Jill Marra

I attribute my success to my work ethic, my drive, and my passion for the industry. I love apparel and I've always had an interest in fashion - I really couldn't see myself doing anything else. Now I feel like I'm working for a company, or consulting for a company, that is really taking everything that I love combined in one, because I love product, I'm an avid sports fan, and I love the entrepreneurial spirit and culture of the company. Being able to do it through my own company is exciting. I think confidence also attributes to a lot of my success, as well as resilience. It hasn't always been an easy road - I've been pretty fortunate throughout my career, but it hasn't always been easy, and there's been some bumps along the way, some partings and things like that. But I truly believe you take the positives from each professional experience, and then that leads you to the next experience. There's always a silver lining.

The best career advice I've ever received is don't burn bridges. Don't burn any bridges, because you never know where people are going to end up, and the industry is small. That definitely would be at the top of my list. I would also say maintaining your integrity and sticking to your core values, and applying those to your professional career as well, is really, really important. I've always stuck to my own core values even with leading teams, being authentic to who I am, and demonstrating resilience through challenging times.

I would tell young women entering my industry to be confident, network, and be yourself. Really follow your dreams and work hard. Build relationships and take classes - I took an executive leadership class through Wharton, and I think employers love to see that. Also, embrace AI, because it is changing the world and you have to stay current. Stay focused on your goals - set your goals, write out your goals, and have integrity. Another important piece of advice is to find a mentor. I've been lucky enough to have a mentor, and I think for young people, having somebody who's gonna guide them through the decision-making process, negotiations when you're accepting a job, or how to know when it's time to leave a job and not be complacent, is invaluable. Challenge yourself and believe in yourself - both are very important. Don't hop around and make too many jumps. Companies like loyalty, but make sure you're being loyal to the right companies, the companies that align with your values. At this stage in my career, I only want to work for companies that bring out the best in me. Work for companies that will set you up for success and have a manager that's gonna support you and help you achieve both the company goals and your own professional goals, helping you with that roadmap to achieving those.

In my field, I think the tariffs have been a challenge this past year for everybody. The changing retail landscape and the competitive landscape are also challenging. You have more brands and customers, but the retailers have less retail space, have less floor space. So you're really competing with brands for that space, and trying to be profitable while also maintaining brand integrity is a huge challenge for a lot of different companies and brands. Everyone wants that same piece of the pie. You have to evaluate what the risks are in terms of your costing strategies. Amazon has definitely been a big challenge because everyone could just click a button and they don't necessarily have to walk into a store anymore. Even DoorDash is taking it a step further.

The values most important to me are being honest, standing up for what you believe in, and doing the right thing. I've witnessed office bullying before and have had to address that, so confronting conflict even when it's uncomfortable is important to me. My values are being authentic and staying true to who I am, and also being accountable. I think accountability is a big piece of your professional growth - you might mess up, everybody messes up sometimes, but it's how you handle the mistake. Taking ownership and accountability, and being a decent human being are core to who I am. Don't cut corners, put in the work. Following ethics and company ethics, and aligning yourself with the company values is really important. At this stage in my career, I only want to work for companies that I feel bring out the best in me and align with my values. Companies that will set you up for success and have a manager that's gonna support you are key.