Michele Love

COO, DSW Inc.

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“At DSW, we’ve been working to build trust and call on our leaders to embrace difficult conversations. I’m committed to creating safe working environments for our associates, and trying to call out the casual ways we can inadvertently disenfranchise others with language — words alone have the power to make people feel safe, or not.”

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“Demonstrating traditionally feminine traits like empathy, warmth and compassion can sometimes read like you’re soft on business skills. There have been a few times in my career, where I’ve had to challenge misperceptions. But, retail’s about people. As a leader I’ve learned  if you take care of people, they take care of you. That holds true in relationships with customers, with associates and with vendors.”

More women should… ”Support other women. Women can be hard each other, and we’re never going to get where we need to go until we lift each other up. As a mother of six, I’m raising my kids to understand that our achievement isn’t limited

Sarah Flint

Founder and CEO, Sarah Flint 

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“I lead with a heightened sense of awareness and responsibility to both women and men. Our #walklikeawoman hashtag is very representative of [these things]. In this era part of being a woman is about owning and understanding power, being thoughtful in every decision and standing firmly behind what you believe in with respect and equanimity. I wake up every day and set goals for myself and my company, understanding that my decisions will ultimately impact others.”

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“Finding female mentors who work in the fashion space has been challenging because only 14 percent of major brands are run by female executives. Despite this, I’ve found incredible female mentors that have given me indispensable advice and the confidence to build my brand into what it is today.”

More women should… “Set a vision and march towards it.”

Karla Jarvis

SVP, General Counsel, Rockport

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“The biggest problem I faced was getting the current job I have, general counsel of a footwear company. There aren’t many people like me — I’M an immigrant, a woman of color — in those roles. I overcame this by being prepared, having a strong sense of purpose and conviction in my values.”

Leslie Gallin

President of footwear, UBM

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“In our case, our employee base is women-centric. We would love to recruit more men.”

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“Earlier in my career, the men I reported to always embraced my energy and never stood in my way. They moved me forward. It wasn’t until later, did I first encounter being dismissed and, or not, included. It took me by surprise. Ultimately, I confronted those involved. I don’t think they realized how their actions were being perceived, not only by me, but others in the company.”

More women should…“Ensure they know what they know, and know that they know it.”   

Kerry O’Brien

Founder and designer, Commando

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“My mother had four daughters and a son. She taught me to be kind and fearless. My father taught me I could do anything I set my mind to. In college, I worked on Capitol Hill, which led me to want to be a reporter. I was accepted to an internship at CNN and then got accepted for an internship at Nightline. My parents taught me not to put limitations on myself. And I do the same for my business.”

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how did you overcome it?

“[Before starting Commando], I worked in mergers and acquisitions and public relations. I was typically the only woman in the room. Even when I entered [the intimates business], it was a very male dominated industry. But, I’ve always believed that women were empowered and I wanted to encourage that. I wanted to start a line that makes comfortable products for women and make them feel beautiful, confident and fully empowered.”

Susan Itzkowitz

President, Marc Fisher Footwear

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“Our organization values diversity of thought and background as a premium to running a great business, reflected in the number of women serving in executive and VP-level positions within our organization.  We aim to improve the pathway for our female colleagues by cultivating a healthy work/life balance. We offer leadership and skill training during office hours, a flexible vacation policy, and an annual life enrichment reimbursement.”  

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“Women who assert themselves in the workplace can often times be viewed as a threat instead of an asset.  I’ve learned the value of being unapologetically determined and confident  — speak up when you have something to say and don’t settle when you feel something is rightfully deserved.  I assure you that it gets a little easier each time.”

More women should…”Advocate for themselves and refuse to accept an unequal work environment. Women should expect more of their employer by demanding fairness of treatment and opportunity.”

Anne Cavassa

President, Saucony

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?   

“I’m committed to, and will hold other leaders accountable for an open, diverse, inclusive and respectful environment, one that that fosters and actively provides opportunity for all. I’ve always been a vocal member of the team, but have found it difficult at times to hold my peers accountable for decisions and actions. I don’t do that anymore. We [must] be willing to risk our own comfort and peer likability to make change happen.”

