Transcript - Nichole Simms

Season 3, Episode 6

Conversation with Nichole Simms - CEO, Creative Visual Solutions

Joshua Williams: Retail Revolution, a unique podcast that features in-depth conversations with guest experts in omnichannel retailing, with myriad perspectives: technology, consumer engagement, data analytics, merchandising, and more. We pay special attention to current socio-political issues and challenges and their implications on fashion retail, as well as opportunities to innovate and rethink retail's future. 

Visit us at RetailRevolutionPodcast.com for more information, including full transcripts. And follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn at RetailRevolutionPodcast.

Retail Revolution is produced by Joshua Williams and hosted by Christopher Lacy, both are Assistant Professors in the Fashion Management graduate program at Parsons School of Design.

Christopher Lacy: Welcome to Retail Revolution podcast. I'm your host, Christopher Lacy. Today we have with us, the CEO and founder of Creative Visual Solutions, a retail and sales consulting company that helps boutique and small retail owners grow their businesses through proven merchandising and sales strategies.

 Throughout her career, she has had the privilege of driving results and collaborating with some of the country's best retailers, such as The Gap, Ann Taylor, Forever 21, Nike UA and the NorthFace. She has been featured in top retail publications, such as Compliant IA and Independent Retailer. Now, she uses her vast experience to help her clients achieve sales success within their businesses. 

Welcome to the show, Nichole Simms.

Nichole Simms: Hi, thanks for having me.

 Christopher Lacy: Thank you for joining us today. 

So, I'm super excited to have this conversation with you.  When we originally spoke, it’s funny because the thing that came to my head was, if I were to name this episode, anything, it would be named "The Rigor of Retail Leadership."

Nichole Simms: Uh uh, yes.

Christopher Lacy: So, so I want you to tell our listeners a bit about yourself so that they understand why I would have said that. 

Nichole Simms: I'm Nichole Simms, CEO of Creative Visual Solutions. And I've been in retail for 30 years. And so, I started the first half of my career in management. And I worked with retailers like Ann Taylor. I was the manager of Gap. I was the manager in New York & Company, with Express. And so, I've really learned how to run a business, how to run a retail business, and the ins and outs of different types of businesses: high volume, low volume, especially in specialty, and had a little bit experience with department store.

Then on the second year I have my career. I became more visually inclined. I really love visual merchandising. I was at Ann Taylor. And so, I became District Visual for Forever 21, then became a regional at Visual for Sports Authority. And that's where I really got into the nuts and bolts of the visual aspect of running a business, and how visual merchandising can affect your business: running your businesses, back your business and getting your sales and increase traffic with brands like Nike, Under Armor, and NorthFace. So, I'll have both sides of the business. And I know that both sides are important to run a successful retail business; you can't be just a creative and not understanding the business side. 

You also can't just know the business side of the numbers. You have to understand the creative side. So, how important they are to come together. So, when we were talking, we realized a lot of people in the industry, especially the management side and the business side of it, understand that both have to meet, in order to have a successful brand and a successful business.  

Christopher Lacy: Nichole, as you look out now at the fashion retail landscape, considering the first half of your career, the last half of your career, what do you think will be the biggest changes in retail and customer engagement as we start opening up stores again and we engage with consumers? 

Nichole Simms: The biggest thing I see is making it more, part entertainment and part connection. So, how a customer engaged with you is how they feel connected to you. How they're connected to you is how much they understand who you are as a brand and how they do that is by your communication.

So, you have to make sure you're communicating online. Your email marketing is key. I know you hear up and down things about email marketing's dead or it's alive. But to me, my marketing is key because it allows me to stay connected with your customer intimately. You can talk to them on a personal basis. We tell more things about you and your brand that keeps them connected to you, which fosters engagement.

So, the key thing is to keep communicating with your customers, and then when they're in your store or on your online store, keep them entertained and consistent in what they're looking at; fosters engagement. If they get bored, if they get uninterested, you're not keeping it fresh, they're going to leave.

So twofold, making sure you're communicating with them, so they know what's going on, and they know who you are as a brand. Also, they can entertain, making it fun. 

Christopher Lacy: I completely agree with you, on those points, that level of entertainment value that has to be there.

