Justyne Uribe: A Leadership Journey that Began as Seasonal Help

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to Grocery From Her Seat
• 0:58 Justine's Path Through the Industry
• 3:13 Leadership Role at Serco
• 6:40 Evolution of Leadership Style
• 8:37 Mentorship and Imposter Syndrome
• 12:16 Food for Health and AI
• 17:28 Advice: Learning Without Burning Out
• 19:10 How Grace Leads Growth

Transcript

Kristin Popp: 0:00

Welcome to Grocery From Her Seat. The WGA podcast, offering a unique perspective as seen through the eyes of remarkable women who shape and lead in the independent grocery industry. Your host Kristin Popp, president of WGA, will bring you exclusive stories and insights from the women serving our industry, From presidents to CEOs, to entrepreneurs and students. This podcast is your source of information. Now listen, take notes and welcome Kristen Popp.

Justyne Uribe: 0:29

I am your host, Kristen Popp, and today I have the opportunity to chat with Justine Uribe, Executive Vice President of Procurement and Category Management with Serco. Welcome to Grocery from your Seat, Justine, and thank you so very much for sharing your time with us and thank you, guys for having me.

Speaker 3: 0:43

I feel honored to be part of this.

Justyne Uribe: 0:45

Justine, you've had an extensive career in the grocery industry and I'd like to dive into your path and how you've arrived at where you are today. So can we go ahead and start with what inspired you to pursue a career in grocery in the first place?

Speaker 3: 0:58

Yeah, I started in retail back when I was 14 years old and really just was looking for a paycheck, seasonal help at that point, and moving into the grocery industry when I was 16, ended up working for one of the local grocers that was in my town and really just enjoyed the family feeling that a grocery store provides for you, and spent about four years working at a couple of different stores and then at the age of 20, ended up moving into a corporate environment. Ever since then I saw a lot of passion in the grocery industry, people coming together really to put food on the table, and it just allowed me to gravitate towards a couple of individuals that became mentors along the way. For me. That said, stick it out, you can really make something out of this a career.

Justyne Uribe: 1:55

So you're at Serco today, but where were you just prior to coming to Certco, Inc?

Speaker 3: 2:00

I've been working for Certco, Inc for 12 years now, but prior to that I've been working for Serco for 12 years now, but prior to that I spent 13 years working for Roundies, which is now owned by Kroger. I worked my way up from retail into a corporate role in 2001, back when Roundies was both wholesale and retail and spent another nine or 10 years in a variety of roles, including marketing pricing department, which was my favorite, and then really moving into a buyer role. I remember being in the produce department, where buyers really were passionate about procuring goods, and it was something that I set my eyes on and learned everything I could, latched on to a variety of different people, worked my way into a buying role in a number of different areas and then, eventually my last role being buyer of the frozen category at Roundy's decided to make the move to Circle.

Justyne Uribe: 2:58

So what did your move to Circle look like? And then can you talk about your journey through Serco and how you've arrived to the role you're in today?

Speaker 3: 3:05

Absolutely, it has been quite a roller coaster. I came I was actually called by a really good friend of mine back in 2013, who had also come to Serco, leaving Roundies and six months in she called and said, hey, why don't you come join the team over here? I didn't know much about Madison, but moved into a grocery buyer role in 2013 with Serco. I spent, I believe, four years in that role and then moved into working as private label manager.

Speaker 3: 3:41

I did that for a number of years, moved into a director role in 2020 of procurement, and then COVID hit and, as everybody knows, that was a very challenging time for the entire industry, trying to figure out where we were getting our next truckload of paper towel or toilet paper. And then I had an entire team to lead as well, which was very new for me, but we had a lot of people that jumped in, helped out and really after that, I just tried to foster a lot of growth within myself through those challenging times, built a really good team underneath me and then in 2022, moved into a role of vice president or procurement, moved into a role of vice president of procurement and then, as of today actually it's hot off the press as of June 1st I am moving into a new role executive VP of marketing and merchandising, so I'm going to take the pillars that I've known from my previous experience of procurement and really get the collaboration between our marketing department as well, so it can really be a cohesive communication between those two teams.

