My Career Journey in Merchandising

I thought I’d give some more details behind my career background and how I came to founding The Stables Retail Consultancy. I want to take you on a whirlwind tour of my professional life, starting with the day I traded my graduation cap for a Merchandiser’s Excel spreadsheet. Strap in, because it’s been a wild ride!
Let’s begin with the roots of it all – my BA in Fashion Marketing from the University of Northampton. It laid the foundation for my career. It was here that I developed a passion for merchandising, which would become my lifelong career (to date anyway!). Discovering the opportunities available to me, I developed my intrigue into retail data.
Before I had graduated, I landed my first gig at Blacks as an Associate Merchandiser. Before I climbed the corporate ladder, I was a wide-eyed graduate ready to make my mark at Blacks. It was my first taste of the retail world, and I embraced it with open arms. Learning the ropes, understanding the industry, and setting the stage for my future adventures. My biggest take away from my time at Blacks were the friends I made. We were a little community, mostly all in our first positions after university.
However, after only 6 weeks in the job as an enthusiastic 21-year-old graduate, the company went into administration! In hindsight that was an incredible learning curve to go through so early in my career. As they say, everything happens for a reason, and I was off on a job search straight away. My next position has really made my career and taught me the most valuable lessons.
I joined Next as an assistant Merchandiser in Leicester, working on “Label,” the branded element of the business. This was my chance to shine, and boy, did I make it count! Our department’s annual turnover was an impressive £150 million, a significant slice of Next’s bottom line.
From seasonal budget planning to managing the critical path, it was all in a day’s work. I was responsible for curating the best products, analysing the market, and keeping an eye on competitors. Plus, I was the master of images and content, making sure everything looked picture-perfect for the customers.
I so admire Next and all the success the high street retailer has achieved. I always state that they are the most successful high street fashion retailer in 2023. The now acquire a lot of the brands that I worked with at my time there. They have a unique buying & merchandising function that has proven to generate profits year after year. After nearly six years at Next I was ready for a new challenge and identified my passion for working with smaller retailers.
I really found an incredible opportunity at Loake Shoemakers as their retail merchandiser. Next stop, Kettering! I stepped into the world of Loake Shoemakers, with their impressive 140-year family run business. The business grew to me looking after 16 stores with approximately 1200 pairs of shoes in each store, that’s 1000’s of SKUs to process. I juggled sales data, store communications, and coordinated stock movements. We planned new store openings and seasonal range launches while ensuring each store maintained its operational efficiency.
The thrill of it all was in the details. I managed all the non-shoe accessories like luggage, belts, umbrellas, and socks. Planning the stock requirements, meeting suppliers and placing orders. It was like being a conductor in a retail symphony, ensuring everything was in harmony.
This role really took me back to the fundamentals of bricks and mortar retailing- highlighting the interaction that has along with a strong online presence. The importance of the customer experience at every touch point of their retail journey. A luxury heritage brand that had to re-define themselves to survive for over 100 years. An aspiration many retailers will have!
I hadn’t planned to leave my team at Loake, I still felt I had so much more to achieve there. However, I wasn’t fulfilling my number one passion in life- Horses. Throughout my career I had dreamed of bringing my passion of horses and love of retail together. That very opportunity appeared to find me at Equus.
I started there as a Merchandiser. I built a reporting structure for sales performance and site maintenance. As a small business I had the opportunity to reflect my insights to all departments, so my title changed to become the Trading Manager. My Trading Manager role was a medley of responsibilities – from crafting sales performance reports to managing daily purchasing and stock control, not to mention creating promotions and managing clearance lines. I had a new window into the world of equestrian retail, after experiencing it for 20 years as the costumer. I saw all the opportunities this industry could offer.
This brings me to early in 2023. I made the jump into the work of the freelancer. I thrive with relationship building and creating solutions to help retail businesses. Every business is different, and everyone has different requirements. I strive to aid your equestrian retail business to increase sales, improve customer experiences and help you make more money.
And there you have it, my journey through the world of retail and merchandising. From humble beginnings as a graduate to trading millions and steering the ship towards retail success as a freelancer. It’s been a ride full of ups and downs, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Stay tuned, because the adventure is far from over. Book a call and introduce me to your business.