KAREN BAKER  is a Category Manager  responsible for the Interior, Seat Cover and  Performance products in Super Cheap Auto's  range and is based in Lawnton.  A. I joined Super Cheap Auto in August 1991 at the Cannon Hill store as a casual cashier. It was my first ever attempt at getting a job. I was  impressed with the friendliness of the team and  the confidence they displayed in teaching a young person such as myself the sales skills and  product knowledge to assist customers.  My first four years were spent as a Casual/ Cashier at various Brisbane stores. In November  1995 I became a full-time Sales Assistant and was  selected to be a Store Opening Team member for our first regional store in Cairns – working in the store for three months assisting the team  and managers to learn the procedures for  running the store. After finishing the Cairns store  setup in May 1996, I moved into the Buying Office  Assistant role to help administer all import orders  into the business, however, still remaining part of the store opening team. In July 1997 I was appointed the Buying Expeditor for the Electrical and Trailer Categories  responsible for follow up of stock orders,  advertising product selection, price alterations,  customer complaints and communications with  both suppliers and stores. I completed the  ranging for the Caboolture Super Store concept,  including the sourcing of new product from  additional suppliers, negotiating trading  agreements and setting the strategy for retail  pricing and promotional activity. This is where I got the taste for Category  Management. In July 1999 I was promoted to  Category Manager (interior, seat covers and  performance). Being the most challenging role of  my career so far yet the most exciting, I’ve  working closely with suppliers to build a platform  of a good business ethic – the key to our business  success is by working hand in hand with the  supplier and maintaining a distinct point of  difference from our competitors. From eight to over 180, that’s the change in store  numbers and along the way we have seen the  introduction of processes and company policies, a  rapid growth in team members – to go from  knowing everyone in the company to meeting a  new person every day, the introduction of new  team structures to help support the business  growth, four point-of- sale systems and three  back office system upgrades. The one thing that has been maintained through  all that growth is the feeling that as a team  member I can make a difference and that I am  trusted, respected and valuable to this company. PAGE29 I only hope that I am still able to wake up every morning excited about the opportunity that every day I can make a difference and  achieve results. I know with SCA I do not have a job, I have a career. Well I suppose it is a little too early for retirement,  I would like to think that I will still be with Super  Cheap Auto and have advanced my career  possibly into a senior role. I know that while ever  I am working with the team at SCA I will be  learning new skills and refining my current ones. As part of a very dynamic Category Management  team we constantly review and adjust the plan to continually improve the outcome for the  business. I am fortunate to work with a group of people who trust and respect everyone in our  team, and by providing feedback to one another  on ranging decisions we support each other on a daily basis. I have always been proud to work for Super Cheap Auto, I was proud when I was  awarded Team Member of the Year in 1997, but my proudest moment would have to be the  creation of my first seat cover design, seeing the sales exceed $1 million dollars and then to see this fabric, that was a new innovation to  the category, on so many stands in the Asian  trade fairs and the realisation that this seat cover design may now be on cars in other parts of the world.  What has been your proudest achievement to date?  Q. When and where did you join Super Cheap  Auto and what were your first impressions?  Tell us about the different roles that you have had?  How do you use the Team Framework principles  in your role?  So where do you see yourself in 5 years time?  How has the company changed over the years? 