Lillian Vernon Articles

The Catalog Connoisseur: Lillian Vernon Is Born - Click To Read Article
Lillian Vernon became a household name at a time when women were not even supposed to work outside the home. From the humble beginnings of an immigrant family, Vernon started a business in the kitchen of her small home and grew it to be one of the most well-known multi-million dollar companies in the U.S as well as the first female-owned company to be listed on the American Stock Exchange. Today, the Lillian Vernon Corporation earns almost $300 million in revenues, has over 4,500 employees and continues to be one of the country’s leading catalog retailers.

Starting Small and Personal: Vernon Grows Her Company - Click To Read Article
The Lillian Vernon Corporation was now in business. Vernon took the names and addresses of her first 50 customers and recorded them on 3” x 5” index cards, along with their purchase history. As her company grew, she kept updating these cards and tried to eliminate any duplication.

Lesson #1: Keep The Entrepreneurial Spirit Alive - Click To Read Article
“In the 1970s, I filled my ranks with managers from all different walks of life who generally were very savvy to the ways of big business,” recalls Vernon, “and they almost killed us.”

Lesson #2: Take It Personally - Click To Read Article
“One of the cornerstones of the Lillian Vernon Corporation is a ‘feminine’ value, if ever there was one: the personal touch,” says Vernon whose company has come to represent an extension of herself. By understanding and successfully playing the name game, Vernon was able to take her company to the top.

Lesson #3: Believe In Yourself - Click To Read Article
“It was a risk,” said Vernon. “I had a husband and I was pregnant with my oldest son. But I don\'t look at risk the way other people do. When you\'re an entrepreneur, you have to go in feeling like you\'re going to be successful.”

Lesson #4: Make Your Customers Happy - Click To Read Article
“In my view, each of my 21 million customers is a real person,” says Vernon “I always keep a clear image of her.” Vernon’s success has come about as a result of her core principal of trying to make her customers happy.

Lesson #5: Keep It Simple To Start - Click To Read Article
“Success is never an overnight proposition,” says Vernon. “You must commit to long-term goals and tackle problems head-on.”

A Mounting Success: How Vernon Reached The Top - Click To Read Article
“It’s a quality you’re born with, being an entrepreneur,” says Vernon.

Lillian Vernon Quotes - Click To Read Article
Lillian Vernon Quotes


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