Brian Robb joined Zulily in 2013 and was recently promoted to Area Manager at Zulily’s Ohio Fulfillment Center (FC). Brian is focused on improving efficiency in our FCs and has a keen eye for quality, which helps ensure our core customers (Moms everywhere) get the right products as quickly as possible. Brian also helps train others to spot and prevent any potential quality issues. We recently asked Brian to share his story with us.

What can you tell us about your career path so far?

I studied graphic design in college, but when I started working professionally as a designer I didn’t care for the deadlines and requirements. When I moved to Ohio with my family, I joined Zulily’s Ohio FC. At that time Zulily was very much a startup, and most of our FC team members were either temporary or contingent workers. A lot of my passion for our company and customers comes from being part of our rapid growth from the beginning.

From your perspective, how have we evolved since startup mode?

With each passing year, Mom’s identity as our core customer has become better defined, and we’ve embraced the idea of focusing on Mom more. The same could be said about our values. Once we joined Qurate Retail Group, Zulily team members worked with our colleagues from our new sibling brands to align our values across the larger organization. The result was Our Path Forward, a roadmap for all of Qurate Retail Group that includes Our Purpose as an organization (our “why”) and Our Principles (our “how”), among other elements. Our Principles – Drive Progress, Act With Empathy, Be Brave, Embrace the Future, and Do What’s Right – guide our behaviors in every interaction.

Which of Our Principles resonate most for you?

Act with Empathy. This has always been my top principle because I care so much about my team and our customers. For the longest time, my motto has been “win them over with kindness.” I assume positive intent with everyone around me and try to better understand others and help in any way possible.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

My team and the team members here at our Ohio FC. We have such a diverse population from so many different backgrounds. I’m always learning about different cultures and that’s the best part!

Your recently won Zulily’s Leading With Purpose award. Can you tell us about that?

First, I want to give a shoutout to my manager, who nominated me and always supports my development. She gave me the greatest advice: get involved and use my knowledge to make improvements. I started by mentoring team members who were new in their role and could use some guidance. Then I began identifying opportunities for process improvements.

I was recognized for a process improvement I led—specifically, reorganizing our receiving supply stations so team members can access supplies efficiently during every shift. I also worked with other leads in my department to ensure we can restock efficiently and effectively to reduce wasted time when we are resupplying. This was a simple improvement that took just one week and made such an impact on the team. I also signed up to be part of a process improvement team that used kaizen methodologies to make our shipping process better. As Operational Excellence is one of Zulily strategic priorities, I was recognized for taking initiative and finding new ways to improve our daily work and processes, as well as mentoring others.

For Zulily team members, what is it like to raise ideas and make change happen?

We encourage our team members to Be Brave—don’t be afraid to jump in and get involved. It may be tough at first, but you always have the chance to make an impact.

As we wrap up, are there any cool or interesting facts about you that people may not know?

I play the guitar, love comic designs, and we have two Labradors. Also, everybody here knows I love Chipotle and so does my wife. Recently I found out from Chipotle that I’m in the top 10% of customers with the most orders in the country!