Ep 42. Kevin Calabro, NBA Play-By-Play Announcer

Welcome to 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. Along with my brother Erik, CEO, my cousin Jamie, President of Stores, and a talented executive team, we're the stewards of this 15-billion-dollar public company founded 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 leading 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 w by The Nordy Pod

3 min listen

Ep 3. Sub Pop CEO Megan Jasper: This episode was particularly fun for me, because I got to sit down with a few good friends, talk about music and one of them even brought cookies! My ﬁrst guest is a longtime friend, a fellow music enthusiast and author of the lexicon of grunge, Megan Jasper. As the receptionist at an emerging and struggling young Sub Pop Records, Megan got a front-row seat as Nirvana changed the world of music forever. Now as the CEO, she has helped hundreds of new artists ﬁnd their place in the industry. What you’re about to hear is not your typical CEO journey. Megan grew up dreading her assumed future of becoming either a stay-at-home mom, a schoolteacher or a nun, which didn’t exactly ﬁt well with her free-spirited, punk rock lifestyle. By age 14, she was already on the radio pumping out anti-authoritarian tunes and donning a shaved head and wardrobe that made her teachers concerned for their safety. It wasn’t long before Megan started hitching rides with touri by The Nordy Pod

60 min listen

Ep 17. Steve Madden: 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 by The Nordy Pod

40 min listen

Ep 10. Andy Dunn, Cofounding CEO of Bonobos: As one of the earliest pioneers in the now flourishing world of e-commerce, Andy Dunn paved the way with his exclusively online apparel brand Bonobos. At a time when most people thought it was impossible to sell clothes through a computer, Andy and cofounder Brian Spaly built an internet-driven direct-to-consumer business model that set the stage for countless brands to follow. However, Andy would eventually discover that in order to continue growing, they could no longer ignore the benefits of showing up in a physical space, which led to Bonobos partnering with Nordstrom to sell their line in our stores. And though the self-described delusions of creating something that had never been done before may seem like a prerequisite for any entrepreneur, for Andy it was the perfect hiding place for something much more serious. In his book "Burn Rate: Launching a Startup and Losing My Mind," Andy details his closeted struggles with a mental illness by The Nordy Pod

53 min listen

Ep 13. Chip Bergh, CEO of Levi Strauss & Co.: 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 by The Nordy Pod

53 min listen

Ep 5. Jennifer Cohen, University of Washington Athletic Director: Welcome back for episode 5 of The Nordy Pod! In this episode, I chat with one of the most powerful, influential and outstanding women in sports—Athletic Director at the University of Washington, Jen Cohen. Jen is an outstanding individual, regardless of her involvement in sports. Not only because of her achievements, but for her character. Jen believes that sports provide some of the only environments for learning crucial life skills and disciplines, and places great value on the long-term success of the young adults that come through her sports program. I myself have had the pleasure of getting to know Jen personally, and benefit greatly from witnessing her incredible business acumen and thoughtful leadership. Though Jen didn’t always feel as confident in her own ability to succeed. She describes her younger self as average at best. Never the first pick; always trying to prove herself. But now, being one of only a h by The Nordy Pod

53 min listen

Ep 1. Mickey Drexler: In this episode, you’ll hear from a customer having a really bad day in the kids’ department of one of our stores. You’ll hear the story of a homegrown hire, starting in the stockroom and becoming one of our very best salespeople. And for the main event, I sit down with my longtime friend and extremely successful business leader (and some might say competitor), Mickey Drexler. You might not know his name, but Mickey Drexler is a legend in the fashion business. I consider him the original disrupter for changing the way we think about fashion retailing forever. He has made a massive impact on today’s culture, particularly from his days as CEO at The Gap, taking it from a fledgling company and transforming it into the multi-billion-dollar genre-defining corporation it is today. Mickey shares the story of his upbringing in a tiny ground-floor apartment in the Bronx to leading some of the most successful companies in retail. Mickey was so sought after that he was pra by The Nordy Pod

60 min listen

Ep 7. Jessica Alba, Actor and Founder of The Honest Company: This week’s episode features someone who was fascinating to talk to. First off, I've never interviewed an actual movie star on The Nordy Pod, but she’s also the founder of The Honest Company, a mission-driven brand focused on leading the clean lifestyle movement. We’ve been honored to partner with her brand here at Nordstrom, and I’m super excited now to share with you my conversation with Jessica Alba. Jessica’s story is largely an entrepreneur’s story, a theme we feature regularly on this show. From a modest upbringing and no connections or training in the film industry, Jessica outshined thousands of hopeful applicants in a talent search contest at the age of 11, launching a massively successful career in Hollywood, providing her a foundation of financial stability she never knew growing up. Then in her twenties, while pregnant with her first child, Jessica experienced an allergic reaction to a laundry detergent markete by The Nordy Pod

