Emily Hikade’s Career Pivot Is One For The History Books

In Bustle’s Quick Question, we ask women leaders all about career advice, from the best guidance they’ve ever gotten to what they’re still figuring out. Here, Emily Hikade, founder and CEO of Petite Plume, shares her daily routine, how she builds confidence, and her journey from the CIA to luxury PJs.

Nobody does a career pivot quite like Emily Hikade. The CEO and founder of Petite Plume may have spent the past decade practically perfecting the pajama set, but before that, she devoted 15 years of her life to the CIA, going undercover to assist in counterterrorism and counterproliferation operations across the globe.

That kind of career switch-up is enough to give most people whiplash, but Hikade is, as one would expect of a former secret agent, used to adapting. Since 2015, she has turned her luxury pajama company — named Petite Plume, or “little feather,” after the soft, timeless French sleepwear that first inspired her while living abroad — from a side hustle to a powerhouse in the fashion world. While her resume may seem inexplicable to some, to Hikade, it makes complete sense.

The turning point came during a 2013 mission, when her plane spiraled out of control, nearly crashing into the Indian Ocean. She recalled picturing her sons’ faces as she braced for impact.

“That was a really profound moment for me,” Hikade tells Bustle. “I had been undercover for quite a while, and I thought, ‘I need to be here for my kids.’ My world started to change.”

She started thinking about what she could do in her career that would offer her safety and more time with her children. That’s when she thought to start a sleepwear brand, since to her, pajamas represented home, warmth, and family. But literal safety was also a top priority for Hikade as she started working on Petite Plume in 2015. While still stationed in East Africa, she partnered with a factory that produced firefighter uniforms. Since children’s pajamas are legally required to be flame-resistant, Hikade worked with the company to develop inherently flame-resistant fabrics, without the unnecessary chemicals typically added to flame-retardants.

Petite Plume’s breakthrough moment happened a year later, when Prince George wore Petite Plume pajamas to meet President Barack Obama at Kensington Palace in 2016. Stars like Gwyneth Paltrow also love the brand. And for the past three years, the company was included in the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in the United States.

Beyond the bedroom, Petite Plume is making a difference, too. The Made for Change initiative, launched in 2024, directs 40% of profits from some collections to organizations devoted to supporting maternal health, helping women after incarceration, and building confidence for girls and teens.

Below, Hikade shares her secrets to pivoting careers, building confidence in the workplace, and unwinding after a long day.

How would you describe your leadership style?

When serving in a war zone and living around the world, taking care of your team can make a big impact. There’s less expectation of it in fashion, so when you give your team a good health care plan, summer Fridays, and fun things in the office to build that culture, it yields dividends.

What advice would you give to others looking to pivot careers?

There’s never a perfect time to start a new job, but you put one foot in front of the other. The hardest part is actually doing it.

What advice would you give to women in male-dominated fields?

Use it to your advantage, because you’re already probably being underestimated. I like to tell women to be prepared and powerful, not pretty and perfect. Nobody is more prepared going into a meeting than I am because I’ve done my due diligence — that’s a real advantage no matter where you work.

What were reactions like when you pivoted to Petite Plume?

There was one specific moment where a gentleman patted me on the head when I was still undercover. I had worked with terrorist organizations and there were people that respected me in those spaces, and this gentleman was patting me on the head and telling me that it was really cute that I made pajamas. I think I now get enjoyment when people react like that, because they have no idea what we’re building.

How do you build confidence at work?

By challenging yourself. One of my favorite quotes is from Ginni Rometty, the chairman and CEO of IBM, who said, “Growth and comfort do not coexist.” When you are growing, it’s hard, but then you can look back and see that you’ve met that challenge.

How do you recharge after a stressful week?

Going for a walk or a run outside resets me. It can switch me from the “go, go, go” work mentality into “OK, now it’s time to be with family.”

You started Petite Plume 11 years ago. Did you ever expect to be where you are now?

It has exceeded all of my expectations. But now that I’m here, I feel like we’re just getting started. I see so many different avenues and opportunities. The really hard part is getting it off the ground, but once you’re established, you can make a bigger difference and impact, and that’s when it’s really rewarding.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.