With Women’s History Month coming to a close, we want to elevate some astounding women leading the transformation of the retail industry.
These leading ladies are founding companies, reinventing industries, creating new business models, and rewriting history books.
Karla Gallardo and Shilpa Shah
Co-Founders, Cuyana
Cuyana was founded with a vision to promote intentional buying--that is, purchasing items that are manufactured responsibly, built to last, and designed to be treasured for years to come. Gallardo and Shah believe in a “fewer, better” philosophy, brought to life in Cuyana’s gorgeous handmade luxury goods (and inspired by Gallardo’s own upbringing in Ecuador). What’s more impressive is how the women have grown the startup business, bringing in more than $30 million in funding and turning a profit. Above all, Gallardo and Shah reinforce the importance of running a business with integrity, from supply chain and sustainability to hiring practices (more than 80 percent of the company’s ~100 employees are women).
Emily Sugihara
CEO, Baggu
You’ve probably run into quite a few Baggu bags at the supermarket. The company’s “Standard Baggu” is a lightweight, sustainably-made, grocery bag-sized tote that’s become a staple in the lives of many shoppers. Sugihara launched Baggu in her San Diego living room more than ten years ago, where she made bags with her mother and friend. Since then, she’s scaled the company globally, turning a simple grocery tote into an iconic everyday carry. Her secret? Focus: make one kind of product, and make it well. “I was attracted to this unison between design and function [of bags],” she said in a Medium interview. “It’s really the perfect product, there are no sizes to worry about, it’s easy to love, they are visible and userful.”
Annie Jackson
Co-Founder and COO, Credo Beauty
Jackson’s philosophy about beauty products and the beauty business can be summed up in one word: conscientiousness. Since founding (Credo Beauty’s Co-Founder Shashi Batra passed away in 2017), the company stuck to its values, including an unrelenting focus on sustainability. Today, Credo Beauty is the “largest clean beauty store on the planet,” selling skincare, hair care, makeup and lifestyle products. What’s perhaps most impressive about Jackson’s leadership is that she reinforces the company’s “Clean Beauty Standard” throughout its supply chain and with retail partners. It’s Jackson’s hope that Credo’s standards will set a higher bar for responsible beauty products and the companies that sell them.
Kory Marchisotto
CMO, e.l.f. Cosmetics
e.l.f. cosmetics is on a mission to make luxurious beauty accessible for all. One of the leaders of that charge is Marchisotto, who took on the Chief Marketing Officer role in early 2019, at a time when upstart online beauty brands were beginning to chip away at e.l.f.’s market share. Under her leadership, the company launched a refreshed brand direction and doubled down on diversity in beauty--true to the company’s DNA of “being for every eye, lip, and face.” Marchisotto helped recharge e.l.f.’s rewards program, launch new collaborations and dynamic digital campaigns, and humanize the brand. The results? A 13 percentage-point increase in growth in her first year on the job.
Maggie Winter & Jacqueline Cameron
Co-Founders, AYR (All Year Round)
AYR was born of frustration with seasonal collections and a decided lack of quality, year-round wardrobe staples. Winter (a former J. Crew merchant) and Cameron (a former Madewell designer) launched AYR to give women “a more functional fashion label” that would meet customer’s needs year-round. What’s most interesting is how Winter and Cameron launched the brand: As a digital-first store, with experiential “guideshops” so customers can see, touch, and try on pieces. Since founding, AYR’s focus on carefully-curated staple has inspired old and new brands to re-think the traditional seasonal fashion cycle.
Katie Mullen
Chief Transformation Officer, Neiman Marcus
Department stores have had a rough few years. Digital-first brands and an increasing focus on less versus more has challenged traditional retailers like Neiman Marcus to keep up without losing their luster. Mullen joined Neiman Marcus in 2018 to take on a new role within the company: Chief Transformation Officer. It’s an inside-out job, with Mullen helping to transform how the company thinks, behaves, and operates in a world where fashion brands launch on Instagram and home goods are increasingly purchased on Amazon--not traditional department stores. Ultimately, Mullen’s work should reshape Neiman Marcus into a global luxury brand for the modern era--while continuing to drive an uptick in earnings.
We’re inspired by these female leaders and countless others who are leading multinational retailers and emerging small businesses. Tell us about the powerhouse women leaders in your company (and hey, maybe that’s you!) at [email protected].
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