Conversations with Women Who Are Rewriting the Rules of Retail
Retail has a leadership problem. Women fuel this industry. They drive over 70% of consumer spending. They are, without question, the backbone of retail and make up 57% of retail workforce in the U.S. But here is the crux of the problem. Women are underrepresented in leadership roles in retail holding only 29% of executive and senior executive positions. The leadership path narrows and the glass ceiling has yet to be shattered. Women only make up 12% of chief executive roles. When leadership fails to reflect its workforce and customers, innovation stalls, culture suffers, and performance lags. Join the movement, Lead Like Her, to make a difference.
Real Talk from the Top
Lead Like Her is our response.
Through unfiltered, in-depth conversations hosted by Shelley E. Kohan and Haley Boehning, we bring together women who’ve navigated, challenged, and ultimately changed the rules of engagement at the highest levels. Founders, senior executives and CEOs. Many are trailblazers in their respective fields.
They talk candidly about what it really takes to lead in a historically male dominated industry: the skill-building, the tradeoffs, the systemic obstacles, and the mindset shifts. No cliches or performative storytelling. Just sharp, actionable insight from those who’ve lived it. With straight talk and advice for the next-gen leaders.
From Dialogue to Disruption
Lead Like Her is both a rallying cry and a roadmap for change. We’re not here to inspire with platitudes. We’re here to pressure-test the system, elevate underrepresented voices, and redefine what leadership should look like in retail’s next era.
Mary Jo Pile, Retail Executive, High-Performance Coach
October 2026
The Latest LLH Episode
Mary Jo Pile, co-founder of Brooklyn retail brand Collier West, shares lessons from a career spanning leadership roles at Victoria’s Secret, Express, Aeropostale, and J. Jill. She reflects on the importance of supporting store teams, unlearning old habits, and evolving from cheerleader to coach. Her approach to leadership emphasizes passion, creativity, and a commitment to community.
Retail’s Boldest Thinkers
Video Library
Explore our collection of video interviews of leaders sharing wisdom gained from their leadership journey.
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- Founders & Builders
- The Climb
- Tech/Data & AI
- Breaking Through
- Turnaround & Transformation
- All
- Founders & Builders
- The Climb
- Tech/Data & AI
- Breaking Through
- Turnaround & Transformation
Mara Sirhal, SVP Merchandising Home at Target
Mara Sirhal, SVP of Merchandising for Home at Target, shares how she leads through retail’s volatility, from economic pressure and declining consumer counts to friction within leadership teams. She explains why self-reflection helps leaders focus on what they can control, learn from difficult moments, and hold firm to their values when their integrity is tested.
T Robinson, Serial Entreprenuer
Serial entrepreneur T Robinson shares how an unconventional journey—from rural Missouri and military service to three successful exits—shaped her resilience, adaptability, and fearless approach to business. She reveals why great brands foster self-expression and belonging, and why mastering the math, protecting equity, and choosing the right partners are essential to lasting success.
Kimberly Shenk, CEO, Novi: Service Before Self Kimberly Shenk has never taken the expected path. A data scientist and former Air Force captain, she has carried the military's ethos of service before self and its belief that discipline as a habit leads to excellence into a career. She says employees, investors, and stakeholders yearn for a leader and leads with a clear vision, refusing to put a limit on what's possible.
Meaningful Conversations and Transformative Connections TRR’s recent LLH event in Columbus, Ohio, brought together retail executives, emerging leaders and students for authentic conversations about their careers, goals and experiences. By sharing their stories openly, strangers became mentors, peers and collaborators committed to making a difference. Shelley, Haley and Joanna offer a behind-the-scenes look at how LLH builds community and inspires change through meaningful connection.
Carla Vernón, CEO of The Honest Company Carla is a trailblazing leader and one of the first Afro-Latina CEOs of a U.S. publicly traded company. She shares how purpose, conviction, and understanding your strengths can shape a meaningful career. After scaling brands at General Mills and Amazon, she now leads Honest into its next chapter, growing margins while honoring the founder’s vision.
