Studs CEO and Founder Anna Harman on Feedback: 'Be Radically Open-Minded'
In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Senior Editor Marie Albiges interviews Anna Harman, CEO and founder of Studs, the ear piercing and earring brand modernizing the ear piercing experience. Listen in as Harman shares the origin story of the brand (1:05), her professional background (2:25), the significant milestones in Studs’ growth (3:20), and how the brand appeals to Gen Z and Millennial customers while being inclusive to all demographics (4:50). She details Studs’ studio experience (6:10), its concept of “earscaping” to design looks for customers (6:45), how customers personalize their piercings (7:55), and how the brand’s digital and physical experiences work together (9:20).
In addition, Harman touches on the business’ use of artificial intelligence (11:00), driving traffic to both Studs’ digital channels and studio locations (11:50), and maintaining a strong company culture and alignment with brand values as the company scales (13:00). She provides advice for leaders who want to improve company culture and absorb transparent feedback (15:00), touches on pivotal career moments that have shaped her leadership style (17:45), and the legacy she hopes to leave as a leader (19:00). Lastly, she shares a few upcoming initiatives she’s excited about for the rest of this year at Studs (19:45).
With nearly a decade of extensive experience in operations, retail, finance and consumer companies known for operational excellence, Anna Harman launched Studs with her co-founder Lisa Bubbers in November 2019. After noticing a gap in the piercing and retail market, they created Studs to reimagine the ear piercing and earring shopping experience for the modern consumer. Studs prioritizes safety and expertise in a cool, fun, and welcoming environment, along with a wide earring assortment designed for endless Earscaping® – all at an accessible price point.
Anna Harman began her career as an attorney after graduating from Boston University Law School. After four years at Bridgewater Associates, she moved to New York City to join Fitz – an in-home closet organizing and wardrobe editing service that later sold to Tradesy – as the Head of Operations. From there, she became a Director at Store No. Eight, a standalone incubation arm within Walmart, where she focused on developing ideas and technologies that would inform the future of retail. Most recently, she served as the Interim Chief Customer Officer at Jetblack, a text-message based personal shopping service.
Date: May 28, 2024
Credits: Anna Harman
Duration: 21:09
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