Member Spotlight: Aimee Gonzalez
Meet Aimee Gonzalez, Director of Business Development at Market Defense, where she helps beauty and lifestyle brands grow across an increasingly complex commerce ecosystem spanning Amazon, TikTok Shop, Walmart, paid media, and professional distribution. A member of CEW for about seven years, Gonzalez brings expertise in business development and commerce strategy, supporting brands as they navigate fragmented consumer journeys and evolving retail channels. Her work focuses on connecting strategy and execution across digital and professional touchpoints, helping brands scale in a rapidly shifting marketplace.
Career milestone: This year, Gonzalez was invited to lead the Future Proofing cohort within the Professional Beauty Association’s Future Leaders Mastermind Program as Task Force Liaison, a role centered on exploring where the industry is headed next. Throughout the program, she and fellow leaders examined how distribution is evolving across platforms such as Amazon, TikTok Shop, salons, and DTC, as well as how legacy professional brands can stay relevant to younger generations of beauty professionals. The group’s work will be presented at the PBA Executive Summit, with Gonzalez highlighting that the most meaningful impact came from the ongoing dialogue and shared problem-solving among emerging leaders.
Key Advice: Don’t take it personally, a reminder Gonzalez uses to stay grounded in fast-moving, high-stakes business environments where decisions are often strategic rather than emotional. She emphasizes that separating feedback and outcomes from personal identity allows for clearer thinking, stronger collaboration, and more resilient leadership over time.
Mentors: Gonzalez credits Vanessa Kuykendall and Marta Harmon as key mentors who have helped shape her leadership perspective and career growth. Their guidance has reinforced the importance of strategic thinking, confidence, and staying engaged in industry conversations that shape long-term opportunity
Five-Year Career Goal: In five years, Gonzalez aims to be a go-to leader for brands looking to design and optimize their full commerce ecosystem, not just individual channels like Amazon. She hopes to continue growing within senior leadership at Market Defense while actively contributing to industry development through organizations like PBA and CEW, with a focus on strengthening the next generation of women in beauty commerce strategy and operations.
Best Networking Convo Starter: Gonzalez prefers to open conversations with intention, often asking, “What is something you are working on right now that you actually care about?” She finds that this simple shift encourages more honest, energized responses and quickly moves conversations beyond surface-level introductions into more meaningful and insightful dialogue.
