Corie Barry, CEO, Best Buy: Leading an Organization Through Uncertainty and Change

12/15/21 • 36 min

When Corie Barry took over as CEO of Best Buy in the summer of 2019, she -- nor any of us -- could have foreseen what would soon come next. Now, nearly two years into leading one of the world’s largest consumer electronics retailers through a global pandemic, Corie says the experience has only reinforced her leadership philosophy: “I am here to create the conditions for other amazing leaders to be successful.” Corie joins the podcast to give an inside look at how she became CEO of Best Buy and what she’s learned about the role along the way. She also talks about how Best Buy’s purpose of “enriching lives through technology” has come into sharp focus, driving and uniting the organization in innovative ways -- and leading to exciting changes in how the company serves both its customers and its employees now and in the future. Listen to this episode to learn: • How a Midwestern work ethic, artist parents, and a drive to make the world a better place helped shape Corie into the leader she is today • Why retailers can’t force customer behavior, but rather need to “get out of the way” and focus on delivering a frictionless experience • The value of communication in any large organization with so many stakeholders in times of “stacked crises” • How tailoring employee benefits for working parents and caregivers creates a “scaffolding” that helps them succeed at work and in life • The reason and strategy behind why Best Buy is entering the health space • How sustainability and being a part of the circular consumer electronics economy is a competitive advantage for a retailer like Best Buy • Advice for young people aspiring to one day become a CEO

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Mel Selcher, CMO, LinkedIn: The Changing World of Work

The world of work is experiencing a seismic shift. After the stress and trauma of a global pandemic, people are questioning how, where, and why they work. That’s led to what many are calling The Great Resignation. People around the world are looking for new career opportunities as they begin to take stock of all aspects of their lives in order to find greater meaning and purpose. With 800 million global members and 50 million companies represented on its platform, LinkedIn is watching this shift happen in real time. In many ways, the platform and its users are humanizing work, and pushing companies to follow. Mel Selcher, LinkedIn’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, joins the podcast to discuss how companies are rethinking their working models, their culture, and their values -- and what all business leaders should be doing to prepare for the future of work. Listen to this episode to learn: • The growing influence marketers and brand leaders have on a company’s ability to recruit and retain talent • How LinkedIn users are opening up to show their true selves and celebrate their vulnerabilities and, sometimes, failures on the platform • The early trends and data LinkedIn is seeing about changing jobs according to generation (e.g. Gen Z workers versus Baby Boomers) • How Gen Z is redefining what it means to be a professional and why companies need to rethink their cultures and values to align with them • The shift inside of companies to market towards talent and customers equally and why there shouldn’t be a separate consumer-facing brand and the employee-facing brand • Advice for companies as they navigate the tricky boundaries between personal and professional conversation • Advice for CEOs and others on how to engage, connect, and use LinkedIn to improve their leadership

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Rebecca Minkoff: Fearless in Fashion

In 2005, fashionistas across America were raving about something called the “Morning After Bag” (or, the M.A.B. for those in the know). On fashion and celeb blogs, “It Girls” of the moment, like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, were photographed out and about with the M.A.B. draped casually on their arms. Over on an online chat board called The Purse Forum, Rebecca Minkoff, the bag’s designer, was doing something that, up until then, fashion designers would never dare do: talk directly with and listen to customers (“my girls,” as she calls them) about her designs. This was the beginning of Rebecca Minkoff the lifestyle brand, which is now sold all over the world and includes accessories, clothing, jewelry, and, of course, handbags. Rebecca Minkoff, co-founder of the eponymous brand and author of Fearless: The New Rules for Unlocking Creativity, Courage, and Success, joins the podcast to talk about how she launched an “accessible luxury” fashion brand around milestone moments in women’s lives; how her brand’s success is built on trial, error, and innovation; and what’s ahead for fashion in a world on the precipice of entering the metaverse. Listen to this episode to learn: • The story of how a cut-up, remixed “I ❤️ NY” t-shirt helped launch Rebecca Minkoff’s design career in September 2001...and the hustle and hard work she put in afterwards to build her brand • How technology, NFTs, and the metaverse are impacting the fashion industry • Why breaking the once-sacred rules of fashion industry engagement has been a business necessity -- and boon -- for Minkoff • Why “finding your generals” and “letting go” are key for successful leadership • How the Female Founder Collective, co-founded by Minkoff, is helping to support female entrepreneurs ad advance women-owned businesses • Advice for young creatives, innovators, and entrepreneurs who are just starting their careers and are hungry to succeed