How Brand and Culture SVP Cheryl Mills Knight Fosters Company Values at Kendra Scott
In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Senior Editor Marie Albiges interviews Cheryl Mills Knight, senior vice president of brand and culture at Kendra Scott, a fashion-lifestyle jewelry brand founded in 2002. Mills Knight walks us through her journey at Kendra Scott, starting in 2005 when the brand was still gaining recognition (1:15), the beginning of its brand development and subsequent launch of its retail stores (4:20), the Kendra Scott core values (6:40), and how those values can translate to work-life balance (8:15).
Mills Knight found herself changing throughout her 17 years at Kendra Scott faster than anyone could imagine. She spoke on how her management style has evolved over time (13:13), the leadership lessons she has learned from company founder Kendra Scott (15:30), and how she leverages her experiences to teach the next generation of leaders (20:00).
Cheryl Mills Knight is an American fashion lifestyle brand executive for the jewelry company Kendra Scott, where she currently holds the title of senior vice president of brand and culture. As one of the original “Super 7” and the first marketing hire in 2005, Cheryl’s design expertise and brand development took Kendra Scott from a local startup to a global, billion-dollar brand with 120-plus stores nationwide. She established the company’s foundational strategies for brand, digital and experiential marketing, and was the creative architect of the initial e-commerce platform, including developing the interactive Color Bar™.
Cheryl is heartfelt about sharing her knowledge and mentoring future leaders. She has been a guest lecturer at The Art Institutes, Savannah College of Art and Design, The University of Texas at Austin, and Temerlin Advertising Institute at Southern Methodist University. She’s currently on the Kendra Scott board for The Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Institute at the University of Texas at Austin developing brand standards, content strategy, and course curriculum for the institute. Cheryl is currently based in Austin, Texas, the city that the Kendra Scott brand has called home since its inception.
Date: August 16, 2022
Credits: Cheryl Mills Knight
Duration: 27:42
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