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The Nordy Pod — Business
The Nordy Pod

Hi, I’m Pete Nordstrom, and I’m the host of The Nordy Pod, a new podcast coming to you from the 6th floor of Nordstrom corporate headquarters in Seattle, Washington. In addition to hosting this podcast, I also happen to be the president of Nordstrom. And along with my brother Erik, CEO, and my cousin Jamie, President of Stores, we’re the fourth-generation stewards of this business started by my great grandfather in 1901.

My Nordstrom journey began when I was 12 years old with my first job working in the stockroom. And along the way, I’ve met so many incredible people, from iconic artists and CEOs to cultural and community leaders and fashion entrepreneurs—as well as many of our thousands of employees and millions of customers.

One thing I’ve found helpful in running a company and hosting a podcast is the importance of having a strong sense of curiosity. Over the years, I’ve found myself in some very interesting conversations with people I greatly admire. These cumulative experiences have really enriched my life, and with The Nordy Pod, I’m excited to have the opportunity to share both professional and personal experiences with you.

So join me on a journey as I take you deep into a business that also happens to be a public company. You’ll go behind the scenes with me and hear firsthand exactly what I do in my day job, warts and all, in the hopes of making a human connection with every episode.

Copyright: © 2022

Latest Episodes:

Ep 21. The Nordstrom Mailbag - Part 1 Nov 07, 2022

Show notes

If you’ve been listening to The Nordy Pod for any amount of time, you’ve likely heard our speil about sending in your personal Nordstrom stories. Well, for this episode we’re finally tearing open the proverbial ‘Nordstrom Mailbag’ to share a few stories that have really stood out. You’ll hear a scent obsessed customer with an interesting business proposition, a wedding guest’s downhill battle with a staircase, a couple's race against the clock to catch a cruise ship, and a mischievous former employee recalling the good ole’ days. We had a lot of fun following up with these mailbag submissions, and we hope these stories inspire you to think back on your favorite Nordstrom experience and share it with us. Who knows, you may end up in a future episode! Thanks for tuning in to episode 21. We hope you enjoy it! Did you know that YOU can be on The Nordy Pod? This show isn't just a one-way conversation. We want to hear about what Nordstrom looks like through your eyes. Share your Nordstrom experience, good or bad, by giving us a call and leaving a voicemail at: 206.594.0526, or send an email to nordypodcast@nordstrom.com to be a part of the conversation!

Ep 20. Sue Bird, WNBA Star of the Seattle Storm Oct 24, 2022

Show notes

This has come up a few times on The Nordy Pod. It’s no secret that I’m a sports fan, and particularly of basketball. I played a lot growing up, I’m involved in a mentorship program for the men’s basketball team at my alma mater The University of Washington, and for a short time, I was even a part-owner of the Seattle Supersonics and the Seattle Storm. So it should come as no surprise that I jumped at the opportunity to talk with Sue Bird, arguably the greatest athlete to ever play the game. And I’ve got to be honest, I was a little nervous before talking with Sue because she is such a big deal. I mean, her career is just filled with national and world championships. To give you some context, Sue was a 2 time State Champion in high school, she’s a 2 time NCAA Champion, she’s a 4 time WNBA Champion, she’s the WNBA’s all-time leader in seasons played, games played, assists, and All-Star appearances, she’s a 5 time Olympic gold medalist, a 4 time FIBA World Cup gold medalist, and I could go on and on. But aside from her amazing achievements on the court, she’s also an incredible social advocate for equality in women’s sports and women in general. We look back on Sue’s childhood to the source of her competitive spirit and hear about important lessons in leadership learned along the way. I had a really great time talking with Sue, and I know you’re going to love listening to her story. After my conversation with Sue, we’re going to give you a sneak peak at the next episode as we open wide the Nordstrom Mailbag! Thanks for tuning in to episode 20. We hope you enjoy it! Did you know that YOU can be on The Nordy Pod? This show isn't just a one-way conversation. We want to hear about what Nordstrom looks like through your eyes. Share your Nordstrom experience, good or bad, by giving us a call and leaving a voicemail at: 206.594.0526, or send an email to nordypodcast@nordstrom.com to be a part of the conversation!

