Furniture Today 40 Under 40 Vincent Serio Is Shaping the Future of Pricing

Bob's is proud to share that Furniture Today has named Vincent Serio, Lead Pricing Analyst, to its prestigious 40 Under 40 list.

Vincent is an emerging leader in the furniture industry as one of the first employees of the Pricing Team that was established in 2021. As a key builder of the department, Vincent has made significant contributions while also embracing the company's culture, values, and people along the way.

Vincent joined Bob's three years ago as a Senior Pricing Analyst after building his career in pricing across the packaged goods and medical industries. Furniture was new, but pricing wasn't.

"What drew me to Bob's was the opportunity to apply my pricing background in a new industry, but even more than that, it was the company's values," Vincent said. "Bob's strong core values resonate across everyone at the company, and that was a key reason I wanted to join."

Under the guidance of Nick Wood, Vice President of Pricing, Vincent has grown along with the Pricing team receiving a promotion to Lead Pricing Analyst. He currently oversees pricing for Bob's Case Goods business.

"Vince was one of the first members of our pricing team and has played a key role in helping build it into what it is today," said Nick. "He is smart, hardworking, collaborative, and always focused on doing what's best for our customers and for Bob's. Just as importantly, he has become a leader on our merchandising team. Beyond the results, he is someone who truly lives Bob's values. He cares about people, is always honest and transparent, and, very importantly, loves to have fun. I'm proud of everything he has accomplished and excited to see what comes next for him."

Reflecting on his work since starting at Bob's, Vincent commented, "My focus is on developing pricing strategies that reinforce the company's value leadership, strengthen our competitiveness in the market, and support overall business performance. This role allows me to combine data-driven decision-making with a broader strategic understanding of the business and our assortment. As our pricing team continues to grow, I'm excited about the opportunity to expand our impact across even more areas of the organization."

In recognition of his achievement, we asked Vincent about his current role, his career growth, mentorship, business outlook, and what matters most to him about working at Bob's.

More Than a Price Tag

The work of pricing at Bob's is unlike any other role Vincent has held. As an everyday low price furniture retailer, the proposition of value looms large over Bob's pricing strategy. Vincent dives into how he approaches his work.

How is Pricing at Bob's different from your past work in the medical and paper goods industries?

Vincent: Pricing at Bob's is very different. Before, most decisions were based on cost and margins, mostly analytical. Here, that is still a huge factor, but we also have to deliver the best value in the market every single day, understand the consumer, and understand how the pricing fits into our category architectures. Theres a blend of art and science.

Also, in furniture I can see the direct impact of my work on consumers that I could not in my previous roles.

What does value mean to you and the pricing team at Bob's?

Vincent: Value is not just price. It's everything that goes into a furniture set. Price is part of it, but value is everything else that makes that piece the right choice for the customer.

Every furniture set is unique. You have to understand what makes that piece valuable-whether it's storage, size, functionality, or design-and use that to determine the right price.

In addition to considering margins, and value, what else goes into pricing?

Vincent: A huge aspect is really monitoring competition and making sure we're beating everyone out there.

Being an everyday low-price retailer is a whole different ballgame. It comes with unique challenges because we have to deliver the best value every day-not just during a sale.

We don't just monitor competitors' everyday prices. We have to understand their lowest sale prices because that's what customers are comparing us against.

It's about finding the right balance between being competitive, delivering value and still achieving our business goals.

Do you work cross functionally to really understand the pieces before pricing?

Vincent: We're involved in the process with the buyers from the very beginning. From the moment an item is just an idea with a vendor until it launches in stores, pricing is part of that process.

What is "Case Goods" and do you have a favorite piece?

Vincent: Case good is our non-upholstered products made of hard materials. So bedroom, dining, and then some of our smaller categories, like home theater, occasional tables, fireplaces, and accent furniture for example.

Our Calvin bedroom is my favorite. I actually have the Calvin bedroom and it was the first item I bought from Bob's. I love it because it's a great value for $799 and under our OPP value tier (opening price point). Our opening price points are our lowest priced mainline sets to really draw customers in the door and introduce what great values Bob's has to offer.

Growing Alongside a Growing Brand and Mentorship

Vincent credits Bob's continued growth with creating opportunities for his own professional development. He also credits his boss as an inspiration and catalyst to his success in the field before 40. He's also dedicated to replicating his mentor as he undertakes a leadership role.

Who has been your biggest mentor at Bob's?

Vincent: Nick Wood has been my mentor since I started. Four years ago, if I had painted a picture of what my perfect boss would be… Nick surpassed that. He's been the best mentor; the best boss I could have. He started the Pricing team for Bob's and developed zone pricing making us competitive in every market. I also want to give a shoutout to Robbie Fredericks. He was the one other employee on the pricing team when I started and also had a huge role in helping me get to where I am at now.

How are you a mentor to others as you've grown at Bob's?

Vincent: I take a lot of what I learned from Nick and try to be a similar leader, but with my own style. I now oversee one employee. I was in his position once. Furniture was new to me, so I understand what it's like starting out. I want to help guide him so he can be the best version of himself here at Bob's.

I want him to know I'm always there for him-anytime he needs advice or help. At the end of the day, I have his best interests in mind, and I want him to grow as much as he wants to grow.

Though Bob's is an established national brand, your department is relatively new. What's that like?

Vincent: As the company has continued to grow, I've grown along with it. There's huge growth opportunity at Bob's. I've already gone from a senior pricing analyst to manager, and as the company keeps growing, I see even more opportunities ahead.

We are working with employees in multiple states so I think that helps the Pricing team have a diverse perspective from all markets.

A Culture Worth Celebrating

Although the promise of value through everyday low price is the woven into the fabric of the Bob's brand, Vincent sees Bob's company culture as the measure of value to him and why he truly believes the brand is successful and thriving.

What drew you to Bob's and why have you stayed?

Vincent: Bob's feels like a small business, even though it's not. We're a very close-knit company. My coworkers feel like friends, everyone cares about each other, and it's amazing that we've kept that culture even as we've grown.

Even after becoming a public company, the message was, 'This doesn't change us. We're still going to be Bob's.' It's great to see that the culture stayed the same.

It's been the best career decision that's ever happened to me. I've loved being here. It's been a blessing. I never would've thought that applying for this job I found on LinkedIn 3 years ago would turn into something this great.

Future Forward

As Bob's continues to grow, leaders like Vincent are helping shape its future-building innovative teams, mentoring the next generation, and ensuring customers continue to find the value that has defined the brand for more than 30 years.

Congratulations, Vincent, on being named one of Furniture Today's 40 Under 40. We can't wait to see what's next.

Vincent shares the 40 Under 40 recognition from Furniture Today with three other employees: Kaily Hannah, Dennis LeClair, and Christine Santostefano.