Catching Up With...InStyle's Connie Anne Phillips!

2013 February 10

Connie Anne Phillips
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Vivacious doesn't even begin to describe the publishing powerhouse that is Connie Anne Phillips, who's been keeping InStyle (way, way) atop the glossy pile over the past four years. The longtime Vogue alum invited us into her splashily decorated office to discuss her secrets...

InStyle’s been booming since you arrived in 2009! What’s the trick?
It’s all about having a secret sauce! My Italian grandmother put a stick of butter and extra basil in her sauce. The secret to my success? Hire really top talent.

Are you a den-mother type at work?
I’m at the intersection of driven and maternal. It’s about getting the most out of people and inspiring them daily—and doing it with some cookies, milk, and hugs.

Are there really cookies?
Sometimes! And there’s definitely Diet Coke—that’s my version of milk.

What’s your management style?
I’m an “optimistic catastropher”; I lie awake at night coming up with solutions for worst-case scenarios. One day, when I get married, no matter what the forecast is, my outdoor wedding will have a tent.

Let’s talk numbers, s’il vous plait.
In four years, I’ve doubled the March issue paging. It’s the fifth consecutive year of growth at InStyle.

How does InStyle compare with your days at Vogue?
A good way of summing up the difference of working at the two companies is that some of the publishers at Time Inc. are my besties.