The Portfolio Executives

After more than 25 years working in senior commercial roles, I wanted to use that experience with a wider range of businesses rather than being focused on just one company. I’ve worked across retail, Amazon, ecommerce, marketplaces and international growth, and I enjoy getting into a business, understanding what is really going on and helping people work out where the best opportunities are. Setting up AXIS gave me the opportunity to do more of that, while also bringing greater variety to the businesses and people I work with.

I set up AXIS Advisory earlier this year after leaving my Commercial Director / COO role at Canal Toys. I’d spent the previous part of my career working with businesses including Dr Organic, Faith in Nature, Trunki and Helen of Troy, and increasingly found that the part I enjoyed most was solving commercial problems, identifying growth opportunities and getting things moving. So, rather than immediately moving into another permanent role, I decided to take that experience and build something of my own.

One of my first successes was simply getting AXIS out of my head and into the real world. Building the proposition, launching the website, starting conversations and seeing people understand where I could add value gave me confidence that there was something worth building. I’ve also found that conversations often start around one particular issue, Amazon for example, but quickly become much broader discussions about the business, its channels, margins, priorities and where growth is going to come from. That has helped shape AXIS into what it is becoming.

Along the way, I’ve learned that you don’t need to have all the answers before you start. I spent more than 25 years working inside businesses where there was always a team, a structure and an established way of doing things. Building something yourself is very different. I’ve learned to listen more, test things, change what isn’t working and not try to do everything at once. I’ve also been reminded just how important relationships are. Many of the best conversations and opportunities so far have come through good people introducing me to other good people.

It’s working for me now because the timing feels right. I have more than 25 years of experience across different businesses, categories and channels, but I still really enjoy getting involved in the detail and helping make things happen. The portfolio model allows me to bring that experience into different businesses without everything needing to become a full-time role. It gives businesses access to senior commercial experience when they need it, while giving me the variety of working with different people and different commercial challenges.

Looking ahead, I want to build a strong portfolio of businesses and people that I genuinely enjoy working with and where I know I can make a difference. That could mean a specific growth project, helping a brand improve its Amazon or ecommerce performance, opening new retail or international channels, or working alongside a founder or leadership team on a more ongoing fractional basis. I’d also like to build relationships with other Portfolio Executives and specialists so we can support each other, introduce opportunities and occasionally work together when a client needs more than one area of expertise. For me, it isn’t about filling every available day. I’d rather build a smaller number of really good relationships and do work where I can genuinely add something.