April Norfleet

I attribute my success to the experiences that have shaped me throughout my life. Those challenges taught me how to solve problems, persevere through uncertainty, and keep moving forward even when the path ahead was unclear. I’ve learned resilience, adaptability, and determination through real-life experiences, including what I often call the “school of hard knocks,” and those lessons continue to guide how I lead and approach challenges today.

Listen to the ones that came before you. People, a lot of times, the people ahead of us give us advice, but were so like, no, Im gonna do it my way. We get stuck in our ways, but if you actually find a mentor, and you actually work under them, and you listen to the advice that they give you, I feel like you go a lot further. Well, it was more… the best advice that I was given during my career was to act with a positive mindset, to assume positive intent. That was… that took me a long way, because a lot of times through my career, especially early on in my career, yes, customers are always right working in retail, but you also are like, but they're wrong. But it was always to act with a positive mindset and go in thinking that, you know, theyre coming from a good place, whether they were or they werent, it's your narrative of how you think and how you speak.

My advice to young women entering the retail industry is to have an open mind and a growth mindset. Be willing to learn, take on challenges, and see every experience as an opportunity to grow.

There may be times when it feels like you have to work harder to prove yourself, but don't let that discourage you. Stay focused on your goals, keep your head down, work hard, and let your character and results speak for themselves. Remember that every challenge is preparing you for the next opportunity.

Most importantly, don't put limits on yourself. There is no ceiling on what you can achieve if you're willing to keep learning, remain resilient, and believe in your abilities. With the right mindset, determination, and consistency, the opportunities are endless.

One of the biggest challenges we're facing in retail right now is developing and retaining our workforce. Many new employees are entering the workplace with limited experience in customer service or professional expectations, so leaders have to spend more time coaching the fundamentals. We often see challenges with attendance, communication, confidence in interacting with customers, and building strong interpersonal skills.

At the same time, I see that as one of our greatest opportunities. Rather than expecting people to already know these skills, we have the chance to teach them. As leaders, it's our responsibility to model the behaviors we want to see, ask questions, provide consistent coaching, and create an environment where employees can learn and grow.

When we invest the time to develop people, explain the "why" behind our expectations, and recognize positive behaviors, we can help build confidence and accountability. I believe that's one of the most impactful things a retail leader can do—not just improve business results, but help people develop skills they'll carry throughout their careers.

Togetherness is one of my core values because I truly believe we accomplish far more when we work together than when we work alone. That value is important to me both personally and professionally.

On a personal level, I'm very family-oriented. I didn't grow up with the kind of family environment I wanted, so creating that sense of connection, support, and togetherness within my own family has always been a priority. We intentionally spend time together, support one another, and grow together.

That same mindset carries into my leadership style. In business, the best results come from collaboration. When people work together, they're able to solve problems more effectively, move faster, and learn from each other's different perspectives. No one person has all the answers, but when a team trusts one another and works toward a common goal, they can accomplish incredible things. That's the kind of culture I strive to build wherever I lead.