An interview with Ms. Sky Wang, Founder of AD VITAM
Natural aromatherapy brand AD VITAM has always been committed to helping consumers solve a range of physical and mental problems with the natural healing power of plants. After launching three major product lines for different groups of people, the brand continues to innovate and develops a variety of treatments by combining aromatherapy products with unique massage techniques, aiming to help women enhance their health and beauty and regain their life energy and lasting joy. SpaChina interviewed Ms.Sky Wang, the founder of AD VITAM and she will take us on a natural healing journey.
Please tell us about AD VITAM, including the brand philosophy, product line, and product strengths.
The vision of AD VITAM is to help people cope with the inevitable ailments and injuries they encounter in life through the natural healing power of plants contained in essential oils. We believe that it’s a healthier way and can reduce the use of chemical substances.
We produce healing-grade compound essential oil products that meet the needs of both the mind and body. We use only pure natural and high quality ingredients certified by France and EU dual organic certification in making essential oil, plant oil and hydrolate, without adding any other non-essential substances, making it safe and non-burdensome for guests to use.
At present, the brand has launched three major product ranges, namely: FOR HOME, a range for daily problems, FOR HER, a range for women’s facial and body care, and FOR BABY, a range to solve common problems faced by babies aged 6 months-12 years.
In addition to products, AD VITAM is constantly developing new treatments to meet the market demand. Could you share more details? What are the main effects of the treatments and who are the target groups? What is the feedback from consumers?
This year, AD VITAM launched the Medical Spa concept. Thanks to the brand’s large customer base, their feedback has allowed us to understand the physical and mental needs of mainstream spa consumers in the market. Therefore, in response to the demands of different groups of women, we have developed corresponding treatments that can truly solve their various problems.
Blossoming Journey: designed for women aged 35-50, to increase circulation in the lower abdomen, warm the uterus and the whole body, and revive and rejuvenate the energy of the body and mind that has gradually withered due to a weak constitution.
Flowing Journey: also designed for women aged 35-50, but with a focus on resolving stagnation and blockages in the body, eliminating the accumulation of old waste and restoring the perfect body shape.
Joyful Body: designed for new mothers 1-12 months after they give birth to help them repair the rectus abdominis muscle, maintain the uterus, and reset the internal organs.
Blissful Mind: also for new mothers, but with more emphasis on head, shoulder, neck and body stretching and relaxation, to calm mothers’ anxiety, improve sleep and enhance their sense of well-being.
We use French and EU dual organic certified ingredients, developed by a team of international aromatherapy experts to ensure that each natural massage oil product has actual efficacy. Combined with unique massage techniques, the treatment result is maximized.
Who are the partners of AD VITAM? What are the factors you consider in selecting partners? What kind of support do you provide to your partners?
We mainly work with day spas, hotel spas, and postnatal care centres across the country.
We want to empower our partners in a holistic way. We provide them with natural aromatherapy products with excellent efficacy and a selection of treatments. We have developed themed treatments for specific needs, so that every guest can enjoy the treatments that best suit them at the moment.
Our “La Trinité Academy”, supported by a team of aromatherapists and international aromatherapy experts, helps our partners design and organize VIP events, aroma DIY activities, and lifestyle seminars so as to enhance consumers’ adherence to our partners’ brands.
Can you share with us the development plan of AD VITAM in the next two years?
First of all, AD VITAM will continue to enrich the variety of treatments with the Medical Spa concept to meet the market demands. Meanwhile, we will enhance the performance of our natural massage oil products and develop more new products that can precisely address consumer needs.
At the same time, we will continue to empower our partners. AD VITAM has its own aromatherapy education team to give strong professional support in terms of staff training, offline customer activities and others.
In addition, we will go on enriching our home-use aromatherapy product categories. This will give our customers the opportunity to continue to enjoy the products at home after the treatment. With time, they will deeply be impressed by the charm of natural essential oil.
As a woman leader in the business world, what do you believe are the unique challenges that women face in leadership positions, especially in China?
Being a woman starting her own business and working in China is actually much happier than being in Europe or the US. There is a much greater acceptance of women in business and leadership in China, there is no serious gender discrimination or distrust of women in leadership, and there is no differential treatment in access to capital based on gender.
