Kellie Jones, Manager of Retail Operations at Broad River Retail, joins Charlie for a conversation.
Kellie discusses her favorite memories with her team, including her most memorable year (2018) when her store became known as “The Lake,” formed a book club, bonded like family, achieved an upgraded store designation (going from Silver to Gold status), having seven Million Dollar Writers, and having both the GM of the Year as well as the REM of the Year.
Kellie talks about her proudest moment to date with the Company – when she received the Cross Collaborator Award.
Kellie also discusses strategies her team and she implemented during the pandemic to prevent cancellations through Project Breakwater and how she keeps her team engaged, positive, and continuing to thrive.
She also unpacks the meaning and significance of the Gandalf Award given to the REM of the Month based on operational metrics as well as the importance of inventory management and Net Promoter Score (NPS).
There are so many other great stories, encouragement, and insights into the River shared during this conversation with Kellie.
Episode Resources:
Kellie’s book recommendation: “Believe IT: How to Go from Underestimated to Unstoppable” by Jamie Kern Lima – believeit.com
Kellie’s favorite podcasts:
“Office Ladies” – https://officeladies.com/
“Off the Beat with Brian Baumgartner” – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/off-the-beat-with-brian-baumgartner/id1550331348
Additional Episode Resources:
Qualtrics (Leading Experience Management Software that we use for NPS surveys): https://www.qualtrics.com
STORIS (Software Solutions for Home Furnishings Retailers that we use for our ERP system): https://www.storis.com
Microsoft Teams (for group video chat and remote team connectivity): https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/group-chat-software
ZOOM (Video Conferencing & Virtual Event software that we use for our Town Halls): https://zoom.us
“Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family” by Bob Chapman and Raj Sisodia – https://www.barrywehmiller.com/outreach/book
Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast Q&A with Jamie Kern Lima: Leading with Authenticity – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/craig-groeschel-leadership-podcast/id1070649025?i=1000552806642
Maxwell Leadership Podcast: Believe IT with Jamie Kern Lima – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/maxwell-leadership-podcast/id1416206538?i=1000513379085
_______
We hope you enjoy this episode, and subscribe to our podcast for a new story each week.
Visit storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes.
Stories from the River Podcast explores the personal journeys of Broad River Retail’s very own Memory Makers. Whether it’s interviews or standalone narratives, Stories from the River will bring you closer to what it’s like to thrive inside the company. This show will share personal experiences from stores, distribution centers, call centers, and corporate campuses, giving listeners a front row seat to what it’s really like to be a Memory Maker furnishing life’s best memories every day.
This show is brought to you by Broad River Retail. Visit www.BroadRiverRetail.com.
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FULL TRANSCRIPTION
Charlie:
2018. You got your first bed. Tell us about it?
Kellie:
Yes. So, I’ve been working for the company for a couple of years. And on a Saturday morning meeting, I could tell the team was antsy and I didn’t really know what was happening. And then they gave me a card and they had bought me a bed. All contributed to and bought me my very first bed. I got the sauna and the bed, and it was really exciting. And it’s, I absolutely love it and it’s a great gift.
Intro
Welcome to Stories from the River, a podcast brought to you by Broad River Retail, where we’ll explore the personal journeys of our Memory Makers and share real stories from across the organization. And now for your host, President and CEO at the River, Charlie Malouf.
Charlie:
Okay. Well, before we get going, we always like to know a little bit about who we’re speaking with. Tell us a little bit about your background before you joined Broad River Retail?
Kellie:
Yeah, so I wasn’t initially born in North Carolina. I was born in Michigan, and we moved here when I was about 11. But I’ve been in Mooresville pretty much ever since then. And I went to college at Western Carolina University.
Charlie:
The Catamount?
Kellie:
The Catamount, yes. I absolutely loved it. I was in the marching band there, and that was amazing. But from there, I started at Target, and I worked at Target for about ten and a half years. As an Executive team leader. And then I moved on to David’s Bridal, where I was a Store Manager for a little while, and then I left.
I kind of did have a job for a little while. Because I just I was having some health issues and some other issues. My parents were as well, and I ended up moving back into my parents’ house. And then I found Ashley Homestore was hiring, and I needed a little job where I could go in and work 40 hours and then go home. And that’s what I did. So I signed on here and…
Charlie:
Well, we are so glad that you did. I know we spoke at a dinner one time, and you mentioned the Michigan deal, and my wife was born in Michigan.
Kellie:
Oh, cool.
Charlie:
Yeah, and so so you joined us in, when did you join us?
Kellie:
June 2016.
Charlie:
So you’ve been with us? I don’t, I’m not great with math. Almost six years now, which is so since you’ve been with Broad River. And by the way, let me just say Target and David’s Bridal, those are two great retailers to cut your teeth on.
I mean, so you had a great experience coming into the River. And then we’re super glad that you joined us in June 2016. And so, just take us through your career, like into what your current role is?
Kellie:
Yeah. So, I started as a GSR, Guest Service Representative. I did that for about a month before I became the lead Guest Service Representative.
Charlie:
It only took one month.
