Kristine Naylor

I've definitely worked with the best mentors throughout my career. My first manager out of college in New York City gave me an opportunity because we both came from Syracuse, which was a great connection. I remember my boss at a larger apparel company who basically gave me a roadmap for my career and showed me different milestones I should look to achieve. But probably the most important influence, and the closest to my heart, is my dad. I have my work ethic from my dad. He worked for the same company, Carrol's Corporation, for over 50 years and helped build the largest Burger King franchisee in the U.S. He had four daughters and we're all very successful. He's still friends with all of his coworkers that are still with us from the past 50 years, so it was just like an extension of the family at that point. That dedication and loyalty he demonstrated really shaped who I am professionally.

The best career advice I ever received came from my professor at the State University of Oswego, Paula Bobrowski, who is now a professor or doctor at the University of Alabama. I remember her encouraging me so much to go into the international marketing program in London. That decision to study abroad and take that internship completely changed my life. It kickstarted my interest in travel and wanderlust, and that internship led me to learning about international brands that are based outside the U.S. but then sold in the U.S. Getting out of my comfort zone and taking that leap opened up my entire career path, starting with my first job at Molten Brown. I have no regrets about following that advice.

My advice would be to think outside the box and give everything a chance. When I moved from skincare, hair, and sun care into laundry and dish products with drops, so many people told me I wasn't going to like it. But I would say to the next person, you have to give everything a chance. I can make anything fun, and the idea that we have such loyal customers is a testament to the brand. I'm really glad that I made the decision to join drops two years ago, right before we went into Target. Don't let other people's assumptions limit your opportunities. Be open to new experiences, even if they seem outside your comfort zone or expertise.

The biggest challenges in my field right now are that conventional brands like Tide and Cascade monopolize a lot of the ability for customers to search for and discover emerging brands, purely from a budget perspective. The majority of the market share is with these established brands, but there's room enough for everyone. There are families that want better-for-you products for whatever reason, whether they're looking for sustainable options or U.S. bio-based formulas. Another major challenge is shelf space. Customers want to shop for their dish and laundry products in store as much as online, but shelf space is minimal. When you do get shelf space, you want to make sure there's education for the customer so they know that there is a better-for-you product on the shelf. There's also a lot of noise in the market right now, which makes it harder for emerging brands to break through and reach consumers who are looking for these alternatives.

The values most important to me are authenticity, loyalty, and transparency, and honestly, my work and personal life blend so much that these values apply to both. I have to be a customer and want to use the brand and talk about the brand before I would ever take a job, so there's authenticity in that. I'm very loyal in both family and professional life. I have a pretty extensive network that I hold close to my heart, and just because I don't work with you anymore doesn't mean that we don't stay in touch. That's a quality that not everyone has. Transparency is also crucial to me. People excel in different areas and there's always room for growth, and from a product perspective, you always want to be transparent and upfront with your customers. These three values guide everything I do.