Store Manager
"During the interview for this position, I was asked what I loved most about the company. I said it was the fact that a 21-year-old could start out as temporary help and ten years later be sitting in the CEO's office interviewing for a store manager position. That's called opportunity and this company has plenty of it."
 | Why did you join Macy's West and why have you stayed? |  |
I joined Macy's West at first because I needed a job. I had just left active duty from the Navy and I was hired as a Christmas temp. I have stayed because of the people that I work with, the Macy's culture and all the opportunities I have. During the interview for this position, I was asked what I loved most about the company. I said it was the fact that a 21-year-old could start out as temporary help and ten years later be sitting in the CEO's office interviewing for a store manager position. That's called opportunity and this company has plenty of it. It's there if you want it. This is really a place where you can feel that you make a difference and can have a lot of creativity.
| What do you enjoy most about what you do and what are your overall job responsibilities? | |
I enjoy motivating people to achieve their overall goals. As a store manager, my overall responsibilities are to drive service, increase volume and increase customer loyalty.
| What contribution do you make to your division and how does this contribute to the company's overall success? | |
I bring a very positive, motivating and engaged attitude to work. This helps to achieve the company's overall goals of high service scores, increased volume and higher customer loyalty.
| What has been your most memorable moment since joining the company? | |
The one that stands out the most was when I got my first group sales manager position. The second is getting my first store. Being a part of this company, you can see that there are all kinds of opportunities out there to reach your goals. It wasn't about being a group sales manager or store manager in the sense of the title; it was about what I could do when I got there and how I could inspire people. On another level, it is very memorable when you sit one of your employees down who has been through what you have gone through-started out as at the entry level and now you're promoting them for their first group sales manager position. It is great to see their eyes light up and feel good about all their hard work. That's probably more memorable than any of my personal experiences.
| How has the training you've received since joining the company benefited you? | |
Macy's has done a great job at promoting growth through the various leadership courses they offer. We have the mentor circle for the group sales managers and a leadership school. There are a lot of things that Macy's does within the organization that really helps a manager move forward in their job. Macy's, Inc. is probably one of the best companies for sending their employees to various leadership schools. There is nothing that can substitute being on the floor and the on-the-job training. You learn so many things and make a lot of mistakes but that makes you better in the long run because you are really learning.
| Is community involvement important to you, have you been involved in any projects in your division and was this something you considered when joining the company? | |
One thing we do every year as an organization is United Way, but we also get out into the community colleges. We bring in interns and try to hire them on when they graduate. The level of community involvement in this company was a little bit of a surprise when I first joined. I wasn't thinking about that because I just needed a job. But then I started and I saw the company doing things such as Partners in Time, United Way and food drives. It's great working for a company that is so involved in so many things in the community. Plus, there are opportunities for everyone in the store, from associates to the executive team, to be involved in these projects equally. I think the sky is the limit for the community involvement.
| What do you like best about your work environment? | |
I really like this environment and how it allows you the flexibility to have tremendous creativity achieving the overall goals. One of the things I enjoy the most is to walk through the store with my group sales managers and visual manager and talk about how we can combine the corporate vision for what the store should look like and what we want to add. I love the creativity they let you use to enhance the store's appearance. We talk about engaging the customer so you can give them the best shopping experience. Well, you can't engage the customer unless you have an engaged associate. How you, as a manager, go about doing that is where the creativity comes in. I might train my associates differently than another store manager, but we still get the same result. I feel a lot of freedom in my job.
| What personal interests/hobbies do you have and how do you balance them with your work? | |
I am a political junkie. I do a lot of reading and watch the news or the History Channel. When I'm not at work, I am either getting caught up on current events or reading. If I wasn't working for Macy's, I would be in politics.
| What advice would you give to a new employee joining the company in a similar position to yours What helped you establish yourself and move ahead with your career goals? | |
You have to be able to embrace change if you are going to stay in retail. It's fast paced and you have to be willing to move with the times. Keep an open mind, embrace change, and always remain positive. Also, don't focus on the things you cannot affect. For example, we have a budget that is determined by the company. I might say I need more people, but that isn't my decision to make. I will still make my voice heard. You shouldn't be a manager because of the title. You should do it because you want to coach, to inspire and to lead. What helped me establish myself and move ahead was that I had a strong foundation to build on. I was the oldest of five children, both of my parents worked growing up and I was in the military for a total of eight years. I knew what hard work could do.
| What do you see in the future for Macy's, Inc. and specifically for Macy's West? | |
I believe it will continue to be a leader in quality merchandise and high fashion. Specifically for Macy's West, I truly believe that our ACT initiative - to have the right Attitude, be Consistent and work as a Team - will enable us to be the very best in customer service. We will do this through engaged associates and a clean, neat and visually stimulating shopping environment. Customer service is so important and I really feel a passion for it. We have too many competitors out there and the only thing that will get the people to come back to our store is great service. That is what will separate us from the rest in this growing retail environment and the results are already visible.
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