Anna Blackburn: A sparkling performance

Family-owned jewelry business Beaverbrooks shined brightly in 2019 when it celebrated its centennial and its most profitable year financially ever. Then it was the year 2020.

As the director of operations, Anna Blackburn, explains: “We were at the top of an upswing. We then came out of the centenary year and entered lockdown from the highest of highs down to lower lows.”

Stores shut their doors, and uncertainty was present, and, as retail businesses around the world, the St Annes firm was thrown into a world that was not yet known.

It’s fair to say that it has performed very well. In reality, it can even be said that Beaverbrooks has experienced a successful disease. To quote the government’s slogan “Building back,” it has done more effectively.

In the year of the centenary, the profits exceeded PS17.8m. The company aims to surpass PS30m which is an annual increase that is more than 30 percent.

It’s a fantastic performance that has the unique ethos of Beaverbrooks at the heart of it. There’s beyond this Lancashire business than the sale of jewelry, and it’s a success in achieving them.

As part of its goal to “enrich lives,” Beaverbrooks contributes 20% of the profits it earns. Additionally, it has been a regular participant in the United Kingdom’s annual ‘100 Great Companies to work for’ being ranked for 18 consecutive years. In addition, it was listed as the top ‘Best Place to work in the UK in the year 2024/22.

The more successful we become in our business, the more profitable we become, and the more we can contribute to the community.

The attention, even before the pandemic, was on the people. When Covid hit, that focus grew. Beaverbrooks made significant investments in PPE and safety measures throughout the company, rearranging the working environment in warehouses and stores and providing home-based work for the head office staff.

The bright room that is airy and spacious, which is surrounded by photos and documents that reflect the company’s rich background, Anna, who has been recognized by many as among the UK’s top leaders, considers the driving factors that led to what she calls a “brilliant year.”

She states: “It’s a combination of things. The jewelry industry has performed very well. It has seen more income available, people not capable of traveling, and people getting fed up.

“We saw a lot of people who wanted to pamper themselves with the most exclusive Swiss watch. There were many engagements. Many people have wanted to present gifts to their loved ones to show how much they appreciate them during tough moments.”

She continues: “From the very beginning of the pandemic, we examined our strategy, reviewed our position, and considered the worst-case scenarios.”

“I believe that none of us anticipated that we’d be in a position to stay for the entire calendar year. However, we needed to ensure that we emerged from this, however, it was, as solid as we could. The colleagues were aware that they had our backs They knew they were the top priority for us.”

Beaverbrooks has 71 stores in the UK and employs around 1,000 employees. Anna insists that the company did not make any redundancies due to Covid.

She continues: “I had to spend time with landlords negotiating and having some fantastic discussions about partnerships. I also ensured that we were with the most forceful arguments we could. We worked with lots of our landlords, sharing the burden.

“We continue to put money into new products, transformed our entire office and warehouse to run our online-based business. We took 19 days to redesign our warehouse.

“During lockdown last year, we have created a brand new luxury prestige brand. We have also purchased two stores. The brand’s name is Loupe We are extremely excited about it. We believe it will become a game-changer in the market for luxury. Loupe is all about the quality of its products and a space where people want to be in.”

Loupe is an eyeglass used to make jewelry and is a crucial instrument for watchmakers. A Milton Keynes flagship store and an additional Croydon boutique are scheduled to open later in the year, and an online store is coming soon.

Along with the growth in online shopping, which has continued even though the country is opened its doors, massive rises in Beaverbrook’s mail order and phone sales.

Anna states: “We’ve talked a lot about confidence, about resilience and investment within the business.”

And she’s looking at the near future with cautious optimism despite the imminent inflation-driven crunch. “There are plenty of reasons why business could be a struggle,” she states. “But it is true that there are many reasons as there is to be a reason why our strengths as a business will not diminish.

“There’s the three-year recap on weddings. There will be a desire to mark meaningful life important events. This is why Beaverbrooks can help with the high-quality of our products and the service we provide to our customers.

“There’s no doubt about the decline in footfall in the high street, but we are finding customers are spending longer in-store and are spending more money.”

