SHOW NOTES
The strongest retention strategy in retail isn’t a program or a perk — it’s a person who shows up with purpose.
In this episode of FRONTLINE FRIDAYS, host Ron Thurston sits down with Billy Kissel, Head of Stores for the East at Office Depot, to break down why visibility, presence, and culture-building matter more than ever. With 35+ years across brands like Gap, J.Crew, West Elm, and Office Depot, Billy has led teams through every kind of market shift — and the through-line is always the same: people stay when leaders lead with intent.
Billy and Ron revisit their full-circle journey, then go deep on what it actually takes to retain today’s frontline teams. From protecting store time on the calendar, to recognising wins in real time, to closing the loop on feedback with radical transparency, Billy shares the practices that have transformed cultures and lifted performance across hundreds of stores.
They also examine the real drivers of retention — why compensation is only one piece of the puzzle, how visibility builds trust, and why being physically present (or on camera) still matters in a hybrid world.
If you’ve ever wondered why some teams stay loyal and others churn, or what frontline-first leadership looks like in practice, this conversation is a masterclass.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- (01:58) How Ron and Billy first met and built one of their strongest early teams
- (04:22) Why compensation matters — but culture is still the core of retention
- (05:14) The New York moment that reshaped Billy’s view on paying top performers
- (08:08) Why presence and visibility are non-negotiable for effective leadership
- (09:45) How Billy scales presence across hundreds of stores and large teams
- (11:02) How being seen and humanising leadership builds trust at every level
- (12:31) Turning frontline feedback into action — and closing the loop with clarity
- (16:15) Why celebrating “winner’s laps” reinforces culture and boosts retention
- (20:00) How one internal promotion transformed a previously unmotivated region
- (30:31) Billy’s one action every leader should take tomorrow to improve retention
GUEST BIO
In this episode of FRONTLINE FRIDAYS, host Ron Thurston sits down with Billy Kissel, Head of Stores for the East at Office Depot, to break down why visibility, presence, and culture-building matter more than ever. With 35+ years across brands like Gap, J.Crew, West Elm, and Office Depot, Billy has led teams through every kind of market shift — and the through-line is always the same: people stay when leaders lead with intent.
Billy and Ron revisit their full-circle journey, then go deep on what it actually takes to retain today’s frontline teams. From protecting store time on the calendar, to recognising wins in real time, to closing the loop on feedback with radical transparency, Billy shares the practices that have transformed cultures and lifted performance across hundreds of stores.
They also examine the real drivers of retention — why compensation is only one piece of the puzzle, how visibility builds trust, and why being physically present (or on camera) still matters in a hybrid world.
If you’ve ever wondered why some teams stay loyal and others churn, or what frontline-first leadership looks like in practice, this conversation is a masterclass.
ABOUT FRONTLINE FRIDAYS
Your store teams feel it: more pressure, more change, less time to get it right. FRONTLINE FRIDAYS helps you turn that pressure into impact.
Built for senior retail + hospitality field leaders, each episode features candid conversations with execs from iconic brands, sharing tactics you can use today.
HOSTED BY RON THURSTON. Ron is a global retail leadership expert and two-time bestselling author of RETAIL PRIDE (2020) and HUMAN PRIDE (2025).