We recently were lucky enough to Skype with Jennifer Yen, Founder of pūr~lisse, a line of skin products for sensitive skin. We love Jennifer for her feisty spirit. Not only is she a female entrepreneur, but she also used to be a Power Ranger! Check out our interview of her below as she shares her story and stress tips.
Jennifer, you have such an amazing story! You followed your heart to LA to be an actress for Power Rangers. Tell us how you went from Power Ranger to Entrepreneur.
It was a long time coming! My family moved to Alabama from Taiwan when I was five and opened a restaurant, so entrepreneurship and hard work was natural to me. I always wanted to be an actress, so when I moved to LA, my parents told me, “If you want something, you focus and you work for it.”
I loved acting — but it was not glamorous. Ultimately, the heavy makeup gave me terrible acne and tolled my self-confidence. Looking to fix my own problem, I turned to my grandmother’s time-tested skin remedies. This is how pūr~lisse came to be.
Sometimes it seems that acting is a required skillset for entrepreneurs. Did your career in acting prepare you for entrepreneurship?
Yes, it prepared me to take rejection. I had more rejections than successes in acting. This is the same for business. It taught me to not take things personally.
Jennifer, we know that it can’t be easy. What are the greatest challenges that you face as a female entrepreneur?
It’s no secret that business is a male-dominated industry. But as a woman in the 21st century, it’s your responsibility to not see a glass ceiling. It’s what you say in substance and the context in which you deliver your message that gives you credibility. Yet, I have a distinct advantage as a woman in the beauty industry. But as my mom says, “You can’t eat your looks. A pretty face won’t feed you.”
Tell us, what role does iDoneThis play in your daily life?
I love iDoneThis because it’s very simple and straight forward. Even if it’s one sentence, it can trigger a memory. If I don’t write that down, ten out of ten times, I won’t remember what I did today. When it comes to more in-depth journaling, I write in Word documents. I keep my emotions there.
Stress can be extremely detrimental to your health and appearance. How do you manage stress with your busy lifestyle?
Oh God. I believe in a really healthy diet. I live it. I only eat fish, no meat. Most of my diet is plant-based. I surround myself with good, humorous friends. I try to do some sort of exercise or stretching everyday, like yoga. I also like walks in nature, massages and meditation.