The Gist sat down with Bess Anderson, Director of Visual Strategy, in its continued quest to get inside the creative minds at Chute Gerdeman Retail.

Bess utilizes both her creative expertise and her experience creating sound business strategies to help her clients develop and interpret business objectives into exciting visual concepts. Her passionate interest in visual merchandise presentation, store layout, and design trends is complemented by her excellent planning and organizational skills to morph all design disciplines into a full sensory retail experience.

With more than twenty years experience in the design industry, Bess has been responsible for strategic visual planning, design and development, in-store branding, conceptual planning, management and implementation, and fixture planning. She has worked for such clients as Ashley Stewart, C&A Brazil, Disney, Hamleys (UK), Hanesbrands Inc., Kohl’s, Kroger, Lane Bryant, M&M’S/Mars, Ross-Simons, Shopko, and West Marine.

If it were your last day at work before retiring, how would you choose to spend it? What is it about your job that makes you so passionate?
I would gather all the ‘young kids’ here at CG and flip through all my personal travel photos—stressing to them that travel is the best education you will ever get. Especially when it comes to architecture, culture, food, arts, retail, and personal growth. When you leave this world, you should leave with amazing memories from the places you have visited and remember those who have touched you authentically along the way.

What’s on your desk? Be honest.
Fun touches that make me smile—inspirational magazine tear sheets, photos of cool visual ideas, a photo copy of my Canadian Flag made of red maple leaves, a green apple, and, of course, Starbucks extra strong Italian roast coffee.

What’s the secret to the successful projects on which you work?
1.) Sharing all ideas
2.) Brainstorming
3.) Creating “team excitement” from the beginning by visiting retail together

What do you think CG has figured out that other firms of this type don’t typically seem to?
Family-owned companies treat their staff differently than corporately-owned companies. We truly are family members that care and respect each other and will go above and beyond to maintain happiness for our clients and a work/life balance for ourselves.

What’s your role at CG? How do you define what YOU do?
With a well-rounded background: retail experience in corporate department store structure and at a fixture design manufacturer, and being well traveled and able to express global ideas in everyday conversations, and in projects—I am a mentor.

I am also a creative director who understands all disciplines; I’m balanced and with my in-store experience, I have a realistic perspective on operational budgets and everyday store maintenance. I wouldn’t categorize myself as left brain or right brain—I utilize both.

And lastly, I am a library of visual ideas. It’s right here at my fingertips.

What is the CG magic?
Each individual’s past experience in work and personal life + true authentic passion + the fact that we all really do like each other.

What is your style? Who is Bess Anderson?
I may be Bess Anderson on the outside but I am Biasina Liscio on the inside. An Italian/Canadian who was raised speaking Italian, eating frittatas and paninis before they were publicly popular, who didn’t discover McDonald’s until age 14. I was raised by my loving grandparents who taught me that all our blood is the same color and so we should all respect each other. I knew at age 6 that I wanted to dress mannequins in store windows. I loved dress-up and make-up and as a kid used to rub red Smarties (“Canadian M&M’s”) on my lips to look like red lipstick. My style has always been timeless and classic with a little twist. I will always be known for my red lips and a great piece of jewelry! Sounds like I never really grew up.