Elliott Peckett, director of Smiffys shares his thoughts on customer relationships, Halloween dreams and modelling wigs.
How long have you been at the company?
If we are counting working during school holidays, then 40 years. But full time, I’ve been working at Smiffys for 22 years, since 2001.
What is your greatest achievement at the company?
Apart from designing some best-selling costumes (!) and modelling some of our wigs back in the day (!), it has to be being part of the team that got us through the Covid years.
Favourite part of your job?
Growing mutually beneficial trading relationships with our customers. It sounds corny but it’s true – it’s the most rewarding thing about working for my family’s business.
Who is the unsung hero of the company?
I would have to nominate two people for this – Sharon Nichols and Leisha Warriner, both of whom do an incredible job in our product procurement team and we simply would not be the same business without them.
What is the biggest change within the party industry that you have seen since you have worked in it?
The evolution of sales channels has been the biggest change – from high street retailers in the early noughties, to dotcoms in the late noughties and now marketplaces, the latter really has totally disrupted retail and turned it on its head.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Del Boy – “He who dares wins; he who doesn’t, don’t.”
Biggest lesson you’ve taken away from the last year?
Always expect the unexpected.
If you could change one thing about the party industry, what would it be and why?
In an ideal world, I would ensure Halloween falls on a weekend every year.
If you didn’t work in the party industry, what industry would you work in and why?
I’d work in foreign exchange or derivatives trading; I’ve always been fascinated by the finance industry and had my first job in the city.