I think we were actually starting to see that happening more and more, before we kind of got into this pandemic situation. And then you have certain malls that really have that at the basis of what they wanted to do. And I think American Dream was really kind of that huge starting point of what this would start to look like. But now, I think rethinking that is how is there going to be the same experience, but in a smaller footprint?  The other side of it is really to this idea of clientelling and you, and I know this world of clientelling really well and, and it's definitely, probably had to shift, but I want to know from you, do you think that clientelling is still possible during these times? Right? And if, and if it is possible, what does it need to look like? Because to your point, there has to be something more than just product that you're bringing people in for. So, is clientelling a thing that can really be done by associates now? 

Nichole Simms: I think it is. Again, like I said, you have to change with the time, so a lot of stores you've brought up are not open or they have limited availability opening, so everything has really been online. And clientelling really is about making your customer feel special and customer servicing them over and above. So, that's really the basis of clientelling so you can still do that, like I said earlier with email marketing. You could definitely do that with the way you're connecting with them online, and you want to make sure you're just connecting with them some kind of way,  on a consistent basis, making them feel special, appreciated, and that they're kind of on the inside track. 

So, you could still do clientelling. You could still do phone calls. You can still do mail. I think a lot of stationary stores are starting to explode because handwritten letters are starting to get popular again.  As long as you're doing things to showcase that equity care for their business and engaging with them and communicating with them, keeping it open, clientelling definitely is alive.  

Christopher Lacy: Yeah, I think it's really going to be, what is it that the customer necessarily wants to hear from you?  It definitely depends on what sector of retail you're in. I think when you're in luxury, it's, it's one of those things like, if somebody reaches out to me from luxury, I need them to take me away from the thoughts of everything that's going on; really reaching out to me to make me think of things that are not so awful in the world. 

Nichole Simms: Hmhm.

Christopher Lacy: And, and then on the other side, you know, those, brands that are a little bit midsection and kind of that day-to-day basic wear. How do they make a connection to me meaningful, when I'm not leaving my home as often? But maybe I actually am kind of tired of what it is I have in my house or what it is I'm wearing every day, because I've been seeing myself in the same outfit for five months! So, you know, how do we connect on those levels? 

Nichole Simms: Right.

Christopher Lacy: But you said something where you, you said, appreciate your customers in the way you clientele. And I want to turn that word inward, and talk about for you as a leader of multiple teams, how do you think top line executives, and store line executives, should really begin to pivot and engage employees during this time?

 Nichole Simms: That's a really good question. I was thinking about that when I was a mid-line executive, and how I actually dealt with people who worked under me; and the main thing that I felt that was my strength was my communication. The fact that I was open. I was transparent. I was honest. Like, you can't tell them everything.  One of these complaints that I hear about corporations is that people feel who work t or are more frontline, don't feel connected to what's going on in the company. And they feel like they're just a number. They don't feel that they matter. But the minute that they hear communication from someone who's the CEO attached to their name or vice president, that was talking to them personally like, "hey, this is going on with our company, I'm going to be straightforward with you. I can't see everything, but these are the main points," and making them feel "you are part of this company. We do value you." And listen to them. Right? And listen to what they're thinking. They're on the front lines.  They know what's going on. They know what your customers want, more than you do, because they're interacting with them. So, listen to what they have to say. 

The biggest thing that top line executives can do to make employees feel more engaged with them as a company, is transparent communication, open, and let that flow both ways. Listen to what they're saying, listen to their ideas. And lastly, we reward them. Real awards, not like, "Oh, thank you for this," pizza party, whatever, but something that they find valuable. Find out what that is and then give it to them rewarding for great jobs, for results. 

Christopher Lacy: Because you were leading such large groups of people and, and I I've said this to many people before is like, the numbers part of being a leader is quite easy, but that's easy because the numbers don't have emotions. 

Nichole Simms: Hmm.

Christopher Lacy: And that doesn't make you tired. What makes you tired is the shift in personalities to inspire people, right?  

Nichole Simms: Yes.

Christopher Lacy: I'm purposefully using the word inspire, not motivate because I, I really do think true leaders understand the difference between that. 

So, is there an attribute you have that during those tough times, and we know if anyone who's listening to this, who's worked in retail, you know, COVID continues to happen. But it isn't the first time that retail has had to overcome a hurdle. How do you inspire your teams during those tough times? 

Nichole Simms: That's a good question. I inspire my teams by having open communication, but the biggest thing is that I have fun. I really do have fun with my job. I really did fun when I was managing my teams and I would address things head-on like, "Hey guys, we have this course that we have to do. We have to completely do this make over, it's going to take us three days, but here we're going to do it. And I keep it light and I keep it interesting. And I listen. And so, people, when they feel heard, they are inspired. When they feel that we have a regional manager come and talk to me, I'm a part time associate, and she's talking to me, she's actually listening to what I have to say, and she's actually acknowledging it. Wow. I'm valued. So that's inspiring to me to feel valued by someone. So, I keep it fun, keep it light, but I'm also a good communicator and also listen and make people feel valued and appreciated.

