Career Profile: Hermione Underwood, JSHealth

Emily Eaves talks to Hermione Olivia Underwood about her journey from Sydney entrepreneur to full time UK CEO of JSHealth.

What do you love most about JSHealth? 

First and foremost, I love the product. Our Hair + Energy vitamin transformed my hair so much that I made the jump from happy entrepreneur to working full time at JSHealth without hesitation. With a good product and an amazing team, you can do anything. Further to that, I genuinely believe in Jess as a female founder and I love sharing her ethos and authenticity as I focus on making the brand a household name in the Northern Hemisphere, just as it is at home in Australia. Day to day, I find building and nurturing my immediate UK team to be the most rewarding element of my work at JSHealth

Have you always wanted to work in this industry? 

Not particularly. I’ve just always wanted to work with people who work smarter than me, with better work ethics, to help me level up. 

How does your life in London compare with Australia? 

It couldn’t be more different but there are similar parallels. I like both lifestyles in different ways. 

Do you think it’s harder to be healthy in a colder climate?

I find it harder to be healthier in the UK than Australia because healthier options have historically been less plentiful and exercise isn’t as much a part of your daily lifestyle here as it is in Australia… but it’s changing!! Over the past 8+ years that I’ve been in the UK, it’s been amazing to see the culture evolve and become healthier all the time. The success of our launch into the market is a strong reflection of the cultural shift towards health consciousness and awareness. Health is Wealth! 

What advice would you have to someone keen to try JS Health vitamins but unsure where to start? 

We have a large number of formulations and will definitely have something to suit your needs. Think about where you’d like to support your health and trust that we’ll likely have a vitamin for that!

Who is one of your biggest inspirations – either professionally or personally? 

My Grandad used to say ‘the harder I worked, the luckier I became’. That sentiment rings true for me and drives me to just keep getting up, showing up, doing my best and doing better. 

If you could attribute your success to anyone who gave you your big break? 

My parents – they instilled a strong work ethic in me and my siblings and supported us at every turn. They let me make mistakes and learn for myself, too, which is a big part of finding your individual path to success. 

What’s the hardest thing about your job? 

Overcoming hurdles day in, day out and not letting them affect your overall vision and attitude. 

Which part of your job do you most enjoy? 

Learning. I learn something new every single day. I believe you have to be learning to grow and without growth, there’s nothing! 

Do you find it easy to balance work and play? 

It’s a work in progress. Luckily our founders share a passion for seeking balance. We believe that you need to rest to perform so we are quite encouraging of really taking time to yourself on weekends and holidays – being boundaried. With that said, when you love what you do it’s that old cliche: it doesn’t feel like work. I genuinely love what I do and I’m so excited to see this business build exponentially before our eyes. 

Talk us through your dream day – from waking up to going to bed. 

Every morning revolves around coffee. I love the simple act of enjoying going to seek out coffee with someone I love, wherever I am in the world. Then my perfect day would involve reading, writing, meditating, swimming, being with people I love over a long lunch before a long bath. I live for the simple treasures in life!