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“The unspoken inner circle and impenetrable invisible wall that undermines and ultimately sabotages great ideas and careers, have been the most challenging to navigate and important for up-and-coming female leaders. It’s a point of disappointed departure for many women who decide they don’t want to be a part of an exclusive team where only a few opinions matter. We need to be intentional about the culture we’re building; creating a gender-inclusive culture starts with each of us, both men and women alike.”

More women should…”Be themselves, live their values and embrace others’ individuality. Boldly and with respect educate your male counterparts on what respect looks like to you. Demand opportunity and provide opportunity.”

Sarah Bishop

VP of marketing, Asics America

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era? 

“I’m proud to be one of the founders and leaders of our Asics Women’s Collective, a formalized network dedicated to educating, empowering and developing employees across the region, making both women and men aware of the issues and implicit biases that exist and giving them the tools to foster long term change.”

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it? 

“Fighting against the innate desire to be accommodating. There are times when it can be intimidating to stand out, challenge norms and fight for what you believe is right.  Largely, I have overcome this challenge by trusting my intuition and respectfully making my voice heard.  It is essential to foster a relationship with my colleagues — both male and female — that is direct, clear and collaborative.”

More women should…”Speak up [and not] be afraid to push for what they believe in and what they feel they deserve.” 

Rania Masri

Chief transformation officer, Chalhoub Group

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?   

“I have come to a point where I’m comfortable with my leadership style. It’s a feminine one; I don’t want to lead like a man. I take a very maternal approach with my team.”

On what companies should do to support women: “Companies have to embrace diversity and make sure to measure their business and keep leader accountable for it. Flexibility is key. The environment at work has to be friendly to women — sexist behavior has to be taken seriously.”

Deirdre Fitzgerald

EVP, Global Apparel, New Balance Athletics

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“I’ve have had the benefit of spending the first 20 years of my career surrounded by both talented women and men in leadership. As a result, I truly don’t believe leadership has a gender. What has changed for me recently is the sense of responsibility I feel as a female executive.” 

More women should… “Be aggressive with their career, ensure they have both advocacy and a source of honest feedback.”

Maria Buccellati

President, Faith Connexion 

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

 “Being treated as an equal in a world dominated by men is an ongoing challenge faced by working women. Instead of allowing my personal feeling to get in the way of my ultimate goal, I focus on being a leader and proving what I can do. I never stop trying or believing.”

What companies should do to encourage greater gender equality: “Salary and promotion should be based on education and experience level, regardless of gender. I have started to build a foundation to support women who have been taken advantage of and not offered the same opportunities as men because of their gender.”

Linda Corbett

Director of customer service and employee services, Earth Inc.

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“I encouraged the leaders of the company to provide comprehensive sexual harassment training for all employees.  We have an open-door policy where all employees are encouraged to voice their ideas and concerns, including harassment. To help create better work/life balance, I’m a proponent of flexible work schedules and listening to suggestions [regarding] improved benefits in areas such as maternity/paternity leave.” 

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?  

“The work/life balance. I’ve been working my entire adult life [while raising] two children. When my first son was born, I was travelling 25 percent of the time. I quickly realized I couldn’t mentally leave him for that [long], and my husband couldn’t juggle the baby and his own job [alone]. I found another woman at the company in the same predicament. We proposed working in a job-share where we both worked 24 hours a week, overlapping on Wednesdays. I did that for five years, until I was ready to go back to work full-time. It was a struggle for me financially, but worth it.”  

More women should…”Take a step back and think about what they want their legacy to be, and live their lives accordingly.  It helps to put things into perspective.”

Sandra Colon

VP of sales, Birkenstock USA

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“I’ve always been aware of the challenges and situations women face in the workplace. So, I’ve assured everyone feels respected and valued for their contributions regardless of gender. I’m lucky that Birkenstock has a great culture and David Kahan our CEO supports women.”

What’s been the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“Having a family and personal life while [holding] a job I’m dedicated to and love. [Since] it requires a lot of travel and time away from home I remind myself my job makes me happy. I [also make] sure when I’m not working to take every moment to enjoy life with family and friends.”

