“Discovering Things That Are Not Yet Found,” Betting Right Is Understanding That the Work Is Bigger Than You With Todd Corley
Listen to the episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Listen to the episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
"The greatest gift I’ve ever had is meeting people who completely changed my life. When you invest in people, they find their way to the things meant for them."
Todd Corley's childhood joy revolved around his family and community. Growing up in a close-knit family in Queen’s New York, surrounded by love and the values of giving back, Todd learned early that the strength of the community was far greater than individual success.
These values have shaped his career and life's work. From being the first Chief Diversity Officer at Abercrombie & Fitch to his current role as Senior Vice President of Inclusion, Sustainability, and Community at Carhartt, Todd's leadership has always been about more than checking boxes — it's about creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and empowered to succeed.
Whether he was working in retail at Abercrombie, with Black farmers through his work with the USDA, or in hospitality at a multinational hotel brand building brands "betting right" for Todd meant understanding that the work was bigger than him—it was about the societal connectedness that he wanted to be part of.
In many spaces that Todd was in, he was comfortable being alone and in uncharted territory. "Maybe that came from the community feeling in my family — I always knew someone had my back."
Todd's vision? A world where leadership is not about authority but about courage — the courage to create meaningful change through people.
This episode is for you if:
You’re a leader who wants to make a meaningful impact
You want to learn how to get comfortable being somewhere that hasn’t yet been discovered.
You want to learn the keys to building meaningful relationships
You’re learning the power of doing great work, not “perfect work”
Looking for a specific gem?
[5:10] Todd grew up in New York as an only child with too many cousins to count.
[7:37] What Todd’s mother still says: “If you're going to make a mistake, make a new one”
[9:17] Operating in unchartered waters, you have to be comfortable with discovering things that are not yet found and being by yourself.
[12:12] How Todd’s parents set him up to be successful from a mindset perspective.
[13:10] Todd benefited from INROADS, a non profit organization that creates pathways for internships and careers in corporate America for Black and brown students.
[18:31] What does it mean to “bet right” — seeing that the work is bigger than him and is about social connectedness that he wanted to be a part of.
[23:34] Seeing the Hotels “The W” evolve from a brand perspective opened up Todd’s eyes to what DEI means from a consumer lens, and how it could evolve.
[21:48] Getting called for the role of Chief Diversity Officer Diversity at Abercrombie and Fitch
[24:10] Todd noticed that the workspaces he has been in had two patterns: they had a degree of trauma, and some degree of a misunderstanding about what people want.
[26:00] What change management means to Todd.
[28:32] The only thing that I am competitive with is myself. I’m just trying to be a better Todd. A better husband, a better dad, a better son.
[28:27] My willingness to say ‘yes’ to opportunities is to test myself and to see if I know what I’m doing and that I know how to apply my knowledge of DEI, equity, or “all are created equal” to the next thing I’m doing in my work.
[31:02] “If you can do the work in principle, you should be able to do it anywhere”
[33:30] How Todd defines success
[45:18] Todd has the great gift of being in a workspace where he can experiment and ask: how do you tie equity work to sustainability, charitable giving, community impact? For the most part, brands aren't doing that in a thoughtful way.
[48:00] Advice for mid-career professionals who are about purpose-driven work: extend yourself to people.
Conversation Transcript
Naomi Haile: Hi, everyone. Welcome to another episode of the Power of Why podcast. My name is Naomi Haile. And today I am here with the incredible Todd Corley. Todd, it's so great to have you here. Welcome to the show.
Todd Corley: Naomi, thank you for having me. I'm a big fan of your work.
Naomi Haile: I’m a big fan of yours. I think I have to preface this conversation with, I won't mention who it was, but the person who introduced us was absolutely singing your praises. It was a former colleague that you worked with in a previous organization, and he had such fond memories of how you not only helped him professionally and supported him, but also how you changed his life personally. I remember when I was moving to New York, he said, “You need to meet Todd. He is one of the best in this space when it comes to sustainability, DEI, equity, and belonging." I also remember our first conversation and how encouraging you were about the leap I was taking.
