Michelle Patterson
I am a Capability Solutions leader with a network of consulting partners, delivering insights-driven solutions with future-focused strategies that build skills and competencies across all organizational levels. With over 25 years of experience in Retail and CPG, I have developed a deep understanding of the market dynamics, consumer behavior, and business challenges that shape the retail landscape. I leverage my contextual experience and practical knowledge to provide value-added services that enhance performance, productivity, and profitability for my clients and partners. My core competency is breaking down complex concepts and teaching others with a focus on simple, practical applications. This has evolved from an analytic foundation to a formula for insights that has broad-reaching applications. I also have strong skills in solution architecture, project management, and change management, which enable me to design and deliver custom solutions that meet the specific needs and objectives of each project.
Whether it is developing and facilitating training solutions, leading shopper solutions planning, or working with key stakeholders and connecting resources, I always aim to enable success and empower others.
Driven by a passion for learning and curiosity for what’s next, a multifunctional 12-year career at P&G was followed by developing the world’s first online accredited training program in Category Management as a partner at CMKG, followed by the launch of INSIGHTability, originally focused on humanitarian training initiatives with a leading global NGO.
Today’s INSIGHTability is partnered with nimble, forward-thinking consulting and training organizations in a co-operative and agile network of complementary retail experts.
Founding partner and teammate in a boutique consulting group for the retail industry, bringing both capability development and Canadian market expertise to a cooperative group of retail industry experts.
Created in 2017 as a result of demand from a collective network for skilled resources, critical issue resolution and creative solution strategies from experienced retail experts. a[v] has worked with start-ups, manufacturers seeking to break into new categories and channels, data automation, and global market strategic perspective. INSIGHTability provides capability development, category management and Canadian market expertise. INSIGHTability (and its clients) benefit from on-demand consultation, brainstorming and network-sourcing from this highly technical group of executive thought leaders. Current Managing Director, Chris Abell, is a multi-channel, multi-functional C-Suite veteran who delivers targeted and innovative solutions.
The CCC is the next generation of WWA – Winston Weber and Associates. Win Weber was one of the creators of Category Management, which is used by almost all retailers and consumer packaged goods companies. Win brought Category Management to retail specifically, with HEB Grocery in San Antonio, Texas in 1990.
I began working with Win, a mentor, in 2019 and partnered with WWA in 2020 to develop training strategies for Shopper Centric Retailing, the next generation of Category Management. In early 2023,Win decided to retire and pass the torch to his team to carry on his vision and mission. The CCC continues to bring scalable solutions to small-to-mid-sized retailers focused on retail efficiency, retailer-supplier collaboration, and serving local market diversity. https://customercent.com/
A long history and collaboration with LE! Once my direct competitor for online Category Management training, Scott Matthews and I have collaborated with the Promotion Optimization Institute, CMA and WWA to develop new industry thinking and approaches, and I recently updated his online category management training curriculum to reflect the current AI and post-pandemic world of retail. A valued forward-thinking training partner, LE’s robust online and blended learning programs in sales, category management and custom solutions for leading CPG and retail companies blend perfectly with INSIGHTability custom implementations. https://www.learningevolution.com/