The rise of Angela Ahrendts, from a small town in Indiana to becoming the highest-paid executive at Apple

"It was always fashion. If you read my high school yearbook, I was [someone] who at 16 knew exactly what I was going to do," she told The Guardian.

Source: The Wall Street Journal,  The Guardian

The day after her final exams, she moved to New York City, leaving on a one-way ticket.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

She moved from there to merchandising at bra maker Warnaco.

Starting in the late 80s, she served as president of Donna Karan International for six years.

Source: Business of Fashion

Ahrendts' job was to open Bendel stores in 50 new markets, but the company's board eventually cancelled the project.

Source: Wall Street Journal

She spent eight years there, eventually working her way up to executive vice president

Source: Business of Fashion

Her first order of business was shutting down 35 product categories, many of which featured Burberry's famous check pattern. The company's brand had been over-licensed over the years, diluting its value.

Source: Business of Fashion

Under her leadership, Burberry embraced ecommerce and updated its in-store technology. It also launched new product lines, and the company's retail operations expanded into new markets.

Source: Business of Fashion

Rather than living in a townhouse in London, the family opted for a 12,000-square-foot manor house in the suburbs, complete with a tennis court and indoor pool.

Source: Wall Street Journal

Her other two children are both daughters — Sommer and Angelina.

Source: Daily Mail

She's also a Diet Coke addict. She once admitted she drinks five or six cans a day.

Source: Daily Mail, Wall Street Journal

Source: CNN

She also got an 80% discount on her Burberry purchases.

Ahrendts was often decked out in clothes from Burberry Prorsum — the brand's haute couture line. She still wears the brand's clothes even though she no longer works at the company.

Source: The Guardian

She got the honorary DBE title "for her contribution to British business."

During Ahrendts tenure at Burberry, the company's stock price more than tripled.

Source: WWD, Financial Times

The tech giant tasked her with revamping its stores and improving employee morale. It also gave her the charge of making the buying process at its outlets feel more like a luxury experience and of improving the merger of its digital and brick-and-mortar shopping experiences.

Source: Fast Company, New York Times

"If I look to any company as a model, it's Apple," she told the Wall Street Journal while still serving as Burberry's CEO. "They're a brilliant design company working to create a lifestyle, and that's the way I see us."

Source: Wall Street Journal

That's twice what Apple CEO Tim Cook made.

Source: Business Insider