42 min listen

Ep 2. Meet the Family: Welcome back for Episode 2 of The Nordy Pod! In this episode, we’re going to take a look inward as I introduce you to all of the acting members of the Nordstrom family still working at the company. I invite my brother Erik, CEO, and cousin Jamie, president of stores, to come sit down in my office and have a little chat about what it feels like having a name that everybody knows. We also discuss some of the social and political challenges of running a business in today’s culture, lessons passed down through the generations and reminisce about our teenage years throwing shoes at each other in the stockroom. I also take a walk across the street to our Rack store with my niece Alex Nordstrom, the lone fifth-generation Nordstrom still working here, where we lend a hand “unstacking the Rack,” which is a fancy way of saying we process incoming merchandise. And to top it all off, you’ll hear from a long-time employee who recounts one of our favorite customer stories. T by The Nordy Pod

59 min listen

Ep 4. Joe Kudla, Vuori Clothing Founder by The Nordy Pod

50 min listen

Ep 11. Brothers & Partners: Pete, Erik & Blake Nordstrom: Back in Episode 2, I sat down with my brother Erik and our cousin Jamie, and we talked more broadly about the company and the Nordstrom name. This time it's just me and Erik, and we're diving deeper into some of the more intimate details of growing up and working together in the family business. I really enjoyed this opportunity to sit and chat with Erik as we reminisced about our shared journey and about our older brother Blake while he was still with us. For those of you who don't know, Blake passed away unexpectedly in 2019. It was a jarring situation for us personally, but also for the company. We're pretty close in age and we followed a pretty similar path growing up through the business, but Blake really deserves the lion's share of the credit for holding us together as a unit and making sure we were aligned in our presentation to the company and to the public. He's very missed, both by the family and by our colleagues, so by The Nordy Pod

50 min listen

Ep 15. The ASOS | Nordstrom Store by The Nordy Pod

45 min listen

Ep 9. Doug Mack, CEO of Fanatics Commerce: In this episode, we've got a special treat for you. We're highlighting a woman who's made a massive impact on our company. I had a lot of fun sitting down to chat and learn more about her background and path to Nordstrom. You may even already know her name or follow her on Instagram, but if not, I think you’re going to love getting to know our Vice President of Creative Projects, Olivia Kim. But before that, listen in on my conversation with another incredible business leader, CEO of Commerce at Fanatics, Doug Mack. If right now, you happen to be wearing a piece of clothing with a sports team logo on it, odds are you got it through Fanatics. Even if you remember buying it at a stadium or in a university store, it's highly likely that it came to you by way of Doug Mack himself. Brought on board as CEO in 2014, Doug has leveraged his extensive background in business and technology to transform the rising sports apparel brand into the global by The Nordy Pod

67 min listen

Ep 12. Aurora James & Emma Grede, Founder & Chairwoman of the Fifteen Percent Pledge: 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 i by The Nordy Pod

60 min listen

Ep 8. Joey Zwillinger, Allbirds Cofounder: In this episode, I sit down with bioengineer and cofounder of Allbirds Joey Zwillinger. Joey Zwillinger really does walk the talk. In today's culture, where more and more consumers are searching for products that don't destroy the earth, Joey and partner Tim Brown stand at the forefront of the environmental sustainability movement with a company that's reimagining the entire manufacturing process. Allbirds, the fashion-forward, eco-friendly footwear brand, is breaking new ground through innovative technology, materials never before used and a system of accountability that challenges industry competitors to follow suit. But it's not enough to just have strong moral ethics. The shoes have to look and feel great too! Joey will explain it all, but I just want to say how grateful we are to have had the opportunity to work with them in the past and we're super excited about what the future holds for Allbirds. After my conversation with Joey, we're by The Nordy Pod

