The Many Paths to Career Growth at Wills Group, Dash In, and Splash In

By Alison Conway Lapointe

People are at the heart of everything we do at Wills Group, Dash In, and Splash In. Whether stepping into your first retail role or looking to grow into a leadership position, we believe in creating meaningful opportunities that support every stage of your career.

This blog highlights how we foster career growth through mentorship, professional development opportunities, and internal advancement. You’ll hear real stories of employees who started on the front lines and moved into new roles. You’ll also learn how education benefits, leadership training, and an inclusive culture support career growth across the organization.

If you're wondering what a long-term career in retail can look like, you're in the right place.

Professional Development from Day One

Investing in employee development is a core part of our business model. When our people grow, our company grows with them. That’s why we’ve built programs to help team members learn, lead, and take the next step in their careers.

From day one, team members can access resources that support personal and professional growth. Our 100% tuition reimbursement program — available for both undergraduate and graduate degrees — removes the financial barriers to higher education. For team members working toward their high school equivalency, our GEDWorks program offers the support they need to succeed.

Learning doesn’t stop once you’re on the job. Our Learning & Development team hosts monthly live professional development sessions on building technical know-how and essential soft skills. One example is our Navigating Difficult Conversations program that helps team members develop crucial interpersonal skills, enabling them to build stronger relationships, foster collaboration, and approach challenging situations with confidence and ease.

We also take the time to identify and nurture future leaders. Managers and teams work together through bi-annual talent reviews to determine who is ready for promotion and map out where additional support or training might be needed. Coupled with our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, these practices help build a culture where everyone can thrive and no one’s potential goes unnoticed. We are deeply invested in developing internal talent. Our programs and talent reviews help us recognize not just who is ready now — but who will be ready next.

Career Growth in Action: Real Employee Journeys

The best way to understand what career growth looks like at Wills Group is to see it in action, and our team members’ career paths speak volumes.

Take Josh Campbell, who joined Dash In as a Store Manager in 2020. Since day one, Josh has brought energy, insight, and a talent for identifying ways to make store operations more efficient. His analytical mindset and dedication to his team stood out, leading to a promotion to Junior Category Manager, followed by Category Manager I. Most recently, Josh was named Category Manager of the Year by CSP, recognizing his many contributions and our commitment as an employer to internal mobility.

Then there’s Potros Potros, whose career path reflects the flexibility and opportunity embedded in our culture. Potros began as a Store Manager in 2021, earning accolades for his leadership and ability to drive guest engagement. With an interest in technology, he joined a shadowing program with our IT Field Support team — and that hands-on experience landed him a promotion to Retail Systems Administrator. Today, he’s helping shape the systems that power our stores, blending his operational background and technical skills together in a new role.

Arden Waldow started her career path as a college intern with the Corporate Communications team. Her talent and work ethic made a strong impression, leading to a temporary role and eventually, a full-time position as a Customer Service Representative on the Marketing team. Arden’s story shows how Wills Group internships offer more than short-term opportunities — they can be the first step of a career in retail.

Each of these stories is unique, but they share a common thread: a workplace where potential is recognized, growth is nurtured, and team members are given the tools and trust to take the next step. 

Promoting from Within

At Wills Group, promoting from within is a deliberate strategy that benefits employees and the business. When team members grow into new roles, they bring deep institutional knowledge, established relationships, and a firsthand understanding of our values and culture. That kind of leadership creates consistency, boosts morale, and reinforces a shared sense of purpose across the organization.

Promotions are not left to chance. Our Training Tracks program provides retail team members with a roadmap of the skills and experience needed to move into leadership roles. Through structured talent reviews and ongoing performance evaluations, managers work closely with teams to identify those who show initiative, leadership potential, and a readiness to take on greater responsibility. Succession planning is taken seriously, and every development program is designed with upward mobility in mind.

Career paths at Wills Group are both structured and adaptable. In our Dash In retail stores, a team member might start at an entry-level position and grow into a Store Manager role, with the opportunity to move up to Area Manager, overseeing multiple locations. For corporate roles, an employee might enter as a coordinator or associate, and with time, training, and performance, grow into a manager or senior leader within their department.

Some paths are more creative. We actively look for ways to align an employee’s strengths with business needs, whether that means offering stretch assignments outside someone’s current role or creating new positions to unlock untapped potential. This flexibility allows people to explore new functions, gain cross-departmental experience, and grow meaningful, personalized careers.

We look at the diverse strengths and skills of our teams and will leverage them in new capacities, whether through stretch assignments or by creating new roles that meet both the team member’s goals and the business’s needs. This blend of structure, support, and flexibility helps team members not only see their future at Wills Group but actively build it.

Opportunity Awaits

The advice for anyone starting their journey at Wills Group, Dash In, or Splash In is simple: take advantage of every opportunity to grow. From mentorship and training programs to educational benefits and hands-on experience, the resources are there — it’s up to you to lean in.

Embrace the learning opportunities provided, seek mentorship, and actively participate in development programs. Demonstrating initiative, commitment, and aligning with our company's values will position you well for leadership roles.

What sets Wills Group apart is not just the depth of its development programs, but the belief that people at every level are the company’s most valuable asset. Career growth here is real, supported, and actively encouraged. Wills Group and Dash In have even earned Great Place to Work® certification four years in a row — a reflection of our culture that values inclusion, invests in education, and promotes from within.

Whether you’re beginning in retail or aiming for a corporate path, Wills Group, Dash In, and Splash In offer careers with purpose, progress, and the power to shape your journey.

Want to be the next success story? Explore careers at Wills Group.