Lydia Earhart

I used to work retail. Correction: I used to love working retail.

In another state, at another time, I was board-folding cardigans and finger-spacing racks perfectly. I signed some up for credit cards and hung up the clothes customers tried on, took off and didn’t want.

I met all types of women I never would have met outside of the job – some with babies, pets, jobs, stressful careers, no careers and even husbands waiting in the car for them to finish shopping. I loved the variety.

In a quarterly meeting, a video introduced us to the women who we are selling to. It was brilliant!

It went beyond a demographic or a stereotype to identify the structure of the personality we sold the most to. “Who is the girl who buys our brand and what is she trying to say?” I started buying more of the products I sold. I was their target, and essentially, I started working retail for free. I wonder how many people would buy what they sell.

I was supporting a company who wasn’t just paying me but was supporting my personal life and helping me evolve.

To a “T,” this store gets me. That brand is me, and I feel a part of it each time I shop there. It’s that connection to their clients on an individual base – “reaching customers not selling to them.”

CityLife is not selling you anything, but it is our mission to reach you. We want to know you. This publication is an avenue for women, made up of women, who want to connect and share their life. Our mission is big and it is evolving.

This year, CityLife will continue to build on the momentum we have had in the past two years by: • sharing stories of women who must be noticed this year and let their voices be heard, • showing real beauty and how what makes us different makes us lovely, • enjoying our accomplishments and sharing the joy of successes and • partnering with groups and women who empower, are creative and want to share innovative ideas. CityLife represents a new wave of women in this community, who are part of a movement to motivate, inspire and share. We are women who speak up, are passionate and have influence.

We aren’t made from the same cookie-cutter mold. We are proud to be a brand all of our own, and 2016 is our year!