56 min listen

Ep 6. Sam Jones, Film Director: Welcome back for Episode 6 of The Nordy Pod! In this episode we’re headed to Austin Texas to our Barton Creek store for one of our “State of the Company” meetings, where you’ll get a glimpse into some of the issues we’re facing in 2022, and steps we’re taking to improve for the future. While in Austin, I also sat down with my good friend, Director Sam Jones, after getting the unique opportunity to view a premiere showing of his latest film “Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off”. Sam and I have been close friends for quite some time now, but we’re often pleasantly reminded of just how different our lives really are. While I’m sitting in business meetings, Sam’s out shooting movies and bumping shoulders with the likes of Bono and George Clooney. I might be just a little bit jealous. Starting as a freelance photographer for The Associated Press, Sam gradually leveraged his work up the entertainment ladder. Conning A-List actors into helping him expa by The Nordy Pod

61 min listen

Ep 20. Sue Bird, WNBA Star of the Seattle Storm: 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 medalis by The Nordy Pod

52 min listen

Ep 21: The Nordstrom Mailbag - Part 1: 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 by The Nordy Pod

47 min listen

Ep 19. Leonard Lauder, Former CEO of The Estée Lauder Companies: Folks, I can't wait to share this conversation with you. Leonard Lauder is one of my all-time favorite people in our industry and a true legend. But despite being a member of the founding family and a major player in the growth of the multibillion-dollar Estée Lauder company, Leonard's really just a humble, down-to-earth guy. Now, to give you a little context on the size of the Estée Lauder company, you've likely used, or at least heard of, several of the massively successful beauty brands they've created or acquired since their conception. Brands like Clinique, MAC, La Mer, Bobbi Brown, Aveda, Jo Malone London, Tom Ford Beauty, Smashbox, Origins ... you get the picture. But this behemoth of a beauty company hasn't always been a household name. Leonard speaks fondly of early memories sitting in his highchair watching his parents mix beauty creams from their own kitchen. Since that time, Estée Lauder has revolutionized th by The Nordy Pod

48 min listen

Ep 22. The Nordstrom Mailbag - Part 2: If you enjoyed the last episode, you’ll be pleased to hear that we've compiled another great batch of mailbag submissions for you. Stories from job interviews to weddings and funerals, all the way to an Emmy Awards party wardrobe malfunction. And where some of these stories involve an interesting and unique problem for us to solve, others involve instances where we quite honestly just dropped the ball. We'll be the first to admit we're not perfect, which is why customer feedback is so valuable to us. Not only do we want to be made aware of our mistakes, but we also want to acknowledge our employees that go above and beyond to make a situation right. Passing these stories on through our company helps to strengthen our service culture, which ultimately makes us better. They also just make for great podcast material! So once again, settle in for more interesting stories from the Nordstrom Mailbag. Thanks for tuning in to episode 22. We hope you enj by The Nordy Pod

40 min listen

Ep 14. The Tire Story Is True!: 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 by The Nordy Pod

45 min listen

Ep 16. The Internship Program: We’ve gathered a handful of enthusiastic young adults from our current crop of interns to learn more about their experience working at the 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 the internship program. It’s really a fascinating look at how some people begin their journey with Nordstrom and what a career path can look like. Thanks for tuning in to episode 16. We hope you enjoy it! Did you know that YOU can actually 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 us an email to nordypodcast@nordstrom.com to be a part of the conversation! by The Nordy Pod

39 min listen

Ep 26. Macklemore, Grammy Award Winning Hip-Hop Artist: Inspired by the provocative lyrics of the influential hip-hop group NWA, an adolescent Ben Haggerty immediately fell in love with the genre, and soon became laser-focused on a career as a rap artist. Under the alias Macklemore, he slowly gained a loyal following through an emerging underground Seattle hip-hop scene and exposure through the local independent radio station KEXP. In collaboration with friend and producer Ryan Lewis, Ben’s career reached an entirely new level after the release of their massively successful album The Heist. Ushered by the viral music video for their hit song "Thrift Shop" and assisted by alt radio DJs across the US, Macklemore and Lewis launched to the top of the Billboard charts and won multiple Grammy Awards for Best New Artist, Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance. Ben has continued to grow and collaborate with some of the industry’s top talent, expressing gratitude for his platfor by The Nordy Pod

48 min listen

Ep 23. Chris Ballew, Lead Singer of The Presidents of the United States of America: At this point you’ve undoubtedly caught wind of my side hustle as a bass player, and more generally my love for the unique community of musicians in and around Seattle. So in the spirit of that fondness, I’m super excited to share my conversation with local alt-rock legend and former lead singer for the band The Presidents of the United States of America, Chris Ballew. Chris started playing music from a very young age and, in the fertile soil of the Seattle music scene, had no trouble assembling bands of like-minded punk rock compatriots. One such band being the aforementioned—and super successful—The Presidents of the United States of America. You likely remember their catchy riffs and somewhat silly lyrics from hit songs like “Lump” and “Peaches” in the mid '90s, defining a style that even Madonna recognized as taking great care to appear as though they didn’t care at all. But the rise of The Preside by The Nordy Pod

