Retail is tough right now. But let’s be honest, when hasn’t it been tough? If it’s not economic downturns, it’s pandemics. If it’s not pandemics, it’s a Colin the Caterpillar Cake lawsuit (which, by the way, M&S won, and yes, Colin is the best chocolate cake!)
At the Retail Technology Show last week, leaders from M&S, Gymshark, and The Body Coach (Joe Wicks) reminded us that success isn’t just about selling great products. It’s about people, culture, and staying true to your North Star. So, let’s dive into why the brands that win are the ones that focus on their teams as much as their tech stacks.
Embracing change: Lessons from M&S
Archie Norman, Chairman of M&S, didn’t sugar-coat things. "Businesses create their own narrative of failure," he said. And the reality is, many brands get so tangled in their own self-importance that they forget to listen to the people that really matter, their customers and their team.
M&S, a brand with a Monet and a Lowry in their HQ (because why not?), was once paralysed by their own infamous history in Great British retail. They thought they were entitled to success, leading to a mess of bespoke tech solutions and a culture that had to be, as Norman put it, fractured before it could be rebuilt. That meant changing 80% of the top 100 people in leadership. Ouch.
Then came the bold moves - shutting down underperforming stores, overhauling their online strategy (because food delivery is a desert of profit), and sitting in the complaints centre when Mother’s Day flower deliveries went sideways. "No excuses guaranteed" became the new motto. Even loyalty programmes weren’t spared from scrutiny - turns out, the less you shop, the more retailers try to reel you in. Suspicious.
But at its core, M&S’s success came from one thing: getting 50,000 people to feel great about coming to work. Pay has gone up 40% over six years, and staff turnover is now much lower than competitors. "If you don’t like people and hard work, M&S isn’t the place for you," Norman quipped. And that, folks, is the power of culture over just product.
Gymshark: No room for egos (or private parking spaces)
Steve Hewitt, former CEO of Gymshark, put it bluntly: "Rather have a hole than an arsehole." And that’s not just a catchy one-liner - it’s a leadership philosophy. Ego kills businesses. Talent is great, but if you can’t work as part of a team, you won’t last.
Gymshark’s meteoric rise (from a scrappy start-up to a billion-pound powerhouse) wasn’t just about great leggings. It was about a relentless focus on community, brand purpose, and hiring humans over CVs. "Performance comes second to humanity," Hewitt explained. In a start-up, people lose perspective quickly. One Black Friday, they didn’t hit their sales target and everyone panicked like the world was ending, to which Steve quoted; "Reality check - we only sell leggings."
But even as Gymshark scaled, it kept things simple. No hierarchy, no private parking, no stairwell gossip - if leadership heard whispers, they’d stop and discuss it properly. Because a business, like a flock of Canada Geese, should “fly in formation”, says Steve.
Joe Wicks: Authenticity over everything
Joe Wicks, aka The Body Coach, built his brand not on fads but on genuine passion. "Overnight success actually took 10 years," he admitted. From empty school tours where nobody paid attention to waking up at 6 AM to film workout videos in his garden - Wicks stuck to what he believed in.
He’s been offered massive supermarket deals for ready meals but turned them down because they didn’t align with his values. Instead, he went with less money for a partnership with Gousto because it felt right. "I would have lost all my trust and authenticity," he said. And in an era of short attention spans, that trust is everything.
His advice? Don’t chase scale and followers. "We’re a small team, but it’s more about engagement. If you DM me, I’m the one replying." His organic, community-first approach proves that longevity in business isn’t about the size of your marketing budget, but the strength of your connection with people.
So, what’s the takeaway?
Retail and brand-building aren’t just about selling more stuff. The brands that win are the ones that:
Embrace change (M&S has to transform their internal culture in order to modernise).
Prioritise people over profits (Gymshark hires for humanity, not just skills).
Stay true to their mission (Joe Wicks turned down millions to protect his brand integrity).
In a world where customer expectations are skyrocketing, and technology costs are ballooning (M&S’s IT budget alone is hitting £200M next year!), it’s easy to get distracted. But the real North Star for any brand? Your people. Build a movement, not just a product.
Because if there’s one thing we’ve learned from the Retail Technology Show this year, it’s this: Retail is always hard, and no amount of new technology will change that, but with the right culture, the right people, and the right mindset, amazing transformation can happen!
