Kurt Geiger首席執行官的成功秘訣
ORIANNA ROSA ROYLE
2024-08-31
Kurt Geiger首席執行官尼爾·克利福德回憶職業生涯軌跡改變的那一刻。圖片來源：COURTESY OF KURT GEIGER
尼爾·克利福德掌管著英國最著名鞋類品牌之一Kurt Geiger，然而他剛開始工作時與華麗誘人的時尚世界毫無關系。
克利福德從小患有閱讀障礙，幾乎所有考試都不及格。畢業后，克利福德只獲得了一項藝術方面的資格證。在就業中心的幫助下，他獲得了一份在菲亞特汽車（Fiat）經銷商那兒工作的機會，周薪25英鎊（約合33美元）。
“那是1983年8月，我第一份工作，感覺還不錯，”克利福德告訴《財富》雜志。
他確實做得很不錯。57歲的克利福德從賣車，清潔廁所賺零花錢起步，如今已掌管年收入3.3億英鎊（約合4.32億美元）的業務，而且二十多年來地位穩固。
他職業軌跡轉變的契機，是一位朋友幫他爭取到Burton男裝的面試機會，就在家鄉樸茨茅斯的德本漢姆百貨公司里。
“突然間，我的工作從送石蠟變成了賣西裝，”他回憶道，“我發現自己有賣東西的天賦，因為我夸贊客人看起來很帥氣時，他們很容易相信。”
正是那段工作經歷幫助克利福德迎來重要突破，從此踏入高端的時尚世界。
克利福德職業生涯的決定性時刻
在百貨公司工作了幾個月，克利福德留意到當時Burton首席執行官兼Topshop創始人拉爾夫·哈爾彭經常周六視察店面。
克利福德很清楚，如果想從英國數百名員工里脫穎而出，就必須抓住這個機會。具體計劃？就是鼓起勇氣向老板直陳遠大抱負。
他靜靜等待時機，要等最合適的時機，也就是經理外出度假時。
“我準備著，如果大老板今天來，腦海中的演講隨時能用，”他回憶道，“我知道那對我是關鍵時刻。有點像我是替補足球運動員，上場就要罰點球。”
“我跟大老板說話的機會是半小時，”他補充道，“其實我挺想咨詢意見，又要表達熱情和抱負，展示我的能量……所以，沒錯，我知道那是必須好好表現的時刻。”
有一條建議讓克利福德記憶猶新，“工作機會很多，但你得去倫敦。在樸茨茅斯沒機會。”
正是遵循這條建議，克利夫德才離開沉睡的家鄉，勇敢擁抱城市的喧囂。
搬去倫敦改變了克利福德的職業生涯
“那周我立刻去倫敦伍爾維奇申請了一份工作，”克利福德回憶職業生涯中的關鍵時刻，“老實說，我都不知道伍爾維奇具體在哪，但郵政編碼顯示在倫敦。”
新工作中，克利福德有機會管理自己的精品店，而不是在百貨公司管攤位。這是很大的進步，沒想到的是他一申請就成功通過了。
“我是唯一的申請人，”他笑著說，“沒人申請這份工作，因為86年伍爾維奇還著實有些破舊。”
就這樣，克利福德從熟悉的樸茨茅斯闖到倫敦最差的角落，再也沒有回頭。
“所有員工都偷東西，我只好把所有人都換了，”他補充說，自此他有了扭轉局面又能揚名的機會。
當年年底，克利福德管理的店面利潤最高，業績也最好，當時他還只有19歲。
“我榮獲了年度最佳門店經理大獎；年薪9000英鎊（約合12000美元）。我就是王者。”
這段經歷幫他踏上騰飛之路，一次又一次晉升，直到1996年Kurt Geiger把他挖走。
“到最后，入職18個月，我已經掌管布羅姆利區最大的商店，手下40名員工，21歲實現年營業額400萬英鎊（約合520萬美元）——我是Burton集團最年輕的旗艦店經理。”
沃爾瑪首席執行官也是同樣走上成功之路
與克利福德一樣，沃爾瑪首席執行官董明倫出身草根。1984年夏天，17歲的他在公司倉庫開始了職業生涯。
從那時起，他在零售巨頭中節節高升，從時薪6.50美元的拖車卸貨工，到繼公司創始人山姆·沃爾頓之后最年輕的首席執行官，薪水也高達2500萬美元。
他也是在老板休假時挺身而出大顯身手，才獲得了重大突破。
“我獲得機會的原因之一是，當老板外出去商店什么的時候，我都積極承擔工作，”董明倫最近透露。
“然后我就能順利低風險晉升，因為人們早就看到我在努力工作。”（財富中文網）
譯者：梁宇
審校：夏林
