In Retail Gazette’s latest content series, we get inside the mind of retail’s most senior leaders to find out what makes them tick. We speak with Pets at Home CEO Lyssa McGowan.
Would your school friends be surprised that you’ve become a CEO?
Probably not – I’ve always been a bit bossy! Seriously though, as a young girl who was highly ambitious and aspired to be a leader it was difficult to find positive female role models. It is fantastic to see how far we have come, and I really enjoy coaching and mentoring young women.
Tell us about your morning routine.
It varies a lot depending if I am up at 5am to visit vets and stores around the country, having meetings in London, or working from home. But the ideal is a mug of PG Tips in bed, check phone and reply to urgent messages, 55 minute HIT exercise session, make breakfast and see my three kids off to school, then two more mugs of PG tips and I’m ready to begin!
What motivates you? How do you keep driven?
I have three big motivators: making a tangible difference in consumers’ lives; leading and developing teams to do things they didn’t think were possible; and achieving market leadership through innovation and pace. My role at Pets at Home couldn’t be more motivating – it is a fast-growing and successful business full of amazing people who strive every day to create a better world for pets and the people who love them. We are focused on building a pet care platform, bringing all of our products and services together for consumers in a seamless way, so they can focus on the joy of their relationship and bond with their beloved companion.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve ever had in your career and how did you overcome it?
I came back off my third maternity leave into a big promotion, in an industry I didn’t have much experience in, running a significant P&L for the first time, operating a large team, in a challenging market. It almost broke me! But I eventually learned to ask for help and was astonished by how generous and open people are when you reach out. Now, I pay that forward.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
I have a quote above my desk by Maya Angelou that reads “People won’t remember what you said or what you did, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel”. My Mum first taught me that, but it was reinforced by every great leader I ever worked for.
Who have you learnt most from in your retail career?
The British Public – they are very smart and extremely savvy. Success is not handed to a company – you have to keep earning it. Only companies that continually help make consumers’ lives better or easier, particularly in the current difficult context of inflation and uncertainty, will be rewarded with sales and loyalty. That’s why Pets at Home is laser-focused on growing our business through delivering value and making life easy for our consumers.
If you weren’t a CEO retailer, what would you do?
Well, I’ve had a career that has spanned retail, telecoms, technology and media. The one constant is the focus on the consumer and building lifetime value, underpinned by data, digital and innovation. The opportunity Pets at Home has in this space is one of the things that really attracted me to the business.
What keeps you awake at night?
I usually sleep really well as I pack so much into my days, mentally and physically, but we have a new puppy, Barney, so he will keep me awake for the next few months I am sure.
What do you do to unwind?
I love taking Freddie, my black Labrador, for long hikes with my husband and kids as it combines exercise with reconnecting with my family and enjoying the outdoors. I also love to throw dinner parties for friends and try out new recipes.
What’s your favourite retailer and why?
I really admire Next for how they have built an omnichannel platform for their own and other brands. I also love Lululemon – their combination of brand loyalty, technical innovation and fashion is pretty impressive – and barely a day goes by when you won’t find me in their leggings.
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