“Kindness, kindness, kindness. I want to make a new year’s prayer, not a resolution. I’m praying for courage.” — Susan Sontag

I thought I would open this week’s Inner Circle with one of my favorite New Year’s quotes, from the writer Susan Sontag. I thought it was especially fitting since after we all experienced in 2020 — a year filled with anxiety, loneliness, hostility, confusion and sadness — kindness will hopefully be the order of the day in 2021. What I especially like about the quote is that Sontag smartly suggests that it takes courage to be kind, to be vulnerable, to love ourselves at times when we feel inadequate, and to admit that we may not have it all together and need the help of others.

These are all salient points given our current pandemic reality. Therefore, my New Year’s resolution for 2021 is to continue be kind to everyone, including myself, as we all make our way through this pandemic. People still have a lot of healing to do, and the world will be a better place if we all take time to be kind to each other in 2021.

What are your New Year’s resolutions? Please let me know by dropping me a line at mcampanelli@napco.com. I would love to hear what you are all up to in the year ahead!

2021 will also be a great year for Women in Retail Leadership Circle events! Here are some dates to keep in mind for the year ahead:

  • It’s official: We’ve changed the 2021 Women in Retail Leadership Summit dates from April 12-14, 2021 to Oct. 11-13, 2021. The Summit will still take place at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort and Spa. As always, the health and safety of our attendees, sponsors and team remains our No. 1 priority. You can find our statement regarding 2021 in-person events here.
  • We’re currently planning our next Women in Retail Leadership Days. The virtual event, slated to take place in March and April, will include compelling speakers, fabulous networking opportunities, and some fun surprises. Stay tuned for more details.
  • Our next Women in Retail and Total Retail Virtual Exchange will take place on Thurs., Jan. 28. Confirmed speakers include Gayitri Budhraja, vice president, brand, e.l.f. Cosmetics; Jared Margolis, CEO, Payless; and Oliver Chen, managing director, retail and luxury sector head, Cowen and Company. More speakers coming soon. Make sure to register for this complimentary event today!
  • Finally, thanks to everyone who attended our holiday bash last month! The fun hour-long virtual event featured a cocktail-making class; a keynote with Nancy Lieberman (former WNBA player and first-ever female NBA coach); and an interactive networking session with retail leaders. A great time was had by all! And stay tuned: We’re planning similar quarterly events, called Women in Retail Power Hours, in 2021.