Anna joined the company as a graduate student in the year 1998. After progressing through the ranks, she then accepted the post of chief executive officer in the year 2013.

The appointment was significant in two ways – she was the first female CEO and the first non-family member to assume the position.

The position was re-defined after she was appointed the managing director in 2018, which made her the only non-family member on the board and confirmed her position as the most critical member of the organization.

Anna’s first job was as a sales consultant for Beaverbrooks’ Trafford Centre store. She was a candidate after returning from a period of travel following her university studies in Manchester, in which she was a student of sociology and economics.

She said: “I thought it was the right time to find an opportunity to work. I love jewelry, so I noticed the job ad and then went to learn everything about the company prior to going to the interview.”

She was pleased with what she saw. “I’d spent the entire year in Africa working in one of the Aids orphanages located in Malawi. I was determined to help make a difference.” Anna explains.

“The company I worked for at the time was donating 10 percent of their profits every year to charities. That has now increased to 20 percent. I was amazed that I was able to participate in the company.

“It was the family feeling and the values that attracted me. I also had the chance to progress, even though I didn’t think I’d find myself in this post. I believed that there could be a career that was worth it. The people’s investment, cause, and work ethic all convinced me to say “yes to this; this is the place I’d like to go’.”

Anna was a frequent traveler across the United States throughout her career as her business grew, with a few trips near the north-western border region of Scotland and meeting the man she married at Beaverbrooks. They have two kids, aged between 10 and 14, and are located near their home at St Anne’s head office.

Anna has spent her entire career pioneering and is an individual who has made an impression. But when she is about making an impact, she believes that it’s not about gender. Instead, it’s about having what she refers to as “emotional intelligence.”

She continues: “It is the ability to make a tough decision and then justify the reasons for it. Empathy and compassion are the essential qualities of any leader, male or female.

“Our products are great however, we’re ultimately a business run by people. Empathy and listening to your customers are essential. It’s all about building relationships and the power of the people.”

Ensuring that people are empowered and developing Beaverbrooks’ values in business have been at the forefront of her work in developing Beaverbrooks and how it has emerged from recent difficulties.

She has set out to demonstrate that treating employees right is reflected in the bottom line. Since she took on her role as a senior manager, she has been working to build an extremely responsible, committed team with high levels of satisfaction with work.

To achieve this, she speaks regarding “fairness” and “trust” and a “level of honesty,” that is, she claims, “because we want people to do well.”

Anna says: “It’s a culture where people aren’t afraid to open their arms and admit they did the wrong thing’. It’s about accepting the idea of engaging in open and honest discussions.

“We are determined to be a good employer and an excellent workplace, which requires engagement from all employees. They must feel that they can contribute to the company’s success and feel believe they are accountable towards their team members, themselves, and the business.

“The feedback culture we’ve implemented is vital as it shifts the culture towards one that is collaborative. It’s the importance of having the appropriate people in the room, and being open, honest, and open.”

She also hosts focus groups that allow her to connect with colleagues from all over the business and hear their opinions.

Overall, it’s an effective strategy. Anna mentions that one in five of Beaverbrooks’ staff has been with the company for over ten years.

She adds that at the close of the current year’s financial year, the company will have donated PS17.5m to charitable causes since 2000 and is a patron of more than 250 charities.

She adds that “It’s not just about the charitable aspect. Our entire ethos and mission as a company is improving lives.

“The more successful we are as a business, the more profitable we are, the more we can give to the wider community, and that is a massive driver for me personally.”

The commitment to give continues for her even after she leaves the workplace. Anna is active in charitable work and cooks for The Streetlife homeless charity based in Blackpool.

She’s also done long-distance hikes to raise funds for charitable causes. She’s considering the possibility of a tower-to-tower virtual trek, which would mean walking similar to Blackpool from Paris by miles.

Walking was therapeutic during the epidemic as it allowed her to re-energize and develop her awareness.

Anna states: “I was exhausted by the time the year ended. I was constantly reassuring people and keeping things in order. I’ve learned a lot about myself through the ability to bounce back.”

And her tips for people at the beginning of their career? “Find something that you love and love. When you’re working on something that you like and enjoy doing and you’re skilled doing it well, you’ll have success.”