President, Chief Executive Officer & Director, Destination Xl
Search every verified Harvey Kanter interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a September 2022 interview, Harvey Kanter described DXL Group as "the largest Pure Play Big and Tall retailer in the United States and perhaps the world," stating that the company serves an "underserved community for big and tall men." Kanter, a career retailer with over 30 years of experience, discussed the company's challenges during the pandemic, noting that "during the worst of the pandemic, we were fighting for survival" and that the company's workforce had declined from about 2,700 to 1,300 employees. He also mentioned ongoing labor shortages, with about 20% of store positions open, double the normal rate. Kanter emphasized the importance of team-building and transparent communication, stating that "you win or lose by the people you work with" and that "culture takes years to build and if you lose people, you lose culture." He described his leadership approach as decentralized, noting that the pandemic forced a shift to empowering employees to take ownership. Kanter said his senior leadership team are "my partners" and that he values their perspectives, adding that "I'm not their boss, just one of the people at the table." He also highlighted the company's focus on its "unique mission and purpose" in serving the big and tall customer base.
“DXL is certainly the largest Pure Play Big and Tall retailer in the United States and perhaps the world. We are an exclusive retailer of an underserved community for big and tall men, and it's a very exciting opportunity.”
“The reality is you win or lose by the people you work with. The ability to build teams and bring the best out in people is critical. Your results are actually the outcome of great work being done by the people you work with.”
“During the worst of the pandemic, we were fighting for survival. In retail, the only people who bought clothes were those who needed them. We had no customers flying or cruising. The North Star was literally surviving.”
“Transparent, open, honest communication is critically important. You have to act even if you don't know the right decision. Be agile enough to reflect and adjust quickly. Fail fast but react and adjust.”
“What keeps me up at night is losing the people that are part of this family called DXL. Culture takes years to build and if you lose people, you lose culture. Culture is every bit as important as strategy and people are critical to the success of the company.”
“During the pandemic, everyone was on Zoom, which forced a decentralized management structure. You have no ability to control outcomes directly, so you must empower people to take ownership and accountability. That empowerment builds trust and confidence.”
“I don't consider myself an expert in any one function like CFO or CMO, but I know a lot about all those things because of my experience. My senior leadership team are my partners, and I value their perspectives greatly. I'm not their boss, just one of the people at the table.”
“Success creates expectations for greater success. Our team is motivated by the size of the addressable market for big and tall customers, which is far greater than we are. We have a unique mission and purpose that creates joy in helping this underserved community.”
“We have about 1,300 employees today, down from about 2,700 due to the pandemic. Labor shortages continue to impact our ability to staff stores at desired levels, with about 20% of store positions open, which is double the normal rate.”
“We use the words 'pivot' and 'BHAG' (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) to describe our strategy. Recognizing context and navigating macroeconomic challenges requires resilience and the ability to pivot to maintain growth.”
094 : Chill __ We chat to @ Harvey Kanter, President and CEO @ DXL! They provide one of the most extensive assortments of ...
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