Ukuqonda uEmily Woods, oneminyaka engama-37 ubudala, ongumzekelo-mhle, umphathi osandula ukutyunjwa we-preppie, e-Manhattan-based clothier J. Crew, kuyanceda ukwazi i-anecdote yangoku kunye nabasebenzi bangaphambili bathanda ukubiza ibali lethanga eliqobayo.
NgeHalloween kwiminyaka embalwa edlulileyo, ibali lihamba, UNks Woods wacela umncedisi ukuba athenge ithanga elincinci eofisini. Umncedisi ukame i-delis ekukhangeleni i-Crew egqibeleleyo yamathanga alinganiswe kakuhle, e-hued ngokuqinileyo kwaye, ewe, incinci ncam. Umqeshwa omncinci ekugqibeleni wazinza kwithanga elingelikhulu kangako kunebhola ethambileyo kwaye wamnika oku akuzileyo kuNks Woods.
Ubiza loo thanga? UNks Woods uxele ukuba wakhwaza umncedisi, phambi kwegumbi elinabasebenzi bakaJ. Crew. Ayililo ithanga elixhamlayo!
Ibali lamathanga lisixelela ngezinto ezimbalwa malunga noNkosk. Woods, notata wakhe odumileyo, u-Arthur Cinader, owasungula uJ. Crew ngo-1980, nowaye wasebenza apho ukusukela oko wayeneminyaka engama-22, nowathi wangena kwisikhundla esiphezulu kule nkampani ngo-Okthobha , xa uninzi lwentengo lwaluthengwa liqela laseTexas Pacific, iSan Francisco kunye neFort Worth esekwe kubambiswano lotyalo mali lwabucala, nge $ 540 yezigidi. Umnumzana uCinader uthathe umhlala-phantsi e-70, kwaye abasebenzi abaliqela abatyhafileyo phantsi kwesimbo sakhe balindile-benethemba-lokuba UNks Woods, okhululekileyo kwisithunzi sikayise omde, uya kuzisa ukukhanya kwinto, enikwe umfanekiso kaJ. Crew njengoguqukileyo Ilanga elitshiswe lilanga, nelibomvu-neliphekileyo eMelika, ibiyindawo eyoyikisayo yokusebenza.
Ulwahlulo lolawulo lwangaphakathi kufuneka lushenxisiwe ukuba uNks.Woods, ogcine inzala ye-15 yeepesenti kwinkampani, uza kuguqula ukungasebenzi kakuhle kwaye, kwiminyaka yakutshanje, kuphela lishishini elinenzuzo ngokulingeneyo ibe lelo liyanelisa abatyali mali. Baza kudibanisa yonke intshi yomsonto, utshilo uJ. Crew ongumsebenzi wabatyali mali abatsha. Kwaye uEmily akazange axelelwe uNo.
Ayiqhutywa ngokufanelekileyo njengoko inokwenzeka okanye kufanelekile, utshilo uNkskz. Woods kaJ. Crew. Ngaba le nkampani ingaba nengeniso ngakumbi? Ewe.
Mna noTata sisebenze kunye kangangeminyaka eli-15, kwaye kuvakala kungaqhelekanga, utshilo, ethetha ngomnxeba ovela kwikomkhulu lenkampani kwiBroadway esezantsi. Ndiyamkhumbula… kodwa ndiyawathanda amaxesha anzima, ke kum andizukubiza uxinzelelo. Ndinamandla apheleleyo okuqhubeka.
Ke libonisa ntoni ibali lethanga malunga noNks Woods, oza kongamela abasebenzi abangama-600 kwiofisi yaseNew York kunye nama-6,000 kwihlabathi liphela? Ngenye, unombono ochanekileyo we-esthetics; xa enombono wejezi okanye ipere ye-chinos, uneengcinga eziqinileyo malunga nokubekwa kwamaqhosha, ubude beekhofu kunye noburhabaxa bamalaphu. Kwaye ulindele ukuba abasebenzi bakhe baphumeze ezo zimvo ngokuchanekileyo njengoko wabakhulisayo. UNks Woods, owayeseke uyilo lokuqala lukaJ. Crew kwiingubo awayenazo kwigunjana lakhe emva kwejezi enxibe kakuhle ekolishi kunye neejezi ezinkulu ezinobuqhetseba-ulinganise le talente yaba sisigebenga esingama- $ 800 ezigidi ngonyaka ogama lakhe lifikile i-echt -I-WASP ethos. Kwaye wazenzela igama lokuba ngusomashishini olukhuni obaleka nesihlwele esikhawulezayo-utshatile nomvelisi waseHollywood uCary Woods, owenza iScream noGummo, kwaye yena ungumhlobo noJulia Roberts, u-Uma Thurman, uMichael Ovitz noRonald Perelman.
