Christopher “Cp” Richardson

Headshot

What’s your job title?

Partner, Operations & Marketing

Company / Organisation

Vin Noir Explorers and Importers

LinkedIn profile

https://www.linkedIn.com/in/cprichard92

Your journey into Ops - how did you get here, and how has your remit changed over time?

I actually started out at Capital One in Process, Risk, and Compliance Management. Much of that time was spent understanding effectively navigating complex regulatory environments and how that impacted our business partners. Ever since then, I’ve taken those lessons to Tech, Sales, Marketing and now to my role as a partner for my own small business importing and distributing wine. The ability to be a professional “Swiss Army Knife” and embrace new challenges has given me the confidence to take a challenge of this magnitude.

We know not every day or week looks the same in Ops - but if you could design your perfect week, what would it look like?

Funny enough I actually have a perfect weekly plan that sits on my desk: - Monday - Orders. Tax , and Compliance review with a review of our planned sales visits - Tuesday - Begin sales visits w/ marketing campaigns planning - Wednesday - Deliveries & Content Marketing Planning - Thursday - Digital Marketing Day (Writing, Social Media, Ads) - Friday - Makeup Day for anything & Business Recap Reporting

What’s the work achievement you’re most proud of - and why?

Launching Vin Noir Explorers and Importers - It was the culmination of every single skill, experience, and mentor/mentee conversation I’ve had that gave me the confidence to step into this venture still nervous, but confident that I have the ability to succeed.

What’s your self-declared superpower?

“Link-ability” - Finding connections to anything from content, vendors, shippers, and everything in between to make sure if I don’t know the answer I know where to start to find out what it is.

What’s a system, process, or tool you can’t live without - and why?

Standard MS Office tooling (Excel, PowerPoint) - Core tool for spec sheets and reporintg Buffer & Canva - Content Marketing and Social Media planning ChatGPT - I’m a terrible proofreader 😅 Google Analytics, Aherfs, Wix - Site performance and management

When everything feels like it’s on fire, what helps you keep on track?

My Kanban Board, a To-Do List, a clear unwavering vision, and my Remarkable Notebook 😅

What does great operations leadership mean to you?

A successful Ops leader is somene who is ever curious, is thirsty for new knowledge and is constantly seeking efficient ways of working. Additionally, a leader must trust their people, give them the tools, support and autonomy to accomplish the objectives at hand.

What’s a controversial Ops opinion you hold?

If you’re not constantly researching how to do something or how you can add a new skillset to your tool belt, are you even an Ops person?

What excites you about the future of Ops?

How the future of operations will be shaped by more empathetic and mindful generations and leaders that recognize the importance of the human touch.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out in Ops?

Say yes to new challenges. Even those that make absolutely no sense, because you never know how that experience will shape your future career outlook or trajectory.