Change is inevitable in business, especially in retail — a fact that E. Abena Antwi has accepted and even embraced as part of her professional strengths.
“An important skill good leaders leverage is flexibility,” said Antwi, who serves as chief legal, risk and human resources officer at Shoe Show Inc. “While predictable scenarios may help leaders feel comfortable with decision-making, it isn’t realistic to expect them.”
To prepare for new scenarios and improve her decision-making process, Antwi strives to learn as much as possible in advance. “Curiosity is incredibly valuable in that regard. Being open to learning new things, regardless of whether they are directly relevant to my current work, is helpful to ensuring I can borrow from an array of things I’ve learned as they arise,” she said.
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One such new area of expertise is artificial intelligence: “AI is definitely one of the practical skills I’m boning up on now,” Antwi added.
Before joining Shoe Show in 2023, Antwi held legal and human resources positions at various law firms and organizations, including the USDA. She recalled that there were times in her career journey that she was frustrated by the slow pace of progress, but she realized it isn’t enough to just work hard. “Connecting and building relationships with other people has been incredibly helpful to me to put into context what I am experiencing and has provided useful information as I survey my own situation, what I want and how to get there,” Antwi said.
In particular, she added, mentoring is an important resource at every career level — even if it seems like someone doesn’t need it.
Antwi recalled a recent conversation with one of her former mentors (now a dear friend), who doubted the necessity of their prior mentoring relationship. Antwi disagreed: “I immediately thought about how important that relationship had been to me during that period: It helped me feel less alone, generally more confident and helped me more clearly see how my ideal career would develop.”
A version of this article appeared in the June 1 print issue of FN, as part of the “Women Who Rock” special section. On June 3, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation will honor these women at the annual live event in New York City.
