What a VP Retail Partnerships at Blendjet Wishes They Had Known Before Entering Retail
Erin, a VP of Retail Partnerships at Blendjet, wished they had understood the slower pace of retail compared to tech, noting that "the speed of accomplishing goals" in tech is "more of an outlier" in retail. This highlights the need for "additional patience and persistence" when working with established retailers like Walmart or Target, a crucial lesson for someone transitioning between tech and retail sectors.
Retail Partnerships, Patience and Persistence, Tech vs. Retail Differences, Industry Realities, Goal Accomplishment
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Erin Kristovich
VP Retail Partnerships
Blendjet
Washington University in St. Louis
NYU Stern Business School
Spanish & Other Languages, English
Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)
Sales and Client Management
Video Highlights
1. Tech companies operate differently than other companies, particularly in speed and goal accomplishment.
2. Retail partnerships require more patience and persistence than tech partnerships.
3. Understanding the differences between tech and retail company operations is crucial for success in retail partnerships.
Transcript
I wish I had known that. Tech companies operate very differently from most other companies.
I was very much under the impression that that speed of accomplishing goals was just the status quo for any type of company. I think it's actually more of an outlier in retail.
It's probably a little bit more standard for how a lot of companies operate, especially ones that have been around for as many years as something like a Walmart or a Target.
So I wish that I had the understanding of the additional patience and persistence that you need in order to accomplish something when you're working with a retailer versus when you're working with a software company or a tech company.