Kellie:
It didn’t take very long. Yeah. So I did that for a while. And then in April 2017, I became one of the very first REMs’. We started a pilot program just to see how it was going to work and obviously, it worked out.
Charlie:
Thank you for that.
Kellie:
Yes. So I got to do that. And then from there, I became a senior REM. I’m not exactly sure when that happened, honestly. It was like November of one of the years. I just I’m not sure which. And I did that. And then we started planning for Salesforce to launch really out to the company. So I gotta took on an implementation role with that, but still maintained REM and Senior REM status.
So I was still running the store in Mooresville still the senior REM of the North Region and Salesforce. And then, then on April 2021, I became the Manager of Retail Operations.
Charlie:
Manager of Retail Operations.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
You’re someone we like to call a HI-PO, high potential. And we knew that right away. And what you may not know is this REM position that we created and innovated. It really allowed us to transform and mobilize our entire Salesforce, and get leaner at the front office. And so and we did that through, I think, a year or so.
And because you helped us like prove that out, do you know how many other Retailers or Home Furnishings Retailers copied us or emulated that best practice strategy? I mean, you’ve probably helped them save millions of dollars just by helping us prove that REM stands for what.
Kellie:
Retail Experience Manager.
Charlie:
Yeah, and which is kind of, you’re like the number two supporting the General Manager, making sure all the operations and HFC experience and customer guest experience goes exceptionally well. Like a head on a swivel, right?
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
Making sure all the numbers and KPIs are swift, sound, efficient, and looking after. And then we just keep adding more and more responsibilities, because you can take on more and more, which is awesome.
Well, thank you for taking us through that. So I always like to go back to everyone’s first day. Do you remember your first day with the company?
Kellie:
Yes, I remember being very nervous, because I didn’t know what to expect. I came in and my GM at the time, he met me at the door, which was very nice, and walked me in. I met everybody in the store, which was very nice. I’ll be honest, I don’t remember learning much that day. Because I just was a little overwhelmed with a lot of the acronyms and just trying to get.
Charlie:
We don’t have a lot of acronyms, do we?
Kellie:
Just a few, but just trying to get acquainted, you know, with the team and the environment. And I mean, it was a good day. I had a lot of fun, but I don’t, I mean, I’m sure I learned something.
Charlie:
Who was your GM back then?
Kellie:
Kevin Kuhlman.
Charlie:
Kevin Kuhlman, awesome. Kevin was, he was great for us.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
So our organizational purpose, as you know, is furnishing life’s best memories.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
Four simple words. But if I ask you what would be some of your best memories besides getting the bed from the more being surprised to the bed.
Kellie:
Yeah. I have a ton of best memories.
Charlie:
I love that. Let’s hear it.
Kellie:
We can sit here all day.
Charlie:
Well, that’s is all about.
Kellie:
So some of the best memories. So 2018. Justin General was a great year. Had a lot of fun when I was in Mooresville at the lake, obviously year we became the lake actually, which was really cool.
Charlie:
I love that identity, by the way.
Kellie:
Yes, and we just, we all became a really solid team and a family that year. I remember we would have book clubs on Saturday mornings where we just all bonded and we cried together. I mean, who does that at work, right?
Charlie:
Well, when Rene Bradley did that.
Kellie:
Yes, when Rene Bradley was our GM. So, but that was just a great year. I think one of the best memories of that year, though, is we went gold. It was the very last day of the Fiscal year.
Charlie:
Yes, that’s cool.
Kellie:
We had been waiting all day, you know, and we were tracking it to the very last second. And it was just such a great celebration and it was just a great party.
Charlie:
Okay, but I know what this means, but tell our audience what it means to go gold?
Kellie:
Yeah. So, we basically moved up a level in the store…
Charlie:
Designation.
Kellie:
Designation. Thank you. That was the right word. So we were silver and then we sold over 9 million that year and we made gold.
Charlie:
First time.
Kellie:
And we had out of the eight HFCs, seven were million-dollar writers. One wasn’t because he started halfway through the year, so he wasn’t able to become one, but so.
And then I, you know, and then Rene was GM of the year, I was REM and it was, just it was an amazing year.
Charlie:
That’s an all-star team right there.
Kellie:
Yeah.
Charlie:
That’s phenomenal. Well, I do remember that year and how special it was. Do you have any other than, you said you had several?
Kellie:
Many other things, you know, we had the Gala at the beginning of 2020 to celebrate 2019. That was…oh God, that was amazing.
Charlie:
That was cool.
Kellie:
It was so much fun just to see everybody and everybody dressed up because, you know, you don’t get to see everybody like that every day. And it was just amazing.
Charlie:
Tell me about the first time you met Rene Bradley?
Kellie:
Oh, my gosh. So I didn’t know what to expect. So Rene came from Pineville. She was the Pineville GM and I was REM in Mooresville. And so, her and Kevin basically swapped stores and when she came up there, I had no idea. And she pulled me in because, you know, just like, let’s have a chat, let’s get to know each other.
And literally, before we left the office, both of us were crying and were hugging like and…
Charlie:
Connecting.
Kellie:
We were connecting. We truly were connecting. And honestly, I mean, she’s probably one of my best friends right now at this point time in my life, so and that was just the start.
