Work Friends Member Spotlight: Lisa McCaffrey
One of the most rewarding parts of launching a community is seeing the members who truly make it shine. And from day one, that’s been Lisa—one of Work Friends’ Founding Members. She’s not just a multi-talented creative director with an impressive track record (think Saint Jane and Axiology); she’s also a generous collaborator, a deep thinker, and someone who brings passion and warmth to every conversation. Lisa is the kind of creative you want in your corner—someone you can learn from, bounce ideas off of, and confidently refer to your clients.
Getting to know her has been a joy, and I think you’ll feel the same.
Lisa McCaffrey
Creative Director
“My weekly reset is a non-negotiable. The creative input is constant, and I love learning, so I have to be careful to slow down.
Wellness and exercise are so important to my mental health. Saturday is typically my reset day, and I completely step away from my laptop and projects.”
What’s your background and specialty?
I have a background in creative direction for beauty and wellness brands, beginning in beauty and fashion editorial in Australia before moving to a boutique branding agency. After relocating to New York, I shifted to the client side with beauty brands.
How/why did you choose beauty as your niche?
In my initial position as a fashion editorial art director, I worked closely with beauty editors and became fascinated by beauty's transformative nature and emotional impact. I kept gravitating back to beauty throughout my career. Everything about it fascinates me—from the trends and innovation to the underlying science. From my experience, the beauty industry also has a strong sense of community.
What’s something unexpected you’ve learned about yourself through freelancing or consulting?
After starting my consultancy, Kisscut, I began to understand the challenges and joys of running a business firsthand. As a result, I became much more interested in the business side of beauty, the various operational aspects, and how creativity impacts a company's revenue. Before this, I would have never described myself as ‘analytical’!
What’s a pivotal moment in your career that shaped where you are today?
Moving to NYC from Sydney, Australia 16 years ago. I’m a US citizen and I grew up in Australia, which was wonderful, with its forward-thinking design, nature, and beautiful beaches. My US citizenship definitely made the leap to NYC easier, but I took the risk of moving here without a job offer to try my luck.
If you could snap your fingers and instantly master any new skill, what would it be and why?
Perfumery. Fragrance is my favorite vertical and I’ve dreamed of studying perfumery in Grasse, France. After that, it would be public speaking.
How do you stay creative and avoid burnout, especially when juggling multiple projects?
IRL experiences are a tonic for my mind. This can include an art show, a performance (Life & Trust is a recent one), pop-ups, or events in the beauty industry. I love attending INNOCOS Longevity beauty summits, CEW events, and Cosmoprof.
My weekly reset is non-negotiable. Creative input is constant, and I love learning, so I have to be mindful about slowing down. Wellness and exercise are so important to my mental health. Saturday is usually my reset day, and I completely disconnect from my laptop and projects. In the morning, I take some time for myself to exercise, grab coffee, and wander around town for a bit. Later in the day, through Sunday, I’ll spend quality time with family and friends.
I aspire to find creativity in everything I do. If I’m working on something that’s not particularly creative, I try to make it more interesting by asking myself, ‘What can I learn from this?’ or ‘What new skill can I develop from this work?’
Tools are my allies and help me focus. I’ve embraced using tools such as:
Slack
Harvest (time management)
Notion
Folk (great for CRM)
Foreplay (ad swipe)
Motion (creative ad performance)
What’s been your favorite freelance project to date?
That’s a tricky question! I’ve genuinely enjoyed projects where I can oversee the conceptual ideation, production, and execution of the assets. It's awesome to guide a project from start to finish and involve other consultants as part of my team.
Who’s your dream client?
I’m really excited to start a new position as a Creative Director with Tru Fragrance & Beauty. In this position, I’ll focus on one of their fragrance brands, Le Monde Gourmand. The team there is amazing.
How do you define success in your career? Has that evolved or changed over the years?
For me, success is all about embracing personal growth and learning while delivering creative solutions that make a real difference for my clients. Over time, I've found that it’s less about ‘me’ and much more about ‘we’. I’ve come to truly value the importance of building meaningful relationships and working collaboratively with others.
What have you gained from being a part of Work Friends?
I love the Work Friends community! Everyone is so helpful and generous with their time. If you ask a question, you’ll receive multiple answers quickly. I feel more connected to what’s happening in the beauty industry. Having this on Slack is also fantastic, as I can check in throughout the day and stay updated on what’s going on in the beauty industry.
What’s your most-repurchased beauty item?
The Henry Rose fragrance ‘Flora Carnivora’.
Get in touch with Lisa
It's fun to be Work Friends
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It's fun to be Work Friends 〰️
If you’re interested in joining Work Friends, you can find more information here. And if you’d like an introduction to Lisa or any member of the Work Friends community, send me a note.