17 - Julia Straus, Sweaty Betty

In Episode 17 of Earned, Conor talks with Julia Straus, CEO of popular British activewear brand Sweaty Betty. Conor and Julia begin their conversation with a discussion of COVID-19’s impact on retail (which they firmly believe is “not dead”), and the pivots Sweaty Betty has made to adapt to the changing landscape. We then take a few steps back and learn more about why Julia first decided to pursue an MBA, and hear about her experience at popular jewelry brand BaubleBar. Conor and Julia then dive into why Julia sought to join the Tula team at the skincare brand’s conception and how she helped “build everything from scratch.” Julia shares Tula’s early approach to influencer marketing, and reveals the strategies that powered the brand’s success. They then switch gears to Sweaty Betty: Julia discusses what makes the brand different from the competition in the activewear space and why its female-empowerment focus first drew Julia to the role. As the head of a 700+ person company, Julia shares her leadership philosophies and her lessons learned from leading in a newly remote working culture. Finally, we learn how influencer marketing strategies differ between beauty and apparel, and Julia explains why Sweaty Betty prioritizes consistent, long-term partnerships with creators.