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Jen Usher stepped into the role of Vice President and Managing Director for MONAT Global Australia & New Zealand in May 2021. Jen is the ultimate next-generation leader with a passion for people and a flair for innovative thinking. Admittedly "fan-girling" over MONAT, a brand hat was born in the digital age and attracts a younger audience, Jen’s experience leading the expansion of billion-dollar companies into Australia and New Zealand made her the perfect match to lead MONAT launch in these new markets.
She led the October 2021 launch of MONAT’s premium hair care and skin care brand in Australia in the middle of a global pandemic and amidst challenging nationwide restrictions. Her results included achieving 102% of forecasted revenue. In Month One of this launch, Market Partner enrollments exceeded forecasts by 400% (MONAT distributors are known as Market Partners), and VIP customer enrollments exceeded forecast by 750%.
In 2022, Jen led the launch of the New Zealand market for MONAT, achieving revenue of 35% above forecast. For both market openings, Jen drew on her deep understanding of the direct selling industry and her playful, fun, hard-working approach to smash company records and exceed sales forecasts for the Miami, Florida-based company.
Adept at leading her teams remotely, she has steered the way, leveraging social and digital resources to build strong teams, community, a strong sponsoring culture and delivering enviable results. Jen received the MONAT CEO Award in December 2022 from MONAT CEO and founder, Ray Urdaneta, in recognition of her leadership in the Australia and New Zealand markets.
“I have known Jen Usher for more than 15 years and during that time had the pleasure of watching her grow and develop into one of the most dynamic CEOs in the direct selling industry. She’s built MONAT from the ground up into one of the fastest growing and most successful companies in Australia and New Zealand. And that success is solely down to Jen’s drive, leadership, energy, and most importantly her ability to build trust and inspire others to follow her. She is a powerful force who continues to impact the lives of all she connects with in the most positive way.” – Geoff Mulham, CEO, Direct Selling Australia.
Jen spoke at Direct Selling Australia’s 2022 annual industry conference on “Post-Pandemic Leadership.” She’s been asked to keynote the 2023 conference to discuss MONAT’s growth over the past 18 months and the driving forces behind its success in an environment where other direct selling brands are struggling.
A mum of two girls, Jen is as passionate about helping women and men find success in this channel as she is about setting an outstanding example for her daughters: proving that you really can have a family as well as a career that is truly limitless.
Jen has instilled a crucial element of MONAT’s company’s culture: giving back, including donating goods and funds to local non-profits. Her team has wrapped Christmas presents, facilitated “Art Morning” for sick children and provided team-cooked breakfast for families at Ronald McDonald House. Corporate staff and Market Partners sorted books for donations to disadvantaged schools through Good360 Australia, to name just a few examples.
She has a heart for other parents, especially those with seriously ill or injured children. In 2022, she participated in an intense, 24-hour program to raise funds for Ronald MacDonald House Charities (RMHC)– the CEO Walk in My Shoes immersion experience. Jen and other Australian CEOs helped raise funds for 400 nights for family stays by experiencing a day and night in the life of a RMHC family.
Her philosophy? Whether it’s keeping up with the fast pace of a growing company, developing leaders or taxiing her kids to and from soccer or dance, there’s nothing a little bit of coffee, dry shampoo, eye cream, and massive amounts of passion that can’t make big dreams come true.
Nomination Title: Jen Usher
