Business Success through Culture, Talent, and Innovation with Jyothi Rao of INTERMIX

Jyothi Rao (1)

Jyothi Rao is the CEO of INTERMIX, a fashion brand for women. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Business and Marketing, Jyothi joined The Gap Inc., where she would spend 16 years of her career ascending its ranks, serving in different capacities, and handling various brands. In 2014, after working as the EVP GM of Glit, Jyothi returned to Gap to become the CEO of INTERMIX—then a Gap portfolio company—and led the organization’s transformation into the leading omnichannel fashion boutique that it is known as today.

Jyothi joins me today to discuss the power of culture in successfully growing a business. She shares her journey at The Gap and explains why INTERMIX became an independent company. She explains the value of staying with a company longer and why organizations should foster creativity and innovation. Jyothi also describes how she led the company through the height of COVID-19 and shares her advice for Entreprenistas who want to rebuild and reinvent their organization’s culture.

“The culture you build determines the talent that comes in and the talent that you keep. Talent and culture are the foundations of a successful business.” – Jyothi Rao

This week on the Entreprenista Podcast:

  • Jyothi’s journey at The Gap Inc.
  • The marriage of economics and fashion and Jyothi’s early days at The Gap
  • The advantages of joining a portfolio company
  • The normalcy of job-hopping today and why people need to stay at a job longer
  • What it was like to bring INTERMIX online for the first time
  • The importance of building culture that fosters creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship
  • Tips for anyone who wants to rebuild and shift an organization’s culture
  • Jyothi’s interview process to assess if a candidate is a culture-fit
  • Her day-to-day responsibilities as the CEO of INTERMIX
  • Why INTERMIX decided to become an independent company
  • How Jyothi led her team and managed business processes during the first few months of COVID-19
  • The advantages and challenges of remote-working
  • What’s next for INTERMIX

Our Favorite Quotes:

  • “Building upon a business over time and adding value to an organization is a skillset I encourage people to have.” – Jyothi Rao
  • “Don’t think of your career as a ladder but as a jungle gym. There’s nothing wrong with taking a few sidesteps and lateral movements and pivoting, but you have to play the long game.” – Jyothi Rao
  • “People feel that they need to always go up, up, and up. But the straight road is not the most exciting journey. Something that meanders a bit is much more exciting.” – Jyothi Rao

Connect with Jyothi Rao:

Join the Entreprenista League!

Hey Entreprenistas! We’re launching the Entreprenista League, our very own members platform and community just for you!

We listened to your feedback and the support you’re looking for to start and build your business, and we’re here to provide you with all of the resources you’ll need!

As part of the Entreprenista League, you’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day. You’ll find special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, and the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels!

Whether you’re looking to scale your existing business and want to make the right connections, or you’re thinking about finally taking the leap to launch your business, we’re here to give you access to a community of women who will celebrate your every step, and with whom you can share the candid reality of building a business from scratch.

Join the Entreprenista league today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!

Free Virtual Event Series with Shopify

Do you have an e-commerce business or are you thinking about launching one? We are excited to announce that we’re launching a free virtual event series with Shopify to give small business owners the tools and motivation they need to get their e-commerce store up and running. 

By joining us at Entreprenista on Shopify, you will learn…

  • How to launch your Shopify store 
  • The best tips for SEO 
  • Digital marketing strategies to grow your customer base
  • Hear real case studies from successful entrepreneurs using Shopify
  • And much, much more…

The virtual events will be hosted by experts that range from marketing, sourcing, merchandising, shipping, and procurement to help you connect all of the dots to start a successful online business, 

Shopify is also giving entreprenistas a 30-day free trial to launch your online store. When you attend the events, you’ll also be entered to win a free website store build valued at over $2,500!

Head over to www.entreprenista.com/shopify to get your free trial and join the Entreprenista on Shopify community.

Say “Hello!” To DigiCards™

Are you ready to take your virtual team meetings to the next level? Are you tired of yelling “You’re on mute!” at your computer screen and letting the important points you were trying to make get lost?

If you’re tired of leading unproductive, distraction-filled team meetings, then it’s time for you to say “Hello!” to DigiCards. Each pack of virtual meeting cards include 20 color-coded professional cards designed to streamline your meeting communications while allowing each meeting to create an opportunity for collaboration and fun.

Say “Goodbye!” to waving your arms, being ignored, and frantically typing in the chat.

Start your next virtual meeting with DigiCards – the virtual meeting cards for entreprenistas.

To grab your deck of DigiCards and bring fun, engagement, and collaboration back into your team meetings, visit www.hellodigicards.com. Use the coupon code: Entreprenista10 to receive 10% off your first order.

Become An Entreprenista!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast – the most fun business meeting for female founders, by female founders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

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