Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Thrive in Fashion Buying and Merchandising
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fashion Buyer and Designer: How to Work Together | 20 Oct 2026 | 00:15:34 | |
In this episode of the Thrive in Fashion Buying podcast, Elisabeth explains why buyers and designers can often disagree when they build a range, and what a buyer can do about it. She starts with how each role is measured and shows why the commercial brief has to reach the design team before the creative work begins. She also covers how to say no to a design without losing the idea or the designer's goodwill, with four options to try first and an example costed at a retail price well above the category's best sellers. If you are a buyer in the first few years of the role, or you own a category and your reviews with the design team keep turning into arguments about individual styles, this episode gives you a practical way to change that. What you'll learn - Why a designer in a private label business is judged on newness and handwriting, and a buyer on sell-through, margin, open to buy, option count and price architecture. - Why sharing sales data at concept review, or later at first sample review, makes every number sound negative to the designer. - What to put in a short written commercial brief, and why you should walk the designer through it in person. - Four things to try before you say no to a design: cost it with the supplier, move it to a later intake or a capsule, edit the number of versions, or test it in a small number of stores and online. - How to explain a decision in terms of price point and what your customer expects to pay, instead of saying you do not like something. - Why a good designer can see a change in trend before it appears in your sales data, and how to use that. If you want to build these skills step by step, from writing a commercial brief and building the range plan through sampling and fit to bulk approval and sales analysis, take a look at the Online Course in Thrive in Fashion Buying. https://designdirectiveme.com/online-fashion-buying-course | |||
| Working with AI reports in Fashion Buying | 13 Oct 2026 | 00:17:44 | |
Summary AI tools are available that can now pull your sales data, build your weekly trade pack and even tell you which lines need attention. But someone still has to decide whether the information is right. In this episode, Elisabeth shares her feedback on a recent AI merchandising webinar and an interview she gave to a fashion buying student. She looks at where the real value is for buying and merchandising teams, and highlights the risk that comes when the answer that looks right, and the overwhelm that comes with too much data. Points covered • What AI trade packs, agents and sales tools can do • Why AI cannot build your range for you • Why trend platforms are not crystal balls • How a report can be accurate and still misleading Five checks to make before you act on any report 1. Check the definition: gross or net, with or without tax, before or after returns. 2. Ask what the report doesn't include: deliveries, supplier delays, fit, store layout, promotions, weather. 3. Check it against something real: the website, a store, customer reviews, the supplier. 4. Weigh the risk if the recommendation is wrong. 5. Make sure you can explain the decision in your own words. Free Quiz Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: Online Learning Explore the Thrive in Fashion Buying Online Course: | |||
| What Fashion Buyers Can Learn From Merchandisers | 05 Oct 2026 | 00:11:11 | |
In this episode of the Thrive in Fashion Buying podcast, Elisabeth explains how to think more like a merchandiser, so you can read what is behind a result before you decide where your budget goes. She covers what to look at when a category is ahead of plan, how to judge whether a selling style deserves more investment, why sales growth can hide an unhealthy business, and why profit has to be built into the buy and not recovered at the end of the season. If you are in the first few years of your buying career, or you own a category and want your trade meetings to go better, this episode gives you a clear way to connect product, numbers and action. What you'll learn; - The questions to ask when you trade above budget - What to check before you reorder a style that is selling well: - Why a style that is not selling should not automatically be marked down - How to work with your merchandiser or planner: what to ask about the measures they watch, their concerns and what they would do differently. Key terms mentioned Open to buy (OTB), sell-through, stock cover, margin, stock turn, markdown, full price sell-through, rate of sale, forward cover, fashion and newness, core, lead time, life cycle. Next step If you want to build this kind of commercial thinking step by step, using real buying decisions as the working material, take a look at Thrive in Fashion Buying online Course Please follow the show and share with someone you think would enjoy it too. | |||
| How Fashion Buyers Handle Difficult Conversations | 28 Sep 2026 | 00:16:01 | |
Once you have a few years of buying behind you, the hardest part of the job is rarely the product or the numbers. It is getting your range decisions through the business when your merchandiser, supply chain, allocation team and senior managers all have a different view of what the range should be. In this episode, Elisabeth shares how experienced fashion buyers handle push-back, difficult people and tough conversations across the product development process, from concept to the shop floor. In this episode: • Why most "difficult" colleagues are working to a different number, and how to turn an intake cut into a conversation about phasing • The three types of people who are hardest to work with in a buying office, and a different approach for each • How to stay calm and commercial when your range is criticised in front of senior managers • How to build influence with supply chain, allocation, VM and technical teams when you have no direct authority over them
To see where your strengths sit as a buyer and which areas are worth working on next, take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: If you would like to develop your fashion buying knowledge from concept to customer, explore the Thrive in Fashion Buying and Merchandising course at designdirectiveme.com | |||
