Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Fearka.
Leslie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have worked for Kendra Scott for 7 years. How I landed my dream job is a combination of hard work, perfectly timed opportunity and the will to start a career as opposed to simply working another job. When I started at Kendra Scott, I was finishing up a degree at UTA in elementary education. I always thought I would work with children as an educator. I am a natural born leader, a nurturer at heart and love children. The opportunity to work at Kendra Scott was presented to me by a current employee who thought I would be the perfect fit to take on the role of Assistant Manager. I was hesitant at first because I didn’t know at the time what kind of growth would be possible within the role and how this job was relevant to my desire to teach. I am glad I put my doubts aside, took a leap of faith and joined the Kendra Scott family. The growth I have experienced within the company has been exponential and I can happily say, I absolutely love my job!
Present day, I am now District Manager of North Texas which includes the 7 DFW stores, and our 3 stores in Austin. The position I have worked diligently to earn fulfills my desire to teach, as I get to educate strong young women on what it means to be an outstanding member of not only the Kendra Scott family but also a citizen of the community and beautiful world we live in. Kendra Scott is a brand built around three core pillars of family, fashion and philanthropy. These values have been the north star to everything we do, and we truly treat each other, our customers, and our partners – like family. These values align so closely to my own, it’s a blessing to be able to live them inside and outside of work daily.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
What I’ve learned along the way, is to learn to take criticism constructively, not to take anything personally, and to maintain a teachable mind. These are core components to being an outstanding leader, and knowing there’s always room for improvement.
Let’s talk about your work. What else should we know?
My position at Kendra Scott gives me the ability to positively influence our employees, customers, and my peers. I am most known for servant leadership, a giant heart, always giving 100%, and having a colorful expression of style.
Kendra Scott founded this company in 2002 with just $500. She saw a white space in the market for beautiful, luxury, quality jewelry at an affordable price point. It is incredible to see what it was grown into today – a global fashion brand with 80 stores across the US, 2,000 employees, and also sold by amazing wholesale brands as well.
What sets us apart is from the beginning, we have been a company that authentically cares about our communities and the causes that matter to them. We have a firm “never say no” policy, which means whenever someone comes to us with a cause dear to their heart, we will always have something to give.
For good reason, society often focuses more on the problems rather than the opportunities that exist, because the problems need to be solved. However, we’d probably also benefit from looking for and recognizing the opportunities that women are better positioned to capitalize on. Have you discovered such opportunities?
Sure, there are challenges unique to women but the key is to remember that anything can be accomplished with a determined mind and spirit and to always be yourself.
Contact Info:
- Email: leslie@kendrascott.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lafearka/
Image Credit:
Marsha Creamer
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