If you know nothing about me, let me start here: I grew up on a chicken farm in southern Ontario, Canada. On a farm, being a “jack of all trades” is not just a saying. It is a way of surviving and succeeding.
My parents are my greatest heroes. My dad, who never finished high school, has run our family farm in partnership with my mom for more than 40 years. They are the most capable people I know. My dad learned how to fix equipment, care for animals, grow crops, and manage significant building projects. My mom managed the finances, and handled every call to the bank, the accountant, and government offices. Together, they showed all of us what true executives should be.
When you grow up around people like that, you start to see a pattern. They pay attention. They try things for themselves. They ask questions and talk to others. They welcome feedback, even when it is hard to hear. We did not call it “professional development,” but that is exactly what it was. We did not wait for perfect conditions. We learned by doing, and we got better by working together.
That background shapes how I think about business today. Especially in the field of loss prevention.
You have likely heard the phrase “a Jack of all trades is a master of none.” It often sounds like a warning. As if being broad in skills makes someone less valuable. But most people forget the second half of the phrase. The full version is “A Jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” In many situations, the person who knows a little about a lot can be exactly what you need.
In loss prevention, where problems are rarely simple and never isolated, that idea holds real value.
Knowing What Kind of Help You Need
Loss prevention professionals know that success depends on more than just one tool or one fix. Shrink is complicated. It varies across stores, teams, and time. It is influenced by staffing, culture, technology, theft trends, and more.
When your team starts looking for help, whether it is in the form of software, a service, or a new workflow, the key question is this: What kind of help do you actually need?
Think about it like healthcare. If you are having a heart attack, you want a specialist who can handle that one issue right away. But most of the time, you are not in a crisis. You are managing general health and trying to avoid serious problems in the first place. For that, you need a family doctor. Someone who knows your history and helps guide your long-term health.
The same thinking applies to choosing vendors. Some vendors are specialists who solve one very specific problem. That can be useful if you have an urgent, focused need. Other vendors are generalists who help with a wide range of issues. If your team faces overlapping challenges, the right generalist can often help you make sense of the big picture and stay adaptable.
The Trap of the Perfect Cup of Coffee
A lot of teams go searching for what they think will be the “perfect tool.” They describe it like making the perfect cup of coffee. If you grind the beans just right, get the water at the perfect temperature, and pour it into the right cup, then success is instant.
But success in loss prevention does not work like that. It is not instant, and it is not always obvious when it happens.
You do not win by solving one problem one time. You succeed by building strong systems and supporting a capable team. Your tools should work together. They should support your daily work, not create new problems.
Be careful when a software provider tells you they can do it all. That sounds good, but it is often too good to be true. On the other hand, if a vendor can only solve one issue and refuses to adjust, that can also become a problem down the road.
If the sales process does not feel like a real conversation, that is a red flag. If the company is not curious about your business or your team, you should pause. If a tool looks great in a demo but does not match your actual work, ask more questions.
Build, Buy, or Partner?
Retailers are often faced with this big question: Should we build something in-house, buy a ready-made solution, or partner with a software provider to create something together?
Each path has strengths. Each one comes with risk. The best choice depends on what you need, what you have, and where you are going.
Option 1: Build Your Own Tools
Building gives you total control. You can design the software to fit your exact needs. You can change it over time. You are not locked into someone else’s plan.
But building is hard. It takes time, skilled staff, and long-term support. You need developers, testers, project managers, and trainers. You need budget and leadership support. You need a plan for what happens if key staff leave.
Ask yourself:
- Do we have the people to do this?
- Will we support the tool over the long term?
- What are the risks if we don’t finish the project?
If you have clear answers and strong support, building might be a good path.
Option 2: Buy a Ready-Made Product
Buying is fast. There are many tools available for things like case management, audits, and reporting. You can often get up and running quickly.
But off-the-shelf products may not fit your exact workflow. You might need to change how your team works to match the tool. And if your needs change later, the product may not grow with you.
Before buying, ask:
- How easy is it to train new staff on this system?
- Does this tool match our day-to-day work?
- What happens if our needs shift in six months?
Option 3: Partner with a Technology Provider
This option often gets the least attention, but it can bring the most value.
When you partner with a software company, you are not just buying something. You are shaping it together. You bring the retail experience. They bring the technical skills. Together, you build something that works.
Good partnerships are based on trust, shared goals, and open feedback. You do not carry all the risk, but you help shape the product. You do not have full control, but you get a tool built with your input.
Look for vendors who listen more than they talk. Look for teams that want to build with you, not just sell to you.
What to ask before partnering:
- Do my values align with my potential partner?
- What are the timelines and milestones?
- Do we have internal support?
Learning from Kodak
Kodak was once a leader in film. They were great at one thing. But they failed to see the shift to digital cameras. They held on too tightly to the one skill they mastered, and they missed the next wave of innovation.
That is what can happen when you focus too narrowly. A strong skill is valuable, but only if it can evolve.
Loss prevention is changing. Retail is changing. The tools and processes you need tomorrow may not look like what you use today.
The best teams stay open. They build relationships. They work with people who are ready to adapt alongside them.
Taking on New Responsibilities
Many senior leaders in loss prevention find themselves responsible for tasks they were never trained to handle. Just like my parents, they listen, learn, try, and try again. They are responsible for hiring staff, managing software, leading change, and many other things they learned by doing.
One key skill is evaluating, buying, and implementing new software. Most of us were never taught how to do it. Yet it is a huge responsibility.
If a vendor does not ask about your team, your goals, or your systems, that should concern you. If they say “yes” to everything without showing you how it works, that is another warning sign. And if the tool does one thing well but cannot be adjusted, that might limit your success later.
Take your time. Ask the hard questions. Look for fit, not flash.
Final Thoughts
Loss prevention is about more than just stopping theft. It is about building safer, stronger, and smarter organizations. That takes more than one product or one person. It takes partnerships, patience, and clear goals.
Whether you decide to build, buy, or partner, stay focused on what matters. Know what you are trying to solve, be honest about what your team can manage, and choose tools that help you grow over time.
If you want to have that kind of conversation, we’d be glad to talk.
Contact: info@admiralbridge.com