Now Is Our Time!
Nancy Cota – Albertson’s Companies
I have been in the grocery industry for my entire 45-year career, for over 25 of those years in Private Label. I am so inspired to see where our industry is headed with opportunities for women. I have witnessed a big change in the role of women in our industry in my career. I started my career working as a grocery clerk in the stores where women had to wear a dress in the check stand with a little pink smock as a uniform. All manager positions were held by men with very little diversity at that level. As I held up my hand and asked over and over again for opportunities to prove myself in other roles, I was finally chosen to be the “token” women on the night crew, work in the produce department and become a department manager. As I furthered my education and progressed in my career, I was finally promoted to a management position in our division office on a marketing team. I was the only woman on the team so there were a few benefits like no lines in the ladies room, and I didn’t have to wear a white shirt with a dark tie! That wasn’t enough for me and it drove me crazy that men were making decisions for what they thought women wanted.
Today, I am happy to say the role of women in our industry has greatly evolved. We are essential in bringing diversity of thought and leadership to our industry. The majority of our shoppers are still women both in our brick and mortar stores as well as with our on line shoppers. A women’s perspective on what our shoppers want to buy, where “she” wants to buy it and when “she” wants to buy it is a critical voice in all of our companies’ growth and success. Raise your hand and be noticed! Tell them you are ready for more responsibility! Advocate for other women to have the courage to sell themselves as the BEST person for a leadership role. I believe a women’s role is not just “what” she achieves, but it is “how” she achieves it bringing others along with her and not succeeding at the expense of others. Lots of women are making a difference in our industry and we need more of them. You can be one of them.
In March, I will be speaking at an industry conference called Shoptalk 2020. There will be over 8,000 people in attendance. For the first time ever, they have announced that their entire line of featured speakers will be only women! 200 speakers and panelists leading all of these conversations for changemakers to come together to hear and be heard. Now is Our Time! Now is Your Time! As the Grocery Industry evolves and recognizes that diversity of thought and leadership is a pathway for growth, you can be part of that leadership. As our shoppers embrace and trust private label products more than ever before, this industry is exploding with growth. Our role as women in these spaces is to write a new chapter of how women contribute and create tomorrow’s history of women leaders in our industry. We have it in us. Raise your hand and be heard!