Amazing women are all around us. 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.
Margaret Pitcher manages the email channel and CRM (customer relationship management) platform at the senior level for Vionic’s digital site. With a knack for building authentic relationships both off- and online, she plays a key role in developing innovative ways to create a personalized experience for every customer. Always providing the laughs with her quick wit and always willing to lend a helping hand, Margaret showcases how to lead while still being a team player. Read more about our Women of Vionic Spotlight of the Week!
How long have you been with Vionic?
About three-and-a-half years. Officially four years this New Year’s Eve.
What’s your title role at Vionic, and what does that entail?
Senior Email Marketing Manager. I manage the email channel for our ecommerce site, which accounts for a significant portion of our website traffic and our revenue. I handle all things related to consumer emails, from our weekly newsletters to our on-boarding series to transactional emails, and everything in between. I manage our CRM (customer relationship management) platform which powers our email system and provides real-time reporting on our customers’ purchasing patterns. I also partner with the international teams on email best practices to help build their business and increase revenue.
Most importantly, my role involves getting to know our consumers through their purchasing behavior and developing customized campaigns that are unique to them. I see our email channel serving as a sort of virtual personal shopper, delivering to your inbox product suggestions that are of interest to you and content that really speaks to you. We’re making great progress in the way of email personalization. When our customers think of us, I want them to think, “Vionic, they know me.”
Why did you choose to work at Vionic?
The products and the people. Before joining Vionic I was an independent contractor with a home office and very flexible schedule. The prospect of committing to an on-site position with a daily commute was pretty daunting, though I was ready for the right situation. My clients at the time were mainly smaller businesses that offered excellent products or services but whose company culture was nonexistent and businesses practices less than sustainable.
I was seeking an organization that does good in the world and whose products I could truly believe in and support, in an environment where people are professional and productive yet relaxed and non-bureaucratic. I love shoes and was familiar with Vionic via my youngest sister (a big fan of the slippers, and now all of our shoes). After my first visit to the Vionic office I thought, “I can picture myself coming here to work every day.” And it’s still true to this day.
What do you feel has been your greatest accomplishment/proudest moment at Vionic?
Growing our email channel by 370%, from a relatively static “batch-and-blast” list to a dynamic database that’s fully integrated with our CRM and driven by our customers’ footwear interests and purchasing patterns.
What are 3 things that are important to you when working on a team?
Trust, resilience and an offbeat sense of humor.
What advice do you have for young women starting in the workforce?
Know your strengths and understand how they directly contribute to results and success. At the same time, acknowledge and identify your weaknesses challenges and opportunities for growth. Align yourself with strong female leaders who can help mentor you on your career path. Partner with your colleagues to foster a collaborative environment in which you play to each other’s strengths and learn from each other. Grasping onto and not sharing job knowledge because you fear that someone could take over your role – that is not job security. Your contributions and value to the company is so much more than that. Lastly, always remember to breathe.
How does Vionic empower women?
We challenge the notion that you need to compromise your well-being in order to look good – and by “good” I don’t mean a conventional or traditional sense of beauty. It’s whatever look you embrace, whatever style suits you.
Our feet are our foundation, and we enable women to wear the shoes we want to wear without fear of inhibiting our motion or incurring pain. Comfort, support, mobility and style: Vionic is direct proof that you can have all of this and for us this is the standard. I believe this should be the standard not only in footwear but for all women’s products and services.
Do you have a favorite Vionic style?
This time of year, I love our platform and wedge sandals like High Tide. They feel so good on your feet and you can rock them all day and then out on the town. Year-round I love our slip-on sneakers, such a range of styles including non-traditional “sneakers” like Sena, my current fave. I wear these shoes with pants, skirts, dresses, almost anything. They’re good travel mates, and they’ve taken me from a conference or work setting to social event on numerous occasions.
What’s your secret to feeling your best self?
Maintaining a solid work-life balance. And by this, I mean not only balancing time spent at work and personal time, but also finding alignment between your personal values and your job. For me it’s essential that I believe in my company’s products and mission, and that I can speak enthusiastically about my work to everyone from family and friends to a stranger in the elevator or in line at the local café. My personal time is my time, and yet I don’t view my job as a clock in/out situation. I truly care about what we do for our customers and ourselves. Realistically, you might not love your job 100% of the time, but it’s very important to be passionate about what you do.
Where do you see the future of Vionic heading?
I embrace the idea of our being a bit of an upstart in the footwear industry, albeit one that’s built on decades of experience and intelligence and informed by an array of consumer insight and industry expertise. I see us reshaping concepts of women’s footwear and setting new standards for style and support. We are and will continue to be at the forefront of footwear for women of all walks of life, and I see us doing the same for men as well.