| Buying Decisions in a Soft Market | 22 Sep 2026 | 00:16:13 | |
When a market goes soft, the instinct is to assume demand has disappeared. It usually hasn't. Your customer is still there, but she's taking longer to decide, buying one item where she used to buy two, and waiting for a reason to commit. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale breaks down what actually needs your attention when trade slows down: full price sell-through, forward cover, intake phasing, and the commitments sitting behind your OTB. She walks through why a decision that looks safe for one buyer, like pulling a delivery forward, can become a real cost once you multiply it across a team, and what separates buyers who hold their credibility in a difficult season from those who don't. Key Takeaway In a soft market, the question changes from "will this sell" to "when will it sell, and at what margin". The buyers who navigate this well can account for every unit of their commitments, not just their product choices. Links & Resources Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, a review on Apple Podcasts helps it reach more buyers navigating the same conditions. | |||
| What to do when your margin drops | 14 Sep 2026 | 00:10:20 | |
What do you do when your sales are on plan but your margin has dropped. In this episode Elisabeth explains why that happens, what it tells you about the quality of your sales rather than the volume, and the questions to ask in your Monday trade meeting to find the cause before it grows into a bigger and costly problem, IN THIS EPISODE · Why margin is driven by the value and mix of what you sell, not by the number of units that leave the shop floor · The five most common causes of a margin drop, from a markdown rate above plan to movement in your landed cost · How a shift in product mix inside a single category can cost you several points of margin while sales still look healthy · The six diagnostic questions and what each one tells you about where to act GO DEEPER If you want to understand how margin is calculated, how to phase your product, and what weekly actions to take when your figures start to move, that is the commercial framework the Thrive in Fashion Buying and Merchandising course was built to teach: https://designdirectiveme.com/online-fashion-buying-course If you would like to develop your fashion buying knowledge from concept to customer, explore the Thrive in Fashion Buying and Merchandising course at designdirectiveme.com | |||
| How to Review a Poor-Performing Fashion Range | 08 Sep 2026 | 00:14:05 | |
When a range underperforms, the initial assumption is almost always that the product was wrong. It sometimes is. In this episode, Elisabeth goes through the small number of reasons ranges that contribute to a poor trading range, what a proper category analysis includes compared to the blame conversation that some buying offices run instead. In this episode: · Diagnose an underperforming range against the real causes: · Run a category analysis that produces information rather than defensiveness, mid-season as well as end of season · Review the option-level data, including the sell-through, markdown and margin analysis most buyers don't pull. · Read the same sell-through figure two ways, and understand why 68 per cent can be either a success or a significant failure The full commercial framework behind this kind of diagnosis, from intake phasing through to markdown strategy, is here: If you would like to develop your fashion buying knowledge from concept to customer, explore the Thrive in Fashion Buying and Merchandising course at designdirectiveme.com COURSE DETAILS https://designdirectiveme.com/online-fashion-buying-course Have a Question - Ask Elisabeth | |||
| Q&A's - OTB, Late Deliveries, Range Plans .. | 26 Aug 2026 | 00:17:34 | |
There are lots of questions in buying that are left unanswered. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale answers some of those directly: these are questions that come up repeatedly from buyers at different stages of their careers, and that the person asking rarely wants to raise out loud. In this episode: - How to know if your OTB figure is right - What to do when a supplier keeps pushing back the delivery date - Do you have to choose between product instinct and commercial data - Why the feeling that everyone else in the room knows something you don't is not unusual - When the right time to put yourself forward for more responsibility To build the commercial foundations that underpin all of these questions, explore the Buyer's Toolkit Mini Course: To go deeper and develop your fashion buying career sills from concept to customer, explore the Thrive in Fashion Buying course Website and Podcast Notes DESIGN DIRECTIVE Email your questions Hello@thriveinfashion.com | |||
| What Makes the Buyer-Merchandiser Relationship Work | 18 Aug 2026 | 00:10:31 | |
The relationship between buying and merchandising influences how a season performs.. It is not always obvious but when it works well it shows in the way decisions are made, how the two roles challenge each other and how smoothly the work moves from one to the other. When it struggles, the commercial impact can appear long before the real problem is clear. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale explores what the best buyer-merchandiser partnerships have in common and what tends to gat in the way when they don't work well. - Why financial fluency is the key to a strong buying-merchandising relationship - The practical importance of clear decision ownership - The difference between working in silos and solving the same commercial problem together
If you would like to develop your fashion buying knowledge from concept to customer, and to understand more about the role and responsibilities of Buyers and Merchandisers, explore the Thrive in Fashion Buying online course: https://designdirectiveme.com/online-fashion-buying-course Find more info on the Website | |||
| How to Develop Your Fashion Buying Career | 12 Aug 2026 | 00:22:33 | |
Professional development in Fashion Buying is largely self-directed. Most organisations do not have a structured approach to developing their buyers, and the ones who wait for a plan from above tend to wait a long time. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale shares some examples s she used throughout her career to manage her own professional development, and the signals she looks for when she sees buyers doing the same.
