Bold Representation
Putting a flag in the ground for the unifying purpose of a company is a big deal, and can be an intimidating challenge for brand leaders. That’s why we’re sharing a peek behind the curtain of how one of our brand partners is getting it done with lessons for others looking to lead with ambition and action for positive change.?
In BBMG’s latest podcast episode, we speak to Shawn Outler, the Chief Diversity Officer at Macy’s, Inc. about how she’s helping the iconic retailer harness the power of social purpose to transform the business from legacy to leadership with its new purpose platform Mission Every One.
As Shawn’s career took her through the ranks from buyer to merchant to operations to fashion forecasting to the C-Suite, she found that there was a lack of diversity in decision making and leadership roles. “It was hard for me to find mentors. It was hard for me to find people that look like me in roles that I want. So I really quickly started to think about this idea that I could help others learn about it and figure out how to excel,” Shawn told us. It was after having that personal experience that she pioneered The Workshop at Macy’s, the retail industry’s longest running vendor development program dedicated to elevating, supporting and growing the next generation of diverse-owned merchants and vendors.
And as Shawn reminds us, and frequently reminds her team, you cannot put the words before the work. Before purpose-oriented, consumer-facing marketing comes the essential internal work of getting your house in order. Whatever your brand’s deeper purpose may be, it should be grounded in the company’s DNA and reflected in the actions it takes with respect to how it treats its employees, suppliers, partners and community.
Hear more from Shawn on her personal journey and the journey to create Macy’s new purpose platform by checking out our podcast, The Future We Want, Ep. 10: Bold Representation in Retail.
Rock on,
The BBMG Team
“Bold representation, for me personally, is being able to show up authentically and knowing that I have a seat at the table, that I have a voice that matters.”
-Shawn Outler, Chief Diversity Officer at Macy’s, Inc.
PERSPECTIVE:
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For many years, BBMG has been big fans of the team and work at La Casa de Carlota & Friends (LCDC&F), the first design studio that’s home to designers and artists with autism and Down Syndrome. From our recent collaboration, we ask: How might we create better ideas and solutions by designing with, and not just designing for, our neurodiverse peers??
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What We’re Reading and Doing for Our Mental Health
May is mental health month, a tradition started in 1949 by the Mental Health America organization to help people understand and care for their mental wellbeing. With mental health in mind, here’s some things our team has been up to.
?? If you’ve emailed us on a recent Friday you may have received an automated email telling you that it’s Focus Friday. This is a new company-wide initiative that dedicates time each Friday – away from meetings or deadlines – when our team can nourish their curiosity, creativity, health and happiness in service of delivering the awesome work we all love!?
?? Robin has been using her Focus Fridays as an opportunity to get outside at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and Greenwood Cemetery while the cherry blossoms were in bloom.
?? Hannah is really loving the book Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason, a book about a woman struggling with mental health that also manages to be very funny.
?? Liz has been reading How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell, a deeply empathetic novel about digital addiction, mental burnout, the questionable notion of productivity, and how to reconnect with our humanity in a capitalist society.
BBMG is a branding and social impact consultancy that works with leaders who won’t wait on things that can’t wait. Learn more, see our work, and get in touch at?bbmg.com