The biggest challenge for me is to balance personal life, family, and work. Being myself, I want to maintain my personal growth, and for my family, I want to be there for them through the important moments and give them warmth as a daughter, mother, and wife. As a leader, I hope to do my best in my work, and work with my team to accomplish every challenge. Unfortunately, with limited time and energy, I often have to make compromises in different situations. Traditionally, there is a stereotypical image of female roles as a “good mother”, “good daughter-in-law”, “good boss”. So how to find the best balance between these roles and meet everyone’s expectations as well as my own is a big challenge.
In your experience, what are the key leadership qualities that are most important for women in business, and how do you cultivate these qualities in yourself and your team?
Women are better listeners than men. By listening to the team’s ideas and opinions, we can get more feedback and different voices, and at the same time we should give the team a positive response in real time and a clear direction for the next step, which is of great importance for enhancing team cohesion and mutual trust.
I always tell my team members: “We need to treat everyone equally. Everyone has the right to speak, and although I may not agree or adopt it, I must respect what others say and build a good interactive relationship, rather than just accepting or refuting it based on personal preference. I believe that everyone wants and needs to be seen, trusted and welcomed. When team members find themselves valued, they will be spontaneously motivated and more active in their work. As a result, there will be higher efficiency and better quality of work. This is truly enjoyable for me and for the team.
How do you ensure that your company’s culture and values align with your personal beliefs as a woman leader, and how do you communicate these values to your team and customers?
The experience of being a mother has greatly helped me to be more inclusive in my work. One of AD VITAM’s values is “Put people first and do everything with love”. Behind all the product formulas is a story of love. Because of this love, the brand’s products are all made with pure essential oils that are natural, organic and non-toxic, and at the same time effective. This is not only good for the users, but also for the earth and the natural environment. We should not just think how to benefit ourselves, rather we need to think more about others’ needs. We want to express our love in a wider scope and embrace diversity. This is a power that I think can be more easily conveyed by women leaders.
These values and corporate culture are manifested not only in regular training and meetings, but also in daily communication, social media content, selection of materials in product design, service or product planning for clients, and even in business negotiations with clients, where the final decision is made based on these values of goodwill and “win-win coexistence”.
In your opinion, what role can women leaders play in promoting sustainability and environmental responsibility in business, and how is your company working to achieve these goals?
For more than 20 years, AD VITAM has insisted on using only French COSMEBIO and EU ECOCERT double organic certified ingredients: 100% natural pure essential oil and plant oil. No products grown by genetic modification are used, and no ingredients harmful to the human body or the environment are added. In fact, such persistence is not easy.
Organic ingredients must be grown using organic farming methods that are free of chemical pesticides and fertilizers so as to protect the soil and biodiversity. It also improves soil quality and water use efficiency through sub methods such as regular land fallowing and water management. In terms of harvesting, it is also necessary to follow environmentally friendly regulations and reasonably control the harvesting quantity to protect endangered plants. In the process of extraction, we also choose environmentally friendly extraction technology, such as steam distillation, to reduce energy consumption and environmental pollution. Additionally, we make the maximum use of environmentally friendly, recyclable or biodegradable materials to make product packaging. These are all AD VITAM’s efforts to do its part for the planet and society.
Although the process is difficult and there are always challenges, the motivation to keep going comes from our vision of supporting a better and sustainable future for the planet and for us all.
Looking to the future, what are your goals for your business and your role as a female leader in the industry, and how do you plan to achieve them?
The brand was founded 20 years ago because we want to help family and friends in need by providing a gentler and more effective alternative to pharmaceuticals. That’s why we searched the world for natural and organic essential oils with healing powers, and incorporated the concept of Eastern naturopathy to establish AD VITAM, a brand with all products certified organic by the European Union.
Over the years, we have continued to design our products with natural and chemical-free aromatherapy formulas, and the market results have given us great testimony to the efficacy of our products in solving physical and mental discomfort and restoring health. This original intention is still the goal today! In the future, we will continue to produce products that are healing to people, harmless to the land, and good for the earth. It is still my goal and direction to help more people who want to improve health through natural healing methods.