20 Questions With Mara Sirhal, Chief Merchant and Brand Officer, Saks OFF 5TH

Mara Sirhal is the chief merchant and brand officer of Saks OFF 5TH. She’s also a Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) member! In this member spotlight, we asked Sirhal a series of questions about both her professional role and personal life, including the woman that inspires her, her leadership style, her advice for the next generation of female leaders, and much more.

1. What’s the best book you’ve read recently?

“The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood” by Rachel Wells is one of my all-time favorite books. It’s been a while since I first read it, it’s probably time to pick it up again!

2. What is a tip you have for productively leading a WFH or hybrid team?

I’ve found the key to managing a hybrid team is to maximize in-person time together with collaborative activities that are best accomplished live — brainstorms, creative reviews, etc. — while still making space to prioritize individual work. Regardless of the format, I encourage my team to take time to pause on busy meeting days to simply check in with each other and ask, “how are you?” It goes a long way.

3. What’s a mistake you made early on in your career? 

In my first role, I found myself in a position between earning my boss’s respect or my team’s acceptance. I chose the latter, and because of that, deprioritized my own needs and desired areas of development. I found myself retreating away from the work instead of being proactive and communicating, which almost cost me the job. As soon as I shifted my priorities and focused on my role and what I needed to accomplish to be successful, it paid off with a promotion. It was an important lesson in balancing expectations and effectively communicating my needs.

4. What’s the toughest part of being in charge?

Knowing that you can’t make everyone happy. I am a people person — I want my people to feel inspired and excited about all the work we are doing. I have had to come to terms with the fact that there will always be someone who is not on the same page, and that’s okay. It’s about accepting that and knowing you can support others by being transparent, honest and trustworthy, even if you have a differing opinion.

5. What’s the best way you motivate team members?

By making them feel good! Humor goes a long way in making people feel comfortable, valued and connected. It’s important to me that my team sees me as not only their leader, but their peer.

6. What woman inspires you right now and why?

My big sister, Bea. She emulates so many incredible qualities – she’s tempered, even keeled and commands respect without leading with ego. Following a career as an ordained minister supporting at-risk local communities, she went back to school to obtain her law degree and now advocates for survivors of sexual abuse and assault. She is my constant source of inspiration.

7. What are you looking forward to the most for the industry over the next year?

At Saks OFF 5TH, we’ve been extremely focused on how we can continue to offer value to our customers in an inspiring and engaging way, especially in this challenging macroeconomic environment. As part of this, we are leveraging our data, analytics and personalization capabilities more than ever before. It’s been an exciting journey for the business and I’m looking forward to seeing how this trend continues to translate across the industry.

8. What is one thing you look for when interviewing a potential candidate?

For me, I want to hear about how you lead your team before we discuss your personal accomplishments. I look for someone who leads with a people-first approach and demonstrates their prioritization of their team’s development and needs.

9. What’s something that you learned about yourself in the past year?

I’ve learned that my resilience is what has gotten me through some of my toughest moments. And, when I put my values and integrity first, I can’t lose. I’ve also learned how important it is to prioritize my self-care through those tough moments.

10. What’s your favorite podcast?

I’m a big fan of the Kelce brothers, so my answer has to be The New Heights podcast. They are so similar to my friends who I grew up with in the Midwest — it reminds me of home.

11. What values are most important to you as a leader?

Authenticity, transparency, humility, inclusiveness and warmth.

12. What’s the most important thing people should know about you?

My family is my everything. I truly wouldn’t be where I am today without my husband.

13. What practices or boundaries have you implemented in your personal life to create more work/life balance?

I’ve found that creating an effective work/life balance is not a simple equation. You must accept and recognize that your approach will likely have a different complexion depending on the period of your life you are in. For me, I try to dedicate a set amount of time every day, whether it’s in the morning, evening or middle of the day, to disconnect and focus on life outside of my job. I also prioritize activities that bring me joy, like spending time with my family and friends.

14. How would you describe yourself in a single sentence?

A confident and happy mom, daughter, wife and friend who doesn’t take life or herself too seriously.

15. What’s your favorite app?

The Saks OFF 5TH app, of course!

16. What do you do to recharge?

I really value spending quality time with my loved ones. Most of the time, that involves a relaxing vacation with girlfriends or a date night with my husband (with no kids in tow)!

17. What is your biggest accomplishment?

My marriage and my kids.

18. What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

Invest in your network and recognize the value of in-person connection. While our new virtual world has many benefits, there is nothing like meeting face to face to build relationships and grow your circle.

19. What gets you up in the morning?

I love what I do and the people that surround me, both in my personal and professional life.

20. What do you like most about being a member of Women in Retail?

Women are connectors at heart and this group is proof of that. Thanks to Women in Retail, I’ve been able to expand my network, lean on my connections for resources and support and most importantly, celebrate hard-working women across the industry.