About

I see retail through the eyes of the customer, employee, manager and board.

For more than twenty years, I have worked across retail, sales, people development and business advisory. I have seen the business from multiple perspectives — from the store floor to strategic decisions and board-level work.

Ana Brajković with a RETHINK Retail recognition

Professional journey

More than twenty years between strategy and the store floor.

My professional journey was built inside retail organisations, through real challenges, daily decisions, people development and responsibility for results.

During my corporate career, I worked in sales, employee development, human resources and strategy. I also helped develop new business concepts and formats. This gave me a direct view of how board decisions shape everyday store operations.

Retail has never been only about the store, the assortment or the sales result. It is a system in which strategy, space, processes, leadership, employees and customer expectations must work together.

After my corporate career, I founded CIRCLED. Through it, I work with companies on sales, leadership, customer experience and retail organisation. Over time, my work expanded into strategic advisory, retail network assessment and new concept development.

Today I work with boards, directors, managers and frontline employees. Meaningful change requires an understanding of all those levels, not only a strong idea at the top.

How I think

Human-centric retail is not simply about friendly service.

A strong customer experience emerges when the entire system knows what it wants to achieve and gives employees the knowledge, tools and support to deliver it.

Customer

Customers want simplicity, trust, relevance and the feeling that someone understood their real need.

Employee

Employees need clarity, strong leadership and a system that enables them to do good work.

Business system

Companies need a sustainable model, clear processes and results that do not depend on individual heroics.

Connection

The interests of customers, employees and the company do not have to conflict. The best retail models connect them.

How I work

The solution must fit the real situation.

Two similar stores can produce completely different results. The reason often becomes visible only in the field — in customer behaviour, employee practice, processes and local context.

That is why I begin every project with questions. I want to understand the company’s objective, the customer experience, employee capabilities, process barriers and the realistic feasibility of change.

A strong recommendation connects the company’s ambition with what its people, processes and stores can actually deliver.

A global trend is not a solution in itself. Value emerges when we understand what it means for a specific company, category, market and customer.

An international perspective grounded in local market realities

Experience and relevance

Experience that connects strategy and execution.

Throughout my career, I have worked with thousands of employees, managers and leaders. I have analysed stores, developed standards, academies and retail concepts, and advised companies at different stages of growth.

20+years of experience in retail, sales, strategy and people development

4.000+business training sessions and development programmes delivered

100+stores analysed, reorganised or improved

2×recognised among the world’s leading retail experts by RETHINK Retail

Personal perspective

Retail still fascinates me.

Even after more than twenty years, when I enter a store I immediately notice where the customer looks, how clear the offer is, how employees behave and what might make someone want to return.

In retail, big strategic ideas are tested every day through small human interactions. That is exactly why it remains so compelling.

Explore further

Let’s discuss your challenge.

The first step is to understand the business situation, the objective and the result you want to achieve.

Contact Ana