Rewind to the end of 2021 and I could be found in an office surrounded by shoe samples and swatches, enjoying the career I had built as a Buyer, but with a question in the back of my mind asking if maybe it was time to make a change.
My start in the retail industry
From an early age I knew I wanted to work in the retail industry. There were other interests throughout my childhood and teenage years, but fashion was an interest that never left. The appeal of it all was the creativity and the innovation, but also the power the cycle of trends had; a trend introduced at the top end of the luxury sector will trickle all the way down to the high street into an adoptable way for even the most indifferent shopper.
With some exploration of the opportunities within the retail industry I came across Buying. The role description appealed to both my creative side and analytical side, and it just felt like the right fit. Fast forward to 2021 and I had gained five years of buying experience, most of which spent developing footwear and it was a hugely rewarding journey, despite the challenges to the retail market (the pandemic, Brexit, the unpredictability of climate change… the list goes on).
Making a change from being a Buyer
There were many things I loved about the role, however I wanted to take a step outside of the Buying bubble and explore other opportunities in the retail industry. Retail247 provided me with this chance in the shape of a Junior Business Analyst role, which has been even more rewarding than I initially expected. In equal measures I’ve been able to apply the knowledge and experience I have of the product life cycle and retail processes, whilst also gaining a deeper understanding of parts of the industry that previously I wouldn’t have worked so closely with.
I knew that many of the skills I had gained from being a Buyer would be transferable into the Business Analyst role and this has proven to be true since taking on the position. It requires a logical brain and an analytical approach; two qualities that are advantageous in a Buying role to understand your customer, the market, sales and in turn make holistic strategic decisions. Additionally, throughout my Buying career, whether it be from resource, time or budget limitations, I have always found that it is vital to respond to challenge by identifying where time or money can be saved, identifying the pain points, and consequently streamlining processes. By undertaking this BA role with a retail specialist company like Retail247, I have been able to utilise these skills in an environment I have experience in, which is hugely valuable for gaining insight into the processes and needs of our clients.
My new career
In the time I have been at Retail247 I have been fortunate to be involved in both the product and consultancy sides of the business, providing variation and broad scope for development. On the product side this has been early involvement to understand the client’s systems and activities, and how our PIM platform Origin can fit into this and improve processes.
Meanwhile, the consultancy side has provided a completely different experience, working on a project that stretches across many different areas for a non-retail focused client. The opportunities this has provided are way outside the remit of retail and it has been enriching to stretch my skills in a new direction and gain an understanding of a different sector.
In essence, taking the leap to redirect my career has been rewarding and has led to a completely new direction that a few years ago I could never have predicted, but it has also cemented how enriching a career as a Buyer can be. It gave me a huge range of transferable skills and an understanding of the retail sector, which I’m grateful to have experienced as this is what allowed me to explore a new path within the retail industry with the team at Retail247.