Industry News
November 2009
Meet the Leaders
Tim Westinghouse and Sue Dean, joint Managing Directors of Miglio Designer Jewellery, share the day to day demands of a growing business. Tim oversees the financial side while Sue focuses on marketing and sales, working with the Consultants.
Tim and Sue brought the company to the United Kingdom in 2003, just seven years after it was launched by Mike and Jenny Miller in South Africa.
Sue met Mike Miller while visiting South Africa with her husband, John who was Chief Executive of the British Shops and Stores Association, the BSSA. Sue was looking for a jewellery manufacturer and agreed to visit Miglio’s factory in Cape Town. There were some initial doubts about the wisdom of jumping into a taxi with a stranger and heading out to an unknown destination, but during her visit Sue realised the company had potential.
Months later, with Tim now on board, the decision was taken to launch Miglio in the United Kingdom and now six years later has 1,200 independent Consultants.
Career milestone prior to current role
Sue: I was an Army wife for many years which meant I had to find a career that fitted in with my husband’s job which demanded that we move on a regular basis. About 12 years ago I launched Seriously Smart, it was a very successful wholesale business selling accessories. I had Agents working for me and it worked very well.
Tim: It must be when I was Chief Financial Officer at the Dairy Farm. When I joined in 1985 they were turning over about a billion and this grew to five billion dollars. It was a very exciting time.
Most important lesson(s) learned
Sue: Never take anything at face value and have the courage of one’s convictions. Believe in the product you sell and remember that the customer is always king.
Tim: It is important to build a cohesive operating team and to have good cash management systems in place.
What do you see as the biggest challenge to the direct selling industry?
Sue: There are challenges, like transactional selling on the Internet. We took a deliberate decision with our business that all sales would be directly through Consultants.
Tim: The ongoing problem in the direct selling industry is the tainted image people have, which is a hangover from the seventies and pyramid selling. When I tell people what I do they think I am involved in pyramid selling but that really isn’t the case. This is a real business opportunity for people and when I
tell others what some of our Consultants can earn they are surprised. We have 1,200 Consultants and Miglio is providing each of them with an income.
If you had your time again, would you do things differently?
Sue: I don’t think I would do anything differently. I might have started earlier, but I needed all the ups and downs along the way.
Tim: I think the only thing I would have done is to start Miglio earlier. After my retirement I spent five unproductive years in the hinterland, not really getting involved in anything. Timing is everything and it was when Sue told me about Miglio that I realised there was an opportunity.
What are the qualities that make a good leader?
Sue: Always be consistent and honest, have the determination and be able to measure risks.
Tim: I think the key aspect is for a leader to have the ability to motivate their team and make each member feel that they are part of the success of the business.
Enthusiasm and positive attitude versus experience and proven skills – which is best?
Sue: They all go hand in hand. What do you need? Bags of enthusiasm, a positive attitude and the ability to get the experience and skills. Each is useful at different times.
Tim: This is an interesting question. Everyone needs bags of enthusiasm and a positive attitude but as you get to more senior positions then experience and proven skills are critical.
What do you look for when recruiting for a senior position?
Sue: I look for the right personal chemistry. Someone who has the ability to be a team player and has initiative and the ability to grasp and react to any situation.
Tim: The first thing is to make sure the person has got the experience and proven skills. When I am happy with that, then we need to make sure they have the ability to fit in with an already successful team.
Best advice you have ever been given?
Sue: Be prepared to listen before you speak and look before you jump.
Tim: I think the best advice is the importance of learning from your mistakes.
Proudest professional moment
Tim: Since being involved in the direct selling industry I would have to say this year’s DSA Awards when Miglio was nominated in three categories. We won one, ‘New Direct Seller of the Year’ and when I looked around and saw who else had been nominated I felt very proud. There were many other businesses that make thousands of pounds and I felt it showed how we were going in the right direction.
Sue: I think two stand out. The first when we were nominated in the DSA awards and Rebekah Patterson won the award for ‘New Direct Seller of the Year.’ We were all very proud. The other must be when we got Miglio to our first million. We got everyone together and opened a bottle of champagne. We never doubted that we couldn’t, it was a question of not if, but when and it took us about four years. When you think the average price of one our products is about £45 then that is not bad going.
One thing I wish I’d known when I started
Sue: It has never held me back, but I wish I had got to know more about the finance side.
Tim: This is a difficult one to answer because I don’t have any regrets about the way my career has gone. It developed along the lines I wanted and so there is nothing to regret. Even the mistakes that have been made have been good experience.
Leader whom you admire
Sue: It has to be Nelson Mandela, the first democratically elected President of South Africa. He has achieved so much but he is such a humble man and has such a huge inner strength.
Tim: I would honestly have to go back in time and say former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. I just believe he was focused, knew what he had to do and went about winning World War II. I feel he was a real leader.
Miglio has been closely involved for many years with The Homestead, a non-profit organisation helping street children in South Africa with a wide range of projects. The company’s initiative enables adult family members of street children to make bracelets which are then sold by Miglio, with the
charity sharing the profit.
To see more about the company, visit the website http://www.miglio.co.uk which includes details about the Homestead.
