Debra Peri
Debra Peri is a seasoned retail professional with 18 years of experience spanning customer service operations, experiential retail, and people management. Her career began at age 16 at REI, where she discovered her passion for helping customers find what they need and what makes them feel good. She pursued a Bachelor of Science in Retailing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and participated in a study abroad program in International Business at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, which deepened her understanding of global retail practices and customer behavior. Over the years, Debra has built a diverse portfolio of experience, from selling trade show space at the Merchandise Mart to being one of the first associates at Trunk Club and holding a controller role at H&M focused on people operations and analytics.
Currently, Debra serves as Retail Pop-Up Manager at LiveLaunch.io, an experiential retail incubator in Chicago’s West Loop Fulton Market District. She oversees 11 brand kiosks and a coffee bar, managing operations that blend physical sampling with digital commerce through QR code ordering. Her role emphasizes customer experience, analytics, and market extension strategies, enabling brands to reach new audiences without the operational burdens of traditional brick-and-mortar retail. Debra’s expertise spans customer service operations, retail space management, people development, and experiential retail concept implementation.
Throughout her career, Debra has remained committed to continuous learning, humility, and curiosity. She attributes her success to hands-on experience, a consistent focus on serving customers, and the willingness to pivot across roles. She is actively involved in the community through the Women’s Club of Evanston and FLOC, supporting youth programs and education initiatives. Passionate about mentoring and empowering others, Debra encourages young professionals to remain open-minded, embrace new opportunities, and pursue lifelong learning in an ever-evolving retail landscape.
• Illinois Department of Insurance – Life / Accident / Health License
• University of Wisconsin-Madison – Bachelor of Science, Retailing
• University of Wisconsin-Platteville – Study Abroad Program, International Business
• Women's Club of Evanston
• FLOC elementary tutoring (previously in DC)
• Dreams Delivered Program through Women’s Club of Evanston
• For Love of Children (FLOC)
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to always keeping an open mind and constantly learning. I never claim to know everything because that's just impossible. Even with all my experiences, I'm constantly learning every day and challenging myself. That's really what makes me tick as a professional. I've been lucky and humbled to hold the positions I've had throughout my career. I always say yes to opportunities because you never know what could happen. My undergraduate experience was helpful in shaping me into the professional I am today, but studying abroad was greatly impactful. Really immersing myself in a different culture, traveling, and seeing how customers and businesses operate on different continents sparked a lifelong passion for travel. I think about those experiences of figuring out how people do things in places where they've been doing it a lot longer than us. It's just interesting to see what goes on in different countries, and that exposure has been invaluable to my growth.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would keep an open mind, always be learning, and never say that you know everything, because that's just impossible. And always say yes, because you never know what could happen.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
That's the thing with retail, right? It's highs and lows. It's really just about how you pivot as a professional. Let's say I work for Saks or Neiman's, that's not a good state to be in right now. So it's just figuring out where your wins are going to be and then the timing of being able to pivot and find your next opportunity. It's unpredictable. COVID changed things and shopping habits so much. It changed how people dress, everything. Department stores are hurting, so I think the model is going to take a bit of a pivot into experiential marketing and digital marketing in some way. Shopping malls are constantly evolving, but I think bringing it more into an elevated space that people are just curious about, making it more experiential where people can test things out, that's the direction we need to go.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Curiosity, continuous learning, helping others, openness to change, gratitude, and humility.