All I have are my instincts. They've never failed me.
— Angela Ahrendts
I know it might sound weird, but empathy is one of the greatest creators of energy. It's counterintuitive because it's selfless.
The basis for all human relationships and where we derive our greatest strength and power, trust is single-handedly the most powerful source of positive energy and, once in place, unlocks a freedom and peace to explore.
Trust your instincts and emotions.
We're building a lifelong relationship with people, and every great relationship has to be built on trust.
There's seven billion people on the planet. It's not about you.
You know, I think that anything you do at Apple... you feel a tremendous onus. You want to carry on the legacy of what it meant.
You're going to see relationships with technology across anything that's brand. I don't care if that's in home or what you wear. I just think it's a new fact of life.
I think if I'm guilty of anything, I'm guilty of always being incredibly focused on the task at hand. So wherever I've worked, I've just always tried to do my best, achieve my best, build a great team around me.
Intuition is the wisdom formed by feeling and instinct - a gift of knowing without reasoning... Belief is ignited by hope and supported by facts and evidence - it builds alignment and creates confidence. Belief is what sets energy in motion and creates the success that breeds more success.
The thing is, I don't want to be sold to when I walk into a store. I want to be welcomed.
In China, you've got six people buying for one child. But the thing is, you've got the largest rising upper-middle class in the world.
I work through teams. It's the only way I know how to work.
We cherish right and we cherish left, but more important, we cherish when you are able to use the whole mind that you were born with.
I don't think malls are going to go away. People still need somewhere to go, but they do have to evolve.
People love to talk about themselves.
Ask questions; don't make assumptions.
Great brands and great businesses have to be great storytellers, too. We have to tell stories - emotive, compelling stories - and even more so because we're nonfiction.
I think when you're empathetic, you're putting yourself in somebody else's shoes, right? It's not about you.
Store windows are like landing pages on the website.
I am not in favour of quotas. Just put the best person into the job. It is not about gender; it is about experience, leadership and vision.
I hadn't grown up always aspiring to be a CEO.
I don't want to be a great chief executive without being a great mum and a great wife.
Forget luxury; as a great company you have to keep evolving.
'Balance' is a really big word for me.
I grew up in a physical world, and I speak English. The next generation is growing up in a digital world, and they speak social.
Unless I can come in in the morning and smile, walk in the lobby and say, 'Good morning!' - if I am stressed - I am not going to do a good job. Everybody is watching us. They are feeding off of our energy.
I've never gone to the Oscars because I can't afford another week away. It is not more important than my husband. It is not more important than my kids.
At some point in your career, maybe you, too, have made the life-altering decision to start anew. If so, you know first-hand how exciting, challenging, and sometimes disorienting the first 30, 60, 90 days can be.
From the store windows, the store touch-points, the website, social media, or a magazine, it has to be one pure customer experience, not just to gain market share but to gain mind share.
I don't care how advanced technology gets. I don't think that there's anything that can replace looking someone in the eyes, touching their hand, you know?
The main objective - our soul is our people. And our job is to enrich their lives, change the world. And so I think that's the bigger pressure you put on yourself.
Just because you're a luxury brand doesn't mean you have to have an attitude.
Everyone in the world should have a trench coat, and there should be a trench coat for everyone in the world. It does not matter your age; it doesn't matter your gender.
I'm nearly always at home at the weekends; that's important for every working woman today, not just me. I don't encourage people to come in at the weekend and work; I encourage people to go home and create great families.
It is one of the most important parts of my job, showing that you can't do it all.
You have to realise that I am the third out of six children, and I am raised with very strong core values and a very strong upbringing. I always put myself in other people's shoes.
Everyone talks about building a relationship with your customer. I think you build one with your employees first.
