Spotlight: Laura Aldrich ’91

Laura (Wallace) Aldrich ’91 can bank on celebrity status to help her make a licensing deal: She works for Drew and Jonathan Scott, hosts of the Property Brothers series on HGTV and reigning home-lifestyle gurus.

“My objective is to connect fans with products that bring the renovation experience they love on TV to reality in their own homes,” says the former Marketing major. 

As executive vice president of licensing, Aldrich sets the division’s strategic vision at Scott Brothers Global, whose many ventures include developing TV and Web content and marketing home goods such as furniture. The position is new as of mid-2018 and she is the first to hold it.

“The celebrity element is part of what makes this a fun experience,” says Aldrich. “The brothers are exactly like you see them on TV — family-oriented guys, very smart and business savvy.”

A typical week may find her bouncing from company headquarters in Nashville to Boston, Los Angeles and Mexico City. She often meets with the Scotts as they film at various locales, to strategize on product and service partnerships with other companies.

“I would describe us as a startup,” Aldrich says, adding that fast-growing sales drive everything from office space expansion to a rising headcount.

The experience is a growth opportunity for her as well. Aldrich moved into licensing after decades in retail and consumer products. Most recently, at Fortessa Tableware Solutions, she led the consumer products division, and developed licensed product lines including Scott Living tableware. That deal prompted the brothers to recruit Aldrich for their company.

The alumna and her husband, Michael ’91, have two adult daughters and moved from Virginia for her new job. She has completed an Ironman Triathlon, several half marathons and, with a recent 5K in Hawaii, capped her goal of racing in all 50 states.

The same kind of stamina helps Aldrich at work. As she says, “The brothers have no shortage of good ideas for the company.”