Fresh Beginnings: A Partnership between Broad River Retail and Freshworks
Release Date: 02/18/2025
Moving Units Amidst a Matrix of Metrics with Bradley Sullivan
Stories from the River
Welcome back to Stories From the River, where Charlie Malouf continues his conversation with Bradley Sullivan, the General Manager of the award-winning Albemarle Aces, for an in-depth discussion on leadership, motivation, and what it takes to build a high-performing retail team at Broad River Retail. Against the energetic backdrop of the Charlotte Motor Speedway, Bradley shares how his obsession with performance metrics, consistency in routines, and a deep investment in the growth of his Memory Makers have been the driving forces behind his team's repeated successes, including multiple top...
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Moving Units and the Rise of the Albemarle Aces with Bradley Sullivan at Broad River
Stories from the River
In this episode of Stories from the River, host Charlie Malouf sits down with Bradley Sullivan at the Charlotte Motor Speedway to dive into Bradley's unique journey as a Memory Maker at Broad River Retail. Bradley, affectionately known as Sully, recounts his path from his early days in the furniture business, his meaningful recruitment experience at the transformative Purpose 8:28 event (Bradley's 'Day Zero' in Fort Mill, South Carolina, on August 28, 2019), and his rise through various leadership roles within the Company—from his start in Cary as an AGM with Michael Childers, to taking on...
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Passport Broad River: GM Jose Blanco on the Heart of Leadership & His 11-Year Journey
Stories from the River
In this episode of Stories from the River, host Charlie Malouf sits down with Jose Blanco, the General Manager of the Glenwood Gladiators, as part of the GM Series. Coming to you from the Charlotte Motor Speedway during a week of special events, the two dive into Jose’s extensive 11-year leadership journey at Broad River Retail. Jose shares stories from his beginnings in liquidation furniture sales prior to joining The River and then through his progression through nearly every possible leadership role across many store locations—including Hickory, Arden, Asheville, Matthews, University,...
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Annihilating Limits: Alexis Strafuss on Listening and Leadership in Fostering Culture & Connection
Stories from the River
In this episode of Stories from the River, host Charlie Malouf welcomes Alexis Strafuss, the General Manager of the Augusta Annihilators, during the GM Rx and the Mission Possible Sleep Summit at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Alexis shares her journey from food and beverage management into the furniture retail world with Ashley, starting in 2020 in Florida during the COVID-19 pandemic. She describes her growth from a Rookie Sales Associate to various leadership roles, including her first General Manager position in Inverness, Florida, and later at flagship locations with Ashley Global Retail...
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Insights from Broad River’s Recent Q2 Town Hall
Stories from the River
In this episode of Stories from the River, host Charlie Malouf takes viewers and listeners on a behind-the-scenes journey through Broad River Retail’s 2nd Quarter Companywide Town Hall that took place on Friday, May 16, 2025. He explains the origins and purpose of the quarterly Town Halls, highlighting how they have become a crucial channel for transparent communication and engagement with Memory Makers across the company. Charlie walks through the meticulous planning and collaborative preparation that goes into these events, emphasizing the blend of important companywide updates,...
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Boosting Confidence and Sales: Ashley’s 'Right to Win' Boot Camp Reflections
Stories from the River
This episode marks the fifth and final installment in the Ashley's 'Right to Win' Boot Camp series on Stories from the River, hosted by Charlie Malouf. The focus of this series is a four-day intensive training held across eight host locations, aimed at elevating the product knowledge and confidence of Broad River's Memory Makers. Charlie interviews Kensley Phillips, Jim Walker, and Josh Hatchell from the Flagship Enterprise, along with Angel Santana from the Rock Hill Raiders, as they reflect on their biggest takeaways and practical insights from the Boot Camp. The Memory Makers emphasize how...
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Memory Makers On Sustainability, Innovation and Product Quality at Ashley’s 'Right to Win' Boot Camp
Stories from the River
In this episode of Stories from the River, we continue the Ashley's 'Right to Win' Product Knowledge Boot Camp series, focusing on insights from four Memory Makers who participated in the intensive training event at the flagship Pineville location. Joined by Kensley Phillips, Jim Walker, Angel Santana, and Josh Hatchell, the conversation highlights each Memory Maker’s unique perspective on the boot camp’s hands-on approach—especially impressive demonstrations showcasing the durability and innovative construction of Ashley Furniture products, like standing on dresser drawers and sofas to...
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Power in Preparation: Inside the Product Knowledge Boot Camp with Chris Berrier
Stories from the River
Welcome to the third episode in the Ashley's 'Right to Win' Product Knowledge Boot Camp series from Stories from the River. Charlie Malouf introduces Chris Berrier, Area Manager of Supernova in the North region. The conversation highlights the extensive boot camp training underway, which draws Memory Makers from three states, taking place in eight different host stores, with sessions led by experienced trainers like Teresa Thompson from Ashley Furniture's Field Sales team. The training focuses primarily on deepening product knowledge across various categories, while also weaving in essential...
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Ashley's Right to Win Boot Camp is a Force Multiplier
Stories from the River
Welcome to the second episode in the latest series from Stories from the River - Ashley's 'Right to Win' Product Knowledge Boot Camp. Today, Charlie Malouf sits down with Teresa Thompson, Ashley Furniture Industries Field Sales Manager and trainer at this year's Boot Camp held in Pineville, North Carolina (one of the eight host sites for the training sessions). Teresa shares her journey from a long career in retail, including stints at Williams Sonoma and in fine jewelry, to her current role with Ashley, where she is part of the original group that launched the field sales training...
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Product Smart, People Driven, Purpose Fueled: Product Smart, People Driven, Purpose Fueled: Mobilizing Ashley's 'Right to Win' Boot Camp
Stories from the River
Welcome to a brand-new series on Stories from the River as we go behind the scenes of Ashley's 'Right to Win' Product Knowledge Boot Camp with Charlie Malouf and Renee Bradley as they unpack what it means for Broad River Retail. Find out how this company-wide training is shaping retail teams and driving results across multiple locations. Charlie and Renee sit down at the Pineville Flagship Ashley Store location and discuss the massive undertaking involved in orchestrating this four-day, multi-site training initiative. Over 330 Memory Makers from all aspects of retail — ranging from Home...
info_outlineWelcome to the first episode of the Freshworks Series on Stories from the River!
To kick off the series, guest host Sam Blum leads a vibrant discussion about Broad River Retail's integration with Freshworks' Freshdesk platform. Sam introduces Wes Dudley and Anita Harris, recognized as the CX Executives of the Year, and Alicia Thompson, a River award recipient for 2024. From Freshworks, Patrick Rhoads and Lauren Lee join the conversation.
The dialogue revolves around the vendor selection process, the decision-making journey, and the implementation of Freshdesk. Anita Harris elaborates on how Broad River is leveraging Freshdesk to manage customer concerns efficiently, making use of its case management ticketing system. Alicia Thompson highlights that Freshdesk serves multiple departments, including sales audit and inventory, beyond the customer-facing sides of the business.
The transition to Freshdesk has had a significant impact due to its collaboration capabilities, which align well with the needs of Broad River's various Memory Makers. The episode details the advantageous features of Freshdesk, such as its ease of use, supportive admin side, and collaborative potential, emphasized by Anita and Wes. Patrick Rhodes and Lauren Lee speak to the personalized approach and partnership that Freshworks offered, making them the perfect fit for Broad River. Freshdesk has become a valuable tool in enhancing customer service and adaptability within Broad River Retail.
This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZULpOf8quQU
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