Here, Everyone Belongs: Erika Prosper

From H-E-B being an important part of her life as a customer, to being an important part of H-E-B as a Partner, Erika Prosper and her team help shape H-E-B's present and future.

What’s your H-E-B story?
Well, my H-E-B story started 15 years ago when I was brought in specifically to help build a research department, now called Customer Insights Center, that focused on our business needs but also leaned heavily on the people side of research. There is Quantitative and Qualitative Research within CIC, and my focus is on the latter. Qualitative research is a way of collecting information that’s natural and usually in person.

What started as only a few team members has now evolved to include analysts, operations managers, and, of course, our field team. Over the past 15 years, we’ve conducted research for things like VPP, emerging formats (like Joe V’s), and expansion into new markets like, most recently, the Metroplex. It’s been quite an amazing 15 years, with no slowing down in sight!

What experience did you have with H-E-B when you were younger?
Like many who grew up in Texas, H-E-B was a fixture of my childhood. When I was growing up in the Rio Grande Valley, Weslaco 1 was the only H-E-B at the time – and it was our big, fancy grocery store. Not only that, but it was also THE place to mingle and be seen. It was the cool spot, and I have many fond memories of shopping there after church on Sundays. It’s funny because our church was right across the street from our H-E-B, so we would walk there. Before grabbing groceries, we’d always stop at the food stand outside for some gorditas. It was always such a treat for me! That store has always played an important part in my life, but even more so in the last decade. For the last 10 years, since my grandmother turned 90, we’ve gotten her birthday sheet cake made at Weslaco 1. This year, they’re making a cake for her 100th birthday! That little store was not only special to me growing up but has continued to play a monumental role in celebrating my grandmother. 

What a cool story! What professional experience did you bring to H-E-B that informs your work now?
Before joining H-E-B, I spent a decade of my life in the marketing space, leading various areas of a firm in San Antonio that specialized in solving specific problems for companies. We weren’t looking to be the “marketing arm” of a company but instead use our experience in behavioral research, especially within the Hispanic community, to solve specific business problems. It was exciting and fast-paced work that consisted of everything from strategic planning and research to new business development all the way to even running an account service vertical. 

Now, as the Sr Director for Customer Insights at H-E-B, I realize just how much my earlier roles inform the work I do now. The always new and ever-changing problem-solving nature of the work I did for so many years really came in handy when I joined H-E-B and was immediately tasked with building a department from scratch.

What’s been one of your favorite projects over the years?
We’ve worked on so many cool projects over the years, but one that especially stood out to me was when we were doing research for Joe V’s Smart Shop format (that didn’t exist yet.) At the time, we were looking to gather feedback from potential customers but didn’t have a store yet for them to walk through to get an idea of what we were building. So, we created a full-size Joe V’s mockup at the mock store in San Antonio. It had everything from Joe V’s store signage to limited product assortment. It even featured the Joe V’s checkout experience, which is different and more hands-on than our other formats. One day, we bused 30 women from Houston to San Antonio to walk them through the mock store and gather their feedback. Several H-E-B executives were there, and, after the walk, we sat down for a discussion with our Houston customers to get a feel for what they liked and didn’t like. The reason that project stands out to me is that I remember thinking how amazing it was that these women were willing to get on a bus at 7 a.m., ride to San Antonio, spend 3 hours with us, and then head home — all for the love of H-E-B and the potential of a new value store format. If that isn’t trust in our brand, I don’t know what is!

What’s your favorite part of your job now?
The idea of how we, as humans, make decisions logically (and sometimes illogically) is fascinating to me. I’m a nerd — I’m always reading books about brains and behavioral science! To have a job where I get to use that knowledge and my skills to help the H-E-B’s mission of Texans Helping Texans is exciting and fun. I’m never bored with my work!

I also love that I’m at a point in my career where I get to find natural talent and help them grow their careers which, in turn, helps H-E-B grow.

What’s the most challenging part of what you do?
Humans are unpredictable! You can do all the research and plan out your goals, but the reality is that the retail landscape could change tomorrow. Because there’s so much nuance, researchers constantly think, analyze, and solve to stay ahead of the curve, and we simultaneously rely on our skills and industry knowledge to work and rework insight. Over and over. This can take a toll on your mind and, because of this constant churn of data in your head, burnout is a huge risk. My biggest challenge is keeping my team engaged at their highest capacity while also protecting their health — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

What’s next for you?
I now have a sophomore in high school, so I’m probably going to spend half of my time, if not more, driving him everywhere. Life is about to get even more interesting! Professionally speaking, I’m looking forward to continuing to be a resource and advisor to my team as we look toward all the new horizons that are coming.

For the last 10 years, I’ve had the honor of sitting on our Corporate Diversity Council. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion continue to be crucial issues, so I don’t expect my role there to change much. I’m excited for what’s coming as the next generation gears up to enter the workforce. There’s also a lot in store for the future as we continue growing and expanding our PRGs. For me, I like to think beyond my skills and the direct impact of my work, and make sure I’m giving back to my community and taking what I’ve learned to help move the company forward in other areas!

Anything specific in the next few years that you’re looking forward to in your work?
We’re not done in the Metroplex! We will continue iterating and moving forward into the DFW market, not just with H-E-B but Joe V’s as well. This company is always growing and moving forward, and I’m excited for what’s coming next in my work and for my team.

What advice would you give to someone about working for H-E-B?
Whenever a new Partner joins my team, I always give them the same advice: ensure you’re networking outside of your department. We’re a people business, so one of the best things you can do to jump-start your career here is to build relationships with people across the company. 

Another piece of advice is to build upon the skillset you already have. When I came to H-E-B, my skills and experience were in behavioral research, specifically for the Hispanic community. So, I doubled down on those skills I already had and looked for every opportunity to add new skills. This allowed me to create a robust career that is valuable to the organization. H-E-B hired you because of your skills, don’t lose sight of your value and what you bring to the table. Build upon those and acquire new skills, and you’ll have a great career at H-E-B!