February 19, 2025 • 20 mins
Goodwill is a part of our lives here in the Tri-State area of OH/KY/IN. Their mission began over 100 years ago, and has changed over the last century. Today's guests speak about the new motivation at Goodwill, and the opportunities for anyone who needs help finding a good job and training for a job change. Michael Bradshaw is the Director of Workforce Development, and Bryan Smith is their Director of Retail Marketing.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This week on iHeart Sinsey.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
You're going to find some things and you're going to go, wow,
I can't believe someone donated this, or wow, I can't
believe that this is here.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Well, the new year brings a sense of starting over,
doesn't it.
Speaker 4 (00:11):
Preparing for spring cleaning of those closets, the garage, the basement.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
You know somebody can use those items.
Speaker 4 (00:17):
And that's why Goodwill accepts and resales clothing, household items,
and furnishings to fund the programs that they have developed
helping those with disabilities, poverty, veterans, and anyone who needs
a helping hand. Today, I'm speaking with two men from
Goodwill of Cincinnati about the new focus this year and
what you can expect from your next trip to Goodwill
and later.
Speaker 5 (00:36):
The reality is, we feel like we're bigger than being
a brewery.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
We are really truly about community.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
It's a cool, brand new social experience a brewery restaurant,
and it's inclusive for all families, featuring things like flat
and wide entry ways, lowered countertops for wheelchair access, to
a calming room when being out gets to be too much,
to the play area designed by kids that's accessible and
accommodating to those with developmental disabilities. This is the latest
(01:05):
project of Mad Tree Brewing, and today we're going to
talk about their thriving and growing business with a mission
to give back and be better.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Now on iHeart Cincy with Sandy Collins.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
All right, this is iHeart Cincy.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
I'm Sandy Collins, and today I've got a couple of
guests from Goodwill here in Cincinnati. The director of Workforce
Development is with us, Michael Bradshaw.
Speaker 6 (01:26):
Hello Michael, Hello Sandy, thanks for having me.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
We are and Brian Smith is the director of Retail Marketing. Brian,
welcome to you as well.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Hi, Sandy, It's pleasure to be here.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
Listen, guys, I'm going to be honest with you and
the audience. I'm a big fan of Goodwill. I love
what you do. I love the mission. I love the discounts,
I love all the shopping. I love all of the
odd things that you can find that you can never
find anywhere else.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
So let's talk about Goodwill and your mission.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
You guys started I read in nineteen sixteen, which I
didn't realize it was over one hundred years old. But
start at the beginning. Who wants to go first with
this question, what is the bottom line mission?
Speaker 6 (02:05):
First?
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Well, Michael, if I may, the mission is that we
are on a mission to eliminate barriers and power individuals
and elevate the human potential.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
So I know, Sandy, like you said, a lot.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Of people come to Goodwill and they think about the discounts,
and they think about donating, and they think about shopping,
and I think what gets lost in all of that
is our mission of really helping others. What Michael and
his team do is so important to the community and
really why we exist. So just you know, elevating those
(02:37):
around us and impacting the community in that way is
really why we're here.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
So, Michael, you are actually working to address homelessness and
also unemployment, and you're in charge of the workforce development.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
So let's start with you there.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Tell us about Well, first of all, tell me how
you got involved with Goodwill, Michael, and we'll go back
to you here in a minute. But Michael, tell me
how you got involved, and then tell me what it
is that you actually do there.
Speaker 6 (03:05):
Sure, thanks for asking.
Speaker 5 (03:06):
So I got them to working with Goodwill when I
was a workforce liaison for the Michigan Department of Corrections.
I was a liaison between the Department of Corrections and
local service providers who provided workforce development in Detroit, Michigan.
So I've been with Goodwill for about seven years doing that.
(03:28):
Most recently moved to the Cincinnati area to build out
the workforce development program here. What it is that we do,
like our core focus in workforce development is to help
people advance their careers. Right rather that's someone that's coming
in entering the workforce for the first time, or if
(03:48):
it's somebody who is under employed and looking to improve
their current situation. We do that by providing personalized support
and assessments, goal setting, helping individal jules overcome barriers and obstacles,
and ultimately helping them achieve financial goal. Additionally, we also
help build confidence in job search and career advancement, leading
(04:14):
to financial stability and independence in our participants.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
That's quite a work glow there, Michael, Welcome to Cincinnati.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
We're glad to have me here, to have you here.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
So Goodwill has a group of clients, if you will,
or what you call them clients.
