Women In Wellness: Jenny Gilcrest On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Be kind. It’s easy to get angry and frustrated with what’s happening in the world and in day to day situations. You never know what other people are going through and the simple act of being kind to each other can really make a positive difference and support a collective well-being.
As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jenny Gilcrest.
Jenny Gilcrest is an innovative, female leader who is aimed at disrupting what consumers are used to seeing in the pet care and wellness industries. Gilcrest serves as the VP of Marketing for the fast-growing, award-winning pet specialty brand, Skout’s Honor and is one of the company’s founding team members. Through her work with Skout’s Honor, Gilcrest provides a unique perspective on the explosive growth and momentum building in the pet industry and how current trends in wellness are acting as a catalyst for that growth.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
I have a 20+ year background in Public Relations, Branding and Marketing. Over the years I’ve worked in agencies and as a consultant, helping individuals and companies in all kinds of industries uncover and share their unique stories about their business and passions. About 7 years ago I found a home in my current role at Skout’s Honor — it was the perfect place at the perfect time for me — and as a founding team member I was given the exciting opportunity to help create a brand and vision for the company and watch it flourish from an unknown startup to now a leading brand within the very competitive pet industry. Today I am very proud to have been part of building a brand that is relied upon and known for its life-changing pet products.
Can you share a story about the biggest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
When starting out, I believed I needed to watch and learn instead of actively participate in business discussions and client interactions. Luckily, I had an incredible female mentor (and boss) who modeled confidence, authenticity and authority — she also put me in situations where I was ‘thrown out of the nest’ abruptly even when I didn’t feel ready yet. That allowed me to trust my own instincts and kicked off my ability to adapt and eventually shine in situations throughout my career that are unexpected and unrehearsed.
Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?
The beauty of working in the pet industry is that pet parents today are more in tune with their pets’ overall well-being than ever before — and better yet, they are actively seeking natural alternatives to traditional medicated options. Our company is known for seeking out and developing the latest technologies that have performed well on the human side — and seeing how they can play out and benefit the lives of pets (animals) and also the people who love them. Our patent-pending topical probiotic grooming and wellness skin care items for pets are the first of their kind to offer a natural, non-medicated approach to treating pets’ most common skin issues (like itching, odor, shedding, hot spots, etc.). The most amazing thing about this to me is that we are effectively offering a holistic and preventative approach for pet parents who are sick of treating their pets with antibiotics and daily medications. Our goal is to offer a better way of life for pets and their people and we’re doing that through the products we make — which feels really good.
Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.
- Be kind. It’s easy to get angry and frustrated with what’s happening in the world and in day to day situations. You never know what other people are going through and the simple act of being kind to each other can really make a positive difference and support a collective well-being.
- Pay attention to how your mind and body reacts to certain foods, environments and even people! Our natural instincts are a powerful thing and too often overlooked or pushed aside.
- Do one thing every day — no matter how small — that makes you feel alive in your body. Whether it’s a short walk, deep breathing, a hot bath, stretching, etc.
- Surround yourself with people and things that make you feel happy.
- Find a career/company/role that matters beyond just a paycheck.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Everyone should have an emotional support animal! I have seen this change lives and company culture first hand. It actually makes a difference! Bring your pets to work! 😉
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
- Your first reaction and instinct is usually the right one.
- It’s OK (and always a good idea) to ask for help.
- Be open to change! Just because things have always been done a certain way doesn’t mean there isn’t a better option.
- The biggest opportunities for growth will be unexpected and require you to step outside of what you think your job/role is supposed to be.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
Mental health. The last couple of years put us all through the ringer. Some of us came out OK but most of us have some scars because of it. Mental health is connected to everything — your environment, your community, your work, your diet and lifestyle choices.
What is the best way our readers can follow you online?
Skout’s Honor Instagram: @skoutshonor
Skout’s Honor Facebook: @skoutshonorpet
Skout’s Honor Twitter: @skoutshonorpet
Thank you for these fantastic insights!
Women In Wellness: Jenny Gilcrest On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.