Leading from the Front. It's not the Size, it's the Skillset

I recently caught up with the inspirational Catriona Marshall…Ex Trading & Marketing Director of Pets at Home…More recently CEO of Hobbycraft. Catriona has now retired from the front line of “Blue Chip” business and is following her passion as owner of Running Bear Sports…An independent retailer. We asked Catriona, these three questions.

What knowledge have you brought with you from your previous roles to the present, where you are literally hands on with a team of some twenty, as opposed to thousands?

The same rules apply, whatever the size of team or organization…excellent and timely communication, clarity of what’s expected of everyone, a genuine interest in finding how to get the best out of your team, trust in people, lots of fun and celebrations.

What advice would you give to any leader in business?

If you do the right things, the results will follow. Manage and pay attention to the detail. Keep close to the front line. Keep an open mind to change.

What is the future of retail for SME’s?

The future is change. The swing to on-line has been accelerated by Covid-19 and customers shopping and spending habits have changed. The balance between brands and retailers is also changing, with brands taking the opportunity to connect directly with customers, cutting out the retailer altogether. SME’s need to work harder than ever before at building customer relationships, creating unique reasons to shop with them and offering customers better value. There is also a movement towards small and local. Retailers who can pick up on the new customer mood, be innovative and fleet of foot, will thrive.