Rick Gomez - Target's Chief Food & Beverage Officer - Career Club Live

Career Club Live with Bob Goodwin

Ever wonder how a world-class marketer transitions from managing multi-billion dollar CPG brands to running the food and beverage department of the popular retail giant Target Corporation? Imagine the thrill of going from a government major, to acquiring a JD/MBA, to becoming the CMO of Target, and ultimately, the Executive Vice President of Food and Beverage. This intriguing journey is none other than that of our esteemed guest, Rick Gomez. He opens up about his exciting pivot from CPG to retail, his successful marketing strategies for young audiences, and his notable board roles at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino and Wendy's Corporation.
In this deep-dive conversation, Rick sheds light on his rewarding transition from being a CMO at Pepsi to his current role at Target. Get ready to explore his motivation behind this significant career change, his tenacity in overcoming the challenges that arose during the transition, and how he's making a difference working with frontline store representatives across America. Rick also gives us a peek into his aspiration of becoming a CEO and shares the invaluable lessons he's gleaned over the past three years.
We also venture into the unique way Target approaches food and beverage, transitioning from simply selling to celebrating food. Rick discusses how Target harnesses affordability, ease, and convenience to foster communal experiences around food and beverage. We delve into the exciting innovations that Target has introduced, like the ability to order Starbucks via their Drive Up service. Moreover, Rick shares how Target works in concert with vendors, suppliers, and merchants to deliver 'affordable joy' to its guests and the importance of personal branding and authentic leadership in today's competitive market.

Chapters

1. Career Club Live With Rick Gomez (00:00:00)

2. CMO to Food & Beverage Transition (00:09:02)

3. Target's Approach to Food and Beverage (00:17:45)

4. Target (00:28:22)

5. Personal Branding and Authentic Leadership (00:36:06)