Resetting Priorities

Jan Croatt
Co-founder and president
Winston Retail Solutions
New York City

Jan Croatt co-founded Winston Retail Solutions, a full-service provider of custom selling, merchandising, display, store design, project management and creative services, in 2003 with business partner Eric Rothfeld. They originally worked together at Polo Jeans Company, where Croatt served as vice president of retail development and Rothfeld was CEO.

Winston has served a wide variety of clients including Lucky Brand Jeans, Tumi, Levi Strauss & Co, The North Face, Converse and Emporio Armani. Its operating model is based on a lean, mean team that attacks regionally to build nationally. It has a field staff of more than 700 people around the country and maintains offices in New York and Los Angeles, with headquarters in San Francisco.

What was your first paying job?
Working for Diamond’s in the Scottsdale [Ariz.] Fashion Square when I was 16. I stayed there through high school and during college breaks and summers. My responsibilities included not only selling on the floor, but also acting as the receptionist in the store’s management offices. I also managed schedules and made announcements on the paging system for events and security.

Who are your career influencers?
Two people. One is Mindy Grossman, my first female boss who always taught me that there are no limits to having a good, smart strategy and an implementation plan with excellent timing. The other is Eric Rothfeld, my business partner. I met Eric in 1995 when he owned Sun Apparel, the licensee of Polo Jeans Co. Eric has taught me how to set my standards of execution high, perform well and exceed expectations for our clients.

What’s next for your company?
By fall, we will debut a virtual communications site that will allow a client to have an intranet dashboard, training portal with testing and a reporting site. [The site is an off-shoot] of a propriety site we developed for Winston to gain efficiencies, productivity and knowledge of our own 700-plus field team members.

What do you foresee for U.S. shopping malls over the next five years?
I see department stores catering more to local consumers through broader product assortment [color, sleeve lengths, weights of fabrics, lifestyle] based on local demographics, versus an across-the-board assortment strategy by brand based on store size. Department store chains are also looking at more grassroots marketing to build a more loyal customer base. Many are using more viral marketing tools and social networking sites in local markets to reach out to their consumers more regularly with targeted promotions.

Regarding specialty stores, there are more chains with product assortments that [have been] expanded to accept a more alternative shopper; for example, Hot Topic or Torrid. This alternative shopper is also forcing malls to consider more mom-and-pop retailers that cater to this demographic as tenants, since they are high-index shoppers.

What’s motivating or inspiring you?
I’m inspired by our industry leaders who are smartly navigating this current economic climate. I find a sense of accomplishment when we can provide a solution that is cost-efficient and a good return on investment for our clients. Personally, I am inspired by how this climate has clearly defined what is important to people again, and that it does not reside in material things.

How many days are you on the road for business?
About 120 days a year.

What do you take with you?
I always have photos with me and of course my favorite candles, lotions and soaps, but there’s my Donna Karan cashmere cozy. I travel with it everywhere and always have it in my bag.

Last website visited?
A fashion blog by a 13-year-old girl, www.thestylerookie.com.

Little-known fact about you?
I lettered in badminton in high school because the bus traveled with the baseball team!

Favorite restaurant or dining experience?
Garlands Oak Creek Lodge in Sedona will always hold a special place in my heart due to family dinners and special weekends with friends.

You could never have too many …?
Shoes!