Anne Mehlman, President of Crocs, Inc., continues to take the footwear giant to new heights by combining her finance expertise with her humble leadership style. Crocs Inc. based in Broomfield, Colorado, witnessed significant growth, especially during the pandemic, when its sales were at a high record, and the firm had gone global. Crocs’ leadership under Mehlman, who is deeply rooted in humility and collaborative culture, attributes it to her childhood upbringing in Durango, Colorado.
Mehlman’s success story to the topmost position at Crocs is testimony to her resilience and adaptability. Her career started in finance. She worked at Lockheed Martin, then at Corporate Express. There, she gained valuable experience as a leader. Her stint at RSC Equipment Rental was during the market downturn, during which she learned more on how to lead companies out of difficult times.
When Mehlman came on board, the move that made her so significant for Crocs was that she joined the company’s finance team and then ended up being the Vice President of Finance. Still, ambition pushed Mehlman forward; she took on the position of CFO at Zappos, which proved a valuable learning experience when the opportunity to become the brand president of Crocs cropped up.
Since taking on the role of president seven months ago, Mehlman has used her financial acumen to make informed decisions across marketing, product development, and consumer engagement. She credits her success to staying authentic and leveraging her strengths, particularly her financial background, which has helped her drive Crocs’ continued growth.
Under her leadership, the company has shown some great results, such as a 7.9% revenue growth in the last quarter and continued growth in international markets. The company’s 2023 sales have almost reached $4 billion, and the classic Crocs clog remains the brand driving much of that revenue. In addition, the acquisition of HeyDude, a footwear brand, presents new opportunities for growth, although the scaling of the brand has taken longer than expected.
Mehlman’s leadership style is humble, and she credits the values she learned growing up in Colorado with her success. She also stresses that Crocs’ flat organizational structure allows good ideas to come from all levels and is committed to fostering an open and collaborative environment. Her approach has played a significant role in the company’s continued success and expansion in the global market.
