April 1 2024
Episode 2, Part 2 — An interview with Fashion Industry Exec and CNBC correspondent Sandra Campos on Episode 2 of Women of Color Empowered
April 2024: A Note from Kimberly Lee Minor, host, Women of Color Empowered and CEO of Women of Color Retail Alliance —Hello friends! We invite you to tune in for Part 2, episode 2 of our new podcast and video show, Women of Color Empowered. “Being empowered is not just a buzzword — it’s a movement,” explains our host, Kimberly, who brings to the airwaves allies and trailblazing women of color from various professional sectors. “Each woman has a unique story that steps over broken rungs, shatters glass ceilings, and ignites the spirit of empowerment.”
Meet our guest: Fashion Industry Exec and CNBC correspondent Sandra Campos
About our guest: Sandra Campos is an internationally recognized retail technology CEO, entrepreneur, and retail executive. A child of entrepreneurial immigrant parents, Sandra’s upbringing was characterized by a focus on education, helping out in her family’s tortilla business from a young age, and experimenting with her own entrepreneurial ventures in fashion.
Sandra’s love for fashion and buying led her to New York City, where she was thrown completely into the deep end. What followed were many years of working multiple jobs, paying off debt, and eating potatoes for lunch, all of which showed Sandra the importance of resourcefulness, grit, and never giving up.
Sandra has been instrumental in launching brands like DKNY and Polo Jeans, as well as her own venture with Selena Gomez, which grew to over $100M in annual sales turnover per year over the course of six years. After her entrepreneurial stint, Sandra became the President of Global Brands Group, which owned brands like Bebe, BCBG, and Juicy Couture. She most recently was the CEO of the iconic brand Diane Von Furstenberg.
Now, she’s the CEO of retail tech start-up Project Verte and the founder of Fashion Launchpad, an online education platform. Sandra advises various startups, is part of the advisory group for Athena Technology Acquisition Corp (a SPAC on the NYSE), and is on the Board of Directors for Big Lots.
We’ll talk to Sandra about how she went from a small town in Texas to the runways of New York, the major life pivot she made after getting divorced and raising three young kids as a single mom, why she recommends setting goals (and the magic number of goals to set), and the importance of trusting your instincts.
Learn more about the Women of Color Retail Alliance: wocretailalliance.org
About Kimberly Lee Minor, host: An esteemed leader in the retail industry, Kimberly’s career spans more than 30 years of building brands, achieving operational excellence, and strategizing for business competitiveness. As CEO of Bumbershoot Group, she provides fractional C-suite leadership, leadership development, and process creation. Her work emphasizes inclusive, equitable, and diverse representation across brand, content, product, and customer experiences. Kimberly was named a Top Retail Expert of 2024 by Rethink Retail, recognizing her profound impact on the sector.
Kimberly’s previous roles as President and Chief Commercial Officer at Bandier, Brand President of London Fog, Joe Boxer, and leadership positions with iconic brands such as Express, Footlocker, David’s Bridal, and BBW highlight her experience in global and diverse categories, customers, and markets. Her expertise extends to board work with BlueConic (Vista Partners), a global martech company focused on retail, publishing, and entertainment.
Kimberly’s commitment to advancing women of color in the retail industry led her to co-found the Women of Color Retail Alliance (WOCRA) in 2019. She initially served on the board and now holds the position of CEO. WOCRA is dedicated to increasing the representation of women of color in the retail leadership pipeline through training, leadership development, partnerships, and networking opportunities.
Further extending her influence, Kimberly joined The Ohio State University’s Fisher School of Business as an adjunct professor in 2023. She teaches graduate students, senior undergraduates, and executives. Her community engagement is reflected in her board work, including Dress for Success and Wellbeing Connections, as well as her roles with the Columbus Fashion Alliance, CAPA, NA Citizen Advisory Committee, and the New Albany Community Foundation. These positions demonstrate her dedication to various causes and impact across multiple sectors.
