Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesse Swanson.
Hi Jesse, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born in New York and moved every 2 years for my father’s job. I think this is where my genuine love of people began. Moving so often forced me out of my comfort zone. I learned how to connect quickly and authentically in order to make new friends, and before you knew it I had “best friends” around the world. Relationships have always been very important to me.
In 2002 I began college at the George Washington University, where I studied Public Health and Exercise Science. GWU is a top academic university… I still do not know in the slightest how I got in. Everyone seemed smarter than me. Thankfully I graduated and took away the lesson that you don’t need to be the smartest, but you need persistence and drive. After graduating in 2006 I began working in finance at Merrill Lynch with a top producing team. At the time I was in a relationship with my best friend from college, who ended up pursuing his lifelong dream of baseball with the farm league of the Washington Nationals. In 2010, we were married and in 2011 we were getting a divorce. This was a major time of transition for me. I realized so much of my identity was wrapped up in who I was for him, and specifically being a baseball wife. It was then I decided to leave my current role (then at Morgan Stanley) and set out on a journey to rediscover who I was and what my true purpose was here on this earth. I should also note that I am incredibly grateful for my time in finance and for those that took me under their wing to mentor me. The life skills I learned in that industry will carry me for the rest of my years.
This brought me back to Atlanta, GA where my incredible parents live. I decided to get my yoga teacher training certification in Costa Rica, with the initial vision of opening yoga studios throughout the South East. Turns out, I am much more suited to be a student of yoga than a teacher. Somehow, then, life brought me to lululemon. At the time, lululemon had one store in Atlanta… at Shops Around Lenox. Lululemon had become one of my favorite brands early on in DC when the IPO came out, and it was a huge financial success for so many of my clients. They were opening up showrooms all over the USA, and lucky for me one opened up in Georgetown (DC). I remember going in after work and before yoga thinking “wow these yoga teachers that work here sure are happy.” Note: Not all employees working in lululemon stores are yoga teachers. haha. When I moved to Atlanta I decided to pursue opportunities within lululemon, a brand that I truly admired and aligned with personally. I took a leap of faith and started a new career in April of 2012, opening up the second store in Atlanta at Howell Mill Road.
Lululemon was different in every way from what I had experienced professionally previously. Everyone truly cared about me developing as a human. Not only as an employee but as a human. In my first few weeks, I was led through different vision and goals experiences. Over the years I’ve been offered world class personal development tools and opportunities that truly developed me into the human I am today. I never thought I would get married again, or have children. Fast forward a decade and most of my closest friends made over the last several years are somehow connected to me through lululemon. Most importantly, I would never have met my incredible husband, Ray, if it weren’t for taking this leap. In 2015, I was approached by a group of men looking for lululemon’s support on an athletic event to fundraise for the homeless and veteran community of Atlanta. Ray was a part of this group, and that was the first year we partnered on the Trinity Combine, which benefits the Trinity Community Ministries in Atlanta. In the last 7 years, this event has raised over $1 million dollars for our homeless & veteran community, and I could not be more proud to be a small part of it.
Today I am the Regional Manager of Georgia, overseeing the growth of twelve stores in our great state. My biggest joy is our people and watching them grow and succeed as leaders in this world.
Ray and I have been happily married 5 years and are the parents of two amazing boys that bring us so much joy every single day.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
A major challenge in my life was going through a divorce from my first husband in 2011. Family is everything to me. I was heartbroken and questioning my identity… SO much was wrapped up in what I did in finance and who I was as a baseball wife. I am so grateful for the support of my family and friends that got stood beside me during this tough time… and I will always take time to support others when they are in the thick of it as well. Unless you’ve been through it, it’s nearly impossible to understand. In the end, it hasn’t been all roses, and for that I am grateful. Without the bumps in the road, I would not know my husband, my two children and several of my dearest friends. Turns out the heartbreak, failure and tears were equally as important as the peaks. They make success, love, and joy even sweeter. Brighter. Better. Today I celebrate all of it. The mess and the beauty.
All of this has taught me to never give up, that happiness is a choice… and most importantly to LOVE your people.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am the Regional Manager for Georgia for a company called lululemon. We are a Vancouver-based company that makes technical athletic apparel for men and women to wear during all of their sweaty pursuits. Specifically, I manage a regional portfolio with a focus on investing in existing stores and developing future market strategy. My passion is in creating connected and inclusive teams that are inspired to drive for results through driving localized community marketing tactics and delivering world-class guest experience.
I am most proud of the people we have working in our stores, and specifically our 12 store managers in Georgia… their resilience, leadership and growth over the last few years is nothing short of inspiring. I am also really proud of what we have been able to contribute to our local community, and will continue to do so as we grow in 2022 and beyond. My hope is that my legacy leaving lululemon one day will be that I left our people better than I found them… and that they are out leading lives that they absolutely love.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The most important lesson for me during the last couple of years is to love people even more. People need love right now. The world can feel so divided, lonely and cold… and I just want to be part of the love in the world. Everyone is going through something it seems these days and I’ve committed to being patient and kind to all.
Also, life is too short! Tell people you love them and don’t take yourself too seriously. Use your vacation. Hug your babies. And that good health is truly a blessing and something not to be taken for granted.
Contact Info:
- Email: jswanson@lululemon.com
- Instagram: @jfkswanson
Image Credits:
Katelyn Ortego (family photos)