In this episode: - Why tracking your decisions and their outcomes is one of the most effective development tools available - How to seek out exposure in buying offices - Identifying the gap between where you are and where you want to be, and targeting it deliberately - Four signs that a buyer is taking ownership of their own development
Take the FREE “Are You Buyer-Ready?” Quiz to understand your current strengths and development gaps and where to focus next: https://learn.designdirectiveme.com/fashion-buyer-ready-quiz
If you would like to develop your fashion buying knowledge and skill further from concept to customer, explore the Thrive in Fashion Buying course Here is the link directly: https://designdirectiveme.com/online-fashion-buying-course
Check out the website for more information and blog articles. | |||
| What Nobody Tells You About Your First Year as a Fashion Buyer | 04 Aug 2026 | 00:17:41 | |
In this episode: - Why most buying offices run on an undesigned apprenticeship model. - The most important professional relationship to build it deliberately from the start - What to do when your product instinct and the commercial data do not match. - How to read the room before you speak in it. If you want to understand where you are in your development and what to prioritise next, take the free ' Are You Buyer-Ready?' quiz: If you would like to develop your fashion buying knowledge from concept to customer, explore the Thrive in Fashion Buying Online course at www.designdirectiveme.com | |||
| I Have Hired Hundreds of Fashion Buyers. This Is What Makes a CV Stand Out | 27 Jul 2026 | 00:18:48 | |
Most fashion buyer CVs share the same problem: they read like a job description. They list responsibilities, use business jargon, and tell what a buyer was supposed to do not what they actually achieved or what they can bring to a new role. Elisabeth Mac Hale has worked in Fashion Buying for more than 25 years and reviewed hundreds of buyer CV's. In this episode she shares what she consistently sees on the CVs that don't make it through the initial review, and what the ones that land at the top of the pile actually contain. She covers the mistakes that cost candidates an opportunity before anyone has read a word, the difference between responsibilities and achievements, and how the CV opens the door to the next stage..
In This Episode • Why listing responsibilities produces a job description • Presentation and layout • The difference between responsibilities and achievements • How to quantify your commercial contribution Resources Mentioned The FREE Buyer-Ready Assessment Quiz https://learn.designdirectiveme.com/fashion-buyer-ready-quiz Book a CV / Resume Audit https://tidycal.com/design-directive/resume-cv-audit-for-fashion-professionals The Thrive Signature Fashion Buying Course https://designdirectiveme.com/online-fashion-buying-course Connect With Elisabeth Website: https://designdirectiveme.com Instagram: @designdirectivedubai LinkedIn: Elisabeth Mac Hale | |||
| How Fashion Buying for Digital Commerce Is Different and the Skills You Need to Do It Well | 20 Jul 2026 | 00:18:01 | |
In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale looks at what buying for digital commerce genuinely requires across traditional e-commerce, drops and limited releases, and marketplace models. She talks about what changes in range and product selection when you're buying for digital, including the taxonomy problem, the visual presentation challenge, and why online ranges tend to grow in the wrong direction. She also addresses how trading and OTB work differently online, from the speed of feedback to return rate planning and omni-channel stock allocation tensions. Running through all of it is a thread about the skill set digital buying actually demands and why the buyers who perform best online are the ones who combine product instinct with data literacy, not the ones who have traded one for the other.
In This Episode • The three digital channel models and what each one means • Why drops require different product selection logic to a core range buy • The distinction between marketplace buying and traditional fashion buying • The long tail range problem and why range architecture discipline matters more online, not less • Return rates and how to build them into OTB planning • The speed of online trading data and how to use it commercially
Resources Professional Fashion Buying Online Course Connect With Elisabeth Website: designdirectiveme.com Instagram: @designdirectivedubai LinkedIn: Elisabeth Mac Hale
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| Why Fashion Buyers Struggle with Sustainability | 13 Jul 2026 | 00:17:43 | |
Sustainability is an increasingly important topic in fashion retail, and one of the least clearly defined. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale cuts through the noise to give fashion buyers a practical understanding of what sustainability actually means across a product and why the label on a garment rarely tells the full story. Elisabeth breaks down what sustainability covers across the full product lifecycle, from raw material origin through manufacturing process, components and trims, packaging, and factory standards. She shares what an individual buyer can realistically do within their own role, including the questions to ask suppliers, how to direct business toward better sourcing partners, and where packaging and component decisions create direct influence. If you've been asked to build more sustainability into your range but aren't sure what that actually means in practice, this episode is a good place to start.
In This Episode • What sustainability covers across five areas of a product's lifecycle • The questions individual buyers can ask suppliers to raise the standard of the conversation • Packaging and component decisions that sit within a buyer's direct control • What a business needs to have in place: vision, defined criteria and buyer education
Resources Mentioned Sign up to the newsletter: designdirectiveme.com
Connect With Elisabeth Website: designdirectiveme.com Instagram: @thedesigndirective LinkedIn: Elisabeth Mac Hale
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| What AI Is Actually Doing to the Fashion Buyer's Role (And How to Stay Ahead of It) | 06 Jul 2026 | 00:26:21 | |
AI is moving into fashion retail fast, and buying teams are already feeling it. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale looks at what AI tools are useful for in the buying process, where the risks are,and what a buyer needs to understand to use these tools well without losing the commercial judgement that makes them valuable. Elisabeth covers three areas where AI supports better buying decisions: trend and demand forecasting, range planning and option analysis, and customer data interpretation. She talks about risks involved, including over-reliance on outputs without sense-checking, the data quality issues and why junior buyers using AI to skip the analytical work may create a skills gap that will cost them later.
