Mosbacher’s Mission

An Interview with Georgette Mosbacher, President and Chief Executive Offi cer, Borghese, Inc.

EDITORS’ NOTE Before assuming Who is that customer? To some degree, culture plays a part; but her current post, Georgette Mosbacher Our typical customer is 40 generally, the products can be the same. purchased the high-end cosmetics fi rm years old or older, who can appreci- The cultural differences are pretty sub- La Prairie in 1987, served as its CEO, ate our heritage, who is not driven tle and a quality beauty product will meet the and sold it in 1991 to Beiersdorf. by fads or the next new thing, and needs of any woman. She has also served as national Co- who understands quality. However, Our skin is an organ and that is the same Chairman of John McCain’s 2000 we have also been able to cross for everyone. presidential campaign and is Co- over to a broader audience – we As someone who is involved in the politi- Chair of the Republican National created a line for Costco that also cal landscape, is it tough to remain optimistic Committee’s Finance Committee. She speaks to the quality of the prod- when you see what is going on in Washington? received a B.S. in Education from uct but with a value that reaches a It’s very frustrating. That there is partisan Indiana University in 1970 and is larger demographic. bickering is not new. What’s frustrating is the the author of two best-selling self-help Georgette Mosbacher There was a time when quality lack of leadership. books: Feminine Force: Release The was defined by certain department We have always had strong leaders who Power Within To Create The Life You Deserve, stores – this has changed. You can find qual- inspired and brought both sides together. I don’t and It Takes Money, Honey: A Get-Smart Guide ity in mass now, in stores like Costco and see that on either the Republican or Democratic to Total Financial Freedom. Target. side. We have a greater reach but to a far more Leadership always starts from the top, and COMPANY BRIEF Borghese (www.borghese.com) educated customer who understands you can a true leader fi nds a way to bring the different is built on a heritage that dates back to the 14th have both quality and value, and that they do sides together. At the risk of sounding partisan, century and combines the tradition of classic go together. we have a President now from whom we’re not Italian beauty and modern sensibility to cre- How are you able to reach those mar- seeing that. ate a wide range of color and treatment prod- kets through other distribution channels and It’s not new that we call each other names ucts including anti-aging skincare, daily skin maintain that quality and price? either, and sometimes it descends into a rhetoric maintenance, self-renewal spa care, and color The price comes down the bigger the run; that is unbecoming to either party. cosmetics. Their innovative product line com- and it comes down signifi cantly when you’re However, we have been able to bridge it in bines time-honored botanicals and cutting-edge talking about a Costco or Target. We maintain the past. This has gone on too long, and every- technology to gently yet effectively address each the same quality standards; we’re just selling a one loses under these circumstances. person’s individual beauty concerns. lot more of it, and as a result, the cost comes I don’t see this getting better; it’s only get- down. ting worse and I don’t see the leadership on What has helped this brand stand the test A lot of high-priced beauty products are the horizon that is going to bridge this – that is of time? about marketing, not ingredients. really frustrating. This brand wasn’t plucked from the imagi- What keeps the business so fresh for Is the future of the Republican party nation of some marketing person. It has a long you? of concern? Is the two-party system at heritage; the quality has remained consistent – Anytime you are engaging a consumer, you risk? you’ve always gotten value for the quality of have to remain nimble if you want to succeed, This is what has made us great as a coun- the product. and that is challenging because the consumer is try. It’s why we have the most robust middle Its heritage was built on all-natural ingre- always evolving. She is educated and very vocal class in the world – because we have a two- dients from Tuscan minerals long before all- today about exactly what she wants – and that party system in which we have these kinds of natural was all the rage. This brand has never is exciting. It’s about staying in touch and try- discussions, and we go through gut-wrenching been a fad. ing to create those products that speak to that debates, but they are important. This allows Has it become more challenging to dif- consumer, new ideas to bubble up and bad ideas to be ferentiate in this space? We also have a whole new world in other struck down. But there would be no chance of The competition is fierce, but we have markets like India and China. The one thing that without a two-party system. so many new platforms to get our message about our business is we fi nd that women want I don’t know that it’s fashionable right now out – the Internet, blogs, Facebook, television the same thing all over the world – but there are to say how much trouble the Republican party shopping; there are a lot more opportunities to some differences. is in. There is no question that it’s broken in target your audience and speak directly to your The Chinese customer likes whitening Washington. customer than before, and we can identify that products, doesn’t use a lot of color, and is very However, if you walk across the U.S. and customer better today. committed to skincare, for instance, so there are go state by state, the states that are governed by Technology has given us the ability to these challenges. Republican governors are successful. hone in on who that customer is and what she Can the product be the same across all If you take the top fi ve failing states, take a wants, and we can speak directly to her like markets or do you need to customize it for look at which party their