Heather’s leap of faith

Ten years ago, Heather Bailey decided to start her career anew.

She was working at a small company where she didn’t see much growth in her future, and she wanted to work somewhere she could climb the ranks and develop her skills.

Heather always wanted to work for Loblaw—her father had been a salesman, selling confectionery to Shoppers Drug Mart and grocery stores, and she liked the idea of working at a big company with lots of potential for upward mobility.

So, with two young sons at home, she left her job and took on a contract position as a project coordinator at Loblaw, hoping it would turn into something permanent.

She’s now Director of Tech Platforms and Delivery at Loblaw. Her hunch about her initial position was right—after starting on contract, she got a full-time gig, then worked her way up to project manager, senior manager, and then director.

“I acted like a sponge,” Heather says. “I made sure that I was meeting people and trying to understand the entire landscape as opposed to just what I was doing. I tried to be the go-to person; when something needed to be done, the leaders would come to me and ask if I could do it. I built my brand that way.”

In the 10 years Heather has been at Loblaw, she’s watched the culture shift in huge ways.

“I’ve seen our leaders and our colleagues really adopting Blue Culture—being open, being courteous, being understanding. It’s been a great place to work while raising my kids, with lots of importance placed on work-life balance.”

Now, as a leader at the company herself, she prioritizes being empathetic and accommodating with her team, while also driving outcomes.

“I’ve learned that I am ‘good enough’ to be in the male-dominated world of tech, and I’ve gained resilience as a leader. And my personal values are top of mind for me, namely trust, respect, accountability, kindness, and dependability.”

For other colleagues who might be thinking about changing up their career path, Heather recommends one key thing: making connections. 

“When you meet new people and network, you’re also learning along the way,” she says. “Create those connections with different people and show interest in other things, besides your specific job. That was really important for my future and my growth.”