Charlie:
She’s a really special lady, too.
Kellie:
She really is.
Charlie:
A good person to have as your best friend.
Kellie:
Yes, I agree.
Charlie:
You seem pretty passionate about your job. I see your face light up. What do you love about your job?
Kellie:
I love that I get to develop my team. I try to do, you know, personally and professionally because I think that if if you succeed personally, you’re going to succeed professionally and vice versa. So, I try to just make them better, you know, help make them better leaders and teaching and training. I just love being there for them any time they have a random question, or they just need to talk, like I just like to be there for them.
Charlie:
I feel like you’re the person who’s always there for your team?
Kellie:
I try to be. Yes.
Charlie:
That’s really cool. So let me ask you this. So you’ve been with us for nearly six years, and I’m sure you’ve grown and developed over that time. You’ve taken on new roles and responsibilities. You’re always someone who’s saying: “Hey, watch out for her, we got some, we got to create something special for her”.
What is something that you’ve learned about yourself during your time with us, or about what you’ve been able to accomplish that has surprised even you?
Kellie:
So, last year I actually did, I ran three REM, RX meetings so which I didn’t think I was going to be capable of. But I, you know, I sat down, I planned the whole thing out and I was really proud of myself for that. And I found out I actually really enjoy that.
Charlie:
Like presenting, plan thing?
Kellie:
Presenting, yeah. Presenting it, like I didn’t think I would be that excited to present, but I got really excited and I just I really loved it. And now I’m ready to do another one. And I love talking on the calls and…
Charlie:
What I was gonna say, so we set an acronym there, RX. What do you, tell our audience what an RX meeting is?
Kellie:
Yes. So it’s a Retail Experience meeting. So we had a meeting just for the REM and RC team, which is the Retail Experience Managers and Coordinators.
Charlie:
And we, you know, what you may or may not know, we shorten it to our RX because it’s a, that’s a prescription.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
So it’s the prescriptive method for how we’re going to win. And I was, I’m glad you mentioned, you know, leading on the calls.
Now you have to present virtually and you know, when you give out the Gandolf Award, you bring such great energy to recognizing your team and those awards and thoughtfulness. So you do a fantastic job doing that.
Kellie:
Thank you. I love I just love giving good news. And Gandalf is an amazing news, you know, so.
Charlie:
Well, tell our audience, I should say Gandalf in assuming this, what is the Gandalf Award?
Kellie:
So the Gandalf Award is given to the number one REM of the month based on operational metrics and KPI. So we go through that and it’s just an award. So it’s all about we picked Gandalf as the award just because it’s you shall not pass is one of Gandalf’s big things, and so.
And that’s kind of what the role the Retail Experience Managers and Coordinators play in the company is just like: “hey, no, no, we got to get this done before you can move on” so, yeah.
Charlie:
I love that. That’s really cool. Will Luke would really like that answer too, by the way.
Kellie:
I hope so.
Charlie:
What are you most proud of thus far in your Broad River Retail career? And is there a certain accomplishment or achievement that really kind of stands out for you?
Kellie:
I think the biggest achievement that I’ve gotten is actually in this last year I got an award, Stacie presented me with the Cross Girl Collaborator Award. And that just meant a lot to me, that just really… I may cry. It just meant a lot, so.
Charlie:
You are not gonna be the first to cry. So just let it out.
Kellie:
Yeah. So it just really meant a lot that you know, that I was appreciated and not just in the REM team, but throughout the company. Just it really meant a lot.
Charlie:
I can tell. That’s awesome. Retail operations, that’s interesting. It’s like, you usually think of the Retail team and the Operations team, and then they’re fuzed together for this Department. It’s not just Retail and not just Operations. What exactly is Retail Operations?
Kellie:
Yes. So, it’s I like to say it’s everything, but selling. But we kind of do that sometimes. So it’s a lot of inventory and a lot of inventory. It’s a lot of behind-the-scenes financing and double-checking, those kinds of things. It’s all those the stuff that the salespeople don’t want to do is kind of what we do.
Charlie:
Well, making sure that the guest is gonna get the furniture that they ordered when they ordered.
Kellie:
Yes. And that is correct.
Charlie:
And they’re gonna pay for it in the way that they intended to pay for and that the company is going to get the money that it is expecting to get because that’s important.
Kellie:
Very important.
Charlie:
You mentioned inventory. Inventory.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
And so what is Inventory Management and why is that important?
Kellie:
Yes. So, Inventory Management’s very important just because if you’re missing inventory or in that, it’s just it’s a huge cost to the company. So it’s the REM team, we own it from the moment it gets into the building to the moment it leaves. And that’s the best way to just manage it on a day-to-day basis.
Manage it, you know, by cycle counts, all of that. Just to make sure what we have is what we say we have is what we truly have. And it’s just going to financially fiscally it makes sense.
Charlie:
You know, I have to tell you, early on in our career in you know, we just assume and there’s this thing like write-offs and losses, it yeah, it’ll never be accurate or we can’t pull people off the sales floor to count and, you know, or you’re just going to write off so many accessories. I mean, you had how many stores like not even have to do their full physical last year because they had had such good progress on their cycle counts. I mean, like half the stores?
