Alexis Tozzi
Alexis has built a successful 13-year career in retail leadership by steadily rising through roles across multiple sectors, from electronics and health-and-beauty retail to home goods and grocery operations. What began as a part-time college job quickly evolved into a long-term career path as managers recognized her leadership potential and encouraged her to pursue greater responsibility. She advanced through positions at RadioShack, Harmon Face Values, and Bed Bath & Beyond before transitioning into grocery retail with Acme Markets, where she rapidly earned promotions through her strong operational skills and people-centered leadership style.
Today, Alexis serves as a Store Director at Acme Markets, leading a team of approximately 110 employees and overseeing the daily operations of one of the company’s New Jersey locations. After joining Acme as an Assistant Store Director, she was promoted to Store Director within just a year and a half, reflecting her adaptability, work ethic, and ability to lead high-performing teams in fast-paced retail environments. Throughout her career, she has gained hands-on experience across a wide range of retail departments, including beauty, kitchen and home goods, meat, and grocery operations, giving her a well-rounded understanding of the business.
A graduate of Montclair State University with a background in psychology, Alexis applies her education directly to her leadership approach by understanding different personalities, communication styles, and motivational needs. She believes effective leadership starts with meeting people where they are, building trust through appreciation, and remaining open to learning from frontline employees. As one of only four female store managers in her district, she is also actively involved in WIN, a women’s leadership group within Albertsons, and participates in community outreach initiatives through partnerships with the Community Food Bank of New Jersey.
• Montclair State University- B.A.
• Bergen Community College
• WIN (Women's Resource Group at Albertsons)
• Community Food Bank of New Jersey
What do you attribute your success to?
I've always leaned on the experts that work below me, because I think there's something to be said for that grocery manager that's been a grocery manager for 40 years. Well, they're the expert. I'm the captain of the ship, but my team is rowing. I've always climbed the ladder and learned from people beneath me, believe it or not, by asking questions, showing them that they're appreciated, and telling them when they did a good job. It builds trust and it builds a relationship that makes them want to teach me. It makes them want to tell me more. I'm always learning from my team, even to this day. Like, my meat manager, I don't know a ton of stuff about the meat department, I gotta be honest with you. But he's always like, 'Alexis, come here, I'm doing this, I want to show you.' When you show people that you're interested in their craft and what they're good at, they stay involved. They love to teach you because you're interested. So I guess that's how I've always been successful, is leaning on the people that work beneath me that are the experts. I always contribute that to my success, I think, more than anything. It makes them feel important and valued, and that helps the morale and motivation.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received came from my manager, who reminded me that my greatest strength is recognizing how much more I still have to learn, and that staying open to continuous learning and growth is what keeps me effective and successful.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The biggest thing would be to observe and be aware of the people and the surroundings in the beginning. I feel like you can learn a lot just from being aware and observant, and then using that to formulate how you're going to handle a person or a situation or a problem. Use that as your framework before you actually come up with a plan on how you're gonna deal with a goal, or a dream, or maybe it's upper management, maybe it's the team you're leading. I think that being observant and coming in with a total open mind is the first step when you start a leadership journey. You have to meet people where they're at first, and then try to build people better. You have to be fluid and able to multitask and shift frequently. You have to be able to switch those hats quickly, not only wear them, but know when to take them off, and you have to put on a new hat to be able to adjust to all the things that are happening at once sometimes.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is working in long-established environments where I’m often one of only a few women in store leadership—just four women managers in a 17-store district—while also balancing the demands of wearing many different hats at once. At the same time, there’s a real opportunity to bring in fresh perspectives, stay committed to continuous learning, and strengthen team development in ways that help evolve how the business operates.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are being people-focused, prioritizing family and relationships, acting with integrity, and staying open to continuous learning and growth.