Liandren Buck is an Assistant Buyer for Women’s Apparel on Zulily’s Merchandising team and co-chair of Color Outside the Lines, Zulily’s team member resource group (TMRG) focused on topics important to people of color. She recently sat down with us to share more about her career journey, the multiple hats she wears, and her commitment to building a culture of inclusion.

Tell us about yourself and your path to Zulily…

I was born in Williamsburg, Va. and moved to Seattle during high school, when my dad accepted a position as Chancellor of the University of Washington Bothell campus. I was later recruited to UW to play volleyball as a Division 1 athlete. Since graduation, my career has focused on fashion and retail sales management.

Before joining Zulily, I worked for Nordstrom as Pace Setter in Women’s Activewear. My next career move was becoming a retail buyer, and I took a leap of faith to pursue opportunities at Zulily. I love Zulily because we are rooted in serving Mom, and that’s what drew me to the company. I’m a mom of two, so I knew working here would feel natural. I am our customer. More about me: I’ve been married for eight years to my amazing husband and we have a family dog named Oscar!

We know many working moms are challenged with balancing working from home with taking care of kids and online schooling. How has your experience been so far?

It’s definitely been an adjustment. We have a five-year-old and a two-year-old, and the balance is a bit of a challenge sometimes—especially with our two-year-old who is at home with us during the day. However, working from home has truly been a blessing. We’re able to spend more time together as a family and take breaks throughout the day I normally wouldn’t get.

What has been working well is the flexibility. I get up super early to take care of my kids, during my lunch breaks I take care of my kids, and then I go back to work. I have such a supportive team and manager who has helped to make the transition to remote working a smooth and enjoyable experience. I’m so happy to have these little pockets of moments with my family in between work hours.

It’s great to hear your manager and team are so supportive. Tell us about your role here.

I’ve been an assistant buyer in Women’s Apparel for two years now. More specifically, I’m on the graphics team. I also work as a co-chair of Color Outside the Lines, our team member resource group (TMRG) focused on topics important to People of Color. Color Outside the Lines really is what draws me to being so connected to Zulily. I wanted to contribute to the inclusivity of underrepresented groups at Zulily and support the ongoing conversation on how we can provide equitable opportunities for all.

What drew you to becoming a leader of Color Outside the Lines?

I noticed a lack of representation in women of color in leadership roles at Zulily. As a Black woman, I wanted to step up as a leader and as someone who others look up to for having such a passion for women and the black community. I wanted to focus on improving our experiences for underrepresented team members at Zulily. I also love how the TMRGs create a safe place for team members to bond over life experiences and have open and honest conversations about how race plays a huge role in one’s well-being.

We want team members of color to join our TMRG, and we welcome team members who are interested or want to learn more and/or be allies. The more allies we have, the smaller the bridge between us becomes. I also love seeing managers join, because this shows a level of interest in educating themselves on diverse team members, which helps them learn various ways to be even more inclusive!

Joining a TMRG is the number one best way to feel connected and raise issues to our senior leadership about areas of opportunity to improve our team member experiences. We are the voice of the people. We are a focused group that brings in the right people to tackle issues we know matter. It’s super important to share your voice—also to voice things that are going well in the organization.

What are some of the key initiatives for Color Outside the Lines?

In honor of Black History Month, we hosted a new celebration each week. Overall, each event encouraged and fostered an environment for team members to educate themselves on the Black community and support local Black-owned businesses. Team members will be able to walk away with actionable ways to get involved and support their local Black community.

Beyond this month, we push on more equity and ways the organization can be more inclusive. We are also creating a mentor program and are building external partnerships with non-profits such as YWCA; an organization that helps women in our community—and mostly underrepresented women.

We are so inspired by all the great work you are doing here at Zulily and our Color Outside the Lines TMRG. Before we close out, what’s something else about you we might not know?

I used to want to be a fashion designer, and sometimes I pull out my sewing machine to create clothing items for fun! I’m also a part-time yoga instructor for various studios in Seattle and have been a teacher for seven years. Because of Covid, the studios are closed—so I host yoga sessions virtually from my home.