Carolyn MacBain-Waldo is the co-founder of Plan + Pivot Collective, which she launched with her partner Julie McCarter to help consumer brands scale with clarity, purpose, and momentum. Together, they partner with founders and executive teams to solve their most pressing retail challenges, from assortment architecture and channel expansion to inventory planning, demand forecasting, pricing strategy, and go-to-market strategy. By blending decades of corporate leadership with hands-on consulting, Plan + Pivot equips brands with the strategies and tools they need to grow profitably and sustainably.

Carolyn brings over 20 years of strategic retail leadership to her consulting work, having driven growth, margin improvement, and operational excellence across iconic brands including Abercrombie & Fitch, J.Crew, Old Navy, Jonathan Adler, Bath & Body Works, and Restoration Hardware.

She is known for:

Building and leading high-performing planning and allocation teams

Developing custom tools and forecasting models that turn complex data into actionable insights

Driving profitability through innovative pricing and inventory strategies

Guiding brands through new channel entry and scalable growth phases

Through Plan + Pivot, Carolyn and Julie combine their corporate expertise with an entrepreneurial mindset to help brands navigate complexity, unlock margin, and accelerate growth.