The view from the last mile: Leading sales execution at scale

Ask Jennie what she does, and you won’t get a formal title. You’ll get a practical explanation of what happens when plans leave the page and enter the store.

That “last mile” is the most decisive stretch between strategy and in‑store reality. It’s where plans either translate into impact or quietly break down—and it’s where Jennie has built her career.

The View From the Last Mile

In consumer goods, the last mile is where success is won or lost. Central plans, promotions, and forecasts only matter if products are available, visible, correctly priced, and positioned where shoppers can actually find them. When execution breaks down—an empty shelf, a missed promotion, a display that never lands—sales are lost quickly and rarely recovered.

Jennie’s responsibility spans field sales execution across PepsiCo’s UK retail footprint, supporting everything from everyday best‑selling products to complex in‑store activations tied to major brand partnerships.

The work is defined by variability. Store formats differ. Conditions change daily. Teams must adapt centrally defined plans to local realities while maintaining consistent standards. Each store visit requires judgment—how to prioritize effort, resolve issues in real time, and make sure what was planned centrally is experienced on the shelf.

At scale, those decisions compound—shaping brand presence, retailer relationships, and customer trust across hundreds of locations.

From Execution to Scale

Jennie joined PepsiCo in 2003 and has spent her entire career in sales, starting in account management and steadily taking roles with broader scope, more complexity, and greater accountability. Her progression didn’t hinge on a single breakthrough moment. It followed a consistent pattern: sustained delivery, sound judgment, and earned trust. One early customer partnership marked a turning point—not because of a one‑off success, but because results were delivered, strengthened, and sustained over time.

As her remit expanded from individual accounts to full regions, the definition of success evolved. Results still mattered, but focus shifted toward enabling performance at scale—setting direction, aligning priorities, and removing friction so strong execution could be repeated.

Working with her leadership team, Jennie helped establish a shared definition of a “perfect store” across the UK, with incentives aligned to the outcomes that mattered most in the field. The intent wasn’t to add process. It was to focus effort—so execution could be delivered reliably, store after store.

Teams Make the Difference

Ask Jennie what she values most in her role, and the answer is immediate.

Her leadership style centers on clarity and trust. She focuses on helping teams understand expectations, feel supported in the work, and share what they’re seeing on the ground. It’s an approach shaped by experience—being supported by strong leaders, challenged to grow, and seeing what teams can achieve when people feel backed to do their best work.

That belief extends beyond day‑to‑day operations. Inspired by her own family, Jennie also plays a leadership role within PepsiCo’s Neurodiversity Employee Resource Group, helping build understanding and inclusion across the business so people are valued for the strengths they bring.

Smile at What’s Next

Jennie doesn’t see her career as something completed. What keeps it meaningful is momentum—the opportunity to keep learning, develop others, and contribute in new ways as the business evolves. Even after more than two decades, that forward motion is still what she’s looking ahead to.