More women should…”Use their influence in leadership roles to be mentors. Woman-to-woman empowerment is essential to developing the next generation.”

Leah Robert

Chief communications and strategic development officer, Camuto Group

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“Listening has always been a critical component of my management style. [Now], that element has become more important than ever. Being aware of challenges in the workplace for all employees is something I’m consistently mindful of, as every individual approaches situations differently and learns in various manners.” 

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“I entered the workforce with a naiveté that was helpful in that I didn’t see challenges and constructs and just worked hard.  s a woman, I don’t want to see myself differently than anyone else. Hardships are universal. They don’t discriminate. It’s the choices we make that show who we really are and what we stand for.”

More women should… “Support and mentor. We all need to lead by example and live the change that we want to see in the world. I joined the Two Ten Associate board last year and it’s been a great means of supporting those less fortunate within our industry and connecting people to an important and powerful cause.”

Melanie Allen

Chief marketing officer, Brooks Running

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“We have a strong culture of inclusivity and respect we nurture in a number of ways. To underscore our commitment we signed the Camber CEO Pledge [a national initiative] to advance female leadership in active-outdoor industries. All leaders are encouraged to live the pledge by creating an environment where all team members, particularly women, are given opportunities to develop their skills and talents, ultimately driving greater engagement for employees and success for the company.“ 

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“Thinking I needed to change my work and leadership style solely based on who I was working with. I started my career in the mechanical engineering field, which was heavily male dominated at the time. I had a very different  [work] style and approach than my colleagues. I tried to fit in and adapt, but quickly learned it wasn’t authentic and didn’t let me be my best self. One of my coaches reminded me that my diverse thinking and approach is what the organization was expecting me to bring to the table. It gave me the confidence to find my voice and work style that I’ve stayed true to.”

More women should… ”Stop feeling limited by a glass ceiling or the number of people who look like them at the top. There are so many great examples of female leaders pushing past traditional boundaries both for themselves and for others.” 

Kirta Carroll

VP, brand marketing, Six:02, Foot Locker

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“I like to think I‘m leading the same. But in my mind, one of the scalable impacts of the era is [giving] women extra reinforcement to be confident, honest and bold about what they [do] or don’t want. It’s an important message to champion as a leader and as a woman, whether you’re referencing the heart of the movement or personal and professional ambitions.”

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“There were times I felt I [wasn’t] taken as seriously as I would have liked. Absolutely. Times when I felt I was been perceived as emotional when I was just passionate? Of, course. Times when I felt I deserved more than I got? Definitely. The women’s empowerment conversation for me is the reminder that I can, and should, control my destiny. It’s not about being a woman, it’s about owning my personal and professional output and input in a way that connects back to what I have expressed, asked for, or earned.”

More women should… ”Make a formal effort to support and nurture the next generation of women at work. I don’t think professional coaching is a gender specific need, but it’s powerful for women to have women who are doing great things pass along how they got there.”

Melanie Boulden

VP of marketing, Reebok

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?


“Throughout my career, ensuring the safety and support of my team members and employees is a responsibility I’ve taken seriously. I’m part of a leadership team that’s using the era as an opportunity to be proactive and see where we can [do] better. We spend a great deal of time evaluating how we to improve and enhance our culture.”  

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“My career is important and I enjoy working. There were times when I couldn’t accept a professional opportunity because I prioritize the well- being of my child over my career. But, I’ve done so with no regret because a healthy family and thriving career drive my fulfillment. But, it’s a balancing act that requires prioritization, patience and flexibility.”

More women should…“Seek leadership positions. There are many ways to drive change in organizations and institutions. Having more women in [these] positions will help ensure [their] perspectives and concerns remain at are at the forefront as decisions are made and policy is created.”

Chloe Gosselin

Founder, Chloe Gosselin

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“I’m very fortunate to run a small company and it was always my priority to treat everybody equally no matter their gender or beliefs. 

For us, we keep on leading with respect, care and open-mindedness for all our team and contributors”.
 

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“It’s been a challenge for me to juggle between my different hats — mother, partner and creative director. I want to do everything 100 percent. It’s sometimes difficult,t but it makes success even more rewarding.” 
 