尼爾·克利福德掌管著英國最著名鞋類品牌之一Kurt Geiger，然而他剛開始工作時與華麗誘人的時尚世界毫無關系。
克利福德從小患有閱讀障礙，幾乎所有考試都不及格。畢業后，克利福德只獲得了一項藝術方面的資格證。在就業中心的幫助下，他獲得了一份在菲亞特汽車（Fiat）經銷商那兒工作的機會，周薪25英鎊（約合33美元）。
“那是83年8月，我第一份工作，感覺還不錯，”克利福德告訴《財富》雜志。
他確實做得很不錯。57歲的克利福德從賣車，清潔廁所賺零花錢起步，如今已掌管年收入3.3億英鎊（約合4.32億美元）的業務，而且二十多年來地位穩固。
他職業軌跡轉變的契機，是一位朋友幫他爭取到Burton男裝的面試機會，就在家鄉樸茨茅斯的德本漢姆百貨公司里。
“突然間，我的工作從送石蠟變成了賣西裝，”他回憶道，“我發現自己有賣東西的天賦，因為我夸贊客人看起來很帥氣時，他們很容易相信。”
正是那段工作經歷幫助克利福德迎來重要突破，從此踏入高端的時尚世界。
克利福德職業生涯的決定性時刻
在百貨公司工作了幾個月，克利福德留意到當時Burton首席執行官兼Topshop創始人拉爾夫·哈爾彭經常周六視察店面。
克利福德很清楚，如果想從英國數百名員工里脫穎而出，就必須抓住這個機會。具體計劃？就是鼓起勇氣向老板直陳遠大抱負。
他靜靜等待時機，要等最合適的時機，也就是經理外出度假時。
“我準備著，如果大老板今天來，腦海中的演講隨時能用，”他回憶道，“我知道那對我是關鍵時刻。有點像我是替補足球運動員，上場就要罰點球。”
“我跟大老板說話的機會是半小時，”他補充道，“其實我挺想咨詢意見，又要表達熱情和抱負，展示我的能量……所以，沒錯，我知道那是必須好好表現的時刻。”
有一條建議讓克利福德記憶猶新，“工作機會很多，但你得去倫敦。在樸茨茅斯沒機會。”
正是遵循這條建議，克利夫德才離開沉睡的家鄉，勇敢擁抱城市的喧囂。
搬去倫敦改變了克利福德的職業生涯
“那周我立刻去倫敦伍爾維奇申請了一份工作，”克利福德回憶職業生涯中的關鍵時刻，“老實說，我都不知道伍爾維奇具體在哪，但郵政編碼顯示在倫敦。”
新工作中，克利福德有機會管理自己的精品店，而不是在百貨公司管攤位。這是很大的進步，沒想到的是他一申請就成功通過了。
“我是唯一的申請人，”他笑著說，“沒人申請這份工作，因為86年伍爾維奇還著實有些破舊。”
就這樣，克利福德從熟悉的樸茨茅斯闖到倫敦最差的角落，再也沒有回頭。
“所有員工都偷東西，我只好把所有人都換了，”他補充說，自此他有了扭轉局面又能揚名的機會。
當年年底，克利福德管理的店面利潤最高，業績也最好，當時他還只有19歲。
“我榮獲了年度最佳門店經理大獎；年薪9000英鎊（約合12000美元）。我就是王者。”
這段經歷幫他踏上騰飛之路，一次又一次晉升，直到1996年Kurt Geiger把他挖走。
“到最后，入職18個月，我已經掌管布羅姆利區最大的商店，手下40名員工，21歲實現年營業額400萬英鎊（約合520萬美元）——我是Burton集團最年輕的旗艦店經理。”
沃爾瑪首席執行官也是同樣走上成功之路
與克利福德一樣，沃爾瑪首席執行官董明倫出身草根。1984年夏天，17歲的他在公司倉庫開始了職業生涯。
從那時起，他在零售巨頭中節節高升，從時薪6.50美元的拖車卸貨工，到繼公司創始人山姆·沃爾頓之后最年輕的首席執行官，薪水也高達2500萬美元。
他也是在老板休假時挺身而出大顯身手，才獲得了重大突破。
“我獲得機會的原因之一是，當老板外出去商店什么的時候，我都積極承擔工作，”董明倫最近透露。
“然后我就能順利低風險晉升，因為人們早就看到我在努力工作。”（財富中文網）
譯者：梁宇
審校：夏林
Neil Clifford, the boss of Kurt Geiger, one of Britain’s most prominent footwear brands, started his career a world away from the glitz and glamour of fashion.
