The co-lab career stories

the co-lab
  • 4.6 (22)
  • FASHION & BEAUTY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
The co-lab career stories

Welcome to the co-lab career stories podcast, a collective of professionals dedicated to sharing their experiences working in the fashion, beauty, wellness, retail and consumer luxury industries. Hear from CEOs, early career professionals and everything in between as the co-lab members interview each other, sharing their career stories, big pivots, worst jobs, best career advice, and remind us no two career paths are the same. Visit jointhecolab.com to learn more, become a member, tell your story, and follow us @jointhecolab. We can’t wait to network with you. X Kristy, co-lab founder.

  1. 3D AGO

    Fatima Ahmed - Consultant, The øther

    With over 15 years of experience, Fatima Ahmed has developed a career with a strong passion for inclusivity in fashion. Most recently, with Universal Standard, she was part of the team that brought the brand to its current 00-40 size offering. Fatima is currently a consultant with The øther, a brand exploring the dynamic relationship of cultural identity and personal style through clothing and storytelling. In this episode, Fatima chats with Kate Carroll about her history of sewing clothing in childhood to studying art and transitioning into fashion. She shares her experiences at various companies, including her own brand, and her work in menswear, technical design, and plus-size fashion. Notable achievements include her impact at Universal Standard and ongoing projects with brands like The Other, showcasing her passion and evolution in the industry.

    14 min

  2. MAR 11

    Carole Jean Whittington - Chief Well-Being Officer, Whittington Well-Being

    Carole Jean Whittington is the Chief Well-Being Officer at Whittington Well-Being and a leading expert in autistic burnout for women. With 40+ years of lived experience as an autistic woman navigating chronic stress and burnout, she guides autistic women and their supporters to design joyful, burnout-free lives. In this episode, Karmin Huban chats with Carol Jean about her journey from real estate appraising to discovering her and her son’s autism. After multiple burnouts, she founded Whittington Well Being to help autistic women avoid burnout with her ‘Unveiling Method.’

    23 min

  3. MAR 4

    Kamrin Huban - Executive Leadership & Performance Coach

    Kamrin Huban transitioned from 22 years in global fashion operations with adidas, Coach, and Brahmin to launch her leadership coaching business five years ago. Kamrin specializes in guiding seasoned corporate women through transformative change, enhancing leadership impact, and gaining clarity on future goals and life direction. In this episode, Carole Jean Whittington chats with Kamrin about her journey from major retail brands to becoming a leadership coach for seasoned corporate women. Kamrin shares her experience with ADHD, toxic workplaces, and other challenges by leveraging her curiosity and leadership expertise, ultimately discovering her calling to help women gain clarity and navigate transformative career changes.

    22 min

  4. FEB 25

    Jennifer Cook - Buyer at ONS

    Jennifer Cook has spent well over a decade in the fashion industry, working across wholesale, retail, and merchandising functions at companies such as Zac Posen, Suno, and Westerlind. While most of her career has been spent launching international brands in the North American market, she has recently pivoted into buying with a role at ONS Clothing. On the side she writes Mom Friend, a lifestyle publication focused on the intersection of motherhood, fashion, style, and life in Brooklyn. In this episode, Sarah Shapiro chats with Jennifer Cook about her journey from working at Abercrombie as a teen to becoming a SoHo boutique buyer. Jennifer shares insights on her transition from PR to wholesale, her experiences in the fashion industry, and the creation of her Substack newsletter, Mom Friend, as a creative outlet and community space.

    14 min

  5. FEB 18

    Sarah Shapiro - Retail Correspondent for Puck's Line Sheet

    Sarah Shapiro is a retail executive with 20 years of experience in merchandising and digital commerce at companies like Bloomingdale’s and Williams-Sonoma. She founded Retail Diary, a newsletter with 10,000+ subscribers, featured in The New York Times and Vogue Business. After Puck acquired Retail Diary in 2024, Sarah became the Retail Correspondent for Puck’s Line Sheet, covering shopping and consumer trends. In this episode, Jennifer Cook interviews Sarah Shapiro where she reflects on her journey from studying fashion design at Syracuse to a decade at Bloomingdale’s, launching a Fitbit accessory brand, and transitioning into e-commerce and consumer goods. She also discusses founding the Retail Diary newsletter and its growth, leading to her current role as a retail correspondent for Puck’s Line Sheet.

    19 min

  6. FEB 11

    Cynthia Kalfa - Founder of Ondine

    With over 15 years of experience in high-growth startups within the hospitality industry, including hotels, spas, and food & tech, Cynthia brings a wealth of expertise to her latest venture—an UPF apparel brand, Ondine. In this episode, Tina Yao interviews Cynthia, a hospitality industry expert. Cynthia shares her diverse career path, which includes working at renowned establishments such as the Standard Hotel in New York and launching her own B2B catering company. She discusses her latest venture, Ondine, a UPF apparel brand set to launch in the summer of 2025, inspired by her commitment to skin protection and aesthetically pleasing, natural-fiber clothing.

    16 min

  7. FEB 4

    Tina Yau - Founder of TYVY

    Tina Yau is a retail eCommerce executive with over 25 years of experience in fashion and beauty. Having held leadership roles at global brands such as A|X Armani Exchange, Saks Fifth Avenue, Estée Lauder, and Uniqlo, Tina has built a career on driving innovation, scaling businesses, and delivering exceptional customer experiences. In this episode, Cynthia Kalfa interviews Tina Yau, a retail fashion veteran who is launching a new handbag line this summer aimed at empowering women on the go. Tina shares her journey from growing up in New York and studying at NYU, to her career in e-commerce with major brands. She discusses the evolution of e-commerce, her proudest career moments, and her transition from the corporate world to starting her own business, emphasizing the importance of resilience and passion in entrepreneurship.

    12 min

  8. JAN 28

    Rivya Sodhi - Fashion Lawyer

    Rivya is most recently an x-JPMorgan Chase Governance, Risk, and Compliance Expert searching for her next opportunity. She is a legal and compliance expert with over a decade of experience in regulatory compliance, corporate governance, and operational resilience.  Currently pursuing an LLM in Fashion Law at Fordham Law School, she brings a unique perspective by blending her expertise in legal operations with a passion for the creative industries. She is dedicated to driving innovation and efficiency while exploring the intersection of law, business, and fashion. In this episode, Shraddha interviews Rivya, a legal consultant pursuing her Masters in Fashion Law at Fordham University. Rivya discusses her extensive background in legal finance, her passion for fashion law that started in law school, and the transition from finance to fashion law spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. She also shares insights into the overlaps between finance and fashion law, her career journey, and advice for aspiring fashion lawyers.

    12 min
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    4.6
    out of 5
    22 Ratings

    About

    Welcome to the co-lab career stories podcast, a collective of professionals dedicated to sharing their experiences working in the fashion, beauty, wellness, retail and consumer luxury industries. Hear from CEOs, early career professionals and everything in between as the co-lab members interview each other, sharing their career stories, big pivots, worst jobs, best career advice, and remind us no two career paths are the same. Visit jointhecolab.com to learn more, become a member, tell your story, and follow us @jointhecolab. We can’t wait to network with you. X Kristy, co-lab founder.

    Information

    • Creator
      the co-lab
    • Years Active
      2020 - 2025
    • Episodes
      266
    • Rating
      Clean
    • Copyright
      © the co-lab
    • Show Website
      The co-lab career stories

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