Catherine Jane Powers

Savvy Senior Store Manager with 23 years overseeing staff, daily activities and business strategies. Dedicated to coaching and retaining talented employees through training, task delegation and motivational techniques.

Highly skilled at overseeing operational activities ranging from accounting to complex customer issue resolution for budget control, positive experience and smooth operations.

Detail oriented leader with dedication to partnering with coworkers to promote engaged, empowering work culture. Documented strengths in building and maintaining relationships with diverse range of stakeholders in dynamic, fast-paced settings. Detail-oriented team player with strong organizational skills. Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously with a high degree of accuracy.

I bet on myself and left University to follow my dream as an entrepreneur. Founded with student colleagues a dry bulk distribution company.

Best idea ever. 99 cents refill spice bags!

Had to find products to sell in bulk while building a pipe line of potential buyers. Big break Provigo. We were young and passionate and even if we worked a 7 days a week we fuelled on our success. Eventually we build a team of sales representatives, employees to repackage and built a dock for our trucks to ship faster, we went from the fab 4 to a group over 65. I regret selling my share.

My second business, a Greek Restaurant, family oriented, high volume of customers. A very intense time . Getting construction permits to managing time lines, finding a kitchen brigade, floor staff, all while planning lay out and establishing the menu to be. Our soft opening was anything but. From day 1, a line at the door. Fast pace job, must have the capability to be versatile in customer service, while managing staff on floor and in kitchen all while overseeing payroll, food inventory , managing costs and solving the little issues like stuck paper in the cash registers with a smile ! My late husband had two more Brasseries which were high volume that I took care of the day to day management. In all over 40pers per establishment to manage per restaurant plus our personal that cleaned the restaurants and our numerous apartment complexes.

Third business , PFA my import and distribution of high end lingerie (Oscalito)and cashmere sweaters

(Vanadis Milano).

Enjoyed travelling to Europe and overseeing the processes of the making of fine undergarments and high quality goods.

Purchasing the perfect goods for my company to sell. This requires research. Must have ability to negotiate contracts with suppliers , and manage inventory, evaluate quality goods while respecting my budget. A big portion of annual sales made on the floor at Le Salon the Paris and Lyon for International trade show. The later part if the year finding new buyers across Canada.

Ideas are created in the oddest way! an empty spice bottle while cooking with friends, let us down the road to a more sustainable way to distribute spices in refill packages . What great minds , good food and imagination cooked up.

We bought the leftover-scraps off the conveyer belts in factories buying their chips, chocolate ,nuts, oats, lentils and a multitude of products that perish slowly or not. Some companies were happy that we picked up their scraps, it solved a problem for them. We repackage them or installed the food in carton barrels where the customer could buy the needed quantity. Lets remind ourselves they are no Bulk Barns in 1980's. We were innovators to open a bulk store. We soon understood that distribution would be more lucrative than a brick n mortar model.

We switched and the rest is history. I later cashed in my share.

I love the restaurant business , this is my second Love in life. My late husband owed many restaurant and brasseries. Managing huge volumes of staff, inventory, services and giving a warm and welcoming service while maintaining quality control for clients is a job for adrenaline junkies like me.

Last adventure was my fashion import agency. Imported luxury brand of Swiss cashmere sweaters and fine Italian lingerie .Enjoyed the trade shows, the hunt for fine product to represent here in Canada and finding pipe line to distribute. A parallel with les Aliment Jardi but with a different product. Lesson , easier to sell high volume low price than the reverse.