Claire Spofford on Mental Well-Being, Mentorship, Being a Mom, and More
In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Co-Founder Melissa Campanelli interviews Claire Spofford, CEO of J.Jill, a premier omnichannel retailer and nationally recognized women’s apparel brand. She is also a Women in Retail Leadership Circle member! Listen in as Spofford discusses her career journey that led to her current position (0:58), what she’s most proud of achieving since joining J.Jill early last year (3:45), and what she looks for when hiring new team members (5:01).
Furthermore, Spofford shares what she’s doing to support the mental well-being of her employees (6:40), including how she maintains her mental health and recharges to be a better leader (8:40). She discusses how mentorship played a key role in her career (11:01) and why she loves mentoring others (12:47). Lastly, Spofford shares what she loves most about being a mom and how she celebrated this past Mother’s Day (14:18).
Claire Spofford joined J.Jill in February 2021 as its CEO. She also serves on the company’s board of directors. Prior to joining J.Jill, Ms. Spofford was the president of Cornerstone Brands. In that role, she oversaw a portfolio of four interactive, aspirational home and apparel lifestyle brands, including Ballard Designs, Frontgate, Garnet Hill, and Grandin Road. Prior to this, Ms. Spofford was the president of Garnet Hill, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at J.Jill, and held numerous leadership roles at Orchard Brands, including interim president and CEO, group president for Premium Brands, and president of Appleseed’s. Before joining Orchard Brands, Spofford served as vice president, global marketing at Timberland.
Ms. Spofford currently serves on the board of directors for Reclaim Childhood, and she previously served on the boards of White Flower Farm and Project Adventure, Inc. She received her MBA from Babson College and her Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science from the University of Vermont.
Date: May 10, 2022
Credits: Claire Spofford
Duration: 16:08
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