We’ve all heard the phrase ‘50 and fabulous!’ And, frankly, I’m over it. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the sentiment. I just can’t get behind the idea that empowered women of a certain age are the exception, not the rule. 

My New Chapter: a Vibrant Community Celebrating Age-Defying Woman

The journey continues. Today I am passionate about creating a community for age-defying women.

We’ve all heard the phrase ‘50 and fabulous!’ And, frankly, I’m over it. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the sentiment. I just can’t get behind the idea that empowered women of a certain age are the exception, not the rule.

Here’s the thing: women who fall in the 50+ age range no longer fit the mold that editors, marketers, and advertisers continue to confine them to.

‘Empty-nest’ is just as often a fresh start as it is a mourned ending. We continually grow and evolve as people. Many of us launch new careers, travel the world, tap into previously unexplored interests, and dress better than we have our entire lives—shifting waistlines and all. Yet no one is speaking to us in a way that feels natural, relevant, or even particularly interesting.

I know this because I am a part of this demographic, and I’ve spent the last decade navigating a sea of sad, post-menopausal content engineered to make us feel invisible, ashamed, and obsolete. I’m ready to be engaged, intrigued, and inspired. I’m ready to discover, to laugh, to be shocked, to be delighted, to agree, and to disagree. I’m ready to reframe the conversation. Aren’t you?

One Kings Lane

I was inspired to create One Kings Lane after moving from an apartment in New York City to a house in Los Angeles where I experienced a highly fragmented, difficult to shop home furnishings industry. I joined forces with Ali Pincus in 2008 during the depths of the US financial crisis. Less than six months later, bootstrapping the operation, One Kings Lane launched in March 2009 and an industry was disrupted. Today One Kings Lane is a daily source of shopping and design inspiration for millions of people. In 2016 Bed, Bath, & Beyond acquired One Kings Lane and I remain the #1 supporter for the brand.

I grew up all over the United States. My family moved eight times before I graduated high school. No, I was not on the run and my father was not in the army. I was a retail brat which explains a lot about who I am, what I have done, and where I am going.  Growing up in different cities made me curious. I developed a love for travel, art, fashion, and all things beautiful. After graduating from Stanford University and then completing my MBA at UCLA, I was drawn naturally to the world of retail. I spent the next 20 years working in the fashion industry until I had an “ah-ha” moment.