Kodwa ibali lethanga-eliqinisekisiweyo ngabasebenzi, kodwa u-Ms Woods uthe akalikhumbuli-ikwabonisa indlela UNks Woods alwa ngayo notshintsho lukayise, umphathi ongalindelekanga owaziwa ngokugxeka abasebenzi phambi koogxa babo, kwaye owakha wakhwaza umlawuli wobugcisa omncinci kaJ. de wade wagqithela kwikhompyuter yakhe. (Amabali abasebenzi kaMnu.Cinader ampeyinta ngokungabalulekanga kangako njengohlobo olumnyama lweSeinfeld kaPeterman, ikhathalogu yokuzingca, kunye ne-nutty esebenzela yena u-Elaine.)
Ndicinga ukuba ukushiya kwakhe ngumthwalo omkhulu emagxeni akhe, utshilo umphathi okwinqanaba eliphezulu kuJ. Crew. Ndiqaphele umahluko omkhulu. Uyafuna kodwa ngendlela enengqiqo, endaweni yokuba naloo crazness esiyiqhelileyo.
Kodwa ngama-akhawunti amaninzi, UNks Woods uzuze ilifa likayise othile wokunxiba abasebenzi, abanye babo basebenzise amagama anje ngokuthotywa nokuhlazisa ukuchaza iziqendu. Ndiphelelwa ngumonde, UNks Woods watsho ngesimbo sakhe solawulo. Ngokuqinisekileyo ngekhe ibe yinjongo yam [ukuhlazisa umntu].… Ndingathanda ukucinga ukuba andikho ngqwabalala, kodwa ndinzima kwaye ndicelomngeni- andiqondi ukuba kukho umntu oqhuba inkampani enkulu.
Unzima kwaye unokoyikisa, utshilo uKelly Hill, umlawuli wezobugcisa osebenze ngokwanelisayo ku-J. Crew iminyaka esibhozo ngaphambi kokuba ahambe aye kusebenza yedwa. Enye yezo zinto ziwayo zokuqhuba inkampani; ayinguye wonke umntu onokukuthanda.
Ukusebenza noEmily kuthe tye kwaye kufutshane, utshilo uCarol Sharpe, umphathi wecandelo likaJ. Utata wakhe unobulumko ngakumbi kwindlela yakhe.
U-Emily C. Udibana noJ
Emva kobuntwana obungaphandle eMontclair, NJ, naseNew Mexico, UNks Woods waya kwiCranbrook Academy yezobuGcisa eBloomfield Hills, eMich.Waphumelela kwiDyunivesithi yaseDenver ngo-1982, apho wazibonakalisa kwezentengiso, waya sebenzela usapho. Utatomkhulu wakhe uMitchell Cinader wayeqalise inkampani yekhathalogu esekwe eGarfield, NJ ebizwa ngokuba yiPopu yeClub ngo-1948, ukuthengisa iimpahla kunye nempahla yasekhaya, kwaye uArthur Cinader wayifumana njengelifa. UJ. Crew wayeyinkampani esandula ukwaziswa, umtya othambileyo wempahla yezemidlalo. UNks Woods, emva koko u-Emily Cinader, waqala njengomthengi oncedisayo kodwa kungekudala wathatha isebe loyilo, ngokuthe ngcembe wayiguqula inkampani yaba kukwandiswa kwayo. Kungekudala ngokwaneleyo, ukujonga kukaJ. Crew kwazalwa. UNks Woods uvumile ubuqu bomfanekiso ngamnye ovele kwikhathalogu (imodeli enye kwiikhathalogu zakuqala yayijongeka njenge-Ms. Woods); Igama lakhe eliyilo lokuloba yayiyiMelika, ethetha, ubukhulu becala, ukunxiba kwesikolo esise-East Coast. (Iposi enomsindo isangena ivela kubamkeli bekhathalogu abachasayo i-quasi-Aryan esthetic yenkampani.)
