Leading with Heart: Stacy Garcia of LebaTex On The Power of Authentic Women’s Leadership

An Interview With Pirie Jones Grossman

Build trust: Leading authentically as a woman fosters trust and connection within teams. For example, during a challenging project, I openly shared my personal experiences and values, creating a more transparent and supportive work environment where team members felt comfortable expressing themselves.

In today’s dynamic world, the concept of leadership is continuously evolving. While traditional leadership models have often been male-dominated, there is a growing recognition of the unique strengths and perspectives that women bring to these roles. This series aims to explore how women can become more effective leaders by authentically embracing their femininity and innate strengths, rather than conforming to traditional male leadership styles. In this series, we are talking to successful women leaders, coaches, authors, and experts who can provide insights and personal stories on how embracing their inherent feminine qualities has enhanced their leadership abilities. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Stacy Garcia.

An established leader in the world of design, Stacy Garcia is a successful serial entrepreneur. Founder of LebaTex, a distinctive commercial textile supplier, and Principal of Stacy Garcia, Design Studio, a product design and licensing firm. With her established brands, Stacy Garcia | New York, Stacy Garcia Blue Label, Stay by Stacy Garcia, and Stacy Garcia Home, this internationally renowned designer has partnered with some of the world’s leading manufacturers to create products that span from floor to ceiling for resorts, hotels, and homes all over the world.

As a forecasting and design expert, Garcia serves as a chairholder of the Color Marketing Group, the international association of color professionals, she was voted one of the 10 leading voices in the hospitality design industry and honored by ASID for Design Excellence. Her work has been featured in Interior Design, Boutique Design, LUXE, Architectural Digest and Traditional Home. Stacy also serves as the Executive Chair for NEWH’s Martha’s Mentor Program, a transformative, 10-month initiative designed to connect aspiring professionals in the hospitality industry with experienced industry mentors.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion about authentic, feminine leadership, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

One of the most interesting things that happened to me in my career was that I collaborated with QVC to design a line of bedding, towels and spa accessories inspired by luxury hotels. We brought it out under the “Stay by Stacy Garcia” brand, and I got to go on television for a three-year period to show and sell the collections! I met some fun and famous people in the green room each time too!

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

Beyond our unique design aesthetic and signature design process, our company has its roots in the hospitality industry. This informs the way we approach product design because we understand that we are creating things that become part of the whole. The basis of all hospitality design is to welcome the guest. To make them feel comfortable, have their needs anticipated and create a memorable experience. The colors, shapes and materials uses in design help create a backdrop for the guest. This same ethos can be applied to residential design as well.

The other thing that makes our studio stand out is that we forecast trends as part of our process. We are looking two years in advance for movement in colors, design elements and materials and what drives these trends to be desirable. The reason we work so far ahead is that our clients may be working on ground-up projects that won’t open their doors for two to three years. The products they choose can’t look dated when the property opens its doors!

You are a successful business leader. Which three-character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Resilience, empathy, and vision have been pivotal to my success. Resilience helped me to work through the changing demands of the market and allow my brands to evolve over time. An example of this is that we were hired by a leading furniture manufacturer to design collections of casegoods and upholstery for trade and high-end retail customers. After two years of R&D and preparing all of the marketing materials to launch, the client closed their doors. We are already interviewing new partners to produce these collections and look forward to launching with a new partner in 2025!

Empathy has guided me through challenges, fostering understanding and collaboration amongst teams during product development and collection launches. As the mother of four children, I’m a pretty good read on body language and I lovingly call people out if I get a read that is not aligned with what their words are saying. This has helped create a culture where people feel comfortable being “open and honest”.

Vision propelled us into almost a 20-year mark in business, there have been many changes in design since I started and anticipating market shifts and constantly innovating has secured our position as industry pioneers.

Leadership often entails making difficult decisions or hard choices between two apparently good paths. Can you share a story with us about a hard decision or choice you had to make as a leader? I’m curious to understand how these challenges have shaped your leadership.

