Five Observations from the Gap Brand CEO

Mark Breitbard holds a Babson pullover he received as a gift while Stephen Spinelli looks on
Listen

As a visiting assistant professor of practice in entrepreneurship at Babson College, Stephen Brand brings a wealth of real-world experience to the classroom. But, he also knows that his isn’t the only valuable perspective. That’s why he is always looking for opportunities to bring CEOs and other executives to his classroom.

“It’s essential,” said Brand, who has worked at Babson in various capacities since 2014 and once had more than two dozen speakers speak to his courses in a semester. “I want students to hear real stories from real business leaders with real successes and real failures and a real sense of resiliency.” He says when they hear multiple speakers, students begin to see commonalities and connections. “And, you could apply that to any industry you’re in as an entrepreneur or as an entrepreneurial leader of a bigger company.”

Last month, Brand brought another high-profile executive to campus: Mark Breitbard P’26, president and CEO of Gap Brand, who spoke to two classes of Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship (FME) students, including his son Zachary Breitbard ’26.

Breitbard is one of a handful of prominent CEOs visiting with students this year, including, but not limited to, Jean Hynes, CEO and managing partner and portfolio manager at Wellington Management; David Kahan, CEO of Birkenstock; Jonathan Ram MBA’08, CEO at Clarks; Lila Snyder, CEO at Bose Corporation; Claire Spofford MBA’87, CEO of J. Jill; and Jonathan Zrihen P’25, CEO at Clarins. Plus, Audrey McLoghlin, founder and CEO of the clothing brand Frank & Eileen, spent three days on campus to commemorate the official naming of the Frank & Eileen™ Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (F&E CWEL).

‘Entrepreneurial Spirit Is Needed’

After speaking to the FME classes, Breitbard participated in a fireside chat with President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD, in front of more than 100 people at Joseph L. Winn Auditorium, where he shared insights from his journey and his experience as the CEO of one of the world’s most successful and ubiquitous clothing brands.

Mark Breitbard speaks into a microphone while sitting in a chair
Mark Breitbard P’26, president and CEO of the Gap Brand, shared his insights with two FME classes before the fireside chat. (Photo: Mark Manne)

Spinelli led a conversation about the Gap’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the pace of business, and the proliferation of brands. Breitbard also fielded thoughtful, sometimes probing, questions from students in the audience. Among Breitbard’s observations:

On reacting to the pandemic: “In a business, cash is oxygen,” Breitbard said. “So, for us, COVID hit and we had to go into cash preservation mode, and that meant a lot of really brutal decisions.” He described decisions such as not paying rent to landlords and furloughing employees. “These are landlords we’ve had very strong, long-term relationships with. And, these are employees we’ve had long relationships with and we care about. It was a total crisis.”

On infusing entrepreneurship in existing businesses: “One of the things I love about Babson is (that its) entrepreneurial spirit is needed in companies. (Entrepreneurship is) not just starting your business. Companies need it, and sometimes they don’t like the way it feels or they don’t know that they need it. I got performance reviews in my first four or five years, and I was always told I was entrepreneurial. It was never said as a compliment, but companies need entrepreneurial thinking.”

On the increasing pace of business: “The consumer is moving at a pace that’s just incredible in terms of how quickly trends, brands come and go—4,000 new brands every week on Instagram and TikTok. It’s incredible. There are zero barriers to entry, but at the same time, there’s not a lot of loyalty and the pace is very high. I think that our job as a company is to get out of people’s way. And, my job is to unlock energy and allow people to do what they know how to do.”


“It reinforced that how you do business is so important to this emerging generation. They are super hungry to drive business and to meet consumer needs, but they also want to save the world.”
Mark Breitbard P’26, president and CEO of Gap Brand

On preparing for adversity and setbacks: “We have a financial plan, and you know what’s going to happen? Everything. A ton of stuff is going to happen. Fabric is not going to deliver on time. We’ve had containers fall off of boats. We’ve had issues in the business—storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, store closures, nor’easters. Things are going to happen. And, guess what? We have to make a plan. So, that just means how do you figure out how the adversity is part of it. And, your response is to handle things as best you can with transparency, own it, and move forward.”

On the three main responsibilities of a CEO: “It’s basically people, people, and people. It’s just building culture and unleashing energy. One of my most profoundly held philosophies is about energy. Consumers feel energy, employees feel energy. So, my job is to bring energy and make sure other people bring their energy, and that’s why people, people, and people is one, two, and three.”

After a long day of sharing his wisdom and experience with students, Breitbard left the Babson campus impressed by their engagement and their questions, particularly around sustainability and diversity.

“It reinforced that how you do business is so important to this emerging generation,” Breitbard said. “They are super hungry to drive business and to meet consumer needs, but they also want to save the world.”

Posted in Community

More from Community »

Latest Stories

Two people sit next to each other in a classroom
As Workforce Needs Evolve, Babson Expands Its Commitment to Professional and Executive Education To better support organizations and professionals in rapidly changing times, Babson launches an expanded Professional and Executive Education portfolio, offering courses that are online, flexible, and urgently needed, while investing in a new lodging and conference center on campus.
By
John Crawford
Senior Journalist
John Crawford
A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.
June 23, 2025

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership

Andrew “Zach” Zacharakis applauds while sitting at a table during a BCERC dinner
Honoring Andrew ‘Zach’ Zacharakis for 20 Years as BCERC Director As the 45th annual entrepreneurship research conference returns to Babson’s campus, BCERC pays tribute to Professor Andrew “Zach” Zacharakis for two decades of service. Zacharakis shares reflections of BCERC and its impact.
By
Eric Beato
Editor / Writer
Eric Beato
Eric Beato is the Editor of Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. A native of Chicago and a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Eric has worked as an editor and writer at newspapers across the country, including the Chicago Sun-Times and Boston Herald. Eric joined Babson College in 2019 after working as the communications director for a private educational travel company and as the managing editor of six regional sports publications.
June 16, 2025

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership

Public safety dog surrounded by students.
It’s All in the Name: Hero the Dog Brings Safety and Smiles to Babson Trained by the state police, Babson’s newest Public Safety dog comes with unique skills to boost campus safety and community engagement.
By
Hillary Chabot
Writer
Hillary Chabot
Hillary Chabot is a writer for Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. An award-winning journalist, she is known for her insightful reporting and dedication to detailed storytelling. With a career spanning over two decades, she has covered a wide range of topics, from presidential campaigns and government policy to neighborhood issues and investigative series. As a reporter for The Boston Herald, Hillary earned a reputation for tenacity and integrity. Her work at Babson College fuels her passions—to learn something new every day and conduct thoughtful, empathic interviews. She’s thrilled to be at Babson College, where students, faculty, staff members and classes provide compelling copy daily.
June 12, 2025

Posted in Community