Five women named everywoman in Retail Ambassadors in 2015 share the personal and professional advantages of winning one of these coveted Awards.
Jill Flood, Senior Brand Manager, Superdrug
Winning has raised my profile considerably within Superdrug; the support I received on the night from colleagues, managers and board members was only strengthened on my return to the office.
Some mentoring time with our HR Director has since led to me working closely with the HR Team to establish a Women’s Network within the company. This is still in its early stages, but initial support has been fantastic and I find it personally very rewarding.
Sally Preston, Founder and Managing Director, The Kids Food Company Ltd.
To be named an everywoman in Retail Ambassador in 2015 was a real honour. To have my career achievements recognised, and to be noted as an individual who could inspire future generations, made me particularly proud. It was a huge accolade for all the hard work and I hope that my story will inspire other women to pursue a career in the retail sector.
At the time of the Awards, I asked one of my team for a definition of ‘role model’ and they said ‘It’s someone who handles hurdles with resilience and good humour’. I hope that my passion and energy continue for the benefit of my entire team and our ambitions for Kiddylicious.
The everywoman Retail Ambassador Award win led to media coverage in trade, consumer and local publications which has been a key contributing factor to building brand awareness, soaring sales and international expansion.
Helen Webb, Director of HR, Food Retail, The Co-operative Food
It was a privilege to be able to celebrate on the night with so many inspirational women, some of whom had mentored and sponsored me during my own career in retail.
As an organisation, The Co-op strongly champions inclusion, equality and fairness, so the award was widely acknowledged and celebrated as a testament to the work we are doing in this area. Although we still have a lot to do, I’m very proud that the Co-op Food Executive team I am a member of is now 50% female – which represents quite a shift from only a few years ago!
From a personal perspective, being recognised has made me even more committed to developing the retail talent of the future by mentoring women already working in the industry and by encouraging others to pursue a career in the sector.
Suzanne Cooper, Bakery Manager, Greggs The Bakers
I’m passionate about developing talent, encouraging more women into the sector and building their skills and talent in readiness for promotion, so it’s great that, as a result of winning my Award, I’ve been able to grow my team by making additional managerial appointments. It’s also given me more credibility in what is a male-dominated part of the business, and more exposure across the business as a whole – I was part of an article that featured in our annual report and accounts in 2015.
Natasha Leith-Smith, Founder and Designer, Allumer Jewellery
Winning an everywoman Award was a huge achievement for me and gave both me and Allumer more credibility within the industry – it’s lovely to have our hard work recognised.
Since winning, I have had such a boost in terms of creativity and have been really focused on designing some new collections. I am enjoying collaborating with other brands and organisations and feel inspired to pursue more of these projects.
I have recently become a mentor at the London College of Fashion where I am able to help and encourage students with their studies, giving them feedback and first-hand knowledge based on my own experiences. This is a great opportunity for me to help aspiring entrepreneurs and develop their understanding of retail.
All in all, I would say that winning the everywoman award has been an encouraging experience and I look forward to many more exciting opportunities. I’m so grateful to do what I love every day, and at the same time I get to support and develop the next generation of women!
