An executive who lives up to her initials, Mary van Praag is no stranger to a brand turnaround.
Since joining Milani Cosmetics as chief executive officer in 2020, the CEW Achiever Award honoree has transformed the brand into one of mass makeup‘s buzziest players, netting 18 consecutive quarters of growth and counting. Her secret sauce? Hard work, joy and everything in between. Here, she talks lessons in leadership.
What’s one word you would use to describe your career path? How would you describe your journey?
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Transformation. My career has not been linear — I’ve moved 17 times, I’ve worked in all sorts of channels and beautiful brands, but my career has always been shaped by curiosity. I’m not fearful of change. And I’ve been fortunate that all these great organizations and teams have been additive to one another in terms of new perspectives, cultures and growth, both as an individual and a leader.
What female historical figure inspires you the most and why?
Sarah Blakely, the creator of Spanx and Sneex. I’ve heard her speak twice in my career, and when I first heard her, I was a junior director, kind of coming up in the world, and she was just getting big. I remember thinking, “oh my gosh — she’s fun, she’s funny, she’s a risk-taker.” She had such trust in her instincts, and this conviction to build something that I found deeply inspiring. She’s also always been open about her failures being part of her journey, and that mindset of setbacks as part of growth has really stuck with me.
How are you cultivating the next generation of leadership in your company?
I like to create an environment where people are seen and heard, supported, but also challenged. It’s the combination of all these things that creates the magic. When I started at Milani, I rebuilt the team, rebuilt the strategy, almost brick by brick. It’s this super collaborative environment, with a bit of an entrepreneurial spirit yet still results-oriented. I hold a quarterly mentor circle where I bring different individuals — it could be an author, a motivational speaker or a CEO like [Bansk Group’s] Reuben Carranza — and have a fireside chat where everybody in the company can participate.
I always say, “I don’t have all the answers. Many of you are much closer to the work, and I honestly care what you think, and I want to hear your opinion.” We may not enact every opinion or recommendation someone has, but we do hear it, and it makes a difference for people.
What does achievement mean to you?
If you were to ask me 30-plus years ago, I was always thinking about what was next on the ladder. Then about halfway through my career, I decided that I’d rather be the dog sticking its head out the window and enjoying the ride [laughs]. You have to have complete joy, right? I love transforming businesses and teams. If I didn’t love my job so much, I’d probably hate it, because it’s very taxing. But it’s so integrated with my life, and I have found it so fulfilling — personally, professionally and holistically. It’s helped shape who I am today.