Speaker 6 (04:33):
We're called participants.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Participants.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
Okay, So if someone needs some services, how do they
know if you would be the place to go for
services that they need.
Speaker 6 (04:44):
Good good questions.
Speaker 5 (04:46):
So we are in the community quite a bit and
attending multiple different events, also conducting different needs assessments community
needs assessments, so we will know what areas that we
need to actually go when and promote what it is
that we're actually doing. As of right now, we have
(05:06):
a strategic plan to start being able to push our
mission services more into our thrift stores. People be able
to identify what services we have either by using one
of our brand new kiosks or and they may have
the opportunity to speak with somebody at one of our
opportunity centers. Both of those will be inside of our
(05:28):
thrift stores, and so the people that are actually shopping
will be able to get in a good understanding of
what's out here for career development and workforce development, also training,
skill trade opportunities, education remediation, also housing services, helping people
(05:51):
get their vital records so.
Speaker 6 (05:52):
They can generate a paycheck.
Speaker 5 (05:54):
Those are the different things that we will be promoting
at our stores. In local jobfare, career fairs, healthfaares, this
is where we're pushing a lot of this information and
also in the courthouse right, So people who are just
as impacted were actually going inside of courthouses working with
people during pre trial so that they can start working
(06:18):
on their future before they are actually sentenced to any
type of court stipulation.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
That's kind of interesting. I wouldn't have thought of goodwill
as necessarily being in the courts, but it's a perfect matchup.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Brian.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
The retail stores, everyone sees them, they know what they're for.
You guys have really kind of upped your game over
the last ten or fifteen years. It went from just
kind of being a thrift store to now they're laid
out even better. Things are organized in such a way
that you can actually find it. I went to a
Goodwill in Indianapolis. I used to go all the time
(06:52):
at home in Dayton, and I went to Indianapolis and
they had all of the genes on wan iraq.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
You know, there's no sizes. How am I going to
find my size?
Speaker 4 (07:01):
So I'm going through every single thing seven, two, three, ten, the's.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Not my size, bob bla blah blah blah.
Speaker 4 (07:07):
We're going to So finally, after about five or ten minutes,
I got aggravated and stopped shopping. Well then later, we
were involved with Goodwill in a professional capacity, and I
asked the director, why is it that the clothes are
not separated into sizes? And she says, well, because I
think that women like to shop and just be surprised
(07:29):
by what.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
They find, and you know, it's like a hunt.
Speaker 4 (07:34):
And I said, let me tell you something that might
have been the nineteen hundred's goodwill shopper, but today's woman
doesn't have time for that. And she finally broke down
and said, it costs a lot of money to pay
to have someone separate all this clothes out. And I said,
that makes perfect sense. I understand that. So when I
(07:55):
realized that all of the things that you're doing costs
money to do, people say, well, you get all this,
you know, all these donations, but it costs money to
hire somebody to make sure that the genes are all
in the right you know, the right sizes, and you
know they're not.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
All the T shirts are just together, you know.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
So tell me about the evolution of the kind of
the thought process you started advertising a few years ago,
many years ago now about shopping at Goodwill and how
cool it was to find those items. I had a
couple of friends that were endorsing the goodwill there tell
me about the evolution.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
It's an amazing process of taking all those donations, filtering
through them, making sure that what we're putting onto the
floor is of good quality, and then to your point
that it's sorted in process correctly.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
You know, there's like a five station unit.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
They work like a machine where there's somebody going through
they're all of the donated items, separating those, laying them out.
If it's soft lines, which we you know, clothing and
things like that, and someone else is hanging on up,
then we have another person who will inspect them make
sure they're right, a fourth person that will sort them
and make sure that the women's clothes is in the
women's closing, and then we are going through sizes and sections,
(09:11):
and then someone else will price them and get them out.
We are trying to update the clothes on the floor period,
like every twenty thirty minutes.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
We're trying to roll out new items, and we really.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Try to hold ourselves accountable to keeping the stores fresh.
So items will be on that floor for up to
four weeks and after the fourth week it's out. So
sandy if you're coming, you know, this month, you're going
to see things completely different.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Than when you come the next month.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
We also, I love that you're saying that you know
it's it's stepped its game up. Internally, we feel that
there's another level that we want to get to as well.
