From Manwich to Murad

with Paul Schiraldi, CEO of Murad

About this episode

Joining the show today is Paul Schiraldi, CEO of Murad, a leading global skincare brand characterized by a holistic approach that prioritizes the health of your skin above anything else. In Lee’s conversation with Joe, he talks us through his tenacious career trajectory, his passion for both analysis and creativity, and the various industries he experimented with before coming to work with the premier brands in beauty. We also dive into his learnable experiences as a first-time CEO, why collaboration comes so naturally to him, and the value of being a generalist when you’re in a leadership role! Tune in to hear about Paul’s eventful journey to becoming CEO and his thoughtful parting advice to aspiring leaders.

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In This Episode You’ll Hear About:

[03:48] Paul’s upbringing in New York City, Staten Island, and his two obsessions as a kid: designing homes and television programming.
[09:24] About Paul’s college experiences and the hilarious story of using an old golf shoe to get his foot in the door at Ogilvy.
[17:34] Why branding’s mix of analytical and creative skills resonated with Paul, and what prompted him to enter the beauty industry.
[19:44] How Paul’s 17-year-long tenure at L’Oreal prepared him for a CEO role.
[23:48] The role Paul decided to take on at Dermalogica, why he was excited to move back to LA, and how the Covid pandemic affected his transition.
[29:17] How Paul was given the opportunity to become CEO of Murad and why he made an effort to express his interest in the role.
[34:14] His experience as CEO thus far, how he would characterize his leadership style, and advice to CEOs on how to prepare for challenging scenarios.
[38:55] Paul’s personal tips on managing the stress that comes with being CEO.
[41:44] The history of Murad, how it’s grown, its holistic approach to skincare, and a sneak peek of what to expect from them in Q4 of 2023.
[48:41] Paul’s parting words on balancing determination and flexibility as a CEO.

To Find Out More:

Murad
Murad on Instagram

Murad on Facebook

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Lee Greene on Twitter

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

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Quotes:

“I liked the mix of the creative and analytical skills [at Manwich]. [But] I thought food was too slow moving for me.” [0:17:51]

“I finally realized that working in brand was the right mix of creative and analytical skills. I was always somewhere in between the two. And I felt [it] clicked for me that [this] was the right career path. And I've been in packaged goods and consumer products ever since.”i [0:18:15]

“I give [L’Oreal] credit because whenever I felt like I was getting a little antsy and ready to move, even without [me] saying anything, they were very good at presenting me with another opportunity.” [0:20:07]

“I really didn't expect to be considered for the role. But I figured I should throw my hat in the ring, just so that people knew I was interested.” [0:30:59]

“I just always thought, ‘I think I can do it, so why shouldn't I try to do it?'" [0:32:27]

“Even though you may not have done 100% of the role before, you've been exposed to enough of it to trust your instincts to know [what to do].” [0:33:51]

“I'm very much a generalist. So I'm really good at being proficient in a lot of things without being the expert in any one. And I think that lends itself to this role. I [also] think it's important to obviously have good experts below you within the respective functional areas.” [0:34:35]

“When things are tough, [being CEO is] the toughest job, because ultimately, everyone is looking for you to turn things around. And I think when things are going well, it can actually be a lot easier than a lot of roles because you get the credit for everything that's working.” [0:35:43]

“All you can do is plan for the scenarios that you think are likely and to try and get ahead of it by planning for different possibilities.” [0:36:18]

“I typically try and work out probably two, sometimes three (if I'm lucky) times a week, although it should be more. I do hot yoga, which I love — it's just really really great at clearing my mind.” [0:39:47]

“I find, for me, the most satisfying thing is when I can do an activity where it takes my mind off of that constant dialogue, and the constant analysis that is going on in my head.” [0:40:20]

“I think it's always the balance between tenacity and flexibility. It's having the determination to continue with something, [and having] a vision that you believe in, but also knowing when to be flexible [and] pivot.” [0:49:01]

Read the transcript