Some careers are built on ambition—others are shaped by something far more personal. For Carolyn Lebeis, it started with a simple but powerful belief: communication is at the heart of what it means to live, connect, and be understood.
Before stepping into entrepreneurship, Carolyn worked as a speech-language pathologist alongside patients facing head and neck cancer—helping them regain not just their ability to speak or swallow, but a sense of identity during incredibly difficult moments. That experience stayed with her and eventually led her to reimagine how care could look beyond the clinical setting.
Today, as co-founder of C. Skin Co., she brings that same level of intention into the world of skin health and wellness—building a business grounded in science, trust, and genuine human connection. Alongside her mother and sister, she has created something that feels both deeply personal and purpose-driven.
Outside of her work, Carolyn is a mother of two, a strong presence in her community, and an advocate for creating more opportunities for women and girls—especially in sport and health.
In this interview with Women on Topp, she reflects on the experiences that shaped her, the leap from medicine into business, and what it really looks like to balance it all while staying true to what matters most.
Your career began in a very emotionally intense medical field. What first inspired you to become a speech-language pathologist working with head and neck cancer patients?
My career began in a very emotionally intense medical field, but the inspiration behind it is deeply personal. Communication is the key to life. Helping people access a means to communicate not only enhances quality of life but gives meaning to life. As a young child, I watched my grandfather lose his ability to communicate due to complications from head and neck cancer, and later a stroke, and that experience ignited a passion in me at a very young age.
Seeing someone I loved struggle to express basic needs, thoughts, and emotions made me realize how fundamental communication is to human connection and dignity. That experience stayed with me and ultimately guided my decision to pursue speech-language pathology.
Working with patients with head and neck cancer allowed me to support individuals during one of the most challenging times in their lives. Whether it was helping them regain their voice, learn a new way to communicate, or safely return to eating and drinking, the goal was always the same—to restore connection, identity, and quality of life. Being able to walk alongside patients and help them rediscover their ability to communicate was both an honor and a powerful reminder of why I chose this path.
Transitioning from clinical care into entrepreneurship is a big leap. What gave you the courage to follow that calling?
Transitioning from clinical care into entrepreneurship felt like a big leap, but in many ways the call to lead had always been there. Throughout my career as a speech-language pathologist, I naturally stepped into leadership roles—whether that was teaching clinically, mentoring colleagues, or helping to build outpatient speech pathology departments and teams.
It was through those experiences that I realized something important: I didn’t just want to contribute to systems that already existed—I wanted to build something of my own. Something unique that preserved a common theme that has always guided my work: the intersection of science and human connection.
C. Skin Co. started as a dream—an interest that gradually turned into a true passion. My background in medicine taught me how to think critically, rely on evidence, and care deeply about the people I serve. Just as importantly, the relationships I built in healthcare gave me the confidence, perspective, and skills I needed to take the leap into entrepreneurship.
In many ways, the transition wasn’t leaving one path for another—it was an evolution. The same values that shaped my work in medicine are the ones guiding what I’m building now.
You run a business, raise a family, and stay deeply involved in your community. What does a “typical day” look like for you?
A typical day for me is truly non-stop. It’s a constant process of pivoting, code-switching, and changing hats throughout the day. My mornings usually start with getting the kids ready and driving them to school, often while mentally organizing everything that needs to happen for both my business and my family on that drive.
Throughout the day, I’m shifting between roles. I might be answering questions from parents in my role as the Home and School Association chair, sending emails about my children’s hockey schedules and their respective teams, or coordinating and planning tournaments. At the same time, I’m speaking with vendors, managing the day-to-day needs of my business, and making sure every client who walks through our doors feels welcomed and cared for—like family.
By the afternoon and evening, the focus shifts back to family life—rushing to pick the kids up from school and getting them to the rink or the field for their activities. Somewhere in between it all, I try to squeeze in a few steps for myself and a little moment to reset.
If the day ends with everyone where they need to be, the work moving forward, my kids supported in what they love, and a chance to give my hard-working husband a kiss goodnight, I consider that a great day.
Your company is built with your mother—something many families dream of but also find challenging. What has been the greatest gift of building something alongside women in your family?
Building a company with my mother has been one of the greatest gifts of my life. She has always been a champion for me and my dreams. From a very young age, she instilled in me the belief that I should never settle—that I could do anything and be anything my heart dreamed of. She lit that fire in me early, and it has stayed with me ever since.
Growing up, I watched her hustle, and in many ways I see that same drive in myself today. She taught me a simple philosophy: you go big, or you go home. You’re all in or you’re out. That mindset shaped how I approach challenges, opportunities, and the courage it takes to build something meaningful.
Working alongside my mother, as well as my younger sister, feels incredibly special. Having both of them right beside me—or sometimes just a step behind me—means I have never truly felt alone in this journey. Their presence and their belief in me inspire me every day.
What I hope most is that the lessons that my mother has passed down to my sister and I will stay with me for the rest of my life, even long after she’s gone. And just as I carry her influence with me, I hope my children will one day look back and remember her—and me—in the same way: as women who believed in them, supported them, and showed them what it means to dream big and work hard.
