by Amanda Watson
Great leaders often identify a seemingly ordinary experience as the source of their greatest motivation and passion. For J.CREW’s President and Executive Creative Director, that impetus was found in the tuna aisle as a child with her recently divorced mother. She was feeling lost without the direction of her husband. In that moment, Lyons remembers committing to working her ass of so as to never have to rely on a man.
As a long-time J.CREW aficionado and a true appreciator of any good story with a smart, strong woman at the helm, I was drawn to Inc. Magazine’s recent feature of J.CREW’s President Jenna Lyons and her impact on the American specialty retailer. After starting more than 20 years ago in the company as an intern, Lyons was named by TIME magazine in 2013 as one of the world’s most influential people and recently landed the role as President to serve as business partner to CEO Millard Drexler.
The crux of J.CREW’s success may not be all Jenna Lyons, but her vision substantially influenced the company’s rise to $1.7 billion in revenue. My takeaways of her and J. CREW’s success are:
- Partner with dynamic minds to shape and define the brand: J.CREW’s business model, determined by Lyons and Drexler, is based on iteration, evolution and constant “freewheeling experimentation” and weighs creative and financial decisions equally.
- Commit to brand consistency: In her role as Executive Creative Director, Lyons also identified thematic inconsistencies of the brand and worked to create one streamlined and chic look represented in all 333 American retail stores, on the web and in all 24 editions of their catalogue.
- Embrace quality as a brand attribute: To bolster their brand appearance, Lyons places emphasis on sourcing superior materials to make J.CREW’s line high quality. This inspires brand loyalty with customers knowing the company will deliver on their expectations.
- Never lose the startup mentality: The company also keeps innovative, quality start-ups in their sights and by their side as they build their empire, selling specialty ties and Italian shoes so their brand retains the small-time, upscale feel.
Whether the credit is due to Lyons, or to J.CREW for hiring a bright-eyed college graduate more than twenty years ago, what emerged was a transcendent and ageless brand spearheaded by a badass businesswoman inspired in a tuna aisle.
