In Episode 8 we discuss the importance of personal development, taking ownership and driving your own development. It’s easier said than done though, so we share our recommendations for learning opportunities, podcasts that we love (other than ours, haha), life coaching and mentoring. Of course we go off on tangents around motivation and positivity - spin studios, BMF, netflix sports documentaries, women supporting women…We also talk about finding your support network, these are the people that you feel comfortable sharing your vulnerable side and the ones that will champion you. 

We would really encourage you to seek the following to help support driving your own development: 

1. Seek out that support, whether that is a friend, co-worker, manager or someone in the workplace that you really respect. Go for a coffee, have an informal chat and no doubt it will open up new avenues and opportunities. If we’re honest there is a great need and not enough of mentoring in retail, but if we all start seeking it out, it will drive the change we need. 
2. Look externally for extra support, so seek out podcasts, audio books, online courses etc that will give you information in bitesize chunks that you can listen to while you go about your busy life; cooking dinner, on the way to work/the gym/a friends house etc… It’s a worthwhile investment
3. Life Coaching is a great tool to use to find out what your career path is, no one really knows where their career is going, and having a forum to openly discuss can really help to guide you

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This has been such a fun episode to record and it’s been great to have another opinion thrown into the mix! Emma shares really brilliant insights into the opportunities she’s taken, from merchandising laptops to buying beauty & gifting, and how the skills gained through each role can be transferable across the retail landscape. We talk about the difference between all of Emma's roles, own brand and branded, how online trades differently, decisions based on data v gut, and we touch on the advancements of technology… Plus we talk about Emma’s favourite store, immersing yourself in a shopping experience and treating yourself to a little something to give yourself a pocket friendly pick me up - the beauty of beauty!

1. Always take every opportunity as all of your skills are transferable i would never of imagined going from laptops to beauty at a fashion retailer, harness every opportunity as a chance to learn something new
2. The reason we love buying is that we love product and that you can be creative in branded and own brand whether that’s creating your own brand or seaking someone else’s
3. Harness your power as a buyer to make a change weather that’s through elevating a small brand and a platform to grow or driving sustainability within your product area

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In episode 6 the focus is on travel again, but this time inspiration trips, one of the most creative parts of the job! Similarly to a development trip, you will need to be keeping on top of your BAU, so again, as fabulous as the destinations can be, and nice it is to be out of the office, that day to day running of the team doesn’t go away - but it’s worth the juggle for the ideas you can get! We talk about the incredible places that Buyers get to visit, the quick turn around of product from festival to factory, and ….. It’s one of the the best ways to absorb yourself in creativity and see products from a consumer point of view - just make sure you take photos before you have a cheeky drink…!         

Here are our 3 recommendations for inspo trips - 

1. Don’t just stay in your lane, Inspiration trips are a great one for going with other departments, such as design, or marketing, or VM, and having a great bounce around of ideas
2. Incorporate store visits if you have any in that area - great to see from customer point of view in another demographic/geo location 
3. Plan an Inspiration trip to gain the right information at the right time to influence your next range. Think carefully about timing. Ideally this will be at the beginning of your Critical Path to help you plan your strategy - but depending on your product category it might be months ahead of your CP starting e.g. beach inspiration trips may need to be in the summer (depending on where you’re going) but your CP may not need to start until the following February..

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In episode 5, we continue our chat on suppliers - as we’ve said, they are the centre of product! We’re talking about that optimum number of suppliers, comparing our supply base to our wardrobe and building long standing relationships with core suppliers. We touch on sustainability, from more of a business stability point of view and discuss bringing on new suppliers, new products and new capabilities. Whether there is a return to heritage suppliers and long standing suppliers that understand your brand. How best do you manage suppliers, ensure they have the TLC they need, but also limit the contact in your already very busy day! Our top tips for creating and ensuring you have a great supply base to work with.     

Here are our 3 recommendations- 

1. Optimise, not rationalise. Fewer suppliers means more focus, but don’t get rid of too many! If you are considerate in what you need, you can make sure you have the strongest range and spread the risk. 
2. Encourage more partnerships, particularly with your top suppliers, invest in each other. Have full confidence in each other and support growth on both sides.
3. Sustainability is key, make sure the right intentions are there, dont buy into greenwashing ensure your suppliers are clearly invested for the right reasons 

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In Episode 4 we talk about our experience of working with suppliers across the world, both direct factories and agents, in the UK, and the Far East. It feels like we have only just scratched the surface on this one as it is such a huge topic, suppliers are a huge part of a Buyer's life as without our suppliers and factories we wouldn’t have any product! We spend most of this episode talking about finding suppliers, developing relationships, and the importance of establishing a strong network of suppliers that you can rely on. How do you find a new supplier or factory? How do you know if they have the capabilities and the quality and prices will be as you need? This can be particularly hard when venturing into a new product area, so how do you onboard new suppliers without taking too much of a risk. Just imagine if there was a tripadvisor but for factories…gold dust! 

