ANNOUNCER: TONIGHT ON SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR, CEO OF VERA BRADLEY, JACKIE ARDREY.

STAY TUNED.

SHOWCASE STARTS RIGHT NOW.

[MUSIC] KELLAR: HI, I'M BARBARA KELLER, AND WELCOME TO SHOWCASE.

WE HAVE A VERY INTERESTING AND LOVELY GUEST TODAY JACKIE ARDREY, WHO HAS HAD A REALLY SPECTACULAR CAREER AS AN EXECUTIVE.

AND WE WANT TO HEAR ALL ABOUT IT.

SO WELCOME TO SHOWCASE.

ARDREY: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I'M THRILLED TO BE HERE TODAY.

KELLAR: WELL, I'M GLAD YOU WERE ABLE TO EXIT YOUR MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES FOR A LITTLE BIT AND COME HERE AND TELL US ALL ABOUT WHAT YOU DO.

TELL US YOUR CURRENT POSITION, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT HOW YOU GOT THERE.

ARDREY: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY, SO CURRENTLY I AM CEO OF VERA BRADLEY INCORPORATED.

VERA BRADLEY INCORPORATED IS COMPRISED OF TWO LIFESTYLE BRANDS PURA VIDA, WHICH IS HEADQUARTERED ON THE WEST COAST IN LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA, AND VERA BRADLEY.

OBVIOUSLY, VERA BRADLEY, A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW VERA BRADLEY AS WE'RE, YOU KNOW, A 40 YEAR OLD HERITAGE BRAND HEADQUARTERED IN FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, THE REASON THAT I AM HERE TODAY IS I'M A CINCINNATIAN.

I LIVE IN CINCINNATI, AND I'VE BEEN HERE FOR MANY YEARS.

AND I HAVE JUST -- IT'S BEEN ABOUT TWO YEARS SINCE I'VE TAKEN THIS JOB AS CEO OF VERA BRADLEY.

SO JUST EXCITED TO SHARE MY STORY.

YEAH.

KELLAR: SO WERE YOU A NATIVE OF CINCINNATIAN?

ARDREY: NO, I WAS NOT.

SO, I MOVED HERE, LIKE I SAID, ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.

AND WE REALLY, REALLY LOVE IT HERE.

SO I'VE MOVED IN MY CAREER JOURNEY REALLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND I ACTUALLY GREW UP IN THE PHILADELPHIA AREA AND THEN GRADUALLY MOVED MY WAY WEST AND SPENT A LOT OF MY ADULT YEARS IN POSITIONS OF INCREASING RESPONSIBILITY IN OREGON.

AND THEN NOW I'VE MADE MY WAY BACK.

SO I WAS IN OREGON FOR A WHILE AND MOVED TO KANSAS AND NOW BACK IN CINCINNATI.

AND WE REALLY LOVE IT HERE.

KELLAR: WHERE DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL?

ARDREY: PENN STATE.

KELLAR: DID YOU GO AS AN -- DO YOU HAVE AN MBA?

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE-- ARDREY: NO, I DON'T.

I ACTUALLY WENT TO SCHOOL FOR COMMUNICATIONS.

SO AND I ENDED UP IN MY CAREER, YOU KNOW, THINKING THAT I WAS GOING TO BE IN ADVERTISING IN SOME WAY.

AND SO IT'S AN INTERESTING STORY BECAUSE I WAS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN BUSINESS.

SO I HAD A MINOR IN BUSINESS AS WELL.

BUT OUT OF SCHOOL, I WAS RECRUITED INTO AN EXECUTIVE TRAINING PROGRAM AND MOVED DOWN TO VIRGINIA IN DEPARTMENT STORE.

SO THAT WAS MAY COMPANY HAD A REALLY IMPORTANT PROGRAM BACK THEN, WHICH HAS REALLY STOOD THE TEST OF TIME.

AND IT JUST BROUGHT A LOT OF LIKE PEOPLE TOGETHER WHO HAD, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAD BUSINESS SKILLS AND YOU HAD KIND OF SOME CREATIVE SKILLS, WHICH IS REALLY WHERE I'VE BEEN BALANCED IN MY CAREER.

BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER IN THESE WONDERFUL TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT I STILL, YOU KNOW, I STILL YEARN FOR TODAY FOR SOME OF OUR YOUNG, LIKE, OUR YOUNGER AUDIENCE OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, WHEN THEY JUST GRADUATE FROM SCHOOL.

