Ian Shepherd

Not really on here any more - find me at bsky.app/profile/ianash…

If you work in retail or hospitality, then the challenges of being an employer have increased a lot recently. The final Moving Tribes for 2024 is, imho, an essential read - a deep dive into what it will mean to be an employer in 2025 and beyond. open.substack.com/pub/movingtrib…

We are about to enter a make-or-break period for many retailers What do current trading indicators suggest will happen, and critically what can you still do to influence the outcome at this late stage? All covered in this week's MT. open.substack.com/pub/movingtrib…

An old friend is coming back to town next year. A careful reading of some of the recent retail trading figures shows some evidence of a slow creep back towards inflation. Reading the runes, by @IanAShepherd open.substack.com/pub/movingtrib…

What is the right number of stores for your business? There is an obvious wrong answer - when you have enough stores to need a national cost infrastructure, but not enough stores to pay for it. That happens surprisingly often, as I explore in this post open.substack.com/pub/movingtrib…

If there is a strange and misunderstood part of the retail and hospitality world, it must be Commercial Property. Why is it so full of terminology and so complex? Why are the contract terms so onerous? All the answers in this week's Moving Tribes. open.substack.com/pub/movingtrib…

With a lot of concerning news about Homebase swirling round, my heart goes out to the whole team across that business. Here, in case it helps, is an article I wrote last year about the Wilko administration which I know some found helpful. movingtribes.substack.com/p/besieged

The stats are quite scary - National Living Wage is now over 28% higher than it was in March 2023. Employer’s National Insurance contribution rises will cost businesses over £23bn. What does that mean for your business and how should you respond? open.substack.com/pub/movingtrib…

Do you know too much about the products you sell? Are you able to sell to a customer who knows very little (in this case, me!)? open.substack.com/pub/movingtrib…

@AArmstrong_says I wrote this just yesterday on the big difference between what retailers are seeing at the moment and what consumer confidence measures are showing. open.substack.com/pub/movingtrib…

Noticeably different tone from Tesco on consumer sentiment to Sainsbury’s, which warned yesterday of budget worries knocking demand. Difference is Sains via Argos sells “big ticket” items. Tesco has premium grocery lines people can treat themselves to rather than takeaways

Tesco boss Ken Murphy tells me he’s pleased government will consult on worker reforms but urges them to ensure they have the intended effect of “stimulating productivity, stimulating growth and protecting jobs”. Comes as some firms have said day 1 rights will dent hiring

Consumer confidence is down, the budget will be a tough one and the gloomy narrative will keep people away from shops. Or will it? In this week's post I find what might just, if you squint, be some cause for hope. open.substack.com/pub/movingtrib…

Insolvency. A racket used by investors to shed debt, or an essential tool for reinventing businesses that would otherwise fail? All explored in this week's Moving Tribes. The survival game, by @IanAShepherd open.substack.com/pub/movingtrib…

@tom_weaver Fantastic news!

Some pretty huge news on the writing front: Announcing today that we’ve sold the rights to Artificial Wisdom and sequel in a two book global deal with Del Rey USA (Penguin Random House). Unbelievably excited about what we have in store! vm.tiktok.com/ZGeK37cw2/

@MusgraveEric @Drapers Terrific shop, isn't it? Wrote about it myself here and was there again on last week. open.substack.com/pub/movingtrib…

I was very pleased to write this feature for @Drapers about a very Inspiring Independent, Spoiled Life.

This from almost a year ago as a reminder that the Naked/Majestic story is one of the great value-destruction stories of modern retailing open.substack.com/pub/movingtrib…

How is UK retail really performing in 2024, and what does that mean for the decision facing the new government about Business Rates? All of that, plus three solutions to the rates conundrum the Chancellor is free to steal in this weeks Moving Tribes. open.substack.com/pub/movingtrib…

Bensons for Beds has snapped up Carpetright stores and aims to rescue jobs ift.tt/qf52aYC

Not a huge sports fan but checked into the #Olympics a few times this weekend. I didn't realise that 90% of it (or at least the BBC coverage) is the Horsey Dance Dance.

Here's a puzzle - when the macroeconomic indicators all seem to be turning positive, why are so many retailers reporting very weak trading? The answer, and the big strategic dilemma it creates, in this week's Moving Tribes. open.substack.com/pub/movingtrib…

Did you know there are over 1 billion sq ft of retail space in the UK? In this week's Moving Tribes, I'm exploring the positive (and negative) impacts of one big slice of that space - the Retail Park open.substack.com/pub/movingtrib…