Services
Engagement is won and lost in the day-to-day
Whether it's a single workshop or a multi-month engagement, our work follows the same path. The depth changes. The discipline doesn't.
Corporate initiatives that come alive in your stores. plants. warehouses. branches.
We help corporate teams earn real buy-in from the frontline.
About CATO
The translator between corporate and stores
Bekki Cait has spent years in the unusual space between corporate intention and store reality. She's worked with corporate teams on what they're trying to accomplish and has spent hundreds of hours listening directly to store managers and frontline employees describe how those decisions actually land. CATO holds the reality of both sides and translates what stores experience into decisions corporate leaders can act on.
Where a typical day goes, corporate vs. stores.
The problem
Why good strategies fizzle out in stores
Corporate teams invest enormous energy building programs, frameworks and initiatives.
The intent is right.The content is solid.Leadership is aligned.
But stores experience the company differently. Not through strategies or programs, but through tasks, schedules, managers, workloads and a thousand small daily signals.
When corporate work isn't designed for that reality, it loses traction. Not because stores don't care. Because the work was never built for how they actually operate.
Sound familiar?
Execution
Initiatives are being communicated but not adopted.
Performance
Programs look strong on paper but aren't shifting the numbers.
Retention
You're losing good people and institutional knowledge.
Reputation
Store experiences aren't reflecting your brand promise.
What we do differently
Most consultants stop at strategy.Most agencies stop at messaging.
We go further — into stores, into the day-to-day, into the real friction points most corporate teams never see.
01
Diagnostic listening
We talk to store managers and district leaders to find out what's actually happening on the floor.
02
Narrative framing
We reshape how the work is framed so stores understand what it means for them.
03
Operational integration
We embed the work into existing store rhythms so it doesn't compete with everything else.
Testimonials
What it's like to work with us
“
I see this collaboration as an extension of our team that knows our business, and is able to challenge certain things – always with respect and for the benefit of the team. We can sometimes be biased in some of our interventions and having an external person who questions us, allows us to see certain things differently; which is a good thing.
Isabelle H.
Manager, Talent Development, National Grocery Retailer
“
This is something I've been trying to describe/communicate for years, and was only able to be this succinct because Bekki has phenomenal questions and, more so than anyone I've ever talked to about these things, is really listening and able to excavate ideas I know I have but up until now haven't been able to explore.
Matthew C.
12+ year Retail Leader, including Old Navy, Starbucks, Whole Foods, Williams-Sonoma
“
Thank you for helping us raise the bar… Having you by their side really encourages the team to think differently and alleviates so much of their day-to-day stress.
Jackie U.
Director, Talent Planning & Development, National Grocery Retailer
“
It's been such a pleasure working with Bekki and the CATO team. They're always so creative, flexible, collaborative and dependable. Thank you for finishing the project well ahead of schedule. This achievement not only highlights your commitment to excellent work but also strengthens our professional partnership. I look forward to more successful projects in the future.
Heidi I.
Sustainability Manager, National Grocery Retailer
“
As the partner bringing our organization's employee experience brand work to life through pictures and words, there was no question who I would collaborate with when it came to establishing the mental wellbeing brand and narrative. My interactions with Bekki and her team were easy, energizing and excellence-focused. Thank you for your patience, creativity and diligence. Together, we created something special.
Shana N.
Manager, CoE Integrated Health Management, Mental Health Program
“
I worked with Bekki in creating some graphically designed documents for a major company initiative. I was extremely impressed by the quality of the work she provided, her professionalism, attention to detail and excellent service. She made recommendations that were valuable in realizing the vision of the document and always responded in detail and promptly. I would very much recommend her for other individuals who are looking for similar services.
Michael E.
Human Resources Director, National Grocery Retailer
Case Studies
From corporate intent to store reality
Three projects with three different starting points. In each, we started with what was already happening, found where the work was breaking down, and rebuilt it to fit the people expected to carry it out.
Case Study 01
Sustainability Strategy
Uncovered what was getting lost in translation and turned store manager insights into a roadmap for every team to meet stores where they are.
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Case Study 02
EVP Development & Activation
Moved the employer promise out of comms decks and into managers, operations and policy.
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Case Study 03
Onboarding Experience
Rebuilt an onboarding hub around how new hires actually ramp up, not how content is filed.
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Free Resources
Start with what store managers wish you knew
Our free guide shares what store managers and district leaders consistently tell us, but rarely get the chance to tell corporate. It's one of several free tools, including an engagement gap audit, an email course and the Dear Corporate… Love Stores podcast.
The guide is free. No sign-up required.
Contact
Let's Connect
If your strategy isn't landing in stores the way you intended, let's talk about what would help your stores win.
Or email bekki@catocreative.ca
