Q&A With Top Women in Retail Honoree Lauren Brindley, Chief Merchandising and Digital Officer, Ulta Beauty

Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) recently released its 16th annual Top Women in Retail report. The valuable resource highlights female executives who impressed our Editorial team as well as colleagues from across the industry. One such woman was Lauren Brindley, chief merchandising and digital officer at Ulta Beauty. Here’s a sampling of Lauren’s interview featured in the report.

Women in Retail Leadership Circle: As Ulta continues to scale its omnichannel and digital capabilities, how are you aligning business strategy, product innovation, and customer experience to drive sustainable growth while maintaining brand differentiation?
Lauren Brindley: For me, alignment starts with the guest. As we scale our omnichannel and digital capabilities, we’re anchoring every decision around how our guests discover and engage with beauty today and tomorrow. That means building seamlessly connected journeys where our digital platforms amplify the magic of our stores, and our stores bring our ever-expanding digital ecosystem to life. We’re focused on innovation that’s purposeful, using data to inform smarter brand curation and building more personalized experiences while staying true to what makes Ulta Beauty unique. These principles are also key as we expand into new global markets. By combining the best of our global beauty expertise and brand partnerships with deep local market guest insight and innovation, we’re ensuring we bring the magic of Ulta Beauty to life in a relevant way for guests in communities across the world.

WIRLC: Looking back, what guidance would you give your earlier self — or emerging leaders — about building a career that leads to executive impact in retail?
LB: First, be your best self, no one else. As someone who craves and listens to feedback constantly, in my earlier career I ended up trying to adapt my leadership to the latest bit of advice. As I’ve matured through my career I’ve learned not to take feedback so literally. I now process feedback thoughtfully and will make changes that I believe are right as a result. However, I remain true to who I am, my strengths and my authentic style. 

Second, always ask yourself why not before saying no. This piece of advice has been so valuable to me. It has enabled me to say yes to stretch opportunities, lean into ambiguity, and develop a point of view — even when the path isn’t clear. I’ve learned so much from every role, and am still learning today. Being nimble and open has prepared me for the various opportunities, big and small, I have graced. Retail moves fast, and the leaders who rise are the ones who stay curious, listen deeply to both customers and teams, and aren’t afraid to make decisions with imperfect information. I’d also emphasize the importance of building strong relationships and learning how to lead through influence, not just authority. Your impact ultimately comes from leading with integrity, collaborating authentically, and consistent delivery against stretching goals.

WIRLC: What bold leadership move has had the biggest impact on your team in the past year?
LB: One of the boldest and most impactful moves I’ve made this past year was intentionally pushing my team to operate differently, not just faster. I challenged us to break down silos, rethink legacy ways of working, and make more integrated decisions across merchandising, digital, marketing, and stores. That meant empowering leaders with greater ownership, encouraging new ways of working, and creating space for innovation, even when it felt uncomfortable. The result has been a more agile, connected team that’s focused on outcomes over process and more confident in taking smart risks. It’s strengthened both our culture and our ability to deliver for our guests.