Her Story
About Madison
I work as a Merchandise Coordinator, going into major retail stores like Target, Walmart, Kohl's, REI, and American Eagle to ensure visual merchandising follows brand standards and guidelines. I follow my dashboard assignments and deadlines to make sure everything is set up correctly. My career path wasn't traditional - I started working at an ice cream shop before dropping out of college due to personal reasons, and I was unemployed for a few months. Then I discovered a Walmart remodel opportunity that didn't require prior experience. I worked hard and became an apparel team lead during that remodel for about a month, and I was one of the last three people out of the final ten to receive offers to continue in this line of work. It took time to build up my reputation across all these projects I'm doing. One of my biggest accomplishments so far has been receiving a CEO selection for a specific project - I still have the email from the CEO himself requesting me for that project, even though it didn't end up going through. I'm currently expanding into sports brands merchandising, mainly with Kohl's and Walmart stores, which I'm really looking forward to. My biggest challenge is scheduling management, especially when I'm fully booked with projects - I have to plan everything out two to three weeks ahead of time to make sure I can complete projects on time. I'm hoping to eventually become a regional manager after a few years.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Madison
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would dedicate my success to a handful of people who have significantly helped me out. First, I would dedicate it to both of my volunteer organizations - they have really supported me throughout my journey. I would also dedicate it to my regional managers who have believed in me and given me opportunities. But most importantly, I would dedicate it to my dad, because when I told him I wanted to drop out of college to pursue this career in merchandising, he was just like, if you want to go for this, go for it. Having that kind of support, especially from family when making such a big decision like dropping out of college, made all the difference in allowing me to pursue something I really love.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The founder of Un/Do Mindset, who I'm very close with, always gives me advice and encouragement. When I told her I had interest in going to law school, she told me no, you should really go for it, you would be very good at it. She even said they can help fund law school just so I can go. Having someone believe in me like that and actively support my goals, even offering to help fund my education, has been incredibly meaningful and motivating.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell her, hey, you are bound to struggle, and you're gonna have to probably fight your way through at first. But once you get past that initial struggle and you get a lot more comfortable, it is a very easy job, and the more projects you do, the better it looks on your record. This line of work requires a lot of practice - I was struggling when I first got on the Walmart remodel too. But if you stick with it and keep building your experience, it gets easier and the opportunities grow.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
My biggest challenges are slow season where merchanding is scarce. Last year, one of my companies expanded and I couldn't get project work till April at the latest. But from my regional manager, my team exceeded sales metrics for the 2025 year and I'm initially signed onto sports brands with Walmart and Kohl's stores.
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