A LOT changed about the way we did things during COVID… some things forever.
For a while there, women had to do their own hair dying at home, blokes unused to buying stuff online discovered a whole new world and working from home became the norm.
Someone who totally embraced the enormous upswing in everything online and digital was Jodi Verboon of Nagel’s Pharmacy in Leongatha, her efforts proving that local is global and vice versa.
She took to offering product and application information online for her Estée Lauder clients, with product photos and information, even making short videos about the best ways to use make-up, the Estée Lauder moisturiser range and the like; and someone noticed.
Millions noticed.
Jodi’s online outreach efforts were a godsend for many people stuck at home, and they were also appreciated by Estée Lauder management who not only posted her work worldwide, but also rewarded her with an Estée Lauder ‘Best of the Best’ award which will see her travel to New York next week for the ultimate career makeover.
She is one of three going from Australia, including two beauty advisors and a financial officer, two from Victoria and one from Western Australia.
“It’s exciting. I’m absolutely thrilled and we’re leaving next week,” said Jodi Verboon, at her Estée Lauder counter at the entrance to Nagel’s Pharmacy.
“We’ll be doing a lot of things. There’s a full 10-day itinerary but there’s also going to be time for some fun as well.
“The head office of Estée Lauder is right there, around the corner from Times Square, so there’s options of going to a Broadway Show, the art gallery and a tour of the city so it’s going to be great.”
But they’ll also meet with members of the Estée Lauder development team about popular and emerging products, the marketing people and also members of the Estée Lauder family.
“It’s pretty exciting.
“I know something of the history of course, and its founders Estée and Joseph Lauder but there are still family members involved and I think we will be meeting them too. There are people coming in from all over the world.”
Estée Lauder’s brands and products are many and varied including AERIN Beauty, Aramis, Aveda, Bobbi Brown, Bumble and bumble, Clinique, Darphin, DECIEM, Dr.Jart+, Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, Estée Lauder, GLAMGLOW, Jo Malone London, KILIAN PARIS, La Mer, Lab Series, Le Labo, M·A·C, NIOD, Origins, Smashbox, The Ordinary, Tom Ford Beauty and Too Faced.
Jodi has been with Nagel’s for nine years and on the Estée counter for five years.
While face-to-face is still her favourite way to interact with clients, she says the online work is fun as well and seeing some of her work go global has been a real thrill.
“You’re just talking to people after all and showing them how to get the most out of the products, and getting the feedback, has been fun.”
And sounds like there’s a lot of fun on the way as well… who wouldn’t jump at an all-expenses-paid visit to the Big Apple!
