How Fmr. Coach CEO's journey started with a cab ride. 🚕

Key Concepts

• Mentorship/Protégé Program: An opportunity for an individual to learn and develop under the guidance of an experienced professional.
• Natural Leather Cowhide Bags: Handbags made from a specific type of durable leather that develops a patina with age.
• Patina: A sheen or gloss formed on a surface by age, use, or polishing.
• Loyal and Devoted Following: A customer base that is highly committed to and supportive of a brand.

Early Days of Coach (1979)

The narrative begins with a personal anecdote about how the speaker became involved with Coach. In 1979, a professor offered the speaker an opportunity to become a protégé for a childhood friend who managed a small handbag company. After a series of four interviews, the speaker accepted the offer.

At that time, Coach was a manufacturer of natural leather cowhide bags. The company focused on producing durable, high-quality leather goods that were designed to develop a patina over time, indicating their longevity and the character they gained with use. Despite its relatively small size, with annual sales of $6 million, Coach already possessed a very loyal and devoted customer base. This suggests that even in its early stages, the brand had established a strong connection with its consumers, likely due to the quality and aesthetic appeal of its products.