governors are from – never before. local markets? they are Democrats. VOLUME 37, NUMBER 1 POSTED WITH PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LEADERS MAGAZINE, INC. LEADERS 49 For those who say the Republican party is one was for whoever needed it down the street; Whether it’s leading my company or read- dead, that is far from the truth. and we made a point to know who that was ing my business plan, or being on a board like Are you worried that young lead- because we were engaged with our community. the Fallen Heroes Fund, there is a responsibility ers today might shy away from public For myself, I truly believe that it’s the re- I have accepted, and I worked for that. It’s just service? sponsibility of every adult in the world to take a matter of feeling responsible for what I have We have made it impossible to attract care of three sectors of society: children, the committed myself to; and you fi nd time for the young leaders into public service – this con- elderly, and animals. This is a moral responsi- commitments that are important to you. cerns me more than anything. The cost involved bility because they are the ones in society that Time seems to expand or contract in what for just getting the nomination, with all the are most vulnerable. Everything I do is based you allow for it. I try not to take on more than I rules and regulations, is such that you have on that context. can handle, and I have learned to say no, which to be rich just to afford the process. There is is very important. If I commit to something, I’m something wrong with that. going to see it through no matter what, so I’m Also, I believe our public servants should very careful in what I commit to. I know that be held to the highest standards. But we have for me to do something well, I can only take on demonized the process, and the press has what I know I can accomplish. worked it into a frenzy. What advice do you give young women We feel that those interested in running for who are building careers? public offi ce have to go through a destructive They have to go for it. You can’t bully into process just to get started, and if they survive it, opportunity. Women haven’t become comfort- they can run. That’s not how it should be. able with politics. They still don’t understand We’re not going to get quality people be- Whether it’s that politics is about money, and they will never cause they’re not going to put themselves or play a really signifi cant role in politics until they their families through the kind of things we put understand that. them through. leading my company or Men write the checks and that is why they How critical is a continued public/ dominate politics. Women still are not comfort- private partnership to address the major reading my business plan, able doing that and haven’t made a lot of in- issues? roads there because they don’t understand how It’s not realistic to expect progress if we it works – or if they do, they’re not willing to don’t have that. The issues are too big for either or being on a board like make the commitment, primarily fi nancially. side alone, so we have to encourage public/ In terms of business, it’s a matter of under- private partnerships – it’s the only way forward. standing that the playing fi eld isn’t always fair, It’s tragic when we demonize business the Fallen Heroes Fund, life isn’t fair, and you have to persevere. and business demonizes government. We need Women allow themselves to be intimi- both. Government should do everything it can dated; they feel like they have to play by the to help business succeed and business should there is a responsibility men’s rules – that is a mistake. You have to be do everything it can to make government more who you are, and it comes down to believing effective. I have accepted and in yourself and not quitting. When we see the kind of prosecutorial ter- Women still somehow believe this idea rorism that is taking place, when we see the that we have to legislate for women to get kind of regulations that literally make it impos- I worked for that. ahead – it doesn’t work that way. They have sible for entrepreneurs to thrive in this country, to stop wasting their time on that, and go this is where the danger lies. forward and get ahead by getting things Somehow, this idea that government is the done. enemy of business and business is the enemy of Do you take the time to appreciate all government is truly tragic. you have accomplished or are you constantly If we don’t fi x that, we can’t fi x anything looking at what more needs be done and because it’s going to take public/private part- what more you can do? nerships to deal with these problems. What If you’re ambitious by nature, you’re al- we’re up against – our challenges – are too big ways looking forward. But my roots are a part for either side anymore. I also believe we have a moral responsi- of me. I have never forgotten where I came Where did your philanthropic drive bility to those serving in our military and their from. I realize how blessed I am. I never take come from? How do you focus your efforts? families. So few serve – less than 1 percent – my life for granted. I try to make every day There is so much need. I grew up literally that each and every one of us has a moral count and put it all into proper perspective. on the edge of poverty, where the notion was responsibility to take care of them and their It’s not easy, but I’m lucky in that where I that we knew who our neighbors were and we families. came from is so much a part of me – I’ve helped one another. We can’t ignore those that are vulnerable, never gotten far from that in terms of my val- My great-grandmother would bake bread because they can’t take care of themselves. ues and in terms of who I am. This has served over the holidays and she’d make three loaves – How do you balance all your areas of me well, because I’m close to my family and one was for church, one was for the family, and interest? it keeps me grounded.• 50 LEADERS POSTED WITH PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LEADERS MAGAZINE, INC. VOLUME 37, NUMBER 1