Episode 93 - Retail Digital Transformation: Lessons from Leonie McCarthy on Leading Tech Projects
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Most retail technology projects are measured the same way: on time, on budget, within scope. But according to retail consultant Leonie McCarthy, those three measures rarely tell the whole story.
McCarthy is the owner of 6R Retail, a consulting and contracting practice built around retail technology transformation. Over two decades she has worked across ERP, PIM, and e-commerce implementations for some of the retail sector's most recognisable brands. In a conversation on The Jane Anderson Show, she shared what actually separates a successful retail technology project from one that technically ships but never delivers real value.
This article breaks down her insights on redefining project success, managing complex retail supply chains, building cross-functional collaboration, and growing a consulting practice without burning out. It also introduces her first book, Momentum, which distils these lessons into a framework for project teams.
Whether you are a retail leader weighing a technology investment or a consultant building your own practice, this episode offers a grounded, practitioner-level view rather than a vendor pitch.
Who Is Leonie McCarthy?
Leonie McCarthy did not set out to build a retail technology consultancy. She inherited the business from the woman she originally worked for, who moved into a role with one of their clients and passed the business to McCarthy to run.
Since then, the practice has evolved considerably. It began with a strong merchandise planning focus and has grown into something broader: a project and team leadership practice that still keeps one foot in contracting alongside consulting, depending on what each client needs.
McCarthy's grounding in retail runs deep. She started her career working in fashion, and that early experience shaped how she now approaches technology projects. Rather than treating implementation as a purely technical exercise, she focuses on the end-to-end process: the technology itself, but also how teams change and adapt alongside it.
That dual lens, systems and people, is the throughline of everything she shared in this conversation.
What Really Makes a Retail Technology Project Successful
Ask most organisations how they define project success, and they will point to scope, time, and budget. McCarthy does not dismiss those measures, but she is clear that they are not enough on their own.
"So much more than just that creates success in a business," she said.
Redefining Success Beyond Scope, Time, and Budget
McCarthy's approach starts before a project begins. When she engages with a new client, one of the first conversations is about what success will actually look like once the work is done.
She shared an example from a client who ran an expedited ERP implementation. Their definition of success was strikingly simple: if the business could operate with fewer than ten shared Google Sheets across departments, the project would be considered a win.
It is a small, almost mundane benchmark. But it points to a bigger truth. Behind most businesses, some functions run on solid systems while others are held together by manual spreadsheets, duplicate data entry, and workarounds. Getting specific about what "better" looks like, rather than relying on generic project metrics, gives teams something real to aim for.
This matters more than ever heading into a year where, as the episode's host noted, businesses are expected to scrutinise return on investment closely even as overall confidence improves. Clear, tangible success criteria are what make ROI demonstrable in the first place.
Getting Value from Existing Systems Before Investing in New Ones
Not every retailer has the budget to invest heavily in new technology. McCarthy has worked with businesses at both ends of that spectrum: those in strong growth phases with capital to deploy, and smaller or under-pressure retailers who need to be far more careful with spend.
For the latter group, her focus shifts. Instead of jumping straight to new systems, she looks for ways to extract more value from what the business already has.
This is a practical, low-risk starting point for any retailer facing budget constraints. Before assuming a new platform is the answer, it is worth asking whether existing tools are being used to their full potential.
Managing Supply Chains of Mixed Sophistication
One of the more distinctive challenges McCarthy described is designing systems that can handle wildly different types of suppliers within the same business.
Some retail partners operate with a manual thick enough to rival a legal contract. Others are small, informal operations working out of what she described as "somebody's back garage." Both need to work within the same operational system.
Balancing Enterprise Suppliers and Small Vendors
Building a system for the largest, most sophisticated suppliers risks over-engineering the solution and locking out smaller, more agile partners. Building only for the small players risks leaving the business unable to handle enterprise-scale complexity.
McCarthy described this as a genuine balancing act, and it is one of the less obvious reasons retail technology projects go wrong. It is not just about choosing the right software. It is about designing for the full range of relationships a retailer actually has, not just the easiest or most sophisticated ones.