Izigwebo zakhe zilunge kakhulu, utshilo umphathi kule nkampani. Ndicinga ukuba uEmily ubekrelekrele ngokubonisa ukuthengisa. Unokuthatha into esisimumu njengejezi yaseShetland akwenze uthenge ezintathu.
Ngo-1988, uJ. Crew wathumela iikhathalogu ezingama-35 ezigidi ngonyaka; namhlanje, iposa ngaphezulu kwezigidi ezingama-80. Kodwa iiCinaders zazifuna iivenkile, kwaye, ngo-1989, uJ. Crew wavula ivenkile yayo yokuqala yokuthengisa eSouth Street Seaport. Ngoku inama-50, onke lawo, uNksk Woods athi anenzuzo. Nangona kunjalo, umbono wevenkile eMadison Avenue, eyona ndawo iphambili yokuthengisa, awuzukubonakala.
'Bhala Njengeqhayiya!'
Njengoko indlela yokuphila kaNks Woods yatshintsha, u-J. Crew wakhangela kwieperile, ngemigca emitsha, ye-fancier (Classics kunye neQokelelo), ekhokelela kwabanye abasebenzi ukuba bakhalaze ngelithi ukwanda kwenqanaba lentlalontle likaNks Woods kwakumqhubela uyilo loyilo. Ufuna abahlobo bakhe ukuba bathenge uJ. Crew, utshilo umqeshwa. Konakalise ukugweba kwakhe kwizinto ezimbalwa… kwaye inefuthe elikhulu kwindlela ahlela ngayo umgca.
UNks Woods uphendule ukuba imigca enexabiso eliphezulu kaJ. Crew iqhuba kakuhle. Siza kuthengiswa siphele kwi-cashmere yabasetyhini ngaphambi kweKrisimesi, utshilo. Kwakukho iqela okanye amabini entwasahlobo edlulileyo awayehlobo lwangoku-edolophini, olwenza kakubi. Kodwa yayiliqela elinye okanye amabini kumaqela angama-50 kwiinyanga ezintandathu.
Ngelixa uNks.Woods ebaleka iqela loyilo, uMnumzana uCinader wawanqunqa amanani kwaye wajonga isebe lokubhala ikhathalogu. Wayekuthanda ukuqesha abafundi abaphumelele i-Ivy League-J. Abasebenzi baphinde bathabathe kakhulu eHarvard naseYale-kwaye baxhokonxa abasebenzi bakhe ukuba babhale njengeProust! Ukuxinana kuka Mnu. Cinader, iingxoxo ezichazayo zemibongo kwathiwa nguJ. Crew haikus ngabasebenzi bakhe. (ICashmere… yentsontso yemisonto yecashmere evela ezintanyeni zeebhokhwe kweyona mhlambi mhle waseMongolia.)
UNks Woods ubeka umsebenzi phambi kobomi bosapho bemveli. Umyeni wakhe uchitha ixesha elininzi eLos Angeles, ngelixa ehlala kwigumbi lakhe laseChelsea. Uhlala eNew York naseLa, utshilo uNks Woods. Ndihlala ndilapha.
UNks Woods ubuchaze ubomi bakhe eNew York ngale ndlela: Ndisebenza kakhulu. Ndibona uninzi lweemovie. Ndifunde kakhulu. Ndihamba isixa esifanelekileyo, ndiya edinala phantse busuku ngabunye kwaye ndiyasebenza… Ukuba ndigoduka ngaphambi kwentsimbi yesi-8 okanye eyesi-9, andazi ukuba ndenzeni nyhani.