More women should… “Trust their instincts. I feel that I wasted so much time when i was younger because i doubted myself and my capacity to succeed. As women I think that we do have great intuitions, so go girls.”

Kitty Bolinger

EVP Sales, Dansko

How are you leading differently in the # MeToo era?

“Dansko was founded by [wife and husband] Mandy Cabot and Peter Kjellerup, for whom respect and charity have been guiding principles. Our president, Jim Fox, and all of our leadership team [also] lead with unfailing integrity. When you’re fortunate enough to be in an atmosphere like this, your style of leadership is enhanced.” 

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?  

“I find being a woman to be a strength, not something to overcome. I joined the industry on the retail side in the 1980’s when many executive positions were n held by women, so I never perceived being female as a limitation. When I joined wholesale in the 1990’s, there were fewer women on that side of the business. But, that allowed us an opportunity to forge some great bonds. I look at friends like Michelle Poole, at Crocs, Wendy Yang at Deckers, and Jeanne Markel at Zappos, and feel blessed to share a past with them that encouraged us to support each other.”

More women should… ”Continue to support each other through organizations like WIFI. As a WIFI mentor, I learned a great deal from my mentee. Her solutions to familiar challenges were often fresh and timely. WIFI, Two Ten, NSRA and USRA, present great platforms for personal and professional growth.”

Melissa Greenwell

Executive VP and COO, The Finish Line

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?   

“ I feel a responsibility to ensure other developing female leaders understand they can and should speak up if they feel they’re experiencing inappropriate behavior from any colleague. In past decades, professional women often felt they had to look the other way or ignore harassment as best they could to be successful in male dominated environments.”

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“I’ve felt compelled to take on more than I should. We have a difficult time saying ‘no’ to requests for help. It doesn’t take long before we find ourselves stretched too thin which leads to ineffectiveness and stress. Most of all, overloading ourselves can take joy away from whatever we signed up for. I’ve learned I’m a lot happier when I narrow my focus so I can be more present in whatever I’m doing.”

More women should…”Take more time to identify their priorities. Make a list of everything they spend time on, rank order them in terms of level of satisfaction, then figure out a way to eliminate or reduce time spent on at least the bottom three.”

Joelle Grunberg

President and CEO of North and Central America, Lacoste

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“Our biggest challenge, overall, is talent. Many brands face this. It is always difficult for me to recruit the best people to develop our ideas. You can have great plans, but in retail, a lot of it is about execution.”

Jennifer Maks

SVP, Omnichannel, Aldo Group

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“As a leadership team we know that men need to be part of the solution, and our efforts on this front include helping everyone become more aware of unconscious biases and communication differences between men and women. We’re proud our management team is comprised of 68 percent women. We remain committed to promoting female leadership from within, transparently sharing our progress along the way.”

What’s is the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“Managing my own expectations about my ability to perform at 110 percent in all areas of my life at the same time. As soon as I became a working mother of twins I realized this would no longer be possible, at least by my old standards. I’ve been extremely lucky, the [company] and its CEO are incredibly supportive when it comes to work/ life integration such as flextime and telecommuting. We also have great perks onsite [including] a gym, take-out meals, car services, etc.”

More women should… ”Go for it. Take your seat at the table. Don’t wait to be asked. You’ve earned it. The time is now! You’re ready.”

Milena Penteado Ometto

Global head, Alexandre Birman

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

I have worked in the fashion industry for over twenty years and from the very beginning I noticed how much the gender bias ruled almost every aspect of the corporate world, so I had to work twice as hard for everything. Today I hold a lot of responsibility as a female leader—the majority of my team is female, and we are all vigilant. This powerful momentum gives voice to brave women who’ve come forward with their stories, and hopefully this will make the workplace a safer environment for my daughter than it was for my generation.

What’s the biggest challenge for you to face as a female leader, and how have you overcome it?

“I believe that my positive personality has always played a big role in my career as all women face challenges every day in this industry. Having my husband’s support has also been essential throughout my corporate journey as an executive who is also a mother.”

More women should… ”Work twice as hard not because society expects them to but because they love their job and career.”

