Broad River Retail: An Overnight Success, 20 Years in the Making

As a company, how long does it take to make it? The U.S. Bureau of Labor reports that 20% of companies go bust in their first two years. What’s more, only one-fifth make it past their 15th anniversary. But on In Good Companies, we’re hopeful. That’s why in this episode, we talk to Charlie Malouf, a leader who has seen it all, and came out the other end crowned with success. 

Charlie is the president and CEO of Broad River Retail, a home furnishings retailer and licensee of Ashley Stores. Over the past two decades, what was once a three-store licensee has become a fast-growing top 100 retailer, with 31 locations and more than 800 employees. As for Charlie, his innovative vision and his impact on the local community have made him one of Charlotte, North Carolina’s Most Admired CEOs. 

In this episode, Charlie shows us that in business, trials and tribulations can still lead to a perfect moment. Together, we talk about taking strategic leaps of faith, reframing failure as a data point and using creative reinvention to your advantage. We unpack how a focus on human capital can carry your company through the toughest times, and you will see that with a powerful vision, you can break new ground and create abundance for everyone. 

So tune in with Patrick and Charlie, to hear the tale of an overnight success, twenty years in the making.

Highlights:

●      Introducing Broad River Retail (2:21)
●      When Charlie joined Broad River: the story of a leap of faith (34:39)
●      Risk-taking as an opportunity to learn (5:54)
●      When a business breaks all of its bones (7:23)
●      Creative Destruction 101 (9:11)
●      Reframing failure as a data point (11:13)
●      From “Human Resources” to “Human Capital” (13:01)
●      Changing the rules of the retail industry (15:09)
●      Restructuring during Covid-19 (17:00)
●      Coming out of the pandemic with positive momentum (20:51)
●      How Broad River Retail is doing today (22:37)
●      A podcast in a podcast - introducing Stories from the River (25:14)
●      The importance of sharing abundance with your community (28:40)
●      Charlie’s proudest achievements (30:39)

Links:

●      Cadence Bank Website
●      Cadence Bank Twitter
●      Cadence Bank LinkedIn
●      Charlie Malouf LinkedIn
●      Charlie Malouf Twitter
●      Broad River Retail Website
●      Broad River Retail LinkedIn
●      Broad River Retail Podcast - "Stories from the River"
●      Statistics - “Why Young Businesses Fail”


If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, [e-mail], [e-mail], or [e-mail].

What is In Good Companies?

Starting and running a business or managing one isn’t for the faint of heart. You’re balancing internal and external forces in a continually changing landscape. This is where Cadence Bank’s In Good Companies comes in. We share our wealth of knowledge–and insights from noted industry experts–to guide you through the forces shaping business today.

It’s hosted by Patrick Pacheco, an EVP and President of Cadence Asset Management and Trust, who has more than 25 years’ experience and is a self-proclaimed lifelong learner. He leads discussions with business owners and subject matter experts about how they’re tackling business challenges like:

● What are ways to grow my business without growing my debt?
● How can I turn my data into meaningful information?
● Why is company culture more important than ever?

It’s information you need, in one place, in under 30 minutes. More than 250,000 listeners tune in each week. Shouldn’t you?

ABOUT OUR HOST
With more than 25 years’ experience in wealth management for business clients and a penchant for hosting, Patrick Pacheco is an EVP and president of Cadence Asset Management and Trust, and presenter of the bank’s In Good Companies podcast, now in its fourth season.
His background features years of legal practice and multiple degrees, including a Master of Taxation from University of Houston, a law degree from Southern Methodist University, and both a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Economics from University of Texas at Arlington.
Pacheco describes himself as a lifelong learner and someone who loves asking questions–probably the ones you’re thinking about too. He’s especially excited about season four because of the diversity of topics and guests who will not only share their wealth of knowledge, but listeners will also get tips and tricks they can use in their own businesses, careers and professional lives.