Coworking with Lilly Liu Minkove

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From investment banking with Citigroup and strategy consulting with McKinsey to leading growth in markets like China and Europe for Coach, and directing Louis Vuitton’s Mid-Atlantic stores, Lilly Liu Minkove has an impressive 20+ year retail resume. Since 2012, she’s been using what she’s learned along the way to advise retail, fashion, and beauty brands at her consulting firm ArtLogica.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? I am a doctor for retail and consumer brands. I help them diagnose their brand health using quantitative and qualitative tools, then help create strategic priorities and a roadmap to build on strengths and address areas of opportunity.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? How much fun it is to understand consumers and why they make the decisions they do!

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? Consumer insights for Birdies, the female-founded footwear brand. We did qualitative in-home ethnography, and it was incredible visiting with their best customers at home. The founders were so engaged with what their customers had to say and I was really impressed with how quickly they took action on the learnings.

Which emerging retail trend are you most excited about this year, and why? I love the shift that retailers and brands are making on true sustainability efforts. These have been in the background for many years, but recently, I am seeing sustainability come to the forefront and even supersede commercial goals. The Patagonia case study is the ultimate example of this.

What’s your go-to coffee order? Decaf soy latte.

Worst piece of advice you’ve received? I'm a “zero-generation” immigrant who moved to the US with my parents when I was in elementary school. The advice I received from my well-meaning parents was to blend in with the crowd, not to make any “controversial statements” that would make me stand out. That advice is antithetical to making it in the business world, especially as an Asian woman.

What was your favorite retail product when you were 15, and what’s your favorite retail product now? In high school, I loved my Guess jeans. Now, I couldn’t live without my Bandolier phone case that keeps my phone, wallet, and digital keys organized.