Justyne Uribe: 4:50

Congratulations on that new role. You're going to do wonders in that area and the ability, like you said, to connect merchandising and marketing and kind of tie those together will be, I think, a fantastic opportunity within your organization. Congratulations.

Speaker 3: 5:05

Thank you, Kristen.

Justyne Uribe: 5:06

Justine, can you give us a little peek into what that looks like within your organization, though, sure?

Speaker 3: 5:13

So I have under the procurement realm we have 32 individuals.

Speaker 3: 5:18

We do have a middle layer between myself and category management and buyers. They really lead the strategy that comes down from our corporate company goals on the procurement side and then on the marketing side we have a team of eight and those people really tie out any of the strategic plans that the category management has put together. We align with suppliers, we do joint business plans with them, try to align on what their organizational goals are to create exciting sales. And really just the day-to-day is me working to try to figure out what support my team needs to help with the vision that the company has set for strategic goals. So working with the suppliers a ton, making sure that we can supply the product for those strategic goals and then now in this new role, making sure we have the right sales campaigns and the marketing behind what the brands are strategic to do. So it has changed a lot for me in the last couple of years. It has gone from doing tasks more to leading the vision and the strategy for those pillars of the company.

Justyne Uribe: 6:38

Which is a significant shift, especially when you are a doer, to shift over to that leadership. It can be a little overwhelming and a little nerve wracking to not be in there and rolling up your sleeves. Justina, what are the biggest? One? Like one to two things that you've learned along your journey.

Speaker 3: 6:57

I have learned that leadership styles have definitely changed over the years. I ended up attending the Cornell program in Ithaca and it was the leadership program and it really opened my eyes. I believe that was in 2021. It really opened my eyes to how people want to be heard and they want us to listen. People want to be heard and they want us to listen, and if you can really build a team out that understands that you are that different type of leader and you lead with empathy, that will change the dynamic of what those people will carry out for you.

Speaker 3: 7:32

That is that's probably the biggest thing that I've learned. And then, one of the things that was most recent as a learning experience for me the Let them Theory book. I just finished reading that and it was very eye opening and it really told me that I continue to try to learn and change and I don't need to be able to control everything and if something doesn't work out the way that I had planned, that's OK. The way that I had planned, that's okay. There will be certainly those things in my life that I need to not have as much control over and I need to let them work out.

Justyne Uribe: 8:08

Love the let them theory by Mel Robbins. So glad you had the opportunity to read that because between let them and then let me, I think it's game changer. Is there anybody along the way that either inspired you or helped you navigate the industry?

Speaker 3: 8:22

I do have a couple of people. I think about them often. I had one wonderful mentor back when I worked for Roundy's in the 2000s that saw the ambition that I had and saw that I would work all hours of the night just because I was so hungry for understanding how things worked. And he had since moved on. I believe he's running his own business now, but he was very. He took me under his wing. He was very accommodating in my career path.

Speaker 3: 8:52

And then I've worked for Amy Nemechek for a number of years now and she's really allowed me to take this career kind of to a new level. There are times where I have some wild ideas and I portray those to her and she sometimes tells me that might not be the best idea right now, but let's continue talking about that. And I think that is one of the biggest things when you're coming up in your career you want to be heard and you want your. You want to be heard and you want to be able to share your ideas and know that someone is listening. I think those are the two that come to mind immediately in my last 20 years in this industry.

Justyne Uribe: 9:31

And you touched on it here and you touched on it previously, but in leadership, the ability to not only listen but hear what people are saying is critical, and I think you also mentioned the way leadership is today compared to 10, 15, 20 years ago has had a significant shift, and I think hearing and being willing to give space for people to talk is so critical.

Speaker 3: 9:58

Yes, People need to be able to say what's on their mind and be able to know that there's not a whole line of judgment coming behind that, and I think that's what's been really helpful in my career too, like I'm not always going to be the smartest person in the room, but I have ideas and everyone has ideas that they want to be able to bring forward and not feel like judgment is going to be cast on them, and I really do believe that leading while lifting people up is super important. I think is really impactful.

