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Fortune

Emma Burleigh

Gen X CEO of a popular retail chain was once a single mother surviving on $882 a month and pinto beans before finding success

Kelly Cook DSW Kmart David Bridal Mark Cuban Poverty Starbucks

David's Bridal CEO Kelly Cook (Credit: Daniel Boczarski—Getty Images)

The Gen X CEO of David’s Bridal lived off $882 a month, cornbread, and pinto beans when she was first starting her career. Juggling school work and a side job as a young single mother, Kelly Cook barely scraped by before rising to executive positions at DSW, Kmart and Pier 1 Imports, and helming the popular American bridal chain this April. Others like Shark Tank’s Mark Cuban and Starbucks’ Howard Shultz have similar humble origin stories.

For some, the road to success starts with a cushy MBA and a fast-track grad scheme. For the CEO of the wedding dress giant, David’s Bridal, it was a rockier start than most. She was barely scraping by, juggling working weekends as a bartender, with taking care of her young child and college when she started out.

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