Rachel Liverman of Glowbar: Here Are The Things That Happened in My Childhood That Impact How I Lead Today
An Interview With Cynthia Corsetti
You have to have confidence in your team and yourself, because if you don’t believe in what you’re doing then you can’t expect anyone else to.
In this introspective and reflective series, we would like to explore the intricate web of experiences that form the leaders of today. Childhood, being the foundational stage of our lives, undeniably has a profound impact on our development and the leadership styles we adopt as adults. Be it a lesson learned from a parent, a childhood hobby that cultivated discipline, an early failure that fostered resilience, or even a book that opened their minds to vast possibilities; leaders often have deep-seated childhood experiences that echo in their leadership narratives today. For this interview series, we are talking to seasoned leaders across various industries who share personal anecdotes and lessons from their childhood that have sculpted their leadership philosophies today. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Rachel Liverman.
Rachel Liverman is the Founder and CEO of Glowbar, a new New York skincare concept revolutionizing the spa industry with no-frills, 30-minute, customized, and solution-oriented treatments at $55 for members. As a third-generation licensed esthetician, Rachel struggled to find an effective, accessible, and trustworthy source for consistent facial treatments administered by expertly trained estheticians. She channeled this passion into finding a solution and working with the first accredited esthetics school in the country (founded by her grandmother and now owned by her mother), The Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics. There, she researched consumer and esthetician challenges before officially launching Glowbar in June 2019. Rachel is now reinventing professional skincare by developing approachable facial treatments and an aesthetically designed algorithm that eliminates consumer anxiety, overwhelming treatment menus, and the need for expensive add-ons.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion about leadership, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
My career path has been heavily influenced by my upbringing and the environment I was immersed in. I was fortunate to grow up surrounded by entrepreneurs and individuals who were self-employed, as both my mom and dad owned their own businesses. Witnessing their success made entrepreneurship feel like a natural and achievable path for me. It was incredibly inspiring and fueled my ambition to have my own business one day.
However, I also recognized the importance of learning from others before taking that leap. That’s why I decided to minor in entrepreneurship during my college years. During the first decade of my career, I chose to focus on learning from mentors. I had the opportunity to work at Birchbox, where I gained valuable insights into how venture-backed organizations operated, how to achieve rapid growth, and the inner workings of such companies as they expanded. But my journey didn’t end there. I realized that I was more interested in working for companies committed to sustainable growth. This realization led me to Beauty Blender, where I gained invaluable experience in understanding how a privately-owned business, without external venture funding, could be established and nurtured to grow.
By combining the knowledge I acquired from both startup and medium-sized businesses, I felt well-prepared to set out on my own entrepreneurial path. My upbringing, experiences, and unwavering determination had equipped me with the skills and insights necessary to successfully start and run my own business.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
What makes Glowbar stand out is that it is a legacy business built off of 3 generations of esthetics. Skincare is in my DNA. I’m a third-generation esthetician whose family has been at the forefront of skincare since the 70’s, when my grandmother, Catherine Hinds, founded the first fully-accredited esthetics school in the country. Catherine Hinds was a true beauty industry pioneer; a protege of Estee Lauder who taught millions of women the importance of skin maintenance through regular facials. Her daughter (my mother) soon took over the business and now her granddaughter, me, is carrying that legacy through Glowbar. Inspired by my own struggle to find an effective, accessible, and trustworthy source for consistent facial treatments, I set out to create Glowbar and to disrupt the industry further. Glowbar’s expert, no-frills facials help customers reach their skincare goals without the pain points of time or expense. My family and I have made a huge impact on the history and evolution of skincare over the past six decades, and it is my plan to continue iterating on it over the next 60.
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
- Resilient:
Many people didn’t believe in my business, and I faced 100 rejections during fundraising. Despite this, I now have 9 locations and a team of 150 members. Resilience helped me overcome doubt and rejection, turning my vision into a reality.
