CHAPTER 3THE CANDY MAN
‘I want to become the National Candy Bar Stocktake Executive,’ said no-one ever.
I did.
It wasn't the most exciting role, but that was the attraction. It was a chance to learn new skills and progress up the ladder. I had done some stocktake work, but this full-time role was a step up. I really wanted this job. I prepared for the interview by reading up on demand planning and sales forecasting and was ready to take any question they might pose. I was beyond thrilled when they offered me the role. When I asked how many people applied for the job, they replied, ‘Just one. You.’ No matter. I was stoked to get it.
This job required me to visit every Village cinema in the country, meet all the candy bar managers, spend time with each staff member to understand their role in the stocktake process, and help them be more efficient. On average, each candy bar lost around $1000 to $10 000 a week due to poor stocktaking practices. That may not sound like a lot for a global operation, but when multiplied out across the 30-plus cinemas in the Australian chain, and the hundreds across the world, that's a lot to lose every week. I took it upon myself to find a way to stem these losses. I always tried to think like the owner and treat the business as if it was mine. I figured if you always did what was right for the business, you couldn't go wrong.
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