Vanessa is an inspired leader and mom, passionate about entrepreneurship, innovation and health optimization.

Holding a BSc in Kinesiology from McGill University, she moved from Montreal to Vancouver in 2009. Her early career was health and wellness oriented and while she kept a strong passion for health optimization, she started accumulating leadership, entrepreneurship, and creative projects.

Passionate for start-ups and building projects from the ground up, she agreed to accept L’Oreal’s challenge to launch the SkinCeuticals brand in Western Canada. With perseverance and hard work, she singlehandedly raised mammoth awareness in the medical arena for this scientifically accomplished skincare line while opening new accounts at an unprecedented rate. Her in-depth knowledge led her to become the brand’s national trainer.

Her next challenge was to develop SkinCeuticals’ first North American flagship in Vancouver to raise awareness for the brand while making skin health more approachable to the general public. That’s how Project Skin MD – a centre of excellence for laser and aesthetic dermatology – was born. Vanessa’s entrepreneurial spirit and focus on excellence made her a positive leader for her team and to grow this innovative centre.

Together with her partners Dr. McGillivray and Bev McGillivray, they have aspired to create a unique patient-centred and fully integrated medical aesthetic clinic. It’s been recognized by some of the most influencing media in Canada and has become a reputable destination for long-lasting skincare and anti-aging results in Vancouver.

Project Skin MD has partnered with the Functionalab Group, fastest growing network of cosmetic clinics in Canada, back in 2019. In 2020, she has taken a step back from operations to focus on the brand development and marketing strategy.

In 2021, she acts as Brand Director for the Project Skin MD brand, part of the FNL portfolio. She ensures that the market expansion, business development, branding and marketing stay true to the PS vision and thrives in a competitive market.

Meanwhile, she traded city life for lake life in 2019. This new nature-centered lifestyle has allowed her to improve her creativity, productivity and overall well-being. By sharing her journey on her platform vanessagrutman.com, she is on a mission to inspire others to elevate their life by adopting a more nature-oriented lifestyle and health hacks with big payoffs.

She was featured by DailyHive/VancityBuzz in a Women of Vancouver editorial and Notable.ca as a Notable Young Professional.