Last week, I had the privilege to attend a lecture by Mary Dillon, CEO of Ulta Beauty. As expected, she was perfectly coiffed and extremely poised. However, it was her passion for success that drew me to her immediately.

A first generation college graduate, Dillon has worked for major companies all across the board, ranging from Quaker to McDonalds. Now the CEO at Ulta (ahem… one of my favorite stores), she manages to juggle the responsibilities of conducting one of the top beauty retailers in America and a family of four.

A seasoned retail veteran, Mary Dillon had some pretty stellar insight to offer us. Regardless of your gender, everyone can relate to the following career (and life) advice:

1. Carve Your Own Path: There is no set path to success. By working hard at the task at hand, you can prove yourself to be valuable in any position.

2. Find A Company with Ethics: This can be tricky. However, a company with strong values will be more successful in the long run. Dillon emphasized her desire to not only keep Ulta an ethical company, but one that treats its employees with utmost respect.

3. Humility is Paramount: It is easy to arrive in a new job with a bit of an ego. In fact, it is usually the confidence that helps us land the job. But, it is important to balance drive with humility. By putting your ego aside, you can work with others to create a superior end product.

Mary Dillon has her head on straight, and I think Ulta’s growth in the last year is certainly a reflection of that.

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