Adam Stewart, Marketing director for Rakuten’s Play.com, tells Retail Week about his life working in retail.
What was your first job in retailing?
I had a vegetable stall on my local street selling fresh produce I had grown as a six year old.
Which retail company do you admire most and why?
John Lewis has great visual merchandising and is backed up by a strong customer-focused service proposition.
What is the trait you least like in yourself and why?
I never stop thinking about how to improve in business. Unfortunately the human body does need some form of relaxation and I don’t give mine enough.
Who has inspired you most in your retail career?
The late Steve Jobs. He was a huge influencer in technology and innovation. Also, Richard Branson in entrepreneurship.
What advice would you give someone starting out in retail?
Develop a data-driven approach and have strong plans in resource, process and technology.
What keeps you awake at night?
New business opportunities, as well as the growing power of social media as a channel.
What’s the most satisfying part of your job?
Getting staff and technology partners to work together to successfully deliver a step change in results.
What’s your proudest achievement?
Starting my own successful official business at the age of 17.
What job would you have done if you hadn’t become a retailer?
I would have been a professional tennis coach.
What’s your favourite shop and why?
I like the technology and entertainment sections in good department stores that show great innovation. I am always like a kid in a candy store.
What was your last purchase?
A fresh fruit salad from my trusty local fruit stall outside my office.
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