Kellie:
Yeah, no more than half. So only nine stores out of 26 last year had to do inventory.
Charlie:
That’s amazing. That’s so like a third roughly.
Kellie:
Yeah.
Charlie:
And just to know, I’ll just tell you from my position in an owner to know like with confidence that those find that financial assets, and it is also important to our banks to and our financial balance sheets it is what it is. We have what we say we’re going to have.
It’s so vitally important to honor. We’re super appreciative that we don’t have to worry about that because we have such great people, processes, and people. That shall not pass.
Kellie:
Yes, exactly.
Charlie:
What else are you primarily responsible for in Retail Operations? Like what do you oversee and manage?
Kellie:
Yeah. So in my position with the Manager of Retail Ops, I obviously work with all the RMS and RCs. But I also work, now we have the new Associate Manager Retail Operations that I’m going to be working with, and they’re going to be and over their own regions. And then I’m going to help with them and training them, and getting them rocking and rolling. So I’m really excited about that.
Charlie:
Awesome. Okay, well we’re coming out of a pandemic for the last two years.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
So I don’t want to ignore it, it be the elephant in the room. So let’s talk about Retail Operations and the dirty word of COVID. What have been some of the really challenging aspects of Retail and Retail Operations from your perspective, during COVID and a pandemic?
Kellie:
So, I don’t, I mean, challenges, of course, obviously. You know, there were delays on furniture and that was the biggest challenge. And then, of course, you know, with delays come upside guess. That would probably be the biggest challenge that we as you know, at any part of Retail, we all dealt with it and just, you know, figuring out the best way to, you know, make it through.
Charlie:
Heightened tensions in that.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
What is Project Breakwater?
Kellie:
So Project Breakwater is all about basically saving the sale and limiting our cancelations. So working with our guests, finding the best solution to, you know, so that they can still get the furniture that they truly want and yes, they may have to wait. And I mean, we all it’s just kind of the world we live in right now, so.
Charlie:
Yeah, I mean, it’s so important to make sure that we message it the expectation, the right at the beginning, and then when they’re frustrated, what can we do? Because we go through so much work and effort to put this on. We started seeing our cancelations, just sour through these delays.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
And so Breakwater became another defensive posture, to like we can actually improve sales by just saving sales.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
And that’s really, really important.
Kellie:
Yeah. And most of the time, it’s just, you know, talking to the guest and listening to the guest and then, I mean, the vast majority of time and that’s all they want. Is somebody to listen.
Charlie:
Yeah. So that tapping into EQ, that emotional intelligence.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
Well, how do you remain, you personally, how do you remain like positive and optimistic and encouraged when you’re fighting these battles to save sales or prevent cancelations, or dealing with heightened tensions?
Kellie:
Yeah. So most of the time, you know, it’s going to happen. We’re human. We’re all going to be upset. You know, I get it. I know I would be upset if I was in their position as well. But just remembering that, you know what, it’s furniture. If they do cancel, they cancel. But guess what’s going to happen tomorrow?
Somebody’s going to come in and spend $15,000 and be okay with the wait. Like, it’s OK.
Charlie:
Yeah.
Kellie:
Like it’s fine. Like we’ll figure it out. You know, it’s that’s how life goes. There’s ups and downs and we may have it, you know, be down today, but tomorrow we’ll be back up.
Charlie:
That is a great balanced perspective to have.
Kellie:
Yeah.
Charlie:
So it’s that how you also keep your team positive you know, especially if they’re having a bad day?
Kellie:
Yeah. For the most part, that’s what I, I would try to do is just, you know, just try to keep encouraging them, tell them, you know: “Hey, I get it. You’re upset you haven’t sold the first three guests of the day. I get it while you go take a five-minute break and come back because if you change your attitude and if you’re positive, you’re going to sell.”
Charlie:
Yeah.
Kellie:
And so that’s what I would do as a REM, and then just the same to similar to with REMs.
Charlie:
I like to ask this question for folks who are dealing with guests during this COVID pandemic. Do you find that customers have been more understanding or less understanding during this time?
Kellie:
So at first, they were less understanding, but that’s because I don’t think truly we understood the impact of COVID right at the beginning, and how it was going to affect us. You know, down the road.
We didn’t expect it to affect us, you know, as long as it did or it has. But I think after we’ve kind of figured it out and now that we give, you know, very realistic expectations. And guests pretty much understand now and we don’t really have as many, you know, upset people about delays and that just because they do understand more so now.
Charlie:
Yeah. And also early on, we didn’t know.
Kellie:
Yeah, nobody knew.
Charlie:
We didn’t have great information. And that also felt a little bit like, hey, I’m trying to spend my stimulus money. I want my furniture. Like, oh my God we don’t know. We weren’t getting the best information but-
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
Things have stabilized somewhat.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
Okay. So this is called Stories from the River. So I want to know about your. And you’ve dealt with a lot of fellow Memory Makers and guests. I want to know, do you have a favorite Retail Operations or customer guest story that you can share with us?
Kellie:
Yeah, so my favorite story is about Ted Aurora, who is now our Senior REM in the University Store. But before when I first met him, he was a salesperson in Kannapolis who applied to be the REM.
