Karen’s unique No ‘BS’ approach to business transformation and change leadership has been widely recognised. Karen and her unique and powerful business transformation process have been featured in a wide array of national and local media.
Under CEO Karen Matthews, the skincare company Ella Bachè adopted a new business model in 2002, protected its brand fiercely and turned the company’s fortunes around.
Ella Bachè chief Karen Matthews is the driving force behind the brand’s reversal of fortunes
BRW uncovers how Karen Matthews transformed Ella Bachè, a 56-year old business grounded in a mum-and-pop mentality, into a franchising powerhouse.
4 April 2022
Getting the Heart of Business with Karen Matthews
Media: Julie Hyde Making it Count podcast
Karen Matthews chats with Julie Hyde about getting to the head and heart of business and her No ‘BS’ approach to leadership and business transformation strategies.
Karen and Julie also talk about Karen’s love of marrying business with emotional brand driven retail, her No ‘BS’ approach to marketing, 3-part Business Transformation process and the extensive work Karen did to transform Ella Bache, harnessing the brand and developing the systems that worked across the board.
13 December 2021
Effective change in business requires disruption with Karen Matthews
Media: Tory Archbold Powerful Stories Podcast
Karen chats with Tory about the telltale signs that a business needs to change, how to get started with a Reality Check and what leaders can do now to take positive action as they leapfrog into 2022.
Karen also talks about the importance of brand to the long-term success of a business, and updates Tory on her new book, Demystifying the road to CHANGE.
2021
Women, Words + Wine with Karen Matthews
Media: Her Business
Over a glass of wine in the height of lockdown, Karen discusses with Suzi Dafnis how to streamline your business for medium profitable growth and be ready to fly when the fog lifts
October 2020
Joining The Dots with Karen Matthews
Media: Charlie Pidcock, Sales Stores Raw & Real
Join Karen Matthews as she shares her journey from people pleaser to CEO of Ella Bachè and 2004 Telstra Business Woman of the Year.
July 2013
Karen Matthews Leadership Tips for Women
Media: Suzi Dafnis, HerBusiness TV
Karen Matthew’s shares her top tips for businesswomen on leadership and moving up in an organisation, and the role of mentoring for leaders.
Highlights
Effective change in business requires disruption with Karen Matthews
Tory Archbold Powerful Stories Podcast
13 December 2021
Karen chats with Tory about the telltale signs that a business needs to change, how to get started with a Reality Check and what leaders can do now to take positive action as they leapfrog into 2022.
Karen also talks about the importance of brand to the long-term success of a business, and updates Tory on her new book, Demystifying the road to CHANGE.
Do your franchisees have the right numbers?
Franchise Business executive
21 August 2019
Having run a franchise business for many years, Karen shares the key numbers, ratios, models that help franchisees assess the success of their operational decisions every month.
Karen Matthews Leadership Tips for Women
Suzi Dafnis, HerBusiness TV
July 2013
Karen Matthew’s shares her top tips for businesswomen on leadership and moving up in an organisation, and the role of mentoring for leaders.
Highlights
Karen Matthews to lead new beauty and health group
Professional Beauty
15 July 2010
Karen Matthews, former CEO of skincare company Ella Bachè, has been appointed CEO of newly formed health and beauty company, Beatury Health Group (BHG).
New beauty group aspires to listing
Inside Retailing
6 July 2010
Karen Matthews is appointed as CEO of newly formed health and beauty company, Beauty Health Group (ASX:BHG), with plans to list on the ASX in 2010.
Beauty Health Group pretty well set for listing
AFR
3 July 2010
Less than two years after stepping down as chief executive of Ella Bachè, Karen Matthews is building Australia’s first publicly listed chain of health and beauty salons.
Fund-raisers stay on the hop
AFR (Street Talk)
1 July 2010
Karen Matthews leads Beauty Health Group to IPO.
Highlights
A glass of wine with… Karen Matthews, Ella Bachè
Money magazine
August 2008
Karen Matthews swore she would never work in skincare, until she was offered a job at Ella Bachè and become one of Australia’s youngest CEOs.
Women on top: Women make better managers
9 to 5
9 June 2008
Female leaders are more strategic, innovative and more prepared to take risks than their male counterparts, research proves.
COMPANY MAKEOVER: Karen Matthews on brand, change and dreams at Ella Bachè
Management Today
June 2008
An in-depth interview with Ella Bachè CEO reveals her approach to brand, change and transforming a beauty brand into Australia’s most successful beauty franchise system.
Inside women in franchising: Karen Matthews
The Franchise Review
May 2008
Discover how Karen inspired 374 delegates to articulate the ”big headline” they are shooting for.
Women in franchising ‘Whirlwind’ tour
The Franchise Review
May 2008
Karen Matthews shares the key messages from her Keynote Presentation at the Franchise Council of Australia’s (FCA) inaugural Whirlwind Women in Franchising Series, Franchising – A World for Women.
Awards have their rewards in franchising
The Age
13 April 2008
Winning the Franchise Council of Australia 2007 Franchise Woman of the Year brings tangible benefits, including increased brand recognition, a boost in company morale and attracting the best talent to Ella Bachè.
Girls on top
Herald Sun
April 2008
Karen Matthews features as a keynote speaker at the Whirlwind Women in Franchising Series.
SPECIAL REPORT: Simplifying the balancing act
9 to 5
17 March 2008
Read Karen Matthews’ advice on how to create a harmonious work/life/study balance.
Career Queens
Cleo magazine
March 2008
Karen Matthews reveals what it takes to be a career queen (and stay true to yourself).
