After 23 years at Levi Strauss & Co., much of it spent leading the brand's marketing and helping steer one of its most talked-about turnarounds, Jennifer Sey left to build something of her own. She's since become known as a vocal advocate for women's sports and an outspoken critic of manufacturing practices she sees as compromising transparency. Jennifer Sey joined Sean Kelly on the Digital Social Hour for a wide-ranging conversation covering her decades in corporate branding, her decision to found XX-XY Athletics, and her views on culture and parenting.
The conversation moves from her reasons for building a U.S.-manufactured apparel brand and her stance on women's sports, through her read on what happened inside Nike, Cracker Barrel, Bud Light, and the American Eagle campaign, and into her family's own decisions about schools and where to live.
About Jennifer Sey
Jennifer Sey spent 23 years at Levi Strauss & Co., rising to Chief Marketing Officer and helping lead a rebrand credited with reviving the company after a period of decline. She later left the corporate world to found XX-XY Athletics, an apparel brand built around domestic manufacturing and support for women's sports.
She is also an author and filmmaker whose public commentary draws on her own background as a former elite gymnast. Her outspoken views on branding, supply chains, and shifts in corporate America have made her a frequent voice in conversations about what today's biggest brands get right, and wrong, about their customers.
What Jennifer Sey and Sean Kelly Talked About
- Why Jennifer Sey refuses to manufacture XX-XY Athletics products in China
- Her perspective on the biological and safety questions shaping the women's sports debate
- How she helped rebrand Levi's after a decade of decline during her 23 years there
- Her read on what happened with Nike, Cracker Barrel, Bud Light, and the American Eagle campaign
- Why she believes some big brands have lost touch with their core customers
- Her account of navigating public schools, lockdowns, and homeschooling as a parent
- Her reasons for leaving San Francisco and the factors behind the move
- Sey's hopes for the future of women's sports and U.S. apparel manufacturing
Why This Conversation Matters
Few executives are willing to talk this openly about both sides of a corporate career, the wins and the reasons for walking away. Jennifer Sey's mix of branding expertise and firsthand entrepreneurial risk gives listeners a rare inside look at how a major American brand is built, rebuilt, and eventually left behind.
▶ Watch the full episode on YouTube
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About Sean Kelly & the Digital Social Hour
Sean Kelly is an entrepreneur and the host of the Digital Social Hour, one of the fastest-growing interview podcasts in the world, where he sits down with entrepreneurs, athletes, creators, and cultural voices for candid, long-form conversations. The show draws over 100 million views a month across platforms. Explore more guest features on SeanKelly.io.
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