How has motherhood shaped the way you lead your business and support your clients?
Motherhood has shaped the way I lead my business in so many ways. The biggest lesson is that motherhood never stops. You never stop being a mother—you never stop worrying, carrying, thinking (and sometimes overthinking), committing (and sometimes overcommitting). No matter how you feel, what the weather is like, or what other burdens you’re carrying, you still give it your all every single day.
That mindset naturally carries into the way I run my business and care for my clients. In many ways, a business is like a baby—something you nurture, shape, protect, and watch grow over time. It requires patience, attention, resilience, and a deep sense of responsibility.
Motherhood has also strengthened my empathy. I understand how much people carry in their daily lives, and I try to create a space where clients feel supported, understood, and cared for. Just like with my children, I want people to feel seen, valued, and safe.
At the end of the day, motherhood has taught me to lead with heart, to show up fully even on the hard days, and to build something that reflects the same care, dedication, and love that I bring to my family.
You’ve helped create opportunities for girls’ sports in your community. Why was that initiative so important to you personally?
This initiative was deeply personal to me because I’ve seen firsthand how powerful athletics can be in shaping a young person’s life. Growing up in a family of coaches—my parents and grandparents—I witnessed the lasting impact a supportive coach and a strong team environment can have. Sports do more than just build physical skills; they create healthy habits, foster meaningful relationships, and open doors that might otherwise remain closed.
That’s why co-founding programs like Casco Bay Pearls, a feeder program for all-girls youth hockey, as well as Portland Youth Field Hockey, meant so much to me. These programs were about more than just playing—they were about access. Too often, girls don’t have the same opportunities, resources, or encouragement to develop as athletes. By creating spaces specifically designed for them, we helped build a supportive community where girls could grow, gain confidence, and see what they’re capable of.
To me, athletics can truly change lives—it gives young people a sense of belonging, resilience, and purpose. Being able to help create that environment for girls in my community is something I care about deeply, because I know the impact it can have not just on the field or ice, but for the rest of their lives.
Being nominated as a Woman of Impact is an incredible honor. What does that recognition mean to you?
Being nominated as a Woman of Impact is an incredible honor, especially because of who it came from. I was nominated by my daughter’s ice hockey coach—someone who is not only an age-matched peer, but also a father of two daughters, someone who shares my Franco-American heritage, and understands firsthand the realities of a familial predisposition to hypercholesterolemia. That connection makes the recognition feel deeply personal and meaningful, because it comes from someone who truly understands both my values and my “why.”
At the heart of everything I do for women is a simple goal: to provide access, to create space, and to foster awareness and education. I’ve always seen myself as someone who works hard for others—for my neighbor, my friends, my team, and my players—not for personal recognition, but for the greater good. I believe that’s part of our purpose: to inspire others, to lift people up, and to leave things better than we found them.
This recognition also represents an opportunity to raise critical funds for women’s health initiatives through the American Heart Association. Too often, women are overlooked—in research, in healthcare, and in the workforce. That reality fuels my commitment to this work. It’s not just about advocacy; it’s about ensuring women are seen, heard, and prioritized.
Ultimately, this honor is bigger than me. It’s about setting an example for my children—showing them that they should never accept being forgotten, ignored, or cast aside. It’s about demonstrating that their voices matter, their health matters, and their impact on the world can be powerful and lasting.
When you look back at your journey so far, what are you most proud of—not as a business owner, but as a person?
When I look back at my journey so far, what I’m most proud of is staying true to one core belief: one voice matters.
As a speech pathologist, my purpose was to help patients access and achieve communication—to give people the tools and confidence to express themselves and be heard. That work shaped how I see the world. Everyone deserves a voice, and more importantly, the opportunity to use it.
That belief carried into my work as a business owner in medical aesthetics, where I’ve come to see skin health and wellness not as vanity, but as healthcare. Helping someone feel confident, informed, and empowered in their own body is meaningful work. It’s another way of giving people access—to knowledge, to care, and to self-assurance.
But beyond any profession, I’m most proud of how I’ve lived that belief in my everyday life—as a mother, a coach, and a member of my community. I want my children to grow up knowing that their voices matter, that they should never shrink themselves or stay silent in moments that feel uncomfortable or uncertain. I show them that by example—by speaking up in the tough places, whether that’s at community meetings, at the rink, or in educational spaces. Because if we don’t ask questions, we stop learning—and what is life without learning?
Everything I’ve done, from creating opportunities for girls in sports to advocating for women’s health, comes back to that same idea: using my voice to create space for others. As a person, that’s what I’m most proud of—not just finding my own voice, but helping others believe that theirs matters too.
To keep up with Carolyn’s journey and the continued growth of C. Skin Co., visit https://www.cskinco.com and follow along on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/c.skinco and https://www.instagram.com/cmlebeis12/ for a closer look at her work, community impact, and everyday moments behind the scenes.
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