We love writing about inspiring women on KDHamptons, and CEO of HSN, Inc., Mindy Grossman, leads the pack of women we admire.  On May 20th, a group of power women gathered at the CORE in NYC to hear how Mindy joined the ranks of Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women in the World year after year, as well as being named #22 in Fortune’s Top People in Business. Upon entering The Core Club, guests were enamored by the red neon art installation, Bold Notion, by Matthew Schreiber, which set the tone for the morning’s intimate conversation with a tour de force of the fashion industry.

After 28 years in the apparel industry, including nine highly successful years at Ralph Lauren Corporation and six equally successful years at Nike, Grossman became CEO of HSN in 2006. She aggressively reinvented and relaunched the brand, took HSN public in 2008, and currently oversees its multi-billion-dollar retail portfolio and multimedia expansion. Moderated by Wendy Diamond, founder of Women’s Entrepreneur Day (WED), the conversation gave attendees a behind-the-scenes look at someone who successfully brought to life Barry Diller’s mantra that risk taking and boldness are the essence of transformation. KDHamptons shares the lowdown on some of the secrets to success that Mindy shared:

Her upbringing had a major influence on who she is today: Grossman’s father worked at the town grocery store; during his time there his manager gave him the money to adopt a child; they adopted Mindy. Her parents always praised her and told her she was special and that they specifically chose her out of all the children in the world. As she got older, she felt she had a responsibility to take this gift that her parents had given her and do something with it.

She believes in the path of passion versus the path of expectation:  Mindy held jobs at the three of her ‘dream’ companies, including Ralph Lauren, Nike, and Disney; however, her values and beliefs left her wanting to work with brands that have a real consumer impact.  She believes most things in life are “beshert”, meaning they are meant to be, so you always have to look forward. She admitted she wasn’t a luxury fashion girl, but she can wear it. All of these things drove her to speak with Barry Diller about an opportunity for his powerhouse company, IAC,  a Media and Internet company with more than 150 brands and products serving loyal consumer audiences.

She lives her life by these three mantras:
1. Only do what you’re passionate about
2. Have it be purposeful
3. Aim to have impact

She believes that relationships and connections are the most powerful things you can have in life: This guides her philosophy at HSN where over the last 10 years she has transformed the business by editorializing commerce. Mindy believes that engagement and generosity make a powerful recipe for success. But don’t forget about experience. Although there has been a tremendous transformation for the fashion industry with the rise of the internet, Grossman believes the retail store will never go away; her business is starting to see custom, in-store experiences as the key to success. She shares, “Give consumers more than just a product; you have to connect with them emotionally.”

She uses a one equals four hiring strategy: She believes that one person can be cool, curious and connected. 1+3=4.

Take time for yourself: Mindy shared that her home in upstate New York is her favorite “never-ending project”, where she indulges in her passion for interior design, cooking, and spending family time with her husband, Neil D. Grossman, and daughter Lizzie.

− by Sara Goldfarb, Publisher KDHamptons