I've been on an (almost) lifelong retail journey...

Just a few years ago, you would have found me leading Buying and Merchandising teams for some of Canada's iconic retailers

As a young woman, I learned the joys and challenges of small retailers when my parents built, and then lost their retail business.  That was a tough time for our family, and an experience I never forgot.  But it didn't stop me from pursuing a career in retail…instead it shaped how  my passion for retail would unfold.  I started working in retail to pay my way through school, and when I graduated, I joined a national retailer in their buying department.  I had amazing mentors, the opportunity to learn industry best practices and experience some incredible results.  I touched on all aspects of retail from working in the stores, to buying, planning and product development; marketing, visual merchandising and team leadership.  I realized I had a talent for both the art of retail ( a passion for buying and showcasing product), and the science of retail (the numbers side of the business).  As I moved up the corporate ladder, so to speak, my role evolved to coaching and developing teams in these skills and in trekking the world in the discovery of new and innovative retailers.  I loved it!  I mean, who wouldn't?  But I did start to feel a vague dissatisfaction with seeing the same product everywhere — a problem I felt was largely driven by over expansion and globalization of the larger retailers.  And then came COVID!  The world changed almost instantly — and it accelerated changes in the retail industry like never before — it changed how customers buy forever.  And it also gave me pause as to how I wanted to evolve my career.