Talking heads - Passion for making up the rules

Kirsten Ford

Marketing manager, FlyingPig.co.nz on-line retail shopping service.

Staff: 50

Age: 26



What makes your day at work?

The internet is such a dynamic environment, everything is new and there are so many challenges and opportunities every day. It's that dynamic environment that I thrive in. I find it so exhilarating because there's never a typical workday.

How did you get where you are today?

Through having a really clear focus on each goal, through determination and through plain old hard work. I was always very determined to succeed and thrive in an environment where I'm challenged.

Prior to FlyingPig I was a branch manager for Woolworths supermarkets and involved in the e-commerce side of things. Before that I was a senior account manager at Aim Direct, a direct marketing agency. The e-commerce and retail and brand development experience from Woolworths and the direct marketing skills from Aim Direct I could bring to FlyingPig have been invaluable.

What was the most important lesson you learned on your way up?

To never accept the status quo and to always challenge the boundaries of any situation. Keeping to the status quo is not always the best way to do things, you need to constantly reassess.

To keep a sense of humour, to have fun and never take yourself too seriously is really just so important because you need to keep your feet firmly planted in reality. Thirdly, to be on a continual learning curve. My life has been very full but there's still so much to learn.

How have you dealt with any pitfalls in your career?

There have been lots of little setbacks in my career but nothing monumental.

One real challenge for us on the marketing side is that the internet is such an embryonic industry and that there's a real lack of resource to draw upon.

It's been so much harder because there was no established way of doing things, we just didn't have that luxury. In many situations, that's allowed us to set up structures that have suited our company.

Dealing with pitfalls, I suppose the key thing is to never give up and to focus on the fact that you can learn from every life experience.

My whole philosophy is that nothing is a setback and everything is an opportunity, and that you can learn from every experience and apply that to the next challenge.

What advice would you give to a young person starting out on a business career?

To set high goals for yourself and work very hard to achieve them and the fact that no amount of natural skill and talent can ever substitute for hard work. Invest your time and energy into causes that you're passionate about.

What's the biggest challenge for your organisation in the present economy?

There's a real challenge for us to recruit, sustain and develop intellectual property needed to drive our business forward. The creation of a knowledge community is so important for us to be able to move the company forward. We need to ensure we've got the right knowledge, that we're drawing it into our business.

Another challenge for all e-commerce businesses, with the rapid growth of the industry, is to take the time to slow down and think about what you're doing.

What one thing would you have done differently?

I would have got into the internet sooner because it's so exciting. There are no rules, boundaries or preconceived ideas.

The big appeal is the chance to actually create and define the rules. People talk about breaking the rules all the time, this is the chance to actually create them. I love that.

What ambitions do you have?

For me at the moment the internet is changing life as we know it, I can't think of any other role or organisation that I would rather work for. I want to ensure FlyingPig is one of New Zealand's leading retailers.

How do you relax?

With coffee and bagels on weekends. For me it's really important to feed the body, the mind and the soul. Each week includes time at the gym, lots of long walks, time for reading and investment in spiritual growth as well.

* Kirsten Ford talked to Libby Middlebrook.