Our company’s inception story is a testament to the power of long-lasting connections and the value of shared beliefs and convictions.

Throughout our diverse range of experiences in retail, start-ups, and consulting/advisory, we have stayed connected. Sam & Kenny first met 25 years ago when they began their retail experience working in the Buying Offices for Marshall Fields Dept Stores as Merchandise Planners and Business Analysts. From there they both carved their progression and careers with a who’s who of Retail from Target, Ralph Lauren, Hugo Boss, West Elm, Meta, Penguin Random House, and Giorgio Armani.

At Target, Sam’s last stop, he was able to connect with Patrick as a paired Mentor, who had already been at Target leading Merchandising Buying roles and with the Negotiations Team which he was well suited for coming from Sales positions at Proctor & Gamble as well as Baxter Healthcare. Patrick would eventually lead the Global Packaging team at Target, while Sam got the entrepreneurial bug leading start-ups.

Everyone stayed connected in community over the years but came together as a group with their shared passion to make an impact and not just lip-service, but with genuine commitment. They regularly discussed ways to have broader impact in the communities around them knowing that their backgrounds/experience in Retail was their greatest asset. But the work had to be meaningful for those under-represented, not just in effort but also in giving forward.

As a way to help under-represented Founders, Arc Forward was formed to leave a mark on society in a way that is unprecedented, and it starts with leveraging our combined work and life experiences as a group to help others. That is why 100% of our Net Profits will be dedicated to supporting our communities. -SK