I recently went one on one with Fernando Acosta, CEO of RoC Skincare.

Adam: First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth

Fernando: You know the saying that the biggest challenges also bring the biggest opportunities? That’s how I felt recruiting every single person on our RoC Skincare team, one by one. We started from scratch in early 2019 when Gryphon Investors acquired RoC Skincare from Johnson & Johnson—I was employee #1. Today, I’m proud to say we have an amazing team of 50 people across New York, London, Hong Kong, and Shanghai and RoC Skincare is one of the fastest growing skincare brands. 

But let me back up. Before I became CEO of RoC Skincare, I worked for 25 years for Unilever and Avon Products where I had the privilege to learn from some of the most charismatic and inspiring leaders in the industry. I really wanted to understand what was driving them. When I turned 50, I had an “aha moment,” where I decided to take a year off to reflect and really think about what I wanted to do next and why. It felt like a huge step to invest in myself and my future in this way. The first thing I did during this time was prioritize my health, joining a fitness club and working with trainers. I participated in a unique executive leadership program at Singularity Group to learn more about disruptive technologies, like autonomous cars, AR, VR, and so much more. It opened my eyes to so much beyond the world of CPG. And most importantly, per my wife’s recommendation, I hired an executive coach—Nick Craig–who coached me for about six months. Through our work, we established my purpose statement: ‘Never stand still. Always aim for 10X not 10%. Enjoy the roller coaster ride!’. I put this statement into practice immediately. During this time it became clear to me that I wanted to work at a company that required heavy lifting. I felt ready for a new challenge (aiming for 10x), even on a team that would navigate ups and downs (enjoying the roller coaster ride). That’s when the dream opportunity of leading RoC Skincare came to me. 

Adam: In your experience, what are the key steps to growing and scaling your business?

Fernando:

1. Get clear on your values and purpose. Establishing your company’s values and brand purpose should be a priority as it will guide everything you do. Once that vision is clear, you can find the right people to join your team, the people who align with your values. At RoC, we don’t believe in the negative outlook on aging that is such a common narrative. As a brand invested in the health of skin, we made it our mission to reframe the conversation around aging. That’s a value we carry though everything we do.

2. Work on building trust by delivering on your promises. Skincare is a complex category; It’s an extremely crowded space full of claims that can be confusing to consumers. Like every industry, it’s important to build trust by delivering on your promises. In fact, we’ve made it our slogan, “We Prove Our Promises,” to emphasize how much of a priority this is. Once companies build trust, you cultivate a community of loyal consumers—and in our case, dermatologists who recommend our products—and that creates a positive flywheel.

3. Truly listen to your customer — and be willing to change course to accommodate them. Being open to feedback is one of the most important practices as a business. Having an opportunity to hear directly from your customer base is one of the most valuable ways to inform your product innovation pipeline. And don’t just pay attention to your current customers, but keep a finger on the pulse of the industry to find gaps you can fill. We recently saw consumer data that pointed to an increase in the desire for in-office dermatologist treatments, but also that many consumers aren’t comfortable with invasive treatments. We identified an opportunity based on these insights to create alternatives to expensive, invasive treatments with our Derm Correxion line.

Adam: What do you believe are the defining qualities of an effective leader?

Fernando: I think the qualities that make a great leader are fourfold. You need a balance of humility, curiosity, grit, and gratitude, in no particular order. The older I get, the more I realize how little I know. But that’s a great realization to have—because I’m always surrounding myself with people who can teach me. While you may be an expert in your field, you’re not the expert—it’s important to stay humble and ask questions as we try to keep pace with the exponential change we see around us. Every situation is an opportunity to learn something, especially in an ever-evolving industry like skincare. I genuinely believe that the difference between ordinary and extraordinary is putting in that extra effort. Never settle for ‘good enough,’ go that extra mile in everything you do. Quality and attention to detail make a difference—and people notice it. Finally, have gratitude. Invest time in others, listen to them, and always say thank you. 

Adam: How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?

Fernando: Stay curious and invest in your own development. As a leader or aspiring leader, it’s so important to be your own advocate, because only you know what you really need. If you are interested in learning about a new field, find someone you can work under to learn from. For me, working with an executive coach and attending trainings was instrumental in my development as a leader.

Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives and civic leaders?

Fernando: Simply put, find your passion; to become very good at anything, you have to love what you do. Always be prepared; think ahead about any conversation you may have. Be authentic; it’s ultimately all about creating great relationships.

Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading and managing teams?

Fernando: In any industry, it’s important to find the right people that are passionate about the company and the work they are doing. As you build your team, recruit with your brand values in mind. Make conversations happen within your teams to foster connection and alignment. I am also a big believer in building on people’s strengths. The most effective way to do so is to catch them doing something good. It’s simple, but it works—it will give them the confidence to embrace the next big challenge.  

Adam: What are your best tips on the topics of sales, marketing and branding?

Fernando: Broadly, businesses want to strive for consumer obsession. Creating a consumer-centric company is not easy, but it is the glue for all functions—not just for sales, marketing, and branding, but for every single person that comes to work every day. In my experience, the companies that win are those that manage to bring a clear sense of brand purpose (the “why”) to everything they do, internally and consumer-facing. In the skincare industry, there are so many claims and our consumers want to know that a product will deliver on its promises. That’s why we offer credible information in the form of customer reviews, dermatologist recommendations, and real before and after photos to demonstrate efficaciousness and build trust.  

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?

Fernando: “Your attitude defines your altitude.” This is what I constantly remind myself of, especially in challenging situations.


Adam Mendler is the CEO of The Veloz Group, where he co-founded and oversees ventures across a wide variety of industries. Adam is also the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one on one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. Adam has written extensively on leadership, management, entrepreneurship, marketing and sales, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities and non-profit organizations.

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