Her Story
About Victoria
I've been in retail for over 10 years, starting my career after graduating from LIM, a specialized fashion business school in New York where I majored in retail management with a minor in buying. My journey has taken me through various roles across the retail landscape - from opening a new store from the ground up, to working with TJX companies on the Marshall's side, then moving into buying at Macy's Backstage where I helped grow the concept from about 100 to over 300 locations. I expanded my expertise by working as an assistant buyer in fine watches on the full-line Macy's side, learning about luxury products and digital omnichannel buying. I then took on a merchandise planner and allocator role to round out my understanding of the business. After a stint as an assistant buyer at Ross for luxury branded petites, I realized how much I missed being in stores and working directly with customers, so I returned to Massachusetts and rejoined TJX as an assistant manager. I currently work in a high volume district and I love being back where I can combine all my corporate experience with hands-on retail management.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Victoria
01What do you attribute your success to?
Learning as much about my field as I can and all the different roles within it.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Always hold yourself accountable and be the best advocate for yourself and others.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say just ask every question, and don't be embarrassed to ask questions; there's never such thing as a stupid question. Don't be afraid to open up dialogue with people you work with, especially upper management, because they were in your shoes at one point and those are the people that are gonna get you to where you want to go, or open up other doors for you.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Having realistic goals and expectations for sales associates. Understanding how a retail store operates on a day to day business helps set those goals more realistically and makes them more achievable.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Being kind to people. I think sometimes retail gets a bad rep, as if all customer interactions are bad customer experiences, but I want to say most of my customer interactions are great! People just want to have a great time shopping and enjoy their time out in stores. Being kind is a little thing that can go a long way and turn someone’s day around.
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