Challenge

•Existing Store: I stepped into a store in crisis — both the manager and assistant manager had been dismissed for misconduct the day before my appointment. Staff morale was shaken and were worried about job security, and operations were running without clear processes or leadership. This store was also based in a busy NSW coastal town, known for its influx of tourists in peak season.

•New Store: After proving success with the first location, I was appointed to open a new IGA store in another NSW coastal town, also known for its tourist seasonality. While the investment was similar in size and staff demand fluctuated with the seasonal trends we needed an additional surplus of staff purely for what the “New Store” in town excitement and initial foot traffic boost. This involved recruiting over 30 staff, coordinating a full shop fit out, and preparing for the massive population surge during peak season.

Approach

•Existing Store:

• Worked alongside staff for the first few months to rebuild trust and understand existing habits.

• Introduced clear SOPs for ordering, stock rotation, and short-dated inventory control.

• Reestablished section leaders in charge of departments to create ownership and accountability.

• Focused on steady communication with suppliers, head office, and stakeholders to stabilize relationships and gain trust in the organisation back from staff and community.

•New Store:

• Oversaw contractors, IT and infrastructure setup, suppliers and other stakeholders during the fit-out phase.

• Partnered with a local recruiter to source and onboard 30+ staff, building a team culture from scratch.

• Engaged with the local community to create a “friendly local store” experience, particularly during peak tourist seasons.

• Designed opening day execution to balance customer excitement with operational readiness.

Results

•Existing Store:

• Reduced stock spoilage through stricter control and section ownership.

• Drove year-on-year sales growth of ~15%.

• Restored staff morale and strengthened customer trust after a turbulent transition.

•New Store:

• Launched successfully, managing opening day expectations and building strong community goodwill.

• Adapted stock ordering quickly to match fluctuating tourist demand.

• Though the store later closed due to broader financial issues at the parent company, the launch itself was smooth and well-executed.

Learning

•Existing Store: Learned how to implement operational discipline in a laid-back, small-town culture — proving that even subtle structural changes (SOPs, ownership, communication) can drive consistent gains.

•New Store: Gained first-hand experience in building a store from scratch — from recruiting and onboarding to managing shop fits and community launch. Also had to navigate the tough responsibility of managing staff and stakeholder communications during the eventual closure.

Key Takeaway: This experience showed me the contrast between turnaround leadership and launch leadership. I learned the importance of balancing trust-building with decisive change, and of preparing processes that can withstand crises — lessons I carry into every operational leadership role today.