Upside Down Management at Timpson

After watching a video by the CEO of the UK-based retail chain, Timpson, I looked forward to reading a book by its chairman, Sir John Timpson. The title is Upside Down Management. According to Business Sale Report, Timpson is now a 2,000-branch-strong business with revenue totaling £300m. In this conversation, we discuss their hiring of ex-offenders, putting money in the till and acting the part, and unconventional management tactics in a large organization.

Episode Highlights

• Mark’s rating and who should read this book
• The Timpson origin story dates back to the 1800s
• John Timpson joined the family business in the 1960s
• John’s father booted from the chairmanship
• The management buyout
• A business focused on shoe repairs and key cutting
• The only two rules: 1) put the money in the till and 2) act the part
• Hiring for personality without the assessments
• Keys to success: hiring and training
• Inspiration from the Nordstrom way
• The reason each store manager can spend up to £500 to solve a customer problem
• Gardening books and training manuals
• The smart budgeting process
• Only three KPIs
• On fostering 90 children and lessons learned
• The reasons for hiring ex-offenders
• Philanthropy is anything but marketing expense at Timpson
• Hardship funs the right way

Episode Pairings

1. Blog post – The Best Books on the Retail Industry
2. Podcast Episode – Becoming Trader Joe
3. Podcast Episode – Unreasonable Hospitality

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