Derek Yarbrough (J.Crew) | The Role of a CMO as the Customer Champion

The CMO Podcast

Jim's guest this week on The CMO Podcast is Derek Yarbrough, the Chief Marketing Officer at the J.Crew Group, where he looks over the J.Crew and Madewell brands. J.Crew began in 1983–40 years ago–with its first catalog. Since then it has grown to a multi-billion dollar clothing and accessories business, with hundreds of specialty retail stores, about 150 outlet stores, and a thriving on-line business. With its sister brand Madewell launching in 2006.

Derek has been at J.Crew for about 13 years, and most of those years on the Madewell brand, before being promoted to CMO of the J.Crew group in 2021. After graduating from Stanford with an Urban Studies degree, Derek worked briefly as a consultant before joining the startup WalMart.com as employee #33. From there Derek worked in direct-to-consumer marketing at several companies with memorable names including, Hips&Curves.com, Flirtcatalog.com, and Abbey Roads Programs.

As the J.Crew celebrates their 40 year anniversary, Derek joins Jim to talk his entrepreneur career which led to the brand, and how inspired he is by the fans who have stayed true through all these years.

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