For the audience, you will notice Todd's commitment to learning, like being a lifelong learner, and how committed he is to serving his community.
Todd Corley is the Senior Vice President of Inclusion, Sustainability, and Community at Carhartt, and for the last three years, he has been responsible for creating and implementing the strategy that evaluates opportunities or risks linked to environmental and social issues.
For the last five and a half years, Todd has been a faculty member and has also taught at Villanova University, focusing on the many ways that HR strategy influences the global economy. Previously, in 2004, Todd was recruited as the first officer in charge of Diversity and Inclusion at Abercrombie & Fitch as Chief Diversity Officer, where he spent almost a decade offering his deep experience leading transformational change.
Todd is also the author of Fitch Path, a book about how to navigate generationally driven shifts in beliefs and values. In this book, Todd offers approaches to help prepare today's leaders and organizations for the inevitable reality that transparency is the new normal. Todd has an MBA from Georgetown University and, as I mentioned, is a lifelong learner. He has also completed Executive Programs at both Dartmouth and MIT.
Todd Corley: Naomi, thank you for having me. It's funny, when I was listening to your intro, I remembered our first conversation — where I was, what we talked about, and the person we were referring to. Although I may have had some influence on what he did and has done, and I'm immensely proud of him, folks like him have always helped me be better. It’s never lost on me that the people I’ve interacted with, particularly those who are younger than me, have encouraged me to think about this work very differently. They’ve asked me — and, in a way, forced me — to be more provocative and courageous myself.
I take all my energy from that. If someone says, “Hey, can you speak with this person and share a few things?” I’m usually on the phone. If I can't do that, it's an email or LinkedIn message. I try to respond so I can stay connected. Because I know, at some level, I'm flawed deep down, but I continue to try to be the best I can. Sometimes it works, and I’m always thankful for that. So thank you for the generous introduction, and I look forward to the dialogue today.
Naomi Haile: I'm sure you have many, many stories of the impact that you've had on others, and how I think just your open mindedness around learning and being in different spaces, speaks to a lot of what you're going to share today. And so, I'd love for you to start by sharing a little bit about your origin story – growing up in New York stomping grounds. What a great place to grow up, how did your upbringing influence and shape your interests?
Todd Corley: I would sum it up by saying that I grew up around people who were very different — meaning people who had trials and tribulations of their own, and some who might have been outcasted a bit. But more than that, I grew up with a lot of love in our home, bouncing around from one relative’s house to another for sleepovers. I'm an only child, but I have so many cousins that, honestly — and this isn’t even to be funny, but it’s true — when I go to a family reunion, I introduce myself because I don’t know everyone. There are just so many of us.
I grew up spending a lot of time with family at picnics, community events, and church — church, church. I don’t think I remember a Sunday when I wasn’t in one. We’d go in the morning for a service, come back in the afternoon for another service, and also go during the week. Religion was a big part of my life and upbringing.
The people I spent a lot of time with made it so you never really knew you didn’t have much. You knew you had enough because everyone was around, thoughtful, and giving. I never went without food, drink, or clothing — sometimes we gave clothes away, and other times we took clothes in. It was a lot of sharing, a lot of community. That’s probably the best way to describe my upbringing, my origin. And I’m grateful for that.
Naomi Haile: Do you have any stories or memories of either being encouraged to color outside of the lines or stay within them? Was there this emphasis on doing things traditionally? You talk a lot about community and like being around people? What were you hearing about what you wanted to do in your life for what you thought was the appropriate path?
Todd Corley: I would say I was always encouraged to think outside the box and to be okay with failing, as long as I learned from that failure. I mean, one thing my mom still says today is, "If you're going to make a mistake, make a new one. So don’t make the same one again and again."
I never felt like I had to follow certain rules or do things the "right" way when it came to exploring different ideas. But I did always know that I had to be respectful, thoughtful about who I was interacting with, and behave myself — in air quotes. My dad used to say, "Don’t mess up the Corley name," because there are so many of us. If Todd Corley did something, it was like, "Oh my gosh, did you hear what the youngest Corley did?" So, while it wasn’t about painting within the lines, it was about being respectful and considerate of those around you.
