Founder of Derme&Co
January, 2020
Founder of both spas and a private beauty school in Montreal, Manon Pilon has 37 years of experience in the beauty industry and continues to develop her expertise in both business and clinical development with partners around the world. Manon is also the author of two books: “Anti-aging, The Cure; Based on your body type” and “Decoding Others: self-recognition, self-understanding”.
When she opened her first spa in 1982, Manon Pilon searched for a range of clinically proven natural products for her clients. She discovered the benefits of the premium skincare brand Nelly De Vuyst®, skincare that is compatible with all medical aesthetic practices. She bought the brand in 2008, and manufactures its products since 2013 in one of North America’s largest Ecocert Greenlife certified laboratories, Druide® Laboratories, which she bought in 2016. Her growth strategy led to her diversifying her services by creating a division of private label Europelab. Manon also founded Derme&Co., the exclusive distributor of her laboratories worldwide, selling innovative cosmetic skincare products to spas.
At the beginning of her entrepreneurial adventure, Manon Pilon chose to be supported by Quebec Businesswomen’s Network (RFAQ): “It was essential for me to be active in such a group, as when you join forces you move forward. I’ve been enormously supported in my projects, and it’s now my turn to encourage Canadian businesswomen.” The RFAQ also introduced Manon Pilon to Martine Liautaud a year and a half ago, as WIF is also active in Canada. “That’s when I talked to Martine about my project to set up a laboratory in France – our aim is to further establish our brands Nelly De Vuyst and Druide. France already boasts a rich offering of spas and health resorts, and we would like to share our expertise with them.”
Martine Liautaud decided to sponsor her project, with the help of Julie le Cardinal, university professor at CentraleSupélec, who included the project as a case study in a training program at her Industrial Engineering Research Department. Since September, a group of students reading a Masters in Industrial Engineering have been studying every aspect of the feasibility of the project. “I never expected such personalized support, it’s really precious. Yet again it shows the incredible benefits that such a network can generate – I can’t wait for the results!” With France as the first foothold in her European development, Manon Pilon is pursuing her internationalization and continues to share her innovative vision of care and wellbeing. Last October she was invited to be one of the panelists at the Women’s CEO Summit in Bangkok on the theme of globalization in the fourth industrial revolution.
Click here to access Manon Pilon’s LinkedIn page.
Her brands and services:
www.nellydevuyst.com – www.druidebio.com – www.europelab.ca – www.dermeco.com – www.manonpilon.com
