An Ode To Sisters on IWD
The IWD (International Women’s Day) challenge theme this year asks us to think about how a challenged world is an alert world and from challenge comes change.
When I look at my network, those who have challenged me (and supported me) for change the most are my sisters and Co Founders Leah & Sarah without whom there would be no Lusso Tan. The answer would be me, if the same question were asked of them and so I thought an ode to sisters was appropriate for this International Women’s Day piece.
Back in 2009, we challenged each other to make a career change and open our first Spa. We launched during the recession with just two part time therapists and as we move through our eleventh year in business, we are proud to employ 15+ amazing women there.
Through that Spa we challenged each other to help young women get started in an industry that can take them all over the world with the qualifications they gain. To pay our therapists a living wage (before ‘living wage’ was ever a thing) and encourage others in the industry to do the same. And we challenged each other to always ensure the women in our businesses feel supported when their circumstances change, especially when they start a family.
When I had my twins, we challenged each other to develop and launch our own brand in Lusso Tan. (Say Goodbye To Streaks & The Dirty Bed Sheets)
When we established a customer base for our signature 3 step ritual we challenged each other to continue to innovate in the tanning industry, the result of which was the launch of The Bath Bomb. (One Year Of The Bath Bomb)
With the global success of the Bath Bomb we challenged each other to give back to the charities that supported our family in childhood. (take #fifteen)
As the brand grew, we challenged each other to choose Brand Ambassadors who followed their dreams and represented a voice across different industries so that our customers would always be inspired to pursue their own dreams.
When COVID-19 struck we challenged each other to battle for our businesses and to support the females in our businesses, in our industry and in our customers who have been facing the disproportionate impact of lockdown policies.
And as this International Women’s Day marks a year from the start of widespread lockdowns in response to COVID-19 we want to acknowledge the sisters and role models in all of you who have borne the economic and social brunt of this pandemic.
We’ve watched you experience, and we’ve experienced ourselves, the gender inequality in not just the nature of working from home while coordinating home schooling but in carrying the responsibility and significant effort required in maintaining family mental health and wellbeing.
Role models don’t have to be famous, they don’t have to be put on a pedestal and they certainly don’t need to perfect – in fact the best role models are the regular women like us sisters, like our brand ambassadors and like YOU our #LussoGirls. We see you everyday being your authentic selves, supporting your networks through out this pandemic and continuing to stand up for what you believe in.
And we hope you’ll join us as sisters in more of these types of conversations as we #ChooseToChallenge in 2021.