This challenge sits alongside broader shifts already reshaping retail, from added time-zone and regulatory complexity for businesses operating internationally, to the growing presence of resale and secondary markets, where retailers must decide how closely to associate their brand with a resale offering and what quality standard that requires.
Why Cross-Functional Collaboration Determines Project Outcomes
If there is one factor McCarthy returned to repeatedly, it is this: technology projects succeed or fail based on how well teams work across departmental lines.
She noted that even now, many businesses have not developed strong cross-functional working practices. People naturally retreat into their own area of control, focusing on what they can directly manage. That instinct is understandable, but it does not serve large, complex projects well.
Big change projects, by their nature, touch multiple departments, require input from outside the business, and demand a level of coordination that many organisations simply have not built yet. Developing that internal capability, McCarthy explained, is often a bigger part of a successful project than the technology itself.
Building Momentum: Alignment, Action, and Accountability
This idea sits at the heart of McCarthy's first book, Momentum, which was released shortly before this conversation.
About the Book Momentum
McCarthy describes her consulting approach as consistently building three things within project teams: alignment, action, and accountability. Touching on all three repeatedly throughout a project is what creates momentum, both within the team and within the project itself.
The book expands on the methods and techniques she and her team use to help businesses develop internal capability around cross-functional teamwork, moving beyond isolated departmental thinking toward genuine collaboration across the business.
McCarthy admitted she had not originally planned to write a book. Once she started, though, she found herself pulled into the process, and continued to encounter new ideas and connections even after the manuscript was complete. The book is available through 6R Retail's website, as well as major retailers, and readers who prefer to buy directly from the author may even be able to request a signed copy.
Lessons from Growing an Inherited Consulting Practice
Taking over an existing business and reshaping it into something new is its own kind of challenge. McCarthy was candid about what she has had to learn along the way, much of it unrelated to technology at all.
Getting Comfortable with Selling Without Overpromising
McCarthy admitted that becoming comfortable with selling was not natural for her, despite her retail background. Her discomfort came from a specific place: she dislikes the experience of disappointing customers, and she is wary of overpromising the way she has seen others do.
Her approach has been to consistently temper language, moving away from big, sweeping promises toward realistic descriptions of what a project can actually deliver. Part of her ongoing work has been getting more comfortable using bigger, more confident language when it is genuinely warranted, without losing that underlying commitment to accuracy.
Avoiding Burnout as a Solo Consultant
The second major lesson was learning to manage her own energy. McCarthy described a tendency to overinvest early in a client relationship, delivering so intensely that it left her depleted for the rest of the engagement.
Her solution was not to deliver less value, but to pace herself differently, recognising that rest and reflection directly improve the energy she brings to later stages of a project. She also spoke about learning to rely on her team more, identifying where others' strengths could complement her rather than trying to hold everything herself.
She described this as something that comes in peaks and troughs. There are periods of intense focus, and periods where a slower pace is not just acceptable but necessary. Giving herself permission for both, rather than treating every period as one that demands maximum output, has been an ongoing practice.
Alongside this, McCarthy shared a smaller but telling habit: reflecting at the end of each week, project, or client session to ask what went well and what she could improve, focusing specifically on what she can control. She credits this practice, paired with consistent self-awareness, with helping her stay calm under pressure, something she actively encourages in the consultants who work with her.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a retail technology project successful?
According to Leonie McCarthy, success goes beyond hitting scope, time, and budget targets. It comes from defining specific, tangible outcomes with the client at the outset, such as reducing manual processes or consolidating fragmented systems, and building strong cross-functional collaboration across the teams involved.
What is ERP implementation and why does it matter for retail businesses?
ERP, or enterprise resource planning, refers to the systems retailers use to manage core operations such as inventory, supply chain, and finance in one connected platform. Implementing or upgrading an ERP system well can reduce manual workarounds and improve how departments share information, but poor implementation can create as many problems as it solves.