When Cathy was REM moved to another Store. I was very hesitant. Ted was, you know, he wasn’t a bad salesperson, but he wasn’t the best either. And I was very hesitant because I was like, I don’t want somebody mediocre on my team.
Charlie:
Yeah. You have high standards.
Kellie:
Yes, I do. I have very high standards.
Charlie:
That’s great.
Kellie:
But Ted, so Will was there, and he was like: “ Kellie, he may be mediocre in that, but like, think about how amazing he’s going to be in this role and how he can this is you know if this is the role for him, he’s going to be tremendous. “
And I was like, you’re right. You’re right. That makes sense. So I was like, all right, let’s do it. So we hired him. Immediately when I started to train him, blown away, I was so impressed during the training. He did a great job and I was like: “Okay, Will was right. Don’t tell him I said that.”
Charlie:
Too late.
Kellie:
I know. I know. So, you know, cut to last year. And Ted, really, you know, he had gotten his stride as a REM and he’s just, you know, he’s killing it day in and day out at his Store. But then he took it upon himself to reach out to new REMs, ones that were not even in his region, to teach and train them.
Charlie:
That is so cool.
Kellie:
Yeah. So he even traveled a little bit for me to help other stores, but he did teams calls. He still keeps up every day with the teams that the people that he’s trained. He talks to him every single day just to follow up with them to see if they’re still good.
Charlie:
Really?
Kellie:
Even if they’ve been here for a while.
Charlie:
I love that story. You learn things on this podcast, you know.
Kellie:
Yeah.
Charlie:
That’s one part of why I’m doing this.
Kellie:
Yeah. And then, of course, then he became REM of the year last year. So I mean, he’s just amazing.
Charlie:
Yeah, that’s great. That’s a good story.
Kellie:
Yeah.
Charlie:
Switching gears.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
NPS. Net Promoter Score. How does, first of all, what is it? What is NPS?
Kellie:
So the Net Promoter Score is based of survey responses that we get from our guests. Obviously, you want to be the higher the score, the better. That means the guests are, you know, loving you. And they like being with our stores and our salespeople specifically. So but, you know, obviously the Net Promoter Score, you know, is based of, you know, you have promoters, but you also have detractors and passive score.
So you want to get more promoters with the surveys. And the surveys, you know, there’s a variety of questions, but the big one is the likelihood to recommend you know, to a friend that to come shop here with us.
Charlie:
Yes. That’s what Brad Rachel calls the ultimate question.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
How does Qualtrics help us measure NPS and what does it do for us?
Kellie:
Yeah. So Qualtrics is the platform that sends the survey out to the guests and receives the results. And then it gives us to us on a company level, region, store and even down to the specific salesperson level, which is really great because I loved it.
Because as a REM. I could say: “Hey, you’re doing an amazing, great job, or: “Hey, you only had a couple of surveys this week, “Why don’t you know, this is the feedback that you’re getting. Maybe we can work on getting more, or you can work on, you know, changing your how you, you know, talk to the guests about something”, you know.
Charlie:
I like how they position themselves as an Experience Management Platform. You know, we have all of this business data, like the sales and KPIs and SPG and conversion rate and average ticket. Like you can’t argue with that binary data. But we never, prior to NPS, had experiential data and bring that distilling that down to like numbers like, what is the customer sentiment?
Well, let’s don’t make it a feeling. Let’s actually measure it. So, so with that being said, what impact does Retail Operations have with with or on NPS and customer reviews? And we know that customer reviews are so vitally important to the success of any Retail company. So what impact does Retail Operations have with NPS and customer reviews?
Kellie:
So, like everything that as Retail Operations does, it’s about influencing and driving the results with the team. So, the sales people, they are, they have the connections with the guest more so than we do. I mean, we can talk to the guest if we see them in the store, we can encourage them to, you know, complete the surveys, give us a five-star review, you know, all of that.
But our HFC team, our Home Furnishing Consultants, they’re the ones who have those, have built relationships with them. So we’re the ones. So we’re it’s our job to encourage them and remind them constantly, you know, don’t forget to talk about this, you know, and that’s how we influence it.
Charlie:
Do you see that the best REMs have the best NPS scores for their stores? Is there a one-to-one, is there a correlation there?
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
Or like to what level of influence like is that constant reminding and the way that they and just also the way that we operate whole making sure that all the plumbing is correct and inventory’s correct and financing also leads to a positive experience, does it not?
Kellie:
I would say for the most part, yeah. Those that are more consistent with following up with that as well as other items that we need for are going to have the higher scores, yes.
Charlie:
Okay. So we just opened up Spark Ridge, a new Distribution Center. What impact do you think that Distribution Center will have on our business?
Kellie:
A good one obviously. I’m really excited because we can get to those locations in the South and West, I think quicker. So that means we’re going to get more deliveries out there. It’ll open up more space in the Fort Mill for more products and more deliveries here, more deliveries there. Just getting to the guest faster.
