Shelby Walker, Senior Director of Ecommerce at Awe Inspired
Shelby Walker, Awe Inspired
Shelby has over 8 years of experience leading and executing digital strategy for companies. Helping them provide the best customer experience for when someone lands on their webpage through analyzing data and using research. This is such a fast growing area and is extremely important to any online business. Shelby was connected to us from Janey Wong, a former colleague at Mod Cloth and a former Pink Tank feature. As stated from Janey, “Shelby proactively carved her career in digital technology and ecommerce through curiosity, determination and courage. Her authenticity as a leader comes from being true to herself and her values, which has led to her current role at Awe Inspired”. Read on to find out more about this inspiring woman and the equally inspiring company she works for (which is now one of our top brands).
Pink Tank Group): We love how Awe inspired has the tag line of "awe inspiring jewelry for all inspiring women". Can you tell us more about this concept and how they help women through your charity initiative?
(Shelby): Our founder Jill is a three time cancer survivor. She is a strong and truly "awe inspiring" woman herself. She and her son Max, were looking for a meaningful gift to give survivors as celebrations of resilience. Jill really wanted to give to women that didn't have the support that she had on her own journey. In her own time of need, she was still so conscious of the needs of others. Her background is in jewelry and after some trial and error, they landed on the Goddess collection as symbols of empowerment and resilience. I highly recommend listening to the Hitting the Mark podcast interview with Max where he tells the whole story. It honestly brought a few tears to my eyes and left me personally inspired. As the business grew, the team was able to stand behind more empowering causes with charities like RAINN, NAMI, The Trevor Project, NAACP, and Emily's List. We continue to give 20% of proceeds to our charity partners and are working on volunteer opportunities with them. You're also able to choose which charity you give to which brings even more meaning and makes it more personal with the causes that you really care about. I think what really stood out to me from the beginning is how authentic the brand is. They know their values and stand behind them, even when it might not resonate with everyone. I am so proud to be part of this team that stands behind their values.
(Pink Tank Group): ECommerce is such a growing industry! How did you get started in the area of digital strategy and ecommerce?
(Shelby): I actually started in digital marketing with SEO and email marketing. Eventually, I got more and more interested on what happens once she gets to the site. I could get people to the site but we couldn't drive sales unless we had a good experience onsite once the user got there. That pushed me in the direction of site merchandising where I could start to work on the site experience. When I was at ModCloth, we underwent a re-platform project and I was very involved as a subject matter expert. I was working closely with the tech team and started to really fall in love with launching new features and experiences. I had always had ideas for features and ways to make the experience better, and during the re-platform, I was actually able to do some of it. After that project, I asked my manager where he saw my career going based on my strengths. He reinforced my inclinations when he said product management and then became an advocate for me to move to the tech team.
(Pink Tank Group): What do you love most about your career?
(Shelby): I love figuring out the "why". I'm always looking at the numbers which can tell you a lot, but on the surface you can't always see why certain metrics are going up or down. Sometimes, it's putting together bits of seemingly disparate pieces of information to fill in the full story. Other times, it means actually going and talking to our users to learn how they are using the site. They almost never use features or journeys the way we intended and that's honestly what makes it so fun. With Awe Inspired, I also love knowing that I'm making a positive impact with the work I'm doing. We are out to prove that you can do well while doing good. Female empowerment, giving back, and doing the right thing are all core to our business.
(Pink Tank Group): What is one successful outcome in your business that came about due to Covid?
(Shelby): There of course was the shift to buying more online-- particularly in areas where you might not have before. I think something that was really interesting was the shift away from bracelets and rings into necklaces and earrings because that's what other people can see on zoom. People are also becoming more and more thoughtful about where they spend their money and want their dollar to make a positive impact. Not only do people want their money to go towards certain causes, but they also want to keep their money from going toward brands that don't align with their values. They are really being more intentional and voting with their dollar. Awe Inspired is very clear about what our values are and what causes we support and that transparency and authenticity has really resonated with our audience.
(Pink Tank Group): What inspires and motivates you when things get hard?
(Shelby): I've learned that the hard things in life often turn out to be some of the best things. I used to shy away from being uncomfortable, but when I reflect back on my life, the actions and decisions that brought me to the best things were the hard ones. Moving to LA for the job at ModCloth when I didn't know anyone was hard and it was also one of the best decisions I've ever made. So when hard things come along, I think about that. I think about how I'm going to feel after I've done it. I think about how even if I fail, I'll have learned something from it. That mindset keeps me going. As Untamed Author Glennon Doyle says, "We can do hard things."
(Pink Tank Group): Do you have any advice for the next generation in business?
(Shelby): It may seem obvious, but you really have to figure out what works for you. I used to watch my bosses and the people I admired and would think I was doing something wrong if what they were doing didn't work for me. You can both be successful and get there in totally different ways. I thought being a leader looked a very particular way because of what I saw, but when I tried to be that kind of leader it was completely inauthentic. I ended up trying a lot of different things and keeping the traits that felt right for me and matched my values. Try things and see how you feel and what helps you succeed. That may also mean redefining success. It can mean taking a role and getting experience even if it's not your dream job or getting outside of your comfort zone within your current role.
(Pink Tank Group): What do you wish women did more of to support each other?
(Shelby): Ask for help. I think sometimes we think that if we were stronger or good enough, we wouldn't need help. I heard something that really changed the way I think about that on a podcast a while back. Think of how awesome it feels when you help someone else. When you don't ask for help, you are depriving people of the opportunity to feel that way too. It helps them just as much as it helps you. Most women are so ready to help each other and really want to, so just ask.
(Pink Tank Group): Who is one woman who inspired you as you moved forward in your career?
(Shelby): Just one? I don't think I can pick just one. So many women throughout my career have offered different advice, examples and inspiration both ones that I know and ones that I aspire to know. Christi Graybil very early in my career taught me about hard work and work life balance. She told me that once you set a precedent for working non-stop, it's hard to stop. So it's better not to start and set boundaries. That lesson has stuck with me and I'm able to be a better problem solver and more creative because of it. Nicole Barber at ModCloth taught me that done is better than perfect and to take action rather than letting my fear of imperfection hold me back. And of course Janey Wong, who I still frequently go to when I have questions about how to tackle difficult decisions. She asks the best questions. Rather than telling me what to do, she asks the questions that help me solve the problem myself. From her, I have learned how to pause and ask questions before diving in, so often it has driven me to solve the right problem and saved a lot of time.
Shelby Walker