Sarmistha Boal is no stranger to inquiries about her job. “Not everyone knows exactly what I do,” she says. Although you may not have heard of her, you’ve probably seen her team’s work as The Home Depot continues to invest in store innovation.
Sarmistha has worked at The Home Depot for the past 25 years during which she and her team have touched nearly every single store format. She started in the Flooring department at a metro Atlanta store, planning Expo Design Centers in her spare time.
Her in-store experience has helped shape her design strategy. She combines functionality, sustainability and cost-effectiveness to come up with the best layout for each store. Most recently, her team redesigned the checkout experience, and are currently focused on minimizing the cost of kitchen showrooms while maximizing their efficiency.
“Because the company was so small when I started, I got to work with people who lived and breathed the products they sold. That experience was incredible,” says Sarmistha.
From there, she worked her way up until she was promoted to establish the first store Design and Fixture department. The job didn’t seem too glamorous starting out. “My first job was to figure out how to get the store bathrooms clean,” Sarmistha laughs.
Despite challenges and changes, Sarmistha continues to love her job. "The company invested in me and gave me the chance to do what I love to do. This company made me. That means everything to me.”