Kelly Prestyly

Senior buyer, Steve Madden

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“More than ever, I encourage my team to speak up in all aspects of their jobs. I want their voices to be heard no matter how small or big their concern. They know they can come to me and share anything. I will always have their backs.” 

What’s the challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“Balancing running a household and having a job [with] hours that [never] end. Retail can very demanding, as can having an 8-month-old [baby]. I try to compartmentalize my day. When I’m at work, I focus on work, and when home I focus on my family. I have a great team at work and an incredible support system at home.”

More women should… ”Believe in themselves, find what they’re passionate about, and go after it in their careers.”

Rachael Ulman

President, Greats

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era? 

“I started my career in retail 20 years ago and was fortunate to be given opportunities by both women and men. [At Greats], I’ve been supportive of diverse culture, and our team is a reflection of that. It’s about women taking advantage of every opportunity given, and even for those who’ve done it before. It’s important to seek their advice and to continue to go after what you want.”

More women should… “Be a little more fearless and know you don’t have to succeed at every chance you get, but just go for it. If it doesn’t work out, you shot your shot, and it’s important for us all to do.”

Laura Conwell-O’Brien

Executive Director, Atlanta Shoe Market 

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“I like to take the lead and create a workplace culture that women want to be in and where they’re treated with self-respect, equal pay and positions.” 

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“Equality in the workplace. I’ve always worked on what I wanted to achieve to be successful in my career and not give up. Early in my career, I didn’t see any limits, had no biases, and pushed myself completely out of my comfort zone on a daily basis. That taught me to assume the best, not the worst, and always assume you can achieve whatever you set your mind to.”

More women should… “Believe in themselves and be true to themselves.  They should go after their dreams and never let anyone disparage them.”

Michelle Wilkinson

SVP Human Resources, Adidas North America

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“Ensuring that I’m making time to have meaningful and safe conversations with our [employees] so they can open up, find their voices and share their experiences. Additionally, supporting our Employee Resource Groups that empower women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community in shaping our policies, initiatives and culture to uphold the highest levels of ethical standards.” 

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“Personal inner confidence and self-esteem in a professional position or a leadership role. I started my career in nuclear power, then to retail, followed by telecommunications, luxury fashion, and more recently the sport industry. All of these have been male dominated, and as such, it was important to surround myself with those who believed in me and encouraged me. In addition, I invested in personal development to build my courage and self-belief and to learn how to be more comfortable being me at work versus pretending to be someone I thought I needed to be.”

More women should… ”Encourage [other] women to believe in themselves, invest in understanding what they stand for as human beings — as a mum, sister, daughter and co-worker. [Next], have the courage to confront their fears, let go of what is holding them back and celebrate all the amazing talents and accomplishments they bring to the world.” 

Connie Rishwain

President, Vionic Group

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“I’ve always believed in confronting issues directly. We should not tolerate bad behavior and we should hold each other accountable. The movement has raised awareness considerably and created dialogue that wasn’t happening regularly among women or men. Many men have told me they were unaware how prevalent harassment is in the workplace.”   

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“I’ve always focused on my own and my team’s performance. There have been times where I’ve witnessed men receiving credit for our work, which is disappointing. All you can do is keep performing and speak up. Performance is indisputable.”  

More women should… ”Support each other. They should be each other’s best advocates and mentors.”

Wendy Yang

President, Hoka, Sanuk, Teva

How are you leading differently in the #MeToo era?

“Throughout my career, I’ve tried to empower women to advocate for those around them. It’s time for leaders at the top, men and women, to recognize, reward and promote the best talent, not just the best male talent. I also believe that if you are in the position where you are not getting recognized for your contributions, you need to speak up — everyone needs to be comfortable advocating for themselves.”

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a woman, and how have you overcome it?

“It can be a challenge to stand your ground and be heard. But, it’s important once you’ve done your homework and have the data and experience to support your argument, to continue to fight for the business you believe in. I’ve attended the ESPN Women’s Summit numerous times. Last year, I brought along a group of women from my team. The experience motivated us to create our own Women’s Leadership Summit at Deckers this past April to inspire women both personally and professionally.”

More women should… ”Bet on themselves and recognize how strong they are.”