- Humility
The most significant lesson I had to learn was to be comfortable with seeking help and admitting that I didn’t have all the answers. In the entrepreneurial journey, there are countless challenges and uncertainties, and it’s impossible for one person to possess all the knowledge and solutions needed to overcome them. By overcoming the fear of asking for assistance and admitting when I didn’t know something, I was able to tap into the expertise of mentors, advisors, and my team, which proved invaluable in navigating the complexities of building a successful business.
- Decisiveness
Being an entrepreneur and a founder, creating and building a brand, you need to make a lot of decisions and a lot of tough ones too. A lot of people don’t make significant progress because they spend too much time pondering and hesitating. It’s crucial to trust your instincts, work swiftly, closely monitor your decisions, and pivot rapidly if necessary. For instance, deciding to activate the membership feature for Glowbar was a critical decision that required quick thinking and action. Decisiveness allowed me to navigate the challenges and uncertainties of entrepreneurship with confidence and make timely and effective choices.
Leadership often entails making difficult decisions or hard choices between two apparently good paths. Can you share a story with us about a hard decision or choice you had to make as a leader? I’m curious to understand how these challenges have shaped your leadership.
When things feel hard or aren’t going the way I want them to, there are two paths I can take. I can choose to micromanage or I can choose to empower and inspire and instill confidence in my team. I’ve pushed myself as a leader to opt for the latter option because it not only gets the job done but also fosters empowerment and cultivates a more motivating work environment compared to the alternative. I often like to ask myself, “what is the Glowbar way?”
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Let’s start with a simple definition. How do you personally define “leadership?”
I personally define leadership as the responsibility to inspire and empower others. You achieve this by fostering confidence and championing those within your team, working collaboratively to achieve your collective goals and aspirations. Essentially, leadership is about motivating and enabling others to reach their full potential while collectively moving toward your desired destination or outcome.
Can you recall an experience from your childhood where you felt truly empowered? How does that moment inform your leadership style today?
My entire childhood was characterized by a sense of empowerment and the freedom to be who I truly was. I consider myself incredibly fortunate and lucky in this regard. Throughout my upbringing, I was consistently encouraged to be creative, to speak my mind, and to think outside the conventional boundaries. I felt trusted in my decisions, which instilled a strong sense of confidence and empowerment in me from a very young age.
One particular memory that stands out is my mom singing a song to me, “Rachel Ann Liverman, If She Can’t Do It No One Can.” This simple yet powerful affirmation left a lasting impact on me. It reinforced the idea that I was capable of achieving anything I set my mind to.
My childhood experience informs my leadership style today in several ways. It taught me the importance of fostering an environment where individuals feel empowered to be themselves, to be creative, and to voice their ideas. I strive to create a space where my team members feel trusted and confident in their abilities, just as I was in my youth.
Were there any role models in your early years who left a lasting impression on you?
My grandmother, Catherine Hinds, who founded the first fully-accredited esthetics school in the country was definitely a role model for me. Catherine Hinds was a true beauty industry pioneer; a protege of Estee Lauder who taught millions of women the importance of skin maintenance through regular facials.
I also looked up to both my parents who both owned their own businesses and inspired me to follow suit and become the entrepreneur I am today
Many of us had a favorite book or story as a child. Is there a narrative that you were drawn to, and do you see its themes reflecting in your leadership journey?
I was captivated by “The Alchemist” when I was a child. A major theme of the book is that as we journey through life, we often carry unrealized hopes and dreams deep within us. It underscores the importance of recognizing these aspirations and pursuing them with unwavering determination. The fear of failure can be an obstacle that often leads people to make excuses for not pursuing their dreams. However, “The Alchemist” encourages people not to succumb to this fear and to persist in pursuit of what they believe is our purpose.
In my own leadership journey, I find these themes from “The Alchemist” to be profoundly influential. The notion of never giving up on what one knows to be their purpose has guided my leadership philosophy. It reminds me that obstacles and setbacks are inevitable, but they should never deter us from striving to achieve our dreams and leave a meaningful impact.
