In this episode of Stories from the River, host Charlie Malouf introduces a new behind-the-scenes series focused on the company-wide quarterly town halls at Broad River Retail. Charlie is joined by return guest Kim Harkness, recently promoted to Vice President, who shares insights into the origins and evolution of these town halls. They recount how the town halls were initiated in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic as a critical measure for communication when traditional channels were disrupted. Initially held weekly, the frequency was gradually reduced to monthly and then quarterly as the crisis abated. The primary goal remains to communicate directly with Memory Makers, ensuring transparency and clarity by delivering information directly from the leadership.

The episode delves into the extensive preparation required for these town halls, from finalizing the agenda about a month in advance to conducting walkthroughs and rehearsals. Kim and Charlie discuss the contributions of Tyler Trill (a/k/a the "Captain Kirk" of the show according to Kim), the River's Senior Communications Manager, in crafting presentations and managing the technical aspects of the meetings. The town halls cover essential updates like business performance, new store openings, and key performance indicators, while also spotlighting achievements and milestones of Memory Makers to foster a sense of community and recognition.

The episode discusses the platform of choice (Zoom) for Broad River's Town Halls as well as the pros and cons of Webinar Mode vs Meeting Mode. Broad River has also invited friends and partners from other companies to attend their Town Halls as a special VIP guest attending with a "backstage pass" as a way to help other companies learn from some of their well established best practices.

Despite occasional technical and logistical challenges, the duo emphasizes the importance of authenticity and continuous improvement, encouraging other companies to adopt similar practices to enhance their internal communication and connect more deeply with their own people.

This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RtAWpgUPPWs

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