Welcome to the second episode of Broad River Retail’s new summer series on Stories from the River. This episode continues to listen in on the talk that CEO Charlie Malouf gave to the retail leaders on July 10th, 2025, at the in-person, offsite, monthly GM Rx meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina. Charlie revisits the pivotal year of 2015—a crucible moment and turning point for the company. What began with excitement over new store acquisitions, a major ERP conversion, and a new HQ quickly unraveled into operational chaos, financial strain, and a brush with bankruptcy.

Thrown into the bank’s Special Assets division, Broad River faced a defining moment. Charlie candidly shares how the team, rather than folding, began holding weekly cross-departmental "Change the News" meetings during the 2nd quarter of 2015. Those meetings then led into the launch of a Bold Reset and a 100 Day Challenge. They restructured operations and entered into a period of massive creative reinvention to create what would become modern-day Broad River Retail.

By focusing on core stores, reallocating talent, and embracing a more transparent, human-centered culture, the company stabilized and returned to profitability. The year ended not in ruin—but with renewed hope, resilience, and a stronger foundation for the future.

Come back next week for the rest of the story and the conclusion of Charlie's presentation on The Story of Broad River Retail and the way we play the game.

Watch the first epsiode of the series:

Building Broad River Retail: How We Play the Game of Business | Part 1 (2003-2014) - https://youtu.be/ZacOr4KMGqk

Listen on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stories-from-the-river/id1608553391

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/0tB33vSX8cRc7OHmeQgbSS

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/67hsX3ly19A

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

Welcome back to Stories from the River and a brand new summer series! This new series comes from a talk that CEO Charlie Malouf gave to the retail leaders on July 10th, 2025, at the in-person, offsite, monthly GM Rx meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina. The acronym 'Rx' stands for "Retail Excellence" and also is our prescription for how we win the month, the quarter, and the year. The topic of this talk and of this series began as "Monthly Budgets Explained." But, to really explain the way that the Company sets its monthly budgets, Charlie presented the full story of how we got here with a presentation that can be called, "The Story of Broad River Retail and the Way We Play the Game - Our Version of the Great Game of Business."

In the first part of this talk, Charlie took a moment to reminisce on Broad River Retail's beginnings. This episode is part one of a four part series that will feature Charlie's keynote from the meeting as well as some audience questions.

In this first episode, Charlie addresses the much-requested topic of how monthly budgets are developed, emphasizing the importance of transparency and context. He shares stories from the company’s foundational years (2003 - 2014), tracing its journey from its early days as Ish Moore, Inc., the establishment of the 2nd operating company, Hillsboro Retail Group, Inc., and the creation of the 3rd operating company, Broad River Furniture, Inc.

Through significant milestones, challenges during the Great Recession, buying out one of the cofounders, surviving the Great Financial Crisis, and pivotal decisions that shaped Broad River into the premier Ashley Store operator it is today. Charlie relates lessons learned from both successes and failures, highlighting the company’s relentless pursuit of excellence and the value of collaboration.

In the next episode, Charlie will be focusing on the transformative events of 2015 and beyond.

Additional Resources:

Nick Saban Video Clip on High Standards that was played at the beginning of this presentation - "Mediocre People Don't Like High Achievers, and High Achievers Don't Like Mediocre People" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14_PNe3lcaE

From Stories from the River General Manager Series - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYZpX9KD7OqbAb8ZN5KEk5fCQt0vLMaXR

From Stories from the River Founders Scholarship Fund Series - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYZpX9KD7Oqb22Apq_6qBhE2-KZlRpN56

From Broad River's Archives - the Savvy Spaces YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@SavvyFurniture

"The Great Game of Business" by Jack Stack - https://www.amazon.com/Great-Game-Business-Expanded-Updated/dp/0385348339

The Great Game of Business - https://www.greatgame.com/

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZacOr4KMGqk

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

On this episode of Stories from the River, the Scholarship Fund Series wraps up with it's fourth and final episode. President Manny Rodrigues introduces listeners to scholarship recipients Jordyn Collins, Don and Joseph Limekuller, and Vince Sayles, who share their journeys as they prepare for college and the next chapter in their lives. Each scholarship recipient discusses their school selection process, academic interests, extracurricular passions, and the impact the scholarship has had on them and their families. They reflect on overcoming self-doubt, the importance of authentic essays, and the pride they feel as many are first-generation college students or pioneers within their families.

Throughout the episode, these young scholarship recipients express gratitude for the support and encouragement they've received and offer advice to future applicants: be genuine, focus on personal growth, and don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. From stories of leadership in student government and community volunteering to the important lessons learned from athletics, music, and faith-based communities, the episode highlights the diverse paths these scholars are forging. The closing message celebrates the Founders Scholarship Fund's role in uplifting Memory Makers and their families, encouraging continued support and involvement for future generations.

Watch the other videos in this series:

Empowered to Learn: The Impact of the Founders Scholarship - https://youtu.be/g2ubeaebLyM

Dreams in Motion: Kate & Tamya’s College Pathways - https://youtu.be/YnZUehdI_9g

College Countdown: Scholarship Winners Discuss College Expectations - https://youtu.be/tqLta1vwKDI

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tqLta1vwKDI

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