The Spearhead Group is pleased to announce and welcome Janelle Biehl to the Spearhead Family as Assistant Product Development Manager. Janelle will work closely with Vianney Becerril, Senior Product Development Manager. Janelle joins the team with a background in beauty industry merchandising & marketing and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry. She brings a high level of diverse knowledge, skill, and experience, as well as an excitement about what’s next with the industry. While Janelle was a part of the beauty industry, she found her passion in storytelling and formulations. She looks forward to sharing that same passion with The Spearhead Group.
“Janelle is a great addition to our team. Her experience in product development and passion for sustainability will add so much value to our seasoned team. I am very excited to collaborate together.” – Vianney Becerril
This month, we are excited to highlight Janelle for our Spearhead Family feature to learn a little more about who she is and about joining The Spearhead Group.
Tell us about why and when you joined The Spearhead Group.
Janelle: I joined The Spearhead Group at the beginning of March and every day I feel even more grateful to be working with this team. The core values of The Spearhead Group align with my own personal core values; sustainability, innovative thinking, and doing the right thing. Being that we spend 40+ hours a week dedicated to our jobs, I believe that you should be passionate about your work, and when you are able to find a job where you not only enjoy the daily tasks but also aligns with your heart, I think you have a major key to success and happiness.
Tell us a little more about your background and what excites/inspires you to work on innovative projects?
Janelle: I started my innovation journey studying Chemistry in college and even did a research program on Materials Chemistry at the University of Michigan. While I loved my work, I knew I did not want to be working in a lab for my whole career. I took a chance and rerouted myself into beauty product development – becoming a Product and Packaging Developer for a makeup brand in Los Angeles and later transitioning into Product Development and Innovation for a luxury skincare brand. After 5 years of spotting trends and creating some incredible products, I am now excited to be learning about new industries and opportunities with The Spearhead Group. I think innovation is really at my core – I love interpreting what is going on in different industries and around the world and strategizing where it all could be going next. You never know where your next inspiration may come from or lead you. I’ve been lucky enough to have some of the most brilliant minds as mentors in my career who have also helped shape how I think about innovation. I am really looking forward to all I can now learn from the team at Spearhead and discovering how I can start to grow in a new space.
The Spearhead Group has 5 core values (1. Focus on Sustainability and Diversity; 2. Innovative Thinking; 3. Do the Right Thing; 4. Acts with Equal Respect for Clients, Colleagues, and Suppliers; 5. Go the Extra Mile. Can do attitude. Entrepreneurial Spirit). How do you practice these values?
Janelle: As I mentioned, these all align with how I live my day-to-day life. I was lucky enough to be a part of sustainability and diversity advisory boards in previous roles, and I also practice being environmentally conscious in many decisions I make. Doing the right thing and treating all with respect is also something that I’ve learned through my years of working with different suppliers, manufacturers, and even coworkers from around the world. Being able to travel and work all around the country and the world really opens your eyes to show how kindness and empathy can really help build stronger relationships with anyone and everyone. As for the can-do attitude and going the extra mile – I also think I was born practicing these values. As a 10-year-old I would say that I want to become a CEO, so I think I have always had some entrepreneurial spirit in my blood. To me that attitude and spirit align directly with innovation, as I think innovation is a result of going the extra mile, continuing to push through challenges, addressing them head-on with new solutions, and not being afraid to take risks.