Page 212 - The Way to the Top

Lillian VERNON

Founding Chairman of the Lillian Vernon Catalogs and
www.lillianvernon.com

It wasn’t just the wisdom that my father imparted to me, it was the way he
lived his life that left an indelible impression. He was my mentor, my role

model, and my inspiration. I owe a large part of my success as an
entrepreneur to his belief in my talent and abilities.

My father took pride in owning his own business from the time I was a
little girl growing up in Germany, when he was a successful entrepreneur.
He had the insight to move our family to the United States just before the

onset of World War II—a move that ultimately saved our lives. With little
money, few contacts, and limited knowledge of the English language, he
started a small leather-goods manufacturing company in Manhattan and

made a good living. Unlike other men of his generation, he welcomed
having women work by his side and he didn’t believe that a woman should
stay home if she wanted to work. My mother assisted him in his factory all
day, and when I was old enough, he asked me to help. My father sensed
that I had a flair for fashion and he knew I loved to browse through the

many interesting shops that lined the streets of New York City. He was
developing a line of leather accessories for young women like me so he
sent me on shopping excursions in search of new designs. The leather bags

and belts I chose became best-sellers. I didn’t realize it at the time, but my
father was nurturing my talent for merchandising. Thus the seed was
planted for what was to become my mail-order entrepreneurial venture
several years later.

In 1951, when I placed my first ad in Seventeen magazine for a

personalized handbag and belt, it was my father’s encouragement that
inspired me, despite the doubts of others. I was newly married and