Justyne Uribe: 10:32

I love that and I'm a true believer that a lot of times it's the one that's the quietest in the room that has some ideas, but they just don't have the confidence. So if you can give them the space or give them a level of comfort in sharing that, great things can come from those conversations. Agreed, Justine. What were some of the biggest challenges that you faced along the way? I know we talked about leadership and the change there, but is there anything that we haven't touched on that you felt was a challenge that you overcame?

Speaker 3: 11:03

Oh, definitely many. I think one that we all kind of experience at one point in time that I am still quite honestly working through is the imposter syndrome. Right as women excel in leadership, I think sometimes we move on to this new role and we look at ourselves and say, am I good enough for this? I know I am, but do others perceive me as that? And just really having that confidence in each other through WGA and other organizations has really helped me maneuver through that confidence that may have been lacking 10 years ago and I may have looked at it and said there's no way I can get to that role and I don't feel that way as much as I used to. But I think all of us at one point in time struggle with knowing our worth.

Justyne Uribe: 11:53

I think that is a challenge that we still deal with today. I think that we've made leaps and strides forward in supporting that and building some of that confidence and just comfort level, but definitely a challenge that I see many face. So you mentioned WGA and you recently joined the board, which I appreciate. Thank you for your time and the effort that you put in there. But what role do you feel organizations like this play in supporting women and the industry as a whole, like this?

Speaker 3: 12:19

play in supporting women and the industry as a whole.

Speaker 3: 12:21

Yeah, I'm so thankful for being considered as one of the newest board members for WGA.

Speaker 3: 12:33

I believe that seeing the growth and the amount of different industries that are covered within the WGA and different ranges of age and expertise is really beneficial for this group of women, Like knowing that no matter where you are at in your career path, how much time you've spent in your industry, or just knowing the education levels and the age ranges, there is something for everyone there, and I express that anytime I talk to some of my fellow networkers out at these shows, like it's not just people that have been in the industry 20 years, it is people from all walks of life that have all different experiences, and I think that has had made a huge contribution to the board of directors meetings that we hold, because it's just happy faces and people congratulating one another and giving pats on the back for something that it's like when you're in your day to day and you are in your you're in your mode, you're in your zone.

Speaker 3: 13:31

You forget those achievements, those small things that might be big, and just being able to be a part of a network where we can congratulate one another on even some of the smaller things that we do is so impactful.

Justyne Uribe: 13:45

Very powerful. What is one of the projects in your career initiatives that you've been involved in that you hope will have a big impact on the industry?

Speaker 3: 13:55

Just recently, I've been really diving into a couple of things Food for health. I think that is the next trend, next thing we all need to be thinking about. We all want to live long lives, we all want to be able to retire and enjoy ourselves, and it really it does come back to this industry that I'm involved in, which is food, and how do we make sure that we are educating everyone in the industry on how to make better choices. I think I just believe strongly in we can change our habits in what we're doing and live more prosperous lives. Also, understanding what can AI do for us.

Speaker 3: 14:37

I just took on another department here at Serco and I've got to be better at managing my time, and which means really trying to invest in areas where I don't need to spend maybe an hour researching something, because AI can help with that. So I dabble lightly in that, just because I want to make sure that it's the right information I'm giving, but also I don't want to lose my direct involvement or my knowledge. I always want to keep learning about things. So while AI, I know is going to be out there for the long run and helping us, I want to make sure that it's used wisely. So those are two things that excite me about this industry in the future and that I'd love to get more involved in two great topics.

Justyne Uribe: 15:24

I think the food is medicine and the way individuals look at food. Food is so personal and it affects so many people in different ways, and I think, as we look at the future, the food is medicine, and how it affects each individual's body and how you can look at that as going forward to really have an impact on the consumer is a really interesting space. And then AI we've heard the consumer is a really interesting space. And then AI we've heard the word for a while and it's here to say and how are we utilizing it effectively and, like you said, so that it's not taking away the learning, but it's helping us or assisting us to do our jobs better? And I still think we're all navigating that path, absolutely. Do you have any advice that you would give somebody aspiring to join the industry or somebody that's in the industry that's looking to advance their career?

