Linda Gillette, Parodi

Consumers are drawn to professional cosmetics and personal care products, presuming that these products are higher quality, have better benefits, etc., which is often the case. And, it’s one reason consumers find salon and spa treatments so appealing as well as why the option to buy and use what the pros use is so inviting. Parodi has been available to salon professionals since it launched two years ago and only recently has Gillette begun rolling her brand out to mainstream consumers.

Here, the beauty entrepreneur shares a profile of herself and the Parodi brand.

Name:​ Linda Gillette, Founder and CEO

Indie Beauty Company:​ Parodi Professional Care

Launched: ​August 2015

Headquarters: ​Geneva, Switzerland

Financial planning: ​Parodi Professional Care has enjoyed double-digit growth since launch. Initial focus on the professional salon has now expanded to the broader consumer market which shows even further promise for continued growth.

Team work: ​3 full-time employees plus multiple individuals at our Public Relations Agency, Social Media Firm, A Sales Representative, Advertising Agency, Graphic Designer, and Chemists and Industry Consultants. As we are working globally, we find that working with established firms with extensive knowledge of the beauty category benefits Parodi greatly.

Distribution: ​In the USA, through salon professional distribution channels; in the USA and globally, through our direct e-commerce site parodicare.com, Amazon.com, and PinkProBeauty.com. We are actively seeking US retail establishments that mesh with our “modern apothecary” brand.

Years in beauty: ​25+

Years at Parodi: ​5+

Entrepreneurial experience: ​Founding Parodi Professional Care is the latest adventure on my incredible journey in the beauty world. What began as a modeling assignment for a local distributor’s show in North Dakota at age 15, eventually led me to a global position with Wella, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. In 2015, I founded Parodi Professional Care. The company first was solely dedicated to satisfying the self-care and wellness needs of salon professionals, and their clients. Since 2016, I’ve led the expansion to the general beauty consumer market in the USA.

The business: ​Parodi products are all about feeling good throughout your day. We act like a modern apothecary, with products to soothe and smooth, comfort and nourish….we use only the finest ingredients derived from herbs, nut oils, even sea minerals, and combine them with the most scientific skin care sources.

All Parodi products are developed in Switzerland, tested with hairstylists and their clients in Europe and the United States, and produced exclusively in the U.S., with no parabens or silicones.

The wow-factor: ​Our intention is for Parodi to be your solution to basic challenges of a body that works hard, plays hard and needs replenishment. With Parodi Professional Care products your hands will feel more hydrated and healthy, your feet smoother and softer, your muscles will move with ease. 

The customer: ​Parodi Professional Care is an indie beauty company that specifically serves the unique needs of all of those who need more than a simple lotion to provide soft, hydrated hands, smooth, nourished feet and comforted muscles.

Milestone moment:​ Parodi Professional Care has twice been awarded the Beauty Launchpad Reader’s Choice Award. Parodi Professional Care also sponsored MODERN SALON Healthy Hairdresser program.

Advice for fellow indie beauty entrepreneurs: ​For new entrepreneurs, I would advise them to budget wisely as everything will cost more than what you budget, and to be patient….and kind to yourself while being patient.

Never give up your dreams. Use them to propel you and your brand forward, even when the going gets rough. Have a “real” person in mind when you develop your products and plan your marketing and sales activities. Talk to her (or him) both in what you publish and in your mind.

Just one: ​Asked about her go-to product, Gillette says, it's Parodi Daily Moisturizing Hand Cream, a rich yet quick absorbing formula created for anyone whose hands are frequently exposed to irritants like water, heat or chemicals that leave them craving moisture.