Building a business, Younique-ly

Christa Lee, B.B.A.'04

professional photo of Christa LeeBeing able to work from 5 a.m. to noon or from 8 p.m. to midnight (or anytime in between) within arm’s length of her children became the dream for Christa Lee, who joined the network marketing company Younique in 2014. 

Lee knew that she was destined to take a nontraditional route in business. She spent a few years in a corporate setting, eventually landing a management position at a salon. With a passion for the creative side of personal care, she decided to go to cosmetology school, knowing that her business degree would pair exceptionally well with her new skills and allow her to run a successful business.

After working as a stylist for a number of years, Lee began to consider joining a network marketing firm.

The mission of Younique as an organization that uplifts, empowers and validates women and drives a portion of profits into a charitable foundation that provides a healing retreat for women who are survivors of childhood sexual abuse is what drew Lee to the company. The mission spoke to her spirit, and the model catered to her desire for unlimited advancement potential.

And Lee knows that she is not alone in the desire to do something she finds meaningful in the way that she wants to do it. “This moment in the work world is one where employees are seeking the ability to have flexibility and chase their dreams more than ever before, and companies like mine understand that. Many people want to get away from exchanging their skills for compensation and see their skills as an important part of a lifestyle brand and their personal lifestyle.”

Leading a team of 10,000 consultants as a Younique presenter, Lee has a simple tenant for her business, “Care more about the paychecks of those working for you than your own, and your business will bloom.”  Her business is a case in point. “What we do at Younique is servant leadership. I always think, ‘What can I do for my team? How can I provide positive feedback that will help them build their businesses?’ I believe strongly that managers often become too focused on what’s going wrong or lacking, rather than building on strengths first.”

Lee, who has reached black status within Younique, the highest level within the company, was recently able to leave her job as a stylist and make her business her full-time occupation.