Charlie:
Which is always a good thing.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
And being able to hold more inventory too.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
Hopefully, we can get back to same-day next-day delivery at some point soon. For all of our markets.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
Okay. Coastal Connection, yeah. I know right after this interview, I believe you’ll be driving to Wilmington, North Carolina. Where we just, you know, to spend the weekend and devote some time to that brand new team you just helped us convert to recently acquired stores in Wilmington, our Coastal stores, onto our ERP system stores. How has that project gone?
Kellie:
So that team has been really receptive. I’m very proud of them. I’ve done several training sessions with them, and they just they’ve asked some really, really good questions during the training sessions. And they were just so excited to just get going. They’re like: “Just can we switch now?”, the whole time and I’m like: “No, no, we got to get to trade first.” They just want to get in there and do it.
Charlie:
I really wish it was as easy as waving a magic wand.
Kellie:
I know.
Charlie:
Now you’re already on Stores and all the training is done, but it does take time to do it well, do it the right way, convert all the data. But we’ve also consolidated their inventory from a small warehouse in Wilmington.
And now to our premier distribution center in Four Oaks. That can hold a lot more inventory. And so, what impact will Four Okas have on our ability to service our Wilmington customers?
Kellie:
So, lots of lots of different ways, but the main ways is, again, getting the merchandise to the guests quicker. It’s a little bit more organized in our system compared to what I’ve learned a little bit about how they kept track of merchandise. So I think that’s…
Charlie:
Just a little bit.
Kellie:
Just a little. Yeah. So I think it’s going to be just overall better and just getting the merchandise to the guest quicker.
Charlie:
Awesome. Thinking can talk about changing growth. And you’ve been with us for several years now. How have you seen the company over the last six years grow with that change from your view of point?
Kellie:
Yeah, so there’s been a tremendous amount of growth. I don’t remember how many stores we had when we first when I first started, but I know we have several more now, two new Distribution Centers.
Charlie:
Yeah.
Kellie:
You know, that’s happened in the last couple of years. Our REM role wasn’t even here but now we have other things, too, that has really changed our business.
COVID, I think, impacted that, but for the better. So, teams, Microsoft teams have just been amazing for our company in several ways. Like REMs can now just reach out to any REM in the company if they have any questions. Whereas before they just had, you know, two or three numbers they could call. And so now it just is amazing.
I love the town hall calls that we have. That’s a change that we’ve had. And that’s just been truly amazing as well. I enjoy all of those THRIVE and PURPOSE series, and how now we can the whole company can be involved in that. Whereas before it was just like some, you know, we how many could we fit in the formal training.
Charlie:
Yeah, yeah.
Kellie:
But now it’s for everybody.
Charlie:
I love it.
Kellie:
And I love that.
Charlie:
Microsoft you’re welcome to that shout-out.
Kellie:
Yeah.
Charlie:
Let’s get to know you on a little bit different level.
Kellie:
Okay.
Charlie:
Let’s just distill it down to three simple words. So you’re at the end of your career, you’re just kicking back your enjoying retirement life and you’re thinking about all these memories and experiences that you had, and they’re gonna, words are going to come to people’s minds to describe you or the impact that you had on them.
And as you think and reflect on that, what three words come to your mind as the way that you’d like to be remembered, or described?
Kellie:
Yeah. Positive, caring, and honest.
Charlie:
Those are great. Well, I mean, that’s come out and just this conversation thus far. So you know what you’re going to get with Kellie Jones, right?
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
And so, really deeply cares about you, who’s going to have a positive outlook and is going to tell you the truth.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
That’s awesome. So I know that it always takes a village and there are always unsung heroes. And then many times REMs are actually called the unsung heroes. But in your world, who would you, who are the unsung heroes of your world?
Kellie:
Yeah. So those are my unsung heroes is going to 100% be the sales audit team. So they’re 100% behind the scenes. There are three people on that team, Cindy, Kalin, and Molly, and they’re just amazing women. And they just, they have our backs.
They have the whole company’s backs. And I don’t think people really understand what they do, but they basically, you know, protect our blind side, if you will. And it’s just amazing what they do.
Charlie:
They shine the spotlight on what needs or what’s hidden in the crevices that we need.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
And that’s recently a new team I don’t know, a few years old, but they just joined Retail Operations.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
Right as you guys just consolidated within the last year or two, if I recall correctly. Kellie, what is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Kellie:
So the best advice I’ve ever received was from Rene Bradley. I was having a tough time personally. And she just said: “Kellie, just do one small thing today. Doesn’t matter what it is, just do one thing. And then you check it off your list. It’ll make you feel a million times better. And then if you want to and you feel comfortable, do another small thing, do one more thing”, you know?
And then it just I don’t know, it just made me feel good and where I was at the time. And I remember that every time I get overwhelmed now I just go, just do one small thing.
Charlie:
I like that. And I think I can envision how that, like, kind of you can build positive momentum is almost like a reset. And let me turn this back into the positive side by just doing something small on my task list or to-do list.
Kellie:
Yeah.
Charlie:
So you’ve talked about like getting the mattress and some of your intel and your favorite stories and all those things kind of distill and boil down to you know, our culture.
And you talked about like collaborating on teams and having these RX meetings. What is it about our culture that makes it unique or special? Like, and what is your favorite thing about our culture here at the River, you know, what is it?
