Outdoor Voices looks to a new female founder to turn the brand around
Summary
Multiple reports in February and March identified challenges within the athleisure darling, from employee concerns about the leadership of founder Ty Haney to significant financial losses.Now, a new leader is stepping in with a clear mission: turn the brand around. On Sunday, the company announced that Ashley Merrill, founder and CEO of the womens sleepwear brand Lunya, will become chairperson of Outdoor Voices board of directors. )In recent years, Outdoor Voices had attempted to hireand then struggled to retainseasoned retail executives as the brand sought to maintain its fast growth. Merrill, 36, instead plans to apply her different type of direct-to-consumer background to the workout brand; she will be a hands-on chair as the company searches for an omnichannel retail leader to serve as its next CEO. What I hope we can bring into this new chapter is intentionality around decision-making, clarity in leadership, and a supported organization that can help employees and the eventual CEO feel aligned.Merrills appointment alongside Haney on the board of directors puts two young women back in the drivers seat of a female-focused brand that, until recently, seemed destined to be handed over to male retail executives.