Xa engongamele uyilo lwempahla okanye uyilo lweekhathalogu, UNks Woods uhlalutya ulwazi oluvela kwiziko ledatha likaJ. Crew, elilandelela ngononophelo ukuba ngubani othenga ntoni. Kwiminyaka yakutshanje, uJ. Crew uzame ukujolisa abathengi abathile, njengabantwana kunye nabafundi beekholeji.
Kodwa ukuba uNks.Woods uyamazi umthengi wakhe ngaphakathi nangaphandle, ubonakala ngathi akazilutho kwaphela kubasebenzi bakhe. (Kunyaka ophelileyo, ababhali abakhupheli abathandathu kwabasibhozo bayeka.)
Xa uyintombi yomsunguli, uza kwenza izinto ngendlela yakho, utshilo uKirk Palmer, umzi mveliso wekhanda othungathe abaphathi abaphezulu kuJ. Crew. Wayedla ngokukhupha abantu emanzini. Yayijongwa njengendawo enzima kakhulu, enzima, imeko engathi iyangxola kwaye iyangxola… Kodwa ndicinga ukuba sele ikhulile. Awuva la mabali awoyikisayo ngoku.
Ebuzwa malunga nezinga lokungena, UNks Woods uthe, Bonke abantu abaphambili sele belapha iminyaka emithathu, emihlanu, isixhenxe, iminyaka elishumi.… Abantu abangonelisekanga [yindlela yam yolawulo] kungenzeka ukuba bangabasebenzi bangaphambili .
Uninzi lwabasebenzi bangoku kunye nababekade bekhalaza ngemithetho ye-nit-picky office-staff must whisper in the presence of management; akukho zixhobo zokuhombisa; kungabikho kutya emigqomeni yenkunkuma ngenxa yokoyika ivumba. UNks Woods uye waziwa ngokuyalela abasebenzi ukuba bavule imilomo yabo kwaye bakhuphe ulwimi lwabo ukuba ukrokrela ukuba bahlafuna itshungama.
UNks Woods waphendula wathi: Ndidume ngokuthi, ‘Musa ukuhlafuna umkhenkce, sukucofa iwotshi yakho etafileni ngokungaguquguqukiyo ebudeni beentlanganiso.’ Ndiphazanyiswa yingxolo. Ndiyazi ukuba le yingxaki yam, kodwa yenza kube nzima kum ukucinga ngendlela endifanele ndicinge ngayo apha… Wonke umntu uyazi ukuba angayi kwiintlanganiso ehlafuna itshungama.
‘Nditshate noJ. Crew’
Abanye abasebenzi bakholelwa ukuba yayiyimfuno yokucinezelwa kwemali eyayiqhubela uNks Woods kunye noMnu Cinader ukuba bajonge abatyali mali abatsha, imeko uNks Woods aphikisanayo.
Ndikhangela iqabane lezemali eliza kuyisa inkampani phambili kuba abaninizabelo banomdla wokuthengisa isteki sabo, utshilo. Besingakwenzi ukunyusa imali. Utata uneminyaka engama-70, udade wabo kunye nabanye abaniniyo bebonke bebekwiminyaka yama-70 nama-80 ubudala… Usapho belunokuthi luqhubeke lube ngabanini benkampani kwaye lukhule kwinzuzo esiyenzayo.
Iqabane elifanelekileyo lize, UNks Woods ucacisile, ngomyeni wakhe, uMnu.Woods, othe ngo-1995 wayethetha neTexas Pacific, i-shop ye-buyout shop ene- $ 2.5 yezigidigidi etyale imali kwi-Ducati Motor SpA nakwi-Del Monte Foods Company, malunga nokuqala kwakhe inkampani yethu imveliso. Bathe bakufumanisa ukuba utshatile noJ. Crew, ngokungathi kunjalo, bathi, 'Ewe, ukuba kungakho ithuba lokuba wenze naliphi na ishishini lezemali naba bafana… singanomdla kakhulu, utshilo uNksk Woods. Waphuma waya eSan Francisco ukuya kudibana nabantu baseTexas Pacific. UNks Woods uthe uziva kakuhle kubo ngokuyinxenye kuba iofisi injengevenkile kaJ. Crew: imigangatho yom-oki kunye needesika zemephu.
