On January 31, the LIM Fashion Education Foundation hosted their first “People in the Know” event of 2023, featuring the CEO of Talbots, Lizanne Kindler.
With 30 years of leadership experience at companies such as Ann Taylor and Kohl’s, Lizanne stressed the importance of being a lifelong learner, finding mentors, and being in control of your own career.
“What I recognized was that the path was not always going to be straight for what I wanted to do,” Lizanne said, recalling how she originally left a position Talbots. It wasn’t until their buyout that she returned and became CEO.
“Pursue your passion,” Lizanne said, “but know the path isn’t always straight, and that is where you learn the most.”
On mentorship, Lizanne emphasized how important it was to put effort into finding a mentor.
“You get back what you put in,” she said. “So when you are networking and looking for mentors, it is a very active two-way street. I found when I sought it out, I got it back.”
Finally, she reiterated that at the end of the day, you are the one in charge of your own career.
“Don’t be afraid to take a risk ... don't let anyone control your career. Trust your own steering of what you want to do and go for it.”