Ep 19. Leonard Lauder, Former CEO of The Estée Lauder Companies Oct 10, 2022

Show notes

Ep 18. It All Comes Down to Merchandise & Service Sep 26, 2022

Show notes

In this episode we're going to hear from a few highly influential Nordstrom leaders, each helping to strengthen our culture in their own unique way. First, you'll hear from our Executive Vice President for Designer, Men's and Women's Apparel, Sam Lobban. We've wanted to have Sam on the podcast for a very long time now, because he's a super-interesting guy with a big job, and he's had a very unique journey through the fashion industry. Sam's interest in fashion first grew through its intersection with music in the London club scene, and he started working in retail as soon as he was old enough to work. Though he was mainly looking for a discount on clothes, he found a real passion for the job and has created a very successful career from it. He's gained a lot of great insight into the business as a whole and has become a real tastemaker in the industry—so much so that he randomly gets approached by iconic celebrities just because they like his style. But what's particularly valuable to us is his strong customer-centric philosophy and positive influence on the men and women he leads. As Sam puts it, "I'm really just a shop-floor guy." He's made a huge impact on our company and we're lucky to have him on our team. After that we'll hear from our Men's Fashion Director, Jian DeLeon. He's another super-talented guy whose role is to help connect Nordstrom to the larger cultural conversations around trend and fashion. He works with Sam and our buying teams to translate these conversations into meaningful stories for our customers. To wrap it all up, we'll learn about the service and selling power of social media from one of our top salespeople, Jesse James Barnholdt. He's found a way to expand his business far beyond the four walls of the store to reach customers all over the U.S. And he's found a way to do it in such a genuine and authentic way with customer relationships as the main focus. So, grab your notepads! This episode is packed full of quality insight into what makes successful retailing today. Did you know that YOU can be on The Nordy Pod? This show isn't just a one-way conversation. We want to hear about what Nordstrom looks like through your eyes. Share your Nordstrom experience, good or bad, by giving us a call and leaving a voicemail at: 206.594.0526, or send an email to nordypodcast@nordstrom.com to be a part of the conversation!

Ep 17. Steve Madden Sep 12, 2022

Show notes

You likely already know Steve Madden’s name, either from the iconic "Big Head Girl" commercial from the late '90s or from seeing it printed on the side of the shoes sitting in your closet. But if it's not for the shoes, you may have heard his name mumbled through the lips of a drugged-up Jonah Hill in the big-budget Martin Scorsese film The Wolf of Wall Street. Seemingly out of nowhere, Steve Madden became one of the biggest names in the shoe business of the '90s and early 2000s. But the company's meteoric rise to fame met a brick wall when Steve took some seriously bad financial advice from a childhood friend, resulting in criminal convictions and a few years in prison. Steve tells his side of the story and further exposes his struggles with drug addiction in the documentary film Maddman: The Steve Madden Story and his reveal-all book The Cobbler. Since his release from prison in 2005, Steve has worked hard to put his life in order and get his company back on the right path. I've known Steve for a while now, but it's been a real pleasure getting to know him better through this conversation, and I know you're going to enjoy listening to his story. Thanks for tuning in to episode 17. We hope you enjoy it! Did you know that YOU can be on The Nordy Pod? This show isn't just a one-way conversation. We want to hear about what Nordstrom looks like through your eyes. Share your Nordstrom experience, good or bad, by giving us a call and leaving a voicemail at: 206.594.0526, or send an email to nordypodcast@nordstrom.com to be a part of the conversation!

Ep 16. The Internship Program Aug 29, 2022

Show notes

We've gathered a handful of enthusiastic young adults from our current crop of interns to learn more about their experience working at our corporate center in Seattle. Their fresh perspective reveals valuable insight into our company and a new generation of shoppers. You'll also hear from a few current employees who got their start through our internship program. It's a fascinating look at how some people begin their journey with Nordstrom and what a career path can look like. Did you know that YOU can be on The Nordy Pod? This show isn't just a one-way conversation. We want to hear about what Nordstrom looks like through your eyes. Share your Nordstrom experience, good or bad, by giving us a call and leaving a voicemail at: 206.594.0526, or send an email to nordypodcast@nordstrom.com to be a part of the conversation!

Ep 15. The ASOS | Nordstrom Store Aug 15, 2022

Show notes

We're breaking the mold again and spending this entire episode highlighting a super exciting new store opening at The Grove in LA. We've partnered with a very successful brand based in the UK called ASOS, which is novel because, up until now, ASOS has been sold exclusively online and has never actually been showcased in a physical store. They also have a singular focus on attracting customers in their 20s, so we're really excited to join forces and leverage each of our strengths to create something that's entirely new. Listen in as we hear from a variety of folks who each played a large part in bringing this store to life, including the Director of Wholesale and Partnerships at ASOS, our Senior Director of Strategic Brand Partnerships and our Visual Merchandising Planning Director. You'll also hear from the founders of two really cool and unique services that give the store an extra layer of excitement: Jason Markk of the famous shoe care service by the same name, and Ben Phillips of Lot, Stock & Barrel, which offers tailoring and customization. Settle in and enjoy an inside look at this all-new one-of-a-kind store. ASOS and Nordstrom at The Grove! Did you know that YOU can be on The Nordy Pod? This show isn't just a one-way conversation. We want to hear about what Nordstrom looks like through your eyes. Share your Nordstrom experience, good or bad, by giving us a call and leaving a voicemail at: 206.594.0526, or send an email to nordypodcast@nordstrom.com to be a part of the conversation!