In This Episode • Where AI is already delivering value for buying teams • How trend and demand forecasting tools change what's possible in the buying cycle • Why range planning and option analysis are really practical applications • The over-reliance risk and why an AI output is a starting point, not a decision • The data quality problem: why garbage in means garbage out • Why junior buyers skipping the analytical work to reach an AI output faster may cost them commercially
Resources Mentioned Buyer's Tool Kit: https://learn.designdirectiveme.com/buyers-toolkit Connect With Elisabeth Website: designdirectiveme.com Instagram: @thedesigndirective LinkedIn: Elisabeth Mac Hale | |||
| Why the Best Fashion Buyers Are Not Afraid to Say They Got It Wrong | 29 Jun 2026 | 00:12:40 | |
Every fashion buyer makes wrong calls. The question is not whether it happens but instead what you do when it does. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale talks about getting a buying decision wrong and how you can learn from the ability to identify a mistake early, act on it without delay, and take something genuinely useful from it.
In this episode: • Why getting it wrong is inevitable in buying -- and what separates buyers who recover well from those who do not • The commercial cost of protecting a wrong decision instead of correcting it • How you talk about a bad call in a team environment, and why it is more observed than most buyers realise • Why learning from a wrong call is a skill that has to be practised, not something that just happens
Find out where your commercial judgement sits right now with the free Buyer-Ready Assessment:
If you would like to develop your fashion buying knowledge from concept to customer, explore the Thrive in Fashion Buying and Merchandising course Visit the Website designdirectiveme.com | |||
| What I Look for When I Review a Fashion Buyer's Performance | 22 Jun 2026 | 00:14:25 | |
Fashion college teaches you how to buy. It does not teach you how to be assessed as a professional in a commercial business. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale explains what is actually being looked at in a performance review: the buying-specific technical skills and the professional competencies that sit alongside them and why understanding the full picture changes how you prepare, how you show up, and how you develop.
In this episode: • Why your buying numbers are only part of what a manager is assessing in a review • The four professional competencies that commercial businesses assess and what they look like specifically in a buying role • The one question that reveals more about a buyer than almost anything else in a review conversation • How to build the skills that matter most without waiting for a formal development plan
If you are ready to develop the full commercial and technical skill set that managers assess at this level, explore the Thrive in Fashion Buying and Merchandising course: Not sure where your gaps are? Start with the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: Explore the Website: designdirectiveme.com | |||
| How Fashion Buyers can succeed at Supplier Negotiations | 15 Jun 2026 | 00:12:23 | |
Supplier negotiation is one of the most commercially significant skills a fashion buyer develops and one area where limiting habits can form early. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale shares what she wishes she had understood sooner about supplier negotiations, and what she sees buyers consistently getting wrong, regardless of how experienced they are.
In this episode: • Why treating every negotiation as a price conversation limits the commercial value of a supplier relationship • What it means to understand the supplier's position • The real commercial cost of confusing toughness with effectiveness in a negotiation • Why treating negotiation as an ongoing conversation changes the quality of every supplier relationship
Find out where your buying skills stand right now with the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: If you would like to develop your fashion buying knowledge from concept to customer, explore the Thrive in Fashion Buying and Merchandising course | |||
| The Seasonal Planning Mistakes Fashion Buyers Keep Making | 08 Jun 2026 | 00:11:11 | |
Seasonal planning is one of the most important technical skills a fashion buyer develops and one of the areas where the most avoidable mistakes happen. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale draws on 25+ years of industry experience to walk through the four seasonal planning mistakes she sees most often, why they happen, and what buyers can do to build more resilient, commercially grounded plans.
In this episode: • Why planning purely against the previous year creates hidden risks in your seasonal plan • How to treat your seasonal plan as a live document, not a fixed one • Why transitional periods are consistently under-planned and what to do about it • The difference between a seasonal budget and a seasonal plan, and why it matters
Master these 3 fundamental skills that every buyer needs with The Buyer's Tool Kit: a short online masterclass
If you would like to develop your fashion buying knowledge from concept to customer, explore the Thrive in Fashion Buying and Merchandising course More Information on the website designdirectiveme.com | |||
| What Fashion Buyers Get Wrong About Range Reviews | 01 Jun 2026 | 00:17:19 | |
Range review and Range Sign off meetings are one of the most commercially significant meetings in the buyers calender. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale draws on 25+ years of experience on both sides of the review room to explain what managers are actually assessing, why creative confidence alone is not enough, and what buyers can do differently to walk in prepared rather than just rehearsed.
