The Huddle with John Furner

Five years, 89 episodes, and countless memories—The Huddle has been an incredible journey. When we started I wasn’t sure what to expect, I just knew it was important for associates to hear directly from leadership. Along the way, it became clear there were so many amazing stories to share—like our associates making a difference, leaders driving change, entrepreneurs building something extraordinary, community members creating real impact, and more. In this special episode, I sit down with Marissa Kargas, who helped bring The Huddle to life in its early days, to reflect on how it all began and what it’s grown into. We revisit some of the most impactful moments and inspiring episodes – highlighting powerful personal journeys, leadership lessons and even a few funny behind-the-scenes bloopers! The very best part of my job is meeting great people all over the country, and it’s been an honor and a privilege sharing these conversations with you. Join us as we celebrate five years of The Huddle and look ahead to what’s next!

For 20 years, Walmart has partnered with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation on the Acres for America program, helping protect over 2 million acres of critical land across the U.S. When the program started, the idea was to protect 1 acre of land for every 1 acre Walmart built on. Today it’s evolved to about 20-1! Acres for America has preserved ecosystems, bolstered biodiversity, safeguarded clean water, and created recreational spaces for the benefit of both people and wildlife. And we recently shared the exciting news that we've renewed the program for 10 more years, with a $34.5 million pledge. In this episode of the Huddle, Chris West from NFWF and Jen Barnhouse from The Nature Conservancy joined me at the Kings River Preserve, a beautiful 5,000 acre preserve in Northwest Arkansas. We talked about the widespread impact of the Acres for America program, and how conservation isn’t just about protecting beautiful places—it’s also about sustaining natural resources for future generations. You'll also hear how anyone can support this work, either through small actions like rounding up a purchase or by finding ways to connect with local conservation initiatives. Whether you’re passionate about the environment, want to leave a legacy for future generations, or simply enjoy outdoor recreation, this episode is for you!

Monday is Veterans Day, one of the most special days of the year. At Walmart we’re so grateful to those who serve or have served in the military, and we support them however we can. A big way is through employment. We’re proud to have hired 400,000 veterans since 2013. Another way is through the products we sell.  This week I recorded a Huddle episode with Mark Doyle, whose company – Rags of Honor Brands – makes military-themed shirts we sell in stores and online. We talked about his story of starting Rags of Honor to provide jobs and support to veterans, and how working with Walmart has helped his company do even more. We're proud to partner with Rags of Honor as they serve those who have served all of us – and I know you’ll be inspired by Mark's mission-driven mindset and willingness to take action.  Please join me in thanking all the brave men and women who have worn the uniform and allowed us to live freely in this country. Let’s all honor them today and every day.

It’s #AmericanPharmacistsMonth, and I had the chance to sit down with Obi Odi, one of our pharmacists at Store #4487 in Aiken, South Carolina. Obi’s journey is remarkable. Originally from Nigeria, Obi came to the U.S. to further his education and pursue a career in pharmacy. While studying, he was deeply impacted by the events of 9/11 and decided to pause his education to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps, even though he was about to graduate! After completing that Military service, he finished his pharmacy degree and found an opportunity to continue serving his community as a pharmacist at Walmart. In this episode of The Huddle, Obi shares how his role as a pharmacist allows him to connect with customers beyond their prescriptions, extending a helping hand to those who might need it most. His approach to service—whether in the Military or in the pharmacy—has always been about stepping up for others. Obi embodies Walmart’s core values of service, respect, excellence, and integrity in everything he does, and it was my absolute honor to offer him a well-deserved promotion to Pharmacy Manager. We’re thankful for Obi’s service and proud to have so many incredible pharmacists on #TeamWalmart. You don’t want to miss this inspiring episode!

The guest for this Huddle episode needs no introduction: Kevin Costner has been part of all our lives for many years! He also personifies many of the traits we strive for at Walmart: reinventing ourselves, staying true to who we are, and delivering quality.  It was so fun to have Kevin join us at our 2024 Walmart U.S. Holiday Meeting, in Orlando, Florida. You can imagine how thousands of our associates reacted when he walked on stage! Kevin talked to the team about his work ethic, how he celebrates the holidays, and one of his products we sell in our stores and online. He even brought his band “Modern West,” and they put on an awesome performance!  I know you’ll love this episode, where Kevin and I talk about how and when we found our personal “yellow brick roads” … and the difference Walmart is making in America.

