Miriam Simon, Retail Specialist, Non-Exec Advisor/Director, PTO.ie
An experienced Retail Strategist, Miriam translates consumer trends and complex business strategy - into easy to digest and easy to implement actions that deliver powerful results for the businesses she works with. Her background includes senior and board-level roles within brands such as TK Maxx, Monsoon Accessorize, LifeStyle Sports, and B&Q. Alongside this, Miriam has spent the last decade mentoring startups in the disruptive technology and med-tech space and still works with the European Innovation Council in this field. As a speaker, Miriam's focus is on future retail models and trends. Since the Pandemic broke - she has developed and delivered several highly acclaimed seminars and programmes that are focused on the SME retailer and how to survive and thrive. Across the last year, Miriam has worked with hundreds of retailers to support their success, despite lockdowns and closures. Miriam also founded the Retail Powerhouse in 2020 - a group for ambitious independent Irish retailers, which is focused on agile trading strategy. Her first e-book was released in March 2021 called 'Retailing through uncertainty - Time to thrive, and it is available at PTO.ie.
Married to Robert and mom to Robster and Isi, Miriam receives frequent family feedback that she sings badly and far too often around the house. Friends will testify that she is also an occasional (super slow, sweet eating) marathon runner. And she's also quite proud that she managed to summit Mount Kilimanjaro in 2018. A qualified and accredited executive coach, Miriam has studied corporate governance with the Institute of Directors and is also a volunteer and the Vice President of Drogheda's Chamber of Commerce.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
Definitely, Linkedin because there's learning and substance alongside the social. My love affair with LinkedIn started maybe five years ago - I saw it as a Facebook for work. It enabled me to reconnect with some wonderful people from my working background. I'm currently (very slowly) getting to grips with Instagram also.
Tell us about you and your current role or area of interest.
My focus currently is very much the dynamic status of Retail as we navigate the Pandemic / Post Pandemic trends that are emerging. How we live and consume is changing quickly. Essentially our journey into the digital age is speeding up, and this is unlikely to either reverse or slow now. The impact on business and Retail will be far-reaching. I'm working with businesses to help them navigate this and to help use the changes as great opportunities for future growth.
What do you like about your career or area of focus?
Despite my retail background and focus, I am lucky in that I get to work cross-sector. A growth strategy is a growth strategy, whether you're in Pharma, Retail or IT. And whether you're selling products or services - B2B, B2C or DTC! I absolutely love the diversity of businesses that I am lucky enough to work with. This keeps me vital, and I love what I do and the impact/support I am able to provide. I'm also a huge believer in lifelong learning, so I hugely enjoy the variety and having my finger on the pulse.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
"Always put a current in the other man's bun." John Hoerner told me this as a new Manager in the Burton Group. If you want someone to do something for you – you need to approach it from their point of view, i.e. what's in it for them and why would they want to?
What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?
My children - Rob and I, are lucky that our kids are kind, good humans! I'm very proud of them both and want them to have happy and fulfilled lives. They keep me grounded, slag my singing and stop me from working too hard. I'm also a great believer in kindness and generosity in business. The more you can serve and support others, the more rewarding your own career tends to be.
Luck tends to follow those values. I have great friends that I 'bounce off' when I need inspiration or a kick in the bum, and I believe in mentoring and have several mentors, as well as mentoring others myself. In addition, I am all about strong morning routines and looking after my health and mind.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
Workwise - I'm quite active and achievement-oriented, and I'm always learning.
As Assistant Vice President of TK Maxx during the economic crash and being responsible for Ireland's trading strategy during those challenging times – one that comes to mind is the delivery of a new Flagship in Ireland that delivered the most successful store launch in TKMaxx's worldwide history at that time. This was in October 2009, in the West of Ireland! If that isn't proof that there is always opportunity if you look for it – I'm not sure what is!
I'm proud also that when the sh*t hit the fan in March 2020 - I didn't roll over. I lost a lot of money/business and panicked, just like most others. My way of dealing with it was to see how I could be useful in the initial chaos. It helped me feel more in control of what was a crazy situation for any of us to face in our lifetime. However, it worked for me and gave me focus and purpose, as well as hopefully helping the businesses I worked with. It also led to further learning and growth and new business streams for me. On a more personal note, my children, who are very good people, as well as great craic! I also remarkably summited Kilimanjaro in May 2018.
What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?
I miss real face to face, and I'm a 'cup of tea' sort of person. I like to properly connect with people on a one to one. I present as confident and extrovert (learned skills through years of leadership roles); however, I'm more comfortable one to one.
What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?
I'm very honest, pragmatic, and a strong communicator. I'm also pretty astute at picking up on complex trends and translating them. These skills have all served me well across my career and in business. In addition, I am fiercely loyal to my friends and in business.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
To relax and be me. Like many others, I spent too long being who 'I thought I should be/or what I thought was expected of me. When I relaxed and became true to myself, I became happier, able to give more generously and much less stressed.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?
I admire Oprah's ability to connect and draw the best of people. Loving Matthew Syed for non-fiction/dev reads' Rebel Ideas' was wonderful! In addition, I tend to binge by the author - On a Philip Roth blitz at the moment and previously went through everything by Wil Self, Paddy McCabe, Joseph and Frank O'Connors.
Comedy stand-up helps me de-stress - big fan of Larry David, Ricky Gervais and Tommy Tiernan. Enjoying podcasts also a lot at the moment - Tommy Hector and Laurita makes me laugh out loud whilst jogging and takes my mind off the pain of the run. Shane Cradock has an excellent podcast also called the Inner Edge.
Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
I run (badly), occasionally hike, and I'm a lapsed badminton player. I'm also Vice President of Drogheda Chamber (voluntary) and have enjoyed getting to know Drogheda business more since the Pandemic hit. My special talent is singing the wrong words to songs. This amuses all who live with me, as I also turn everyday chat into silly songs 1950's musical style. Of course - my kids!
Has the Pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you been managing it?
Initially, the impact was negative, and I lost money/business as everything shut down. However, the initial weeks caused me to seek where I could add value, and this has led to a pivot into webinars and workshops, working with SME retailers and wholesalers as well the 'big guys' and even writing an e-book earlier this year.
In addition, I founded the Retail Powerhouse late in 2020. This is a subscription-based group that supports ambitious SME retail and hospitality businesses and helps them grow! I'm grateful for the forced focus, as it has accelerated my own personal growth and enabled new business connections and friendships.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever mentored anyone?
I have several mentors, some paid/some unaware they're even mentoring me. I'm passionate about mentoring, as it's essentially what I do for a living myself! Everyone should have a mentor. You can contact me.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?
Be open to new experiences and learning, always! Don't be afraid of adversity. It nearly always leads to long term growth or goodness, even when you can't see it at the time. Be generous with your knowledge share!
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
Hard question. When I've been there myself, I've gone to others to push me/inspire me or just support me. Possibly lack of others to call on example, not having a support network in place.
Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?
"Always put a current in the other man's bun."
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
This is such a difficult question to answer. From a retail point of view, I love what Rituals are doing. They're all about the customer experience and have used the Pandemic to develop their business, preparing the House of Rituals' mothership' for example, and planning new stores (whilst other businesses were shuttering).
CAMP toys for their innovation and for being way ahead of the curve on their pivot digitally when the Pandemic hit. However, I have seen dozens of inspirational Irish SME businesses that have pivoted better than the big guys and shown true agility over the last 16 months.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?
Happiness. For me - it's the feeling that I am living a full life. That I'm grabbing life/enjoying it and experiencing as much as possible.