MPW Next Gen 2020

How Yara Shahidi juggles her career and attending Harvard at the same time

Yara and Keri Shahidi join Fortune's MPW NextGen.

How Yara Shahidi juggles her career and attending Harvard 

 SPEAKER 1: You had two big, new product launches over the summer, two very different launches. There was swimwear at a time, unfortunately, not a lot of us are able to travel for vacation or go to the beach. And then there are the Always Fits jeans that move as our bodies change, our weight fluctuates. They've been called quarantine jeans, and they do seem very made for this moment. So can you talk about the development process for both of these and how the pandemic affected the launch, the timing, and then the reception of these two different products? EMMA GREDE: Yeah, absolutely. Thank you. It's really great to be here and to be in such a great company. So I'm excited to talk about all of this. Of course, we never planned for a pandemic. None of us did. And I think, ultimately, what we've seen is that the pandemic has essentially just accelerated behavior. Everything that we knew was happening has just happened a lot quicker. And so the way I see is that we're living in 2025 now. And so if you weren't shopping online before, you certainly are now. And sadly, I didn't have a crystal ball. I certainly couldn't pull back on what were going to be two of our brand new category launch and then a fabric that we'd essentially been developing the last two years with Always Fits. And so like everyone, we really just had to pivot, think on our feet. And one of the greatest things about Good American is that since inception, we've really had this two-way street with our customers where we constantly speak to them. We have an incredible community that gives us a lot of information when it comes to what categories we should be working in and how we can really make things better. And so we went straight out to our community and said, what do you want from us? And I think with swim, that was pretty unique. Because again, it's been something we'd been working on for a long time. And when you're coming into the market with a product and a size range, as with everything at Good American, we're entirely inclusive. So everything goes from XXL to a 5X or 00 through to a plus-size 32. We're always about innovation in product. And when you're doing that, there's always a customer for it. And so when you look at swim, it was really filling a hole in the market, and so we changed nothing. Yes, of course, we understood that the habits of our customer has changed. But if you're really filling a pain point in doing something that's unique in the market, the idea is to be steadfast in your beliefs. And so I believed that there was still a customer that was there for that. And actually, of course, I was completely right because we had the single biggest day in the company's history at the launch of swim. With Always Fits, I'm glad people are calling them quarantine jeans, but that never came from us. I wish I'd come up with that nifty marketing and that I could take full credit for it. But that's ultimately what our customers began calling it because the whole genesis of Always Fits is about the fact that, as women, we do change sizes. And I think the pandemic has shown us all that. But just in a regular month, a woman's weight fluctuates, and it can fluctuate five pounds, six pounds, seven pounds. It really depends on your size. And we've done an enormous amount of research that really showed that women, on average, will change sizes 32 times in their lifetime, whereas for a man, it's something like 24, 25. So we knew that there was a real need for a garment that worked with a woman's body and the natural weight fluctuations and, of course, is enormously comfortable. And to Elizabeth's point, we already knew, in fashion, that we were seeing this huge casualization in fashion, and Always Fits came at the right time. Again, I'd love to take full credit and say that we planned it, but it really was about fabric innovation, and that's what we do constantly. And it just so happened to line up with a time that really worked for our customer. Everybody knows that the fashion and the apparel industry has been hit really, really hard. All industries have. But I think that having that two-way street that we've always had with our customers has really benefited us in this time more than others because we can directly communicate and say, well, what do you want? If it's not bosswear, for example, which was one of our biggest categories pre-pandemic, then it's sweats. And we've been very, very nimble and very quick to pivot what we have to do. And I think that's the great thing about being a direct-to-consumer company that really embraces the feedback from its community. We've just been able to pivot. We're as good at listening as we are at innovating, and we've really, really have to live and die by that in this period. 

How Good American created the 'Quarantine Jeans'

CEO Emma Grede joins Fortune's Most Powerful Women NextGen.