Industry Heavyweights
Human Capital
February 2008
Karen Matthews shares her professional challenges, the future of HR and how she has risen to the top.
Highlights
Karen cleans up franchise award
North Shore Times
2 November 2007
Lcoal newspaper, North Shore Times, shares the success of North Shore company Ella Bachè.
A business recipe for success
Madison magazine
November 2007
Ella Bachè’s unique franchising model is a recipe for success for salon owners across Australia.
Success is more than skin-deep
The Sydney Morning Herald
17 October 2007
Karen Matthews overcame a possible revolt from 260 independently-owned salon owners to transform Elle Bachè into Australia’s most successful franchising business.
Lifecycle turnaround: Sleeping beauty
BRW
October 2007
Discover how Karen Matthews transformed a mum-and-pop mentality in a franchising powerhouse.
The Way I See It: Karen Matthews
Retail and Consumer Outlook
May 2007
Ella Bachè’s holistic approach to training, lead my Karen Mattews, is driving the success of its 200 salons across Australia.
PriceWaterhoueCoopers National Franchise Woman of the Year
PriceWaterhouseCoopers
2007
Karen Matthews is named the PWC 2007 National Franchise Woman of the Year.
Franchising: A woman’s place
Professional Beauty
2006
The franchising industry is breaking through the glass ceiling, experiencing its own unique boom.
Individuality a plus at Ella Bachè
Franchise Review
2006
Karen Matthews shares why Ella Bachè franchisees are encouraged to be creative and entrepreneurial, while still protecting and nurturing the brand.
Highlights
The Innovators
Madison Magazine
November 2005
Karen Matthews reveals why she is a Scanlan Theodore junkie, what a day in the office looks like and where she’ll be in 10 years.
You’re not alone
In The Black magazine
September 2005
Life for the corporate elite is not as lonely as it used to be. Now CEOs have an abundance of mentoring options to help them.
Expressing Yourself: Hidden talents
Family Circle magazine
September 2005
To get the balance of work and family right, Karen Matthews turns to painting.
NSW Franchise Woman of the Year 2005
Franchise Council of Australia Franchising Awards
September 2005
Karen Matthews was awarded NSW Franchise Woman of the Year 2005 for her transformative work at Ella Bachè.
SPECIAL FEATURE: Part One – The Challenge of Management
Management Today
July 2005
In the first of a two-part feature, Management Today quizzes Karen Matthews on her management style, inspirations and ambitions.
PROFILE: Strong Foundations
Vive Magazine
May 2005
A belief in her product, tough organisational skills and the ability to ask questions have helped Karen Matthew turn around the fortunes of cosmetic firm Ella Bachè.
Extreme Makeover
In The Black magazine
March 2005
Ella Bachè chief Karen Matthews is the driving force behind the brand’s reversal of fortunes.
Skin Deep
Investigate Magazine.com
March 2005
How is Karen Matthews turning Ella Bachè into a great name in Australian skincare? Investigate Magazine learns the secrets of one of the country’s youngest CEOs.
Highlights
Face Value: The success of local business isn’t just a cosmetic thing
Sydney City Weekly
October 2004
The success of Sydney’s beauty industry isn’t just a cosmetic thing!
The face behind Ella Bachè: Karen Matthews
New Woman magazine
October 2004
Turning Ella Bachè into a $17m company as one of the youngest CEOs in Australia, Karen Matthews reveals her secrets for success.
Congratulations Karen Matthews – Telstra NSW Business Woman of the Year
AFR
10 October 2004
The Executive Connection publicly congratulates Karen Matthews on being named Telstra NSW Business Woman of the Year 2004.
Congratulations Karen Matthews – Telstra NSW Business Woman of the Year
The Sydney Morning Herald
6 October 2004
David Jones congratulates Karen Matthews being awarded the 2004 Telstra NSW Business Woman of the Year.
Beauty wins in women’s award
Sydney City Weekly
29 September 2004
Karen Matthews is named the 2004 Telstra NSW Business Woman of the Year.
Ella Bachè tries to tempt younger set
AFR
6 September 2004
At 50 years, Ella Bachè is celebrating by relaunching its brand to attract younger skin-care-savvy customers using the slogan “Skin good enough to eat”.
Karen regularly delivers keynote presentations on her career journey, business transformation, change leadership, business planning, leadership and franchising expertise. Her audiences range from large corporates, the franchise sector and retail, and include some of Australia’s most respected and recognised brands.
Click here to read Karen’s business transformation success stories
Karen Matthews No ‘BS’ business transformation FAQs have the answers!
During the period of engagement, Karen has played a number of pivotal roles at both a Board and Operational level, adding valuable insights and key strategic considerations as we build the business. Karen is a strong leader who is able to swing from strategy to execution, aligning teams of people along the way to quickly…
I worked closely with Karen when she was the CEO of Ella Bache. Karen is a pioneer & strategist who understands the importance of creating a collaborative & focused network within an organisation. She has the gift of aligning & inspiring whilst making the tough decisions to drive a business forward. I believe any organization…
Karen is an incredibly enthusiastic, warm, and energetic speaker. She really impressed with her experience and ability to command the audience. We were especially appreciative of her engagement with our audience prior to the event, it really encouraged them up to engage with us during and after the session. Karen also made the process leading…
Karen was extremely easy to work with and her hands-on experience immediately added value across all aspects of the business. Karen’s approach was thorough and very efficient – she knew exactly what questions to ask and as a result could identify the issues quickly and present it back to us in an insightful and practical…