I was encouraged to try things I might not know how to do, to learn, and to discover. Being okay with that mindset has probably served me well in what I do now. A lot of the work I do, I have to make up as I go along. Early on — and I’m sure we’ll talk about this — when I got into D&I work, it didn’t really exist the way it does now. I mean, I’m dating myself, but when the discussion around sexual orientation started, it was referred to as GLBT. That was it — just three or four letters, and they weren’t even in the order they are now. There wasn’t a plus or an IA; it was just GLBT.
My point in saying that is you have to be comfortable being somewhere that hasn’t yet been discovered. You have to be okay with that and with however things turn out, even if it’s not perfect. You may be ahead of something, or you may be discovering something that hasn’t yet been found, and you have to figure out why you’re there and what to do with it.
I always had a sense of comfort being alone or in uncharted territory because it wasn’t uncomfortable for me. Maybe that came from the community feeling in my family — I always knew someone had my back. It didn’t matter which family member it was; if it came down to family support, you knew you had them. For me, there was always a sense of a safety net somewhere, and that was just a given.
Naomi Haile: Yeah, wow, that was powerful. I think what you said about uncharted territory really speaks to so much of what you’ve shared. Maybe you weren’t fully comfortable with it, but there’s this sense of, "I will figure it out." There’s also a sense of commitment — like maybe you are the only one in certain spaces, but by making the decision to chart a path and drive forward, you’re able to open the door for others behind you, right?
Can you talk a little bit about your life and career trajectory? In many of the interviews about you online, there's a lot of discussion about your time at Abercrombie & Fitch — and wow, what a time to be in that space and in your role. Can you take us through the many steps of the journey you went on? Was it meticulously planned, or did you find yourself somewhere and think, "Okay, this is what we’re doing. Buckle up, let’s go"?
Todd Corley: That was funny. So that career stop is well-documented, but there are things I’ve never shared. What I will say is this: what was meticulous for me was that my parents made sure I was set up to succeed. Both of my parents were committed to this. My mom went back to school, and although my dad didn’t continue with college, they both emphasized the importance of exploring education and learning. Whether it was summer camp, an internship, or something else, I was always encouraged to focus on study, study, study. That part was non-negotiable, and both my parents stressed that.
It didn’t matter if it was my dad or mom coming up to campus to help me think about what I was going to do next — even if they didn’t understand it. It wasn’t something up for debate. I couldn’t say, "I don’t know, I want to do this." It was always, "Yes, you are doing this." So, that part was meticulously laid out for me — that was a given. What I did with that, though, was up to me. I probably did that on purpose because I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, other than knowing I had to get through college and land somewhere.
I had the benefit of an organization called INROADS, which is still around — a national organization providing internships for Black and Brown students. I did my four years as an intern with a company in upstate New York and landed a full-time role there in finance, which I quickly realized I hated. But it was a job, so I stuck with it. However, I started freaking out because I didn’t want to do that for the rest of my life. That’s when I started dabbling in HR work — back then it was called "personnel stuff." I began having discovery conversations with different people, and it clicked: they were talking about me, and this was the program I wanted to be part of.
That led to me asking questions like, "How do you change cultures to allow people like me to be here?" One thing led to another, and eventually, I thought, "When in doubt, go back to school." So I went to Georgetown for my MBA in organizational behavior and change management. I realized that maybe I could figure out how to change systems and make people feel comfortable. That’s when I started thinking about diversity, although we didn’t use that word as much then. But I knew that differences mattered.
Next thing I knew, I was out of business school, working at a consulting firm in Manhattan called Towers Perrin, which I believe is now Towers Watson. At the time, we focused on change management and what was then called "diversity and inclusion." It started to click for me — this was about the differences I was trying to figure out. The work became more and more joyful, especially when we started talking about sexual orientation. Back then, the discussion was referred to as GLBT — just those four letters, and not even in the same order they are now. There wasn’t a "+" or "IA" yet. We were even trying to create more appropriate language.
