The former ballet star breaks down his career change into skin-care maven.
September 15, 2019 6 min read
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Jordan Samuel Pacitti is an entrepreneur you”ll want to now. He’s smart, strong, charming and understands what it means to be resilient. As a natural-born problem solver who moved his way into people’s hearts in the world of professional ballet, he’s now captivating celebs and beauty fanatics alike with his cruelty-free yet efficacious skin-care line, Jordan Samuel Skin.
In a recent chat, we discussed his journey to entrepreneurship, ageism and how he assists others in feeling their best and choreographing their own skin-care routines. Here are some great takeaways from our conversation.
Passion Is Paramount
“Knowing that ballet is a short career, I knew from the get-go I wouldn’t always be a professional dancer,” says Pacitti. “Separately, I always had a love for all things in the beauty industry, whether skin care, hair care, body care or fragrance. You name it, I loved it. And having been lucky enough to find my passion for dancing at such a young age, I knew my next career had to be passion-filled as well. That’s when I started connecting the dots and immediately entered esthetics school upon my retirement from the ballet.”
Look Around Before You Leap
“I was always aware that my dancing career would last 15-20 years,” confides Pacitti. “That’s it. And you’re starting professionally at 18 years of age, so you know that you need to eventually jump, whether you want to or not. I must say that helped me. I started to think about what I wanted to do next, and beauty called me. While I was still a dancer, I shadowed Lorraine Massey of CurlyWorld, learning about the ins and outs of the beauty industry. I would read books, ask questions, receive skin-care treatments and more — doing everything I could to see if I would actually like the change in profession.”
Related: Are You Looking to Make a Career Switch?
Never Too Old to Start Anew
“I personally didn’t experience ageism, but I have witnessed it first-hand,” Pacitti says. “Ballet is very behind in age, size and diversity inclusion. However, some companies are really making huge changes for the better, and it has been awesome and inspiring to see. Now that I’m able to run my own business, I recognize the ability I have to make important decisions in this space that were not always available to me the ballet world. Personally, I don’t think age should ever hold us back from switching careers, and I would hate for people to use that as a reason not to jump. Switching careers has to stem from keeping you happy and fulfilled, and for no other reason. We are very into following your heart here. Always.”
Conquer Your Fears
“Fear has always impacted me,” Pacitti readily allows. “In ballet and now with Jordan Samuel Skin. In fact, fear is my biggest motivator. I know that if I stay in my comfort zone and avoid fear I will also avoid my biggest dreams and goals. What’s that [George Addair] quote? ‘Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.’ Leaving home at 15 years old to study at the School of American Ballet in NYC was probably the first thing that really daunted me. Knowing that success and inspiration were on the other side of that was the push I needed to actually do it.”
Growth Through Challenge
“In entrepreneurship, challenges are abound,” cautions Pacitti. “I think managing stress and the art of letting go have been two of my biggest teachers. I often find myself wanting to control a situation. For instance, I often wish I could control or change the product-development timeline, but recognize those things are 100 percent out of my hands. So, learning to let go and trust has been freeing but very hard and something I still work on. Since we are small, but mighty and growing, the need to wear many different hats in a day is necessary. This can lead to a lot of stress and confusion, but I tap into my trust muscles and know these challenges are growing me. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Always an Athlete
“My background in the competitive world of ballet has helped me in business like nothing else,” says Pacitti. “The innate ability to strive for the best, stay focused and minimize distractions is something we all had to master in ballet. Now it’s proving true in my business as well. The discipline that we had to have at the age of eight in ballet is exactly what I need now. It’s been the greatest gift.”
More Self-Love
“So much is changing in the beauty world, and I’m so excited that in the industry is talking more about self-love and less about fixing ourselves,” Pacitti happily shares. “One of my biggest responsibilities in this business is education. Beauty can be a space where brands prey on weakness, and I try to tell people every day that nothing needs to be fixed. I do my best to instill in people the confidence to choreograph their own unique skin-care routine and never listen to the noise that is out there to simply sell products.”
Related: How This Founder Grew a $90 Million Skin-Care Business
Nourish to Flourish
“Being an entrepreneur, and an athlete, requires top notch self-care, and my favorite form of self-care is true down time,” says Pacitti. “I value great sleep and need at least eight hours per night to function well at work the next day. I still workout regularly and meditate daily as well. That’s a must when you’re running your own business. I also love a good glass of wine and a delicious meal with friends. Community is so important as an entrepreneur. I get together twice per week with friends, and we usually spend four-to-five hours at dinner when we go out, talking about everything from life to inspiration to travel.”
A Little Advice Goes a Long Way
“Spend time doing what you are good and don’t waste time doing things you aren’t good at,” Pacitti sums up. “It sounds so simple, but when I first started out, I wanted to do everything to save money. Eventually I realized that this way of life was completely draining me of time and energy and took me away from what I am good at and love the most.”