In this episode: • Why your range review is a not a creative presentation • The difference between defending your range and discussing it • What senior managers are actually looking for when they challenge a buying decision • How to prepare for a range review in a way that builds real confidence, not just a rehearsed script
Find out where your commercial thinking stands right now with the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://learn.designdirectiveme.com/fashion-buyer-ready-quiz
If you would like to develop your fashion buying knowledge from concept to customer, explore the Thrive in Fashion Buying and Merchandising course at designdirectiveme.com
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| How Fashion Buyers Build a Reputation for Strategic Thinking Before the Promotion Comes | 25 May 2026 | 00:13:19 | |
Most mid-level buyers are waiting for a promotion to make them strategic. In this episode, Elisabeth explains why that is the wrong order and what the specific, observable behaviours are that change how you are perceived long before the formal assessment happens. In This Episode
Key Takeaway Buyers who are seen as ready for the next level don’t wait for the title.They already think about the bigger business picture, not just their own work. They do this consistently, speak up in meetings, and show it where it matters. Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up. | |||
| Why Fashion Buyers Struggle to Push Back at Work (And What to Do Instead) | 18 May 2026 | 00:14:31 | |
Most buyers at the three to five year stage in their careers know when they should push back. The challenge is knowing how to do this in a way that is commercially useful rather than personally costly. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale breaks down why mid-career buyers struggle to raise a contrary view at work, and what the language and approach of a well-delivered pushback actually looks like. This episode is for buyers who have the commercial instinct to see problems coming but are not yet confident in their ability to raise them effectively in the room. Key Takeaway Expressing a contrary view as a question about the commercial outcome rather than a statement of disagreement is almost always more effective and more credible. Buyers who develop that habit are consistently perceived as commercially mature well before their title reflects it. Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up. | |||
| How Junior Fashion Buyers Lose Credibility With Senior Stakeholders (And How to Fix It) | 11 May 2026 | 00:12:46 | |
Knowing your category and having the right data is only part of what it takes to communicate effectively with senior stakeholders. In this episode, Elisabeth breaks down why capable buyers can lose credibility and what to do differently. Learn the difference between presenting data and presenting a point of view, and why that is what builds commercial credibility. She explains how to prepare for the questions behind the questions, the ones that test your commercial thinking, not just your category knowledge. And what to do when a senior stakeholder challenges your position and why how you respond matters more than whether you are right. Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up. | |||
| "What Fashion Buyers Get Wrong About Taking Initiative (And Why It Stalls Promotion)" | 04 May 2026 | 00:11:38 | |
Being told to "show more initiative" is one of the most common pieces of feedback junior fashion buyers receive and one of the least well explained. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale breaks down what initiative actually means in a commercial buying environment, why it is so frequently misunderstood, and what it looks like at different stages of a buyer's career. If you have ever taken initiative and still been told it was not quite right, this episode will help you understand why — and what to focus on instead. Key Takeaway The buyers who progress quickly are not the ones who do the most. They are the ones who notice the right things at the right moment and bring their thinking forward in a way that is useful. That is the version of initiative that gets you promoted. Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up. | |||
| Why Most Fashion Buyers Waste Their Performance Review (And How to Use It Instead) | 27 Apr 2026 | 00:11:30 | |
Most buyer performance plans are thorough on paper and thin on impact. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale draws on her years of industry experience of reviewing and writing development plans across retail organisations to explain exactly what makes the difference and how to take ownership of your own development before your next review conversation.
In this episode:
Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up. | |||
| The Four Things Your Manager Tracks That Are Not in Your Fashion Buying KPIs | 20 Apr 2026 | 00:16:21 | |
Every buyer knows the declared metrics — sell-through, margin, critical path etc..But the assessment that actually determines whether you progress happens differently: This happens continuously, informally, and against criteria nobody shares with you directly. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale names four undeclared KPIs that managers track, and explains what each one looks like in practice. In this episode:
Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
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| How to Challenge a Fashion Supplier Without Damaging the Relationship | 13 Apr 2026 | 00:11:11 | |
Supplier relationships are among the most commercially valuable things a fashion buyer builds. But one of the skills buyers are least prepared for is the moment when those relationships come under pressure. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale gives you the practical framework for having the conversation you have been avoiding and coming out of it with the outcome you need and the relationship intact. In this episode:
Links & Resources : Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
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| Why Fashion Buyers Who Hit Their Targets Still Don't Get Promoted | 06 Apr 2026 | 00:14:04 | |
There are assessments that happen without you knowing or realising, conversations where your name comes up for a promotion, a bigger budget, or a project but it is never communicated directly to you. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale draws on her experience of hiring and developing fashion buyers to explain exactly what senior leaders are discussing when they assess a buyer's readiness to move forward.
