Ali McEwen

National Account Manager at Diversified Distribution Systems, LLC

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonmcewen/

It was a great pleasure to meet and talk with Ali McEwen this past week. Ali is a motivation to many of us due to her ever-encompassing entrepreneurial spirit and true passion for the industry. Currently working as a National Account Manager at Diversified Distribution Systems LLC, she also holds experience working in the luxury retail market as a manager and has vast experience working in the area of Supply Chain Management.

With a BA in Human Geography, Ali has a strong passion for the environment and sustainability.

Through this lecture, not only were we able to learn from her experiences in different facets of the industry, but we were also able to make a network connection that may serve as something positive for the future. After the lecture, I was lucky enough to have been given the opportunity to interview Ali one on one and ask a few more questions.

 

Why did you choose this career?

It was due to her passion for the retail industry and her urge to want to change the status-quo.

 

In your opinion, what are some of the skills required in order to be successful in this industry?

Ali mentioned that throughout her experience in the industry, soft skills have proved themselves to be more valuable than hard skills. These soft skills can be self-taught and enhance one’s ability to grow within their field of work. However, that is not to say that a great grasp and understanding of the tasks required for your specific position are not important.  

 

Are there any suggestions that you can give to us as students who hoping to find our place in the fashion industry?

One of the main tips that Ali gave to us was in regards to networking. In her opinion, it is very important to be aggressive when it comes to networking in this business. She also mentioned that in order to truly thrive within this industry, a positive outlook is very important. Sometimes you will be asked to do tasks that you deem as mundane or unimportant, but it is imperative that you give your 100% every time.

 

I personally felt that this guest lecture experience was extremely valuable to us as students. As we are nearing the completion of our program, it is becoming increasingly important to reach out to members of the industry to try to find our niche.