How can retail businesses get more value from existing systems before upgrading?
McCarthy's approach with budget-constrained clients is to first assess whether current tools and systems are being used to their full potential before recommending new investment. This often uncovers quick, lower-cost improvements that reduce reliance on new spend.
What is the book Momentum by Leonie McCarthy about?
Momentum outlines the methods McCarthy and her team use to help retail businesses build alignment, action, and accountability within project teams, with a strong focus on developing cross-functional collaboration during periods of change.
Where can I connect with Leonie McCarthy or 6R Retail?
Leonie McCarthy can be found through 6R Retail's website and LinkedIn. Her book, Momentum, is available through the 6R Retail website as well as major retailers.
Conclusion
Leonie McCarthy's approach to retail technology projects challenges a common assumption: that success is primarily a technical problem to solve. Her experience points to something more nuanced. Technology matters, but so does how clearly a business defines what success looks like, how well it uses what it already has, and how effectively its teams work together across departmental lines.
For retail leaders, that means starting any transformation project with a clear, specific picture of the outcome you are working toward. For consultants and coaches building their own practice, McCarthy's reflections on selling honestly, pacing your energy, and staying self-aware offer a useful model, regardless of industry.
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Key Takeaways from Today’s Episode:
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The episode begins with Jane Anderson warmly welcoming listeners to the Jane Anderson Show. The podcast is dedicated to exploring the expertise of women in B2B thought leadership consulting and advisory practices, particularly those who operate as solo consultants and are scaling their practices. The show aims to provide an inside look at the workings of these businesses, including client acquisition strategies, success factors, and growth insights.
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Jane reflects on 2024 and shares observations about the challenging landscape for speakers and consultants, particularly outside of AI and futurism, which have been in high demand. Despite this, traditional topics like resilience, change, and leadership remain relevant, though competition has increased significantly.
Jane discusses the need for diversification of income streams beyond speaking engagements, highlighting a recent event in Melbourne with Dr. Louise Marla as an example of innovative practices. She notes that tight budgets in 2024 have required businesses to adopt creative and accessible approaches to working with clients, such as hosting public events.
Looking ahead to 2025, Jane identifies a strong focus on return on investment (ROI) as a key trend. Business and CEO confidence are high, but spending decisions are expected to be more deliberate and results-oriented. Jane urges her community to refine their metrics and clearly demonstrate ROI in their materials to stay competitive in the upcoming year. -
Jane introduces the guest, Leonie McCarthy, a retail transformation expert and owner of 6R Retail. Leonie is renowned for her expertise in implementing complex technology solutions that deliver tangible business benefits. Her extensive experience spans over two decades, focusing on ERP, PIM, e-commerce, and more. The episode will delve into topics like building momentum, leading change, empowering teams, and leveraging technology beyond its traditional support role.
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Leonie shares her journey into consulting, starting with inheriting a business from her mentor. Over time, her practice evolved from a merchandise planning focus to a broader emphasis on project management and team leadership. Operating in both contracting and consulting capacities, she works primarily with retail businesses—a natural progression from her background in fashion retail. Leonie highlights her emphasis on end-to-end processes, helping teams adapt to technological changes while optimizing operational workflows.
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Discussing project success, Leonie explains that traditional metrics like scope, time, and budget are only part of the equation. Success is also defined by tangible outcomes aligned with client goals, such as reducing inefficiencies. She shares an example of a client whose ERP implementation aimed to eliminate excessive reliance on Google Sheets for data management. Leonie emphasizes that many businesses rely on a mix of well-functioning systems and inefficient, manual processes, which need to be streamlined for effective results.
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Leonie highlights the unique challenges retailers face, including limited tech budgets, diverse supplier relationships, and navigating cultural and logistical complexities. Smaller enterprises often need to maximize existing systems rather than invest in new ones, while balancing sophisticated requirements of major suppliers with the flexibility needed for smaller, emerging partners. Additionally, competing against giants like Amazon, sustainability pressures, and shifting customer expectations create a constant demand for innovation and efficiency in the retail sector.
