Women in Retail Update – Q&A with Martina Crespin
This article will take approximately 3 minutes to read
Published 12 Oct 2021 in Raising Awareness
You may remember our Women in Retail campaign highlighted on Colleagues Connect earlier this year, where we shared stories about some of the wonderful women working across the Society and what we’re doing to improve opportunities for women Working in Retail.
I am Martina Crespin. I have been with the Society for 6 years where I have had many opportunities to progress throughout Food Retail. I started as a Customer Service Assistant (CSA) in Long Hanborough. My first Store Manager appointment was in Thame supermarket and soon went on to run Old Town supermarket. I currently am in a secondment position as District Manager for District 5. So far, I have been in the role for a few weeks and am thoroughly enjoying getting around to meet a new team of people. In my spare time, I love to spend time with my family and go to cocktail bars with my friends. A fun fact about me is I am half Argentinian!
How has the new role been?
I have now been doing my new role for a few weeks and I am really enjoying it. The role has been challenging at times like any role but that's what keeps every day interesting. It has been great to get to know a new team and meet different people. My biggest fear coming into this role was not knowing everything or feeling I needed more knowledge of the role, but the truth is you do not need to know everything in any role and it's about having the support and people around you to help in those situations. My biggest fear has now turned into one of my strengths as it taught me a new way of working rather than trying to know and do everything myself.
How has the Women in Retail campaign been received in store since it was launched in June?
The Woman in Retail campaign has allowed many of our females to consider the next step in their career and envision new ambitions they didn't believe would be possible. A lot of the change in senior roles has really allowed women to see that anything can be possible for them especially now there are so many women in senior roles from Clare Moore, Susan Barguss, Sarah-Jane Moore, Sarah Yates, Marianne Roper and many more.
You sat down with Chief HR Officer, Clare Moore during the campaign too, how was that?
Clare was a very inspirational woman to talk to. The conversation came at a time where I knew I wanted to progress into a district manager role but felt it was too soon and I still needed to expand my knowledge on the role and society. These were mainly mental barriers stopping me from progressing and speaking with Clare showed me that sometimes it's about having the right support and not being afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Having people like Clare being so proactive in wanting to make a change is inspirational not only to myself but all the colleagues in the society to strive for what they want no matter what the barrier whether it be mental or physical.
Can you give us your top tips on career progression?
The biggest tip I can give to any colleague is to take your progression into your own hands. Your line managers will only be able to help and support you on the grounds you give them the starting point to help you progress and plan what your future may look like. Use the tools around you from check-ins with your managers and courses such as the LEAP programme for those who see a future in Food Retail. There are so many opportunities around you to help aid what your future looks like, and the new career roadshows are another good example of how you can guide your progression. A great support system is what helps you get there but you need to start that ball rolling.
What are you looking forward to over the next few months?
I am really looking forward to what my role has to bring me as the one thing I love in food retail is no one day is the same. Being a part of District 5 is already challenging and exciting which makes the role enjoyable. My progression will still continue even within the new role, and I look forward to my many visits and work with convenience over the next few months especially in the lead up to Halloween and Christmas which is only 74 sleeps away!