Meet the SHEROES - Ameesha Prabhu

“There are many challenges when you are running a not for profit,” says CEO of TRRAIN, Ameesha Prabhu.

TRRAIN was set-up in 2011 with the aim of empowering people in retail. Their core service objectives include uplifting the lives of retail employees by creating a sense of pride and dignity for them. 

Ameesha tells us about her journey in the retail industry and what it’s like to run an NGO today.

Tell us a little about yourself. 

I was born and brought up in Mumbai. I always wanted to be independent, having read about how youth and students in the western world worked as sales reps or wait at tables to earn their allowance or pay for studies. During my final year, I came across an advertisement - a new retail  shop  had opened and they needed sales associates to work on the shop floor. I decided to apply for the job and that is how I began my career in retail…

Why did you choose to quit the security of the corporate world to work in an NGO?

I still work with corporates albeit in another avatar! I never chalked out my career path ever, so there was no plan with regards to what I wanted to do next.

In 2011, when  I accepted to work for TRRAIN, it seemed the most logical thing to do. I love retail, I worked in retail and here was an opportunity to work with many retailers on various initiatives. That was the prospect that I liked the most - to make a difference to many lives in retail. TRRAIN was born with that dream—to impact people in retail, at work & at home and I wanted to be part of it. The so called move from corporate to NGO was not even on my mind – it just happened.

As CEO of the NGO, TRRAIN - what are your key challenges?

There are many challenges when you are running a not for profit. I don’t want to compartmentalize and talk about operational or funding challenges which are faced by almost any enterprise in the NGO world.

TRRAIN works with partners & associations for its various initiatives.We collaborate with various stakeholders  and have put systems & processes in place. Sometimes the biggest challenge arises when partners or associations do not have aligned priorities & hence accomplishment of objectives & set goals within set time frame becomes difficult to achieve. The landscape is changing what with more focus on the not for profit sector & the CSR monies flowing in, but in certain programs we  still face issues at execution level. .

Another challenge, as a not for profit, is hiring right people. Not too many professionals are ready to work in the not for profit sector yet. We offer market salaries but still its difficult to find the right person for the job at times.. It is essential to build a good team who share the same vision and goals as the organization.

Can you tell us what TRRAIN's core service objectives are?

TRRAIN aims to empower people in retail. TRRAIN’s core service objectives include uplifting the lives of retail employees  by creating a sense of pride and dignity for them.  To develop and enhance skills through relevant training and education for the able retail staff as well as for people with disabilities who are seeking jobs in the retail sector. And finally, to create social security and healthcare solutions for the retail associates.

Our various programs are as below:

• Pankh: Training and placing People with Disabilities (PwD) in various roles in Retail
• Training and skill development of retail associates
• TRRAIN Retail Awards for Customer Service Excellence – awarded to retail associates
• Retail Employees Day celebrated on 12^th Dec every year

In the next 5 years, where do you see yourself professionally?

I have always worked with startups all through my career, be it Shoppers’ Stop in 1992, Swatch in 2000, Aditya Birla Retail in 2007, Tesco in 2009 and TRRAIN in 2011. I’m not much of a planner but I have enjoyed every phase of my professional journey and I would continue to be associated with retail ….

For now, it’s to achieve the objectives that I’ve set for myself at TRRAIN.  I would like to see TRRAIN as a large Global Retail Trust  in addition to achieving the vision that it has set for itself for the next three years. From a personal perspective, contributing towards that would be a success for me.

What top changes would you say Retail in India needs, basis it's Human Resource. 

The retail industry is growing at a phenomenal rate. Having said that, there are two aspects that are critical from a human resources perspective. One, the dignity and status attached to a retail job needs to be elevated especially the front end retail sales associates’ role. It is the retailer’s & the retail fraternity’s responsibility to instill this feeling, where individuals are inspired to make a career in this sector. Uplifting the image of a retail job is one change that I would like to see in the retail industry.

The second is that the learning and development of retail employees is very important. The customer is changing at a pace that is very fast because of technology, access to products & services and awareness on the kind of products, services, offers and experience that he can get at various stores. Therefore, there needs to be constant learning and development initiated by the HR community for their retail staff. Failure to do this may result in a customer ,who is not motivated to come to your store.

Can you leave our readers with a few thoughts?

I believe in the simple principle of 3P’s -  People, Passion and Purpose. I believe that all that I have achieved has been made possible not because I did it right but because I did it with the right people/ teams.  I work with my teams the best.

I am very passionate about retail and I have gone in- depth to understand retail in its totality.  And finally, purpose comes, when you align yourself with the company’s objectives and decide to work towards achieving that objective to your maximum capacity, leaving no stone unturned.

Every job gives you ample opportunity to learn – from your peers, seniors & especially from the young budding recruits – Keep learning ….and keep growing!!