good mornin' merry makers 🌟🛍️💬🧠💪

when we talk about retail, we often focus on the physical spaces, the products, and the numbers. but behind every successful store, there's something even more vital yet far less visible:

leadership that understands the unique demands of retail.

today's interview left me with pages of notes and a renewed appreciation for what it takes to lead effectively in retail. i'm thrilled to introduce you to steve worthy, founder of worthy retail and creator of the campus, a leadership community that's transforming how retail leaders grow and develop.

steve brings more than 25 years of retail leadership experience from a variety of brands both in-house & as a consultant. but what makes steve truly exceptional isn't just where he's worked — it's how he thinks about retail leadership as a specialized discipline.

bts q&a: steve worthy

Q1: can you share a little bit about you and the work that you do?

I help senior retail leaders and teams get honest about where they are and get clear about where they’re going. My work sits at the intersection of leadership development and real-time retail execution. 

Through Worthy Retail and The Campus, I build programs that speak directly to the pressure leaders feel, whether they're stepping into their first executive role or trying to recalibrate a team that’s lost its edge. We’re not just coaching, we’re building something bigger. 

The Campus is growing into a Speaker and Trainer Bureau filled with retail leaders who’ve done the work and can teach it with relevance and realism.

And we’re setting a new standard for what that looks like across the industry.

Q2: you've worked across diverse retail environments from target to barnes & noble to dollar general. how did these different retail cultures shape your leadership philosophy?

Each place sharpened something different in me. 

Target taught me how to drive performance through people, without skipping over the culture. 

Barnes & Noble was humbling - it forced me to slow down and actually lead humans, not just KPIs. 

And Dollar General? Well if I can be honest, I had to lead through constant chaos. Second I had to lead at scale, urgency, and while making big decisions with limited margin for error.

What I learned from moving between these worlds is that leadership isn’t about fitting into culture, it’s about shaping it. And you can’t do that with one style. I needed the instincts to know when to press, when to pause, and when to pivot.

That’s what I bring into every coaching session and every program:
leadership that can move at retail speed, with integrity.

you’ve made it to the good part 😎