Here are our top 3 takeaways from today's conversation… 

1. More transparency is essential for more ethical practices. If we share more information on suppliers and factories we can protect our businesses AND support factories to grow.  Take the view that a supplier is a tool for creating the product. The supplier is there to help to execute and if you’re confident with your brand handwriting then sharing the tools shouldn’t be a concern
2. Support your supplier and factories by sharing your product plans at the earliest opportunity so they are confident to plan better, pay their workers well, and encourage them to share their critical paths so you can work together to utilise the workforce better and potentially increase their production.
3. Build your supply base for the long haul, a great team requires time and investment on both sides. By doing this you will future proof your range and it allows you to concentrate on developing great product and the best deals for both parties

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In episode 3 we continue the conversation around travelling, it’s all about preparation and being productive - as well as exhausted! Buying trips are so full on, it’s the definition of work hard and play hard. You have to fit in as much as possible in a very short space of time, but it’s worth it - and remember that  sometimes you’re just so delirious and tired you just have to laugh (or you’ll cry!) It’s most definitely NOT a holiday - whatever other departments might think! Sure you get to see great places, and experience new cultures and try new foods, but it is intense and there is no down time. Just take it all in, you’ll be running at 100 mph, juggling everything, but you can rest when you get home…and make sure you do! 

The 3 things we really want to highlight from today's episode are:-

1. It’s not a holiday. It can be such an amazing experience, so much to take in with new cultures to and cuisines to try, but as we’ve said a few times, it will be exhausting, so be prepared. Take snacks, sleep aids and just embrace it. 
2. It’s the epitome of ‘work hard, play hard’ - you will be working closely with suppliers from early morning to late nights, and then often eating out in the evening, taking in a lot of information, and also juggling your BAU and team management back in the office (from a different time zone!)
3. Think about geographical efficiencies in order to plan your trip effectively - as we’ve said, you will need to fit in as much as possible, so make it as easy as possible on yourself by making sure your schedule flows well. 

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Travelling can be such an amazing experience, you can come back so full of ideas and expertise on your product category! It’s so important to get out to see factories, they are absolutely fascinating and really take you behind the scenes of the product. It can be one of the best parts of a buying role, and also one of the most exhausting. 

We would really encourage you to put the following into action during your product development trips - 

1. Understanding the manufacturing processes of a product is invaluable. You see the end to end process, the intricacies and also the pain points. It will help you to make improvements to your product, and also assist in your negotiations to ensure your product remains good quality & VFM
2. Ask questions and be inquisitive. You often find you uncover new product capabilities, and you’ll supercharge your knowledge of the product areas seeing the manufacturing process first hand. Become an expert. 
3. Spending time with your suppliers and having face to face meetings can really improve your relationship and your communications. It’s much easier to share and explain in person

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We’re back for  Season 2 - and you’ve made it! That title is yours! You are now the leader of the team…but with that comes responsibilities too. You’re setting the strategy, you’re creating and selecting all the products, it’s your range and your vision,  but you’re also moving into more of a management role. 

It’s such an exciting time becoming a buyer and finally getting that title is the ultimate dream, so lets celebrate with 3 reasons we love being a Buyer - 

1. You now have full control to set the direction, put all your plans into place  and steer your ship (...under the leadership of your Head of Buying/Buying Director/CEO…etc, lets not get too carried away now!)
2. The opportunity to build the team you want around you, to nurture and create Buyers of the future. You also have the responsibility of balancing keeping your team in the loop, but also keeping them motivated, which may mean protecting them from direction, decisions and difficult conversations from the top. 
3. You can make a positive change - treat your team how you would like to be treated, value their opinions and be a role model (maybe the one you wish you’d had….)

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We’re ending this season by reminding ourselves why we love our jobs in retail buying, more trips down memory lane, the friends we’ve made, the parties we’ve been to and the fun, laughter and creativity that comes with it!

Here are our favourite things about Buying summarised into 3 points - 

1) The excitement of a new idea brewing, working with your team to bring the idea to life, launching with bells & whistles, seeing the success in sales and joy it brings to customers and then analysing how and why it was such a success, and figuring out how to do it all again - same same but different!

2) Being at the forefront of trends, new and exciting creativity, products and projects, and being surrounded all day everyday (mostly) with people who share the same passion and designs that inspire and keep you motivated

3) Discovering new products, sourcing new fabrics and materials and visiting factories to learn all about the manufacturing, new processes and driving a more sustainable agenda.

If you've liked this episode please rate, follow, subscribe and share :) and if you already have, thank you!

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In this episode we’re chatting about all things management, so often there is no training and you just have to learn on the job. We discuss our first experiences of managing, our preferred management style and the importance of managing up and down.

Here are three things we would encourage managers to do -

1) Check in, show up be, present for your team - you’ll gain their respect. 

2) Adapt your communication style depending on who you’re talking with to get the best result.

3) Align your goals. You are your team, there’s no ‘I’ in team. If they’re performing, then you’re performing.  

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