Sunrider CEO’s Message To Women In Manufacturing: ‘Speak Up’

Sunny Beutler has some sage advice for aspiring women leaders in the manufacturing industry.

Beutler is CEO of Sunrider International, a manufacturer based in Torrance, California that makes herbal products for health, wellness, beauty, fitness and household needs. Founded in 1982, the company now operates in nearly 50 countries and regions.

Appointed in 2021, Beutler leads the development and execution of Sunrider’s business strategy, overseeing global operations across retail, direct selling, a hotel division and affiliate offices throughout Europe and Asia. With more than 18 years of experience at Sunrider, Sunny has a proven track record of successfully managing complex operations, from large-scale convention management to international market expansion.

As a female CEO in a global company, you’ve undoubtedly navigated various cultural and professional landscapes. What specific advice would you give to aspiring women leaders about building confidence and asserting their voice in diverse and often male-dominated environments?

I would tell them to be confident, to speak up and to professionally take the lead in conversations if you feel you have something worth sharing. It may often feel like men are dominating conversations, so you will feel like you have to push hard to be heard, but keep on doing it because that’s how you can get your voice heard.

The landscape of leadership is constantly evolving. What key skills or mindsets do you believe are essential for women to cultivate to thrive in today’s business world, and how has Sunrider International adapted to support these evolving needs within its own leadership?

A key mindset is to keep on learning, researching and innovating. It’s good to see what’s important, but I think the more value-added portion comes to taking something that you think will work and adjusting it to the vision of your company, making it uniquely yours. I’m constantly reading, looking and investigating to see what we can really do to make a positive difference but in a way that is uniquely ours.

As a highly successful CEO at Sunrider International, you’ve clearly navigated a unique career path. What key lessons have you learned about leadership that you believe would be most valuable for the women reading this, and what aspects of your journey do you feel resonate most with the challenges women leaders face today?

It’s often challenging trying to balance work and family life. From the time my first child was born to now, it feels like I’m always striving to do more in a smaller amount of time.

With Sunrider, we run a global business with many offices in Asia and Europe. I try to split my time between regions and be available for a few hours each day when they’re awake and in office. I also block out time for my family, keeping dinner hour sacred when I’m in town and to spend meaningful and quality time with my family every evening.

My husband is very supportive so he’s there for all the picks ups and drop offs, but having good communication, shared calendar and blocking out time for family has helped keep me centered. My work hours are not typical, but when I have time for my family and myself blocked out every day, I can be more present for my work team.

I’ve also leaned into the strengths and knowledge of my C-Suite members, relying on them to make good decisions and to run their departments the way they see fit. It’s definitely always a team effort as a leader.

Many women aspiring to leadership roles often seek mentorship and guidance. If you could give one piece of actionable advice to women aiming to break through barriers in their careers, what would it be?

As a manager, I’m always impressed when I see proactive team members who are doing their jobs to the best of their abilities but also reaching out to other people to see how they can help or suggest improvements on processes, products, or initiatives.

I love initiative and innovation and when women are able to raise their voices to express these initiatives or innovative ideas while competently doing their jobs, that’s when I think this person can be a leader.