Celebrating influential women across convenience
Sophie Williams, assistant manager at Premier Broadway Convenience Store
What does it mean to be a woman in the convenience retail sector?
It means a lot to be a woman in retail, especially as our industry has been known to be very male dominated, even though women make up 65% of the workforce in most shops! It is something that means a lot to me and I want to encourage as many women as possible in our sector to use their voices and support one another.
Do you feel there is a positive culture being fostered in a space that has, traditionally, been dominated by men?
I think we have come a long way in recent years- flashback to 20 years ago when my mum was an up-and-coming retailer, she faced a vastly different industry than I do.
In most professional environments, my mum, Linda Williams, used to be the only woman in the room, and although this was a challenge for her and there were many times where she had to overcome prejudice and discrimination, she kept turning up and using her voice and really made her mark.
It is female retailers like my mum who have paved the way for us now to shine brightly.
Tell us about your own success story, positive experiences, etc.
I have been full time in the store for the past 5 years and in that short period of time I have become an ambassador for Women In Convenience, I am a proud member of the Women’s Independent Retail Network (WIRN) and an ambassador for the Association of Convenience Stores.
I have addressed the Scottish parliament, The House of Commons and at just 24 years old became the youngest woman to have ever spoken at the Scottish Grocers Federation Conference.
I have also been listed in Newtrade Media’s “Thirty Under 30” list for two years running and have won “Rising Star” at the FED Awards, all of which I am extremely proud of.
What has your experience been like as a woman working in convenience?
I am incredibly lucky to have a fantastic network of female staff in my store who are all extremely supportive and encouraging of myself and one another.
I am also lucky to have more widespread support in the form of multiple WhatsApp groups designed specifically for women in the sector. We all rely on each other and push each other to succeed.
What challenges have you overcome in the past in this regard?
Like many women in retail I have also faced my fair share of challenges. The most significant challenge for me is people not taking me seriously firstly because of my gender, and secondly because of my age.
For example, there have been multiple occasions where a rep or a customer have come in, looked at me behind the till and proceeded to ask me to go and fetch my manager for them. Why is it so hard to believe that a 25-year-old woman could be the manager?
It is these kinds of stereotypes that we need to break down and throw out.
What do you believe is the next step in ensuring women are an integral part of the Scottish convenience sector?
Women have always been and will continue to be an integral part of the Scottish convenience sector – their stories just have not been told yet. There are more and more all women forums and panels that are emerging now (like ACS’ WIRN) and it is so encouraging to see.
We must continue to push women to the forefront and make sure their voices are heard.
As an industry, we must continue to shine the light on successful businesswomen in the hopes that we can encourage more women to see that there are viable and long-lasting careers in this sector for them, and to not be afraid to get involved.
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