We all have amazing, smart and hard-working women in our lives. At Vionic, we’re fortunate enough to have many of those women working in all aspects of the company with a great amount in leadership roles. As part of our ever-growing appreciation, we want to celebrate the women who make Vionic what it is by highlighting their stories, achievements and more with our Women of Vionic blog series.
Elizabeth Romanoff is the Executive Vice President of People & Culture and facilitates a supportive, welcoming work atmosphere at Vionic. Driven by curiosity and the strive to enrich company culture, she is our Women of Vionic spotlight of the week!
How long have you been with Vionic?
I joined Vionic as a Consultant in July 2014 and became a Vionic employee August 2014.
What’s your role at Vionic and what does that entail?
I lead the People & Culture (HR) team for Vionic. My role entails leading and directing organizational development, employee retention strategies, corporate leadership, global talent acquisition, and employee development. I also create and drive the company total rewards strategy, including compensation, benefits and HR Operations. Best of all, I get to listen to our team to understand what they need so that we can better support them in their roles and also create opportunities for all of us to be connected and have some fun.
Why did you choose to work at Vionic?
I knew that I wanted to join the Vionic team when I was consulting. Each morning I would hear people coming into the office who warmly greeted each other and there was a lot of laughter. At the time, Vionic did not have a People & Culture department, and I wanted to build a department to support these fabulous people. Also, I am a believer in the product having suffered foot pain and greatly appreciate our designers who have expanded our styles and are creating beautiful, fashionable shoes that are super comfortable. We bring joy to people’s lives, and we bring joy to each other!
How does Vionic empower women?
Vionic offers leadership skills workshops and many of the leadership team are mentors for women internally and outside of Vionic with other groups and agencies. We have partnerships with the Center for Domestic Peace(C4DP), Dress for Success, and Bloom; groups that advocate for and empower women. We are excited to be working with Dress for Success to develop a program where our women Vionic leaders mentor women who are on their path to financial independence.
Where do you see the future of Vionic heading?
We have beautiful shoes, and they are so comfortable. I am thrilled to see more people have the opportunity to experience Vionic. We continue to expand our brand reach so more stores are carrying our shoes, and those stores are bringing in more styles to offer their customers. We are also growing globally and with our online presence.
We recently became recognized as a California Green Business, the employees voted Vionic as a Great Place to Work, and we are top in the US for employee engagement measured by the Gallup Institute. Our team continues to provide us with great suggestions to enrich the Vionic culture, and we will continue to hire amazing people.
How do Vionic’s values speak to you?
Vionic’s values speak wholly to me, and I also believe it is a great compass for success. To me, and simply stated, “curiosity” means life learning, “growth” means taking risks and learning from situations that don’t go as planned, “excellence” means striving for better, and “integrity” means owning what you say and do. These values help us to ensure that we stay focused on who we are and how we move forward.
What advice do you have for young women starting in the workforce?
My advice is to set your goal(s), be curious and learn all that you can, be patient, listen, maintain your focus, share your ideas and take care of yourself. Make sure that you communicate your goals to your manager, and don’t let fear stop you. Take risks, own your career, don’t wait for it to come to you, or you could be waiting a long time.
Do you have a favorite Vionic style?
Oh yes! The Daytona Bootie is my new favorite; it is a great 3-season bootie that is easy to pair with most styles. For Spring and Summer, I am excited about the Vero Wedge!
What’s your secret to feeling your best self?
8 hours of sleep and regular vigorous exercising. If you don’t get in a workout in the morning, just put on some dance music; then dance.