Introduction to Dilyara Breyer
In this episode we have Dilyara Breyer, e-commerce expert with over 20 years of marketing experience. Dilyara was part of the growth team at Zenni, the largest online prescription glasses retailer, and helped scale the company from $40m to $400m. She is a Yale Summer School of Management graduate and currently leads the E-commerce and Digital Marketing division at the largest US manufacturer of outdoor lifestyle products, steel and fabric lifestyle outdoor goods, from chairs to gazebos and greenhouses.
And outside of work Dilyara is a partner and mom of two kids on the autism spectrum. She’s on a big adventure balancing it all.
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Who is Dilyara Breyer?
Growing Up in the Soviet Union
Dilyara starts her journey in the Soviet Union where she was born in an old city on the Volga River. Her childhood was full of moves because her parents were oil geologists. They moved her from Siberia to the Polar Circle, to Moscow and other parts of the Soviet Union.
“My parents traveled a lot so I grew up everywhere,” Dilyara says. “I changed schools every couple of years and so I learned to be flexible.”
These early experiences of constant change and flexibility would serve Dilyara well in her future career and life.
Childhood dreams and aspirations
Like many children Dilyara’s childhood dreams were many and changing. She says, “When I was a little kid I wanted to be a mom. I think that was my dream, to be a mom. And, as every little girl, I wanted to be a teacher. And as a kid growing up in that era I also wanted to be a cosmonaut. Or as you would say, astronaut.”
Moving and adapting
The frequent moves were tough but gave Dilyara opportunities for personal growth. She says about Siberia:
“In Siberia I was part of this new community. The city wasn’t even established at that part. And so, many families came together, even though there were hundreds of them and the school was brand new. So I was part of this, like building the new culture and dealt a lot with my fellow students.”
It was during this time that Dilyara developed her leadership skills and was elected to various positions in the school government.
Education and early career
After graduating as valedictorian Dilyara went to one of the oldest universities in Europe. She got a degree in business from the aviation branch of the school which would be the foundation of her future career in business.
Moving to the US
Dilyara’s move to the US was not part of her plan. She met her husband during her university years and he had a job offer in the US. She was not an expat by choice but agreed to try California.
“I had never been to US before that. And I never thought I would be an expat. Never really wanted to be living abroad, frankly speaking,” she says. “I wanted to make a difference where I was and I thought I could but then my husband said that, you know, you love California.”
What was supposed to be a temporary move has turned into 25 years.
Current Projects that Excite Dilyara
Leading E-commerce and Digital Marketing
Dilyara is currently overseeing the e-commerce site for the US and Canada, as well as all digital channels, including social media, retention marketing, and paid advertising. This comprehensive role presents new challenges and opportunities for growth.
“I’m overseeing the e-commerce site on US and Canada and all the digital channels, you name it, social retention, paid, all the channels, is part of what I’m doing, which is super exciting because this is not what I did at Zenni. So it is a new challenge, and I love it. I love challenges,” Dilyara enthuses.
Building and Leading a High-Performing Team
One of the aspects that Dilyara finds most rewarding in her current role is the opportunity to build and lead a strong team. She takes pride in the team she has assembled and their collective achievements:
“I have a really nice team right now. Everyone is just like in their place and working out so well and just makes me so happy. For the company, of course, we’re all about revenue, right? That’s our ultimate KPI. But what I feel I’m doing is really figuring out the best way for the customer to find our product and the smoothest way to buy the product.”
Focusing on Customer Experience
Dilyara’s passion for improving the customer journey is evident in her approach to her work. She emphasizes the importance of considering every aspect of the customer experience, from product discovery to post-purchase support:
“The whole customer journey and taking care of the customer is what really excites me. And I think it was the same at Zenni as well.”
Tactical and Strategic E-commerce Advice from Dilyara
The Importance of a Solid Foundation
Dilyara emphasizes the critical role of strategy in successful e-commerce operations. She advises businesses to start by clearly defining their unique selling proposition and understanding their target audience:
“I think it all starts with the strategy, right? And with how, like, the North Star, right? What is the North Star for you? How are you different as a business? What sets you apart?”
She recommends that businesses focus on five fundamental areas:
- Knowing your product
- Understanding your strengths
- Defining what you stand for
- Knowing your customer and their pain points
- Understanding your competition
Leveraging Tools for Competitive Analysis
Dilyara suggests several tools that can help businesses gain insights into their competitors and improve their own online presence:
- Built With: This tool helps identify the marketing technology stack used by competitors.
- SEMrush: A comprehensive platform for keyword research, competitor analysis, and SEO improvement.
The Power of Reviews in E-commerce
Dilyara highlights the crucial role of reviews in e-commerce success:
“One of the biggest areas that we’re always working on the site is reviews. Making sure that your products are reviewed, right? They’re reviewed really well. I feel like for the site, reviews is one of the top 10 priorities for sure.”
She offers several strategies for encouraging and managing reviews:
- Pre-launch product seeding: Sending products to content creators or potential customers before launch to generate initial reviews.
- Timely review requests: Sending follow-up emails at the right time after purchase to request reviews.
- Differentiating between on-site and off-site reviews: Understanding the different roles of product reviews on your website versus reviews on platforms like Google or Yelp.
The Importance of Analytics
While Dilyara doesn’t recommend specific tools for smaller businesses, she emphasizes the critical importance of having analytics in place:
“Small business, big business, you have to have analytics. You have to know where you’re going, where people are dropping off, all of that.”
