Undercover CEO Gives a Lesson To An Ageist and Disrespectful Manager

um your resume is filled with years of retail experience Jane on paper you're more than qualified but I have to be honest you're not really what we're looking for I don't understand would you mind elaborating on that um I've dedicated my life to retail and fashion I believe I can bring a wealth of experience to your team it's not just about experience it's about um the image our brand targets a younger demographic see we're looking for staff who can embody the youthful vibrant essence of our clothing line I mean it's marketing 101 I see but

don't you think it's shortsighted to only target young people I mean people of all ages wear clothes and they might appreciate seeing someone they can relate to it's not shortsighted it's strategic our research shows that our target market prefers to engage with brands that reflect their own image and aspirations and older staff doesn't really fit that image but that's just it I mean fashion is universal it's Timeless and by including staff members from different age groups I mean you're not diluting your brand you're enhancing it you're showing that clothes are for everyone I appreciate your

passion but I think you're kind of missing the Point Fashion especially our brand is about aspiration it's about looking forward and not backward an older face representing our store sends the wrong message and you're saying that I don't have aspirations I'm saying that your to Will be representing such a youthful brand that's all that's incredibly AIS I mean you're saying that because of how I look I'm incapable of representing forward-looking images of your brand I mean my age doesn't Define my ability to sell or to understand fashion trends no it's not personal Jane it's business

at the end of the day it's about what sells and what sells is an image an image that you just don't fit I disagree I mean what selles is knowledge experience and the ability to connect with the customers and those are qualities I possess in abundance I mean my age it gives me an advantage not a disadvantage well look I admire your tenacity but our decision is final we need staff who can attract our target market it's not just about selling clothes it's about selling a lifestyle and unfortunately you're just not the lifesty style we're

selling so you're saying my years of experience my passion for fashion and my desire to help others are worthless because of my age I mean that feels like an oversight on your end who are you talking to right now am I the one being interviewed look I didn't sign up for a lecture all right you're saying I don't have worth you can't expect me to not have some thoughts about that it's not about worthlessness it's about fit and you don't fit the brand that we want to project I'm sorry but that's the reality of the

fashion industry honey and you don't see how damaging that perspective is not just the potential employees but to your customers I mean you're perpetuating a stereotype that beauty and relevance Fade with age I'm focused on catering to our Market I'm sorry you feel this way really I am but you need to leave now I I'm getting tired of this frankly honestly I wish you luck in your job search but I'm afraid you're just not going to find what you're looking for here it's clear that your vision of the fashion industry is one-dimensional I believe in

an inclusive industry where everyone regardless of age can see themselves it's a shame that you don't good day Louis careful there Hi um you finding everything you need today um kind of I'm not really sure to be honest I couldn't help but notice you seemed a bit overwhelmed is there something specific you're looking for today yeah I actually have this interview coming up for an internship I really want to make a good impression I'm not really sure what to pick though I mean everything looks so stylish but I'm not sure what's appropriate for the interview

I understand it's totally important to strike the right balance between professional and personal style for an interview what kind of internship is it it's for a marketing position at a tech St up they're pretty laidback but I still want to look professional I see well I'm sure we have something here for that let's take a look shall we sure thanks how about this suit it's contemporary enough for a startup but still carries an air of professionalism plus the cut is very flattering yeah I mean this looks perfect I would have never picked this out on

my own thank you so much you're welcome it's important to feel confident and comfortable in what you're wearing especially in an interview why don't you try it on and see how it feels I will thanks again you know you're really good at this were you shopping for something as well in a manner of speaking yes but let's just say I ended up helping someone else instead which is quite all right with me I think I see the perfect slacks to match that jacket yes what's going on I was just helping this young lady find something

for her interview I believe we found something that she likes um yeah last I checked you didn't get the job right so let's leave the recommendations to the store associates that know what they're talking about oh trust me I know what I'm talking about that suit is one of our most expensive pieces um you look young are are you sure you can afford it we've had issues with people trying on without the intent to buy that's quite an accusation you're making there she hasn't even tried it on yet besides everyone deserves a chance to see

how an outfit looks on their body and to make their own decision it's not an accusation it's a precaution running a store like this isn't easy we have to be vigilant about potential losses so vigilance should not come at the cost of customer customer service and dignity accusing potential customers of theft without cause is bad for business okay I'm honestly I'm getting really tired of this what would you know about running a high-end fashion store it's a world apart from whatever retail experience you have actually I have quite a bit of experience in retail including

something I didn't list on my resume and one of the first things I learned is that treating every customer with respect is Paramount respect is earned okay not given and in this business respect comes from knowing your clientele and protecting your assets your assets are not just the clothes on these racks I mean there's also people who walk through those doors pushing away potential customers with baseless suspicion is no way to run a store okay I don't have time to debate retail philosophy with you either she can afford the suit or she can't so which

is it I've decided I'm going to purchase this suit for her so you see whether she can afford it is no longer your concern you buying one of our most expensive suits for a stranger honestly that's hard to believe you were just interviewing for an associate job earlier so believe what you will I mean but I Won't Stand By and Watch You Accuse someone unjustly how she pays for the suit is between her and me now if you'll excuse me I'm going to make sure she gets what she needs and that she gets to try

it on without further Interruption no no you're not going anywhere Louis Louis Louis I'm about to share something with you that I hope will change your perspective on how you treat people both employees and customers and what that what you're going to give me a lecture on customer service okay save it I've heard enough from you for one day no Louis I'm going to tell you who I am I'm Jane Everett the CEO of this brand I went undercover because basically I wanted to see firsthand how our stores are operating and how our staff is

treating potential employees and customers right the CEO do you expect me to believe that I mean anyone could say that they're the CEO but if you're really the CEO prove it actually Lewis I don't need to prove anything but I will our latest quarterly report showed an increase in Revenue by 7.2% mainly due to the expansion in the online Market our next campaign is focused on inclusivity featuring models from a diverse age group something you clearly know nothing about and last month I personally oversaw the launch of our new line in Paris where I discussed

the importance of breaking down the barriers in fashion something you blatantly displayed today okay that now that that could be public knowledge to someone who did their homework not to mention I initiated the renovation of our flagship store on Fifth a incorporating sustainable materials and technology which was covered internally last week and I have the final say on hiring and firing decisions a privilege I'm about to exercise okay wait wait I'm sorry okay I didn't realize please I was just trying to do my job okay I I can fix this it's too late for apologies

leis your actions today showed a blatant disregard for the value of our customers of our company of everything we stand for I mean agism sexism Prejudice they have no place in our store or in our company culture you not only insulted me but you also insulted Lily a potential customer with your baseless accusations and disrespect please ma'am I I need this job I I I promise I'll change I I I didn't mean to be prejudiced I just thought I was protecting the store protecting the store no see that doesn't involve demeaning potential employees or accusing

customers of theft without evidence you've demonstrated a fundamental un misunderstanding you've demonstrated a fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to manage people and represent our brand your dismissal is non-negotiable this is unfair okay you can't just come in here and fire me based on one mistake I've worked really hard for the store this is not about one mistake it's about a pattern of behavior that's unacceptable I mean your actions reflect on our entire brand and I will not allow that kind of representation you're fired effective immediately I'll have HR finalize your paperwork now let's get

you ready for that interview let's do it