Local Profile’s 23rd annual Women in Business Summit, presented by Baylor Scott & White Health, is set for Sept. 13, 2024, at Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel.
This year, over 600 powerhouse women from various sectors including global enterprise, non-profit, small business and government will gather to celebrate, unite and empower each other to turn big ideas into reality.
Tickets are selling out quickly! Buy your ticket here.
One of Local Profile's esteemed speakers, Nora Gomez, is the chief merchandising officer at Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM). Gomez joined Nebraska Furniture Mart in 2018 bringing more than 20 years of merchandising, product development, sourcing and strategic planning experience. Gomez is responsible for creating and executing the overall strategy of NFM’s merchandising department including buying, financial planning, merchandise planning and inventory flow for all families of business including furniture, flooring, appliances and electronics. She is also responsible for visual presentation, store design and store merchandising/display across all regions including Omaha, The Colony in Texas, Kansas City and Des Moines.
Gomez brings global leadership experience in strategic planning, merchandising and buying as well as product development, design and sourcing from a distinguished career that began in the Fashion Industry. She has traveled all around the world and brings an eye for trend and curation, while anticipating customer's needs across the NFM assortment.
As chief merchandising officer, Gomez is focused on identifying strategic opportunities to enhance cross-platform experiences and maximize NFM’s vast customer reach through product assortments and brand partnerships that complement the company's experiential retail strategy. Through NFM’s in-store experience efforts and channel innovation, she focuses on each customer touchpoint and emotional state by blending the art and science of research and discovery.
What idea has impacted you the most in your field?
The retail landscape is undergoing a massive transformation, driven by advanced technologies and rapidly changing consumer behaviors. Being data-driven and customer-centric with innovation is the key component to your growth engine. Leveraging data and analytics to gain insights into customer preferences, optimize product and service opportunities speeds up the decision-making process. A business needs to out-innovate its competitors by identifying unmet customer needs in an effort to increase market share. Elevate the customer experience. The ability to scale up rapidly is critical to getting new products, services, and experiences to market before competitors can. Leverage analytics but know your customer as a person, not always a data point. Everything we do, every decision we make begins and ends with the customer, those we have and those we hope to gain. Roll your sleeves up and get your hands dirty.
How do you deal with setbacks?
This question really resonated with me. One of my favorite leadership accessories is the mirror. Not because I like to stare at myself, but rather I like to use it as a self-reflection, to get a better tool. Clearly, I am not alone. Coach Emma Hayes, head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer team, uses the mirror as a tool as well. Combining her reputation of tremendous energy and an insatiable will to win, she has instilled a no-excuse culture of self-reflection and continuous improvement, asking, “What could I have done better?”. The focus here is on the commitment to improvement, integrity, and personal responsibility with introspection and accountability at the forefront.
Setbacks are part of life’s journey and do not define you. Look in the mirror today and ask yourself, “What could I have done better?” and own that. We must put ourselves in a position, where if we do everything, we are supposed to do as leaders, our team is then a position to perform. Developing a strong center core of belief in yourself helps transcend you beyond. Flipping the narrative to see setbacks as learning experiences, not failures. Be persistent in building resilience to reframe your perspective. Accept and acknowledge the reality and move on. Do your root cause analysis, identify what could have been done differently, ask for feedback but most importantly, give yourself grace in knowing what you can and cannot control. Move forward with resilience and optimism and keep in perspective it’s not about the mistake, the setback or the failure, it’s about how you stand up to the experience with knowledge, emotional intelligence and grace.
What do you do when an idea strikes?
WRITE IT DOWN!
How do you respond when feeling held back?
Building resilience is a crucial skill. Tapping into that resilience empowers us to navigate challenges and maintain high performance. Resilience begins with taking care of yourself, nurturing your emotional intelligence, adopting a growth mindset, and managing expectations. Building resilience in the workplace is a transformative journey that empowers individuals to thrive, even in the face of adversity. Increasing your awareness to just how often individuals operate out of ego, drama, and dis-harmony rather than innovative thinking and constructive collaboration. Reminding myself that I have earned my seat at the table, my voice is there to be heard and my ears are open to listen. Stay passionate and focused. Believe you are worthy.
What is one idea that motivates you?
The gift of a new day and the opportunity to practice gratitude.
What was the most difficult decision you’ve made in your career so far?
In 2009, I was a casualty of corporate downsizing. Often, we think that will never happen to me. This was a career inflection point evoking feelings of ambivalence, feeling positive and negative about the future. However, this career tipping point not only gave me the opportunity to reevaluate career decisions, but also gave me the opportunity to reevaluate myself. No problem I would encounter in life was too great to be resolved. I became laser-focused on building my next step, looking ahead to what I wanted in life and what I needed to do to get there. Approaching ambivalence with curiosity gave me time to reflect, gave me time to harness the information needed to make a more informed decision about the future. Reminding myself that nothing is forever. Connecting with people more advanced in their careers. LinkedIn became my best friend, and I learned the importance of networking. Asking people to share their wisdom and insight to help me approach my next career move with more flexibility and with the understanding that one decision does not define forever.
What challenges do you face as a woman in your industry?