Ep 14. The Tire Story Is True! Aug 01, 2022

Show notes

So, a little backstory for you on the Nordy Pod. In our earliest conversations about starting a podcast, as we brainstormed what the theme might be and what we would even talk about, a particular service story immediately rose to the top: a story that occurred over 40 years ago at a Nordstrom store in Fairbanks, Alaska, in which an employee of ours—regardless of the fact that we are purely a clothing retailer—received a strange request from a customer to return a set of tires. This incredibly unique and seemingly unbelievable story has become somewhat of a legend around here and acts as an extreme example of what's possible when our employees are empowered to use their best judgment in every customer interaction. It's held such an important role in strengthening our whole customer service ethos that we initially thought we might just call the podcast itself The Tire Story Is True. But today, to bring it full circle, this episode is entirely dedicated to the Nordstrom Tire Story. To gain a little more context on the tire story, I first sit down to chat with Robert Spector, author of a series of books called The Nordstrom Way, which largely highlights the impact of our service culture on the overall success of the company. After that, we manage to track down the actual employee who took the return for the tires all those years ago to get his firsthand account of the events that day. And to finish off the episode, we have one more amazing customer story that you're just going to have to hear to believe. No doubt about it, folks—the tire story is true! Thanks for tuning in to episode 14. We hope you enjoy it! Did you know that YOU can be on The Nordy Pod? This show isn't just a one-way conversation. We want to hear about what Nordstrom looks like through your eyes. Share your Nordstrom experience, good or bad, by giving us a call and leaving a voicemail at: 206.594.0526, or send an email to nordypodcast@nordstrom.com to be a part of the conversation!

Ep 13. Chip Bergh, CEO of Levi Strauss & Co. Jul 18, 2022

Show notes

At this year's Global Department Store Summit, a conference that brings together CEOs and senior department store executives from every continent to discuss pressing topics facing our industry, I had the great opportunity to get on stage and interview Chip Bergh. Chip is an extremely talented guy with an impressive résumé, having held many high-level leadership positions at Procter & Gamble, growing well-known brands like Swiffer, Old Spice, Gillette and Folgers, to name a few. More recently, after joining Levi Strauss & Co. in 2011, Chip took on the challenge of revitalizing the iconic but aging denim brand, moving it back into the cultural spotlight that it once held. It's an insightful comeback story that will benefit any brand executive listening in. And aside from his commercial success, it was inspiring to hear Chip's unique perspective on the role of business in society. He has effectively used the platform afforded him as president of one of the world's largest apparel brands to promote action on some of the most important social issues of our time. After my conversation with Chip, you'll hear a pretty remarkable story told from the perspective of two employees, Manolo Gonzalez and Joey Capo—both present at one of our more unique and exciting store openings in Puerto Rico, and both dramatically affected by the devastating events that led to the closing of the store only a few years later. The resilience of these two employees and the many others around them stands as a heartening example of hope in the worst of situations, and we're proud to have played some part in offering relief as they found their way back on their feet. Thanks for tuning in to episode 13. We hope you enjoy it! Did you know that YOU can be on The Nordy Pod? This show isn't just a one-way conversation. We want to hear about what Nordstrom looks like through your eyes. Share your Nordstrom experience, good or bad, by giving us a call and leaving a voicemail at: 206.594.0526, or send an email to nordypodcast@nordstrom.com to be a part of the conversation!

Ep 12. Aurora James & Emma Grede, Founder & Chairwoman of the Fifteen Percent Pledge Jul 04, 2022

Show notes

In this episode we're going to mix things up a bit and interview two people at once: the founder and the chairwoman of the Fifteen Percent Pledge, Aurora James and Emma Grede. As the founder of Brother Vellies—a brand initially aimed at highlighting African artisan shoemakers—Aurora James learned exactly how difficult it is to gain traction as an up-and-coming company, particularly from the vantage point of an underrepresented segment of the population. So, in May of 2020 immediately following the death of George Floyd, when people began asking the question, "What can we do to help support the Black community?" Aurora came up with an idea called the Fifteen Percent Pledge. She took to Instagram to challenge large retailers to dedicate 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses. Enter Emma Grede, herself held in high regard throughout the fashion industry, who messaged Aurora directly with an inspired conviction to help this idea grow. Emma, cofounder of the very successful brands Good American and SKIMS, brought her extensive business background and connections to the table, helping to grow the philanthropic initiative into a larger nonprofit organization. Together, Aurora and Emma have created tangible and sustainable change for Black-owned businesses with the goal of building long-lasting generational wealth in Black communities. Nordstrom is proud to have been an early adopter of the Fifteen Percent Pledge, and I'm super excited to help highlight this really important initiative that has made a big impact on our industry already. After that you're going to hear my chat with Shaina Shepherd, a real rising star in the Seattle music scene. I met her years ago as our bands crossed paths at various events, but more recently, as Nordstrom started trying to find some music to accompany our marketing campaigns, Shaina's name popped into my head as the perfect voice to attach to the particular song we chose. So, join me now as we learn a little more about her story and how she came to be sitting here with me today. Thanks for tuning in to Episode 12. We hope you enjoy! If you'd like to learn more about the amazing work that Aurora and Emma are doing through the Fifteen Percent Pledge, head to 15percentpledge.org. Did you know that YOU can be on The Nordy Pod? This show isn't just a one-way conversation. We want to hear about what Nordstrom looks like through your eyes. Share your Nordstrom experience, good or bad, by giving us a call and leaving a voicemail at: 206.594.0526, or send an email to nordypodcast@nordstrom.com to be a part of the conversation!

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