• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup

2

Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock

3

Meet the 2 men putting New York's $300 billion pension fund in play for the first time in 20 years

1

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup

2

Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock

3

Meet the 2 men putting New York's $300 billion pension fund in play for the first time in 20 years
NewslettersBroadsheet

Stitch Fix founder Katrina Lake and a legacy of female firsts

By
Kristen Bellstrom
Kristen Bellstrom
and
Emma Hinchliffe
Emma Hinchliffe
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Kristen Bellstrom
Kristen Bellstrom
and
Emma Hinchliffe
Emma Hinchliffe
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 14, 2021, 9:11 AM ET
Katrina Lake, founder and CEO of Stitch Fix.
Katrina Lake, founder and CEO of Stitch Fix.Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

This is the web version of The Broadsheet, a daily newsletter for and about the world’s most powerful women. Sign up to get it delivered free to your inbox.

Good morning, Broadsheet readers! The J&J vaccine pause highlights women’s health, broadcast networks are shaking up their news divisions, and Stitch Fix gets a new CEO. Have a good Wednesday.

– Getting her fix. Yesterday, Stitch Fix announced that founder Katrina Lake is stepping down as CEO. Lake isn’t leaving the company all together—she will become executive chairperson and remain an employee, shifting her focus to the styling company’s social impact and sustainability work. 

Lake, who is not yet 40, leaves the CEO post with quite a legacy: When she took her company public in 2017, Lake was the youngest female founder ever to do so. (That record has since been beaten by Bumble’s Whitney Wolfe Herd, with Lake cheering her on every step of the way.) At the time, Stitch Fix had a management team that was half female, and a board where women held three of the seven seats. Lake’s also part of a very small club of women to have IPOed her tech company, and now, as she relinquishes the corner office, becomes the rare female CEO of a public company to hand the reins to another woman. (Among the Fortune 1000, there are only a handful of examples—including Xerox, Avon, and Chico’s FAS—to be found.)

Stepping into Lake’s big shoes is Elizabeth Spaulding, who joined the company as president in January 2020. Formerly of Bain & Co., she will become Stitch Fix’s second-ever CEO starting Aug. 1.

Lake will leave the CEO job with Stitch Fix in a relatively strong position, although the company has been dealt some financial blows by the coronavirus pandemic, like most retailers, and is in the early stages of exploring a new business model. The founder recently told Emma that she doesn’t follow every up and down of the company’s stock, but there’s no missing that its strong performance earlier this year earned her the status of self-made female billionaire. And though the market did not love the news that Lake is stepping down, her departure from the C-Suite doesn’t take away the impressive data-gathering capabilities that have allowed the company to adapt quickly to customers’ changing needs—a skill that’s become all the more valuable during the pandemic.

We’ll be watching to see what Stitch Fix does under Spaulding’s tenure—and whether it can beat the general malaise that seems to be plaguing the fashion world in this era of WFH sweatpants and tie-dyed tees. And we’ll certainly be very curious to see what Lake does—both at Stitch Fix and, perhaps eventually, beyond—in the years to come.

Kristen Bellstrom
kristen.bellstrom@fortune.com
@kayelbee

The Broadsheet, Fortune’s newsletter for and about the world’s most powerful women, is coauthored by Kristen Bellstrom, Emma Hinchliffe, and Claire Zillman. Today’s edition was curated by Emma Hinchliffe. 

ALSO IN THE HEADLINES

- Pressing pause. The CDC and FDA recommended a pause on the rollout of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine because of a rare side effect that has so far affected women: the risk of blood clots. The six vaccine recipients who developed blood clots were women between the ages of 18 and 48. Some people have compared the risk to that of blood clots correlated with taking oral contraceptives—although those comparisons aren't exact. The Atlantic

- Riding to a record. Southeast Asian rideshare startup Grab will go public through a SPAC merger with Altimeter Growth Corp. in the largest SPAC deal yet. Grab's cofounder is Hooi Ling Tan, who has served as COO. Fortune

- Broadcast news. Susan Zirinsky is reportedly preparing to step down as president of CBS News; in 2019, the legendary journalist was the first woman named to the role. It's a moment of transition in broadcast news, as ABC News is reportedly close to naming Kimberly Godwin head of its news division. New York Times

- City connections. In the close-knit city of Minneapolis, Daunte Wright, who was killed by police officer Kim Potter this week, had a connection to George Floyd; Floyd's girlfriend Courteney Ross, who recently testified in Derek Chauvin's trial over Floyd's death, was one of 20-year-old Wright's teachers. Wright's mother, Katie Wright, and aunt, Naisha Wright, addressed the media to speak about their grief and share memories of Wright yesterday. New York Times

