Last month, Nora Gomez made history as the first female keynote speaker at the National Alliance of Trade Merchants (NATM) conference in Dallas, leaving an indelible mark on the industry with her groundbreaking presentation. As the Chief Merchandising Officer of Nebraska Furniture Mart and a prominent member of the Women in Retail Leadership Circle, Gomez has carved out a remarkable path in the world of retail. Her insights and leadership style not only captivate but also inspire, making her an ideal subject for our spotlight.
In this exclusive interview, we delve into Gomez’s professional journey, her personal inspirations, and her visionary advice for the next generation of female leaders, offering a closer look at the dynamic force driving change in retail today.
TWICE: What led you to join Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM), and how did your previous experience in the fashion industry prepare you for your role as Chief Merchandising Officer?
Nora Gomez (NG): My commute to and from work in the DFW area took me by the NFM Colony location, as it was being built. Watching this massive hole in the ground become this amazing retail experience became my inspiration to work for NFM. Then I read about NFM’s founder, Rose Blumkin, and I was hooked. Her heart of gold and backbone of steel journey, had me speaking into the universe, “I am going to work there someday.” It became a mission to become part of the NFM team. After joining NFM in 2018, I not only joined a team, I became part of the family.
Runway fashion influences so much in our daily lives. Using intelligence from the most influential runways and trade shows confirms and validates forecasts for color, texture, material design nuances and style details. The gap between high fashion and home fashion gets narrower each season.
Our responsibility as retailers is to filter this information in a customer-centric way to create beautifully inspired collections and curated assortments. For example, you can easily see the colors, curves, organic shapes, and natural materials seen in the runway shot as complementary to the inspired home photos courtesy of Pinterest and Instagram.
NFM translated this influence in this photo taken from our 2023 catalog.
As a multi-channel retailer, we must consider each customer’s touchpoint and assess our customer’s emotional state by blending the art and science of research and discovery, browsing and buying, across all channels. We are not asking people to live our story. We help people create and tell their own unique stories.
TWICE: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when joining NFM, and how did you overcome them?
NG: Managing the expectations I had of myself in concert with the expectations NFM had of me was very challenging. Having been part of the women’s fashion industry and private equity acquisitions and restructures, the expectation was always on producing and producing in a fast way. I became an expert at turning businesses around. NFM is not a business requiring a turnaround. NFM is a business with a very long and successful history and an even longer growth runway. NFM has a culture rooted in teaching and learning. That culture helped me change headsets to learn the business, the culture, and the NFM way of doing business. The focus is not on hitting a home run. The focus is not even about getting on base. The focus is on learning the company and developing the strategy for the long game.
TWICE: Can you share a significant achievement or milestone you’ve reached during your tenure at NFM?
NG: Warren Buffet lives by a framework called the Inner Scorecard. There are two general ways to measure success: The Outer Scorecard and the Inner Scorecard. The Outer Scorecard is measured by things like title, money, accolades, social media metrics, etc. The Inner Scorecard is based on things like Values, Principles, Standards, Excellence, and Commitment.
The most powerful way to maximize potential and achieve the best results is to develop and live by your Inner Scorecard. As such, every year, my direct reports renew our verbal contract with each other. We look each other in the eye and say, “I commit to bring out the best in you if you commit to bringing the best out in me.” Think about the implications of this verbal contract in terms of building trust, and respect, creating an environment where we are honest without fear of confrontation, where as a leader you can remain confident with a sense of humility, where you set the standard and become the standard.
TWICE: You mentioned that you were the first female executive brought in from outside NFM. How has your leadership style influenced the company’s culture and direction?
NG: Leading with a mix of humility, confidence, selflessness, vulnerability, and resilience as well as the ability to pivot and adapt have been the cornerstones of my leadership style. Adding to that recipe is versatility coming from diverse experiences in my career, being constantly curious to learn new things, and engaging with a variety of key stakeholders both internally and externally. When you embrace the gift versatility, you know when to go broad and deep and find the right balance between professionalism and empathy.
Knowing what you are good at and having the willingness to break out of your comfort zone, while continually challenging yourself and your organization. Embracing a human-centered approach to leadership—one that prioritizes the needs and well-being of employees, fosters inspiration and gives everyone a sense of purpose—has been crucial.