I started noticing changes, like ATMs offering more language options beyond English, and this sparked conversations about what diversity, equity, and inclusion meant. It became about bringing in all these differences, whether it was through commerce or bringing diverse people into companies. I started writing early work on generational issues. The first article I published was on Baby Boomers and Gen Xers, which were the main generations we talked about back then.
I kept up with how the conversation evolved. Religion became part of it, and gender, which was already a conversation, became more defined, particularly around issues like parental leave, so women didn’t lose their place in line for promotions. It was great work, and I had the privilege of witnessing these changes happen in real-time. That was a great blessing and fueled my commitment to this field. I knew the work would evolve over the years, and I bet right on it.
Naomi Haile: Bet right? What did that look like?
Todd Corley: What did it look like? It looked like something I had been thinking about for a long time. I had the privilege of attending a Jesuit college in Syracuse, Le Moyne College, where I was exposed to the principle of cura personalis, which means "care for the whole person." My work looked like that. It looked like four years at a predominantly white school, talking about differences from the perspective of a Jesuit principle, as a Black kid who was Baptist, attending a Catholic school. It felt like it was speaking to me, too. It was exploratory, almost like I was doing some soul-searching during those years.
Imagine this: I was in school with a white roommate — who, by the way, is still a really good friend. We were roommates for all four years. But during the summer, I did my internship with my Black and Brown friends through INROADS, preparing to step into corporate America in a suit and tie. So, I had all these different lives I was trying to live and reconcile.
But "betting right" meant figuring out how to do all this together, whether at the workplace, on a college campus, in a soup kitchen, or in a hospital system. This work had the potential to be powerful for society. Now, these years are far apart, but society today is probably more divisive than it was back then — or maybe divisive in different ways. You could argue that it was the same. But "betting right" meant that if you could get this work right, you could create a space where people weren’t separated by so many things.
“At the end of the day, I’d bet this for your audience: everyone wants a degree of safety, security, a roof over their head, food on the table, clothes to wear, a place to sleep, and relationships. These aren’t controversial things because we all want the same things. So, "betting right" means figuring out how to talk to people where differences won’t become divisions. We’re not really arguing about much more than customs, or what food you eat versus what food I eat. But at the end of the day, we all want to eat.”
So, "betting right" meant figuring out how to communicate with people at whatever level I was in an organization so that the organization could be better and thrive. What I didn’t know, and what was more fortunate than anything else, was that I found a space in industries like retail — hence the Abercrombie job — but also in hospitality. My first D&I role was actually at Starwood Hotels, which at the time included Westin, Sheraton, and Four Points. Ironically, it wasn’t yet W, but W was still a concept.
I remember having discussions with the general manager during the brand creation of W as a concept, talking about what the brand was going to be. It couldn’t be Sheraton, it couldn’t be Westin, and it couldn’t be Four Points. It had to be different. I remember it like it was yesterday. We were talking about what W should look like, and someone said, "Oh, we’re going to wear all black." "Okay, cool," we thought. "We’re going to be chic, after-five, that kind of vibe." It was my first conversation about what brand identity meant for a different consumer mindset.
And, as those who have stayed at W properties know, it’s a very different brand. Maybe now some have copied it, but back then, it wasn’t the traditional hotel experience. It was chic, after-five, trendy, and young. Seeing a brand evolve in that way made me start to think about what D&I means from a consumer lens. That experience reminded me of what brands can do and become.
Ironically, not long after that, I got called for the Abercrombie job. By that point, I already had my mindset about what brand strength meant, what identity meant, and what brand personality meant for people. I was wired in a way I hadn’t expected. So again, "betting right" meant figuring all these things out. Then I could probably do this job with some degree of comfort, knowing that I was thinking about it in a way that mattered to people. It was about creating a sense of belonging for employees, allowing people to spend money in a store or lay their heads in a hotel bed and feel welcomed.
"Betting right" meant understanding that the work was bigger than me — it was about the societal connectedness that I wanted to be part of.
Naomi Haile: Yeah. And you mentioned this larger idea of respecting and caring for the whole person. In 2022, you actually did a TEDx talk on this subject. Can you talk a little bit about what life experiences — it seems like you had so many critical inflection points — led you to realize, "Okay, what is the future of this space going to look like? And how can I position this work in a way that doesn’t ostracize people?"
