Steve Mahoney

Background

About Steve Mahoney

We’re in the throes of a shift in the workforce. People want to work for organizations that are interested in their development, both personal and professional. Throughout my career at Earth Shoes and Clarks, no matter what function I’m leading – sales, merchandising, or product development – I’ve taken that interest in my teams and inspired them to perform at their highest capacity, with results including: SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, SALES & MERCHANDISING, EARTH SHOES: Positioned business for strong, rapid growth by streamlining private label business under the Earth Origins label. VICE PRESIDENT, SALES, CLARKS SHOES: Grew distribution by 50%, reaching $100M in revenue, by expanding into new categories and products. DIRECTOR, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, CLARKS SHOES: Launched and grew Privo line to $80M in two years; developed the lucrative dual-gender Unstructured line. QVC GROWTH: Grew Earth Shoes by 40% over four years; Grew Clarks from $7M to $40M in 15 years. MARKET-RESPONSIVE, CONSUMER-CENTRIC STRATEGY While a team’s culture is critical, if that team isn’t executing the right strategy, the company can’t grow. Any strategy I design is rooted in the goal of meeting the consumer’s needs in the context of what’s going on in the market. Knowing when to expand and when to streamline are key, and I’ve created growth with both approaches. DIVERSE EXPERIENCE + BROAD WHOLESALE P&L OWNERSHIP We must always be ready to shift. Leading not only sales, merchandising, and product development, but also leading at the intersection of wholesale and e-commerce, gives me a valuable point of view. The consumer shifts to dot com have created the ability to reduce inventory through drop shipping, and the retail buying calendar has shifted in recent years. I’ve been able to respond to these changes accordingly because I’ve seen the footwear business from so many angles and have a deep understanding of how DTC and e-comm strategy can best interact with retail and wholesale to grow the business. BALANCING RISK & REWARD Ultimately, we have to build what consumers want at prices that protect our brand’s integrity, all the while identifying with market intel which products we can take some risk on without sacrificing a strong core. Companies that strike that balance properly are always the ones that succeed.