From Sales Floor to CEO: Cultivating Talent and Retention in Home Goods Retail

In our previous article, we looked at the next generation of retail sales associates (RSAs) and why the industry must reshape the image of sales as a long-term career. This time, we’re digging into how to retain great people, pass down institutional knowledge and adapt the showroom experience to Gen Z values.

Gen Z isn’t chasing the same career path their parents did. For them, work-life balance takes top priority. Better pay and flexible schedules aren’t perks — they’re must-haves. If companies can’t offer that, they risk missing out on top talent. In home goods retail, traditional hours and commission-based pay don’t always fit the Gen Z checklist for an ideal job.

To explore how retailers can rise to the challenge, we sat down with Masoud Negad, CEO of Tepperman’s, an independent, 100-year-old, nine-store furniture powerhouse based in southwestern Ontario. Negad’s story is proof that retail sales can be the launchpad to a meaningful career. Arriving in Canada at 14 years old as an Iranian immigrant, he started on the sales floor and worked his way to the top.

Now Negad leads a team of 175 salespeople. He admits that hiring, training and retaining them is no easy feat. But decades of refining the company’s onboarding and training systems have helped transform Tepperman’s into the regional retail giant it is today.

Entrepreneurial Mindset
What makes a great retail salesperson?

According to Negad, it’s an entrepreneurial spirit.

“Someone who gets that it’s not just about the money. It’s about relationships,” he says. “They know they’re building a business within a business.”

He recalls being teased early in his career for giving equal attention to a customer buying a $50 item as to someone furnishing a whole home.

“They thought I was wasting my time,” he says. “But I knew it wasn’t about the $50 — it was about creating a customer for life.”

That mindset still shapes his leadership style today.

Forever Hires
Tepperman’s onboarding program is designed with retention in mind. New hires spend a month learning every product category, fully paid, before transitioning to commission-only. Each trainee is paired with a mentor who is responsible and accountable for their success. Only after sign-off from the mentor does the trainee go solo.
At the end of training, the company surveys every new hire to improve the process for the next.

The Real Cost of Hiring
Training isn’t cheap. In addition to the guaranteed salary during onboarding, there are advertising costs, screening, mentor wages, and the time invested in developing and upgrading training tools. Negad estimates the total investment lands between $20,000 and $25,000 for each new employee in the first 90 days.

“You’re better off spending the money upfront,” he says. “Better training builds stronger loyalty and a stronger salesperson. If they believe in the company, their confidence shows up in their commission cheques.”

He warns that cutting onboarding costs often backfires.

“Sure, it might cost half, but if you have higher turnover, you’re not ahead,” says Negad. “You’re just paying it all over again.”

Always Learning
At Tepperman’s, training doesn’t stop after the first 90 days. Even seasoned sales staff attend weekly sessions run by in-house training leads or vendor representatives. Store managers are expected to book regular training events to keep sales sharp and product knowledge fresh.

“Vendors play a big role,” says Negad. “The really good reps want to be part of that.”

Selling the Lifestyle
Let’s face it, not every Gen Zer is going to be a YouTube star or tech founder — but the appeal is real. Negad believes attracting young talent means selling them on the lifestyle of retail: fashion, flexibility and fun, plus the chance to earn big money.

“Our job postings are designed to overcome objections,” he says. “We spell it out: 34-hour work weeks, world-class training, incredible benefits, weeks of vacation, uncapped commissions and guaranteed base pay during training.”

Tech That Works for People
Negad sees industry-wide technology adoption as the next frontier in service and training. This year, Tepperman’s overhauled its enterprise resource planning system to unify operations. While the process was painful, he believes the potential is huge. Many retailers are discovering the advantages of embracing technology and mobile applications that can help RSAs learn faster and serve customers more effectively.

“Unless the industry embraces these tools, they’ll never be tailored to our needs,” he says. “It doesn’t mean we need fewer people — it means our people can do more. We can be more effective. We can raise the bar.”

RetailPulse™ digs deep to uncover and share what’s happening throughout the Canadian home furnishings industry. Corrie-Ann Knell has served the industry in various capacities for more than 17 years and provides reflections on the many challenges faced by today’s leading retailers.