Marc Fisher Footwear’s Kelli Fujitani on Building a Thriving Team Through Mentorship & Empathy
Kelli Fujitani, senior executive vice president at Marc Fisher Footwear, credits her nearly 20 years at the company to the people.
“I am lucky to work with some of the best people in the industry every day. Our many female brand leaders are amazingly talented. Everyone works incredibly hard and is very supportive of one another. I am immensely proud of the company we have built,” she told FN.
Mentorship has been crucial to her own growth, she added, highlighting Hank Solis, Terry Solis and Susan Itzkowitz as mentors. On the flip side, Fujitani said mentoring and having a positive impact on others is the most important and personally rewarding part of her job.
“I look for loyalty and empathy in a leader,” she said. “I want my teams to know I always have their back. Working hard and leading by example is critical to building trust and creating a positive culture.”
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In order to have a successful mentor-mentee relationship, Fujitani said one must have empathy and the desire to advocate for others by not only cheering for successes but also supporting them through setbacks. “Encouraging innovation and creative problem-solving is key. Predicting potential pitfalls and building contingencies into business strategy is critical,” she added.
Fujitani also emphasized that working hard in whatever role future leaders acquire is needed to rise through the ranks, but listening, learning and asking questions will propel them forward in their career as well. “Effective communication, self-motivation and the ability to team-build and motivate others are important skills to develop,” she said.
A version of this article appeared in the June 3 print issue of FN, as part of the “Women Who Rock” special section. On June 5, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation honored these women at a live event in New York City.