AND IT'S JUST WAS A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM FOR JUST TRAINING AND BUSINESS AND THIS CAREER.

KELLAR: YEAH.

SO CAN WE SAY YOU DIDN'T NEED AN MBA?

ARDREY: IT'S INTERESTING, YEAH.

I MEAN, IT'S -- BECAUSE I THINK -- I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AT SEVERAL, SEVERAL TIMES THROUGH MY CAREER.

KELLAR: SO THAT'S NOT A CRAZY QUESTION.

ARDREY: NO, IT'S NOT A CRAZY QUESTION.

I MEAN, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MY POSITION DO HAVE THEM AND BUT NOT EVERYONE DOES.

SO.

YEAH.

KELLAR: SO IT'S NOT A NECESSITY.

MAYBE IT'S GOOD IN SOME REGARDS, BUT.

ARDREY: IT'S -- I DON'T THINK IT'S A NECESSITY, THE FORMAL PART OF HAVING AN MBA IS A NECESSITY.

IT CERTAINLY HASN'T BEEN FOR ME.

I THINK THE KEY, THOUGH, TO MY SUCCESS WAS I WAS ABLE TO, WHATEVER FUNCTIONAL AREA I WAS IN CHARGE OF, I ALWAYS WANTED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHATEVER AREA WAS CONNECTED TO MINE OR INFLUENCED BY MINE.

SO THAT WAS ALWAYS PART OF MY, MAYBE MORE INFORMAL LEARNING.

SO I DIDN'T KNOW FINANCE, BUT I REALLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH CFOS AND KIND OF LEARNED WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO THEM AND HOW THEY LOOKED AT THINGS.

SO THE LEARNING IS REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT FOR ME, THE ACTUAL FORMALITY OF THE MBA WASN'T AS IMPORTANT.

KELLAR: SO YOU WERE SMART ENOUGH TO LEARN ON THE JOB.

ARDREY: GOSH, YEAH, I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO CLAIM THAT.

YES, I THINK I MEAN.

KELLAR: IT SOUNDS CLEAR THAT YOU DID.

ARDREY: BUT IT'S INITIATIVE, I THINK.

IT'S THE INITIATIVE AND THE CURIOSITY, THAT'S I THINK, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

KELLAR: THAT'S ANOTHER GREAT -- ARDREY: IT'S CURIOSITY AND THAT'S WHAT I SAY.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS IN MY POSITION TODAY THAT I TALK A LOT ABOUT.

IN FACT, I WAS ON A TRANSFORMATIVE CEO SUMMIT.

I WAS A KEYNOTE YESTERDAY IN A PROGRAM.

AND WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO TRANSFORM A COMPANY.

AND ONE OF THE KEY THINGS IS JUST YOU HAVE TO HAVE CURIOSITY AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE A -- YOU HAVE TO HAVE A TEAM THAT HAS THE ABILITY AND DESIRE TO LEARN.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE TRANSFORMING A COMPANY, AS WE'RE DOING, IT'S YOU HAVE TO -- YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE MISTAKES, YOU'RE GOING TO DO THINGS, YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE THINGS THAT JUST AREN'T -- THAT DON'T RESONATE.

AND YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A TEAM THAT PICKS THINGS UP QUICKLY AND SAYS, "OKAY, I LEARNED THIS, AND NOW I HAVE TO DO THIS."

AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT CURIOSITY AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE A TEAM THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO LEARN, YOU WON'T EVER GET THERE.

KELLAR: RIGHT.

I'M AN OLD SCHOOL TEACHER.

SO TAUGHT MY KIDS TO PAY ATTENTION, LISTEN AND PAY ATTENTION.

AND I THINK THAT LISTENING HAS BECOME A LOST ART SOMEHOW.

IT'S VERY SELDOM THAT YOU FIND PEOPLE AND ESPECIALLY COMING UP, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PREOCCUPIED WITH SO MANY, THE CELL PHONE OR THE WHATEVER IT IS, AND THEY'RE NOT LISTENING TO WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND HOW CAN YOU SUCCEED AND HOW CAN YOU BECOME BETTER IF YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION AND YOU'RE NOT LISTENING?

I THINK WHAT YOU'RE, HOW YOU'RE DESCRIBING YOUR ASCENT IS YOU WANTED TO BE INVOLVED, YOU ARE CURIOUS, AND YOU CAME ALONG.

HOW DID -- HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH VERA BRADLEY?