In this episode: • Why doing your job well is the baseline , not the differentiator • The four things senior leaders actually look for that never appear on a job description • The difference between a buyer who monitors a category and one who takes responsibility for it commercially • How to demonstrate forward thinking in the meetings you are already in Links & Resources : Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
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| Forecasting Like a Pro: Bridge the Gap Between Gut Feel and Data | 30 Mar 2026 | 00:13:05 | |
Every buyer uses instinct. The question is whether instinct is the whole picture or just the starting point. Forecasting is one of the most practically useful skills in fashion buying and one of the least formally developed. Most buyers move through their early careers making decisions based on a mix of market feel, previous season performance, and what their manager or merchandiser tells them the plan is. That is not wrong. But it is incomplete. And at some point in a buying career, the gap between gut feel and data-informed planning becomes visible — in sell-through rates, in stock imbalances, in ranges that made creative sense but did not perform commercially. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale walks through the practical side of forecasting: what it means in a buying context, how to use the data you already have access to, and how to build the habit of demand planning that separates reactive buyers from those who consistently plan with commercial confidence. What you will learn:
Resources Mentioned:
https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment
Connect with Elisabeth:
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| How to Speak Confidently about Margin as a Buyer | 23 Mar 2026 | 00:11:47 | |
Margin comes up in every buying meeting. It is in every range review, every supplier negotiation, every conversation with your merchandiser or finance team. And yet most buyers enter the profession without ever being formally taught how to think in margin - what it means, how it is calculated, and how to use it as a planning and decision-making tool rather than a number someone else tracks. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale breaks down margin fluency : why it is the clearest marker of commercial credibility in a buying role, what the most common gaps look like in practice, and how to start speaking about the numbers with confidence rather than avoidance. What you will learn:
Resources Mentioned:
https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment
Connect with Elisabeth:
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| What OTB Is, Why It Exists, and How to Use It Confidently. | 16 Mar 2026 | 00:13:24 | |
Open-to-buy. If those three words make you feel slightly anxious, you are not alone. OTB is one of the most important financial tools in fashion buying and one of the least formally taught. Most buyers are expected to understand it from day one, pick it up on the job, and never admit they find it confusing. The result is a generation of buyers who are working with budgets they do not fully understand, making purchase decisions without a clear financial framework, and feeling quietly out of their depth every time the numbers come up. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale breaks OTB down from first principles. What it is, how it works, why it exists, and — most importantly — what it feels like to actually use it confidently rather than just hoping the numbers balance. What you will learn:
Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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| Why Your Boss doesn't Think You are Strategic (and how you can fix this) | 10 Mar 2026 | 00:12:55 | |
In almost every buying office when something goes wrong like a supplier crisis, a shipment delay or a supply chain disruption.This is when the your problem solving skills as a buyer become visible. Its not about how well you execute the plan, it about how you think and act when the plan falls apart. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale walks through exactly what separates a buyer who responds strategically from one who responds operationally. This is not about crisis management tactics. It is about understanding what strategic thinking actually looks like in practice, why buyers with less experience and training struggle with this, and what you can start doing differently today. What you will learn:
Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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| The Critical Path: What It Is, Who Does It, and Why Your Fashion Career Depends on It. | 02 Mar 2026 | 00:14:54 | |
The critical path is the glue that holds all the pieces of the buying process together. Understanding it is the difference between looking like you know what you're doing and actually knowing what you're doing. If you want to be trusted with bigger budgets and more responsibility, this is a commercial skill you cannot afford to ignore. In this episode, Elisabeth breaks down critical path management , from the fundamentals to the strategic thinking that separates buyers who consistently deliver from those constantly firefighting delays. What You'll Learn:
The bottom line: Critical path management isn't just project coordination. It's strategic thinking that turns reactive buyers into commercial leaders. Master this, and you're not just avoiding disasters - you're building the reputation that gets you promoted. Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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| Why a Fashion Degree Does Not Prepare You to Be a Buyer | 16 Feb 2026 | 00:20:10 | |
After 25 years hiring fashion buyers and managing $100M+ in budgets, the industry reality is that even expensive fashion education often leaves graduates unprepared for the commercial demands of buying roles. This isn't about criticising education because specialised fashion buying and merchandising programs have made significant strides in recent years. However, there remains a substantial gap between classroom learning and the real-world pressures of managing millions in inventory under quarterly targets. Fashion programs, even buying-focused ones, operate in academic environments while buying roles demand immediate commercial decision-making under real business pressure. The 4 commercial thinking gaps I see repeatedly:
Key insight: I've hired and promoted both graduates and non-graduates from various educational backgrounds. Success comes from developing practical commercial thinking skills that can only be fully mastered through real-world application. Perfect for: Fashion buyers feeling unprepared for commercial realities, career changers questioning their educational investment, junior buyers seeking to understand and learn more about daily buying demands. Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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| From Good Eye to Business Brain: How to Build Commercial Credibility in Fashion Buying | 05 Feb 2026 | 00:16:47 | |
