Screen Tests: meet Zhoe Low, from digital nomad to GM of July
And what being a GM entails, and her advice on how to actually *be* a GM.
Zhoe Low and I had been speaking on and off over email over the last year or so when I realised she was a subscriber to this newsletter. In the last year, there have been babies (with us each), jobs, life — etc — so this has been a long time coming.
Starting as July’s fifth employee, she is now General Manager of the whole company. where it has seen 640% YOY growth.
In the end, it really is all about product: I’ve tried out a lot of suitcases in my day, and I have to say that July is the best bang for buck in terms of value and quality (I have tried out fancier suitcases and have not been as happy…) This is NOT sponsored, I am just a genuine fan of the product.
From a small Australian company that started only a few years ago in 2019, it has since designed custom luggage for the Australian Olympics team for Paris 2024.
I hope you enjoy reading this, and if you’d like to read more interviews, click here for more Screen Tests or scroll to the bottom to see a selection.
INTRODUCTION
1. Tell me about yourself.
I’m Zhoe, the Global General Manager of July. Five years ago, I met the founders of July and instantly connected with their design-led ethos for the brand and the vision for bringing style and fashion to the travel goods category. I couldn’t stop thinking about it so I took the leap from my comfortable marketing role in the fintech industry to join the business as their Marketing Manager and employee #5.
Things have changed quite a bit since then and I now oversee the business’ performance, people and operations.
What being a GM entails depends on the business but as generalists they have a jack of all trades skillset and the ability to problem solve quickly with lots of context within the organisation. Anna Mackenzie wrote a great piece on portfolio careers which explains this far better than I can.
My work really varies day to day, I could be across anything from product roadmap planning to project managing our office renovations. At July and at our growth rate, a lot of my energy goes into ensuring all our teams are collaborating efficiently towards the same goal.
2. Now, tell me about yourself without mentioning your job.
I’m 32, married and a mother to a six month old, living my best inner city life in Melbourne. I’m a foodie — it’s my ultimate love language. I was a digital nomad and it was the most life changing experience I’ve had. Back then, the concept of permanently working and travelling at the same time was revolutionary and my then-boyfriend-now-husband suggested giving it a go. Like any carefree 22 year old, I leapt at the opportunity and travelled around Asia with him whilst freelancing as a digital marketer. Stepping out of my comfort zone like that was the best thing I could’ve done for myself as it opened my world to beyond what I could’ve imagined and helped me realise that there is no one single way to live a happy life.
3. What do you want people to say about you when you walk out of a room?
“We should invite her to our next dinner party.”
4. What is the quote you live by?
I don’t really have any quotes that I live by, but I have worked really hard since my early 20s to just be open. Open to opportunities, open to change, open to emotions, open to different schools of thought, the list goes on…
CAREER
5. How do people react when you tell them what you do?
People love to talk about anything to do with travel and it never fails to surprise me how passionate they are about their suitcases. I love it when they tell me how they’ve bonded with complete strangers about their July Carry Ons. A friend recently told me someone stopped her at LAX to rave about her bright green suitcase and how much she loved July.
6. What is the most frequently asked question you've been asked about your career?
“How did you get to where you are?”
Going from a marketing manager to a GM, the learning curve was and continues to be intense. I had to learn about the other parts of the business very quickly like product design, stock planning, supply chain, customer service and retail. I also became a manager of managers so my leadership and management style had to adapt to that. There was also quite a big mindset shift that comes with truly understanding a business in a holistic way.
A lot of this I learnt on the job by problem solving alongside our team members. I always leaned on my friends and industry network, especially those who had been on this growth journey before.
July’s founders Athan and Richard are visionaries but still very involved in the day to day operations at July. We sit next to each other and chat every day in-person and over Slack and keep our meetings to a minimum. It’s a high touch relationship.
7. What do you wish you were asked more about?
I love talking about what goes into making great products and I’m so proud of the systems and rigour our team has to continuously deliver on our roadmap. It’s something we had collectively worked on over the years and it required a lot of research of industry best practices and setting a process that was just right for our team and respected our design-led ethos. It’s an ongoing conversation we have and a harder one to have as we look to scale the business and move into new markets and product categories.
It can take anywhere from three months to over a year from concept to landing in our warehouses. It depends on how technically challenging the product is — suitcases are complex! If it’s a seasonal colour update, those are easier to turn around.
Our product roadmap is set by our founders and the Design team using trends from all sources like the fashion runways to industry reports to customer feedback and even TikToks.
One of our most popular products, the Carry On Light Expandable was a result of in-store customer feedback from our retail team for the ability to increase suitcase capacity for the return trips home! It’s now one of our bestselling products.
8. What would you say your strengths as a GM are?
Understanding a vision and being able to mobilise a team to get there.
9. For those who want to be GM -- what advice would you give to them?
What worked for me was taking opportunities where I could to expand and learn. For me, that was stepping out of my comfort zone to move into a new industry and joining a startup in its infancy. Growth is not linear.
10. What part of your career makes you wake up everyday to do what you want to do (other than financial realities)?
I love being able to see my work and its impact from start to finish. Nothing beats seeing one of our suitcases in the wild on the airport carousel after having worked on it from the beginning at product strategy, through to merchandising on our website and retail stores.
11. What is the biggest misconception about your job?
We are a close-knit, lean team and we really like to hire people who are hands-on, curious problem solvers who find fulfillment in seeing things through from start to finish. We sit together in an open-plan office pretty much every day. I sit in most of our teams’ WIPs and I have a daily routine of flicking through all the different platforms and apps to get across everything as best I can.