ARDREY: UM, JUST ALMOST TWO YEARS.

YEAH.

SO, IT'S BEEN QUICK, BUT I KNEW THAT WHEN I FIRST GOT THE CALL ABOUT THIS JOB AND WHAT THE BOARD WANTED TO DO WITH THE COMPANY AND WHO THEY WERE LOOKING FOR TO LEAD IT, I WAS IMMEDIATELY INTERESTED BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME ISSUES THAT NEEDED TO BE SOLVED.

AND I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.

AND SO KIND OF GOING DOWN, BUT, YOU KNOW, BEFORE YOU PREP FOR AN INTERVIEW FOR A JOB LIKE THIS, YOU REALLY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE TRUE CHALLENGES ARE GOING TO BE.

AND SO THAT INVOLVES GOING TO STORES, SHOPPING ON THE WEBSITE, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IS AND HAVING A, YOU HAVE TO KIND OF GO IN WITH A THEORY OF WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN ORDER TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE.

AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JUST DRIVES ME.

AGAIN, IT'S THE CURIOSITY.

IT'S LIKE, WHAT CAN I LEARN AND HOW DO I CONNECT IT?

AND THEN HOW DO I HIRE A TEAM THAT IS ALSO SIMILARLY MINDED SO THAT WHEN THEY COME, THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO UNPACK THOSE SAME THINGS.

KELLAR: RIGHT.

JUST FOR OUR AUDIENCE, MOST WOMEN ARE GOING TO ALREADY KNOW WHAT VERA BRADLEY IS, BUT FOR THE GUYS.

I GUESS YOU DON'T HAVE THINGS FOR GUYS, DO YOU?

ARDREY: NO, WE DON'T.

NO.

KELLAR: WELL, FOR THE GUYS THERE, IT'S A LOVELY, I WOULD SAY TRADITIONAL, OLD FASHIONED MAYBE PATTERN THAT'S QUILTED AND IT'S MADE INTO DIFFERENT PIECES OF LUGGAGE, HAND THINGS.

ARDREY: YEP.

KELLAR: BUT YOU HAVE BRANCHED OUT.

HAVE YOU ALWAYS HAD ALL THESE OTHER THINGS OR WERE THOSE SOME OF YOUR INNOVATIONS?

ARDREY: UM, NO.

OUR -- WE ALWAYS, I THINK, HAVE HAD A PRETTY STEADY PIPELINE OF INNOVATION IN THE COMPANY.

AND THAT WAS REALLY BORN FROM, I MEAN, I LOVE TO TELL THIS STORY.

IT'S SUCH AN AMAZING STORY OF THIS BRAND THAT THERE'S TWO WOMEN STARTED IT 40 YEARS AGO.

AND THEY ARE AMAZING PEOPLE, JUST AMAZING HUMAN BEINGS.

AND THEY'RE STILL AROUND AND THEY STILL ARE, I MEAN, AND WHEN I SAY AROUND, I MEAN, THEY'RE STILL AVAILABLE TO US, TO OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM AND ENGAGED AND WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE BRAND AND WHAT THEY DID.

SO THEY'RE INCREDIBLE.

THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.

AND JUST THE WISDOM THAT THEY'VE IMPARTED, BOTH ABOUT THE BUSINESS AND ABOUT HOW THEY STARTED AND ABOUT LIFE, IS JUST INCREDIBLE.

IT'S REALLY INCREDIBLE.

IT'S A BENEFIT THAT I NEVER INTENDED THAT I NEVER INTENDED TO GET.

BUT THEY STARTED THIS BUSINESS AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE STORY.

THEY BORROWED $500 FROM THEIR HUSBANDS.

THAT WAS HOW THEY STARTED THIS 40 YEARS AGO.

SO YOU HEAR ALL ABOUT JUST ENTREPRENEURS NOW AND HOW ENTREPRENEURS STARTED.

THEY WERE ORIGINAL WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS WHEN THAT WASN'T EVEN A THING.

I MEAN, THEY STARTED THIS AND SAW THIS NEED FOR COLOR.

LIKE, THAT'S REALLY WHERE IT STARTED IS, LIKE, THEY WERE SITTING TOGETHER IN AN AIRPORT AND SAID THEY JUST SAW ALL THESE ROLLING BLACK SUITCASES AND BLACK BAGS AND SAID, "WE NEED SOMETHING ELSE, LIKE, FOR WOMEN TRAVELING, WE NEED SOMETHING ELSE."

