With around 2 billion people globally in Gen Z—roughly 25% of the world’s population—it’s no surprise so many consumer companies are racing to connect with them, drawn to their spending influence today and their growing economic power tomorrow. Yet capturing their loyalty is anything but straightforward.

In today’s Redefiners episode, Tomas and Marla talk with a leader in youth fashion, Pacsun CEO Brieane Olson, who seems to have cracked the code on Gen Z and even wrote a book on it: Co-Created: The Cultural Strategy That Redefined Pacsun. Brieane shares how she helped lead Pacsun's turnaround after bankruptcy, the leadership lessons that shaped her early days as CEO, and how she shifted the culture from "brand telling" to "customer listening" and co-creation. She also covers how Pacsun is using AI to deepen customer relationships and drive sales, along with her playbook for building authentic partnerships that resonate.

We’ll also hear from Emmy Melville, a leadership advisor at Russell Reynolds Associates, who shares how today’s leadership teams can sustain performance when change never stops.

Four things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Tips on stepping into the CEO role
2. How to go from “brand telling” to customer listening
3. Insights on developing authentic brand partnerships
4. Ideas on how to use AI to deepen customer connections

If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like these Redefiners episodes:

• Paws, Purpose & Profit: A Conversation with Pets at Home CEO Lyssa McGowan
• Leadership Lounge: Why Decision-Making Is Becoming Harder for C-Suite Leaders—and How You Can Overcome It
• Music with a Mission: Former MTV International Chairman and CEO Bill Roedy on Leading with Purpose
• Leadership Lounge: How to Create and Maintain Impact as a Leader
• Outwork the Competition: Jordan Brand’s Winning Strategy with President Sarah Mensah
• Leadership Lounge: Generation Collaboration: How Leaders Can Harness the Power of Multi-Generational Teams

A closer look at the research from this episode:

• What Are The Top Surprises New CEOs Experience?
• The Three Conditions That Matter Most for Transformation
• Team Regeneration: How Leadership Teams Sustain Performance When Change Never Stops