So you want to be a Wholesale Director … Top Tips from an Industry Expert
My name is Taylah Klouzal and I am a Global Wholesale Professional. This week was pivotal part of my a career as a took the plunge and launched my own agency (@watson.agency).
My career in Wholesale has taken me all over the world, waking up in Paris and strolling to the showroom with a coffee and baguette in hand, or going to meetings in London with the best department stores in the world or finishing a very long day selling in NYC when the snow begins to fall and I pinch myself. It all seems glamorous but I have not stopped working since I was 16 years old to get where I am now.
When I was at high school, my dream was to be a flight attendant. I knew I didn't want to stay in Castle Hill forever and wanted to see the world! As soon as I could get a job I started working. My parents are very supportive people, they pushed and motivated me. This is when the foundations were laid for my career. I would come home crying from jobs I didn't want to do in High School and my mum made me go. This determination and persistence really helped me when I was thrown into tricky situations.
At university, I studied a Bachelor of Communications majoring in PR and Journalism. When it was time to get an internship I applied for a marketing internship at CAMILLA. I was so passionate about the brand and didn't take no for an answer. I got a call 30 mins after dropping in my CV that they wanted me! Fast forward 5 years and I had turned an internship sorting boxes in a warehouse to being a Wholesale Executive. I worked my way through retail, as a causal then onto managing the Bondi Beach Flagship store. I loved working at CAMILLA, I met all my best friends there, learnt so much about fashion and business and had the time of my life (but worked my absolute ass off!)
After CAMILLA, I joined the Sass & Bide team, which was incredible, to then be offered a job at Tigerlily! The experience at Tigerlily was amazing, I was fortunate enough to work with so many talented humans and really pushed in my career. I was working crazy hours and away from my husband and family travelling but it was the most rewarding job I have ever had. Being part of a business where you have a purpose and you are supported, it does amazing things for your career and you as a human.
I'm really looking forward to the next part of my adventure; I love wholesale. It is so much more than making a sale! Wholesale for me is not only supporting an incredible product I believe in, it is bringing the right product to the right retailer through a relationship that has been built on trust and collaboration.
Here are my top tops for success
I cannot stress this enough, every single relationship is important! Our industry is so small, someone you meet in a post office could be a person you'll sit in front of in a boardroom in 5 years.
Be so good that they can't ignore you. This is advice my mum gave me when I was 10 years old and it works a bloody treat!
Stay positive and motivated, don't look for that from other people. If you can find motivation and positivity within yourself, you're already miles ahead.
Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty!
With love,
Taylah x
Want to know more? Check out Taylah on LinkedIn …
https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylah-klouzal-328ba2118/
“I was so passionate about the brand and didn't take no for an answer. Fast forward 5 years and I had turned an internship sorting boxes in a warehouse to being a Wholesale Executive.”