Designing the Future: Insights from Lone Design Club's Panel Talk Launch

We celebrated International Women's Day with the launch of our "Women of Retail" series, hosted by Kate Nightingale, Chief Behavioural Officer and Founder of Humanising Brands. The panellists that accompanied Kate included Alice McAnulty, COO of Lone Design Club, Janis Thomas, Ecommerce and Marketing Director of Look Fabulous Forever and Gill Fisher, Global CX Transformation Project Leader at Ikea.

Advancing Diversity and Empowering Women

Key issues that were highlighted during the panel discussion included - the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, the need to look beyond traditional approaches and account for life changes that affect women in their careers, such as the menopause. It was a powerful showcase of women supporting women and highlighting the achievements of female leaders in the retail industry.

If you're interested in learning more about the themes covered in the “Women of Retail” panel discussion, then check out our round-up of the discussion below. Don't miss out on learning from these incredible female leaders and discover how you can make a positive impact in the industry.

Genderless leadership & collaboration for ethical, environmental, and social change.

On the topic of gender differences in leadership, panellists agreed that management styles should not be gender-based, and instead everyone should be treated equally. However, despite progress in the number of female-led small businesses, there is still a long way to go in terms of diversity in top roles.

The overall goal within a business should be to inspire others to achieve their potential, regardless of gender, race and ethnicity. In addition, they emphasised the importance of brands demonstrating their dedication to these significant concerns and actively seeking feedback to create a constructive change. Furthermore, leaders can make a significant impact by teaming up with women from various businesses to exchange best practices.

Empowering Messages for Shaping the Future of the Workplace

The panellists also shared inspiring messages that have helped them in their careers and lives. They key messages included - the importance of not limiting oneself to what can be achieved, and to recognize the power and capability that everyone possesses, and, the importance of how leaders make others feel. This sentiment was echoed by a third key message - that people will forget what you did, but not how you made them feel. The value of accepting feedback was also emphasised by a panellist, who described feedback as gold.

The "Women of Retail" panel discussion highlighted the significance of diversity, inclusion, and collaboration in the industry. By working together, women can shape the future of retail and create a more inclusive, sustainable, and socially responsible industry.