When Georgia Vourloumi took a student job at an Alfa Beta store in late 2009, she never imagined it would be the start of a lifelong career. “I was just eighteen, fresh from a small village in the Peloponnese, moving to Athens to study. I thought this job was something I did on the side.” Yet sixteen years and multiple promotions later, she’s still with the company – and now leads seventy stores across the Attica region as Area Sales Manager.
Georgia’s journey within Alfa Beta has been one of steady growth, marked by a series of exciting opportunities. After progressing from department head to assistant store manager and then store manager, she grasped every chance that came her way. “My goal was never to reach a certain position, but to continuously improve and be the best version of myself. And I’m certainly not the only one. There are so many people at Alfa Beta who started young, working in stores, and have since built beautiful careers full of opportunity.”
This personal growth reflects not only her individual drive but also the collaborative spirit she fosters within her team. Her group of nine retail managers is at the heart of her work. She stepped into her current role in late 2024, and in early 2025, three new team members joined. “Building something new together was a bit stressful at first. I had to support the new team members as they settled into their roles – while I was still getting used to mine. But we’ve grown into a close-knit team that really trusts each other.” Fun fact: all Georgia’s team members are older than she is. Does that intimidate her? “Not at all. In this company, it’s skills that matter - not age. That’s why so many opportunities arise for people regardless of whether they’re young or older. Personally, I find it very important that we maximize all the experience this team has. By combining our different personalities and perspectives, we become the strongest team possible. Because progress is a result of hard work, collaboration, and perseverance.”
And Georgia needs that strong team to reach the company’s ambitious sales targets. “The Attica region is one of the largest in Alfa Beta, and therefore responsible for a significant part of the company’s revenue. That can feel like a big responsibility at times. With all due respect to the other departments, the first line is the most important aspect of the business. The level of service, sales and support provided to the customers by the employees defines to a great extent the well-being of the company.
But I truly believe we can only hit those targets if everyone in our stores feels appreciated, safe, and happy at work. My mission is to make sure of that. It is a personal commitment and a real joy to contribute to the growth and job satisfaction of our people – and to witness the success that follows from those collective efforts. Team happiness isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s essential to success.”
“It’s not just our people who should feel happy – our customers should too. That’s another big focus for me. All our stores should give customers a great and unique shopping experience. We use an app called ‘Maze’ that collects customer feedback, and I check all the results. I encourage our Retail Managers to share positive customer feedback with their teams, recognizing and rewarding them daily, while treating any negative feedback as an opportunity to improve. That’s how we help each other do better every day than the day before – and every year better than the last. Looking back, I never imagined building her career in one company. But Alfa Beta has always felt like home. One life, one AB. This is where I have grown, both professionally and personally. I am incredibly grateful for the trust and support this company has given me throughout the years.”
Making a difference, every day
The most rewarding days are those when Georgia knows she has made a positive difference – whether for a colleague, a customer, or her team as a whole. “That’s one of my biggest motivations: to have a positive impact on every person I meet each day. Just recently, a colleague was facing a serious health issue, and together with my team and the HR department, we supported him in every way we could. Once, a colleague found a customer’s wallet and politely refused any reward, saying it was simply her duty. We brought her flowers to thank her – and immediately upgraded her contract as a gesture of recognition for her values and integrity. To me, these gestures are simply part of showing people that we’re all in this together.”
Alongside her daily responsibilities, Georgia is one of the instructors in The Welcoming Store AB, a nationwide learning project on hospitality. “The program focuses on upgrading the overall customer experience across all our stores,” she explains. This ties into another of Georgia’s interests: psychology. “I have always been fascinated by the science behind human behavior – why people do what they do, what drives them. That’s what makes this project especially exciting. What do our customers need? How can we respond to that more effectively – or even help shift behaviors? How can I help people unlock their potential and become the best version of themselves? I’ll admit, stepping into the role of trainer felt a little outside my comfort zone at first. But now I really enjoy it. This learning journey allows me to share knowledge while meeting so many new people across the organization.”
And that’s exactly what she loves: meeting new people and occasionally stepping off the beaten path. And what better way to do that than by traveling – one of Georgia’s greatest passions. “I have traveled a lot with my husband, my sister, and with friends. I love discovering new places. Romantic cities full of history and castles are my favorite. So far, Rome and Bruges have been the most beautiful cities I’ve visited. My husband, Iakovos, is more into big, modern cities like Tokyo. We often try to find destinations that offer the best of both worlds.”
Some of Georgia’s most formative journeys, however, took place much closer to home, in her early twenties. “Living in the student dormitory was a life-changing moment,” she says. “It was the first time I stayed far from my family. At first, I felt lonely and insecure, but over time I learned to take care of myself and rely on my own strength. My roommates were like quiet Pokémon during the day and night-wandering elves by night,” she smiles. “And I, amidst it all, learned to cook something like food – and to enjoy it, because I realized that the important thing isn’t that the food is perfect, but that you always have someone to share it with.”
The relationships she built in those shared kitchens and endless late-night conversations taught her the value of companionship and respect. “I learned to listen. To truly be present. Not to rush or judge, but to offer space. That’s when listening becomes a bridge.” In those years, Georgia discovered what it meant to be responsible, to have freedom – and to face its consequences. “That period made me stronger, more mature, and gave me memories I still carry with me. I met lifelong friends – Anna, Maria, and Niki – and taught them how to play Diloti, a Greek card game. We built a family from nothing, and a warmth that didn’t fit within the walls.”
Name: Georgia Vourloumi (1991)
Started working at AB Vassilopoulos: December 2009
Studied: Finance & Business Administration, Athens University of Applied Sciences (2012)
Living with: My husband, Iakovos
Hobbies: Traveling, reading books, and cooking. If I had more time, I’d do more of the last two
Wake me up in the middle of the night for: A spontaneous dinner or dance night with friends
Favorite holiday destination: Bruges, a small, romantic city in Belgium
Biggest source of inspiration: The people I love are my greatest source of strength, creativity, and growth. They remind me who I am during the toughest moments and inspire me to become the best version of myself. My sister – the most amazing and courageous woman I know – my husband, and my family
Best advice I’ve ever received: ‘Speak and act with kindness even when it’s difficult, because true strength is not measured by dominance but by choosing respect, even under pressure’
