Summer Johnson

I attribute my success to several key things. First, staying calm under pressure - having a level head is probably one of the biggest factors. Second, maintaining a strong work ethic. If you're not working hard, you're going to get looked over no matter how good you are at your craft. I tell my team that as long as you come in and do what you're supposed to do, you don't have to go 1000% all the time, but consistency matters. Third, adaptability - every day is something new in retail, so you have to roll with the punches and adapt. And finally, I've always been willing to ask questions and learn. I attached myself to leaders who could teach me, and I wasn't afraid to say I didn't know something. There's no such thing as a stupid question, and if I don't have the answers, I will find them.

The best advice that was ever given to me is honestly, if you don't know something, don't hesitate to ask. There's no such thing as a stupid question. This advice has shaped how I lead today - I have an open-door policy with my team, and I tell them all the time that if they have a question or want to learn something, just let me know and I will freely teach them. And if I don't have the answers, I will find the answer. That willingness to ask and learn has been fundamental to my growth throughout my career.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give is don't let someone dim your light. I've seen this happen so many times, and it's so important to remember. I started out very shy myself, but you need to find somebody you're comfortable with, someone you can ask those questions to. I guarantee you that if they don't know the answer, if they're the right person, they will find the answer. So find someone within that store or company that you're going to mesh very well with and lean on them. Let them pour into you. Every company has someone you'll connect with - align yourself with them so they can help you grow.

Retail is ever-changing - every day it's something new, and it can get very overwhelming. But as long as you can stay consistent with your daily non-negotiable items, everything else will kind of fall into place. Security and theft are also very hard challenges. Every company has insurance for that, but as long as you do what you're supposed to do with soft tags and hard tags and follow the process, you've done your part. Beyond that, I've found that building strong partnerships makes a huge difference. Having a strong partnership with your law enforcement, your vendors, and your customers makes it so they look out for you and your business even more. When you show them gratitude, they show you gratitude back when you need them.

The most important values to me are staying true to who you are, showing gratitude, and putting people first. My customers and my employees come first, because without your customers, your business is not going to thrive. I make every experience personal and enjoyable - I greet everyone who comes in, interact with the kids, give hugs and high fives, and I'm always there with an ear to listen. I've adopted so many children who come into my store because I want them to feel safe, so that if something happens to their parent, grandparent, or sibling, they're comfortable enough to come to me and let me know they need help. We love our kids because they're the next generation that's going to take over. Building those relationships and showing gratitude to everyone - customers, employees, law enforcement, vendors - that's what makes the difference. When you show them gratitude, they show you gratitude back.