From Family Legacy to Fashion Empire: Malka Katzav on Building Big Drop NYC

In this episode of Inspire to Lead, host Talia Mashiach sits down with Malka Katzav, owner of Big Drop NYC — a 35-year-old fashion retail brand — in sunny Miami. Malka shares her incredible journey of taking over her family's business at just 22 years old with no fashion or business degree, surviving the collapse of brick-and-mortar retail, navigating COVID, and rebuilding into a thriving brand known for making women feel celebrated and confident.   Timestamps: 2:19 – Meet Malka: Background & Family Story 2:52 – The Origin of Big Drop & How It Got Its Name 4:28 – Growing Up with Two Entrepreneur Parents 7:25 – Big Drop's Philosophy: It's Not What You Sell, It's How You Make Women Feel 9:45 – Practical Tips for Creating the "Magic Sauce" in Retail 12:17 – Team Commission Structure That Changes Everything 18:07 – Leadership Lesson: Hire Right So You Don't Micromanage 20:59 – Building a Brand Identity Through Digital & Social 26:03 – The Moment Malka Chose Big Drop Over Her Dream Career 28:09 – The Hardest Years: Taking Over at 22 with No Experience 31:46 – Letting Go of the Old Team & Starting from Scratch 38:11 – Biggest Lessons & Why There Are No Mistakes, Only Building Blocks 40:35 – Trusting Your Gut vs. Fear: How to Tell the Difference 44:56 – Surviving COVID: From Zero Revenue to Launching Online 48:28 – The $5,000 Order She Thought Was Fraud 51:26 – Getting Out of a 30-Year Lease: The Power of Honesty 55:21 – How COVID Became the Best Thing for Her Career 60:00 – Finding Her Social Media Manager by Divine Coincidence 66:27 – Closing New York & Going All-In on Miami 69:13 – The Future of Retail: Experiential Shopping 71:08 – How to Get Brands Into Your Store 73:17 – How Motherhood Changed Her Leadership 74:49 – Legacy: What She Wants to Leave Behind 77:53 – Fast Five: Advice to Her 22-Year-Old Self 78:49 – Superpower: Empathy as a Leadership Tool 79:51 – The Sacrifices No One Sees 81:06 – Most Exciting Moment: The 35th Anniversary Celebration 84:12 – Final Message: "Color the World with Your Own Colors" Guest Summary: Malka Katzav is a 32-year-old entrepreneur, first-generation on both sides , who took over Big Drop NYC from her father in 2015. What started as an overstock operation in a New York studio apartment in 1990 has evolved into a celebrated specialty boutique in Miami with a growing online presence. Malka is known for her empathy-driven leadership and her mission to make every woman who walks through her doors feel seen and celebrated.