 SPEAKER 1: Obviously, this has implications currently with COVID. Newsha, can you talk a little bit about how this is being applied today, where it's being used, and how early can this be used to detect outbreaks before they happen? NEWSHA GHAELI: Yeah. Absolutely. So when we first started the company back in 2017, we were focused on a very different public health challenge, the opioid epidemic. But human health is dynamic. Things change. So with much of the rest of the world, our attention shifted to COVID-19 in February, so early this year. That was around the same time that researchers had noted that the Sars-COV2 virus, so the novel coronavirus, was actually shed in the stool of infected patients. And so we knew that, theoretically, we could find the virus in wastewater. And so together with collaborators at MIT and Harvard, we set off and were ultimately the first team in the US to successfully detect and quantify the virus. And from there, we really grew this technique, this application, to work with over 400 communities across the US, representing over 10% of the US population, generating samples on a daily basis-- sorry-- on a weekly basis. So on a weekly basis, we're understanding the concentration of this virus in wastewater and how it's trending in different communities. SPEAKER 1: So what does that mean today? Has it already been used to alert communities or regions to potential outbreaks? Newsha, do you want to take that? NEWSHA GHAELI: Yeah. Sure. So you know, one of the things that we've seen over the last several months hold true across a lot of the different communities that we work with is that data from wastewater is a leading indicator of new cases to be reported anywhere between 5 to 10 days in advance. And the reason for this is that we suspect that infected individuals are shedding the virus in stool within days of being infected. So that's many days before individuals present with clinical symptoms, choose to go get tested, and then receive those test results back. So a lot of the communities that we're working with are actually generating this data as part of a much larger COVID-19 response, or toolkit, or framework as a leading indicator for how the overall health of their community is doing with respect to this COVID outbreak. SPEAKER 1: So you started in opioids. You've pivoted to COVID. Where else can this take you? Where else can you apply it? And I just want to point out that you have used the word stool so you're being very scientific about this. NEWSHA GHAELI: So. OK I'll try that-- I'll try that again. So we can really look at anything that's excreted in pee and poop. So anything that at the individual level-- almost anything that at the individual level that our doctors can look at, we can start building the same technology to start looking for that in wastewater. So for example, we can move to other infectious diseases, such as influenza. Imagine every flu season having a flu tracker, an early warning that can alert communities to flu outbreaks within a certain geographic footprint. Norovirus. So things that are much more commonplace than COVID-19 but an early warning would just help a certain location or community better prepare. We can look at other types of health indicators such as stress and build a stress index for certain communities looking at things like cortisol. And then, of course, there is the opioid product that we were and are still working on with some communities where we're really able to understand very specific to certain types of communities what are the types of drugs that are most commonly consumed so that public health departments, public health agencies, can be more tailored and more effective in their interventions. The opioid epidemic is not a one size fits all problem. And solutions are not going to be one size fits all across the country. 

How sewage can help warn of a disease outbreak

Newsha Ghaeli of Biobot Analytics explains.

Newsha Ghaeli, co-founder and president of Biobot Analytics, explains.

 JEN WIECZNER: I know, for myself, that I've done Zoom weddings, Zoom yoga classes, Zoom happy hours. What else is there to do On Zoom? Are you envisioning new use cases as we kind of get used to this being our reality for our communication over the next, who knows how many months? JANINE PELOSI: I think you just nailed it, right? It's communication, right? And so, whether that's for work or personal life or your fitness. And so we actually just announced On Zoom-- so funny you framed it that way. Which is a platform that's going to allow for content creators- think about that yoga teacher, somebody that has a business teaching speech therapy, all of these things, and connecting them with prosumers and consumers that want to really take part in their class. So if you think about what has been brick and mortar, a lot of small businesses have, frankly, suffered as of late. And so, this is an opportunity to allow them to really drive their business on a platform that will allow them to make money for their knowledge and provide that knowledge transfer in a great way to consumers. JEN WIECZNER: So On Zoom, how is that different from the Zoom that we've just been using? Sometimes it's free, up to 40 minutes. How is On Zoom different than that experience? JANINE PELOSI: So it's the same product experience that folks are used to. And it just makes it easy to have all of these events all in one place. So a consumer can come in. Maybe they're looking for a cooking class, or they are looking to have their taxes done or take that yoga class, as I mentioned. All of those, and then having those great integrations that allow for payment functionality, some fun ways to play with the meeting, different backgrounds and such so that, to what you talked about earlier, that fatigue, you can have that different interface. 