We really want to elevate that shopping experience and make
it so yes, you are buying secondhand, but it's a
great secondhand experience. So then when you're donating and when
you're shopping, you're walking out of Goodwill and you know
(09:55):
that not only are we doing great for the community,
but your shopping experience was also valued. I think Sandy,
you mentioned earlier like you couldn't find what you're looking
for and you had a search and a hunt, and
part of shopping at Goodwill is kind of what you'll
find and what's out there, right, But we want to
make it easier to find the items. So let's get
the racks into a spot where you can shop easier.
(10:18):
Let's do it so if it is Valentine's Day, all
of the stores have out, you know, the hearts and
the trinkets and things like that that you can find.
We really want to elevate that experience, so all because it.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Is secondhand at all.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Because it is Goodwill doesn't mean that you shouldn't be
able to come to our stores and have a good
shopping experience and find what you want. The treasure hunt
isn't the value that you find. It shouldn't be in
finding your size, but it should be more or less
finding that unique thing that you're looking for, or maybe
you weren't looking for but you found and now you realize,
I have to have it. So we really want you
(10:52):
to be able to shop and get what you need.
It's to small things. Customer service. I feel like that's
gone away in any store you go to. Let's make
that you feel valued as a customer. You know, your
shopping and your donating is the lifeblood of what Michael
and his team.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Can do in these walls.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
We know how important that you are to us as
a community, and we really want to make sure that
when you're shopping you feel that way and that you
feel valued, because we do value you shoppers and our
donators extremely.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Michael.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
When I first became aware of Goodwill, I was under
the impression that it was merely your participants in your
programs that were being hired. And now that seems to
have expanded to from within the community and with in
the out of that community.
Speaker 6 (11:37):
Is that correct, Yeah, it's both correct.
Speaker 5 (11:39):
So we are willing to help any and everybody that's
in a very unique situation where they need help in
our community. So you can definitely be a worker, you
can be somebody that wants work experience, and you can
actually get that here at Goodwill through our multiple different
sectors that we have in one organization. Yeah, we see
(12:02):
firsthand the challenges that people face finding employment, even the
people that maybe have employment, helping them secure stable housing
and affording basic necessities. The need is very significant, whether
they're working here or whether they're coming from a community
service provider or just off the street.
Speaker 6 (12:22):
Right.
Speaker 5 (12:23):
Yeah, we strive to bridge the gap between hope and
possibility providing the resources and supported I also wanted to
think that is very important as Brian was talking, that
our retail stores are the engine that drives our mission.
Speaker 6 (12:39):
Right.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
Donated goods are sold in our stores and a revenue
generated directly funds our community program. So every donation, every purchase,
makes a huge difference in our mission and it allows
us to provide job training, placement, vocational rehabilitation, housing assistance,
and any other I also coase that are common in
(13:02):
our community.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
If you just joined us, this is iHeart Cinci.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
I'm Sandy Collins, and I'm sitting here with a director
of the workforce development of Goodwill here in Cincinnati, Michael Bradshaw,
and the director of retail Marketing, Brian Smith. Brian, we
heard Michael's tale of coming from a corrections background in
Detroit to the Cincinnati area. Tell us about how you
became part of Goodwill.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Absolutely so, I've spent a majority of my life here
in Cincinnati. If you are local, I think one of
my first jobs many many years ago was at the
Grand Finale, so I haven't gone too far after that.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
I did do some things. I've spent a long time
in marketing.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
I've kind of bounced around in all of the advertising
and agency shops here locally, and I was looking for
something different. I wanted to move away from the advertising
agency world but stay within marketing and connected with someone
who I knew in the world, who is our VP
of Marketing, Sherwood McVeigh, and she said that she was
(14:01):
looking for some help. She had a mission to really
bring Goodwill to the community in a mission focused way,
and I was looking to make a change, and then Sandy,
what I did was I kind of went in and
I looked at Goodwill again and I re found what
it was, and I went to the website and I
learned about the mission services, and I learned that it
wasn't just a secondhand store, and then I saw some
(14:24):
of the opportunities to really elevate kind of how we
talk about ourselves. So about five months ago I came
on board and have been really bringing to life Sherwood's vision,
working with the retail team and really seeing how we
can again elevate that shopping experience. So I'm very happy
to be here and very happy to turn what I've
(14:45):
learned working for larger companies and bring that forward to Goodwill.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
What is your final word there, Michael, for folks that
are listening today, whether they need the services, whether they
want to help, What is it that we can do
for you there at the workforce Development good.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
So really I want to speak to potential participants. Right,
people know about our stores, we're over a century old,
but the participants that we love to help and build
up in our community. It may not be you, It
may be somebody one of your loved ones, It may
be a friend, but this includes people with disabilities. A
(15:26):
lot of different job training and placement services that we
have that supports individuals with disabilities, helping them achieve independence
and economics sufficiency. We also help veterans and military families,
especially if they're if they're homeless, we offer specialized programs
and assists the veterans and their transitioning to back to
(15:48):
civilian life, which also includes job training, career counseling, and
definitely housing assistance. Dorm rooms that are available for homeless veterans,
and we feed them every day.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Youth and young adults, whether if they are.
