Her Story
About Iris
My career in entrepreneurship spans 35 years and began with an incredible opportunity that shaped everything that followed. While pursuing my MBA at Indiana University in Indianapolis, I studied under Charles Lazarus of the Lazarus Department Store chain in Ohio. We hit it off, I did well in the program, and he hired me after I got out of school to come work for him at Lazarus's in marketing. That's where I learned the retail business from the inside out, and I also got the chance to work with the food division and restaurants, which opened up a whole new world for me. My proudest accomplishment came in the early 1980s when I started Glory Foods. Working with wholesale farmers, I recognized a void in the market - people wanted to cook soul food, but it was just too much work. I remembered my mother spending all day in the kitchen during the holidays, and I told myself I'd never do that no matter how much I loved someone. So when I had the opportunity to experiment, I created Glory Greens, glory black-eyed peas, and cornbread cake to make soul food accessible and convenient, especially with the microwave becoming common. I've worked with entrepreneurs throughout my entire career, and now, in what I call my retirement age, I've been mentoring people for about the past 5 years. I find people to help and share what I've experienced, giving them a better idea of what the competition is out there and what they need to be prepared for when applying for positions, jobs, or other opportunities.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Iris
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think it was thinking about what my parents must have had to endure when they were going through the South. They both went to HBCUs but couldn't finish - back then, it was acceptable to finish in 2 years and not get a degree. So my dad and my mom came north and became active in Evansville, Indiana. My father worked for Mead Johnson Industries, starting out as a chauffeur and going on to go into human resources, and my mother was a social worker as well. I think it's just watching people develop along the way and adapt to the changing political and economic environment. Their journey and perseverance showed me what was possible and kept me going.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I think along the way, I would tell them that even though you get tired, just remember that someone is depending upon you to demonstrate leadership and courage. I had nieces and nephews and cousins, and I knew they were watching me to see what I was gonna do. And so you're always a role model, even though you don't think you are. I would want to give them more idea of what the competition is out here in the network of when you're trying to apply for positions, or jobs, or other opportunities - what you have to be prepared for.
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