Stories from the River

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What does it take to build a successful career in furniture sales? In episode 384 of Stories from the River, Charlie Malouf, CEO, sits down with Stephanie Burke, Home Furnishings Expert at the Gastonia store known as The Gas Station, to discuss her journey from a decades-long career in the grocery industry in California to becoming a top-performing Memory Maker at Broad River Retail.

Stephanie shares how she overcame her initial hesitation about commission-based sales, built a strong book of business, and found success by focusing on product knowledge, active listening, and genuine connections with guests. She also explains her approach to demonstrating products like the Tempur-Pedic Active Breeze and matching features to individual sleep needs. Along the way, she reflects on the mentorship, support, and opportunities that have shaped her career, offering advice to anyone looking to grow and succeed in sales.

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Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

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In this spotlight from episode 383 of Stories from the River, Charlie Malouf and Bre Dolphin discuss the importance of listening to Memory Makers and using their feedback to improve training and company events. Reflecting on lessons from the previous Sleep Summit at the Speedway, they explore why gathering honest input—both positive and negative—is essential to making future experiences more valuable.

Charlie and Bre also discuss the role of technology, including AI, in analyzing large amounts of survey responses and identifying opportunities for improvement. Ultimately, they emphasize that asking for feedback is only the first step.

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Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

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In this spotlight from episode 383 of Stories from the River, Charlie Malouf and Bre Dolphin discuss how Broad River Retail uses new product launches to shape Sleep Boot Camp training. Bre explains why it's important for Memory Makers to understand the differences between new mattress collections, adjustable bases, and the updated Tempur-Pedic lineup, rather than simply introducing new products to the sleep gallery.

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Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

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How can hands-on training help Memory Makers build confidence and better serve guests? In Part 1 of this three-part series, Charlie Malouf, CEO of Broad River Retail, sits down with Bre Dolphin, Manager of Retail Onboarding and Education, to discuss the company's innovative Sleep Boot Camp and the evolution of its sleep training program.

Moving from a centralized Sleep Summit at Charlotte Motor Speedway to smaller, regional sessions hosted in stores, Sleep Boot Camp gives Memory Makers more opportunities to engage with product experts, explore new products, and build their knowledge of sleep solutions. Bre and Charlie discuss the "Forge Your Fit" theme, training on updated Stearns & Foster products and emerging brands like Nectar and DreamCloud, and how feedback from Memory Makers helps shape future sessions. The conversation highlights how a more personalized, interactive approach to education can strengthen product confidence and improve the guest experience.

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Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

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In this spotlight from episode 382 of Stories from the River, Wes Dudley and Alicia Thompson discuss the planning and teamwork behind Broad River Retail's Customer Service Week celebrations. Alicia explains how committees coordinate everything from food and decorations to prizes and employee engagement, all with the goal of making each year better than the last.

From early mornings decorating the office to organizing celebrations across Fort Mill and Four Oaks, Alicia shares the behind-the-scenes effort that goes into recognizing the customer service team.

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Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

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In this spotlight from episode 382 of Stories from the River, Wes Dudley and Alicia Thompson reflect on what winning the Best-in-Class Contact Center award for North America means to their team. Alicia shares how the recognition serves as a reminder of the hard work and dedication that have gone into delivering great customer experiences year after year.

While the award hasn't changed the team's commitment to improving, it has given them an opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments and feel recognized for their efforts. Alicia discusses why that recognition matters and how celebrating the team reinforces the value of the work they do every day.

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Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

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What does it take to deliver exceptional customer service year after year?

In this episode of Stories from the River, host Wes Dudley, SVP, Customer Experience & Retail Operations, sits down with Alicia Thompson, Customer Experience, Content & AI Manager, to reflect on a major milestone: winning the Best-in-Class Contact Center award for North America. Alicia shares the excitement of the award ceremony, what it meant to see years of hard work recognized, and the lessons she took away from connecting with customer experience professionals and exploring new technology.

With 20 years in customer experience, Alicia also discusses how her career has evolved, the supportive culture that keeps her team going, and the effort behind creating meaningful employee appreciation events. From celebrating industry recognition to making Customer Service Week special for employees, this conversation highlights the people, teamwork, and consistent effort behind great customer service.

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Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

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In this spotlight from episode 380 of Stories from the River, Charlie Malouf and Robert Hilts discuss Asheville Ascend's journey toward Bronze designation and the teamwork behind the store's turnaround following a devastating flood. Robert reflects on a rebuilding year shaped by resilience, persistence, and the collective effort of the Memory Makers who continued pushing forward through challenges.

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Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

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In this spotlight from episode 380 of Stories from the River, Charlie Malouf and Robert Hilts explore how effective leadership starts with listening, curiosity, and understanding the people you lead. Rather than relying on experience alone to tell Memory Makers what they need, Robert discusses the importance of asking questions, setting aside assumptions, and understanding each person's motivations, challenges, and aspirations.

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Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

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A passion for retail, an entrepreneurial mindset, and a commitment to developing people have shaped Robert Hilt's journey through the furniture and mattress industry.

In this episode of Stories from the River, Charlie Malouf, CEO, sits down with Robert Hilts, General Manager of Asheville Ascend, to reflect on his career, from discovering the potential of mattress sales in 1990 to opening and operating 17 mattress stores. Robert shares the lessons he learned navigating changing markets and the 2008 recession, and what drew him to Broad River Retail, where he could return to the industry he loves while focusing on building people and strong teams.

The conversation also highlights Robert's leadership philosophy and the transformation of Asheville, including a 33% sales increase over the previous year and multiple Grogu Store of the Month awards. Robert discusses the importance of consistent coaching, raising standards, and helping Memory Makers recognize their potential. He also shares his passion for personal growth, his forthcoming book, The Mattress Disruptor and his ambition to develop more leaders while building a culture where teams succeed together.

Visit https://www.storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes.

Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broad-river-retail