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Reuters promoted global managing editor Alessandra Galloni to editor-in-chief; she's the first woman to lead the publication in its 170-year history. Airbus chief technology officer Grazia Vittadini will depart the role; she'll be succeeded by Sabine Klauke. Workplace culture analytics platform Emtrain hired Odessa (OJ) Jenkins, a former exec at YouCause and founder of the Women’s National Football Conference, as president. Dr. Meera Garcia, former chief of general Ob-Gyn at New York-Presbyterian Hudson Valley, joins Advantia Health as chief medical officer. 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

- Counter deal. Private equity firm Carlyle Group will take a majority stake in the parent company of Beautycounter, the beauty brand founded by CEO Gregg Renfrew. The deal values parent Counter Brands around $1 billion. Wall Street Journal

- Historic roundtable. Vice President Kamala Harris hosted a roundtable on Black maternal health—marking the first time the White House has ever issued a presidential proclamation on Black Maternal Health Week. She was joined by Susan Rice to discuss how systemic bias creates a maternal health crisis for Black women. New York Times

- Nomination question. Kristen Clarke's nomination to lead the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division has encountered partisan opposition from the right. Fortune's Ellen McGirt dives into what's at play in the confirmation process in Broadsheet sister newsletter raceAhead. A group of corporate general counsel execs signed a letter pushing for her confirmation. Fortune

- Against NDAs. Ifeoma Ozoma, a former public policy staffer at Pinterest who has said she experienced racial discrimination there, writes about how she's now working to prevent non-disclosure agreements from being used to keep quiet others with similar experiences. She's helped California lawmakers draft the Silenced No More Act. New York Times

ON MY RADAR

Biden administration to lift abortion pill restriction amid pandemic CBS News

Esther Perel goes off script Vulture

The extraordinary story of the ‘founding mothers’ of NPR Fortune

PARTING WORDS

"Once you notice a dude wall, you see them everywhere. They’re in every auditorium, every hallway, every departmental office, every conference room."

-Leslie Vosshall, a neuroscientist at Rockefeller University, on a wall that used to display photos of Lasker Award and Nobel Prize winners, all of whom were men. Rachel Maddow coined the term on a visit to the university. 

About the Authors
Kristen Bellstrom
By Kristen Bellstrom
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Emma Hinchliffe
By Emma HinchliffeMost Powerful Women Editor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Emma Hinchliffe is Fortune’s Most Powerful Women editor, overseeing editorial for the longstanding franchise. As a senior writer at Fortune, Emma has covered women in business and gender-lens news across business, politics, and culture. She is the lead author of the Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter (formerly the Broadsheet), Fortune’s daily missive for and about the women leading the business world.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Newsletters

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Newsletters

Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis (left) stands on a spiral staircase next to Google DeepMind researcher John Jumper.
NewslettersEye on AI
Defections from Google DeepMind prompt questions about Alphabet’s efforts to stay at the forefront of AI
By Jeremy KahnJune 23, 2026
12 hours ago
From Audrey Gelman to Bobbi Brown, second-time female founders are on the rise
NewslettersMPW Daily
From Audrey Gelman to Bobbi Brown, second-time female founders are on the rise
By Emma HinchliffeJune 23, 2026
14 hours ago
Cred founder and CEO Kunal Shah. (Courtesy: Cred)
NewslettersFortune Tech
Meta’s latest reverse acqui-hire: Cred founder Kunal Shah
By Andrew NuscaJune 23, 2026
20 hours ago
Saudi PIF’s governor wants the kingdom to become a global investment center
NewslettersFortune Gulf Brief
Saudi PIF’s governor wants the kingdom to become a global investment center
By Melissa HancockJune 23, 2026
20 hours ago
The CEO with real-time data on 1 in 6 American workers says stop worrying about jobs—and start thinking about tasks
NewslettersCEO Daily
The CEO with real-time data on 1 in 6 American workers says stop worrying about jobs—and start thinking about tasks
By Diane BradyJune 23, 2026
21 hours ago
The WNBA turns 30—and women’s basketball is dreaming bigger than ever
NewslettersMPW Daily
The WNBA turns 30—and women’s basketball is dreaming bigger than ever
By Emma HinchliffeJune 22, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
18 hours ago
Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock
Banking
Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock
By Jim EdwardsJune 23, 2026
20 hours ago
Meet the 2 men putting New York's $300 billion pension fund in play for the first time in 20 years
Investing
Meet the 2 men putting New York's $300 billion pension fund in play for the first time in 20 years
By Nick LichtenbergJune 22, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 23, 2026
18 hours ago
Former U.S. Secret Service agent says bringing your authentic self to work stifles teamwork: 'You don’t get high performers, you get sloppiness'
Success
Former U.S. Secret Service agent says bringing your authentic self to work stifles teamwork: 'You don’t get high performers, you get sloppiness'
By Sydney LakeJune 21, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 22, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 22, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 22, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.