KELLAR: THAT'S PRETTY AND FUN.

ARDREY: YES, AND THAT'S HOW IT ALL STARTED.

AND IT EXTENDED TO BAGS AND COSMETIC BAGS AND EYEGLASS HOLDERS, PURSES AND ALL OF THAT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE PIPELINE OF INNOVATION THROUGH THE COMPANY HAS BEEN FAIRLY STRONG.

WHAT WE REALLY DID AS A TEAM WAS TRIED TO MODERNIZE SOME OF THE SILHOUETTES AND SOME OF THE, JUST SOME OF OUR LOOKS AND REALLY BRING THOSE INTO THE FUTURE.

SO IT'S LIKE IF YOU SEE WHAT WE'VE DONE NOW, IT FEELS VERY MUCH LIKE THE HERITAGE OF THE BRAND, BUT MODERNIZED.

KELLAR: SO THESE TWO WOMEN GOT TOGETHER AND THEY STARTED WITH THE QUILTING.

DID THEY ACTUALLY MAKE THE FIRST BAGS?

ARDREY: THEY DIDN'T MAKE THEM THEMSELVES, BUT THEY FOUND PEOPLE.

AND THAT'S THE AMAZING, ALSO THE AMAZING BACKGROUND BEHIND THE STORY.

AND I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN AT SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL BRANDS AND FOUNDER OWNED BRANDS TOO, I SEEM TO BE DRAWN TO THOSE.

BUT THEY JUST HAVE THESE AMAZING STORIES OF HOW THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, RAN INTO SOMEBODY AND SAID, "OH, YOU KNOW WHAT?

NOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE PART OF OUR TRIBE," RIGHT?

THEY JUST SORT OF BROUGHT THEM IN.

KELLAR: SO THEY WOULD START MAKING THESE?

ARDREY: THEY WOULD FIND PEOPLE TO MAKE THEM.

THEY WOULD RUN INTO SOME -- KELLAR: COTTAGE INDUSTRY.

ARDREY: YES, COMPLETELY.

AND THEN THEY BUILT THAT IN FORT WAYNE.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT JUST GREW AND GREW AND GREW AND THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT THEY'VE BUILT WITH THE COMMUNITY, WITH THE EMPLOYEES, WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WHO SELL, SOLD OUR PRODUCTS.

IT'S AMAZING.

AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BOTH OVER 80 NOW AND SO, JUST SO INVOLVED AND SO LOVELY.

IT'S JUST INSPIRATIONAL REALLY TO BE PART OF IT.

KELLAR: HOW LONG DID THEY KEEP DOING IT BEFORE THEY -- I ASSUME THEY SOLD IT.

ARDREY: YES.

YES.

KELLAR: HOW LONG DID THEY KEEP IT BEFORE THEY SOLD IT?

ARDREY: OH, A LONG TIME.

I MEAN, WE'VE ONLY BEEN PUBLIC ABOUT 12 YEARS, SO IT WAS JUST ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO THAT THEY BOTH -- KELLAR: THEY WERE STILL MAKING THEM ALL THEMSELVES?

ARDREY: THEY WEREN'T MAKING THEM, NO.

BUT THEY WERE INVOLVED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE BUSINESS.

KELLAR: SO IT HADN'T BEEN SOLD.

ARDREY: YEAH.

WE WENT PUBLIC.

YEAH.

YEAH.

KELLAR: UNTIL 12 YEARS AGO.

WOW.

THAT IS TWO LADIES IN FORT WORTH, INDIANA.

FORT WAYNE, SORRY.

FORT WAYNE.

JUST HAD AN IDEA AND IT'S JUST GROWN AND GROWN.

AND SO MANY OF THOSE THINGS, LIKE YOUR PRODUCT, THEY LOSE, THEY BECOME OBSOLETE.

ARDREY: RIGHT.

YES.

KELLAR: AND THEY DON'T KEEP UP WITH THE TRENDS AND SO FORTH.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE USED TO HAVE, BUT IT DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE.

WHEREAS YOU HAVE KEPT IT IN, YOU'VE KEPT UP WITH STYLES AND TIMES, AND YOUR PRODUCTS REFLECT YOUR CUSTOMERS' LIKES AND WANTS AND NEEDS.

AND THAT'S WHY YOU'VE GROWN.

WHAT WAS THE GROWTH OF YOUR COMPANY FROM WHEN IT STARTED TO NOW?