This section sets the stage for deeper exploration of retail transformation and the strategic insights Leonie will share throughout the episode.
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Leonie discusses exciting innovations in the retail industry, including the integration of resale markets into mainstream retail. She highlights technology that estimates resale value at the point of purchase, which adds a layer of complexity for retailers needing to maintain brand quality in secondary markets. This innovation reflects a growing trend of creating communities around reselling, which Leonie finds promising.
Additionally, she comments on Amazon’s expansion into logistics, noting their acquisition of planes and ships to challenge traditional shipping companies. This shift underscores the rapidly evolving landscape in retail and logistics. -
Jane prompts Leonie to reflect on her transition from fashion retail to owning and evolving her consulting practice. Leonie shares that one of her biggest challenges was becoming comfortable with the sales process, particularly as it relates to selling her own expertise. Her discomfort with overpromising and fear of disappointing clients have driven her to adopt a measured and realistic approach to client relationships.
She also acknowledges the importance of managing her workload and energy levels, learning to balance the demands of delivering value to clients while avoiding burnout. This has included stepping back to reflect, delegating responsibilities to her team, and appreciating the value of rest and recovery to maintain long-term productivity. -
Leonie elaborates on her growing appreciation for rest and reflection. She acknowledges that as a solo operator, time management and prioritization are crucial, especially when resources are limited. Leonie shares a personal quote by Seneca about the importance of using time wisely, which serves as a daily reminder to focus on what matters. This mindset helps her strike a balance between intense work periods and slower, more reflective moments.
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Leonie offers advice to women who are starting or growing their consulting practices. She emphasizes staying close to the numbers and metrics, noting that while passion and intuition are important, financial and operational oversight is equally critical. Reflecting on her own past struggles with tasks like tax preparation, she encourages others to tackle avoided responsibilities step by step.
Another key piece of advice is the importance of self-awareness and emotional regulation, which Leonie considers essential for maintaining composure and effectiveness in high-stakes environments. She advises consultants to be the "calmest person in the room" and to focus on what they can control, continually reflecting on their actions and outcomes to improve. -
Leonie introduces her book, Momentum, which reflects her expertise in driving alignment, action, and accountability within project teams. She explains that these principles are fundamental to building momentum and ensuring successful change initiatives. The book delves into methods for fostering cross-functional collaboration, which Leonie identifies as a critical yet often underdeveloped capability in many organizations.
Jane celebrates Leonie’s accomplishment, noting how the book embodies the themes of momentum and teamwork that Leonie practices in her work. Leonie expresses gratitude to the team of collaborators who supported her in completing the book, highlighting the collective effort required to bring such a project to fruition.This section underscores Leonie’s dedication to her craft, her thoughtful approach to consulting, and her contributions to the field of retail transformation and team development.
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Leonie reflects on the collaborative effort and diverse expertise involved in bringing her book, Momentum, to life. She acknowledges the many people who contributed to its completion, emphasizing how much she learned from the process. Jane highlights the power of writing a book to share expertise widely, allowing it to reach audiences far beyond the author’s immediate circle.
Leonie shares her belief in the ongoing evolution of knowledge and expertise, suggesting that nothing is ever stagnant and there’s always room for updates and growth. This perspective aligns with her life philosophy, which embraces adaptability and continuous improvement. -
Jane praises Leonie for her deep expertise in retail transformation and project management, particularly in the specialized domain of retail projects. She positions Leonie as an inspiring figure for those who may feel too niche or specialized to make a broader impact. Jane challenges the notion that expertise is easily replaceable or unnecessary in the age of Google, affirming Leonie as a powerful example of how unique, in-depth knowledge can be a significant asset.
Leonie’s story underscores the value of embracing a niche and the impact that sharing expertise—through consulting, projects, or writing—can have on others. Her journey serves as motivation for individuals who doubt their ability to contribute meaningfully within specialized domains.
Most of the guests interviewed are current or alumni members of the Women With Influence community. Click here to find out more
