Her Story
About Jeannie
Jeannie Barsam is a retail and business leader with over 30 years of experience in the industry. She began her career as a buyer and advanced to executive positions, serving as Vice President at Old Navy and Senior Vice President at Talbots, Zales, Charlotte Ruth, and Michaels. After retiring from corporate retail, she founded Gifting Brands, a nonprofit-focused eCommerce platform that partners with brands to donate excess inventory to support charity events and raise funds for organizations. She holds a marketing degree from Fresno State and serves as the Texas market ambassador for Women in Retail Leadership while remaining involved with its advisory board alumni. In addition to her work with Gifting Brands, Barsam designs and donates jewelry under the Christie Jean brand, has authored the book Where Purpose Begins detailing her professional and faith journey, and actively mentors numerous women and men in the industry. She attributes her success to the generosity of supporting brands and her board members.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jeannie
01What do you attribute your success to?
The success of the nonprofit comes from the generosity of the brands and people on my board who want to make a difference. I couldn't do this by myself.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Find a mentor that you really respect and let them help you with your career. I wish I had women mentors early on. I clawed my way to the top as one of the few women at VP/SVP levels.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Get a mentor, ask a lot of questions, be valuable for your company. It's not about what they can do for you, it's what you can do for them. Be open to taking on extra projects. Add value and make your boss look good. Don't move on unless you have somewhere to go.
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