Speaker 5 (16:04):
Have disabilities or not, We want to be able to
work with the at risk youth in young adults so
that we can provide them with services that may deter
them from making bad decisions.
Speaker 6 (16:17):
Right older workers, right.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
We want to be able to get rid of any
anxiety that people may have with digital skills and upskilling
themselves with newer technology. Obviously I mentioned people re entering
back into society, whether that means that you're on parole
or probation after doing a short stay in jail or prison,
(16:41):
and any individual that's facing any kind of economic hardship.
We would love for you to come in take our
financial literacy classes, take our job training classes, and our
career counseling and our in demand skills curriculums so you
can get industry recognized credentials and become very employable.
Speaker 4 (17:01):
That sounds fantastic, Michael, there is there a charge for
any of that for the participant, not for the consumer. No,
And Brian, what is your final word here today?
Speaker 1 (17:11):
Well, I do want to add a little bit to
what Michael was saying.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
I think it's unbelievable the things that he and his
team do, and what they do is they help folks
that want to help themselves. And it really is the
power of the individual that's doing this, and Michael and
his team remove those barriers and help them elevate themselves.
But it's the folks that come to us that are
looking to empower and to improve themselves. And the organization
(17:35):
itself has been funded on you know, a hand up
and not a handout. Sandy and I love what Goodwill
does because we aren't just giving away things. We aren't
just that charity that's a one and done shop, but
we are successful when that individual is now successful in
a part of the community. And some of the folks
that have gone through our programs have actually come back
(17:55):
and then been able to help and support and lift
up the program.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
And that's how you know the things really working.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
You know, it's not just that one time stop and
those charities and those organizations are very important, but what
Goodwill is really doing is we are letting those folks
who are looking to better themselves and take control of
their lives.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
We're removing those obstacles and moving them forward. Is what
I love.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
So my last piece from a retail aspect would be
when you shop a Goodwill and you have those questions,
we are not a for profit organization. Eighty five cents
of every dollar that you spend a Goodwill goes to
fuel our mission.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
So if you're wondering why.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
The prices are what they are, it's because what we're
doing is we're taking more than three quarters of that
donation and those dollars that you have spent, and we're
using that to help folks in our community better themselves,
better their families, and then also uplift the community. We
are so appreciative of all of the donations that the
people give, and we.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Also really appreciate when people come in and shop.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
I think a lot of folks think of Goodwill as
someplace that they donate to. I would love the next
time you donate to park they come into that store
and take a look at You're going to find some
things when you're going to go wow, I can't believe
someone donated this, or wow, I can't believe that this
is here. Then you're going to flip that price tag
over and think to yourself, wow, I didn't know I
(19:11):
could get it for this, Right, we think about our shopping,
We think about these things. Let's think about the impact
you're doing to the environment. Do you need that item
brand new? Do you need to do that? Or can
you go back and get that second hand and gently used.
It's just an all around great way to go to
not only support the community, support the environment, and then
to help yourself help your wallet. So there's so many
reasons to come to Goodwill to shop and donate that
(19:34):
you know here we are, We're here to help you out.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
And so yeah, when my daughter was about twelve, I
was taking her to shopping all the time at Goodwill,
and she was just kind of eh.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
She's like, no, Mom, just it's not cool.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
So when she goes off to college, right all of
a sudden, I said, I'm going to go to Goodwill
and then I'll come get you.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Oh no, I want to go with you. And I've
dropped my jaws. What do you mean, what's the change?
And she said, all my friends do it and it's cool.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
It is cool.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
And that's exactly what I knew she needed. She needed
not her mom to take her to Goodwill, but all
of her peers in college wearing the coolest clothes to
class and things like that. So, Michael Bradshaw, director of
Workforce Development, and Brian Smith, director of Retail Marketing at
Goodwill here in Cincinnati, thank you so much for your
(20:21):
time today.