Though my role covers multiple functions, I am at heart a marketer and still very much involved in the day to day. I wouldn’t want that to change anyway with the incredible marketing moments we’ve had. A recent highlight was seeing all our Australian Olympians such as Jess Fox return home with their custom Paris Olympics July Carry Ons.
12. You have the job that ‘millions of other people’ would want. (I'm riffing off that Devil Wears Prada quote.) What do you think has set you apart so that you have had the opportunity to do what you do?
A love of learning. I really enjoy being able to understand things holistically but also in detail for where it matters. A key focus for my role at July is to ensure all our teams are in alignment and to clear any blockers. A lot of the problem solving happens by asking lots of questions (the right ones) on subject matters I’m not an expert on.
A great example of this is our Juliette Collection of tote bags that sold out in under a week. Great for the marketing team, but a problem for our planning team. Understanding how that happened and any changes that need to be made to nail it for the next time takes a macro and micro approach. I am fortunate to be surrounded by a talented and very patient team who’ve taught me so much.
Funnily enough, I think we will be restocking the Juliette Collection (and with new styles including a bucket bag) when this newsletter goes out! The best thing about having a small and close team is that we share in each other’s wins are happy to help out beyond our responsibilities for where the business needs. We’re lucky in that everyone’s invested in the greater outcome of building this brand together that we take all things on (good and bad) as a team. When I look back at the challenging times we’ve had (like selling out too quickly!), we had almost always solved it together in-person crowded around someone’s monitor.
13. What do you think is the next big thing in your arena? [I know this is a broad question but do what you will with it.]
Luggage being wholly recognised as a fashion accessory! People love a great airport outfit and a statement suitcase. Our limited edition colours are often bold and bright and they always sell out. Our luggage stickers have been incredibly popular too as a fun way to personalise your suitcase.
READ/WATCH/LISTEN
14. What would you recommend to read, watch or listen to at the moment?
I read The Squiz most mornings for my daily update on the news and for their witty subject lines which are always song lyrics related to content.
15. You’re looking for some positivity. What do you read, watch or listen to?
Nothing beats some fresh air and movement. I’ll go for a run or a walk and listen to all my favourite Millennial hits (haha).
16. Which book do you wish you could read again for the first time?
Pachinko by Lee Min Jin. She spent ten years working on this and it shows!
17. What movie do you think should be compulsory for everyone to watch?
The entire Lord of the Rings trilogy.
18. What content type/genre do you think is slightly cringe but you secretly love? (And, provide an example!)
I love science fiction. Dune (the movie) is a sensory masterpiece and Dune (the book) really tests the imagination.
STYLE
19. Define your style in three words.
Always in jeans.
20. Name your top three favourite items in your wardrobe now, and why.
I’d been looking for the perfect relaxed fit blazer in the right neutral colourway for my skintone and landed on this double breasted blazer from Incu Collection.
When a close friend from the Netherlands found out I was pregnant, she recommended the Zeigeist baby carrier from Artipoppe, as they had started shipping to Australia. It was one of the handful of baby items I splurged on and I’m glad to say both my husband and I treat it as an essential.
I never thought I’d be this picky and fanatical about socks of all things but I exclusively wear Paire socks now. They fit well, not too thin, not too thick and they last forever. They’re my go-to gift.
21. What do you love in your wardrobe that doesn't by definition fit into what your style is? And why?
For my wedding tea ceremony, my mother commissioned a pair of hand-beaded Peranakan slippers to complete my traditional outfit. To my surprise (and her delight), I’ve worn them several times since as they are such a unique statement shoe, incredibly comfortable and since the rest of my wardrobe is so neutral they end up going with everything!
22. What item of clothing or accessory are you on the hunt for at the moment?
I really enjoy buying jeans and pants, so naturally I have way too many of them and not enough tops and jackets. I’m anti-ironing and they have to be breastfeeding or pumping-friendly. Surprisingly hard!
BEAUTY
23. What beauty product do you buy on repeat?
The Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting pencil is foolproof, I just can’t bring myself to try anything else.
24. What beauty product do you like to spend real money on, and what beauty product are you more thrifty with?
My MECCA Beauty Loop status is the way it is purely from all the lip products I buy. It’s so fun experimenting with the different formulations and colours.
When it comes to cleansers, I’m quite happy to shop Cerave and La Roche Posay at my local chemist.
25. If you were a beauty product, what would you be and why? [Be specific on the brand, product name and or colour if relevant!]
Shiseido Pop Powdergel Eyeshadow in Suru-Suru: it blends well but stands out just the right amount.
LAST OF ALL...
26. You're in Melbourne. Where would you tell people to do and visit, if they were to visit your city?
For first time visitors, I recommend spending a day in Fitzroy/Carlton. Start off with breakfast at Napier Quarter, visit the shops on Smith St and Gertrude St. If it’s a nice day, head to Morning Market for a DIY picnic lunch at Carlton Gardens. Alternatively head to Marion (order the flatbread). Then walk it off and end the day at Carlton Wine Room for a vino and Pipapido for their salted caramel ice cream.
27. What would be your last meal?
Hainanese Chicken Rice.
28. What is something that people might be surprised to find out about you?
People assume I was born in Australia but I moved here when I was ten so I still feel so Malaysian in many ways. If you catch me on the phone to my parents, I sound like a totally different person!
29. You're a new mother -- how do you approach work, life, baby?
I laugh now thinking about my Google Sheets document with all these shopping lists and articles I compiled in anticipation for baby’s arrival. Don’t get me wrong it was definitely useful and necessary, but nothing could’ve prepared me for the deeply personal and emotional process of becoming a mother, which I now know to named matrescence. It is wild and amazing in all the ways.
Eight months out, I’m taking things a week at a time and being kind to myself if the balance is off as I try to figure out what “new me" looks like. Ask me again in a few years!
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