Role Call | Carlos Alvarado, Lead Merchant for Men's Grooming

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NEW YORK, United States — Carlos Alvarado is the lead merchant for men's grooming at Birchbox, a New York-based subscription service that sends its subscribers samples of beauty products. Originally from New London, Connecticut, Alvarado moved to New York after graduating from Boston University with a degree in marketing. His career began as an account executive at advertising agencies BBDO NY and Ogilvy & Mather. In 2010, he joined Calvin Klein as global media planner, where he was chiefly responsible for the company's seasonal advertising communication strategies. Alvarado joined Birchbox in 2012 as a merchandising manager. He was then promoted to lead merchant for grooming at Birchbox Man in 2014.

BoF: Please describe your current role.

My team is responsible for sourcing all the grooming samples, which we send out in monthly boxes. I also look after the buying and merchandising of full-size products, which subscribers can buy if they liked the samples. Men have not always been interested in beauty and grooming, so this presents an interesting challenge. We work hard to find everything from niche brands to industry favourites for our customers.

BoF: What attracted you to the role?

I was attracted by the huge opportunity in the men's prestige grooming space, an area that has been an afterthought for many retailers. Through our monthly subscription program, we're signing up guys who spend $3 on a drugstore shave cream and upgrading their routine to include $16 bar soaps and $30 styling products. The best part is knowing just how much of an impact those products can have on our customers.

We're signing up guys who spend $3 on a drugstore shave cream and upgrading their routine to include $16 bar soaps and $30 styling products.

BoF: What is the most exciting project or initiative you have worked on?

The most exciting project I've worked on so far was the launch of our first men's pop-up store in December 2014. We turned to our scrappy start-up roots and managed to pull everything together in a matter of weeks — and achieved incredible results! This was a significant moment for Birchbox Man, as it offered an important preview of what our men's business could look like in the physical retail world. It was also incredible to see how quickly and efficiently our teams were able to rally and make this a success. We're all so invested in the Birchbox brand and mission that we'll do whatever it takes to make things happen.

BoF: How is your role changing? What are the forces driving this change?

Men's interest in grooming has also exploded over time, so we've got to stay ahead. I'm focused on discovering great new brands through customer feedback — both anecdotal and data-driven. Birchbox has experienced tremendous growth over the past five years, so my role is in a constant state of change. Since I joined the team three years ago, we've grown from a small team of 50 to 60 people to an office of almost 300. Early on, no one had one particular job — we each had to wear a million hats to get the job done. However, as we've grown, we've had the opportunity to bring in people with more focused expertise within certain areas of the business, such as retail, marketing and merchandise planning.

BoF: What advice do you have for people who are interested in doing what you do?

It was probably during my first job at BBDO NY as an assistant account executive. I was working on a major consumer account and I felt that I had all of the answers. I was so confident that I could do everything and anything myself. Because of that, I ended up missing some crucial deadlines when trying to solve a problem on my own. This ended up costing money, time and resources — to fix a mistake that shouldn't have happened in the first place. From that, I learned that no matter what, you should always ask for help when you need it. No problem or question is too small, but it's important to come to the table with a proposed solution. I learned humility during this time and it is a lesson I'd like to share, and one that I follow every day.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

For more information about fashion industry roles like this and others, visit BoF Careers.