Many leaders find that their greatest strengths arise from overcoming adversity. Can you share an experience from your early life that was difficult at the time, but you find still lingers in your thoughts and informs your actions today?
My early life was far from traditional. I grew up in a non-conventional household, which made me always feel different from everyone else. Growing up with divorced parents, and my mother coming out as a lesbian, I never fit the cookie-cutter mold in both my family life and as a person. It was a testing ground for my confidence and self-esteem. Adversity in the form of judgment and meanness from other kids made it challenging to find my place and fit in. However, this adversity also played a pivotal role in shaping me into the strong person I am today. It taught me resilience, the value of authenticity, confidence, and the importance of embracing my uniqueness.
Looking back at your childhood, are there particular ‘first-time’ experiences — like your first triumph, your initial setback, or your inaugural leadership responsibility — that you believe were pivotal in molding your leadership ethos?”
One experience in particular that stands out to me from my childhood was when I tried out for the basketball team my freshman year of high school and didn’t make the cut. This setback was upsetting and embarrassing, and was something I genuinely wanted but didn’t achieve due to my abilities, or the lack thereof.
This rejection marked a significant turning point for me. It was my first encounter with not getting what I really wanted, and it was a devastating blow. However, it also became a valuable lesson in resilience and determination. It taught me that sometimes, you may not always get what you want, but that doesn’t mean you should give up. Instead, it’s a signal to work harder and persevere.
Moreover, this experience taught me that rejection can often be a form of redirection. Because I didn’t make the basketball team, I had the opportunity to explore other avenues, such as participating in the Big Brother Big Sister program and engaging in various extracurricular activities. These experiences led to valuable friendships and personal growth, ultimately becoming an integral part of what my journey was meant to be.
From your personal experiences and reflections, what are the ‘5 Pillars of Effective Leadership’ you believe in?
1 . Inspiration
- It’s a leader’s responsibility to ignite motivation and enthusiasm within the team, encouraging them to consistently put in their best effort and remain dedicated to their tasks.
2 . Trust
- In any relationship, you have to establish trust in order for it to be effective and leading a team is no different.
3 . Confidence
- You have to have confidence in your team and yourself, because if you don’t believe in what you’re doing then you can’t expect anyone else to.
4 . Joy
- When you are working hard and pouring all you have into being a leader, it’s important that you truly love what you’re doing and that you’re having fun. Joy is what makes everything worthwhile.
5 . Guidance
- You have to be the captain of the ship, guiding people toward the light, the vision, the goal post.
In your role as a leader, what thoughts or concerns keep you awake at night? How do these reflections guide your decisions and leadership?
As a leader of a people-first business, what often keeps me awake at night are thoughts about the well-being and dynamics of our team. I’m constantly concerned about ensuring that our team members feel motivated, challenged, and excited about their work. This reflection guides my decisions and leadership by prioritizing our first client: our people, as their satisfaction and engagement are paramount in driving our success.
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. 🙂
I’m already doing that by making people feel confident in their skin with Glowbar because when people feel good, they do good.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Following @glowbar and @rachelista on instagram! And submitting your email on https://glowbar.com to receive our newsletter and updates.
Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. It’s been an honor to delve into the roots of your leadership journey, and we are grateful for the wisdom you’ve shared.
About the Interviewer: Cynthia Corsetti is an esteemed executive coach with over two decades in corporate leadership and 11 years in executive coaching. Author of the upcoming book, “Dark Drivers,” she guides high-performing professionals and Fortune 500 firms to recognize and manage underlying influences affecting their leadership. Beyond individual coaching, Cynthia offers a 6-month executive transition program and partners with organizations to nurture the next wave of leadership excellence.
Rachel Liverman of Glowbar: Here Are The Things That Happened in My Childhood That Impact How I… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.