Meet Angelica Kanter: A Beauty Industry Expert & Brand Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Angelica Kanter and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angelica, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
The one thing about the beauty industry that some folks may be unaware of, is that it is not as glamorous as one would think it would be. Every day work issues such as HR issues, supply chain issues, etc., exist in other industries, and also the beauty industry.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I started my career as an Account Coordinator for a beauty brand at Nordstrom while attending Cal State University. Upon graduation, I started selling haircare in the top Los Angeles salons and worked my way up to management positions. Early on, I networked and developed relationships in the industry with respected individuals who mentored me along the way. It was not a difficult journey to move my way up because I have fun and it was not a “job”. I always made my relationships with the decision makers a priority and became their resource and that was the key formula to my success. The lesson I learned was that if you put your clients as a priority, then they will buy anything from you. Another lesson I learned is that you have to always pivot and not put your eggs in one basket and this proved to be true during the pandemic. What I want people to know is that I am my own brand first, You have to build that trust and relationship first then the sales follow and it is never the other way around, if you want longevity. My father in law always said, “it’s more important to show kindness to people than it is to be important”. Fast forward to today, I am Vice President of Sales & Consultant for Ethica Beauty. What also sets me apart is that I have shown clients kindness and respect from the days I was starting out and to this day, my former clients from 25+ years ago still remember me. Many of the same clients purchase my products and I run into them at a trade show or an event. A great perk to being in the beauty industry is that you do have access to the latest skincare, cosmetics and haircare. You also have to stay healthy and fit to stay relevant. Using beauty products to help keep you looking youthful is great too–my clients from 25+ years ago say I still look the same!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my BFF was visiting Los Angeles, I would take them to these spots:: DAY 1:  LACMA – My cousin is a Curator in the Fashion & Textiles department and would give us a VIP tour. Who wouldn’t want to see and hear about the evolution and trends of fashion!  We would also enjoy a cocktail at Ray’s at the museum. After a trip to LACMA, I would take my BFF for some serious eating at a “hole in the wall” Korean BBQ place.  Korea Town is a hop, skip and jump from LACMA. DAY 2:  If it were current day, and due to the pandemic, and gyms were closed, I would take my BFF on a nice hike/walk around the golf course in my neighborhood or to Mullholland Drive nearby.  Malibu – We would eat and drink at one of the many amazing restaurants, like Paradise Cove DAY 3/4: : Like me, most of my BFFs love shopping! If in Los Angeles, we would shop til we drop at Century City and have drinks & cocktails at Eataly.  If in Orange County, we would go broke at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa and Fashion Island until we build up an appetite.  We would then have dinner and cocktails at Din Tai Fung at South Coast Plaza or Brodard Chateau, a French-Vietnamese spot. DAY 5: We would both fly from Los Angeles into San Francisco and spend he weekend! I would take my BFF to the Japanese Tea Gardens in Balboa Park, catch a show (Ali Wong!). For dinner and drinks we would dine at Le Colonial and enjoy and after dinner drink across the way at San Francisco Wine Society!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
While women are constantly breaking glass ceilings in the beauty industry (both professional and retail), many of the executive positions are still being held by men. Early on, I built a tight knit group of women friends aka “my tribe” in the beauty industry. We constantly lift one another up, inspire, trade leads and collaborate. Two women I would love to give shout outs to during my 25 + year journey are Hannah Duncan, CEO of Well CBD Products and Lauren Berkovitz Wells, CEO of Lauren B. Beauty.

Website: www.ethicabeauty.com

Instagram: angelicakanter_thebeautyconnectors

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/angelicakanter

Twitter: @Angelica_ethica or @AngelicaKanter_beautybiz

Facebook: Angelica Kanter