Speaker 6 (20:22):
Thank you, Sandy.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Appreciate you, David. It was the pleasure
This week on iHeart Sinsey.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
You're going to find some things and you're going to go, wow,
I can't believe someone donated this, or wow, I can't
believe that this is here.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Well, the new year brings a sense of starting over,
doesn't it.
Speaker 4 (00:11):
Preparing for spring cleaning of those closets, the garage, the basement.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
You know somebody can use those items.
Speaker 4 (00:17):
And that's why Goodwill accepts and resales clothing, household items,
and furnishings to fund the programs that they have developed
helping those with disabilities, poverty, veterans, and anyone who needs
a helping hand. Today, I'm speaking with two men from
Goodwill of Cincinnati about the new focus this year and
what you can expect from your next trip to Goodwill
and later.
Speaker 5 (00:36):
The reality is, we feel like we're bigger than being
a brewery.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
We are really truly about community.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
It's a cool, brand new social experience a brewery restaurant,
and it's inclusive for all families, featuring things like flat
and wide entry ways, lowered countertops for wheelchair access, to
a calming room when being out gets to be too much,
to the play area designed by kids that's accessible and
accommodating to those with developmental disabilities. This is the latest
(01:05):
project of Mad Tree Brewing, and today we're going to
talk about their thriving and growing business with a mission
to give back and be better.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Now on iHeart Cincy with Sandy Collins.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
All right, this is iHeart Cincy.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
I'm Sandy Collins, and today I've got a couple of
guests from Goodwill here in Cincinnati. The director of Workforce
Development is with us, Michael Bradshaw.
Speaker 6 (01:26):
Hello Michael, Hello Sandy, thanks for having me.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
We are and Brian Smith is the director of Retail Marketing. Brian,
welcome to you as well.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Hi, Sandy, It's pleasure to be here.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
Listen, guys, I'm going to be honest with you and
the audience. I'm a big fan of Goodwill. I love
what you do. I love the mission. I love the discounts,
I love all the shopping. I love all of the
odd things that you can find that you can never
find anywhere else.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
So let's talk about Goodwill and your mission.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
You guys started I read in nineteen sixteen, which I
didn't realize it was over one hundred years old. But
start at the beginning. Who wants to go first with
this question, what is the bottom line mission?
Speaker 6 (02:05):
First?
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Well, Michael, if I may, the mission is that we
are on a mission to eliminate barriers and power individuals
and elevate the human potential.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
So I know, Sandy, like you said, a lot.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Of people come to Goodwill and they think about the discounts,
and they think about donating, and they think about shopping,
and I think what gets lost in all of that
is our mission of really helping others. What Michael and
his team do is so important to the community and
really why we exist. So just you know, elevating those
(02:37):
around us and impacting the community in that way is
really why we're here.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
So, Michael, you are actually working to address homelessness and
also unemployment, and you're in charge of the workforce development.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
So let's start with you there.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Tell us about Well, first of all, tell me how
you got involved with Goodwill, Michael, and we'll go back
to you here in a minute. But Michael, tell me
how you got involved, and then tell me what it
is that you actually do there.
Speaker 6 (03:05):
Sure, thanks for asking.
Speaker 5 (03:06):
So I got them to working with Goodwill when I
was a workforce liaison for the Michigan Department of Corrections.
I was a liaison between the Department of Corrections and
local service providers who provided workforce development in Detroit, Michigan.
So I've been with Goodwill for about seven years doing that.
(03:28):
Most recently moved to the Cincinnati area to build out
the workforce development program here. What it is that we do,
like our core focus in workforce development is to help
people advance their careers. Right rather that's someone that's coming
in entering the workforce for the first time, or if
(03:48):
it's somebody who is under employed and looking to improve
their current situation. We do that by providing personalized support
and assessments, goal setting, helping individal jules overcome barriers and obstacles,
and ultimately helping them achieve financial goal. Additionally, we also
help build confidence in job search and career advancement, leading
(04:14):
to financial stability and independence in our participants.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
That's quite a work glow there, Michael, Welcome to Cincinnati.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
We're glad to have me here, to have you here.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
So Goodwill has a group of clients, if you will,
or what you call them clients.
Speaker 6 (04:33):
We're called participants.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Participants.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
Okay, So if someone needs some services, how do they
know if you would be the place to go for
services that they need.
