Photo Credit: Dress for SuccessFor the past 13 years, Dress For Success of San Francisco has been helping underprivileged women enter the workforce with an impressive selection of innovative programs. The organization’s mission is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and the developmental tools to help women thrive in work and life. Who to better serve these woman then entrepreneur and successful business owner Margaret Mitchell? For almost a decade, Margaret Mitchell, the CEO and co-founder of Epi Center MedSpa has been supporting Dress For Success.
Photo Credit: Dress for Success
Mitchell has her own dress-for-success story. When she started her first job, at 23 years old, she had no idea how to dress in a professional environment. Mitchell showed up to her new job dressed entirely inappropriately. She had long pink nails, fake eyelashes, and looked more like she was going to a nightclub than to a medical laboratory. The CEO of the company had faith in her ability to thrive in the job, but he knew that her current wardrobe would be an issue to her success.
Photo Credit: Shopping a Dress for Success event
He advanced her $500, and Mitchell and the sales manager went shopping for suits. She bought three suits, which gave her a boost in confidence and within a few years, Mitchell became the top salesperson. She was able to buy a home with the money she made. “I am sure this would not have happened if the CEO didn’t have faith in me. So, now I want to help other women who are ready to reach their goals, but might need a bit of wardrobe support and guidance,” Mitchell told Haute Living.
Photo Credit: Epi Center MedSpa
Since that first job, Mitchell has gone on to be a leader in the community. In 1998, alongside Patrick Bitter, Sr., MD, Mitchell opened the doors to the first medical spa in the nation that combined luxury and medicine. Epi Center has since become a refuge for skin rejuvenation & renewal to nearly 30,000 Bay Area patients. In 2008, Mitchell formed an eco-dream team to build the first LEED Certified MedSpa in the country. She has over 30 years of experience and specializes in developing and managing aesthetic and cosmetic practices.
Photo Credit: Dress for Success
Along with volunteering at the Dress for Success clothing boutique, Mitchell launched “Centered on You,” a program at Epi Center where Dress for Success clients are offered complimentary skin consultations and treatments to prepare them for the working world. For her incredible service and dedication, Margaret is being honored on July 26 at the 2018 Dress For Success San Francisco—Success You Wear It Well Gala. Mitchell is being recognized for her success as a business leader in the Bay Area as well as her almost 10 years of support.
Photo Credit: Dress for Success
At the event, Mitchell will share how she inspires Dress for Success clients to reach their professional goals. She joins past honorees including Robin Washington, CFO Gilead Sciences; Marne Levine, COO Instagram; Carolyn Wente, CEO Wente Vineyards; and Niki Leondakis, CEO Equinox.
