From Store Leader to Driving Change Across the Business—Lisa's Career Journey

2 days ago
3 min read

When Lisa joined PetSmart in 2019 as an Assistant Store Leader, she brought with her nearly three decades of retail leadership experience. What she didn’t expect was just how far that experience could take her. Today, Lisa is a Project Manager in Store Operations focused on Business Process Reengineering, helping improve how work gets done in stores across the company. Her career path shows what can happen when curiosity, leadership, and opportunity come together.

From the Store to Enterprise Impact

Lisa quickly grew her career after joining PetSmart. She became a Store Leader in 2020, then made a major transition from the field to PetSmart’s Home Office (PHO) as an Execution Manager in Store Operations. Today, she helps lead projects that improve how stores operate across the business. After 27 years leading teams in retail stores, the shift to enterprise-level work was a big change.

“In the field, you're focused on running the business inside your four walls.. “At PHO, you get to think about the global impact of the decisions we make.”

Instead of influencing one store, her work now supports associates across the entire organization.

The Best Moment? Seeing It Work

For Lisa, the most rewarding moments happen when she returns to stores. There's no recognition required, she says,

“When you see something you worked on actually making a store’s job easier, that’s the best feeling. Just knowing it worked — that’s enough."

Learning to Lead Differently

Moving from store leadership to corporate operations meant developing new skills. She points to collaboration, communication, curiosity, and continuous learning as essential to her work today. Her role may be called Business Process Reengineering, but she describes it simply:

“In the field, you lead a team directly, At PHO, influence becomes everything. It’s really about testing and collecting information that impacts the stores.”

Taking the Leap

The move from the field to PHO wasn’t a decision Lisa made alone. Several leaders helped her see the possibilities ahead.

“My District Leader, RVP, and HR Business Partner shared their own experiences working in both the field and home office,”

Their encouragement helped her take the leap — even though it meant a big move for her and her family.

“I knew it was the right step.”

Advice for Associates Ready to Grow

Lisa’s advice for associates thinking about their next move is straightforward:

Don’t sell yourself short.

Before applying for her role at PHO, she reached out to several people already doing similar work. Those conversations helped her understand the day-to-day reality of the role and gave her the confidence to apply.

“Ask about a day in the life. It helps you know if it’s right for you.”

Lisa says strong connections are one of the things that keep her motivated — whether in the field or at PHO. She’s also taken advantage of development opportunities like Associate Resource Groups, Toastmasters, and cross-functional projects, which helped her expand her network and build new skills.

Life Outside of Work

Lisa’s home is just as lively as her career. She and her family share their home with two dogs (including Nala, who she’s had since puppyhood), three cats, and a bearded dragon — along with five kids and her husband. Yes, the humans count too! 🤭