Retail for Change: SIS Retail Bootcamp, 15-17 March 2023

15-17 Mar 2023

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  • Programme

We are back in March 2023 with a new look immersive three-day SIS Retail Bootcamp (formerly SIS Retail Academy) packed with a dynamic line up of headline experts covering all the skills and knowledge you will need to build your product, service or experience.

This three-day immersive programme delivered each day online between 09:00 – 14:00hrs is targeted at supporting Scottish social enterprises and not-for-profit organisations with a product, service, or experience to sell. Places are available to social enterprises and impactful businesses out with Scotland for a small fee of £100+VAT.

This year our overarching theme is brand alignment. We believe there is an opportunity for social enterprises and mission-driven businesses to align with leading corporate businesses that have a mutual customer base, with an increased appetite to purchase in the social space and who we know will be inspired by your values and impact.

As always, we will have a range of masterclasses that will dig deep into topics such as trends, routes to market and doing deals, customer insights, product, and development experience. We will help you shape your plans and formulate the next steps operationally and strategically.

Rachael

Host - Rachael Brown, CEO The Future Economy Company

Rachael is the CEO of Future Economy Company, a business set up to enable creative and social impact, an issue more relevant now than ever before. In her position at FEC, she leads an all-female management team at Creative Entrepreneurs Club, where they focus on empowering creative freelancers.  

Rachael is our programme host.

Experts

We are proud of the calibre of speakers and social entrepreneurs who will join us to support you on your journey. Across the three days, we will be joined by brilliant experts who bring a wealth of experience and knowledge from their area of business.

Let us introduce you to a selection here

Chris Gale Ebay

Chris Gale, eBay UK

Chris leads eBay’s Social Impact work in the UK, focusing on the role of e-commerce in driving positive social change and empowering economic opportunity across disadvantaged communities.

Chris believes that business has the potential to be a force for positive change in the lives of people and the planet.

Prior to joining eBay in 2020, Chris worked in education and skills development in Ghana, India, and South Africa. He then transitioned into roles driving social impact, including leading Ben & Jerry’s social mission strategy in Europe.

He recently relocated from London to the Yorkshire Dales and outside of chasing after his two young children, enjoys hiking, rugby and football.

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Margaret McSorley Walker, Trends Specialist

Margaret is a trends specialist and recognised industry expert in the fields of product development and innovation. She is a director of the food service business, Scotch Cross and has decades of experience in leading product development for brands such as Greencore, McCain, and Asda where she was Head of Innovation.

Margaret has also established a brand of uniquely Scottish pasta – Galloway Scottish Pasta - with an aim to reduce food miles, create something more local, and bring manufacturing skills back to Scotland.

At Bootcamp, Margaret will help identify current and future trends and demonstrate how tapping into them can be used to build business advantage.

Camel Ezel

Cemal Ezel, Founder of Change Please & Co-Founder of The Old Spike Roastery

Change Please is a partnership with The Big Issue training people who are homeless as baristas and providing each person with a London Living Wage job, housing, a bank account, and mental health support.

Old Spike Roastery, is a coffee roastery, roasting speciality grade coffee for corporates, events, and restaurants. They also train and provide housing for people who are homeless. 

With a background in property development, commodity trading, and sales, Cemal now offers free mentoring for organisations in these spaces that are looking to make a significant difference.

Our high calibre speaker line-up also includes...

Meet the Buyers

As part the programme you will have the opportunity to spend time with key, commercial buyers and procurement experts.

We will give you exclusive access to a range of experts who are keen to support your potential to succeed, and your journey in the retail, procurement and B2B supply chain space. This will be in the form of feedback when they will hear first-hand from you about your offer and impact.

We will work with you ahead of the programme session to build and prepare your pitch and delivery approach. This is valuable experiential learning and is the culmination of our programme, which may even result in the buyers choosing to work with and purchase from you!

Read about some of the buyers and procurement experts who are ready and waiting to meet you!

Natasha Troitino, Head Of Retail, Historic Environment Scotland

Natasha Troitino, Head of Retail, Historic Environment Scotland

Natasha has been with HES retail for over 18 years and as Head of Retail has driven the business to generate £11m in retail income, across 70+ shops in historic locations across Scotland.  Sustainability, Local sourcing are key themes of the retail strategy for HES over the coming years, as well as ensuring that the products tell the Stories of Scotland, and create a lasting memento for visitors.

 

Richard Mason Headshot

Richard Mason, Head of ESG, Holland & Barrett

Richard is an ESG (Environmental and Social Governance) leader with over a decade of international experience in managing, developing, and directing innovative work across the sustainability agenda at many large corporates.

Richard passionately believes that traditional retailers can better support the growing demand for sustainable and purposeful products and services and is delighted to be part of the conversation about the role and opportunity social enterprises have in shaping the very meaning and experience of the high street.

Our experienced buyers panel also includes...

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eBay for Change

We are delighted to announce that every delegate who attends the three days of Retail Bootcamp and who is a product-driven business will be invited to apply to join the eBay for Change programme thanks to our partnership with eBay. The programme helps social enterprises to set up and scale up their product, service, or experience on eBay.

Think about the impact the blended support of both programmes could bring to your business. Through our collaborative partnership with eBay, we develop the potential in you and deliver training and marketing support – it’s a package of support not to be missed!

Retail Academy has helped reinvigorate my passion for the business. It has supported me to challenge my self-limiting beliefs and imposter syndromes through giving me a reality check. My fellow participants, SIS team and speakers’ honesty helped to reassure that it’s a journey and that not everything would be or should be perfect. The level of information, guidance, authentic support, knowledge and inside stories were at a level I have not experienced before and demonstrates the willingness of this sector to see fellow enterprisers do great things.

2021 Delegate