I'm Headed to NRF. See You in NYC!

The National Retail Federation convention is next week. What do you want to know?

Photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash.

For the twenty-plus years I led teams in retail stores, I didn’t know NRF existed. These days, I follow the National Retail Federation (yep, NRF) regularly. The organization is massive and I’m headed to New York City to run through this year’s conference and bring you as much information as I can gather. 

Now, not just anyone can waltz into the NRF conference. 

Attendees must be in retail or partner with retailers (retail tech - that kind of thing).

I can’t get a press pass because I’m a freelance writer. So, for the last year, I’ve had my sights set on this conference, and I’ve been trying to figure out how to go. 

My friends at Zipline extended an invitation; saying I leaped at the chance would be an understatement. (Thanks again, Zipline!)

So, I want to hear from you.

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What would you want to see if you could walk the conference floor and see the latest and greatest in retail 2024?

What are you most excited about?

• AI

• Tech advancements

• Corporate to store communication enhancements (If so, check out Zipline 😉)

Some of the keynote speakers include:

• Magic Johnson

• Martha Stewart

• Drew Barrymore

Do you want to hear what they have to say?

Let me know!

All you have to do is hit reply to this email and I’m here, scooping up all your questions. I will answer every one in the next edition of The Voice of the Frontline. Every. Single. One. 

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MAILBOX

Here’s a DM I got recently.

For context, many retailers offer an extra holiday discount for their employees. The teams look forward to this all year as we usually buy gifts with this discount and even a little something extra for ourselves. 

This retailer got this special perk very wrong. 

“The traditional employee company, extra special discount for holiday shopping, was scheduled for ten days like usual. Two days into it they cut it off. 
That was a massive hit on saying, ‘We don’t really value your hard work.’ 
That was a hard-hit challenge for managers on regaining team positivity afterward.”

YAH. NO DOUBT.

Cutting benefits that employees are counting on is the fastest way to crush morale - especially at holiday time. Everyone is working so hard, and this company said, “SIKE - WE DON’T CARE ABOUT YOU” at the busiest time of the year.

If anyone is still wondering why legacy leaders are fleeing retail, these horrible decisions are why people leave. 

So often, retail leaders are:

• Underpaid

• Underappreciated

• Misunderstood 

Help me fix it. 

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LEVEL UP

One thing you can do today to be a better leader. 

Tell your boss what you want. 

Do you want a promotion? Do you need to get a toxic leader off your staff?
Do you need a vacation? 

Wait. I know the answer to that last one. 

Here’s the thing, you’ll never get what you want if you don’t ask. Retail is relentless and moves quickly, so learning to speak up is crucial. 

When I wanted to be promoted to store manager, my boss knew it. I talked about it all the time. When I needed to get a toxic leader off my team, I partnered with HR. My vacations were planned ahead of time for the year. Once it’s on the calendar, it makes you feel better already - and you have something to look forward to. 

You cannot do your job alone. Grab a partner and get more done together. 

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Thanks for being here.

Stay rad,

Kit

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Based in Southern California, Kit Campoy is a former retail leader turned freelance writer. She covers Retail, Leadership, and Business. 

Download her (free!) ebook and learn the five simple steps you can use today to improve communication, build culture, and inspire your team - even if you are new to leadership.