very relaxed and comfortable. It felt more like a genuine conversation than a formal interview. The one-on-one style was easy-going, focused on experiences, personality, and customer service skills, making it stress-free.

I applied through LinkedIn. The process took less than a week. I initially applied March 21st and got a call March 23rd that I wasn't able to answer as I was at work. They called me again on April 4th, I believe, to reach out to me, and after a few minutes of talking, I was told I would interview April 11th near the location of the store I would be opening if I were to be hired. I was told I'd be informed of the exact location as the date got closer. On the 9th, I reached out to the number I had been called from originally and asked if the location had been chosen. It had. I was actually scheduled to interview at the same time as another potential employee, but it was no big deal, and Tynasha (who interviewed me) was very sweet and informative and knowledgeable. I could really tell she loved her job as the district manager and was a strong woman with goals and style. That was awesome to see. The interview was easy and laid back. We talked over coffee. She asked me what I thought made me a good leader as well as what I thought made a good leader in general, how I handled disciplinary action, how receptive I was to coaching, etc. I liked that all these things seemed important to her; it wasn't just another retail job. There is a real culture here. I received the call today that I was offered the job! I accepted a salary of $13 an hour, which is more than fine with me as I have no retail management experience and have predominately served in leadership positions only in the service industry. I am very excited to open the Birmingham store and BEGIN MY CAREER!