Zoom CMO Janine Pelosi outlines Zoom's new service "On Zoom"

She says it will allow for a new monetization of the app.

Pelosi says the premium service will allow for a new monetization of the popular videoconferencing app.

 CLAIRE ZILLMAN: You've been really public and open about how the pandemic has affected the retail business. You've shut all but one of your retail stores. You've had to let some employees go. But you say the brand will go on and you're working on re-imagining it. I'm wondering if you can start maybe, Diane, by just talking about where you are in that process and how the future of DVF is taking shape, especially now when there are so many unknowns. DIANE VON FURSTENBERG: Well, I think that this pandemic that happened to us was completely unexpected. But we had no choice but to accept it. So I think that this forced pause is forcing us as individuals to think what our priorities are and think through and maybe change some things. And as a business, in a weird way, it's an opportunity to have the time to check and re-evaluate the business model. In the business like the fashion business where you always work nine months in advance, six months in advance, you're always catching up, and you never have time to think things through. So in a weird way, this is forcing us to think things through and to re-evaluate the business model. And so I think it's actually-- anyway, it is what it is. But it's interesting to be able to re-evaluate it. CLAIRE ZILLMAN: Right. And Talita, can you help us understand sort of that just pause, this re-evaluating? I mean, what sort of ideas are coming out of it in terms of where the brand can go from here? TALITA VON FURSTENBERG: I think we're constantly figuring out where fashion is going, the future of fashion, how the industry is changing, how our business is changing, how our business model is changing, and kind of figuring that out how to be efficient without everyone working in an office space is really hard, especially in the fashion industry when it's such a hands on thing. You want to be constantly seeing the samples. Without having everyone together and not even everyone on the time zone, it is really hard to figure out those small things. So we're trying to figure out how to be the most efficient, how to be the most productive, how to create an oversight without the space that our studio had in the past has definitely been challenging. But every day, we learn how to cope with the new situations, just like everyone is doing, learning how to adjust to the times. And I think with fashion, it is much more relevant and much more-- DIANE VON FURSTENBERG: And you're studying this. TALITA VON FURSTENBERG: Yeah, I'm at NYU right now studying, actually, the future of fashion and sustainability in fashion. So it's definitely really interesting to be at this actual pivotal moment of change in the industry when brick and mortar stores obviously have been dying out in the past, but now it really is. Retail is much different. It's all DTC, it's all online. There is so much change that happening. And I think DVF hostages except that and evolve with the times as it's changing. And I think we're doing that, and we have exciting things in the works. DIANE VON FURSTENBERG: Yeah, I mean, it's very interesting that she's studying this, because had she studied what she's studying now two years ago, it would have been useless. But to studying it now is very, very interesting. So it is a changing world. I think that the pandemic has accelerated by at least five years, if not 10 years, the virtual world that we are going into this virtual world, which is different. TALITA VON FURSTENBERG: And also the clothes that you need for that world are also different. So if we're not going into the office space, we don't really need work attire. If we're not going out at night, we don't need formal attire. What people want to wear has changed, and we also have to adjust product to match that. DIANE VON FURSTENBERG: Exactly. Because fashion is a reflection of the time. So it's very interesting. I mean, usually we design according to a calendar. So the month of June you design for wedding dresses and graduation dresses. And all of a sudden this year, there was no graduation, and there were very few weddings or they were much smaller. So it is a very interesting time, to say the least. 

Diane von Furstenberg on navigating the pandemic and the future of DVF

Uncategorized

von Furstenberg says that previously planned changes are being accelerated.

