A small moment in a grocery aisle can change a day—and sometimes a career. We sit down with Misty Bryant, Director of Merchandising Support at Houchins Food Group, to unpack how a curious part-time start became a purpose-driven path built on service, mentorship, and data that actually helps people. From a child’s joy over a Peppa Pig toy to the precision of electronic shelf tags and rapid out-of-stock scans, Misty shows how human connection and operational excellence can live side by side.

We trace Misty’s journey across merchandising, buying, and category management to a role that bridges tech, marketing, and store operations.

We also look ahead: balancing e-commerce growth with the enduring value of brick-and-mortar, adding services like pharmacies and hardware to stay essential in small communities, and building teams that out-learn and out-serve.

Misty’s closing playbook is actionable: walk one more aisle, ask one more question, test a small fix, measure it, and share the credit. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who’s building a customer-first culture—what’s one small change you’ll test this week?

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Grocery From Her Seat, Insights for Independent Grocers has been selected as one of the Top 35 Independent Women Podcasts on the web.
https://podcast.feedspot.com/independent_women_podcasts/

Host: Kristin Popp
Production: Rachael Melot, SWA.Marketing