In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Senior Editor Marie Albiges interviews Judy Werthauser, executive vice president and chief experience officer at Five Below, a value retailer offering high-quality products for tweens, teens and beyond. Werthauser is also a 2021 Top Women in Retail honoree. Listen in as she discusses her newly created role supporting the entire Five Below organization (1:06), how she acts as the chief advocate for both customer and crew member experience (2:55), and how growing up in a family-run business prepared her for where she is today (4:40).

Werthauser discusses why it’s important to find leaders who leverage their skills holistically (9:00), how her biggest challenge as a woman in business was doubting herself (11:32), and how women can stop holding themselves back (13:27). Lastly, she shares her experience with mentorship throughout her career (15:15), answers a few rapid-fire questions about herself (16:57), and details what she’s most looking forward to personally in 2022 (21:12).

Judy Werthauser is a leader and strategist who helps organizations tap into the power of people to drive strong, sustainable business performance. Throughout her 30-year career spanning startups to Fortune 100 companies to complex global organizations, she has pushed to redefine human resources beyond traditional operations to strategic value creation with a focus on people. From her early days as an entrepreneur to her current seat in the executive suite, she has led customer and team experience, strategic planning, organizational strategy and redesign, human resource operations, technology organizations, and major change initiatives.

Werthauser joined Five Below in February 2019 in the newly created role of chief experience officer. Prior to joining Five Below, she was executive vice president and chief people officer at Domino’s Pizza since January 2016. Prior to Domino’s, Werthauser spent seven years at Target in a variety of leadership roles. She also spent time in leadership roles at U.S. Bank and Marshall Field’s Department Stores, and currently serves on the board of directors of BJ’s Wholesale Club.

Date: November 9, 2021

Credits: Judy Werthauser

Duration: 23:04