If you think fashion buying success is about having a "good eye"? Think again. After 25 years in the industry, managing over $120 million in annual budgets and hiring more than 100 fashion buyers, Elisabeth Mac Hale reveals why the buyers who get promoted are the ones who master commercial thinking. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why "good taste" actually holds back buying careers Whether you're a buying assistant wanting promotion or a junior buyer ready to step up, this episode challenges everything you think you know about building a successful buying career. Key Takeaways: Ready to transform from someone with good taste to a strategic business contributor? Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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| The Hidden Career Advantage for Fashion Buyers | 09 Jan 2026 | 00:11:26 | |
Fashion buying is not a static career — and believing that your learning ends once you land the job may be the very thing holding you back. In this first episode of the New Year, I’m unpacking why continuous learning is non-negotiable for fashion buyers who want to grow, gain confidence, and progress into more senior roles. Drawing on my own experience training and promoting buyers, I share:
If you’ve ever felt unsure about your numbers, hesitant in decision-making, or unclear on what’s holding you back, this episode will help you reframe learning as a strategic career advantage — not a weakness. Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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| The Mistake I See Most Often When I Hire Fashion Buyers | 17 Nov 2025 | 00:10:45 | |
What if having a "good eye" is actually holding back your buying career? In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale shares her 25+ years of industry experience and reveals the critical mistake that prevents 90% of fashion buyers from advancing to leadership roles. After managing over $120 million in annual budgets and hiring more than 100 fashion buyers, Elisabeth breaks down three essential commercial skills that separate successful buyers from those who plateau: Margin Impact Understanding, Open-to-Buy Planning, and Critical Path Management. Through real examples you'll discover why creative vision without commercial strategy leads to career stagnation, and how to bridge the gap between aesthetic vision and business reality. Perfect for junior buyers, buying assistants, fashion graduates, and anyone looking to advance their retail career. Key Takeaways:
Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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| Fashion School Never Taught You What 'Commercial Thinking' Actually Means | 27 Oct 2025 | 00:08:36 | |
Every buyer has heard it — “Be more commercial.” In this episode, Elisabeth breaks down one of the most misunderstood phrases in fashion buying. Drawing on her 25+ years in buying and her experience training global fashion teams, Elisabeth shares: Whether you’re early in your buying career or ready to step up into leadership, this episode will help you see how creative and commercial thinking work together — not against each other.
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| Why Junior Buyers Feel Lost (It's Not Your Fault – You Were Never Trained) | 21 Oct 2025 | 00:16:13 | |
Do you feel like you got the buying job but not the training? You’re not alone. You’ll learn:
🎯 Take the free Fashion Buyer Skills Assessment → [Quiz Link ] Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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| The Buyer-Ready Test: 10 Signs You're Actually Ready for Promotion | 15 Oct 2025 | 00:14:35 | |
Ever wonder why some buyers get promoted while others stay stuck—despite working just as hard? In this episode, Elisabeth introduces her new "Are You Buyer-Ready?" quiz—a free 3-minute career assessment that reveals exactly where you stand in your buying journey. Discover the four core skill areas every successful buyer must master, learn why hard work alone isn't enough for promotion, and hear real stories of buyers who transformed their careers by focusing on the right skills at the right time. Whether you're a buying assistant dreaming of your first buyer role or a junior buyer ready to step up to senior level, this episode gives you the clarity and direction you've been missing. Stop guessing what it takes to get promoted. Start building the skills that matter. What You'll Learn:
Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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| Stop Second-Guessing Every Buying Decision: My 3-Step Confidence Framework | 06 Sep 2025 | 00:15:28 | |
Feeling paralyzed when placing orders? Second-guessing every buying decision? You're not alone. In this episode, Elisabeth breaks down why talented buyers get stuck in "execution mode with anxiety" and shares her 5-pillar framework for building unshakeable confidence in your buying decisions. You'll learn:
Perfect for: Junior to mid-level buyers who want to move from guessing their way through decisions to making them with confidence and strategic clarity. Key takeaway: "Confidence in buying isn't about being certain all the time. It's about being comfortable with uncertainty while having a framework that guides your decisions." Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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| When Buyers Go Too Far: Where Supplier Relationships Cross the Line | 23 Jul 2025 | 00:17:16 | |
Toxic buyer behavior has become normalized in our industry. Stories of unpaid invoices, disrespectful communication, and suppliers being set up to fail reveal how far some buyer-supplier relationships have deteriorated. In this episode, I share examples from payment delays used as leverage to junior buyers learning that bullying suppliers is "just business." I explore why this behavior developed, the real costs to our industry, and most importantly, how we can build respectful partnerships that benefit everyone. Whether you're a buyer, supplier, or industry leader, this conversation will challenge you to examine your relationships and consider what needs to change. Because without our suppliers, we wouldn't have products to sell - it's time we started treating them like the essential partners they are. Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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| How Fashion Buyers Use Instinct and Strategy to Spot Winning Products | 28 Jun 2025 | 00:13:26 | |
