacrificing, what do you think drives some people — ordinary people — to become heroes?
Anyone has the potential to be a hero by being compassionate and selfless enough to make sacrifices for others’ well-being.
What was the specific catalyst for you or your organization to take heroic action? At what point did you personally decide that heroic action needed to be taken?
It was immediately clear that we had to take action to help those in need during such an unprecedented and uncertain time. . Being that my company is based in Westchester County in New York, one of the most hard-hit areas at the start of the spread, it was obvious to see how it was affecting our local community. While I hoped it wouldn’t, I knew that the devastating impact of COVID-19 would eventually be felt across the country as time went on. I quickly worked with my team to put together a fundraiser for Feeding America’s COVID-19 Relief Fund. Then, we took it to the next level by not only donating 15% of sales to Feeding America but also offering 15% off to our customers since everyone has been affected by this pandemic in one way or another… Our initial goal was to raise $50,000 but the outpouring of support from our customers allowed us to raise over $200,000! It wasn’t long after that New York became the hardest hit state and stories of essential workers started flooding the news. I saw them stepping up and being there for their communities — I knew we needed to be there for them. So, we packed up 500 goody bags filled with Grande’s best products and sent them to hospitals and grocery stores throughout the state. It was our small way of saying, “we see you; we support you, and we thank you”.
Who are your heroes, or who do you see as heroes today?
Today I see heroes all around me, our essential workers. Those on the front lines of this unprecedented pandemic. They risk everything for their community — for strangers! They are true heroes. I also see our medical researches as heroes. They are working around the clock to study this disease and come up with a treatment.
Let’s talk a bit about what is happening in the world today. What specifically frightened or frightens you most about the pandemic?
Honestly, what frightens me the most during this pandemic is the divide it has caused. As a world, and as a nation we are divided and it’s only becoming more noticeable through all this. It’s extremely frightening. I’m also concerned about a potential second wave” of this virus as communities enter reopening phases and how this situation will permanently affect us. This has really changed things — in everyone’s life, and it has taken a toll on us all, whether physically or mentally.
Despite that, what gives you hope for the future? Can you explain?
Despite my fears, I find hope in the fact that so many have reverted back to a simpler time. You see people out riding their bikes, taking walks with their families, getting creative with their children — that’s beautiful! Even drive-in movies are getting a revival.
But I think what gives me the most hope is seeing how our Earth has begun to heal! We only have one Planet Earth, so we must take care of it. Through all this, nature has begun to breathe again. It’s so important we take care of our planet so that our future generations can enjoy it.
What has inspired you the most about the behavior of people during the pandemic, and what behaviors do you find most disappointing?
I find the heroism of all the essential workers incredibly inspiring. People are stepping up to help one-another. Getting groceries for an elderly neighbor, volunteering at a hospital… it’s heartwarming to witness!
What’s incredibly disappointing is the selfishness of so many. when you see people not following simple safety guidelines and doing simple acts like wearing a mask to protect those around them. It’s a very sad contrast to the acts of heroism we are also seeing.
Has this crisis caused you to reassess your view of the world or of society? We would love to hear what you mean.
Absolutely. I never thought working from home could be so beneficial. There was a fear and lack of trust in the process, but boy, was I wrong! The Grande Cosmetics team has really stepped up. They are working harder than ever and their productivity is outstanding. I’m eternally grateful for such a wonderful team. I think society had a strong “in-office” view of work, I know I did, but that has certainly changed.
What permanent societal changes would you like to see come out of this crisis?
The biggest change I’d like to see is that we all focus less on materialism and a little more on the things that truly matter like our families, our health, and one-another. Many people have been unable to see loved ones for a long time. We took those embraces and handshakes for granted — I hope we never do again.
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
As cliché as it sounds, we are all connected and it’s up to us to make a better world for the coming generations.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
A movement, wow! That would be incredible. If I could start a movement it would be teaching our younger generation how to connect and communicate in meaningful ways. I think that is of the utmost importance not only during this difficult time but moving forward as well.
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. 🙂
Jennifer Aniston. Hands down. She is just so inspiring, classy and talented. Her philanthropy is just incredible, and she has remained a role model and icon through numerous generations. I would be absolutely beside myself if I could have breakfast or lunch with her — there’s so much I could learn!
How can our readers follow you online?
Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grandemedia and follow Grande Cosmetics on Instagram: @grandecosmetics
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
Heroes of the COVID Crisis: How Alicia Grande Stepped Up To Make A Difference During The Covid19… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.