What were some of those inflection points that really inspired you to share this blueprint and message?
Todd Corley: Wow. I’d say probably the most common thing — or the thing that has been at the forefront for me — is that wherever I’ve been, there’s been some trauma involved. At Abercrombie, for example, the trauma was the mega lawsuit on many different issues. When working with Black farmers, which I’ve been fortunate to do with the USDA, there’s a lot of historical trauma there as well. So, my point is, the inflection point for me has been realizing that, in most places I’ve been, there has been some degree of trauma, or at least some degree of misunderstanding about what people want.
When you can resolve those things, people eventually feel better about being where they are. In your words, they feel like you can talk to them without creating sides, but rather by finding common ground where we can meet in the middle. Both parties need to appreciate the different points of view. It's not about blaming anyone, but it is about holding people accountable for bad behavior — because both can coexist.
For me, the key inflection point has been understanding how to resolve the tension in the room, no matter what room I’m in. Whether it’s, for example, farmers who’ve been taken advantage of for decades — as the USDA has acknowledged — or Black farmers whose land has been lost or stolen, you have to own that. Resolving that tension doesn’t make the hurt go away, but it means you have to be better at addressing it.
So, the inflection point for me is understanding the trauma, identifying the tension, and figuring out how far you can push the boundaries. If you push too hard before people are ready, it can snap, and you won’t get everyone to where you want them to be. It doesn’t mean you let people off the hook for the change you want to create; it just means you have to make sure the change sticks.
At the end of the day, all I care about is whether change has happened. Does it look better than it did when I arrived? I think I can say, for the most part, that the places I’ve been and left look better than they did when I walked in. My name doesn’t need to be attached to it — I don’t care about that. I just want the place to feel different and better.
Naomi Haile: Talking about your work with the USDA Equity Commission — at the beginning, I kind of alluded to you being in what may seem like very disparate rooms or spaces from the outside. But reflecting on what you’ve shared, there’s a clear throughline. You're a member of the Equity Leadership Council, a board member for Snarky Elephant Productions, which produces scripted and unscripted content about underrepresented stories, and a voting member of the USDA’s Equity Commission, which focuses on advancing the mission of making agriculture better and serving all people.
From a quality-of-life perspective, what would you say is at the essence of the work you take on? What makes you say, "Yes, this place needs me for these particular reasons," and based on where I am in my life right now, I'm willing to take on that commitment? What is the very essence of the work that makes you decide to say yes?
Todd Corley: Great question. I don’t know that I’ve ever thought about it that way. I guess I must have, because I keep saying yes to things. It’s probably my willingness to test whether I really know what I think I know — to see if I’m actually good enough at it. What I mean by that is, I’m only competitive with myself. I’m not trying to have the biggest car or the best whatever. I’m just trying to be a better Todd day after day — a better husband, a better dad, a better cousin, a better son, or whatever.
When I take on a new work project, it’s typically for me to say, "If I’m doing that, and I truly know DEI work, or equity work, or all-inclusive work, I should be able to apply that skill set." So, let’s take Snarky Elephant. Snarky Elephant is a privately held media company that produces films, curates content, and inspires people — focusing on actors, directors, and themes that lift up human voices often left out, such as Black or Brown people, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with different abilities, and religious communities. They focus on groups that are often "othered" in society, including immigrants.
If I know DEI work, I should be able to champion that community with that thought in mind. Success for them should be no different than success in my previous roles — like at Abercrombie, where the place looked different when I left, or at the USDA, where we now have more policies focused on Black and Brown farmers. The principle is the same: if you apply an equity lens and focus, you should be able to do it anywhere, regardless of the industry.
For instance, I’ve spent time in a hospital system pushing forward issues around sexual orientation — in a system governed by the church, which was incredibly tense, but we pushed through. The point is, if you can do the work in principle, you can do it anywhere. You just have to figure out what success looks like. For Snarky Elephant, success might mean having more content on streaming platforms or getting their actors to places like South by Southwest.