48 min listen

Ep 25. Best of 2022: Well folks, we’ve made it to another year, which also happens to mark the completion of one whole year of The Nordy Pod. We’ve had a lot of incredible guests on the show and heard some pretty remarkable stories from employees and customers alike. So, to celebrate the first anniversary of The Nordy Pod, we thought we’d take you on a little trip down memory lane to visit some of our favorite moments from 2022. Thanks for tuning in to episode 25. We hope you have a great holiday season and a happy New Year! 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! by The Nordy Pod

47 min listen

Ep 18. It All Comes Down to Merchandise & Service: 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 by The Nordy Pod

50 min listen

Ep 33. Last Chance: In this episode we’re taking a special in-depth look at a segment of our business that most people don’t even know about. We call it ‘Last Chance’, and it’s exactly what the name implies. At the very end of the life-cycle of our merchandise there exist two stores, one in Phoenix Arizona and one in the suburbs of Chicago, that serve as our last chance to sell any and all unsold merchandise. They are unlike any Nordstrom store you’ve ever been to. So to help explain Last Chance we’re going to talk with a repeat Nordy Pod guest, Greg Pender, who is our Senior Manager in charge of profit recovery throughout the Rack and Last Chance stores. Greg is going to take us on a little trip over to our Last Chance location in Phoenix to meet some of the employees that work there, as well as a few customers that frequent the store nearly every single day. You’ll also hear from Marge Arnold, our Last Chance Store Manager in the Chicago area. So settle in as we take you all t by The Nordy Pod

41 min listen

Ep 27. Gucci Westman & David Neville, Founders of Westman Atelier: Gucci Westman has loved makeup since she was a little girl, seeing smiles on the faces of classmates as she gave makeovers on the bus ride to school. She pursued that passion, studying cosmetics in college and later moving to Los Angeles where she became a highly sought-after makeup artist for film and fashion magazines. She worked on projects with director Spike Jonze and has done makeup for big-name celebrities like Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Anniston and Gwyneth Paltrow to name a few. This early success earned Gucci the artistic director position with established cosmetic giants Lancôme and Revlon, eventually launching her own beauty brand, Westman Atelier, with husband David Neville, a very successful and talented fashion entrepreneur in his own right. David has garnered industry respect and multiple awards through his previous partnership running fashion brand rag & bone and lends his business expertise by The Nordy Pod

51 min listen

Ep 36. Cofounder of On, Caspar Coppetti, and Nordstrom Top Sellers: Join me on stage at the Footwear News CEO Summit as I sit down with three of our very best stylists, Jesse James Barnholdt, Greggory Clark, and Jeffrey Ola. We do our best to make it abundantly clear to our employees that their success at Nordstrom is in their hands. We give them the leeway to use their best judgment in running their business, and let me tell you, these three men have taken that freedom and ran with it. Each of them has raised the bar for what’s possible on the sales floor, and done it in their own unique and personal way, adding credibility to our reputation, and building immensely successful careers for themselves. We are super proud of the heights that they’ve reached and want to lift them up as examples to the rest of our company. Before that, listen in on my conversation with Co-founder of ‘On’ Running, Caspar Coppetti. The story of this brand is particularly interesting because it’s so auth by The Nordy Pod

42 min listen

Ep 30. The Nordstrom Supply Chain: In this episode we're taking a special trip over to the Hawkeye State, which is Iowa for those who don’t know, to visit two different Nordstrom facilities that are crucial links in our supply chain. First, we'll head to our fulfillment center in Cedar Rapids where the folks are celebrating 25 years of service. Then we'll stop into our distribution center in Dubuque to help them celebrate 30 years. Each of these locations has been absolutely essential to the growth of our business, particularly with the rise of online shopping and an increased demand for speed. These teams process enormous amounts of merchandise from thousands of vendors to nearly 350 Nordstrom stores in over 200 cities across the United States, fulfilling online orders shipped straight to your home and fielding droves of returns, which in itself could be an entire episode. Literally everything we sell goes through these buildings, from shoes to apparel, accessories and jewelry and a w by The Nordy Pod

43 min listen

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Ep 42. Kevin Calabro, NBA Play-By-Play Announcer

Ep 42. Kevin Calabro, NBA Play-By-Play Announcer

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