"I am on a mission to inspire, develop & retain talented people within the Retail Industry."
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Founder. The International Retail Academy
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The TIRA Team
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
Let us share a story...
At 16, Kayleigh, our founder, began her retail journey at New Look in Barrow In-Furness, Cumbria. Earning £3.25 per hour, she quickly fell in love with the service industry, thriving on customer interactions. By 19, she was a Concession Manager at Debenhams and soon embarked on a global retail career, holding roles from Area Manager to Head of Franchise.
In 2020, Covid brought unexpected challenges, including redundancy, but it also ignited Kayleigh’s passion to take control. She founded the Retail Academy, driven by a deep commitment to the retail community. Today, the International Retail Academy inspires and supports teams, ensuring they can better serve their customers. Kayleigh’s energy and passion for retail are at the heart of everything we do.​
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We inspire your teams
We care about your mission
We serve you...so that you can serve your teams and your customers
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​TIRA was created to help retail professionals master the art of delivering an outstanding service culture in stores, leading to more sales—without the discomfort of 'selling'. We believe retail is a powerful hub of connection, blending people and technology to create PHYGITAL spaces that attract and engage consumers. As the pandemic accelerated online growth and threatened the future of physical retail, it became clear that leaders must innovate, hire and retain top talent, and most importantly, give consumers a reason to come in—and a reason to come back.
In an industry often obsessed with data, we emphasize the importance of intangible behaviors, attitudes, and habits that drive real change. Whether you’re planning a retail kick-off meeting or a sales conference, Kayleigh’s energetic, thought-provoking talks have inspired audiences at PVH, the International Franchise Show, Retail Week Live, and The Retail Technology Show in London.
The International Retail Academy actively champions retail careers, highlighting the incredible opportunities within the sector. We are the catalyst for positive change in retail, providing a toolset that becomes a skillset, which ultimately improves the mindset to build an outstanding service culture—with meticulous care and flawless execution.
An International Coach in All Things Retail!
Hi I'm Kayleigh! ​
I have worked on the sales floors of fast-paced lifestyle and premium brands progressed to lead multi-cultural, diverse teams in my operational leadership role across the Middle East and served as a Franchise Retail Leader from an office role in Europe.
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Having 20 years of real ground experience into large format multi-site leadership, I have a holistic view of retail and know first-hand how to understand people, roles and responsibilities to unleash the greatest potential of individuals and teams.
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From store doors to corporate floors - I love the world of retail and the people who drive it!​​​​ Originally from the UK, I currently live in The Netherlands but we serve clients across the globe.
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Brands I have worked with:
FAQ's
Book Kayleigh as your Speaker FAQ's
Why do I need a professional retail speaker?
You need it for 2 reasons. The first being to energise, educate and invigorate the people in the room. The second, and most important is to inspire change in your people. People respond to relatable stories and want to be inspired to be their best.
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How long are your talks?
Kayleigh can speak from a 30 minute block to 90 minutes depending on your brief. Talks are of course best in-person.
What equipment should I have available ahead of the talk?
A great room layout is essential. Your event Manager should de-brief you in good time. Typically a theatre style feels formal and semi-circles are more inclusive. Kayleigh has delivered in most formats.
A stage timer is always welcome along with a bowl of blue M&M's (just kidding...)! Please let us know if you require a presentation and if this will be circulated to your delegates.
Does Kayleigh only speak at retail events/brands?
No. Kayleigh has also spoken at an Architecture Firm, a Recruitment Consultancy, SAAS vendors and several schools. Please reach out if you feel we could serve you; happy to chat!
How much is this going to cost?
Is Kayleigh the cheapest? No. Will her talk be the most memorable and impactful? Probably yes.
Look, we're not here to convince you - you already know if you're going to book Kayleigh. And when you do, she'll be over the moon to give you an outstanding experience!
Workshop FAQ's
Is it death by PowerPoint?
There are some slides to offer a constant visual, however, I inject information, energy, and practical solutions through verbal training. From my own experience, I know the value of seeing a presentation but also appreciate that younger generations just want to arrive at the nitty gritty, get to the crux of information to learn and grow!
We'd like to hold a socially distanced session in our store/office, how does this work?
Great! Working with people face-to-face is very impactful and I'm delighted to offer this. I work a month in advance, ensuring content is bespoke to your teams.
For Workshops in the UK, travel and accommodation is billed with the final invoice. For Workshops around Europe and the Middle East travel and accommodation is arranged upfront.
How long is each workshop?
I have a bite-sized version of each, specifically for the virtual sessions, each lasting 2 hours.
The full whammy of each workshop lasts 4 hours - better delivered in a face-to-face space. So, if I were to visit you we're looking at half a day for 1 workshop through to 2 days of intensive retail coaching.
We already have customer service and operational practices in place, how will yours complement this?
Great question! The training I offer is anchored in soft-skills development and understanding of why these elements should be delivered. Without re-writing your wheel, we will explore the importance of operational routines, what happens when everything is working really well and what happens when key links are missing. I offer real examples of what memorable service looks and feels like and give practical solutions in resolving conflicts, how to be empathetic and how to actively listen. All of which bridge the skill gap between your brand methods and the 'how' to get there in real-life application
How do we pay?
Upon booking, there is a non-refundable 30% deposit to secure the date(s). Within 14 working days of workshop delivery, the outstanding balance is payable.
What is my ROI?
A happier workforce, higher chances of retention, reduced absenteeism, a more skilled team passionate to add value to customer experience and overall business results. The ripples of impact are visible in attitudes and service passion which will translate into KPI and NPS improvement.
"Your talk has really inspired me. I found myself thinking YES so many times"
- Retail Experience, IKEA