At Carhartt, it’s about ensuring people from different socioeconomic backgrounds appreciate the brand’s legacy — whether it’s a rural farmer or a young kid on a college campus wearing the beanie and understanding the brand represents rugged, hard work and an honest day’s living for an honest day’s pay. It doesn’t matter if you’re logging, climbing a telephone pole, pushing a cart at a grocery store, or working in the winter — if you value hard work, the brand is for you.
So, my point is, if you can do equity work, you should be able to apply it to any industry, because it all matters — at least to me. To finally answer your question, I say yes to things to see if I really know what I’m doing, so I can feel confident applying it to the next thing.
Naomi Haile: Yeah, you touched on Carhartt briefly, and I'm wondering if you could speak more about the social realities and nuances you're navigating with different communities across the U.S. You’ve touched on it, but as someone responsible for strengthening the brand’s commitment, how do you clarify what success looks like?
And secondly, what does success look like today? There’s so much happening in the world right now, let alone just in the U.S. How do you think about what success looks like, and is that where you start when stepping into a big role like this, with so many eyes on it?
Todd Corley: I think I define success as whether there is dialogue, conversation, and an openness to understanding what we’re trying to create or do. If we are helping a community see themselves and allowing for a transparent and open discussion, that’s success for me. But what has probably been a staple for me is understanding what the brand considers to be "cool."
At Carhartt, the core value is hard work. Last I checked, hard work isn’t exclusive to being male, female, Black, white, rural, or suburban — you can pick any group. Hard work is hard work. If I’m getting up at 4 a.m., no matter my background or where I’m from, that’s a shift time that not everybody experiences.
So, success is partly about consistency with the brand’s identity. In retail, for example, success is measured by how well you support the people who do hard work. If you measure success based on that and work toward it, then you’ve nailed it. If we take another industry, like healthcare, success might be a short response time to a patient at the bedside. If your work allows for that short response time — regardless of the patient’s background or how they’re paying (Medicaid, cash, etc.) — and you’re delivering the same level of care to everyone, then that’s success.
The key is to understand what the brand is trying to achieve and tie your work to that. No one will argue with the work you’re doing because you’re strengthening the brand’s success metrics. For example, if success is measured by responding to a bedside request in three minutes and 20 seconds, or outfitting workers on a job site with the best durable gear — no matter who they are — then that’s what matters.
When you align equity and inclusion work with the brand’s identity, you don’t get much pushback. And if you do, you can defend it. At Abercrombie, for instance, success was measured by how quickly customers were greeted in the store. There was a time when those greetings didn’t happen for people who looked like me, so I worked to shorten that experience gap.
You can test whatever you want, but the key takeaway is to understand what your brand, company, or organization considers successful. Tie your work to that, and you’ll gain more allies because you’re doing what’s in the best interest of the brand. You can show that inclusion and equity work is essential because, without it, the brand wouldn’t be as good as it is with it.
Naomi Haile: The way you broke that down across sectors was a master class in and of itself. You talked a little about pushback, and I’m wondering, in all your leadership positions and just being a member of your community, what have you learned about people and inclusive leadership? What have you learned about what people need in order to advance a mission?
Todd Corley: I think what I’ve learned is that people need to be more courageous. People also need to identify those who can be a voice for them, because there may be times when, although their voice matters, someone else’s may carry more weight in that moment. If it’s me talking about the work, but it would be more powerful coming from a woman, then I want to find that woman ally, coach her on how to deliver the message, and maybe give her some key points.
What I would seed into the room is that sometimes the impact of the message depends on who is delivering it. I know for sure that I haven’t always been the best person to deliver certain messages, because if it came from me, it might be perceived a certain way. So, I’ve learned to encourage others to say what needs to be said, while also trusting that someone else can deliver the message more effectively.
It’s not about taking the credit—it’s about making sure the change sticks and is there for the next person who faces the same challenges. Sometimes that means letting someone else do the work for you. It’s like staging a house when you’re trying to sell it: you bake some brownies, make it smell good, and it’s the same house, but it feels different. You’ve prepared someone to be wowed by something they weren’t expecting.
