Leah A. Garcia
Leah Garcia is a driven retail professional and marketing student at Texas State University, where she is on track to earn her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing in December 2026. Leah combines academic rigor with hands-on leadership experience, balancing the demands of full-time studies with managing a high-performing retail location. Guided by principles of loyalty, honesty, responsibility, and respect, she approaches every challenge with a strong work ethic, strategic focus, and a dedication to growth both professionally and personally.
Leah has been with Barefoot Campus Outfitters for nearly four years, beginning her journey as a sales associate, a role she had long aspired to after touring the campus. Within her first year, her exceptional performance led to a promotion to co-manager and just six months later, at the age of 19, she assumed the solo management role. In this capacity, Leah oversees all aspects of store operations including merchandising, marketing, sales reporting, inventory management, and team leadership that are typically divided across multiple corporate functions. Under her leadership, the San Marcos location has consistently achieved top performance, surpassing sales goals every month and earning recognition as one of the company’s leading stores. The company’s supportive, family-oriented culture has fostered her growth, and she has already been presented with post-graduation opportunities in marketing, merchandising, and buying at the corporate office in Stephenville, Texas, a testament to her dedication, results, and leadership potential.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Leah prioritizes maintaining a balanced and fulfilling personal life. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, exploring the outdoors, relaxing by lakes, and attending live concerts. These experiences not only energize her but also enhance her ability to connect with people, lead her team effectively, and bring creativity and positivity to both her work and studies. Leah’s story reflects a blend of ambition, resilience, and passion, and she remains committed to leveraging her skills, experience, and relationships to continue growing within retail and marketing while pursuing her degree.
What do you attribute your success to?
I think all of it just has to do with good work ethic, and just showing up, and wanting to be there, and wanting to learn, and wanting to just progress. I've always been influenced by my mom - she's always been involved with law, she's been an officer, a case manager, and right now a court clerk. It was just me and my mom growing up, she was a single mom, and I have seen how hard she worked. She was a big influence on me, and she always told me before I got my first job, 'there's always something to do, there's never not something to do, and if there isn't, you find something to do.' That's just always how I've done it, and I even pass that on to my own employees now. I tell them there's never nothing to do, there's always something to do, you can find something. That work ethic and that mindset of always wanting to progress and learn has been the key to my success.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was from my mom before I got my first job. She told me, 'there's always something to do, there's never not something to do, and if there isn't, you find something to do.' That advice has stuck with me throughout my entire career, and it's become part of how I approach my work every single day. I've even passed that same advice on to my own employees because it's been so valuable to me.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say just do a little bit of homework and see what you're getting into before definitely taking it, because there is a lot that comes with the role, it is a lot of responsibility, it's a lot of time. I feel like a lot of people don't really plan ahead - they try to go into some stuff blind. Not completely blind, like they know, but they don't know exactly what they're getting into. That's what I feel like has gotten a lot of people on this road, is that this job does take up a lot of your time. But I also want young women to see that if you're a student with a full-time job and also a full-time student, it is hard to do, but it's very possible to do, and it really does open doors for you along the way.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is that this job takes up a lot of your time, especially if you're in school. It's a lot of responsibility and requires a lot of time commitment. When I first came into the management position, another obstacle I faced was that some of the sales associates I had were hired alongside me, so when I became their manager, some of them didn't really want to take much of what I was saying because they felt like they'd been here the same amount of time as me. I think being close in age with them sometimes was also a challenge. But it was only a select few - I have a pretty good team with me now and they all respect me. I still have about five girls that have been here since I started, and I love them all. The time commitment is real though - this job does take up a lot of your time, but I would say if I wasn't in school, I'd have a smoother route.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Loyalty is very important to me, along with honesty and taking responsibility. I'm the type of person - I tell my team it doesn't matter, you can always come to me and tell me whatever. I'm not gonna get upset because I feel like I've probably seen and heard a lot, and that's probably crazy coming from someone my age, but I feel like I have already. I always tell them, I want you to be careful, I don't want you to ever be scared - if there's something, if there's an issue with something, just always let me know. So I'm big on respect, loyalty, and honesty. Those are the values that matter most to me both professionally and personally.