We’ve had an exciting week in San Francisco, California, where we just wrapped up our Let's Grow! 2024 Walmart Marketplace Seller Summit for small businesses, inventors, and other sellers interested in joining our Walmart.com Marketplace. Marketplace allows us to offer customers hundreds of millions more items than we sell in our stores!  For this edition of the Huddle, I talked with Bill Pond, CEO of RTIC Outdoors. RTIC is a digitally-native brand that makes premium products like coolers and cups. They first partnered with Walmart by joining our Marketplace. As you’ll hear Bill explain in this episode, that led to more sales and more customers for RTIC, then eventually having their products inside our U.S. stores. Today RTIC’s products are sold both in our stores AND our Marketplace, and the two perfectly compliment each other.     It was especially fun to record this episode inside Walmart Store 100, which is where I started my Walmart career 31 years ago. So much has changed since then – particularly the opportunities we now have to sell many more items and fulfill many more orders in many more ways. But what hasn’t changed? We’re still so proud to welcome new sellers with new products, and help them grow WITH us.

Walmart is a community of diverse individuals, each with their unique stories. Some joined us after pursuing other careers, some started with us and then moved onto something else. Then there are people like Anjie Robertson and myself who started with Walmart and saw it turn into a rewarding career. I met Anjie a couple months ago at our Manager Academy, where she shared she couldn’t attend the Associates Week she was invited to 15 years ago, because of being promoted. Anjie politely asked if she could come this year, to one of the biggest and best family reunions and celebrations in the world! Anjie joined me for this episode of The Huddle, just after joining me on stage at our U.S. Associates meeting! We talked about her 30-year career with Walmart, how her experiences have shaped her people-centered approach to management, the importance of meeting people where they are, and what it truly means to go "all in.” We also talked about the memorable moment where Anjie recommended we begin an annual bonus program for our store associates. (Spoiler alert: we listen!) Anjie is an incredible associate with a magnetic personality, and her story shows what's possible when you take risks, believe in yourself, and go "all in" on your goals. I'm proud of Anjie for asking to come to Associates Week this year and I'm excited for you to hear her story in this episode. You won't want to miss it!

Yesterday, we celebrated the grand opening of Store 8861, our brand-new Walmart Neighborhood Market in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida! A grand opening is always filled with excitement, and this one was particularly special. It represents the first of the 150 new stores we're planning to build or convert in the next five years along with our ongoing efforts to remodel hundreds of our existing stores to better serve our customers.     In this episode of The Huddle, I had the pleasure to chat with Brandon, the Store Manager, at this beautiful new location. His journey with Walmart has been truly inspiring. When we was a Support Manager, he had the opportunity to assist in opening a new store in Gulfport, Mississippi, and has dreamt of opening a store as a Store Manager ever since. Today, he is living that dream and is thrilled to serve the Santa Rosa community! We talked about the unique aspects of this new store, including its proximity to the beach and the capacity to cater to both locals and tourists with a larger square footage, extensive assortment, and standout pharmacy. We also talked about all the amazing long-term associates who have transferred from other stores to support this new location, bringing a wealth of experience to help the new team thrive.     We're thrilled to bring nearly 100 new jobs to the area and look forward to providing outstanding service to all of our customers on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Whether you're a local or visiting over the summer, we'd love to have you stop by and check out our new store!

I started working with Walmart when I was in school. I was just hoping to earn some money for the summer — but I soon realized that working in a store taught me many things I couldn’t have learned in a classroom. Real-world work experience is crucial, and that’s why we're proud to be a partner of the NRF Foundation's RISE Up program. RISE Up has helped 40,000 learners learn about and experience the retail industry, and build foundational employability skills.  In this episode of The Huddle, I'm joined by John Marschhausen and Lori Messi from Dublin City Schools in Ohio, who were recognized by the Foundation for the amazing work they're doing immersing students from their district into local retailers. They have great advice for how organizations and institutions can take smart risks, engage with their communities, and build partnerships to change young people’s lives. The work happening in Dublin showcases what's possible when we invest in the future leaders of tomorrow. I'm excited to see the next generation “RISE Up”!

When I think of people who share our mission of fostering holistic health, Ally Love immediately comes to mind. She’s an on-air contributor for NBC’s "Today” show, the CEO and founder of Love Squad, and a very popular Peloton instructor. I've had the opportunity to take many of Ally’s classes and see how her dedication to fitness, wellness, and community is so inspiring to others. I was thrilled to have Ally join me on The Huddle, sharing her personal journey and passion for health – including how a life-changing accident at age nine shaped her perspective. We also talked about how she’s used her platform of influence to motivate others and build “Love Squad,” which provides women of all backgrounds with community and career development resources. Ally is full of energy and positivity, and I know you'll feel inspired by her story and her advice for thriving both personally and professionally. No matter your age, your schedule, or the shape you’re in, you can make whole health a priority every day!