Speaker 6 (04:44):
Good good questions.
Speaker 5 (04:46):
So we are in the community quite a bit and
attending multiple different events, also conducting different needs assessments community
needs assessments, so we will know what areas that we
need to actually go when and promote what it is
that we're actually doing. As of right now, we have
(05:06):
a strategic plan to start being able to push our
mission services more into our thrift stores. People be able
to identify what services we have either by using one
of our brand new kiosks or and they may have
the opportunity to speak with somebody at one of our
opportunity centers. Both of those will be inside of our
(05:28):
thrift stores, and so the people that are actually shopping
will be able to get in a good understanding of
what's out here for career development and workforce development, also training,
skill trade opportunities, education remediation, also housing services, helping people
(05:51):
get their vital records so.
Speaker 6 (05:52):
They can generate a paycheck.
Speaker 5 (05:54):
Those are the different things that we will be promoting
at our stores. In local jobfare, career fairs, healthfaares, this
is where we're pushing a lot of this information and
also in the courthouse right, So people who are just
as impacted were actually going inside of courthouses working with
people during pre trial so that they can start working
(06:18):
on their future before they are actually sentenced to any
type of court stipulation.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
That's kind of interesting. I wouldn't have thought of goodwill
as necessarily being in the courts, but it's a perfect matchup.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Brian.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
The retail stores, everyone sees them, they know what they're for.
You guys have really kind of upped your game over
the last ten or fifteen years. It went from just
kind of being a thrift store to now they're laid
out even better. Things are organized in such a way
that you can actually find it. I went to a
Goodwill in Indianapolis. I used to go all the time
(06:52):
at home in Dayton, and I went to Indianapolis and
they had all of the genes on wan iraq.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
You know, there's no sizes. How am I going to
find my size?
Speaker 4 (07:01):
So I'm going through every single thing seven, two, three, ten, the's.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Not my size, bob bla blah blah blah.
Speaker 4 (07:07):
We're going to So finally, after about five or ten minutes,
I got aggravated and stopped shopping. Well then later, we
were involved with Goodwill in a professional capacity, and I
asked the director, why is it that the clothes are
not separated into sizes? And she says, well, because I
think that women like to shop and just be surprised
(07:29):
by what.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
They find, and you know, it's like a hunt.
Speaker 4 (07:34):
And I said, let me tell you something that might
have been the nineteen hundred's goodwill shopper, but today's woman
doesn't have time for that. And she finally broke down
and said, it costs a lot of money to pay
to have someone separate all this clothes out. And I said,
that makes perfect sense. I understand that. So when I
(07:55):
realized that all of the things that you're doing costs
money to do, people say, well, you get all this,
you know, all these donations, but it costs money to
hire somebody to make sure that the genes are all
in the right you know, the right sizes, and you
know they're not.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
All the T shirts are just together, you know.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
So tell me about the evolution of the kind of
the thought process you started advertising a few years ago,
many years ago now about shopping at Goodwill and how
cool it was to find those items. I had a
couple of friends that were endorsing the goodwill there tell
me about the evolution.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
It's an amazing process of taking all those donations, filtering
through them, making sure that what we're putting onto the
floor is of good quality, and then to your point
that it's sorted in process correctly.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
You know, there's like a five station unit.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
They work like a machine where there's somebody going through
they're all of the donated items, separating those, laying them out.
If it's soft lines, which we you know, clothing and
things like that, and someone else is hanging on up,
then we have another person who will inspect them make
sure they're right, a fourth person that will sort them
and make sure that the women's clothes is in the
women's closing, and then we are going through sizes and sections,
(09:11):
and then someone else will price them and get them out.
We are trying to update the clothes on the floor period,
like every twenty thirty minutes.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
We're trying to roll out new items, and we really.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Try to hold ourselves accountable to keeping the stores fresh.
So items will be on that floor for up to
four weeks and after the fourth week it's out. So
sandy if you're coming, you know, this month, you're going
to see things completely different.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Than when you come the next month.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
We also, I love that you're saying that you know
it's it's stepped its game up. Internally, we feel that
there's another level that we want to get to as well.
We really want to elevate that shopping experience and make
it so yes, you are buying secondhand, but it's a
great secondhand experience. So then when you're donating and when
you're shopping, you're walking out of Goodwill and you know
(09:55):
that not only are we doing great for the community,
but your shopping experience was also valued. I think Sandy,
you mentioned earlier like you couldn't find what you're looking
for and you had a search and a hunt, and
part of shopping at Goodwill is kind of what you'll
find and what's out there, right, But we want to
make it easier to find the items. So let's get
the racks into a spot where you can shop easier.