I encountered an issue when considering a potential partnership with a major supplier. While the partnership promised to expand our market reach, it became clear that its quality could compromise our brand integrity. After thorough consultation, I made the difficult choice to decline the partnership, prioritizing our commitment to quality over a quick revenue lift. This decision reinforced the importance of staying true to our core values, even when faced with tempting opportunities. Ultimately, it strengthened our brand identity and cultivated trust among customers and employees, proving that integrity is paramount in leadership.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Can you share a personal experience where embracing your unique leadership style, which might not align with traditional expectations, led to a significant positive impact in your organization or team?

My personal mission as a leader is to inspire and mentor people, especially my team members. I have many young professionals on my staff and we host lunches and get together to discuss both personal and professional goals. This gives us the platform to share my experiences with them, coach them on career goals and for everyone to support one another. I know some leaders keep strict boundaries around their time and their team but I try to be available recognizing that we are all whole humans with personal lives and goals as well.

In your journey as a leader, how have you balanced demonstrating resilience, often seen as a masculine trait, with showing vulnerability, which is equally powerful, but typically feminine? Can you give an example where this balance created a meaningful difference?

I have found the balance between resilience and vulnerability to be pivotal. While resilience may be seen as masculine, I’ve discovered that vulnerability can forge deeper connections and trust within my team. For instance, during a period of organizational change, I projected strength while also openly acknowledging my uncertainties. Being “real” with my team has opened up opportunities for the team to step up and solve problems. Not only did this not scare them, it ended up empowering them to help us navigate forward. This balance created an environment of empathy and collaboration, fostering even greater success. I believe you need to be incredibly strong to show vulnerability, so I’m hoping to erase some of the gender-based leadership styles and stereotypes.

As a woman in leadership, how have you navigated and challenged gender stereotypes, especially in situations where traditional male-dominated approaches are the norm? What strategies have you employed to remain authentic to your style?

I am fortunate that my father was and is one of my mentors. My sister and I always joked that his mission was to raise warriors, so we learned to be pretty tough. I’ve also navigated gender stereotypes by leveraging my unique perspective as a mama and wife. I challenge traditional male-dominated approaches by allowing space for my team to be human. Life happens and I try to offer flexibility and a compassionate approach in our studio. By remaining true to myself, I foster inclusivity and innovation within my team.

How do you utilize emotional intelligence and active listening to create an inclusive environment in your team or organization? Could you share a specific instance where these qualities particularly enhanced team dynamics or performance?”

It is very important to me that everyone on my team feels valued and heard. For instance, during a product development meeting, I actively listened to a quieter team member’s idea, incorporating their creativity into our new designs. This not only boosted their confidence but also enriched our approach, resulting in improved team dynamics and performance.

What role has mentorship played in developing your authentic leadership style, and how do you communicate authentically to inspire and empower both your mentors and mentees?

Mentorship has played a HUGE role both in my leadership style and in my personal life. I am fortunate to have had some incredible people who poured their time and wisdom into me to help me become successful.

Martha Tillim was one of those mentors for me. We worked together at a fabric house in New York City and became fast friends when we discovered that we shared the same birthday even though we were 31 years apart! She passed away last year so I decided to spearhead a mentorship program with NEWH Inc., a dynamic association dedicated to awarding scholarships to those wanting to enter the hospitality industry. We named it “Martha’s Mentors” and it has become a way to give back to the next generation of professionals as well as a way to leave a legacy for my friend and mentor.

I have openly shared the inspiration behind the program and being vulnerable and authentic with our community has inspired people to get involved.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your experience and research, can you please share “5 Ways Leading Authentically As A Woman Will Affect Your Leadership”? If you can, please share a story or an example for each.

1 . Build trust: Leading authentically as a woman fosters trust and connection within teams. For example, during a challenging project, I openly shared my personal experiences and values, creating a more transparent and supportive work environment where team members felt comfortable expressing themselves.

2 . Cultivate diversity and inclusion: As a woman leader and small business owner, I have purposely cultivated a diverse and inclusive team. I implemented this hiring initiative because I believe our company and clients benefit from having a team that is not homologous. This opens us up to new perspectives, practices and innovations.

