2024 Star Women in Grocery Award Winner Karina Forbes (Q&A)
Karina Forbes
Senior Manager, Technology Operations
Loblaw
How did you get your start in the grocery/CPG business?
My mom worked in the grocery industry as an accountant, so it was an industry I felt comfortable with from years of hearing about her experiences. My entry into the grocery industry was managing two bulk food stores, while I completed university. I joined Loblaw immediately following university knowing it to be an industry that would always be needed. I was lucky to find a role that combined my operational background with my business finance degree and have always kept the stores and their operations at the heart of all subsequent roles.
What intrigues you about the grocery business?
There are so many different areas of the business to explore while working for the same company, and in one industry. You can take your career path in so many different directions; you never have an excuse to stop learning. What is most exciting to me, however, is knowing how Loblaw and the grocery industry as a whole works together to positively impact the lives of Canadians coast to coast.
What keeps you motivated at work?
Firstly, no one day is the same. This is an environment that keeps me excited and allows me to be at my best. Secondly, I’m always learning. I truly believe that if you don’t learn something new in your day, it is not a successful one. It is going into every day knowing it may not be what I expected it to be, but my team and I have an active involvement in making someone’s day better.
What do you like most about your job?
I love being able to help people, problem solve and pull teams together to find creative solutions. When my team and our partnering teams succeed, every store across the country has the stage set to provide a positive and seamless customer experience. When technology issues arise, there is no better feeling than being able to assure our store colleagues that their issue is resolved and they can focus on the customer experience, not the technology.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career?
My biggest challenge has been finding my voice and trusting that my opinion or ideas matter. I’ve had some amazing leaders and peers who have pushed me to speak up and truly believed in my abilities, letting me run things my way, knowing I will achieve my end goal.
What is the most challenging aspect of your job?
My team is truly a 24/7 team as we support the 2,500 stores across the country—this means no true set schedule or day. When an escalation comes my way, I know there is often frustration at the other end. It’s making sure through action, collaboration and clear updates that my team and I can give confidence that we understand the impact [of the escalation] and are doing everything in our power to resolve it as soon as possible.
What career advice would you give your younger self?
Take the chance, push the boundaries and don’t be afraid of making a mistake. Mistakes happen, it’s what you learn from it and how you react afterwards that lead to your growth.
What is the best career advice you have ever received?
There is more than one way to reach the end goal, so always stay true to yourself and your beliefs in everything you deliver. The one I cascade most frequently is to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. The sooner you can embrace change, the quicker you can find a path forward and grow.
What is a fun fact about you?
I love to travel the world with my husband and two children. There is nothing more important to me than seeing the joy on my kids’ faces while they learn about and embrace new experiences and different cultures.
Click here for the full list of 2024 Star Women in Grocery award winners.