Petty Rader is the chief growth officer and chief legal officer at Ergobaby, a leading ergonomic baby carrier and accessories retailer. Her role includes spearheading corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives for the company. She also started and leads an employee-run women’s leadership group at Ergobaby, and is a Women in Retail Leadership Circle member! We asked Petty a series of questions so you can get to know her better.

  1. What’s the best book you’ve read recently?
    The best business book was “Dare to Lead” by Brene Brown. The best novel was “Small Great Things” by Jodi Picoult.
  2. What’s a tip you have for productively leading a team while working remotely?
    Check in with your team regularly and be mindful about how we’re all juggling a lot of emotions and responsibilities during this time. Communicate often and openly.
  3. What’s a mistake you made early on in your career?
    Being afraid to challenge the status quo. If you see something that can be done more efficiently or doesn’t make sense, don’t be afraid to speak up. Find someone you trust internally to raise your concerns.
  4. What’s the toughest part of being in charge?
    Taking on the worries of the entire team and thinking of all angles of the business.
  5. What’s the best way you motivate team members?
    Being transparent and sharing information, since knowing what the end goal is or why decisions are made has a big impact on motivation. Acknowledging and celebrating successes.
  6. What woman inspires you right now and why?
    Indra Nooyi, an Indian American business executive and former CEO is super inspirational. Her background and focus on leading with purpose when she was CEO at Pepsi is something I greatly admire.
  7. What are you looking forward to the most for retail for the rest of 2021?
    The balance of retail shopping back in stores along with the hypergrowth of e-commerce.
  8. What’s one thing you look for when interviewing a potential job candidate?
    A passion for the role. That’s not something that can be taught.
  9. What’s something that you learned about yourself in the past year?
    To constantly be guided by your values in all decisions.
  10. What’s your favorite podcast?
    There are so many great ones, but I really like Unfinished Biz since it’s run by a great business leader I know, Wayne Wu.
  11. What values are most important to you as a leader?
    Respect, trust, valuing one another, accountability, teamwork, diversity and, more importantly, inclusion of diversity, and passion.
  12. What’s the most important thing people should know about you?
    That my mom is the person I look up to the most. She taught herself English, she and my dad raised four daughters with very little, and made the ultimate sacrifices for their children.
  13. What’s one habit you adopted while working from home that you’d like to keep with you as you return to the office?
    Taking breaks during the day to get some time in the sun.
  14. How would you describe yourself in a single sentence?
    A wife, mom, sister, daughter and friend who just wants to make a difference in someone’s life every day.
  15. What’s your favorite app?
    Target
  16. What do you do to recharge?
    Go for a run or read a book.
  17. What’s your biggest accomplishment?
    In addition to my two children, probably a product idea I came up with that I see in market a lot.
  18. What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
    Don’t be afraid to ask questions, seek a mentor, and challenge things.
  19. What gets you up in the morning?
    My family and wanting to do my small part in leaving this world a better place
  20. How would you describe your leadership style?
    Collaborative and empathetic