Coworking with Lee Moffie

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The customer’s always journeying: Retail, like life, is about the journey—the customer journey, that is. In our State of Stores report, we dive into how retailers need to use every tool in their kit (including the POS) to meet the ever-expanding expectations of today’s shoppers. Read it here.

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Lee Moffie is founder and CEO of men’s apparel brand State & Liberty Clothing Co.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? We build businesses, lead teams, and always put the customer first. A big part of our role is developing people through training, setting standards, and creating an environment where our team can perform at a high level. On the product side, it’s about delivering gear that actually solves problems for our customers, and on the business side, it’s making sure every touchpoint reflects that same mindset.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? How much time goes into developing our people on the ground. A big part of what we do is working with our retail teams, training, reinforcing standards, and making sure we’re delivering a consistent, high-level customer experience across every store. That’s where the brand really comes to life.

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? Growing State & Liberty while developing strong teams along the way has been the most rewarding part. Building the business is one thing, but doing it with great people by hiring, training, and watching team members grow into leaders is what stands out the most. That’s what really drives long-term success.

Which emerging retail trend are you most excited about right now, and why? The idea that retail is “dead” couldn’t be further from the truth. People still love shopping in person; they just expect more from the experience. When you combine a great product with a strong team and high-level service, stores become a real competitive advantage. We’ve always believed in that. Retail gives us the opportunity to connect with customers directly, understand their needs, and create an experience that you just can’t replicate online.

What’s your go-to coffee order? Black coffee—simple and consistent.

Worst piece of advice you’ve received? “You spend too much time on employee issues. Hire someone else to deal with it.” We completely disagree with that. Building and developing a team is one of the most important parts of growing a business. The time spent coaching, training, and helping your people improve is what drives everything else. If you’re not invested in your team, you’re not setting the foundation for long-term success.

What was your favorite retail product when you were 15, and what’s your favorite retail product now? At 15, it was Lululemon crewneck shirts. I loved them. They were comfortable, athletic, and felt different from everything else out there at the time. Now, it’s a perfectly fitting black suit. There’s nothing better than putting on something that fits exactly how it should. It gives you confidence, it’s versatile, and it sets the tone no matter the situation.