Andrew Koenig

One thing I’ve learned over time is that great leadership is not random — it’s intentional.

That’s where Leader Standard Work (LSW) comes in. It defines what leaders should be focusing on consistently, whether that’s coaching, observing, reviewing performance, or developing their team.

Without structure, leadership becomes reactive. With structure, it becomes consistent and scalable.

LSW is not about limiting leaders — it’s about helping them focus on what matters most, every single day. That’s how you build stronger teams and more predictable results.

Most people think product selection is just picking things that look good. It's so much more than that. 🎯

There's a whole science behind what ends up on our floor — from understanding what our customers actually need, to analyzing trends, studying price points, evaluating construction and quality, and making sure every single piece fits into a bigger vision for the home.

It's part art, part data, and a whole lot of experience. That's what keeps this job interesting. 🙌

Every tentpole week, I make it a point to sit down with our top performers for dinner. And I want to talk about why that matters to me.

It's easy to send an email. It's easy to post a leaderboard. But there's something different about looking someone in the eye, breaking bread with them, and telling them directly — we see you, and what you're doing matters.

Our associates work incredibly hard. They show up every single day to create an experience for our customers that we're truly proud of. The least I can do is show up for them.

These dinners aren't just a nice gesture — they're a reminder that at CITY Furniture, people will always come before numbers. The numbers are great because of the people. Never the other way around.

If you're a leader and you're not making time to genuinely pour into your team — I'd encourage you to start. It changes everything. 🙌

Someone had to make sure the cookies were up to CITY standards. I volunteered. 🍪

I'll be honest — this might be one of my better executive decisions. Our team put a lot of love into these and it shows. Every detail of the CITY experience matters to us, and yes, that includes the cookies.

Quality control has never tasted this good. 😅