(10:18):
Let's do it so if it is Valentine's Day, all
of the stores have out, you know, the hearts and
the trinkets and things like that that you can find.
We really want to elevate that experience, so all because it.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Is secondhand at all.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Because it is Goodwill doesn't mean that you shouldn't be
able to come to our stores and have a good
shopping experience and find what you want. The treasure hunt
isn't the value that you find. It shouldn't be in
finding your size, but it should be more or less
finding that unique thing that you're looking for, or maybe
you weren't looking for but you found and now you realize,
I have to have it. So we really want you
(10:52):
to be able to shop and get what you need.
It's to small things. Customer service. I feel like that's
gone away in any store you go to. Let's make
that you feel valued as a customer. You know, your
shopping and your donating is the lifeblood of what Michael
and his team.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Can do in these walls.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
We know how important that you are to us as
a community, and we really want to make sure that
when you're shopping you feel that way and that you
feel valued, because we do value you shoppers and our
donators extremely.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Michael.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
When I first became aware of Goodwill, I was under
the impression that it was merely your participants in your
programs that were being hired. And now that seems to
have expanded to from within the community and with in
the out of that community.
Speaker 6 (11:37):
Is that correct, Yeah, it's both correct.
Speaker 5 (11:39):
So we are willing to help any and everybody that's
in a very unique situation where they need help in
our community. So you can definitely be a worker, you
can be somebody that wants work experience, and you can
actually get that here at Goodwill through our multiple different
sectors that we have in one organization. Yeah, we see
(12:02):
firsthand the challenges that people face finding employment, even the
people that maybe have employment, helping them secure stable housing
and affording basic necessities. The need is very significant, whether
they're working here or whether they're coming from a community
service provider or just off the street.
Speaker 6 (12:22):
Right.
Speaker 5 (12:23):
Yeah, we strive to bridge the gap between hope and
possibility providing the resources and supported I also wanted to
think that is very important as Brian was talking, that
our retail stores are the engine that drives our mission.
Speaker 6 (12:39):
Right.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
Donated goods are sold in our stores and a revenue
generated directly funds our community program. So every donation, every purchase,
makes a huge difference in our mission and it allows
us to provide job training, placement, vocational rehabilitation, housing assistance,
and any other I also coase that are common in
(13:02):
our community.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
If you just joined us, this is iHeart Cinci.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
I'm Sandy Collins, and I'm sitting here with a director
of the workforce development of Goodwill here in Cincinnati, Michael Bradshaw,
and the director of retail Marketing, Brian Smith. Brian, we
heard Michael's tale of coming from a corrections background in
Detroit to the Cincinnati area. Tell us about how you
became part of Goodwill.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Absolutely so, I've spent a majority of my life here
in Cincinnati. If you are local, I think one of
my first jobs many many years ago was at the
Grand Finale, so I haven't gone too far after that.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
I did do some things. I've spent a long time
in marketing.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
I've kind of bounced around in all of the advertising
and agency shops here locally, and I was looking for
something different. I wanted to move away from the advertising
agency world but stay within marketing and connected with someone
who I knew in the world, who is our VP
of Marketing, Sherwood McVeigh, and she said that she was
(14:01):
looking for some help. She had a mission to really
bring Goodwill to the community in a mission focused way,
and I was looking to make a change, and then Sandy,
what I did was I kind of went in and
I looked at Goodwill again and I re found what
it was, and I went to the website and I
learned about the mission services, and I learned that it
wasn't just a secondhand store, and then I saw some
(14:24):
of the opportunities to really elevate kind of how we
talk about ourselves. So about five months ago I came
on board and have been really bringing to life Sherwood's vision,
working with the retail team and really seeing how we
can again elevate that shopping experience. So I'm very happy
to be here and very happy to turn what I've
(14:45):
learned working for larger companies and bring that forward to Goodwill.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
What is your final word there, Michael, for folks that
are listening today, whether they need the services, whether they
want to help, What is it that we can do
for you there at the workforce Development good.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
So really I want to speak to potential participants. Right,
people know about our stores, we're over a century old,
but the participants that we love to help and build
up in our community. It may not be you, It
may be somebody one of your loved ones, It may
be a friend, but this includes people with disabilities. A
(15:26):
lot of different job training and placement services that we
have that supports individuals with disabilities, helping them achieve independence
and economics sufficiency. We also help veterans and military families,
especially if they're if they're homeless, we offer specialized programs
and assists the veterans and their transitioning to back to
(15:48):
civilian life, which also includes job training, career counseling, and
definitely housing assistance. Dorm rooms that are available for homeless veterans,
and we feed them every day.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Youth and young adults, whether if they are.