To effectively propel teams and organizations to new heights, leaders must first embark on an inward-facing journey. This involves cultivating the psychological, emotional, and human attributes that are the cornerstones of successful leadership. Being a true servant not focused on the “ME” but on the “We.”
TWICE: NFM now has several female leaders in key positions. How do you see the role of women evolving in the company’s leadership in the future?
NG: NFM now has several female leaders in key positions. The role of women in the company’s leadership is evolving, and I see a future where women continue to play a significant role in shaping the company’s direction. However, really focusing on hiring the right leader, without bias, is what we strive for at NFM.
TWICE: You spoke about the importance of partnerships both inside and outside the organization. Could you elaborate on a particular partnership that has been especially impactful for NFM?
NG: The relationships we have with our customers are the key to success. Every idea we have, and every decision we make begins and ends with the customer in mind. One of our leadership principles is centered around being a customer enthusiast. I love this! Having a customer’s first mindset fosters empathy, enhances brand reputation, and achieves long-term success. This guidepost serves as a pillar for decisions and behaviors with our internal customers and our external customers.
TWICE: How has the partnership with NATM benefited the NFM business?
NG: Connecting with other like-minded retailers in the market is valuable, exchanging pockets of information, and hearing other’s perspectives. The vendor fairs during the annual meeting have been a good way to add additional vendors and learn about services over the years: RAC Financing, Digital Tags, OPIA rebates, etc. Group volume rebates have benefited NFM over the years and as one of the larger members we have earned our fair share.
With the recent business downtrend, however, the goals have not been as attainable across the board. Adjusting these would prove beneficial to the NATM members, but the big vendors drive those goals.
Regional exclusive models or drop-ins where minimum order quantities or commitments would be prohibitive individually. The introduction of BMSM with OPIA rebates to maintain competitive pricing is better for Appliances. The recent emphasis on the group buying power and national map with NATM member coverage has been a positive message.
TWICE: From Nebraska Furniture Mart’s perspective, what are the key benefits of being part of NATM? Specifically, how does NATM’s ‘Buy More; Save More’ promotion impact your business, and what value does it bring to both NFM and your customers?
NG: The Buy More, Save More, or Spend More Save More rebates have helped us have competitive offers against national competitors. As retailers, we can layer this rebate from the vendors on top of national promotions making NATM retailers more competitive with the national retailers. Makes for an aggressive offer at NATM retailers, including NFM when everything is combined.
Through NATM, we have not been able to unlock a similar offer on the consumer electronics side as the business doesn’t align with multiple unit purchases. There is less interest in supporting the vendors.
TWICE: How do you foster collaboration within your team and across different departments at NFM?
NG: Communication. Consistency. Commitment. Caring. Contagious Energy. Character and Coaching. You may recognize these as the 7 C’s to building a winning team.
TWICE: In your presentation at NATM, you discussed the importance of women in leadership roles. What strategies do you believe are most effective in breaking the glass ceiling and addressing the “broken rung” on the ladder for women in the workforce?
NG: When a ladder has a broken rung, it’s more difficult to get from the rung below it to the one above it. Unlike the glass ceiling, which we look at as a barrier to women advancing into high-level management positions, women are more likely to encounter the broken rung in the workforce when they’re in entry-level positions.
- If a woman is passed over for an early promotion or exits the workforce temporarily and then returns, she can get stuck on the ladder, so to speak. That’s the broken rung.
- The consequences extend to more than just one person’s career. With women holding just 38% of positions at the management and executive levels, there’s less diversity and inclusion in the workplace, particularly when it comes to women of color. And because men are more likely to promote other men and women are more likely to promote other women, there’s less advancement and representation of women at every level in a company.
- During Covid, In all, 2 million women left the workforce. That’s 2 million stalled careers, and 2 million broken rungs. And there will keep being more unless something changes.
- Provide gender bias training. Many people who mean well carry implicit biases they are not aware of. Bias training helps people recognize these biases and change their behaviors, leading to a more inclusive work climate.