ARDREY: YEAH, WELL VERA BRADLEY ALTOGETHER, VERA BRADLEY AND PURA VIDA, THE WHOLE ENTERPRISE IS ABOUT $400 MILLION.

SO AND AGAIN THE STORY THAT THEY STARTED THIS AND THEY AFTER THEIR -- I MEAN THEIR KIDS WERE ALL OUT OF THE HOUSE, RIGHT?

NO PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN ANY OF THIS, WHICH IS TO ME LIKE GOING BACK TO MY ROOTS AND HAVING THE BENEFIT OF HAVING AN EXECUTIVE PROGRAM TO GO THROUGH.

AND HERE'S WHAT YOU DO, AND HERE'S THE NEXT STEPS.

AND YOU GO UP THROUGH YOUR CAREER.

AND I THINK, WOW, THEY STARTED THIS AND BROUGHT PEOPLE ALONG THAT REALLY DIDN'T HAVE THAT TRAINING.

THEY JUST BROUGHT IN THEIR FRIENDS.

KELLAR: AND THEY'RE JUST DOING IT.

ARDREY: WE'RE JUST GOING TO DO IT.

KELLAR: THIS IS HOW.

YEAH.

ARDREY: SO BRAVE AND YOU KNOW, IT JUST BUILT, IT BUILT UP EVERY YEAR AND IT WAS SO - AND THEN I THINK WHEN THEY KIND OF, AT SOME POINT THEY TURNED AND THEY BROUGHT IN MORE PROFESSIONAL, LIKE PROFESSIONAL MANAGERS WHO OVER THE YEARS BRANCHED OUT TO DIFFERENT CHANNELS.

SO WE STARTED AS A WHOLESALE BUSINESS, WHICH MEANS WE WERE SELLING TO, YOU KNOW, OTHER SHOPS.

AND THAT'S HOW WE STARTED.

AND THEN WE STARTED TO OPEN OUR OWN STORES AND WE STARTED, YOU KNOW, BOTH FULL LINE STORES.

SO IN MALLS, THEN OUTLET STORES AND THEN WEBSITES AND AMAZON AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE MARKETPLACES.

SO NOW WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PRETTY MUCH YOU CAN BUY IT JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF CHANNELS ANYWHERE ANYWAY.

SO, BUT IT GREW BECAUSE OF THAT AND BECAUSE WE CONTINUED TO BE WHERE OUR CUSTOMER WAS SHOPPING.

KELLAR: YEAH.

AND DID THEY REPAY THEIR HUSBANDS?

ARDREY: YES, THEY DID, MANY TIMES OVER.

KELLAR: MANY TIMES OVER.

I THINK THAT WAS THE BEST INVESTMENT THEIR HUSBANDS EVER, EVER DID.

ARDREY: THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH.

KELLAR: BUT I THINK THAT'S GREAT.

THE TWO LADIES AND THEY'RE STILL ALIVE AND THEY'RE STILL IN FORT WAYNE.

ARDREY: THEY'RE, I MEAN, THEY'RE THRIVING.

THEY'RE JUST THRIVING.

AND THEY ARE JUST, AGAIN, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH, THEY'RE JUST WONDERFUL PEOPLE.

WE JUST ACTUALLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DID THAT I ABSOLUTELY AM SO PROUD OF BEING JUST BEING PART OF THE COMPANY, IS THEY STARTED A FOUNDATION FOR BREAST CANCER.

SO VERA BRADLEY FOUNDATION FOR BREAST CANCER.

THEY STARTED IT BECAUSE THESE TWO LADIES HAVE A BIAS FOR ACTION.

SO THEY HAD A VERY GOOD FRIEND WHO PASSED AWAY FROM BREAST CANCER AND THEY JUST SAID, "WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.

WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING."

AND THEY STARTED TO RAISE MONEY AND THEY HAD SOME EVENTS AND OVER THE YEARS IT'S TURNED INTO THIS INCREDIBLE FOUNDATION THAT WE -- HAS -- IT'S AN INCREDIBLE PARTNERSHIP WITH IU MEDICAL SCHOOL.

WE HAVE A VERA BRADLEY FOUNDATION FOR BREAST CANCER AT IU MEDICAL SCHOOL, AND WE HAVE SUPPORTED THEM WITH OVER $40 MILLION.

KELLAR: WOW.

ARDREY: YEAH.

