Despite its cinematic appearances, the story of this leader is real. Today she is the head of a gigantic trading company.
If you’re at the bottom and dream of reaching the top, this story might inspire you. Head to the United States to discover Kecia Steelman. This 54-year-old American is an example of social advancement thanks to a brilliant career. She began her career in Iowa by earning a bachelor’s degree in business management from Kennedy Western University.
Specializing in the retail sector, she began her career at Target Corporation, an American sales company. Then aged 20, she was only paid $8 an hour and had to deal with life as a single mother. However, she perseveres and gradually evolves in the company. Little by little, she leaves the status of simple saleswoman to access different operating and merchandising roles. She finally left Target in 2005 after spending the last 12 years climbing the ranks there.
Her career then began in other companies in positions of responsibility and became vice-president of Expo Design Center between 2005 and 2009, a subsidiary of the American company Home Depot which specializes in the distribution of home equipment. She then joined the Family Dollar group in 2010 where she managed the establishment of more than 1,500 stores for the brand specializing in low prices. We are already a long way from the saleswoman at 8 dollars an hour.
Her profile leaves no one indifferent in the sector and she joined Ulta Beauty in 2014 as vice president of store operations. The company specializing in beauty products then achieved sales valued at more than $3 billion.
Having become Chief Operating Officer in 2021, she assumed the prestigious position of CEO in January 2025. In her new responsibilities, she notably led Ulta Beauty’s entry into various international markets, including the United Kingdom, Mexico and the Middle East. Under his leadership, the company saw its annual revenue increase by $1 billion.
Kecia Steelman frequently recalls her journey strewn with pitfalls in interviews. “I didn’t have a linear journey. I had times where I had to go backwards to jump better, but each step, even the most difficult ones, was a building block in building the leader I am today. Don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t have the ‘profile’. The profile is what you accomplish, not what it says on an old piece of paper.”
Most recently, she joined the board of directors of Pinterest and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Kecia Steelman is today recognized as an example of human management. She particularly advocates flexibility at work, remembering what she herself experienced as a young single mother. As CEO, she now manages 60,000 employees, 91% of whom are women. Enough to inspire an entire generation.