- Achieve a sustainable work model. Balancing the needs of work and life is a challenge. When companies remove factors that create hindrances to entering or remaining in the workforce, work is sustainable. For women, this increases opportunities for advancement.
- Create in-office and online mentoring programs. Mentorship is a proven way to foster diversity and inclusivity, prepare the next generation of leaders, and increase job satisfaction for mentors who are not in leadership positions already.
In the 2023 Women in the Workplace Study, there were reported gains since 2025 of the number of women in the c suite increasing from 17 to 28%.
Progress, albeit slow. Now look at the manager and director levels, and that growth is only 3-4% creating a weak middle management pipeline of women to promote from. Remember “The Great Breakup” of 2022? The Great Breakup was driven by women at the director level, leaving companies at a higher rate than men at the same level. As a result, there are fewer women in line for the top industries. In addition, women of color lag even further behind.
Women represent roughly one in four C-suite leaders and women of color just one in 16. Here we are in 2024 and for the ninth consecutive year of this study, women still face the biggest hurdle at the first step up to manager. The broken rung is the greatest obstacle women face on the path to senior leadership. As a result, of this broken rung, women fall behind and cannot catch up.
Specific Strategies to mitigate the broken rung include:
- Empowering managers to be effective people leaders.
- Address microaggressions head-on and have a No Tolerance culture
- Unlock the full potential of remote or hybrid work
- Measure outcomes and experiences and use data to fix trouble spots.
- Make sure goals, metrics and expectations are shared at all levels of the organization.
- Allow ALL workers to be more productive while achieving balance in their lives
- Focus on the person. Promote the Person. Hire the Person.
TWICE: You highlighted the significance of the female economy or the “Sheconomy” and its impact on consumer trends. How is NFM adapting its strategies to cater to the growing influence of female consumers?
NG: Globally, women control about $20 trillion in annual consumer spending, and that figure could climb as high as $28 trillion in the next five years. Their $13 trillion in total yearly earnings could reach $18 trillion in the same period.
- In aggregate, women represent a growth market bigger than China and India combined—more than twice as big, in fact.
- Given those numbers, it would be foolish to ignore or underestimate the female consumer. And yet many companies do just that, even ones that are confident they have a winning strategy when it comes to women. choices; it’s a male-dominated industry in which men make hit-or-miss guesses about what women want, and products come and go at a rapid pace.
- Women are passionate about the industry and well represented in jobs at the entry level, but female employment drops off at the executive and senior leadership levels.
- A good first step toward gaining market share might be to put more women at the top—where they can help make key decisions and provide input about what does and doesn’t resonate with customers. Women make the decision in the purchases of 94% of home furnishings…92% of vacations…91% of homes… 60% of automobiles…51% of consumer electronics
At NFM, we are seeking to understand the psychology behind purchase decisions. For example, when searching for a home, women are most interested in floorplans and designs and how these factors can accommodate or improve their lifestyles. Specific features of importance to women include kitchen space and design, closet space, personal space and overall comfort. Along with this, women control the expenditure not only on décor but the appliances, cabinetry, flooring, lighting and more.
TWICE: How do you think companies in the retail industry, especially NATM, can better understand and serve the female economy?
NG: NATM could consider an elected Board of Directors, where high-level key executives can be included in key meetings around strategy, pricing, brands, etc. Different perspectives are more important than ever. In addition, the organization has the opportunity for educational training and development across areas such as Finance, Marketing, Leadership, etc. This would establish NATM as a true resource beyond products and promotions.
TWICE: You mentioned the importance of gender bias training and mentoring programs. What initiatives has NFM implemented to promote gender equity and support the professional development of women?
NG: NFM has several initiatives around developing leaders. NFM has a Women Lead development group that focuses on building strong leadership fundamentals for women who are looking to take on future leadership roles. As a female executive at NFM, I and my peers have the opportunity to present, facilitate, and help to lead these up-and-coming female leaders through an 8-month program every year.
In addition, I volunteered at NFM to be a Career Coach. This is where various individuals within the organization choose a senior leader in the company for mentorship. Our career coaches meet with people outside their division monthly to help grow talent in other areas of the business.
TWICE: How do you see the role of mentorship evolving in the industry, and what advice would you give to young women aspiring to leadership roles?
