Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech: Elyse Stoltz Dickerson of Eosera On The 5 Leadership Lessons She Learned From Her Experience
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Stay curious: it’s easy to default into old habits, old processes, and old practices. Just because something is tradition doesn’t always mean it’s right. Looking at challenges through the lens of curiosity and a spirit of inquiry brings fresh ideas and often solves issues in a creative way.
As a part of our series about “Lessons From Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Elyse Stoltz Dickerson.
Elyse Stoltz Dickerson is CEO and Co-Founder of Eosera, Inc., a female-led biotechnology company committed to developing innovative ear care products that can be found in 28,000 retailers across the US. Prior to Eosera, Dickerson served as the Global Director at biotech company Alcon, where she managed portfolios with annual revenues of $1.7 billion and drove product innovation and the commercialization of numerous technologies across the globe. Dickerson is the recipient of numerous industry awards, as well as for service and leadership, including being named one of the Top Women in Health, Wellness, and Beauty by Drug Store News in 2021; in 2020, PharmaVOICE named her one of their top 100 in entrepreneurship; Dallas Business Journal tapped her as Most Inspiring Leader; and Fort Worth Inc named her Top 400 Most Influential People, among many others.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I’ve worked in the biotech industry for over a decade, previously as the Global Director at eye care company Alcon, where I had the opportunity to drive the messaging, positioning, and development of several new and innovative products. There were two primary forces that ultimately led me to my current career path. After years of observing the cutthroat, impersonal way most people handle their business ventures, I wanted to create a new type of model where the individuals in question — the retailers, investors, employees, and customers — felt like their voices mattered and that their needs were put ahead of profit. And most importantly, I wanted to found a company that truly addressed the most significant healthcare needs that no one else was paying attention to. So my co-founder and I surveyed a handful of doctors, and we consistently heard the same answer: ear care. There weren’t enough effective at-home products available to tend to ear health, and those that did exist were outdated and ineffective. So we set off on a path to not only remodel the industry and create products that people could rely on, but also to educate the public on the importance of regularly tending to their ear care.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?
An unexpected and interesting byproduct of creating an ear care company is hearing about people’s most graphic earwax stories. Earwax impaction, removal, inflammation — I’ve even been shown photos out at social events. It never stops being strange, but at the same time, I’m honored that people trust me! Hopefully it means we’ve struck a chord with people and are targeting a medical issue that they can resonate with. I think it just goes to show what a prevalent condition this actually is, and how many more people would talk about it if the stigma and shame of earwax was removed.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Early on in my business, we made mistakes left and right. With one of our first batches of product we made, we soon realized we needed water-proof labels. No one had ever told me that and we didn’t think about it at the time — but of course now it makes sense. The labels were ruined with the liquid product, putting off the whole appearance of the brand. Now, all our labels are water-proof. The experience taught us to be very detail-oriented, even when it comes to the smallest and seemingly innocuous aspects of the business. We only had to learn that lesson once!
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
In addition to the fact that our company has a full line of ear care products that address several different ailments, from earwax impaction to pain to itch, I’m proud to say that our company has an excellent relationship with the surrounding community of Fort Worth, Texas. It’s really important to us to engage with the people who will actually be trying our products so that they understand the individuals behind the company and trust that we have their best interests at heart. There’s a local audiologist in the Fort Worth area who’s been very generous with recommending our products to her patients. She was treating a woman who had been suffering with a skin condition that often irritated her ears and gave her our Ear Itch MD to try. The patient reported that, out of all the products she had used over the years, this made the biggest difference by far, and she’s sworn by it ever since. We love hearing these stories of our products making a genuine difference in people’s lives, and it always reminds us of our mission and why I wanted to start Eosera in the first place.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
There’s a product we have coming up in the pipeline called Ear Clear MD, which is a device that helps people dry their ears after being exposed to water, as well as simultaneously clearing any excess earwax. It will be a rechargeable, electric device with two reusable swabbing tips, two reusable drying tips, and a USB charging cord. This development continues our efforts to introduce more technology into our product lines, which we hope will keep up with the increasing demand.
Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. Are you currently satisfied with the status quo regarding women in STEM? What specific changes do you think are needed to change the status quo?
I believe, for the most part, we are going in the right direction. I choose to look at the positive aspects of the situation and see that we as women are better paid than the generations before us and have more opportunities and role models in leadership positions. On the other hand, I think being satisfied with the status quo is inherently complacent. I am a very competitive person — mostly with myself — and I am always striving to better myself and my business at every opportunity. To change the status quo, we need to be aware and acknowledge that there is one. Then, we simply need to be the change we wish to see. I’d love to see more women not being afraid to think outside the box, when it comes to science and technology, addressing problems that previously didn’t have solutions, and following what they’re passionate about, even if it seems quirky and unusual to the general population.
In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women in STEM or Tech that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts? What would you suggest to address this?