That’s what you want with this work. It’s not about taking credit all the time. It’s about moving the agenda forward so people can be part of something, and we can all live in a better place.
Naomi Haile: Yeah. The last interview I did on the show was with Stephanie Harrison, who's the founder of The New Happy. She created this philosophy around how society’s definition of happiness has actually ruined our lives. We live in an achievement-oriented culture where everything is tied to what you did, rather than how you’re serving people. You’ve mentioned a few times that your focus isn’t about getting credit, right?
Have you always been like that, or was it something that clicked for you later in your career? I think that would relieve so many people, especially in my generation. If we can figure out what our gifts are and use them to serve our communities and make the world better, we won’t be focused on what doesn’t matter in the end. So, have you always had that mindset growing up, or was it something that clicked for you later in life?
Todd Corley: That's a great question. I think, in a way, I’ve always approached things with the mindset of, “Did we make the thing different?” I know this about myself: I enjoy the satisfaction of getting something done. So I’m not going to say that I don’t enjoy the feeling of, “Yes, I got it done,” because that would be a lie. But I think, over the years, I’ve realized that the satisfaction of getting it done, whether it was with me or with someone alongside me, started to outweigh the excitement of getting it done by myself.
It felt better and more natural to just focus on whether it got done, whether I did it alone or with help. I wanted the same sense of joy from the success of the thing taking hold, because I saw others feel happy and good about it. That’s what really mattered to me.
My mom ran — and still runs — two group homes in Virginia. One of them is focused on people with developmental disabilities. These individuals are older and likely can’t live independently. Growing up, we saw them at family reunions, on cruises, or at other “normal” events, and I never wondered, “Why are they here?” It’s because my mom didn’t think they were any different. Whatever we did to make them feel like they were part of something required a lot of people, not just one person, to care for them. The excitement and joy you’d see from them being comfortable and included — that’s the feeling you want.
My point is, it’s always about the feeling of making something happen for someone who needs it. And sometimes that requires more people than just you. If it can be done by you alone, great. But I’d say I’ve probably always had a tendency toward involving others. I didn’t start off thinking, “Where’s everyone else?” because I didn’t know if others felt the way I did. But it quickly became clear that it had to be a community effort, which I guess goes full circle to what I shared earlier about my upbringing — it was always about the community, the big tent.
Naomi Haile: Right. Todd, what do you value most about where you are today, whether in your career professionally or in your life more broadly? And what are some of the biggest challenges you navigate today, in whichever spaces you’d like to focus on — or both?
Todd Corley: Those are a few different questions, which I probably can’t answer fully in 12 minutes.
Naomi Haile: What do you value most about where you are today?
Todd Corley: What I value most about where I am today is that I’m still doing the work. But I’m also learning from a lot of people, like you, who are doing great things. I’m learning from people who are trying to be bold, and I see my adult children thinking about it in their own way—one living abroad, one focused on a career in criminology. Seeing them reflect on what their gifts are tells me that it's starting to rub off on others. It also shows me that I can stay in spaces like this and continue learning.
Carhartt has given me the incredible opportunity to tie equity work to sustainability, charitable giving, and community impact—all bundled together. Not many brands are doing that. So, I’m grateful to be in a place where I can experiment in more than one way. Because DEI jobs, by themselves, can sometimes feel singular. They can certainly be impactful, but in my opinion, many organizations are still just checking boxes.
What I had to bet on was that this work would evolve. "Betting right" — to use that phrase again — meant that I could tie this work to other things. And this brand, which has been owned by the same family for 135 years, saw that. I’m thankful that I get to experiment with the work I believe in, tie it to other initiatives, and keep testing myself. I’m thrilled about that because it shows me that I can try new approaches, move conversations forward, and, if I can get it right for a brand that touches so many different socio-economic communities, maybe I’ve cracked something bigger than I thought.
The core tension in this work right now lies in how different communities—like college vs. non-college folks—view it. Rural vs. urban perspectives matter, too. So, I’m grateful that I can be here, doing this work with such a historic brand and making an impact. We’ll see where it goes—so far, so good, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. If you invite me back, I’ll tell you how it’s coming along.