IT'S A -- WE JUST HAD THE EVENT LAST WEEKEND.

AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, EVERY SINGLE YEAR WE JUST WROTE A, THE FOUNDATION WROTE A CHECK FOR OVER $1.6 MILLION JUST FROM THAT EVENT.

AND IT IS, I MEAN, IT'S CHANGING WOMEN'S LIVES AND THAT'S THEIR LEGACY.

YOU KNOW?

THAT'S PART OF WHAT THEY DID AS A COMPANY WAS GROWING.

SO IT'S A GREAT STORY.

KELLAR: I LOVE THESE STORIES OF ENORMOUS SUCCESS AND WHAT DID THEY DO WITH THE MONEY?

DID THEY HELP PEOPLE?

DID THEY HAVE FOUNDATIONS?

BECAUSE MAKING ALL THAT MONEY IS NOT A STORY UNTIL YOU FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO IT.

WHAT DID IT DO THAT CHANGED THE WORLD, OR CHANGED SOCIETY, OR CHANGED A SMALL NICHE IN SOME LITTLE TOWN WITH FORT WAYNE?

ARE THEY THE -- ARE YOU THE BIGGEST COMPANY IN FORT WAYNE?

ARDREY: WE'RE NOT, BUT WE'RE THE ON TOP LIST FOR SURE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

AND HOW FAR AWAY IS FORT WAYNE FROM HERE?

ARDREY: SO IT'S A THREE HOUR DRIVE FROM HERE.

KELLAR: OKAY.

THAT'S A LONG WAY.

AND YOU COMMUTE.

ARDREY: I DO.

I DRIVE ONCE A WEEK, USUALLY INTO FORT WAYNE.

BUT WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS, YOU KNOW, I SPEND MY TIME WISELY, AS MOST CEOS HAVE TO DO.

SO I HAVE A LIST OF PODCASTS OR A LOT OF TIMES I SCHEDULE CALLS WITH MY TEAM AT THAT TIME.

AND WE DO HAVE, THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE ON OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM WHO ALSO COMMUTE.

SO WE ALL HAVE KIND OF HAVE THE SAME, WE HAVE THE SAME HOURS.

YEAH.

SO AND THE REASON I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T MOVED THERE IS, FIRST OF ALL, WE LOVE CINCINNATI.

BUT I ALSO HAVE A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL HERE STILL.

KELLAR: YEAH, WELL, THAT'S THE REASON YOU CAN'T MOVE UNTIL.

WHAT WOULD YOU -- I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT CREATIVITY, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE.

THAT'S A GREAT, GREAT THING TO DO.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE A MENTOR TO PEOPLE AND YOUNGER MAYBE, MAYBE MEN, NOT JUST WOMEN?

ARDREY: YEAH.

KELLAR: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?

UM.

ARDREY: GOSH, I HOPE SO.

I MEAN, I HOPE SO.

I MEAN, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, AS ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS YOU KIND OF RISE UP IN YOUR CAREER IS THAT YOU RECOGNIZE WHEN IT'S YOUR JOB TO DO AND WHEN IT'S YOUR JOB TO LEAD.

AND THE DOING PART IS, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY AS YOU GET BETTER AND BETTER AT WHAT YOU DO IN EACH FUNCTIONAL AREA, IT GETS EASIER TO GO TO THE DOING PART THAN IT IS TO THE LEADING PART.

BECAUSE THE LEADING PART MEANS YOU HAVE TO STEP BACK AND BE A LITTLE MORE HANDS OFF AND TEACH AND SO, I HOPE THAT I AM A GOOD LEADER AND MENTOR.

I WORK ON THAT ALL THE TIME.

I ASK PEOPLE FOR FEEDBACK.

I ASK PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANOTHER WAY THAT I CAN HELP YOU, OR IS THERE SOME STRUCTURE THAT I CAN GIVE YOU THAT WILL HELP YOU THINK ABOUT THIS DIFFERENTLY?

I MEAN, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT I THINK AS YOU RISE UP IN YOUR CAREER, YOU HAVE TO HAVE DIFFERENT LANGUAGE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE DIFFERENT QUESTIONS.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE DIFFERENT CURIOSITY TO BE ABLE TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOUR PEOPLE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

IS THERE ANYTHING IN YOUR CAREER THAT YOU WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY?

ARDREY: HMM, GOSH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I THINK I DO -- I DO TELL THIS STORY SOMETIMES.

AND I TELL IT TO MY TEAM, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THE YOUNGER LEADERS.