3 . Inspire others through vulnerability: Demonstrating vulnerability as a leader inspires others to be comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work. I am open and honest about challenges I face as a woman. I remember how difficult I found it to make big decisions about business while I was pregnant with my second son. I openly acknowledged my fears and uncertainties to my leadership team and empowered them to lead and foster a culture of perseverance and growth.

4 . Promote collaboration: Authentic female leadership promotes collaboration and innovation. By encouraging open communication and valuing diverse perspectives, I facilitate brainstorming sessions where team members feel empowered to share bold ideas, leading to creative solutions and breakthrough innovations. One rule is the rule of improv, where you add “and” to someone’s idea to riff off them instead of shutting them down. One of my favorite brainstorming games is to ask, “What would we do if money was no object?” Or “what would we do if we knew we couldn’t fail? It’s amazing the innovative ideas the team comes up with when we remove constraints and collaborate.

5 . Be flexible and respect work/life balance: The juggle and the struggle is REAL! As a mom, wife, daughter and professional, I understand that sometimes our team members are being pulled in many different directions. We have offered flex schedules since the beginning almost 20 years ago. This includes PTO for part-time and full-time employees and the flexibility to work hours that allow you to be home for your kids or aging parents. We have a saying when we hire working parents and that is that you never have to worry if you want to attend a Halloween parade, school concert or something similar. I never want my team to feel like they have to “hide” the fact that they have a family and events that are important to them.

Are there potential pitfalls or challenges associated with being an empathetic leader? How can these be addressed?

One challenge is the risk of being perceived as too soft or indecisive, particularly in environments that prioritize assertiveness. Empathetic leaders may struggle with setting boundaries and managing their own emotions amidst high-pressure situations. It is crucial to always balance empathy with assertiveness and decisiveness when necessary.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

One of my superpowers is making people feel special because I believe we all are. There is no one exactly like YOU and we all have something beautiful and unique to bring to the world. The movement I would start is one of kindness and love. If we build each other up instead of tearing each other down, imagine what a loving world we would create. I recently left uplifting sticky notes on each of my team members’ computer screens. Messages like: “You are the magic” and “Expect Great things from Yourself.” Let’s start by giving sincere compliments to people, even complete strangers, you never know what those positive words can mean to someone!

How can our readers further follow you online?

You can find me on Instagram @garcia_globetrotts, my studio @stacygarciastudio and my fabric company @lebatex. I am also on LinkedIn!

Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!

About The Interviewer: Pirie is a TedX speaker, author and a Life Empowerment Coach. She is a co-host of Own your Throne podcast, inspiring women in the 2nd chapter of their lives. With over 20 years in front of the camera, Pirie Grossman understands the power of storytelling. After success in commercials and acting. She spent 10 years reporting for E! Entertainment Television, Entertainment Tonight, also hosted ABC’s “Every Woman”. Her work off-camera capitalizes on her strength, producing, bringing people together for unique experiences. She produced a Children’s Day of Compassion during the Dalai Lama’s visit here in 2005. 10,000 children attended, sharing ideas about compassion with His Holiness. From 2006–2009, Pirie Co-chaired the Special Olympics World Winter Games, in Idaho, welcoming 3,000 athletes from over 150 countries. She founded Destiny Productions to create Wellness Festivals and is an Advisory Board member of the Sun Valley Wellness Board.In February 2017, Pirie produced, “Love is Louder”, a Brain Health Summit, bringing in Kevin Hines, noted suicide survivor to Sun Valley who spoke to school kids about suicide. Sun Valley is in the top 5% highest suicide rate per capita in the Northwest, prompting a community initiative with St. Luke’s and other stake holders, to begin healing. She lives in Sun Valley with her two children, serves on the Board of Community School. She has her Master’s degree in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica and is an Executive Life Empowerment Coach, where she helps people meet their dreams and goals! The difference between a dream and a goal is that a goal is a dream with a date on it!