Fordham University’s Business in Fashion and Luxury (BiFL) association recently hosted a networking event at The Boss Store at Columbus Circle near Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus. Following the event, Gabelli School of Business students had the opportunity to build their business wardrobe by exploring Hugo Boss’ three-story location. Two guest panelists were present: Robyn Carter, founder and CEO of Jump Rope Innovation, and Brian Choi, CEO of The Food Institute.
In an event managed by Nina Show, president of BiFL, and Nial Stevensen, vice president of events and communications at BiFL, Carter and Choi responded to prompts and took questions from an audience of students. When asked by Show, Choi began the conversation by reflecting on Hugo Boss’ motto of having a “#BOSSMINDSET.”
“A true boss is someone who has people who want to follow you,” said Choi. Choi, who worked in private equity and investment banking before becoming an entrepreneur, noted that passion and commitment were important to have as a boss and in the job itself.
“Life is too short to just chase a paycheck,” Choihe said. “Being a boss means you are giving back to the community, your folks, partners, and investing in the next generation. We use different sources to hone in on how the future of the food and business industry is going to evolve.”
Questions were also raised by Show about the rise of influencer marketing as a potential field of entry for Gabelli students. “Influencers are a great resource when we think about innovation, as they constantly have their finger on the pulse of what’s happening,” said Carter.
Stevensen also sparked a conversation about Gen Z and millennials’ impacts on this new field. “Gen Z wants the real story and they want it fast,” said Carter.
Show shifted the conversation to discussions on Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) and business sustainability. “Sustainability is something that is increasing in intensity over the last couple of years,” said Choi. “For-profit organizations should keep sustainability front and center, and conversations are rising across boards.”
Choi noted that, even though some companies are becoming more ethically sustainable, others are more hypocritical. “Some companies say they are sustainable, but when you look at what they’re doing, it is all talk,” said Choi. “Consumers can see through it.”
Carter described how businesses need to make their sustainable products just as good as previously trusted brands. “They have to do jobs as well as conventional businesses and give people this other opportunity,” said Carter. “This is why Native is doing so well.” Native has increasingly marketed their products that have the same benefits as traditional body and hair care products, without the dangerous chemicals.
Artificial intelligence is also a growing controversy in the business world, and Carter noted that it does have its benefits and implications. “It can’t help us get to the answer, but it can help us refine our answer,” said Carter.
The panel concluded with Choi and Carter each sharing some business challenges they faced while rising to their titles. Choi, who acquired The Food Institute in Jan. 2020, was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic almost immediately upon entering the field. “We had to figure out very quickly how we were going to make an old and stagnant print publication work in the modern age,” said Choi.
Within two months, he was able to convert his team to a fully virtual environment using Microsoft Teams. Adapting to the new technology was slightly more difficult for Carter and Jump Rope Innovation. “We thought, ‘let’s not panic,’ and if we kept our hands on the wheel, things would be fine,” she said. She retained a commitment to three principles: people, not panicking and giving to clients. “We came through that time stronger than before.”
Following the presentation, students had the opportunity to tour the Hugo Boss store and select business professional merchandise, ranging from pantsuits to shirt and tie combinations.
Several undergraduate and graduate students, including Nicholas Casula, MBA ’25, voiced their opinions on the event. “I really enjoyed the talk back with Robyn Carter and Brian Choi,” said Casula. “There was an impactful discussion on using social media influencers for research and development of new products based on emerging trends.”
“First of all, thank you to the panelists for arranging this event, I never thought I would have the opportunity to chat with an actual CEO,” said Zincheng Chen, GSB ’28. “This is the perfect week for my Ground Floor class since we just moved onto the Business Plan Project, and the panelists gave very strong feedback on how I can stand out in the final presentation.”
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