Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) recently released its 14th annual Top Women in Retail report. The valuable resource highlights female executives who impressed us as well as colleagues from the industry. Honoree Mandy Fields, senior vice president and chief financial officer at e.l.f. Beauty, is one such example. Here’s a sampling of Fields’ interview featured in the report.

Women in Retail Leadership Circle: As of November [2023] under your leadership, e.l.f. Beauty has had 19 consecutive quarters of growth, and has seen profitability increases as well. Can you talk about your leadership style and how that has helped your company achieve such great success?
Mandy Fields: My leadership style is about leveraging the strengths of the team and always keeping a growth mindset. What I love about e.l.f. Beauty is that even though we’ve experienced tremendous growth, there’s still so much more ahead of us. We like to say, ‘If you can dream it, you can e.l.f.ing do it.’ And we’ve done exactly that. Having a team that dreams big but also keeps their feet on the ground, putting thought into action to achieve our success and finding ways to say yes when others might say no. Having that openness, especially as CFO, has certainly helped support the growth we’ve seen these 19 consecutive quarters. 

WIRLC: As a woman of color in finance, you’ve charted your own path to success and have been a trailblazer in your field. Can you discuss any obstacles you may have had to face in your career and how you overcame them?
MF: I started my career in investment banking in New York City over 20 years ago. To say there were not many faces that looked like mine — as a woman and as a woman of color — would be an understatement. That didn’t deter me from pursuing the goals I had set for myself at an early age. I wanted to be the best, full stop. I had to prove myself to others; not only against my peers, but also against the preconceived notions that came with my gender and the color of my skin. But not once did I doubt I would do it. 

WIRLC: One of your secrets to success is creating a collaborative bridge between finance and marketing, which are often two departments at odds with each other. How have you been able to create this bridge and make it work so successfully?
MF: Being in lockstep with the CMO is key. Our CMO, Kory Marchisotto, and her team dream up the craziest ideas and then my team helps find the dollars to make it happen, executing quickly. A great example is our first TV commercial that aired last year during the Big Game. Three weeks before the Big Game, we heard Jennifer Coolidge say she always dreamed about being a dolphin, and Kory knew that we had an amazing product, Power Grip Primer, that gives a naturally dewy effect. We moved at e.l.f. speed and harnessed our collective superpowers to turn this dream into reality.

WIRLC: Why do you think there are so few women in CFO roles, and what can companies do to change that?
MF: Finance has typically been a male-dominated field, and I believe women are still facing the decision of how they can have a family and a career. This is something many men don’t have to consider, which is why it’s been much easier for their ascent into the C-suite. I’m a wife, mother and C-suite executive. As we see more women take C-suite positions that have partners, or family to care for or other interests outside of their career, I’m hopeful that women will feel more empowered and encouraged to pursue careers in finance. Inspiring the next generation and others to own their careers and their dreams is one of the most meaningful ways women in leadership and companies can use their power. My goal is to blaze the trail for young women and people of color and change the workplace and industry for the better, opening the door to future progress.  

WIRLC: What are the skills and characteristics you believe will be necessary to be an effective leader going forward?
MF: Stay focused on what you want to achieve, regardless of what others believe and the challenges you may need to overcome. Hard work, strong performance, and supportive mentors will help pave the way for you. If you believe you can achieve it, no one can take your dream away from you. Remember, you own the power to drive the results you want to see.

WIRLC: What are some initiatives you have planned for 2024 and beyond?
MF: Driving the business forward through profitable growth is top priority, while ensuring a scalable infrastructure is in place to support the long-term goals for 2024 and beyond. That’s how we’ll continue to stand up a different kind of company — one that can lead with purpose to disrupt norms, shape culture, and connect communities. That’s our vision and our every day.

Read more interviews from our 2024 Top Women in Retail report by downloading it here. Want to connect with women leaders like Mandy Fields of e.l.f. Beauty? Apply to become a Women in Retail Leadership Circle member today!