NG: In 2023, I was honored to receive the WithIt Award for mentorship, a recognition highlighted in a recommendation letter from our CEO, Tony Boldt. Tony’s letter described my contributions to NFM since I joined in October 2018. He praised my ability to create an environment of trust, compassion, and open dialogue, and noted my dedication to fostering work-life balance for both me and my team.
Tony emphasized my commitment to constant improvement and leading by example. He mentioned that I have been sought after for mentorship by both NFM executives and industry leaders, reflecting my dedication to bringing out the best in others. The broad support from diverse nominators within NFM and beyond underscores my impact as a mentor.
Tony concluded by affirming my deservingness of the award, expressing pride in my continued influence across the industry.
Here are a few nuggets I live by and encourage everyone to engage in.
- Surround yourself with top-shelf people. As much as people refuse to believe it, the company you keep does have an impact and influence on your choices. Think about who you surround yourself with.
- Be the consummate student. Ask probing, open-ended questions. Listen with not only open ears but with an open mind.
- 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.
- Advocate for yourself, do not leave that to others.
- Always remember that leadership is a privilege.
Identify the qualities that make you unique and build a substantial professional reputation in your company and your industry. Develop your own personal board of directors. Stack that board with people who will tell you the truth, pick you up when you are down, and remind you who you are and what makes you unique and different. Your board will help you shine your light in an effective, strategic, and equitable way.
Remember, leadership is a journey and a constant learning process. Use a growth mindset to continue your development and be true to yourself, always.
TWICE: You quoted Sheryl Sandberg in your presentation, emphasizing that real change will come when powerful women are no longer an exception. How do you personally strive to embody and promote this philosophy in your daily work?
NG: There is a terrific book, Career Forward Strategies from Women Who Have Made It by Grace Puma and Christiana Smith She, that I highly recommend. They talk about thinking of yourself as a “Growth Stock”. Simply put, a growth stock is a company that is expected to increase in value at a faster-than-average rate.
Now, when you think of that growth stock as a person, it is always looking to grow and develop, expanding their career at a level significantly above average. Executive teams that are highly gender diverse are found to be 21% more likely to outperform on profitability. Think like a growth stock. Surround yourself with high performers. Know how to assess and grow your professional equity. Recognize the signs of early success and potential stagnation. Reinvest in yourself.
TWICE: What key leadership qualities do you believe are essential for success, especially in a male-dominated industry like retail?
NG: Resilience, adaptability, curiosity, strategic, visionary.
Visionary leadership. The ability to influence people and build partnerships. Having realistic optimism and self-awareness. Being a talent cultivator and being likable. Having excellent communication skills both oral and written. Always, always be intellectually curious.
According to a 2019 HBR Study, women outscored men on 17 of 19 leadership capabilities that differentiate excellent leaders from average or poor ones. Women were rated as excelling in taking initiative, acting with resilience, practicing self-development, driving for results, and displaying high integrity and honesty. In fact, they were thought to be more effective in 84% of the competencies that were most frequently measured.
We all have masculine traits like direction and logic, and female traits like intuition, teamwork, and emotional intelligence within each of us. The idea is to rotate between the two and connect to those innate traits we all have in us.
TWICE: What is your vision for the future of Nebraska Furniture Mart, particularly in terms of innovation, customer engagement, and leadership development?
NG: We improve people’s lifestyles. We will continue to do so.
TWICE: How do you plan to continue driving growth and success for NFM while staying true to the company’s core values?
NG: Our core values underscore our culture and beliefs. Our leadership principles serve as guideposts for decisions and behaviors. We remind ourselves every day that everything we do begins and ends with the customer.
TWICE: Looking back on your career, what advice would you give to your younger self or to someone just starting out in the industry?
NG: Believe. You are worthy. Dream. Never give up on your dreams.
TWICE: In closing, I cannot thank Nora Gomez enough for taking the time to participate in this interview. It was both an honor and a privilege to gain such valuable insights from a leader of her caliber. Her perspectives on NFM’s innovative strategies and future direction were truly enlightening. For those interested in exploring more about NFM, I encourage you to visit NFM’s official website.
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