Lori Shafer, CEO at Digital Wave Technology Lori is a tech pioneer and CEO/co-founder of Digital Wave Technology, an AI-native retail and CPG software company, with a background in mathematical modeling and early selection as the only woman among P&G innovators tasked with transforming product delivery. She is a future-focused leader who helps retailers navigate rapid technological change.
Melissa Gonzalez, Principal & Founder of MG2 Melissa shares how leaving Wall Street led her to redefine modern retail through clarity, purpose, and restraint. She explains why not every growth opportunity is yours to chase and why focus, well-being, and the long game matter most.
Sharon John, CEO of Build-A-Bear Sharon breaks down how she led a seamless CEO transition at Build-A-Bear, preserving the founder’s vision while driving a historic turnaround. She shares why great leaders focus on strategy, culture, and empowering teams.
Cyndi Rhoades, CEO of Circle-8 Textile Ecosystems Cyndi explains how she left film to build Circle-8 Textile Ecosystems and tackle the global textile waste crisis. She shares why vision and conviction are essential when you’re building a solution before the industry exists.
Kat DePizzo, President, Justice Design Lab Kat reinvented the Justice brand under dramatic circumstances. During the pandemic, with 15 people and a garage, she relaunched the #1 tween brand in America across 4,400 Walmart doors.
Haley Boehning, Founder/CEO Storyforge Haley has built her consulting business to help executives and their organizations forge and activate their unique brand stories based on the North Star of purpose and impact.
Kimberly Minor, CEO of WOCRA Kimberly shares her experience with facing not the glass ceiling, but what she calls the glass cliff, to becoming a CEO who is shaping an entire industry.
Denise Incandela, EVP Fashion Walmart US Despite driving most consumer spending, women remain underrepresented in retail leadership—Walmart’s Denise Incandela shares her journey to inspire the next generation of female leaders.
Janet Hayes, CEO Crate & Barrel Janet discusses how she transformed a major retail brand by leading with empathy and expertise.
Deborah Weinswig, CEO of Coresight Deborah Weinswig combines strong relationship-building, analytical skills, and a disciplined work ethic to transform industries.
Amy Errett, CEO Madison Reed Amy shares her journey, highlighting intuition, and leading with purpose to build a successful, people-first business.
Stacey Shulman, VP Intel Corporation Stacey champions resilience, authenticity, and co-elevation for women’s success in the male-dominated tech industry.
Maria Silsdorf, Retired VP of Operations Bloomingdales Maria shares how mastering every role, claiming her seat at the table, and standing firm in truth fueled her nearly 40-year rise and paved the way for future women leaders in retail.
Julie Bernard, CMO Lily AI Julie shares her unconventional rise from merchandising to tech leadership, emphasizing strategic networking, intentional time use, and cultivating empowering environments as keys to sustained professional success.
Imani Laners, Cultural Intelligence & Impact Expert Imani exemplifies how authentic connection, adaptability, and charisma fuel dynamic leadership, with her journey from cheerleader to award-winning media executive offering powerful lessons in innovation, balance, and bold action.
Bridget Johns, CEO To&From Bridget shares how calm under pressure, authentic networking, and fearless connection-building fuel her transformative approach to retail leadership.
Allison Heaney, CEO Skaggs Walsh Allison shares how authentic leadership, confidence rooted in equality, and maternal strengths helped her break barriers and thrive in the male-dominated home heating oil industry.
Join The Disruption
Back The Movement
Aligning your brand with Lead Like Her means more than exposure. It means putting a stake in the ground and empowering a movement to inspire meaningful change in the industry. It means being part of a muchneeded evolution in retail leadership. Support the voices.
Consumers notice. Employees care. The market responds.
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- 2025 exclusive program sponsorship
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- Over 1 million impressions across platforms
Let’s drive the industry forward—together.
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Explore by Category
- All
- Founders & Builders
- The Climb
- Tech/Data & AI
- Breaking Through
- Turnaround & Transformation
- All
- Founders & Builders
- The Climb
- Tech/Data & AI
- Breaking Through
- Turnaround & Transformation