Kellie:
Yeah, several things. The biggest thing is I’ve never felt like a number here. I’ve always felt like I was truly valued.
Charlie:
That’s important.
Kellie:
And yeah, people knew who I was. The first time I met you, you know, you acknowledged me and you remembered my name the next time I saw you, which never happened before in any other company. I mean, I met some CEOs in the past, and they couldn’t they would never remember who I was because they just didn’t care to remember.
But, our people care. And that’s 100% true. I mean, just some of the things that we’ve done, you know, and I’d seen and helped other people through tough situations. I mean, when we had the furlough, I mean, it was an optional furlough, but we didn’t fire anybody. We just did furloughs and we brought them back as soon as possible. I mean, that was just absolutely amazing when I saw other companies just saying, sorry, we can’t keep you.
Charlie:
Yeah, I mean I still remember other business people saying: “Hey, it’s an opportunity to cut the bottom 10%”. Wait – what? We just read the book everybody matters, and we’re not going to use a crisis or a pandemic as an opportunity to, like, cut people, no. So a rallying call became we’re going to bring all of our Memory Makers back home.
And so yeah, I appreciate you saying that. Well, we really think it’s important for people to thrive in as much as we made it a word of the year. We love a good word of the year. What does it mean for you to thrive in 2022?
Kellie:
Yeah. So for me, it just means being my best self. You know, every day personally and professionally, and then I’m also, you know, and I’ve taken this year off to kind of do a few things that I’ve always wanted to do. To continue to thrive, you know, personally. So like, I’m becoming a notary.
Charlie:
Oh, that’s great.
Kellie:
It’s a weird thing I’ve always wanted to be, but in a month I’ll be a notary, so.
Charlie:
That’s awesome. You know, you always need a notary.
Kellie:
Yeah, so I don’t know it. Yeah. So I’m just doing that. I’m thinking about going back to school, to grad school, just to continue to thrive, you know?
Charlie:
That’s awesome. You know, that first step in those directions are the most important steps, so I love that. So what advice would you give? I mean, Rene gave you great advice.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
You’re sharing some great nuggets here. What advice would you give to another fellow Memory maker to help him or her thrive this year?
Kellie:
Yeah, I would just say, you know, you know, think about what you know, thrive means to you. What would make you feel like you were thriving and then go for it.
Charlie:
So define your own thrive.
Kellie:
Define your own, yeah.
Charlie:
Yeah. And then don’t be afraid to kind of step out. I love it.
Kellie:
And ask for help if you need it.
Charlie:
Yeah. Because there are you’ll find there are people willing to come alongside you and help you.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
A lot of things we don’t think about that. We just have to ask sometimes. So you’ve had a lot of success going back to Target, Davis Bridal, and now Broad River Retail. What do you think have been the secrets to your personal success?
Kellie:
The first thing is love what you do and love on your people. Because that’s the first thing.
Charlie:
That’s great. Who taught you that?
Kellie:
I mean, I just kind of learned it through times that just that I feel I’ve always felt that if you love on your people, and then you see them succeed, then you’ll eventually succeed.
Charlie:
That’s wonderful. I’m a creature of habit. I know many people are. What are your best daily habits?
Kellie:
I’ll be honest, I have some horrible habits.
Charlie:
I did too.
Kellie:
I’m working through that. I’ve been working through that. Yeah. But what I’ve recently been doing, I’m doing the 75 hard challenge.
Charlie:
Oh wow.
Kellie:
Yeah.
Charlie:
You go for that.
Kellie:
Yeah. I’m on day 34 right now.
Charlie:
Woo.
Kellie:
But I found that I absolutely love getting up in the morning and going for a walk.
Charlie:
That’s awesome.
Kellie:
I’ve never thought I would love it, but just being out in it’s, you know, it’s been chilly in the morning. It’s just, it’s beautiful and it’s, it’s fun. I walk usually right before the sunrise, so I get to see the sunrise, and it’s just been really great.
Charlie:
I would challenge you to go for a walk with Manny Rodriguez, because they’re not really walks. It’s more like he could be in the Olympics for four walking. It’s like a 12 minute mile walk.
Kellie:
I haven’t made my walks that fast. It’s been about 19 minutes a mile.
Charlie:
That’s comfortable.
Kellie:
Yeah.
Charlie:
Oh, don’t, don’t go into the city and walk with him because you basically: “What are we doing here?“
Kellie:
Yeah.
Charlie:
Mentorship is so important. Wherefrom whom do you get your mentorship?
Kellie:
So I get it from everybody. I’m always trying to learn something new and always making notes of different things. I know when I’m in meetings if I listen when you talk, or Manny when Stacy talks, I’m like writing a textbook of different things. And it’s just I get it from everybody.
Charlie:
I love it. That’s awesome. So we talked about waving a magic wand earlier. So, like, what if you could change one thing about the company with the wave of a magic wand? What would that one thing be?
Kellie:
I don’t know if I would change a lot. Think I would add to it one thing that I think we could use would be a women’s like leadership group. So, we have some amazing women in leadership.
Charlie:
I agree.
