What 16 years in retail taught me about building a businessI spent 16 years working retail. Eight of those years were on the shop floor at Iceland, scanning groceries, stocking shelves, watching the same faces week after week. Mrs. Thompson with her Thursday shopping ritual. The young mum juggling twins at 7am. The businessman who always said "please" even when he was in a rush.Most people think retail teaches you about customer service. It doesn't. Retail teaches you about human nature. And if you pay attention—really pay attention—those quiet moments between transactions will teach you more about building a sustainable business than any marketing course ever could.Here's what I learned watching people for 16 years.
What People Watching in Retail Taught Me
What 16 years in retail taught me about building a businessI spent 16 years working retail. Eight of those years were on the shop floor at Iceland, scanning groceries, stocking shelves, watching the same faces week after week. Mrs. Thompson with her Thursday shopping ritual. The young mum juggling twins at 7am. The businessman who always said "please" even when he was in a rush.Most people think retail teaches you about customer service. It doesn't. Retail teaches you about human nature. And if you pay attention—really pay attention—those quiet moments between transactions will teach you more about building a sustainable business than any marketing course ever could.Here's what I learned watching people for 16 years.