Christopher Lacy: Valued and appreciated, I think is going to be the forefront of everything as we see the workplace reopened, right? Is valued and appreciated. I would probably say, at this point, people are like, I'm on the front lines. I'm dealing with all kinds of, of issues that we weren't dealing with as sales associates, as storline employees before.

And by the way, this didn't make customers nicer necessarily. Right?

Nichole Simms: No, it did not.

Christopher Lacy: So, you you, I think about, you know, people that are still frontline and the stores, and I'm just like this, this must be...the amount of stress that goes along with that. But then from when you are leading the store, 

Nichole Simms: MmMm.

Christopher Lacy: There's always that pressure of make your numbers, make this happen. This has to happen. It's always funny, when people would ask, you know, what is a typical day for you look like? And you're like, I wish I knew, cause then I could prepare for it. 

Nichole Simms: Right.

Christopher Lacy: Right? When it's been rough for you, and because we have so many leaders that listen to this. Where do you draw your inspiration from so that you can actually do that for your teams?

Nichole Simms: That's a good point. So, one thing that got me through a lot of my tough times and try and be inspiring for my teams is actually my counterparts, people who are actually doing the exact same job I'm doing, just somewhere else. And just having someone listen to you, who understands, and you can talk to freely and get some advice and get some kind of, okay, this is what I'm dealing with, how you would do handle this?  It has to be someone, you can actually bounce ideas off of, to get off your chest; get your brain moving again. And someone that supports you. If someone that can really support you on your same level, the same thing you're dealing with, they're having the same challenges you're dealing with. Someone below your level or a little higher might not get it. So, what got me through those tough times was calling up my counterpart in Florida, in California. I was in Chicago at the time.  Calling those ladies who really understood what I was going through, and then having a little session about, okay, what can we do? some brainstorming. My creative juices start flowing and I start getting some creative ideas for problem solving. So, that really got me through my tough times.

Christopher Lacy: Which is great because what that means is, is that you are able to have enough self-awareness to go look. I have to be so self-aware that this is difficult, and I have to bring down the leaders' shield, reach out to someone and say, look, I'm in a pit of lava. The floor is lava. What do I do? When you're in it, you’re kind of like, oh my gosh, I just want to put my head down. Right? 

Nichole Simms: Right.

 Christopher Lacy: So, speaking of that, right? So, so we're talking about an inspiration. We're talking about these attributes of a leader.  If you were to think of one hard skill every retail leader should have, what is it? 

Nichole Simms: The first thing came to my mind was business analysis, to be honest. To understand your numbers and what they mean for your business,  Or how to read your numbers, how to read those charts and all those different reports that we get, because if you don't know what they mean, how to make action on them,  they're not important. So, I can see that I'm down this particular area. Why? Analyzing, what does that mean? Does that mean that it actually is a bad product for me?  or is it merchandising? Or is the fact that I have two little of it? And that it's selling too fast. Or have too much of it and selling to slow. And so, understanding what those numbers mean look at them and make actionable decisions based on them. 

Christopher Lacy: I love that you said that because one of the things that used to drive me crazy, in a walkthrough, and for those of you who are listening, who don't know retail lingo, a walkthrough is when we walk through and we talk about our businesses in different categories and all kinds of fun stuff.

And then there would be that person who would be anecdotal with all of their information. And we're looking at the numbers and I'm like, the numbers don't make sense to what you're saying. Right? 

Nichole Simms: Right. They don't add up. 

Christopher Lacy: And so, it's really about how do you look at those numbers and understand the story that those numbers are telling you. Because we all see the numbers, but what we do need those people in retail stores to provide the color to those numbers, the "whys" behind it. 

If you were to think of a soft skill, I'm sorry I'm totally killing you right now. I'm sorry. I just, you know. 

Nichole Simms: It's so fine!

Christopher Lacy: What soft skill should every retail leader possess, do you think? 

 Nichole Simms: Communication.

Christopher Lacy: Okay.

Nichole Simms: That is the biggest thing that's gotten me through is able to communicate effectively, which I should preface that effective communication. 

Christopher Lacy: Yeah.

Nichole Simms: Cause you want to make sure that you're saying the right thing, the right way, and you want to make sure that you're saying what needs to be said at that point.

