One Cold Email Changed the Career Path of Ring and Blink Exec Mimi Swain
In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Managing Editor Marie Albiges interviews Mimi Swain, chief commercial officer of Ring and Blink, two leading brands revolutionizing smart home security, part of the Amazon.com portfolio of brands. Listen in as Swain discusses the products she works on at Ring and Blink (1:10), how sending one cold email to Ring’s founder changed her career (3:55), and the value going after what you want (6:55). She shares her thought process around career growth (8:15), walks through her career background (9:35), and details her rise into the C-suite (11:50).
In addition, Swain discusses the evolution of the Ring business (13:10), operating in a startup model under Amazon (14:10), and the campaigns she’s most proud of (15:10). She shares how the brand utilizes user-generated content (17:10), the future of Ring and Blink home security (18:10), what her typical day looks like (19:10), and why company values keep her team motivated (20:15). Lastly, Swain details learning grit and a strong work ethic from her immigrant parents (21:35), her leadership philosophy on employee development (24:35), her goals for the new year (26:30), and her advice for future female leaders (29:10).
A powerhouse of transformative growth, Swain brought her forward-looking thinking and creative strategy to Ring in 2015, which was acquired by Amazon in 2018. Under her leadership, Swain built the Ring go-to-market organization, aligning cross-functional teams across global sales, marketing and e-commerce, and establishing Ring, initially known for its iconic doorbell, as the premier home security company now offering more than 50 devices across five categories, including smart cameras, alarms and lighting. Swain’s charter has recently expanded to include Blink, known for its security cameras offering long battery life and ease of use.
Prior to Ring and Blink, Swain held leadership positions at other cutting-edge consumer technology companies. At Sonos, she spearheaded channel marketing initiatives, shaping and executing a retail strategy that drove significant growth. At Dyson, she held senior marketing positions, launching flagship product categories that redefined industry standards. Beyond her executive role, Swain prioritizes spending time with family, reading, and travel.
Date: November 26, 2024
Credits: Mimi Swain
Duration: 30:25
More Episodes
The Leadership Driving Fossil Group's Turnaround: A Chat With Brand Chief Melissa Lowenkron
In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Co-Founder Melissa Campanelli interviews Melissa Lowenkron, chief brand officer at Fossil Group, a global design, marketing, distribution and innovation company with a diverse portfolio of brands specializing in lifestyle accessories. They discuss how brands can grow during times of change. Lowenkron details why stepping into a chief brand role requires a mindset shift; how she leads the authentic storytelling that's key to Fossil's turnaround; her advice for leaders driving business transformations; and more.
22:39 How Lowe's is Building a Household Loyalty Ecosystem
In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Managing Editor Marie Albiges interviews Amanda Bailey, vice president of customer marketing and loyalty at Lowe's. This interview was recorded at Shoptalk in Las Vegas last month, where Bailey spoke on a panel exploring innovative approaches to marketing across the customer journey. Bailey discusses treating loyalty as a relationship beyond transactions; serving both DIY and pro customers via one loyalty platform with tailored benefits; building executive influence; and more.
22:06 Wayfair CTO Fiona Tan: 'Tech Leaders Should Plug Into the Business Side'
In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Managing Editor Marie Albiges interviews Fiona Tan, chief technology officer of Wayfair. This episode was recorded at Shoptalk in Las Vegas last month. Listen in as Tan discusses Wayfair's use of generative artificial intelligence and large language models; how she approaches new technology investments; and her advice for other female retail technologists who aspire to C-suite leadership roles.
17:27 CAMP CEO and President Jenica Myszkowski on Scaling Immersive Retail Experiences
In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Co-Founder Melissa Campanelli interviews Jenica Myszkowski, CEO and president of CAMP, an experience company that brings families together through immersive adventures that inspire play. This discussion was recorded at Shoptalk in Las Vegas last week. Myszkowski discusses how previous roles shaped her as a leader; overcoming challenges as CAMP scales and opens new stores; how she stays inspired and creative; and more.
11:27 Motivating Teams Through Radical Transparency: Insights From Lulus' CEO Crystal Landsem
In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Co-Founder Melissa Campanelli interviews Crystal Landsem, CEO of Lulus, the attainable luxury women's fashion brand known for trendy, stylish and feminine apparel, footwear and accessories. Landsem discusses the challenges and experiences that have informed her leadership style; her career journey from finance to fashion retail; motivating teams through radical transparency and servant leadership; her advice for young women leaders; and more.
20:54 RERUN: How BARK CXO Meghan Knoll Brings Storytelling to Dog Toy Design
In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Managing Editor Marie Albiges interviews Meghan Knoll, chief experience officer (CXO) at BARK, the leading global omnichannel dog brand known for its monthly subscription, BarkBox. Knoll provides an overview of her primary responsibilities as CXO, a few learnings from building the BARK business to where it is today, how she empowers her team to be innovative, her push-pull approach to work-life imbalance, and more.
40:09 Inside TOMS’ Turnaround: CCO Katie Wagner on Wholesale Growth and Brand Reinvention
In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Managing Editor Marie Albiges interviews Katie Wagner, chief commercial officer at TOMS, a Certified B Corporation global lifestyle brand known for its iconic shoes and giving model. Listen in as Wagner reflects on the first 20 years of the TOMS brand; balancing its iconic heritage with a brand refresh; lessons learned from her time at Crocs; creating a culture of curiosity; and more.
36:46 ButcherBox Commercial Chief Reba Hatcher on 'Mastering the Spin' in Career Transitions
In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Managing Editor Marie Albiges interviews Reba Hatcher, chief commercial officer at ButcherBox, a delivery subscription service that offers high-quality, humanely raised meat and seafood. Hatcher shares insights about ButcherBox’s evolution over 10 years; using data to achieve growth while staying connected to customers; her varied, nonlinear career trajectory; advice on navigating cross-industry career changes; and more.
32:41 Rothy's CEO Dayna Quanbeck on Growth and Credibility Rooted in Sustainability
In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Co-Founder Melissa Campanelli interviews Dayna Quanbeck, CEO and president of Rothy's, a direct-to-consumer company which takes a whole-brand approach to sustainability in manufacturing, transforming recycled materials into shoes, handbags and accessories. This episode was recorded at the National Retail Federation Big Show in New York City last week. Listen in as Quanbeck shares how Rothy's evolves while maintaining core values; what strong executive credibility looks like; lessons from her mentor, friend and former Rothy's CEO Jenny Ming; and more.
21:29 Boden Commercial Chief Katherine Danneberg Taps Into Her Leadership Purpose as an Enabler of Creativity
In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Co-Founder Melissa Campanelli interviews Katherine Danneberg, chief commercial officer at Boden, the quintessentially British clothing brand for women and children. Listen in as Danneberg explains the evolution of her leadership style, her leadership purpose, hiring the right team members to fit Boden's brand values, strategies for developing future leaders, and more.
25:51 
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube Music
Amazon Music
Pandora