C-Suite Retail Leader Patty Wu on Identifying and Following Your Career North Star
In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Senior Editor Marie Albiges interviews Patty Wu, former executive vice president, president of buybuy BABY, America’s leading specialty baby products omnichannel retailer previously owned and operated by Bed Bath & Beyond. Listen in as Wu discusses the biggest lessons she learned leading buybuy BABY through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, acquisition and a liquidation (1:37), as well as how navigating those challenges has made her a better leader (3:35). She shares what empathetic leadership looks like across teams (6:50), how to cultivate a strong company culture (8:45), and best practices for effective team communication (11:00).
Wu reflects on her career and shares career advice (14:30), including how she stays connected with prior colleagues and mentors (17:30), and how she articulates her career aspirations to leaders (20:30). She shares how she identifies when it’s the right time for a new career opportunity (22:50), how she’s checking in with her personal and professional goals (27:20), and her advice for the next generation of female retail leaders (30:15). Lastly, Wu shouts out what she loves about the Women in Retail Leadership Circle community (37:10).
Patty Wu is the former president of buybuy BABY. During her tenure, Wu served on the executive leadership team and managed a team of ~3700 associates in the U.S. and Canada. She and her team were responsible for returning the buybuy BABY business back to growth and to record level sales and profit. She successfully led the sale of the Baby business to private investors in the summer of 2023.
Prior to buybuy BABY, Wu has had extensive leadership experience in the direct-to-consumer (DTC) startup space, having served as chief commercial officer for Beautycounter as well as chief commercial officer and leader of the Baby Division for The Honest Company. She also has built strong international leadership experience with Fortune 500 companies. Wu has held a variety of leadership roles in Asia, including vice president and general manager of China Growth for Mattel; vice president of merchandising operations for Walmart China; and marketing director, APAC, for The Clorox Company. At The Clorox Company, The Honest Company, Beautycounter, and Bed Bath & Beyond, Wu was a founding member of the Asian associate resource groups and played a key role in shaping company culture.
Wu earned her BSBA from Washington University in St. Louis and her MBA from Harvard Business School. She also has a certificate for Mandarin studies from Fudan University in Shanghai. Wu enjoys being an active mentor in the HBS community, experimenting in the kitchen, and traveling the globe.
Date: October 17, 2023
Credits: Patty Wu
Duration: 38:30
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