When hiring and fostering leadership, three paramount traits stand out to Grace Na: passion, intelligence, and integrity. Na is the founder of Pistola Jeans, a Los Angeles-based premium denim brand. She spoke at the 2025 Women in Retail On the Road: Los Angeles event past this fall.

In this clip, Na highlights the significance of passion, intelligence and integrity: passion fuels problem-solving, intelligence stems from industry experience, and integrity ensures trustworthiness in decision-making. Na notes, “Without integrity, the first two can actually be quite dangerous.”

Beyond hiring, cultivating an environment where leaders can thrive is crucial. Na stresses that delegating is essential to empowering leaders to drive their businesses forward.

“Delegate even more to a position where you’re uncomfortable,” advises Na. “I feel that in those moments, you really allow the leaders to step into their power and be able to drive results and excellence within their team.”

Ultimately, empowering leaders with trust, strategic delegation, and learning opportunities is key to fostering a culture of innovation and excellence. Trust your leaders, guide them when needed, and watch them unlock their full potential, Na said.

Women in Retail Leadership Circle members can view Na’s full keynote here and session recordings from all previous On the Road events here.