Kellie:
But there’s I feel like an opportunity for more. There’s always an opportunity for more, but one, you know, I’ve been doing some research, and one thing that I found, you know, is that men who apply to a job when they only meet 60% of the qualifications, but women won’t until they meet 100% of the qualifications.
And I think that that holds us back and you know, in jobs, but also in our personal life, I think it can translate into that as well. So I think it would be important just to help women to grow that confidence level and, you know, and just I think it would be good.
Charlie:
Well, I think that’s a great idea and a great change. And so you heard it here Memory Maker, Experience Department. And maybe you’ll sign up and you can help us lead that.
Kellie:
I would love to.
Charlie:
That initiative. Okay, let’s say that I’ve decided to retire and I and you’ve done such a great job, either hand you the keys to the company, you’re the new President and CEO, and today’s your first order of business, and your first day in the new role. What’s your first order of business?
Kellie:
I don’t know. I wouldn’t change anything because obviously, we’ve got a winning sauce right now, so we got to keep that. So I think first order I mean, you just got to get to know everybody and I don’t know everybody now, so I’d have to do that, get to know, you know.
Charlie:
That’s really where you start. Yeah. I think if you lead people, you got to know, just like you were talking about earlier, knowing people’s names is knowing someone.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
So sharpening your saw and reinvesting in yourself and just about being your best self. So obviously you’ve got some things that you’re reading. What are you currently reading?
Kellie:
So I just finished literally last night. It’s a book called Believe It Going From… I just forgot the title.
Charlie:
Wanna heard this, who wrote it?
Kellie:
It’s by Jaime Kern Lima.
Charlie:
Yeah, yeah.
Kellie:
Who is the founder of IT Cosmetics. So yeah, Going from an Underestimate it to Unstoppable, is what it is.
Charlie:
How did you like it?
Kellie:
I loved it. I absolutely loved it.
Charlie:
So have you heard have you listened to any podcast with her?
Kellie:
I have not listened to podcasts with her. But I did see her when I did a Tony Robbins.
Charlie:
Oh, nice.
Kellie:
On event.
Charlie:
I’ve got several podcasts with where she was. She’s been on some actual podcasts and she’s great. I’ll send them to you. I’m going to check. I’ve got that book on my shortlist. That’s great.
Kellie:
Yeah, it’s really good.
Charlie:
Awesome. Well, other than this one, obviously, do you listen to podcasts?
Kellie:
I do listen to podcasts. Not necessarily for educational value, but so I love The Office and so I listen to the Office Ladies Podcast and Off the Beat with Brian Bumgarner, who is also from The Office.
Charlie:
Yeah.
Kellie:
So I listen to those and then I also listen to some true crime.
Charlie:
That’s awesome. By the way, I’m a huge Office fan and it’s that his show has still aged well. It is so funny.
Kellie:
Yes.
Charlie:
It’s good it’s still in syndication sometimes on two or three channels at once.
Kellie:
I know it’s hard to decide which one to watch.
Charlie:
Yeah. When you start working for the day and you stop taking calls or emails and you have some time for yourself or to invest in your best self or your family, what do you like to do for fun or just to relax?
Kellie:
Yep. So I play some mindless games on my phone. Sometimes I have the TV on in the background, sometimes I don’t do that. And then on Saturdays is my my big day is we have a game day at my brother’s house.
Charlie:
Nice.
Kellie:
So we are constantly airplane different board games and all that. It’s a lot of fun.
Charlie:
That’s I love a good family game night. Boardgame night. Do they get really competitive?
Kellie:
Oh, we’re very competitive. Yeah. So we play Monopoly a lot and we get we have several different versions too.
Charlie:
What is the strategy? What’s your Monopoly strategy?
Kellie:
Buy as much property right upfront. Just buy it all and tell everything you land on, buy it for a while.
Charlie:
Got it, got it. Be careful until extend. And do you guys play Risk?
Kellie:
No, we do not.
Charlie:
That’s a good game. Okay, switching gears. To someone who is not a Memory Maker and is considering, you know, a career here joining that come to the River, joining the River, what advice would you offer to that person?
Kellie:
Why are you waiting? You should apply now because we can learn so much from each other. You can learn from us. We can learn from you. So, just apply.
Charlie:
Love it. Kellie, love everything that you’re doing and have done. I hope that you travel safely to Wilmington today, later today, and have a great weekend helping that team there as we. Yeah, and this has been a lot of fun. Thanks for coming in and doing this. Do you have any final words that you like to share?
Kellie:
I guess I really don’t. It’s just been a great day and a great experience. I’m honored that I was asked to be here. This is the best company I’ve ever worked for and I just love it.
Charlie:
Awesome. Thank you so much.
Okay guys, that is Kellie Jones, Stories from the River. Please subscribe wherever you listen to your favorite podcast or on YouTube, and that helps us grow the program. And we hope you enjoyed this episode of Stories From The River with Kellie Jones.
Thanks Kellie.
Kellie:
Thanks Charlie.
Welcome to Stories from the River, a podcast brought to you by Broad River Retail, where we’ll explore the personal journeys of our Memory Makers and share real stories from across the organization. And now for your host, president and CEO at the River, Charlie Malouf.