So, it might be a lot of things going on, but how do you get the results, and how do you get inspiration, or how do you get the training out? How do you get the message correctly to your people and understanding your audience you're talking to? That is the biggest thing to me, is how to communicate effectively and get information to the people who need it when they need it.

Christopher Lacy: I think everyone thinks they're a great communicator! That's what's so funny is because...

Nichole Simms: Hmhm.

Christopher Lacy: Everyone's like, yeah, I communicate really great. Like I'm a great communicator! And there’s different parts of, of what communication looks like, because one of my managers, she used to say to me, she's like, you're so good at communicating up. I have to get good at that. And I was like, I don't think about it, but it's funny because if it's a skill that you don't necessarily possess, you recognize it.  And I think about that all the time. Like, what does it mean to be able to communicate up? Right. Because when you're store line, like how do you communicate a right way to the corporate leaders and the executive team? And when you're a sales associate, how do you communicate directly to those who are leading on the store line? And when you're in the stock room, how do you communicate effectively your needs? Because, you have needs.  And you’re dealing with different levels of frustration, right?

Nichole Simms: Yes.

Christopher Lacy: And so, when you're trying to communicate your frustration, it comes out crazy sometimes. 

Nichole Simms: Hmhm. Yeah.

Christopher Lacy: And in retail, we use the word challenging. When we really want to say this is really effed up. 

Nichole Simms: Exactly. That is.

Christopher Lacy: So, everyone in the room knows what you mean when you say challenging. So, for those of you who are listening, when you're communicating up, just input challenging in any of those effed up situations.

Nichole Simms: Or opportunity.

Christopher Lacy: Yes, we have an op, we have an opportunity here.

Nichole Simms: Yes.

Christopher Lacy: Right? We talked about just now hard skills. We talked about soft skills. 

Nichole Simms: Hmhm.

Christopher Lacy: Some things just come to you easily. And it's like, that's what I do. And then there are other things that you look back through your career and you go, I, I didn't know how to do that before, and now I do it with no problem. Do you have the thing that you kind of look back at it and you laugh and you're like, gosh, I remember when I had no idea how to do that? Now it comes like second nature to me. 

Nichole Simms: Yes. Part of why communication is so important is, I had the tendency to be impatient. And I don't like repeating myself more than once. So, I had to learn that that is a skill to understand that not everyone's going to get what you're saying immediately. And then as a trainer, and as communicator, and as a leader, you have to appreciate and respect that, and actually say things maybe two to three different times, two to three different ways in order to make sure that person understands and gets the training or the information that they need. I had to learn it.

Christopher Lacy: Yeah.

Nichole Simms: Because at first I was like, okay, I just said that, well, I'm going to say this again, and then realizing that, okay, everybody has a different way of learning, a different level of learning, the pace of learning and you have to respect everybody's different. And that took me a while to understand that, but once I got it, It became secondhand nature to me. Like, I listened to a person and I learned how to ask questions before I would say something, before we give him information, I will ask questions. So, I will see they're coming from and why they made the decision that they made, or why they thought the way they thought, then I can answer accordingly. And then we're all on the same page. Because, if I just shoot off in my mouth, what's happening in my head, what I'm thinking, I could totally miss was actually going on.

So, I had to learn to slow down. Like you said, I see the 5,000 opportunities as either 5,000 challenges through my walkthroughs. Well, let me see where they're coming from first. Let me ask some probing questions, right? Let me see, why they made those decisions and then train them and teach from there.

And I really had to learn, especially when I became a regional, there are so many different personalities. I'm dealing with DMs I'm dealing with other Regionals. I'm dealing with store managers at different levels, you know, store managers who are running hundred million-dollar stores, versus store managers bringing in a million.

And so, I had to realize how to deal with those different types and then go from there. That's the biggest thing I had to learn. 

Christopher Lacy: I think a lot of what it sounds like you developed was empathy, right?

Nichole Simms: Mmm. Yeah. 

Christopher Lacy: Yeah. I mean the, the thing about being patient or whatever, it's really having empathy and just being able to go, okay, so this person is in this spot and let me just look through their eyes for a second before I communicate. And in that way, it's far more meaningful.

That's something that a lot of leaders really don't possess, simply because most leaders are a drive mindset, right? There's not many people who are leaders who don't have, you know, a drive for results mindset. And that drive for results mindset kind of leaves empathy to the side, right?

Nichole Simms: Yes.

