Q&A With Top Women in Retail Honoree Heidi Cooley, EVP, Chief Brand and Marketing Officer, Lovesac

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 Heidi Cooley, executive vice president and chief brand and marketing officer at Lovesac. Here’s a sampling of Heidi’s interview featured in the report.

Women in Retail Leadership Circle: You were part of the leadership team behind the incredible resurgence at Crocs. As the new chief brand and marketing officer at Lovesac, what are your top priorities for keeping the brand relevant and resonant with both loyal fans and new audiences?
Heidi Cooley: The story of Crocs’ brand resurgence is one of a 10-year “overnight” turnaround. Building brand relevance takes perseverance, creativity, adaptability, innovation and boldness. Relevance is established when a brand understands authentically where and how it plays a meaningful role in a consumer’s everyday life. 

At Lovesac, building brand relevance starts with values that are lived both inside and out paired with a vision to inspire humankind to buy better, to buy less. It’s validated through products that earn their story; a story that will emotionally resonate with fans because so much of “life” happens in your home and on your couch. Brand relevance is inspired by an obsession to show up where culture is going, not where it’s been. Relevance is earned, not owned. It requires the bravery to be responsive and the willingness to do things that others would not.

WIRLC: What lessons from your career have prepared you for stepping into this new role at Lovesac, and what advice would you give to emerging women leaders aiming for executive marketing positions?
HC: My advice is simple — outhustle. Take the stretch project, go out of your way to learn from others, be humble enough to do the role before you get the role. As a CMO you play a pivotal role in making the company matter — commercially and culturally. You get the opportunity to connect people to purpose and strategy to execution. It’s a role of influence because you put the voice of the consumer into the discussion. 

WIRLC: What bold leadership move has had the biggest impact on your team in the past year?
HC: Brands scale when leaders scale under a shared philosophy. We’ve made the decision to anchor everything to the consumer, even when it means challenging internal assumptions. We’re embarking on not only a brand positioning evolution but a business transformation of where and how we engage with consumers.