Get to Know: Dave Orrico

Work Experience

Rosa’s Home Stores New Hires Sales Trainer, Furniture & Bedding Director, VP of Sales, 1981-2011
Rent-to-Own Expo Owner, December 2010-April 2013
Nationwide Marketing Group, April 2013-Present

Education

University of Rochester 1981, BA in Psychology, minor in Business Administration

Total years of experience with the independent channel/retail

I spent one year in home appliance warehouse and home delivery and 29 years with a retail start-up that sold appliances, CE, furniture and bedding. During this time, I was the No. 4 employee in an operation that grew from $0 to $36 million and employed 153 people. I also owned my own rent-to-own company for two years.

What motivates you to get up and go to work for the Independent retailer every day?

I understand what it takes for an Independent retailer and RTO operator in our hyper-competitive arena to make certain that they serve both their “inside customers,” more commonly referred to as employees or teammates, as well as their traditional “outside” customers. Through my lens, I see both those groups of people as being the most important to the Independent merchant. And part of the merchant’s goal should be to have both feel genuinely appreciated, valued and necessary — never taken for granted. I believe that I can assist the Independent merchant with that goal, through my knowledge as well as the knowledge and assets that Nationwide Marketing Group has to offer.

Tell us about your role at NMG.

I feel that my duties are multi-faceted and designed to help our Members in any manner possible. My first responsibility is to listen to their individual needs and wants. Then, as a broker of knowledge and ideas, I help solve those needs and satisfy those wants by aligning the correct people and assets to achieve the Member’s desired outcome.

Why did you want to come work at NMG?

I came to work at Nationwide because I saw an energy and spirit that I resonate with and understand — to do for and help like-minded Independent merchants succeed. The culture that I perceive throughout the entire Nationwide organization is one of “service above self.” A large portion of that mindset is the concept that “none of us know as much as all of us.” NMG has assembled bright-minded, forward-thinking people, mixed in technology and wrapped it in a spirit of teaching and sharing. That, I believe, is an uncommon combination that I wanted to be part of.

Why do you think NMG is the best buying group for Independent retailers in today’s climate?

In today’s business climate, and looking to the near future, I believe that NMG leadership has the mindset and vision to invest available resources to continually advance the assets necessary to be proactive by employing data and technology that results in business intelligence. This business intelligence can then be used by Members to advance their business in their own manner. Additionally, I feel that the entirety of NMG is a community that advances because of their Kaizen attitude and trusting relationships.

What is the most important project you are working on right now, and why?

I am recording 3D Virtual Tours of our Members’ stores for them to place on their websites. By posting a virtual store tour on their website, the unique content is recognized by search engines, and guests get to view the store and its product offerings at any time of day. I’ve taught the Members that I’ve composed virtual tours for to place video within their tour to highlight any specific products that they want. By showcasing products with video within the tour, guests engage with the site longer and then visit the store a bit more pre-sold — which leads to higher close ratios.

What’s your favorite memory from your time at NMG?

At our New Orleans PrimeTime, I was honored to be part of the Nationwide team that delivered 40 sleep sets to Covenant House, a halfway house for homeless and exploited children. The Covenant House leadership and client recipients were very appreciative of our gift to them. Their thankful smiles were enough for me.

What do you like most about your job?

I like to be in the presence of, learn from and share ideas with the like-minded people who make up this industry. Though each Independent merchant is different, we all have similar challenges. It’s the manner in which each sees and addresses those challenges that is so interesting to me, and that I get to share those concepts with open-minded people.