PLUS MODEL MAGAZINE March 2015 Issue | Page 62

2) Be a Team Player 3) Be Kind 4) Love and know your customer “ His approach to business is that it is a mutually-beneficial partnership. He has created “ 1) Be an Owner Our customer does so much for everyone else in their life, we have the ability to help them do something for themselves and feel good about themselves. Kerlande Pierre Louis, Store Manager Trenton, New Jersey a performance-based culture in a consensusdriven environment. His mission is to keep August 2013, before it filed for bankruptcy. As Ashley Stewart brand-centric and true to its a successful investor in the consumer-retail customer, but in a business model relevant space, Rhee decided to make the unusual move to today. Ashley Stewart’s customer looks for of stepping down from the board and assuming that cutting-edge fashion and sophisticated a full-time operating role as President. “As an style that speaks with confidence but with that investor, [this was] the most authentic, pure sisterhood feel. Rhee felt strongly that corporate brand DNA, customer loyalty I had ever seen,” management had to stay true to its core values he commented. “It was a great brand trapped and customers. To this end, for example, he in a failed operating model and culture.” He has asked every person at headquarters to was hopeful that there was a way to extract the learn the manager’s name for each of their 89 brand history and customer loyalty and house stores. Embracing those customers and field it in a profitable business model. employees, he vowed: “We put a team together and a partnership-type structure that will make Rhee asked scores of questions of employees it difficult for anyone’s selfish motivations to at all levels and created a start-up atmosphere, hurt this brand or the customer.” shutting down the executive wing. He took the time to listen to people at headquarters and in The first steps of the turnaround began in the field and repositioned roles.