Gut instinct isn’t fairy-dust; it’s experience plus data. Its is powerful when it’s backed by data. In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale dissects the buyer’s phrase “I’ll know it when I see it,” True intuition is built on commercial frameworks, customer insight and relentless pattern spotting. She shares some real life examples and you’ll learn three practical ways to train your eye, trust your gut and buy with confidence. Perfect listening for junior and mid-level buyers who want to level up from reactive to strategic. Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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| Why Job Titles Don't Matter: What Actually Makes Buyers Indispensable | 12 May 2025 | 00:13:10 | |
Episode Summary: "It’s not the title that makes you a great buyer— it’s your ability to make the right decisions when no one’s watching." Make your company need you because you are so good at your job, because you have such a good understanding, because you know how to pull all the pieces together because you really understand the strategy and the why behind what you're doing both now and in the future.. You must understand that it's beyond just spread spreadsheet knowledge. You're not just an administrator anymore, you're a strategic thinker. That's how you become indispensable for your company. That's how you become the person every company wants to hire or promote. In this episode of Thrive in Fashion, I’m challenging a mindset that holds so many junior and mid-level buyers back: the idea that your job title defines your success. It doesn’t. I talk about why true progression in fashion buying comes from consistent, commercial decision-making—not visibility or a flashy job title. I share examples of what really builds trust with your manager, how to interpret vague performance feedback, and where to focus your development if you're serious about moving up. Learn also : Why comparison to colleagues is mentally draining—and misleading What questions to ask in your next performance review The core skills that make you stand out as a buyer Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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| Career Switchers: How I Help Non-Buyers Transition to Fashion Buying Roles | 12 Feb 2025 | 00:07:16 | |
In this episode of Thrive in Fashion, I’m answering some of the most common questions I get from professionals looking to transition into a buying role. We’ll cover:
If you’re working in retail, marketing, or merchandising and want to break into buying, this episode is for you. Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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| 5 Common Buying Mistakes and How to Avoid Them | 03 Feb 2025 | 00:15:04 | |
In this episode of Thrive in Fashion, I dive into the most common mistakes fashion buyers make—and how to avoid them. From overbuying and misjudging trends to indecision and poor negotiation, these pitfalls can have a huge impact on your bottom line. I share real-world stories from my experience, including how hesitation and lack of confidence can derail a buying season, why ignoring customer feedback is a costly mistake, and how balancing gut instinct with data leads to smarter buying decisions. Key takeaways: ✔️ Trust your data—don’t rely solely on gut feeling ✔️ Stick to your critical path—indecision costs time and money ✔️ Keep the customer front and center—feedback is everything ✔️ Negotiate smartly—profitability depends on it If you're in fashion buying, this episode is packed with insights to help you avoid costly mistakes and make better decisions. Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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| From Assistant to Buyer in 12 Months: The Promotion Roadmap That Actually Works | 15 Dec 2024 | 00:13:59 | |
As 2024 comes to a close, it’s time to look ahead and start setting your career goals for 2025! In this week’s episode of the Fashion Forward podcast, I’m sharing tips on how to set goals that will set you up for success next year. Whether you’re aiming for a promotion, mastering new skills, or exploring new career opportunities, this episode covers everything you need to stay on track and motivated throughout 2025. Don’t miss out on these practical tips—listen to the full episode today and set yourself up for a successful year ahead! Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up. | |||
| 2025 Fashion Forecast: 5 Trends That Will Make or Break Your Buy Plans | 06 Dec 2024 | 00:12:00 | |
In this week’s episode, we're looking ahead to the biggest trends shaping the fashion industry in 2025! From Neo-Minimalism’s “less is more” ethos to groundbreaking tech-infused textiles, we’re covering it all. Whether you’re in buying, merchandising, or just curious about where fashion is headed, this episode breaks down five key trends: Neo-Minimalism, Tech-Infused Textiles, Playful Colors and Prints, Gender-Fluid Fashion, and Circular Fashion. Tune in to hear details and examples on how to recognise these trends and ways to include them in your buying strategy. Feeling stuck in your current buying role? Learn how to refine your trend forecasting, inventory management, and negotiation strategies to get noticed. Links below Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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| What Fashion School Leaves Out of a Buying Education | 24 Nov 2024 | 00:19:07 | |
In this episode of Thrive in Fashion, Elisabeth Mac Hale reveals the realities of fashion buying that aren’t taught in classrooms. Elisabeth breaks down common misconceptions, from the allure of glamour to the heavy focus on sales data and spreadsheets. She shares her insights and experiences as a buyer, highlighting the balance between creativity and commercial strategy, and how market knowledge and customer insights are essential for success. Packed with real-world examples, this episode is a must-listen for aspiring buyers, fashion students, and anyone eager to thrive in the retail buying office. Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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| Fast-Track Your Buying Career: 3 Moves to Get Promoted in Record Time | 18 Nov 2024 | 00:12:44 | |
In this episode of the Thrive in Fashion Buying and Merchandising podcast, host Elisabeth Mac Hale answers some of the most frequently asked questions about career growth in the fashion industry. Whether you’re a junior buyer looking to advance or a seasoned professional seeking a fresh perspective, this episode is packed with valuable insights. Elisabeth discusses essential skills for advancement, strategies for transitioning into mid-level and senior roles, and ways to foster growth outside of work. She also addresses feelings of being “stuck” in a role and emphasizes the importance of mentorship. Tune in for practical tips and resources that can help you accelerate your career path in buying and merchandising! Links & Resources: Take the free Buyer-Ready Assessment: https://designdirectiveme.com/buyer-ready-assessment Online Buying Course: Thrive in Fashion Buying Connect with Elisabeth:
If this episode was useful, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps the show reach more buyers who need it. And share it with someone who has a review coming up.
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