Christopher Lacy: It's like, nobody's got time for all that. We gotta get to the end result. So I think that's an important thing to develop; and it is something for a lot of us that we develop over time.  It was something I had to develop over time, is really having that empathy. And it, it served me well. I'm fortunate that I learned it on the earlier side of, my career. 

Nichole, did you know that you wanted to be in retail, or was it something you kind of fell into? 

Nichole Simms: Actually, I wanted to be a retail since I was 16. That's why I have 30 years. Funny story is, I wanted to be a journalist first; I'm a good writer. And then I'm like, ahhh, and then I wanted to be a buyer actually.

Christopher Lacy: OK.

Nichole Simms: And I actually shadowed the buyer for Carson Pirie Scott for a summer, this is not for me. I don't like it. And then, so I had my first job, at a company called Jean Nicole. I don't know if you guys remember Jean Nicole, but it's really old. And I loved it. I love actually having a touch on fashion as well as selling and customer service.  So, I actually went to school after the university. I have a degree in retail management. So, I was serious from 16. 

Christopher Lacy: Wow. That's impressive. I was accidental. I got into retail because I knew I liked to talk to people, but I also wanted the clothes from Armani Exchange. It was 1997. I was 17 years old. Yeah. 17 years old. So, I didn't know that it would be a full-on situation. 

Nichole Simms: Yeah.  

Christopher Lacy: It kind of sucks you in, because it's, I think what most people don't understand about retail is all of the moving parts make it fun, right? Because it's, it's not just about walking into a store and you sell stuff. It's a lot of psychology goes into it. Right? And then the analytics and it gets layered on and layered on and all these moving parts. I mean inventory day is never fun, but hey!

Nichole Simms: No. No, I do not like inventory.

Christopher Lacy: So, Nicole, if someone, who's listening right now is, they're thinking about going into retail. They're thinking about retail leadership.  What advice do you have for them? 

Nichole Simms: Oh, wow. 

Christopher Lacy: Were you about to say don't do it? Just kidding.

Nichole Simms: I know. No, I wasn't. I was going to say, be mindful of where you're getting into, because retail is a different animal though. A lot of people don't understand, to your point, what you just said, most people think is just helping customers, putting things on shelves and that's it. And it's way more layered than that. So, understand it's very dynamic. Understand, there’s a lot of moving parts to it, like you mentioned. But understand it can be completely rewarding. And there's a lot of avenues for growth, because you don't have to just do one thing. Like an accountant does one thing. There’s 20 different areas you can actually branch off into. But understand that it is work. And that your life will not be the same as everybody else that you know, who have a regular nine to five or whatever.  Our schedules are completely changing; completely different because of what we're dealing with and because of the nature of the beast. So, understand that part. 

That's the first thing I had to get used to was okay, it's a holiday and I'm working. It's, you know, Thanksgiving and I'm up at 5am, you know. So... it’s a little different thing. But you have a lot more flexibility, with what you can do within that as well. So, differences and nuances. But, it's very rewarding and extremely fun. So those are the main things that would advice on, but there's a lot of people that they leave retail, cause they're like you said, they don't understand the hours. They don't understand the dynamic and they don't understand that it's not easy. It is work, but it's rewarding work as well. 

Christopher Lacy: Awesome. Nicole, how can our listeners get in touch with you if they have questions, or if they want to get in touch with you? 

Nichole Simms: Oh sure, that's fantastic. So, the best way to get in touch with me is in the DM and get questions answered are on Facebook, which is CreativeVisualSolutions1. And my Instagram, because I'm on their a lot. I do a lot of posts on Instagram, a lot of great resources and information They can DM as well to ask questions and get some, you know, advice on things. And that's @CreativesSolutions. Those are the two best ways to get in touch with me. I'm on there all the time. And, yeah, those are the best ways to contact me, ask questions. I love helping people. I love helping people in retail and fashion industry, because I know how hard it is to get just some simple questions answered for you.

 Christopher Lacy: Awesome. Nicole, this has been a fun conversation to have today. I always love talking to a fellow retail, true-retail rigor-understanding-it-person. So it has been such a great time speaking to you today. Thank you so much. 

Nichole Simms: Thank you. I appreciate it. I had a really good time. Thank you, Chris.

Joshua Williams: Thank you for listening to this episode of Retail Revolution. A very special thank you to everyone who has helped to make this podcast possible. If you'd like to support the work we're doing, please visit our show page at RetailRevolutionPodcast.com. And click on the donate link. 

Our theme music was composed by Spencer Powell. 

Be well and stay tuned for our next episode.

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