Top Women Profile Series
Meg Walbridge, communications director for Virginia Beach, Virginia-based Taylor’s Do it Centers & Pleasants Hardware, was recognized in the 2024 class of Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply. Her family roots run deep in the industry—she’s the daughter of Bob Taylor, the former CEO of Fort Wayne, Indiana-based Do it Best—and so does her passion for the business.
On her career path
“I’ve been attending tradeshows most of my life. In fact, the first one I went to was in a baby stroller. And in a full-circle moment, I brought my little girl to the Do it Best Market last year.
”Although I grew up in the hardware industry, I didn’t initially expect to return to it. Early on in high school, I started working in retail (hotel gift shop and surf shop) before heading to college. After graduation, I worked on a congressional campaign, then moved to Washington, D.C., handling social and digital media on Capitol Hill for congressional offices.”
Her unconventional path continued with the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), working with family-owned businesses in the wholesale/distributor tier of the alcohol industry.
“This experience helped me realize that, at some point, I would really prefer to focus my efforts in supporting my own family’s business.
“Plus, I always had my grandfather (now 102 years old!) in my ear reminding me a couple times a year that ‘you know hardware isn’t just for the guys.’ This, coupled with the timing of more digital marketing needs in our business, helped make the decision more of a priority.”
On lessons from Washington, D.C.
“Carrying two phones and being on call 24/7 wasn’t for me – ha!
“But, in all seriousness, while my time in Washington D.C. was a mix of both private and public sector, it helped me learn valuable lessons that are still applicable to my role today. Serving constituents as I did on Capitol Hill has a lot of similarities to serving the customer. Marketing in the residential and commercial construction industry helped me gain a vendor perspective of many brands that we currently carry in our stores. And doing advocacy communications for the wholesale tier of the wine and spirits industry gave me an insight into logistics and complexities of distribution.”
On good advice
“My biggest piece of advice is to invest in yourself through continuous learning. Whether it’s taking advantage of industry opportunities or exploring knowledge sources on your own, dedicating time for personal growth is incredibly powerful. Not only does it benefit you, but it also strengthens your team, your business, and ultimately, the customer experience.
“My background is in fast-evolving fields, some of which I studied in college—but areas like social media and digital marketing change so rapidly that staying current is essential. Taking the time to learn new skills, platforms, or perspectives can help you excel in your current role and also help prepare for future opportunities.”
On business goals at Taylor’s/Pleasants
“While technology may help big companies play ‘small’ it also helps independent retailers play ‘big.’ And one of our biggest competitive advantages is that we are able to better connect with our customers on a personal level.
“Our business has grown relatively quickly over the last 10 years, alongside the evolving shopping expectations of our customers. We must continue to foster a seamless shopping experience for our customers whether that sale happens online or in-store. That means investing in areas to best meet our customers in their shopping journey while homing in on our unique competitive advantages that make neighborhood hardware stores a source of pride for our family, team, and community.”