 JEN WIECZNER: Every time you show up, you're on camera, you have so much energy. And you seem to stay motivated even throughout this whole pandemic, where, you know, sometimes it seems-- I think it's fair to say that some of the news around us can get you down. What's your secret to staying positive, staying motivated every day when you get up? ALLY LOVE: So it's so interesting, because-- I think this question comes up quite often. And to be completely transparent, like many of you that are out there, I am not a positive Patti, as much as I'd like to say I am. But in order for me to find that element of positivity or to stay motivated, I kind of tap into my purpose. And what I mean by that, Jen, is that I think about why am I waking up every day? Why do I do the things that I do? And so oftentimes, what comes to mind is not only of course the legacy of my family, future, and past generations, but more importantly, the social responsibility that I have to my community, which I hold so near and dear to my heart. My community is there-- in terms of community, I mean those that follow and social, those that are part of the Peloton community, those that are Brooklyn Nets fans that, you know, follow Love Squad, all the things that I do. I feel very much connected to them in terms of like them encouraging me and of course vise versa. And so that's my purpose is to make sure that I'm getting out there and I am encouraging other people. They always say when you're having a bad day or you're not doing so well or you're not feeling yourself is that you share a piece of kindness or you give something away to someone, and it, oftentimes, that puts you in a great position. And so those days where I'm not, again, my most positive self or I'm having a down day-- because I'm entitled to one, and I definitely have them just like everyone else-- I lean on my community. I lean into those that I follow on social, those that I talk to, and allow that to be the catalyst for me in that moment or those moments. 

The Love Squad Founder says legacy and community responsibility keep her going.

Ally Love on staying positive and motivated day to day

The Love Squad Founder cites community responsibility.

 SPEAKER: I May Destroy You focuses on the story of Arabella, who is a young writer in London. She goes out for a night with some friends, her drink is spiked, she's sexually assaulted. She wakes up the next morning and can't remember what happened. And then the show is really sort of the story of her putting the events of that night together and facing and recovering from that trauma. And I should note that Michaela has also had an experience with assault and has said before that Arabella's story very closely mirrors her own. So I want to talk about the early days, the beginning of I May Destroy You. But first, I just would love to hear how the two of you met and started working together. MICHAELA COEL: OK. Well, I-- I'll tell you my version, which might be slightly different, because they're two different perspectives. I had finished Chewing Gum the year I was sexually assaulted. And quite quickly, I kind of knew I wanted to write something maybe in a way to process it, maybe in a way to distance myself from it. So my agent at the time had managed to set me a meeting with HBO Comedy. I'm not sure how I actually was allowed into those offices, because I hadn't really done much, Amy. But somehow, I was there. AMY GRAVITT: We were begging to meet with you and thrilled that you were coming into town. Yes! We were fans. MICHAELA COEL: Oh, I didn't know that, you see? AMY GRAVITT: Yes. SPEAKER: I love it. AMY GRAVITT: Yes. It was a general meeting, which we have usually just-- MICHAELA COEL: Was it a general meeting? AMY GRAVITT: It was a general meeting. I had no idea that you had an idea brewing. But I remember our conversation. MICHAELA COEL: General meeting. Hey! I got raped. Wanna make a show? AMY GRAVITT: It was almost like that. MICHAELA COEL: It was just like that, wasn't it? It was just like that. AMY GRAVITT: It was. Well, just given the subject matter, which I said, I thought, oh my gosh, I want to work with her so badly. There's no way this is going to be what we call a quotable comedy, what we mean is a half hour series. I thought for sure that it would end up in the drama side of the building. 

"This May Destroy You" creator on the show's journey to get made

"This May Destroy You" creator Michaela Coel and HBO's Amy Gravitt

Writer and star Michaela Coel and HBO's Amy Gravitt talk about the creation and storyline of the show.

