Hotel Chocolat’s new CEO, Lysa Hardy, shares her insights and experiences.
- Hardy dives into her disciplined morning routine, highlighting her love for learning.
- A tragic event in her past revealed her strength in crisis management.
- She strongly believes in balancing professional and personal life.
- Hardy’s career foundation began at a young age on a market stall.
Hotel Chocolat’s recently appointed CEO, Lysa Hardy, opens up about her daily practices and the principles guiding her life. She discusses her structured morning routine, her belief in continuous learning, and how these help set a positive tone for her day. Hardy begins her mornings with a pilates workout or an incline walk while engaging in reading. Her preferred literature includes works that enhance her skills or biographies of inspirational individuals. Hardy mentions her current interest, ‘Measure What Matters’, a book she often revisits. If her schedule permits, she enjoys a structured breakfast, but otherwise opts for a snack on her commute. Regardless of her location, coffee remains indispensable, with a preference for a black Americano.
Hardy emphasises the importance of setting personal and professional goals that align with her values. She considers herself a meticulous planner, constantly assessing her progress towards her goals and understanding her underlying motivations. She states, “I love to learn and I always want to do better. I set myself goals in every aspect of my life—I’m a ruthless planner and tracker.”
A particularly challenging chapter in her career was the tragic murder of a store manager at a previous workplace. Hardy’s expertise in crisis management was put to the test during this period of mourning within the organisation. She recalls the complexities of dealing with such human and emotional turmoil, stressing the need for a compassionate approach, stating, “The only way I got through it was to approach it as a human being first, business second.”
Hardy advocates for the importance of maintaining a balance between work and personal life, cautioning against the sacrifice of one’s life for work. This perspective is grounded in her diverse career experiences and lessons learned from various mentors and roles.
Reflecting on her career beginnings, Hardy identifies her formative years working on a market stall at the age of 14. She learned foundational retailing principles such as understanding the customer, ensuring the right product pricing, and delivering an excellent sales experience. She credits these early experiences with shaping her approach to business leadership today.
Lysa Hardy’s journey exemplifies how personal values and early experiences shape effective leadership.
