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At Genesys Electronics Design, we’ve had the privilege of collaborating with incredible innovators over the past 30 years. This International Women’s Day, we’d like to shout out to our inspiring partner Noreen Roesler, CEO and founder of Permanence and the GEMM-16 Electrolysis Machine.
Noreen’s journey is a testament to resilience, innovation, and the power of unwavering determination. In this interview, she shares her story, challenges, and the lessons she’s learned along the way.
Could you share a bit about your background and what inspired you to develop your own product?
In the late 1980s, I became increasingly frustrated with the limitations of traditional electrolysis. While it was effective, I kept wondering: If I’m delivering permanent hair removal, then when will I see the end? Clients were coming back year after year, and despite progress, regrowth remained an issue. If a method was truly permanent, why weren’t we seeing a clear finish line?
Determined to find a better solution, I made a bold decision in 1990: I would travel the world in search of the best hair removal method. If I couldn’t find one, I was prepared to leave the industry altogether.
My journey began in Memphis, Tennessee, where I first heard about multi-needle electrolysis. Intrigued, I returned to the U.S. to study at three different electrolysis schools, determined to master the technique. When I came back to Australia, I brought multi-needle machines, including one by Jim Jensen (Gentronic). But regrowth was still an issue. I spent years refining the process, adjusting the settings and techniques until I could achieve truly permanent results for my clients.
What was the pivotal moment when you decided to invest in your own product development?
By the early 2000s, my clinic was thriving—until laser hair removal took over the industry. Clients left in droves, drawn to the promise of fast, painless results, despite laser’s lack of permanence. I made a critical decision to double down on multi-needle electrolysis because I knew it worked.
By 2003, I realised something alarming:
The original three U.S. electrolysis manufacturers had shut down. No new multi-needle machines were being produced. If I wanted to continue offering this solution, I had to create my own machine.
That’s when I knew: If I didn’t do it, no one would. Before taking the leap, I conducted a personal risk analysis. There was a real chance the market wouldn’t accept it. People were obsessed with laser, despite its shortcomings. If I failed, I could lose everything—including my home.
I had to ask myself: “If I lost it all, could I live with that? “
Once I made peace with that, I had nothing to lose—so I went all in.
What challenges have you faced as a female product developer?
Being a female product developer in a highly technical field was incredibly difficult. Finding engineers who took me seriously was an uphill battle. Many dismissed me outright, saying, “Not my field.”
Manufacturing overseas (in China) was a disaster—I signed a contract, paid a huge deposit, only to lose control of my project. Engineers often ignored my input—even though I was the one with decades of hands-on experience. Business discussions were frustrating—I had to prove my credibility repeatedly, even when I knew exactly what I needed.
Despite these setbacks, I never quit. I learned to:
Take full control of my project—no one knew my vision better than me.
Work only with trusted partners, which led me to Genesys.
Trust my instincts—every failure was a step toward success.
What was the key to getting you where you are today?
Several factors helped me bring the GEMM-16 to life:
Absolute Determination – No matter how many setbacks I faced, I never gave up.
Learning from Failure – Every mistake taught me something valuable.
Finding the Right People – After years of working with a variety of engineers, I finally found Genesys, who helped make my vision a reality.
A Clear Purpose – Seeing young women with laser-induced hair stimulation convinced me that multi-needle electrolysis was their only solution.
The defining moment was when I sat in my engineer’s office and saw the GEMM-16 prototype. For years, the machine had existed only in my mind—in sketches and in failed prototypes. But now, I was holding the finished product. I caressed about it, embraced it—it was beautiful. The quality I had insisted on was there. For the first time, I knew: “This is real. This is happening.”
That was the turning point. After 20 years of setbacks, failures, and lessons, I had finally found the right people who understood my vision and had the integrity to bring it to life.
How did your career before this help with product development?
My career gave me three key advantages:
A deep understanding of hair removal science – I knew exactly what electrologists and clients needed.
Hands-on experience with existing machines – I saw what worked and what didn’t firsthand.
A business mindset – Running a successful clinic taught me the importance of trust, quality, and delivering real results.
Working in the service industry also taught me that people value authenticity. When clients see that you truly care about solving their problems, they trust you and support your work.
Learning through failure made me resilient. With no formal training, every part of my business experience was trial and error. I made many mistakes, but each one made me stronger, which is exactly what I needed to survive this 20+ year journey.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of being an entrepreneur and product developer?
Seeing the GEMM-16 in action—knowing that electrologists worldwide now have access to a better tool—has been incredibly rewarding. Helping clients who had lost hope, especially those with laser-stimulated hair growth, has been deeply fulfilling.
One of my greatest challenges was reducing pain in electrolysis treatments. Traditional multi-needle electrolysis was effective, but many clients found it too uncomfortable, often requiring anaesthetic creams. We spent three years testing the machine, gathering real client feedback. The breakthrough came when:
Clients reported a minimum 20% pain reduction.
Many no longer needed anaesthetic creams.
That was a proud moment. Not only had I improved comfort, but I had also perfected results and developed the first 2a medical-grade machine for the industry, giving clients peace of mind.
Hearing people say, “Thank you in appreciation,” knowing they understood the extraordinary journey I had taken, made it all worth it.
Final Thoughts
Noreen Roesler’s journey is a ripper example of what can be achieved with passion, perseverance, and a clear vision. Her story isn’t just about creating a product—it’s about challenging the status quo, overcoming obstacles, and making a lasting impact.
This International Women’s Day, we celebrate Noreen and all the inspiring women who dare to dream and refuse to give up. Cheers, Noreen, for showing us what’s possible.
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