Kodwa njengoko iingxoxo neTexas Pacific zazinxiba koku kuwa, iimeko zajika ngokuchasene nosapho. Isitrayikhi se-United Parcel Service singene kwezorhwebo (UNks Woods uqinisekisile ukuba emva koqhankqalazo, uJ. Crew wasilela ukubhatala abanye babanikezeli ngeenkonzo kwangexesha), kwaye ikwindla efudumeleyo yaseNyakatho-mpuma ichaphazele ukuthengiswa kwekhathalogu. J. Crew badiliza abasebenzi abamalunga ne-10 ekhulwini.
Umnumzana uCinader kunye neTexas Pacific bebevumile ngexabiso lokuthenga elimalunga ne-560 yezigidi zeedola kwisabelo se-85 sepesenti senkampani, esiya kuxhaswa ngeminikelo emibini yeebhondi efikelela phantse kwizigidi ezingama-300 zeedola Kodwa ngasekupheleni kukaSeptemba, iNkonzo kaMoody's Investors yanika amanqaku angafanelekanga kwiibhondi, icaphula amandla aphezulu enkampani… ukungasebenzi kakuhle kwexesha elidlulileyo… kunye noJ. Crew wokonyusa umngcipheko wefashoni njengesiphumo sokutyala imali kwimibala eyahlukeneyo kunye nezitayile… Nge-Okthobha ye-10. ukuvuka kwamanqanaba ahluphekileyo kunye nekota yesithathu ebuthathaka, intengiso yebhondi yalibaziseka kwaye isivumelwano sasibonakala sisengozini.
Umnumzana uCinader wehlise ixabiso lakhe lokucela nge- $ 20 yezigidi kwaye iTexas Pacific yafaka i-20 eyongezelelweyo yezigidi zeedola ukwenza iibhondi zibe nomtsalane ngakumbi. Nge-14 ka-Okthobha, i-Moody iphucule umyinge wayo kwiminikelo emibini yeebhondi, kwaye isivumelwano satyikitywa kungekudala.
Kodwa uMnu.Cinader wayegcine uninzi lwabasebenzi ebumnyameni, inyathelo uNks Woods wathi akavumelani nalo. Intengiselwano ngokwayo ibingachazelwanga kakuhle kubantu ngaphakathi kwenkampani, utshilo. Ayisiyondlela ngendiyiphethe ngayo.
Kwiiveki zakhe zokuqala njengentloko yenkampani, UNks Woods ebedibene nabasebenzi be-J. Crew, bezama ukwenza okuhle, ngobuqhetseba bethembisa ngotshintsho kwindlela yokuphatha kayise. Unxibelelwano oluya phambili luya kuvuleka ngakumbi kwaye luthe ngqo, utshilo. Imvakalelo ebantwini, iyonwabisa kakhulu.
Umhlalutyi kumzi mveliso wefashoni uAlan Millstein uthe nangona ishishini loku-odola iposi ligcwele ziingxaki ngenxa yeendlela zokuthengisa ezingalindelekanga zamaxesha onyaka, amandla aphambili kaJ. Crew kukuyila okuthembekileyo kukaNks Woods. Kwi-balance, baya kuba ngabaphumeleleyo kwi-90 ngenxa yokuba abatyali-mali abafuni i-agita. J. Crew ayingoDonna Karan.
Kodwa kwingxelo yabo kaSeptemba 29 kuJ. Crew, abahlalutyi baseMoody babamba imeko enzima yobudlelwane bukaNks Woods kwinkampani. U-Moody's uqaphele ukuba ubenoxanduva olukhulu ekugcineni uphawu lomfanekiso ohambelana nophawu ... olwehlise umngcipheko wefashoni, kodwa wavakalisa inkxalabo malunga nokuxhomekeka kukaJ. Crew kuEmily Woods…
Nks.Woods okanye iTexas Pacific ayizukuchaza imigaqo yesivumelwano, kodwa wathi uceba ukunamathela kule minyaka ingama-20 izayo.
Nokuba loluphi utshintsho olwenziwa yinkampani kwixa elizayo, UNks Woods uthe, ndicinga ukuba yeyam kakhulu.