Being paid the same as our male counterparts and receiving the same opportunities for career advancement are issues faced by women in STEM and Tech — especially for women of color. We need to be reevaluating how we compensate female employees and review the opportunities they’re put up for by management. This takes a concerted effort on the part of leadership to constantly be checking in to make sure we don’t slip back into traditional practices. Having more women in leadership will also beget further progress. Women and people of color generally want to see others from similar backgrounds succeed, so they’ll be more likely to give them the attention and recognition they deserve.
What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a woman in STEM or Tech. Can you explain what you mean?
One of the most prominent myths about women in STEM or tech is that it’s a primarily male dominated field. What I mean is that, even though men have been the most represented demographic in STEM, saying that they dominate the industry disregards the prominent women who have been making an impact in medicine, tech, and science for generations. The truth is that we’ve always been around, we just haven’t always received the same acknowledgement. Throughout history, there are so many examples of men taking credit for innovations that actually came from women. That’s changing little by little as more women step forward and claim a place for themselves in their respective fields.
What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in STEM or Tech” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)
- Stay curious: it’s easy to default into old habits, old processes, and old practices. Just because something is tradition doesn’t always mean it’s right. Looking at challenges through the lens of curiosity and a spirit of inquiry brings fresh ideas and often solves issues in a creative way.
- Lean into the fear: working in STEM and Tech, I have found myself the only woman in the room more times than I can count. I have given many high-stakes presentations and pitches, and one thing I’ve learned is that leaning into the fear often gives you the healthy energy to drive you forward.
- Learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others: There is no better teacher than failure. I have learned my most valuable lessons by failing, taking accountability, and trying again with new information. I’ve also taken learnings from other failures that I’ve watched to make sure I don’t do the same thing.
- Always be prepared: early in my career, I was in a meeting where the presenter was ill-prepared and came off seemingly lacking expertise in their area. I watched the meeting unfold in an unsavory way and learned to always take the time to be prepared and understand the expectations.
- Hold each other accountable: it’s important to make sure that you are holding your colleagues and employees up to the standard in which you have set. It’s okay to let someone know that they are not meeting expectations — hopefully, it’s a way for them to learn and rise to the occasion. At the same time, it’s also beneficial to praise and admire a team member when someone does something well.
What advice would you give to other women leaders to help their team to thrive?
My biggest piece of advice would be to lead with compassion and humanity. When your team members feel like you recognize them as a person rather than strictly an employee meant to help the company prosper, they’ll feel more connected to both one another and have a stronger determination for the cause. Another important tip is to be open minded about where ideas come from. No one person can have all of the answers, so it’s important to welcome inspiration from several different sources.
What advice would you give to other women leaders about the best way to manage a large team?
My advice would be to lean on other smart, dedicated people on your team. If you surround yourself with individuals who also want what’s best for the company, you shouldn’t have to put all of the hard decisions on your shoulders. On the other hand, trust your intuition and know that you have the expertise to lead your team and company in the right direction. If you know what you want for your business and have a strong sense of purpose, others will naturally trust your judgment and accept your status as a leader.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
My mom was an incredible inspiration to me. She has owned her own business for over 30 years and is a perfect example of a strong woman who achieves her dreams with hard work and commitment to her craft. When I lost my corporate job 7 years ago and decided to start my own business, my mom was my biggest cheerleader and inspiration. Additionally, I am a firm believer that you can’t run a business alone. My business partner, Joe Griffin, has been instrumental in our success as a company, and has shown me that anyone can be a scientist if they’re curious enough.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
We try to find every possible opportunity to pay our success forward. Besides introducing a brand to a category that we truly felt was lacking prior, it’s important to us to engage with the community in ways that will make a real difference in people’s lives. In 2019, we donated $10,000 worth of product to Braden Baker, a young hearing activist based in Fort Worth who goes on trips around the world to supply people in need with hearing instruments. Towards the beginning of the pandemic, I hosted a feminine care drive to support local girls who needed products. Most importantly, I dedicate a lot of my time to helping mentor other women who are interested in entrepreneurship, advising them on many of the lessons I’ve learned along the way. I understand that my success wasn’t made in a vacuum, and that I very much owe it to those who have helped me to support others where I can.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I am passionate about mentoring and empowering women to achieve their goals in STEM, Tech, and business. I would inspire a movement that educates and empowers women to be curious, tough, empathetic, strong leaders and fix the gender wage gap globally.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
My favorite life lesson is that you never stop learning. Running a business, I have found that something goes wrong every single day. Learning from my mistakes and blind spots has been instrumental in growing my business.
We are very blessed that very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂
I would love to meet Michelle Obama. I think she is a wonderful inspiration and I learn so much from her candor and insight.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech: Elyse Stoltz Dickerson of Eosera On The 5 Leadership Lessons… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.