Naomi Haile: Yeah, that would be awesome. Most of my audience is in their twenties or under 35. In the private or group conversations you have with your community and younger professionals you may mentor, what do you focus on? The reason I’m asking is that in the first few pages of your book, I took note of how many people spoke to the explicit impact you’ve had on their lives and in simply doing this work as a leader.
So maybe we’re bringing it back to the beginning—how many people were able to speak to the impact you’ve had. What advice do you have about relationship-building and planting seeds? This idea of caring for the whole person, of community building, of protecting people, seems at the heart of your work.
What advice would you give to that 28 or 29-year-old who is navigating uncharted waters about relationship-building and nurturing connections?
Todd Corley: I would encourage people in that age cohort to extend themselves to those younger than them, like teens, and those older than them. If you’re really about purpose-driven work and want to make an impact — not just take a job for the sake of it — then you have to get to know people and their stories. Truly knowing their stories means connecting with many more people than are in your LinkedIn profile or Facebook, if you even use Facebook.
Be comfortable asking questions without knowing the answers. It should go without saying, but be respectful of how you approach someone and their time. Don’t just, on a whim, say, "Hey, can you do this for me?" without introducing yourself or being vulnerable. Share about yourself first.
The greatest gift I’ve ever had, honestly, is the experience I had at Abercrombie & Fitch. I’d do that job all over again because I met so many young people who completely changed my life. The work was hard, but the people I met — like those we talked about earlier in this interview — were everywhere for me, and I learned from them. I think they learned from me, too, because we were vulnerable and shared openly.
I still do that to this day with people who are as seasoned as I am, for mentoring and guidance, but also with people younger than I am. What gives me the most joy is seeing those same people I met along the way now doing incredible things I could never have imagined. Some are leading nonprofits, educational systems, or big retail brands. Others are guidance counselors, teachers, or leading movements to get more women or young people to vote.
It’s because we made a conscious decision to explore each other’s gifts. That means you have to get to know people and talk to them. I still benefit today from people I’ve known for years, long before they became who they are now. They help me, I help them, and it’s a joy to see their success. That’s what it’s about — when you invest in people, they find their way to things that are meant for them.
You might find that later on, you’ll need their help, and they’ll say, "Of course, I’ve got you." It works both ways. So my advice is to be giving, reach out, connect, and be patient with response times. Try to give back to those who give to you, and drop a note every now and then just to check in. Even if there’s nothing tied to it, it helps keep the connection alive.
I’ve been poured into by many people, and I don’t always feel like I deserve the things I’ve received. But I hope I’m giving it back to those who can benefit from it for what they’re trying to accomplish, too.
Naomi Haile: Wow. That’s a beautiful way to wrap up this conversation and really highlight so much of what you’re about, your purpose, and how you see the world. Thank you. Thank you for being here. You mentioned LinkedIn — is that the best place for people to connect with you? You also have a book out. What’s the best way for people who are listening to reach you?
Todd Corley: I’d say send me a LinkedIn note and be sure to reference this conversation so I can make the connection. That would be great. I can’t promise a response right away, but I do try to respond to everyone’s emails, even when it feels a little overwhelming. If I miss it, don’t hesitate to send another message — I’ll get back to you.
I can't promise a phone call, though, as that’s probably unrealistic, but I will certainly try to respond via email. I just enjoy meeting people, and LinkedIn is the easiest way to connect. If you send me something on Facebook, well, I think I have an account, but good luck — I don’t think I’ve ever opened it, maybe 20 years ago.
Naomi Haile: Wonderful. Thank you, Todd, for being on The Power of Why podcast. And to the audience, we will catch you in the next episode.
Listen to the episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Connect with Todd
LinkedIn: Todd Corley
Buy Todd’s Book: Fitch Path: A Cautionary Tale About A Moose, Millennials, Leadership & Transparency
Connect with Naomi
Website: naomihaile.com
LinkedIn: Naomi Haile
Instagram: @naomiahaile
Twitter: @naomiathaile