DSN Women Leaders 2014: Shannon Curtin, Walgreens

“When you get a seat at the table, use it — and be fearless.” That’s a key piece of advice shared by Walgreens’ Shannon Curtin, and for those who know Curtin, they are words she lives by.

As Walgreens’ GVP/GMM beauty and personal care, Curtin has made her mark as a leader who is not afraid to take some risks, and one who embraces open communication and active listening.

“My personal and professional values are the same. First, I seek to understand others’ perspectives. For me, this lends itself to another important value — appreciating varying experiences and backgrounds,” Curtin said. “I believe both of these principles can be applied to many facets of life, but sometimes, silence is the best virtue. Practicing active listening can uncover deeper insights that lead to more fruitful relationships.”

That approach has helped unlock important partnerships for Walgreens. 

“The key to retailer-supplier success is having a forum in which we both seek to understand each other’s strategies, appreciate the different paths, yet find ways to come together where our strategies intersect. Also, not being afraid to make a definitive choice in each other is important.” Curtin said.

At Walgreens, her chief responsibilities include P&L management for the division, the education and program development of its 26,000 beauty advisers, the product portfolio decisions for the mass and prestige beauty business within Walgreens and teh expansion of its Boots partnership into the U.S. marketplace. It’s a role that Curtin embraces with fervor, as the beauty business has been a love of hers since she began selling gragrance in her hometown department store. 

“In my opinion, the beauty business is one of the last romantic businesses. It is a business based on trust, care and understanding the needs of another human being. It is not transactional in nature, but rather very emotional and personal,” Curtin said.

To view the full DSN Women Leaders 2014 report, click here.