In this episode of Brave Commerce, Mir Zaman, vice president of commercial operations at Spectrum Brands, joins hosts Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter to provide insights on leadership, innovation and adaptability, offering strategies for navigating dynamic business landscapes effectively.

The discussion starts with Zaman introducing Spectrum Brands, a company operating in three diverse industries: Home and Personal Care, Home and Garden, and Pet Care. He highlights key brands in the company’s portfolio, providing context for understanding the extensive range of consumer products offered by Spectrum Brands.

The conversation then delves into Zaman’s unconventional career path, beginning with his childhood dream of working in aerospace engineering, to roles at Boeing, NASA and eventually Amazon. His transition into the ecommerce realm at Amazon, despite initial reservations, highlights his adaptability and problem-solving prowess, both of which are integral to his leadership philosophy.

Zaman emphasizes the significance of curiosity, data-driven decision-making and a commitment to continuous experimentation in navigating complex business landscapes. He also reflects on the seamless integration of his experiences into his current role at Spectrum Brands, highlighting the importance of augmenting organizational cultures rather than imposing radical transformations.

In conclusion, Zaman talks about his strategic vision for Spectrum Brands and his focus on fostering collaboration across teams and aligning efforts with overarching business objectives. He also shares insights into decision-making frameworks, akin to an engineering approach, that prioritize inputs and outputs to achieve desired outcomes.

Key takeaways:

• Embrace curiosity as a leadership skill for problem-solving and innovation.
• Empower teams with ownership and accountability tied to revenue and cost objectives.
• Apply a profit-and-loss mindset to decision-making, analyzing inputs and outputs to determine the best course of action.