I INITIALLY IN MY CAREER, I'D SAY PROBABLY IN THE FIRST THIRD, I THOUGHT BEING A LEADER WAS BEING ABOUT REALLY BEING TOUGH AND BEING ONLY, ONLY, RIGHT?

AND ALWAYS HAVING THE RIGHT ANSWER, ALWAYS BEING THE ONE WHO WAS LOUDEST IN THE ROOM AND HAVING THE RIGHT ANSWER.

AND FOR SOME PEOPLE, THAT IS EFFECTIVE FOR THEM AND THAT'S A STRATEGY THAT WORKS THROUGH THEIR CAREER.

FOR ME, I HAVE FOUND AND IT TOOK SOMEONE VERY COURAGEOUS, A COLLEAGUE TO TELL ME THAT WHEN YOU DO THIS, YOU ARE SHUTTING EVERYONE ELSE DOWN IN THIS TEAM.

AND THAT WAS --THAT WAS A HARD THING TO HEAR.

AND I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL I STARTED TO BECOME SELF-AWARE THAT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS DOING.

LIKE.

I WAS PUSHING MY IDEAS, AND I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO COULD HAVE A GOOD IDEA.

AND THAT'S NOT REALLY WHAT I THOUGHT IN MY HEAD, BUT THAT'S MY BEHAVIOR.

SO THAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT REALIZATION FOR ME.

AND I WISH THAT PERHAPS I HADN'T DONE THAT, BECAUSE I REALIZED THAT I PROBABLY DIDN'T BRING OUT THE BEST IN PEOPLE AROUND ME.

AND BUT THAT HAS -- THAT REALIZATION, I THINK, HAS AFFECTED THE LAST TWO THIRDS OF MY CAREER, WHERE IT'S ALWAYS -- KELLAR: YOU LEARNED.

ARDREY: LEARNING AND LISTENING, AS YOU SAID, I MEAN, IT'S A GREAT POINT BEFORE, LISTENING.

AND, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY, I KNOW AS THE CEO, I'M THE ONE WHO HAS TO MAKE DECISIONS, LIKE, THE TOUGHEST DECISIONS.

BUT MY TEAM, IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY THINK, EVEN IF I DON'T AGREE WITH IT, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEY THINK.

AND THEN I'M REALLY BIG ON EXPLAINING THE WHY TO THE PEOPLE AROUND ME AND TO THE ORGANIZATION AT LARGE AND SAYING, "OKAY, HERE'S THE DECISION WE MADE OR THE DECISION THAT I MADE, AND YOU MAY -- THIS MAY NOT MAKE SENSE TO YOU, BUT LET ME HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE WHY."

KELLAR: WELL, I THINK YOUR CAREER HAS BEEN SO -- YOU'VE WORKED FOR HOW MANY DIFFERENT COMPANIES?

ARDREY: YEAH.

SO I THINK IT'S BEEN -- THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

THIS IS PROBABLY MY SIXTH.

KELLAR: YEAH.

AND EACH ONE WERE YOU RECRUITED BY WHAT WE CALL A HEADHUNTER OR HOW DID YOU -- ARDREY: ACTUALLY, YES.

EVERY ONE, ALMOST EVERY ONE WAS THAT.

AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IT JUST IS -- I THINK BEING OPEN TO NEW OPPORTUNITIES TOO.

I MEAN, I THINK PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY KNOW THAT I'M ALWAYS OPEN FOR CONVERSATIONS, NOT NECESSARILY TO TAKE A NEW ROLE, BUT TO RECOMMEND SOMEONE.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW NOW A LOT OF OTHER CEOS, I KNOW A LOT OF OTHER RETAIL LEADERS.

SO PEOPLE MIGHT CALL ME AND SAY, "WELL, HEY, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS JOB IS GOING TO BE OPEN.

DO YOU KNOW ANYBODY WHO MIGHT FIT THAT, YOU KNOW, FIT THAT ROLE?"

KELLAR: YOU ARE WHAT YOUR FRIENDS SAY YOU ARE.

ARDREY: THAT'S RIGHT.

KELLAR: OR YOUR COWORKERS SAY YOU ARE.

WELL, YOU'VE HAD AN ASTONISHING, YOU KNOW, A WONDERFUL RISE TO THE TOP OF THE CORPORATE WORLD.

AND JUST TALKING TO YOU, IT'S OBVIOUS WHY.