Where Does Dilyara See the Future of E-commerce Going?
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence
When discussing the future of e-commerce, Dilyara immediately turns to the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI). She sees AI as a transformative force that will likely make many aspects of e-commerce easier, from planning to execution.
However, Dilyara also emphasizes the need for careful consideration of the ethical implications of AI:
“We’re at this point in human history that we don’t know what’s next. When I talk to the researchers now, we don’t know if this tool will be used for good or who will be using this tool. So there are a lot of people working on really setting a new set of systems of how we engage with the tool.”
The Need for Responsible AI Development
Dilyara stresses the importance of having thoughtful individuals working on AI development and implementation:
“I feel like this is a time we really need those people in those critical times throughout history, like Cuban Missile Crisis or World War II. We really need a lot of people thinking about it and protecting other people from being exploited, their likeness, their voices, their art.”
AI in Customer Service
Dilyara discusses the potential of AI in improving customer service through chatbots, while also highlighting the challenges:
“A couple of companies do AI chatbots, and gosh, I mean, it can get rogue really fast. They would promise whatever, and it’s like, no, you can’t promise that on behalf of the company. It’s interesting how we put those guardrails for this new technology.”
The Future is Bright, But Caution is Needed
Despite the challenges, Dilyara remains optimistic about the future of AI in e-commerce:
“I think that the future is bright. I think that there are some scary things about it, but I think that if we use it in the right way, the future can definitely be bright for us.”
How to Get in Contact with Dilyara
For those interested in connecting with Dilyara or learning more about her work, she can be found on LinkedIn. Her profile provides a wealth of information about her professional experience and insights into the e-commerce industry.
Dilyara’s Journey in E-commerce
Dilyara’s path to becoming an e-commerce expert was not a straightforward one. After moving to the United States, she initially focused on volunteering and raising her children. Her entry into the digital world came through website design:
“I wanted to redesign the website [of a school she was involved with]. And I took the classes at a local college for website design. And at the end of the class, I actually started having clients. I was so good at it. Fellow students approached me.”
This led to Dilyara starting her own business, which allowed her to balance work with caring for her children. As her skills developed, she naturally progressed into e-commerce:
“After a couple of years, e-commerce was just like the next step. I had clients come and saying like, we need e-commerce site. And it was scary, right? E-commerce as opposed to just a site where you provide information, there’s all these different parts that payment processing. And you just deal with so much sensitive data that customers trust you with.”
The Zenni Experience
Dilyara’s big break came when she was hired by Zenni, initially as a designer. However, her diverse skill set quickly made her invaluable to the company:
“They hired me as a designer, but at the interview, what I guess really appealed to them was that I had this marketing background, business background, and technical background. So they were getting like the Swiss knife of a professional.”
Over her nine-year tenure at Zenni, Dilyara helped build the marketing department, set strategies, and even founded a product department. Her work contributed significantly to the company’s growth from $40 million to $400 million in revenue.
Balancing Career and Family
Throughout her career, Dilyara has had to make tough decisions to balance her professional ambitions with her family’s needs. This was particularly evident when she decided to step down from her leadership role at Zenni to help her daughter transition to living in Sweden:
“My daughter was struggling with the transition at the time, and she needed me to help her. And just like when they were little, I wanted to be present for that moment.”
This experience highlights Dilyara’s commitment to her family and her ability to make difficult career decisions when necessary.
The Importance of Continuous Learning and Adaptation
Dilyara’s career journey demonstrates the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in the fast-paced world of e-commerce and digital marketing. From her early days of website design to her current role overseeing comprehensive e-commerce operations, Dilyara has consistently embraced new challenges and technologies.
Her advice to others in the field would likely include:
- Stay curious and open to learning new skills
- Be willing to take on challenges outside your comfort zone
- Understand the importance of a holistic approach to e-commerce, considering all aspects of the customer journey
- Be prepared to adapt your career path as opportunities and personal circumstances change
The Value of Diverse Experiences
Dilyara’s unique background, from growing up in the Soviet Union to becoming a leader in the U.S. e-commerce industry, has given her a valuable perspective. She brings a global outlook to her work, understanding different cultures and ways of thinking.
This diverse experience has likely contributed to her success in creating e-commerce strategies that resonate with a wide range of customers. It’s a reminder of the value that diverse backgrounds and experiences can bring to the tech and e-commerce industries.
In conclusion, Dilyara Breyer’s journey from the Soviet Union to becoming a leader in U.S. e-commerce is a testament to the power of adaptability, continuous learning, and maintaining a balance between professional ambitions and personal values. Her insights into the current state and future of e-commerce, particularly regarding the role of AI, provide valuable guidance for anyone looking to succeed in this rapidly evolving field.
Advice to Younger Self
What advice would you give to your younger self? Dilyara says:
“Trust yourself. I think that would be the biggest advice I would give myself. Doubting is human. We have to accept it, but we also have this inner desire to be good, to do good. So, just trust and follow that inner compass is key.”
Books and Podcasts Dilyara is into
- Trevor Noah’s “What Now?”: Dilyara likes Noah as another outsider and in-depth conversations with interesting guests.
- “Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah: Dilyara read this with her family as a fun and mostly PG rated look into Noah’s childhood.
- “Year of Yes” by Shonda Rhimes: This book impacted Dilyara big time and made her step out of her comfort zone and try new things.
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