Teri Bontempo

I attribute my success to hard work and never giving up throughout my 35-year career journey. I've worked in every aspect of the beauty industry, from hairstyling in well-known salons to promoting fragrances for celebrities like Paris Hilton, Queen Latifah, and Rihanna, and now as a territory manager in skincare. I believe in leading with kindness, compassion, and empathy rather than being hard on people. I always tell my team we are equals and that if they're successful, I'm successful. I also believe strongly in uplifting other women and being a team player. Even when competing brands are in the store, I play nicely in the sandbox and help them reach their goals too, because it takes a village and we want everyone to be successful. The field of beauty is not for the weak, so you must give it 110%. I've been number one in probably every company I've worked for nationwide, and I've been recognized with awards like highest percentage of overall growth. Even at my age, after all the layoffs in our industry, landing another great job position is a feat in itself, and I'm proof that baby boomers are still out there and we can get the job done.

The best career advice I've received is that you can have a successful career with hard work, because the field of beauty is not for the weak so you must give it 110%. Some people think it's an easy, cushy job, but it is not. It looks fun and glamorous, and it is a lot of fun and I have a lot of fun, but there's a lot of business and growing pains behind the scenes. If you put your nose to the grindstone, you can do it. Flexibility is the name of the game in this industry.

My advice to young women entering the beauty industry is to work hard and never give up. Learn to uplift each other and be a team player. I'm always the one cheering everybody on and promoting women's success. We're here to lift each other up as women, and I don't know why we're jealous of each other. When other brands are having events, I don't try to steal their sales. I help them reach their goals, and I play very fair. I call it playing nicely in the sandbox and playing together. It takes a village, and we want the store to be successful. I encourage my team to be helpful to the retailers and to our brand partners and be the best brand partner you can be. This is not an easy business. It's not for the weak, and some people think it's an easy, cushy job, but it is not. There's a lot of business and growing pains behind the scenes. But if you put your nose to the grindstone, you can do it.

The biggest challenges in my field right now include dealing with a lot of competition and navigating an industry that's had many layoffs over the last few years because of recessions and corporate cutbacks. At my age, landing another great job position after all these layoffs is kind of a feat in itself. The industry has also dealt with pricing increases and economic downturns that have made it harder to make the numbers. But there are opportunities too. I just started my current role in December 2025, right before Christmas, so I'm excited about this new position as a territory manager for wholesale covering the West with several retailers that I oversee. Nobody should give up because the opportunities are there. Baby boomers are still out there, we're the OGs, and we can get the job done.

The values most important to me in my work and personal life are kindness, compassion, empathy, and lifting other women up. I believe you will get more out of people with kindness, compassion, and empathy than being hard on them and yelling and screaming. I'm always there for my team and whatever they need to be successful, because if they're successful, I'm successful. I also value being a team player and promoting women's success rather than being jealous of each other. Outside of work, my family, my children and grandchildren, are my top priority and they are my heart outside of my body walking around. After becoming a widow almost 7 years ago, I've had to figure out who I was without my husband and find the new me, and I actually really like her. She's full of energy, positivity, love and light. I also value helping other widows who are lost by teaching them what I've learned and sharing rituals and things that can help them get up and get through their day. It's about self-love, self-care, and taking it one day at a time. I love being outdoors, putting my bare feet in the grass or sand at the beach to feel grounded and reset and recharge.