“I’d get awfully bored if I knew exactly what the rest of my life looked like. I love being an architect of the way things will work out.”

Caitlyn, why did you start Supplier Day? 

I did my Masters dissertation on how enterprise organisations operate within ecosystems and how the most successful ones are able to architect their own, instead of participating in someone else’s. A big part of this research was around the role of suppliers and supplier ecosystems in building competitive advantage. I realised that there is a major gap in the market for helping organisations communicate effectively with their suppliers, to get them aligned to a long-term vision and, ultimately, committed to helping an organisation achieve their goals.

Is it more about the journey or the destination? 

Oooooh can I say both? I think I am naturally someone who is all about the destination: I’m that person walking as fast as I can to get to the place I want to get to. And I think you have to have a good idea of what success looks like, and what your vision for the future is, when you start a business, otherwise there will be times when you wonder if it’s worth it. However, there is so much beauty in the journey. Adam Grant said “Passions are developed, not just discovered.” and that sums up how I feel about my business and my journey. The more Supplier Day evolves the more passionate I get about what we do, the value we drive for our customers and my role as a leader.

When things get tough, what do you do?

To be honest, I’m the kind of person who leans into a challenge. I like to get things resolved quickly and I don’t like leaving things to linger. So I tend to face challenges head on. But that’s not to say that my confidence doesn’t falter and I don’t have days where it would seem easier to give up. I try to keep perspective: if it’s something that’s hard because it’s new to me, I remind myself that everyone was a beginner at some point. If it’s something that is a genuinely difficult situation I’ve got much better at asking for help and I have a great support network who will give me advice or help. I have found the founder’s journey a lonely one but I think that has meant that I have built relationships with the people around me (mentors, my investors and peers) who I can go to for support, no matter what my ask is.

Do you crave certainty?

Yes and no. Since I started Supplier Day I have also been a digital nomad. I don’t think I’ve spent more than 6 months in one country in the last 3 years. It can get tough when you’re in a new place and don’t know anything about your surroundings. But my love for routine always helps me settle into a new place quickly: wake up at the same time, I go to the gym, have breakfast and I’m at my desk by 09:00 no matter where I am in the world. I think that helps me feel more settled. I am also a control freak so I like to feel like I have a good handle on my day to day life. 

In terms of certainty in relation to the longer term…I don’t think I do crave it. I think I’d get awfully bored if I knew exactly what the rest of my life looked like or if I was in a large organisation that had everything worked out. I love being an architect of the way things will work out.

Has founding a business changed you?

Absolutely. I think it’s made me more sure of myself and given me more confidence. When you work for someone else and have a manager, you rely on them to tell you when you’ve done a good job, done the right thing or done enough. As a Founder, there’s no one there to tell you that. In fact, the majority of the feedback you get will be about the things you haven’t done or could do better! So you learn to rely on your own judgement and think for yourself way more.

What do you need, now?

Certainty… Only joking! We’ve doubled our clients this year and 2024 is set to see the same growth. We’re working with some of the most popular household names out there and designing some amazing event experiences. To keep up with the demand we’re growing our event delivery team. So, if you want to work in event delivery, either on the strategic event design side or event operations, please reach out to people@supplierday.com.