Episode 308 of Where Brains Meet Beauty features Jodi Katz in conversation with Michelle LeBlanc, VP Merchandising, Beauty & Personal Care at CVS Health, for a conversation about retail strategy, localization, leadership, and what it really takes to serve today’s beauty consumer at scale.
Michelle oversees beauty and personal care merchandising across more than 8,000 CVS stores, spanning everything from skincare and cosmetics to deodorant and body care. But one of the most interesting takeaways from the episode is that scale is not actually how she thinks about the business.
Instead, Michelle describes CVS as the “anti-destination” retailer. The goal is not to create a long, immersive shopping experience. It is to help shoppers get what they need quickly, intuitively, and conveniently. The average CVS trip is just 7 minutes from parking lot to checkout. That speed and accessibility shape everything from assortment planning to shelf placement.
At the same time, Michelle explains how CVS has become increasingly sophisticated about localization. A store next to a college campus should not look the same as a store in a beach town or a store in downtown Manhattan. Through new tools and capabilities, her team is able to tailor assortments to individual communities while still operating at national scale.
One of the most compelling parts of the conversation is how Michelle thinks about balancing iconic legacy brands with emerging indie brands. Legacy brands drive consistency and productivity, while newer brands often create discovery, attract younger shoppers, and bring fresh cultural relevance to categories that may otherwise feel clinical or stagnant.
She points to brands like Vacation as an example. Traditional sun care has historically been positioned through a highly clinical lens. Vacation introduced a more playful, lifestyle-driven approach while still reinforcing sun safety, helping the category feel more engaging and accessible for younger consumers.
Michelle also shares how much real shopper feedback shapes merchandising decisions. CVS beauty consultants are hearing less about trend-driven questions and more about practical concerns:
“My skin is dry.” “My hair is oily.” “What product actually works for this?”
That grounded, problem-solution mindset is influencing assortments in a major way. As Michelle points out, retailers and brands have to be intentional about not “talking to themselves” and instead stay connected to the real needs shoppers are expressing every day.
The episode also dives into Michelle’s 20-year career journey at CVS Health. She started in an entry-level finance role before helping build the company’s early gift card business, a move that unexpectedly opened the door into merchandising. Throughout the conversation, she reflects on the importance of saying yes to opportunities, running toward challenges instead of away from them, and creating psychological safety for teams to think bigger.
One of the most memorable moments comes when Michelle shares the four things she tells her children every morning before school:
“Be kind. Be safe. Smile a lot. Be the best you can be today.”
She explains how those same principles shape her leadership philosophy, from fostering optimism to encouraging risk-taking and supporting her team through difficult moments.
The conversation closes with a fun rapid-fire game about sports-parent life, early morning tournaments, folding chairs, forgotten snacks, and the reality of balancing leadership with parenting three boys.
It is a thoughtful episode about modern retail, human-centered leadership, and the evolving relationship between beauty, wellness, and everyday convenience.
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