Speaker 5 (16:04):
Have disabilities or not, We want to be able to
work with the at risk youth in young adults so
that we can provide them with services that may deter
them from making bad decisions.
Speaker 6 (16:17):
Right older workers, right.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
We want to be able to get rid of any
anxiety that people may have with digital skills and upskilling
themselves with newer technology. Obviously I mentioned people re entering
back into society, whether that means that you're on parole
or probation after doing a short stay in jail or prison,
(16:41):
and any individual that's facing any kind of economic hardship.
We would love for you to come in take our
financial literacy classes, take our job training classes, and our
career counseling and our in demand skills curriculums so you
can get industry recognized credentials and become very employable.
Speaker 4 (17:01):
That sounds fantastic, Michael, there is there a charge for
any of that for the participant, not for the consumer. No,
And Brian, what is your final word here today?
Speaker 1 (17:11):
Well, I do want to add a little bit to
what Michael was saying.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
I think it's unbelievable the things that he and his
team do, and what they do is they help folks
that want to help themselves. And it really is the
power of the individual that's doing this, and Michael and
his team remove those barriers and help them elevate themselves.
But it's the folks that come to us that are
looking to empower and to improve themselves. And the organization
(17:35):
itself has been funded on you know, a hand up
and not a handout. Sandy and I love what Goodwill
does because we aren't just giving away things. We aren't
just that charity that's a one and done shop, but
we are successful when that individual is now successful in
a part of the community. And some of the folks
that have gone through our programs have actually come back
(17:55):
and then been able to help and support and lift
up the program.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
And that's how you know the things really working.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
You know, it's not just that one time stop and
those charities and those organizations are very important, but what
Goodwill is really doing is we are letting those folks
who are looking to better themselves and take control of
their lives.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
We're removing those obstacles and moving them forward. Is what
I love.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
So my last piece from a retail aspect would be
when you shop a Goodwill and you have those questions,
we are not a for profit organization. Eighty five cents
of every dollar that you spend a Goodwill goes to
fuel our mission.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
So if you're wondering why.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
The prices are what they are, it's because what we're
doing is we're taking more than three quarters of that
donation and those dollars that you have spent, and we're
using that to help folks in our community better themselves,
better their families, and then also uplift the community. We
are so appreciative of all of the donations that the
people give, and we.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Also really appreciate when people come in and shop.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
I think a lot of folks think of Goodwill as
someplace that they donate to. I would love the next
time you donate to park they come into that store
and take a look at You're going to find some
things when you're going to go wow, I can't believe
someone donated this, or wow, I can't believe that this
is here. Then you're going to flip that price tag
over and think to yourself, wow, I didn't know I
(19:11):
could get it for this, Right, we think about our shopping,
We think about these things. Let's think about the impact
you're doing to the environment. Do you need that item
brand new? Do you need to do that? Or can
you go back and get that second hand and gently used.
It's just an all around great way to go to
not only support the community, support the environment, and then
to help yourself help your wallet. So there's so many
reasons to come to Goodwill to shop and donate that
(19:34):
you know here we are, We're here to help you out.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
And so yeah, when my daughter was about twelve, I
was taking her to shopping all the time at Goodwill,
and she was just kind of eh.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
She's like, no, Mom, just it's not cool.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
So when she goes off to college, right all of
a sudden, I said, I'm going to go to Goodwill
and then I'll come get you.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Oh no, I want to go with you. And I've
dropped my jaws. What do you mean, what's the change?
And she said, all my friends do it and it's cool.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
It is cool.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
And that's exactly what I knew she needed. She needed
not her mom to take her to Goodwill, but all
of her peers in college wearing the coolest clothes to
class and things like that. So, Michael Bradshaw, director of
Workforce Development, and Brian Smith, director of Retail Marketing at
Goodwill here in Cincinnati, thank you so much for your
(20:21):
time today.
Speaker 6 (20:22):
Thank you, Sandy.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Appreciate you, David. It was the pleasure
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Ridiculous History
History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.