BECAUSE I'M SURE YOU'VE LEARNED A LOT AND TAUGHT A LOT.

AND HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE?

ARDREY: WELL, I'M SO HAPPY WHERE I AM NOW.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT THOUGH TO ME IS THAT I HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S A HUGE CHALLENGE.

I HAVE THREE KIDS AND MY FAMILY OBVIOUSLY IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME, AND IT HAS REALLY AFFECTED HOW I LEAD AND HOW I THINK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES.

AND, YOU KNOW, AND SO IT HAS, EVERY, EVERY SINGLE OPPORTUNITY I'VE HAD, IT'S HAD TO HAVE BEEN RIGHT FOR MY FAMILY AS WELL.

BUT WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS BECAUSE WE'VE MOVED FOR OPPORTUNITIES AND THEY'VE USUALLY BEEN FOR MY CAREER, MY KIDS SAY THAT THEY, THEY THINK THAT THAT ABILITY TO BE RESILIENT IN THEIR CAREERS AND IN THEIR LIVES HAS REALLY CAME FROM, IT REALLY CAME FROM THE FACT THAT, HEY, WE HAD TO ADJUST NOW AND THEN.

AND AS A MOM, YOU KNOW, I'VE THOUGHT, "GOSH, HOW DID, YOU KNOW, WAS IT HARD TO MOVE?"

BECAUSE I NEVER MOVED AS I WAS GROWING UP.

I MEAN, I DIDN'T.

WE STAYED IN THE SAME PLACE.

BUT THEIR ATTITUDE ABOUT IT IS ONE OF.

KIND OF, AGAIN, DISCOVERY AND CURIOSITY AND LEARNING.

LIKE, AND EVERY TIME THEY GO TO A NEW CITY, THEY'RE CURIOUS.

THAT LIFE IS NOT FOR EVERYONE, BUT I THINK IT'S BEING OPEN TO THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY.

SO EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW I'M HAPPY AND I WILL, YOU KNOW, I'M INTENDING TO FINISH MY CAREER HERE.

I THINK THERE'S A LONG -- THERE'S A LONG RUN AND A LOT WE CAN DO.

BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S ALWAYS WE JUST HAVE THIS PHILOSOPHY, I THINK, IN OUR HOUSEHOLD THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST WE'RE ALWAYS -- WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO THINGS AND WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN.

YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING ABOUT BOARD SERVICE AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW?

AND THAT BECAUSE WHATEVER I LEARN HELPS ME TO BE BETTER AT THE JOB THAT I'M AT RIGHT NOW.

SO, BUT YEAH.

KELLAR: HAVE YOU EVER FELT THAT YOU WERE HELD BACK BECAUSE YOU'RE A WOMAN.

ARDREY: I NEVER HAVE.

KELLAR: YOU KNOW, LISTENING TO EVERYTHING, I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.

YOU COULDN'T POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN.

BECAUSE YOU'VE HAD ALL THESE DIFFERENT PLACES THAT YOU'VE DONE AND OBVIOUSLY BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL THAT SOMEBODY ELSE WANTED YOU.

ARDREY: YEAH, IT JUST AND I THINK AGAIN, IT'S -- AND I KNOW THAT'S REAL, SO I DON'T MEAN TO MINIMIZE IT.

I JUST HAVEN'T.

I HAVEN'T FELT THAT WAY BECAUSE I HAD GREAT TEACHERS AND I'VE BEEN A GREAT STUDENT.

KELLAR: I BET YOU WERE.

ARDREY: RIGHT?

YOU HAVE TO BE A GREAT STUDENT AND YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO LEARN AND LISTEN.

AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS, THAT'S CERTAINLY PART OF WHAT I BROUGHT TO EVERY, YOU KNOW, EVERY OPPORTUNITY.

KELLAR: YOU'RE FANTASTIC.

I LOVE TALKING TO YOU.

I CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR ENORMOUS, WELL DESERVED SUCCESS.

I HOPE WE'LL SEE MORE OF YOU.

I KNOW YOU'RE VERY BUSY, BUT, YOU'RE A TERRIFIC PERSON AND YOUR FOUNDATION IS A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL THING.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

IT WAS REALLY FUN TO GET TO KNOW YOU.

ARDREY: THANK YOU.

YEAH, IT WAS GREAT.

I APPRECIATE YOU HAVING ME.

ANNOUNCER: JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR RIGHT HERE ON CET.