Missy Pool, Flagship Leader at Apple, knows what it means to lead with purpose. With a career spanning industry-defining roles at brands like Ralph Lauren and Apple, Missy has championed people-centered leadership rooted in trust, empowerment, and vision. Whether shaping iconic retail experiences or mentoring the next generation of women leaders, she believes impact starts with connection. As a speaker at this year’s Women of Impact Summit, Missy shares the pivotal career moments that shaped her, the mentors who inspired her, and why supporting organizations like Delivering Good creates ripple effects that can span continents.

Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that shaped your journey as a leader?

There are so many pivotal moments. One was when I was selected to run the brand-new Ralph Lauren Women’s and Home flagship store on Madison Avenue. I met with Mr. Lauren himself, and he told me he wanted this store to be as good as—if not better than—the top store in NYC at the time, which was Bergdorf Goodman. He shared that he wanted to be known as the premier American women’s luxury designer.

Every weekend I would visit Bergdorf Goodman and study their approach to customers. We started by sharing insights with our leadership team and ensuring that everyone was empowered, trained, and clearly focused on bringing Mr. Lauren’s vision to life. Everyone had to be aligned. Three years later, I was told that the Bergdorf Goodman CEO said at one of the WWD CEO Summits that they recommended all of their new hires visit the Ralph Lauren Women’s store on Madison Avenue. It was a full-circle moment that made me realize: if you know the goal or vision and clearly communicate it—and how to achieve it—teams will be inspired to deliver.

Another pivotal moment was when I joined Apple as the Flagship Leader. My leader at the time told me to take the first few months just to get to know the entire team (150 team members). He allowed me to build relationships and instill trust before taking action on anything. It took about three months, and that time reinforced for me that building relationships as a leader is the best way to move forward. My leader never pressured or rushed me, and I discovered the value in that. I then made sure relationship-building was a critical part of onboarding for all new team members—and I saw the success that followed. You can’t make change or create impact until the entire team trusts and believes in you.

What inspired you to pursue the work you do today?

My father has always been my inspiration. He’s an entrepreneur who built his success through relationships and leading large teams. He’s also been my biggest champion and has guided me throughout my career. I’ve also been lucky to work for inspiring leaders who developed my passion for leading others. As I grew in leadership and began to have an impact on a larger scale, I found it incredibly rewarding to support others in achieving their career dreams and goals. I love seeing others succeed.

What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders?

Always believe in yourself. Be self-aware so you can identify your top strengths and contributions—this helps instill confidence. Find a mentor, someone who is unbiased and can guide you. Build strong networks and learn the strengths of those around you so you know who to go to for what you need. And when you’re presenting ideas, remember it can be hard to feel heard. I like to say, “Have we considered…” as a way to open the conversation.

How do you define impact in your work and leadership?

I define my impact by both the employee and customer experience. While I have access to biannual survey results, I regularly ask questions to understand how people are feeling in the moment. The top themes I look for are: do they feel valued, included, heard, supported, and developed for future opportunities? I make sure to listen and understand what they need. I strive to create an environment where people love coming to work.

Why do you believe supporting organizations like Delivering Good is important?

Delivering Good provides hope through many avenues. It’s fulfilling to support DG, especially when we can make people feel seen and help provide a path to a career for those in need. I recently visited someone I worked with over 28 years ago. She had returned to her home country of Senegal and became the first and only Senegalese woman to open a hotel—where 80% of her team are women she’s helping become financially independent. She often references what we learned together so many years ago as a foundation for her success. This is the halo effect: when we impact one person, it can influence countless others.

What excites you most about participating in this year’s Women of Impact Summit?

I’m excited to hopefully empower and inspire our future generation of leaders—and to work with other dynamic leaders across industries and hear their stories. I’m truly inspired by Delivering Good’s philosophy of hope, dignity, and opportunity, and I look forward to bringing it to life at the summit.

Missy’s journey reminds us that meaningful leadership isn’t just about milestones—it’s about the people we uplift along the way. At Delivering Good, we believe in that same ripple effect: when we help one person, we unlock possibility for many more. We’re grateful for leaders like Missy who embody this spirit in their work and in their advocacy. Her story is a testament to the power of leading with purpose—and the lasting impact we create when we do.