 KRISTEN BELLSTROM: You were COO and number two at Pinterest until this spring. And you are now suing the company, saying that you were fired because you complained about gender discrimination. You also wrote a Medium post in which you talked in some detail about your experience at Pinterest. And some of the things that you talked about there were being paid less than some of your male colleagues, being shut out of key decisions, key meetings. Even receiving sort of gender oriented feedback in your review. Now, I know you have a lawsuit in process right now, so you can't get into every single detail. But I do want to ask you a little bit about some of what you experienced at Pinterest. Can you tell us about a couple of those moments, and you know, maybe particularly something that made you say, you know, we have a real problem here. FRANCOISE BROUGHER: Yeah. And I should start by the beginning. When I was hired, I was extremely excited to jump into [INAUDIBLE].. If you think about it, it's a platform 70% of views are women. And my initial conversation were really good. I know consumer internet quite well from my experience at Google and Square. I have managed this type of go to market team for many, many years now. And the company was going to go IPO. So for me, was a perfect company to join and bring my leadership skill to the team. Unfortunately, it didn't live to my expectation. And from the get go, you know, you start seeing little sign and cracks in the cultures that are tough to identify. There is a lot of microaggression that happen. I talk about in my blog post so there's a meeting after the meeting where in a culture you actually do not understand where the decisions are being made. And you realize after a while this is the same group of men and makes a decision, and you always find out after the fact. I think when things became more public is when we did prepare for the IPO it was a lot of work. I was excluded from the roadshow. So that was the first public exclusion. And then it continued. You know, I started being not invited for board meetings. So all the signs starting to line up until I went and complained, and then got fired. 

The problem at Pinterest

Former COO Francoise Brougher is suing the company, alleging gender discrimination.

Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex warns against social media addiction 

“Something, algorithmically, is creating this obsession.” 

that issue of social media in building these healthy communities online is something You recently joined us to talk about. The fortune most powerful women's summit. But so many of the young women here today are building their own brands on social media and figuring out healthy ways to engage what are the own? What are the strategies that you have developed for continuing to engage in a healthy way and reducing any harm to yourself from some of the more negative elements that are out there? You know, I have for my own self preservation. I have not been on social media for a very long time. I had a personal account years ago, which I closed down, and then we had one through the institution in our office that was in the UK, separate from. But that wasn't that wasn't managed by us. That was the whole team. And so I think that comes with the territory for the job that you have. I've made a personal choice to not have any account, so I don't know what's out there, and in many ways that's helpful for me. I I have a lot of concerns for people that have become obsessed with it, and it is so much a part of our daily culture for so many people that it's an addiction, like many others. And, you know, there are very few things in this world where you call the person who is engaging with it a user. But if you look at social media and what it's doing in the same capacity as it does in creating addiction, what is the comp there? You know, people who are addicted to drugs are called users and people who are on social media called users. And there is something algorithmic Lee that is in there, that is creating this obsession that I think is very unhealthy for a lot of people. So I would just say, as you're out there building your brands as you're out there engaging with your friends online, just be conscious of what you're doing and understand that it is not limited to that one moment that you are creating an echo chamber for yourself. The more that you engage with things that are negative, not just for other people that you might not know, but what it's doing to you as a human being will really have lasting effects and that there is an alternative to engaging in that kind of stuff. So I would say to just be really conscious and responsible. I don't think people have even started to scratch the surface on what this is doing to us, and I wish more for especially the younger generation of women. You have the power to turn this around.

MPW Next Gen 2020

How Yara Shahidi juggles her career and attending Harvard at the same time

Latest video

Yara and Keri Shahidi join Fortune's MPW NextGen.

Videos (11 videos)

How Yara Shahidi juggles her career and attending Harvard at the same time

How Good American created the 'Quarantine Jeans'

How sewage can help warn of a disease outbreak

Zoom CMO Janine Pelosi outlines Zoom's new service "On Zoom"

Diane von Furstenberg on navigating the pandemic and the future of DVF

Ally Love on staying positive and motivated day to day

"This May Destroy You" creator on the show's journey to get made

The problem at Pinterest

Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex warns against social media addiction