70 - Winnie Park, Forever 21

In our 70th episode of Earned, we sit down with Winnie Park, CEO of Gen Z retailer Forever 21. We start by discussing the resurgence of retail and in-store shopping, and how the industry has changed since the start of the pandemic. Winnie unpacks the evolution of Forever 21’s omnichannel strategy, and emphasizes the importance of meeting the customer where they’re at. We dive into the retailer’s approach to influencer marketing, and Winnie shares why Forever 21 prioritizes co-creation. Conor asks Winnie what it takes to run hundreds of physical retail locations, and Winnie explains why store associates are crucial because they’re closest to the boss—the customer. Next, we hear Winnie’s perspective on the “Glass Cliff” phenomenon, and she shares why she believes women make some of the best CEOs, particularly in tough times. To close the show, Winnie reveals her greatest learnings from her mentors, and why she now loves mentoring other professionals, before sharing the advantages of being part of the SPARC Group community.

In this episode, you will learn:

1. How the retail industry has evolved and bounced back since the start of the pandemic
2. The importance of a balanced omnichannel strategy and meeting the customer where they're at
3. Why women make some of the best CEOs in tough times

Key Takeaways

[01:08] The resurgence of retail and in-store shopping

[09:43] The evolution of Forever 21's omnichannel strategy

[17:34] Forever 21’s approach to influencer marketing

[23:40] The keys to successfully running physical retail locations

[27:49] Winnie's perspective on the "Glass Cliff" phenomenon

Resources:

• Forever21
• Forever21 on TikTok - @forever21
• Forever21 on Instagram - @forever21
• The Spark Group 

Connect with the Guest:

• Winnie’s LinkedIn - @winnie-park

Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ:

• Conor’s LinkedIn - @conormbegley
• CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq

Follow us on social:

• CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics
• CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq
• CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq
• CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