Pepper Jacques Chief Operating Officer Marshea Fenderson Named to LI Business News 40 Under 40
Marshea Fenderson, Chief Operating Officer and Directr of Technology of Pepper Jacques, a womenswear fashion brand headquartered in New York was named to LI Business News prestigious 40 under 40 list. Now in its 18th year, the list spotlights 40 individuals in business who have reached the top of their fields while also being active in their communities.
As COO, Marshea oversees operations throughout Pepper Jacques delivering leadership and guidance for significant areas of the company’s growth. Since 2013, Marshea has developed Marketing strategies that has increased visibility over 2000%, mapped out technology offerings to set Pepper Jacques apart from the crowd and rallied financial growth.
Leading a start up is incredibly demanding, at times stressful, and anxiety inducing. However, Marshea ia able to lead us through the challenging times by encouraging the Pepper Jacques team to continuously fight and persevere against the odds. She influences the team to keep going and raises the bar with innovative approaches to each new complex challenge we have faced in our fashion startup.
Marshea’s most important task at Pepper Jacques is solving problems; this is a skill set that she developed starting with her training as an Engineer. Before even understanding what the study of engineering entailed, Marshea knew that it was the path she was destined to pursue. Marshea now translates this creative curiosity into building world class companies. A born entrepreneur, Marshea started her first business in grade school by servicing an untapped market demand. Using her allowance, Marshea would purchase candy and lanyards wholesale, then without competition she would resell to her peers during the school day with significant profits.
Marshea does not just stop at solving problems within her immediate duties. She applies her innovative approach to complex problems wherever she sees a gap. After seeing the need for an engineering mind to help fashion brands, Marshea started a consulting practice, ANN Couturier Co., in 2014. Through this company Marshea assists growing brands and boutiques to avoid the stumbling blocks of entering into the fashion industry.
Current history tells us that Marshea is never still or working on just one project. When leadership or help is needed, if Marshea is not being sought out, she is the first to volunteer and to serve. Outside of work, Marshea has developed and coordinated Engineering Outreach programs for students, chaired a Women’s Diversity Network Group and captained an intermural softball team. Marshea also took on the role of executive director for a growing girls youth mentoring program, Barbara Jordan Rites of Passage where she brought her operations magic to the table giving the organization the foundation that it would need to grow, increasing participation and growing funding. Vice chaired the 31st National Society of Black Engineers National Convention and moved her book club from just loving reading to actively sharing that love by transforming the group into a not for profit that raised money and books for student readers in the Caribbean.
Today Marshea's commitment to social causes continues with her volunteer work as a technical mentor for Black Girls Code NY and sponsoring an engineering scholarship for students in Jamaica WI.
We at Pepper Jacques congratulate and salute Marshea Fenderson on her achievements thus far.
