Her Story
About Isabel
Isabel Lange brings over seven years of retail management experience to her current role as owner of a handmade candle and wax melt business. She began her retail career at Charlotte Russe, where she started as an assistant manager and was promoted to store manager. She later joined Dillard's as a business selling manager in cosmetics, eventually overseeing the entire cosmetics department at the North Park location before moving to the Cedar Hill store. After leaving Dillard's, she gained additional people management experience in office management for a medical staffing company. This year, Isabel stepped away from traditional retail to focus on her entrepreneurial venture selling at markets and on her advocacy efforts for domestic violence victims, including a self-defense program she developed for women that she plans to present to the Dallas Police Department. Her educational background includes a degree in veterinary technology, and she previously worked as a surgery technician for three years. Among her professional honors, she was named Highest Performing Manager at Dillard's in 2021 and was nominated for a 32 Under 32 award recognizing business professionals in Dallas.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Isabel
01What do you attribute your success to?
The relentless push of my mother who taught me independence and to be the change I want to see in the world. She came to the States in her late 20s, traveled the world, finished nursing school, and emphasized that women should experience the world firsthand without relying on others for support.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Be the change you want to see in the world. Instead of complaining or pointing fingers, take action and create solutions yourself rather than just sharing opinions.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The world belongs to women. We have an insane ability to think with our brains and hearts at the same time, and the world needs this kind of care and attention that women can bring. Being a woman in a male-dominated field is a compliment, so trailblaze your way into the industry and take it all.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Retail is too closed-minded and focused on internal promotions over qualified outside hires with diverse expertise. AI resume screening fails to understand people's skills properly, and companies should partner across industries like Amazon with Grubhub to innovate instead of fighting the internet for sales.
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