Women make up more than ½ of the U.S. population and control or influence 85% of consumer spending. The “female” economy was estimated by Forbes to be worth more than $18 trillion and continues to grow. Statistics like these, support the crucial role women play in keeping the economy afloat in good times and recessionary times. Understanding the psychology behind purchase decisions is paramount. For example, when searching for a home, women look at floor plans and designs and how these factors can improve and accommodate their lifestyles and those of their families. Features like yard space, closet space and multi-use rooms are taken into consideration. Along with this, women control the expenditures on everything from food, to décor, to furniture, cabinetry, carpeting, lighting and so much more.
- Yet only 8% of CEO positions in the S&P 500 are held by women. (All industries)
- Yet, women CEOs run only 10.4% of Fortune 500 companies. (All industries)
- According to Korn Ferry, of the newly appointed retail CEOs last year, only 5 were female and 12 outgoing women CEOs were replaced by men. Overall, 90% of new retail CEOs were men and only 10% were women.
- Korn Ferry reported that 4 of the 5 female CEO positions were the result of the succession pipeline.
Who is the first person you come to with an idea?
Interesting question because ideas are coming at me all the time.
What is the biggest mistake you see women making when advancing their careers?
Chasing the next job title or salary bump over the long-range perspective rarely leads to success. Be the very best in the job you have, while having an incredible focus on your future, always moving in that forward direction. I discovered during my early career years how much I enjoyed being in fast-paced dynamic situations. I loved being a creative problem solver, and I thrived in fast-paced environments. The ever-changing world of fashion, design, product sourcing, supply chain and manufacturing became my worldly oyster. These were all things I learned about myself, and they transcended each of my career moves in some way. The art of negotiation and the science of strategy feeds my creative, forward-thinking mind. Asking, “What if?” Geometry was my favorite class in high school. Geometry is used to understand the physical world around us, from the simplest shapes to the most complex structures. Geometry plays a significant role in fashion design and complex construction and provides a framework for creativity and innovation. When I graduated from college, I wanted to live in New York City and take it all in. I knew no one, lived paycheck to paycheck (barely) but loved being immersed in all the city had to offer. I loved it and developed survival skills that became an important part of my toolbox. This experience provided the platform for my long-term vision that I had to be in a creative position tapping into the art and science of innovative leadership and strategic planning in the world of fashion.
How do you define success?
Paying it forward. Inspiring and helping others to succeed. This will come back to you a hundredfold.
What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?
1. Surround yourself with top-shelf people. As much as people refuse to believe it, the company you keep does have impact and influence on your choices. Think about who you surround yourself with.
2. Be the consummate student. Ask probing, open-ended questions. Listen with not only open ears but with an open mind.
3. Be direct with your boss and do not wallow in frustration. Be open about your aspirations and abilities. If you are being underestimated at work, think about what your bosses are getting wrong, and where their perceptions are inaccurate.
4. Advocate for yourself, do not leave that to others.
5. Always remember, leadership is a privilege.
What projects are you currently working on?
Personal: Well, towards the end of 2023, I made myself a priority. After many years, I started working out. Three times a week at Body20. I started eating better, starting every morning with AG1. I realized something innate in me had been suppressed for a while and that was embracing confidence as my superpower and leveraging this superpower to be a competitor and win, defying odds, and beating expectations. I am still becoming the best version of myself.
Professional: My team and I are on an organizational transformation journey. Fusing technology and generative insights along with building process efficiency and tapping into talent. Everything is being done with a strong focus on the customer journey and increasing satisfaction.
What is the best book you read this year?
1. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
2. Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
3. When Women Lead by Julie Boorstin
This isn't just an event — it's a movement! Join over 600 powerhouse women from various sectors including global enterprise, non-profit, small business and government as we celebrate, unite and empower each other to turn BIG IDEAS into reality.
Seize this opportunity to invest in yourself and your future. You deserve to be among the North Texas community's leading ladies, shaping BIG IDEAS and making an impact that reverberates far beyond the summit.
Speakers & Panelists
- Marianne Radley, CMO, Smoothie King
- Melody Lennox, People Operations Executive
- Ginny Kissling, Global President & COO, Ryan
- Nora Gomez, CMO, Nebraska Furniture Mart
- Hedy Popson, President & CEO, Productions Plus
- Beth Garvey, President, CEO & Chair, BGSF
- Angela Hutson, SVP, Chief Accounting Officer, BSWHealth
- Sharon Ramage, Founder, The Ramage Law Group
- Lisa Clawson, SVP, Market Manager Private Wealth, Bank of Texas
- Tatsumi Paredes, Senior Manager, Diversity & Inclusion, TOYOTA
Expect:
- Networking: Sip mimosas while forging invaluable connections during our morning networking session. Don't forget to strike a pose at our photobooth and capture the moment with watercolor portraits, painted live!
- Speaker Sessions: Hear from influential speakers and engage in thought-provoking panel discussions centered around BIG IDEAS.
- Post-Event Celebration: Wrap up the day on a high note at our post-event happy hour hosted at the trendy Bulla Gastrobar.
Schedule
10 - 11:30 a.m. Mimosas & Networking with live water color portrait artist, Kiss-N-Teller, photobooth and more!
11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
- Seated Lunch
- Keynote Addresses with Marianne Radley, CMO at Smoothie King and Melody Lennox, People Operations Executive
- Two Powerhouse Panels featuring esteemed local female leaders
- Coffee Break & Networking
3 p.m. Happy Hour at Bulla Gastrobar