Growing up, the CEO failed almost all of his exams because of his dyslexia struggles. After leaving school with just one qualification in art, Clifford went to the job center and found work at a Fiat car dealership, where he was paid ￡25 ($33) a week.
“That was my first job in August ’83, so I suppose I’ve done all right,” Clifford told Fortune.
He’s done all right indeed: The now 57-year-old went from the car dealership and cleaning toilets for extra pocket money to running ￡330 million-a-year ($432 million) business Kurt Geiger—and has done so for more than two decades.
His career trajectory shifted gears after a friend got him an interview for Burton’s menswear at Debenhams in his hometown of Portsmouth.
“Suddenly, I was going from delivering paraffin to selling suits,” he remembers. “I realized at that point I was really good at selling stuff because I was able to convince people how wonderful they looked.”
It was there that Clifford got the big break that launched him into the high-flying world of fashion.
Clifford’s career-defining moment
A few months into working at his local department store, Clifford noticed that Burton’s then CEO and the founder of Topshop, Ralph Halpern, made a habit of walking the shop floor most Saturdays.
To stand out among the hundreds of other workers across the U.K., Clifford knew he had to seize this opportunity. His plan? He would muster the courage to pitch his ambitions directly to the boss.
He bided his time, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce—when his manager was away on holiday.
“I knew, right, if he comes in today, I have my speech all sorted in my head,” he remembers. “I knew that was a moment for me. It was a bit like if I was a footballer, brought on as a substitute and I had to take a penalty.”
“I had this half an hour opportunity to chat to the big, big, big, big boss,” he adds. “I knew I wanted to ask for advice, but also express my enthusiasm, express my ambition, my energy… So, yeah, it was a moment for me that I knew I had to perform.”
The advice that stuck with Clifford was “There’s plenty of jobs, but you need to move to London. You’re not going to make it in Portsmouth.”
It was the push he needed to leave his sleepy hometown and embrace the hustle of the city.
Moving to London changed the course of Clifford’s career
“I applied for a job straight away that week in Woolwich,” Clifford recalls of the pivotal moment in his career. “I didn’t know where Woolwich was, to be honest, but it had a London postcode.”
The role offered him the chance to manage his own boutique store instead of a concession stand within a department store—it was a big step up, and to his surprise, he was offered the job straight away.
“I was the only applicant,” he laughs. “No one else applied for the job because, as it transpired, Woolwich in ’86 was a bit of a rough old joint.”
And just like that, Clifford swapped the safety of Portsmouth for one of the roughest parts of London and never looked back.
“All the staff were stealing, so I had to change all the staff,” he says, adding that it gave him the opportunity to turn the business around and make a name for himself.
By the end of the year, Clifford, who was only 19 years old at the time, says the store was the most profitable and best performing.
“I won this big award, Store Manager of the Year; I was earning ￡9,000 ($12,000) a year. I was the king.”
The experience set him on a quick path to success which saw Clifford bag promotion after promotion, before being poached by Kurt Geiger in 1996.
“In the end, within 18 months, I was managing the biggest store in the company in Bromley, with 40 staff, [turning over] ￡4 million [$5.2 million] pounds a year at 21—I was the youngest flagship store manager in the whole of the Burton group.”
Walmart CEO got his big break the same way
Like Clifford, Walmart’s CEO Doug McMillon came from humble beginnings. He started his career in the company’s warehouses in the summer of 1984, at the age of 17.
Since then, he’s scaled the retail giant’s ranks from unloading trailers for $6.50 an hour to becoming the company’s youngest CEO since its founder Sam Walton—with a $25 million salary to show for it.
He, too, got his big break by stepping up and making his mark when his boss was on vacation.
“One of the reasons that I got the opportunities that I got was that I would raise my hand when my boss was out of town and he or she was visiting stores or something,” McMillon recently revealed.
“I then put myself in an environment where I became a low-risk promotion because people had already seen me do the job.”
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