Embracing Change, Growth, and All That Comes With It with Rachel Kwan

Sephora, My Soulmate Company

In 2018, I took a big leap from the fashion industry and joined Sephora Singapore as the ION Flagship Store Manager. There was already that strong emotional connection with the brand, and to my career-driven personality, its robust omni-channel retail strategy was very exciting. After three amazing years as Store Manager and Store Director, I raised my hand to try something new. 

With my passion for customer-centricity and an ability to craft an exceptional customer experience, I knew these skills would be welcome somewhere within Sephora. Coupled with the onset of COVID-19 and the acceleration of e-commerce and omni-channel retail, I yearned to evolve my skills beyond the four walls of my store. It was only natural that when the opportunity to evolve my role to Marketing Manager came up, I jumped at it! 

Hopping from Storefront to Office

It’s never a dull day as a Marketing Manager. I wear multiple hats, such as trade marketing, customer relationship management and public relations. 

The opportunity to dip my toes into these facets of the Marketing team came to me in just 2 short months. The transition from storefront to office is no small change and  I’m equally appreciative of the overwhelming support extended by my colleagues, devoting their time to guide and answer the multitude of questions I had. Their support was extremely powerful, and I truly felt the Sephora spirit around me. 

Another great embodiment of the Sephora spirit would be the Sephora Playhouse we created in 2018! It was a shining example of the free-spirited, fun, and open culture we have here that allows us to define how we want things to be done. It was like the Museum of Ice Cream, but we offered beauty instead! Attendees explored a wide variety of brands that were assigned different areas in the museum. We co-hosted workshops with the various brands and created a ball pit and a huge, bouncy trampoline. The entire place was so colourful, fun and vibrant that photos could turn up in an endless number of ways.

Pursue Growth - As Scary and Uncomfortable as It Is

I want to give back to my team and have them develop and  get the most out of their career here and pave the way for their development. My philosophy is always to put people first. Likewise, I hope to make our customers feel a strong emotional connection with the brand like I do. Here’s my advice for all those who want to further their careers.

Firstly,  make your ambitions known. Our leaders are not mind readers, so it’s always a two-way street when it comes to individual development. We should take charge of our own development just as we hold our leaders responsible and accountable to their development of us as well.

Secondly, be prepared to put in the hard work. Opportunities come in different shapes and forms, like what I experienced - they  may not come in a way that you initially wanted, but remember what your initial goal is. For instance, I never thought of myself as a Marketer and did not have it in mind, but my goal was to stretch myself and grow as much as I can while making an impact in my organisation. That’s how I knew this was the right path for me!

Lastly, change is scary and uncomfortable. There are days where you may doubt yourself and your abilities. It is important to remind yourself that while change is uncomfortable and filled with uncertainties, that’s where growth happens.