Speaker 3: 16:12

I would say you walk a fine line of really being able to jump into as many things as you can and learn and be that sponge, and then also being overworked or becoming burnt out. I had back when I think I was 20 years old, one of the guys who hired me sit me down and he said, when you're maneuvering through this career here, make sure that you don't ever say no when there's a learning experience there. And so there's this fine line of always saying yes and then becoming a doormat. But I would say, immerse yourself in as much learning as you can.

Speaker 3: 16:53

I have a lot of people that I work with that they want to know about other departments, they want to know how things operate from beginning to end, and I just believe that if you do, if you branch out, you talk to other people, you will learn so much and you will be a great asset, no matter where you land within a company. So that was some really good initial advice 20 years ago that I was given. That still lives with me today. So you can say no, but immerse yourself in as many opportunities or projects to branch out to other people and other companies and other departments as you can to really get a well-rounded grasp of how the industry works.

Justyne Uribe: 17:33

I love that advice, justine. Is there any one opportunity or place that you've taken advantage of, or resource that you've used, or anything like that has helped you the most along the way?

Speaker 3: 17:48

used or anything like that has helped you the most along the way? I want to say definitely. 15 years ago I worked in a department in the produce department corporate and somehow was given this side project of completing an entire playbook for the whole company across all departments and it was a very big project that sometimes I would I would be there till all hours of the night doing, but it really it was a core playbook for the entire company and for the merchandising staff at store level to execute across the entire store and it really opened my eyes to how things work in other departments. And it was something, a little side project, that allowed me to increase my marketing skills. I sharpened up on my PowerPoint skills. It was just something that helped me as a very young individual. Even though I was only in one subset of the company. It helped me understand a little bit more of the merchandising and marketing methods across every department within the company and it was fun. What an incredible project. It was very fun but it was time consuming for sure.

Justyne Uribe: 18:55

It sounds like something that they probably still use today. So, justine, as we like to wrap up, I'm going to throw a little curveball at you. If you were writing a book or creating a podcast about the industry today, what would the title be?

Speaker 3: 19:10

Oh, okay, I would say how Grace Leads Growth. So I really do. It goes back to our initial talks about being that empathetic and servant leader I love when I've taken on different departments. The number one thing I do, month out of the gate, is I sit with each individual person in that department for a one-on-one and I ask them tell me what drives you, where's your ambition or motivation? Because it varies dependent on the person. It could be money for one, it could be family time for another. Varies dependent on the person. It could be money for one, it could be family time, for another, it could be bowling they're in a bowling league for another.

Speaker 3: 19:51

And that one hour of time just getting to sit one-on-one with that person, no matter what role you play within the department, allows them to understand a little bit more about me too, where I came from, and I think that gracefully leading and being an empathetic leader allows people to trust you. It also allows them to come back to me and say I made a mistake and I know that I can tell you this. And it goes both ways. When I make a mistake because we all do I go to my team and they're fully supportive of me because we know we have that back and forth. We know each other, we know what irks one another and we know what motivates each other, and so I really do believe that, as leadership continues to change in the different styles, we will learn what works. But I do believe that being that empathetic leader, while still being firm and fair, is so important for the future.

Justyne Uribe: 20:49

Sounds like a wonderful book. Can't wait to read it. Justine, thank you so very much for sharing your time and your thoughts with us today. I appreciate your story and your contribution to the industry. Thank you for your valuable insights and I look forward to continue watching you make a difference in all you do.

Speaker 3: 21:06

Thank you, kristen, it's been such a pleasure To our listeners.

Justyne Uribe: 21:10

Thank you so much for tuning into today's episode. We hope you enjoyed the discussion as much as we did. If you found value, be sure to subscribe to never miss an episode and leave a review on your favorite listening platform to help others discover Grocery From Receipt and let us know how we're doing. Until next time, keep making a difference in all you do With gratitude, Thank you.

Kristin Popp: 21:31

On behalf of the Women Grocers of America, we thank you for listening to our podcast today and ask that you subscribe, leave a five-star review and share with a friend. If you have a suggestion for a guest from the industry, mention them in the comments. Episodes are released every other week and they are sponsored by NGA, hosted by Kristen. Thank you.