Old Navy focuses on cultivating connections

Retail Gets Real episode 265: CEO Nancy Green on creating value and a great customer experience
Director, Social Media & Digital Communications
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Old Navy President and CEO Nancy Green is a self-proclaimed optimist who learned to embrace challenges at an early age.

Green’s connection to retail was seeded working in stores at a young age. The fundamentals of retail haven’t changed much from that time, but the world — and customers’ lives in it — continues to change and evolve. Meeting customer needs is at the core of retail, and creating great value and impactful retail experiences is both art and science. Green is up for the challenge.

With new lifestyle changes brought on by COVID-19, Green says the human impact of the pandemic is becoming a big focus for Old Navy. Anticipating consumer needs is paramount because the ability to connect with customers is essential to effectively connecting with her teams.

“You’ve got to be authentically compassionate and lead with empathy,” Green says. “We’re at a time where it’s absolutely essential to try new things. Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and stay very, very close to the people side of this business, because people are what creates this business.”

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Green says she’s optimistic about future technology and its capabilities to connect with customers on a personal level to meet their needs. She’s committed to do “more than just run a business for profit,” she says.

“I’m very motivated by how we can create better and better products with greater value,” Green says. “It’s not just price. It’s the whole value equation, great fit, great style, relevant style, amazing product, sustainable materials for the price that people can really feel confident and proud to wear.”

Tune into this episode to hear Green discuss her career journey, the leadership lessons she’s learned along the way and what it takes to succeed in retail right now — and in the future.

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