My dream started at a young age when I used to sketch dresses and create “inspiration walls” with pages that I tore from magazines (I’m pretty sure my dad is still trying to putty all the holes I made in my bedroom walls). After graduating from High School, I applied for a part-time sales job at May Company. During my interview, the HR Director felt that I would be a good fit for a position in the Buying Office, thus launching my career in the Fashion Industry. A few years later, I was recruited by Rampage Clothing which at the time was one of the hottest companies in junior fashions. The entrepreneurial spirit that permeated the company allowed me to play multiple roles and gain a lot of experience in a very short time. During my tenure I held positions in Sales, Visual Merchandising, Buying & Merchandise Planning. Five years later, I accepted an offer from Wet Seal to help launch a new store concept. The idea of developing a business from the ground up was very appealing and I jumped in with both feet. Within six months our team rolled out a 35 Arden B. locations, the foundation of which is still present in the 95 stores they operate today. In late-1999, Guess, Inc. was looking to grow their Retail Division and asked me to help develop their Planning & Allocation team. After one month I thought I made a huge mistake. Their retail stores’ inventory problems were much worse than I imagined but, what the heck, I was up for a challenge. Over the next few years, my team and I were able to get inventory positions under control and bring exceptional profitability to the division. While I was proud of my accomplishments, it occurred to me one day that my years of 55-65 hour work weeks had resulted in seven-figure bonuses for a handful of executives…and I was tired of making other people rich! In May of 2005, I decided to pursue my lifelong dream of starting my own company, and Jannuzzi was born. Our distinctive collection is currently available in over 400 stores nationwide.