Lifestyle

Jacob-Carroll

04 Aug: New Dad Finds Support At Best Buy

When Jacob Carroll took a seasonal job in asset protection right out of high school, he didn’t think he’d be at Best Buy 10 years later.

He’s worked in asset protection, warehouse roles, the home theater department, Geek Squad and as a market trainer, traveling to 27 states along the way. Now he’s back home in Monroe, Louisiana, working as an in-home design manager.

“I bleed blue. That’s for sure,” he said.

Through the years, Jacob has grown professionally — and he’s grown his family, too.

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03 Aug: Employee’s Act Of Kindness Surprises Louisiana Customer

Jenn Bourque was so excited about the great deal she got on a new TV at BestBuy.com that she wasn’t even upset when it arrived with a shattered screen.

She simply drove to her local store in Lafayette, Louisiana, to exchange it. And while she was there, she decided to upgrade to a nicer model.

One problem: She didn’t have her wallet, and she was $7.82 short on cash.

“I’ve got it,” the store associate, Kentrell Balthazar, said to her surprise.

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27 Jul: Something Borrowed, Lots Of Blue: Best Buy Veterans Say ‘I Do’

They say love is patient. And in the case of Tonya and Tharun Trammel, it waited quietly on the sidelines for over a decade.

For 15 years, Tonya and Tharun worked side by side as co-workers at the Best Buy store in Independence, Missouri. They didn’t chat much until the death of a mutual friend started to draw them together in 2012. In the years that followed, each went through a divorce.

“We both struggled through a dark period of our lives, but instead of grieving alone, we chose to find comfort in one another,” Tharun said.

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24 Jul: Celebrating 30 Years Of Accessibility

July 26 marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a civil rights law that makes sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation and all public and private places that are open to the general public.

Rosa Companioni started experiencing an array of health issues just as she was starting to take her Best Buy career to the next level.

Elizya

17 Jul: Teen Tech Center Alumni Committed To ‘Spreading Love’

Just days after George Floyd was senselessly killed in Minneapolis, Elizya Powell and Alexander Cash were making music when they had a realization: They could use their voices in a different way.

So they got up, made signs and started a protest to raise awareness around racial injustice.

They marched through Pittsburgh and handed out water bottles to police. Within a few hours, a crowd of 40 to 50 people had formed.

“We wanted to show how it should be done without it getting violent and send a message at the same time.

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08 Jul: Best Buy, Google Help Canadian Seniors Connect With Loved Ones

Living in a pandemic is challenging. For many, the hardest part is being separated from loved ones.

With social distancing practices widely recommended to reduce the spread of COVID-19, a sense of isolation and loneliness can set in — especially for those who dwell in senior living communities. In many areas, visits from friends and family are temporarily prohibited or greatly restricted.

Best Buy and Google recognized this and knew technology could help people stay connected while apart. So, they teamed up to donate Google Nest Hub Max devices to more than 300 private and public senior living residences across Canada.

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19 Jun: ‘Am I A Refugee?’ Best Buy Employee Explores Identity

June 20 is World Refugee Day, a day designated by the United Nations to raise awareness of the plight of refugees around the world and the efforts to protect their human rights. This year’s theme, Every Action Counts, highlights the importance of creating a more just, inclusive and equal world. 

Every minute, 20 people around the world leave everything behind to escape war, persecution or terror, according to the U.N. Hashim Ali is one of them — but, as he’ll tell you, his identity is so much more.

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19 Jun: 'Am I A Refugee?' Best Buy Employee Explores Identity

June 20 is World Refugee Day, a day designated by the United Nations to raise awareness of the plight of refugees around the world and the efforts to protect their human rights. This year’s theme, Every Action Counts, highlights the importance of creating a more just, inclusive and equal world. 

Every minute, 20 people around the world leave everything behind to escape war, persecution or terror, according to the U.N. Hashim Ali is one of them — but, as he’ll tell you, his identity is so much more.

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19 Jun: Best Buy Employee Shares ‘Celebration And Joy’ Of Juneteenth

Quest Dew has been celebrating Juneteenth for years, and he’s on a mission to share that celebration with his Best Buy co-workers.

Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865 — nearly 2 ½ years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It has long been a meaningful holiday for Black Americans, yet its awareness has remained relatively low among the broader population.

That’s why Quest decided to bring the celebration to his colleagues at Best Buy’s Seattle Technology Office last year.

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18 Jun: Best Buy Dads Reflect On Fatherhood

Kindness. Respect. Unconditional love. These are some of the values fathers around the world instill in their children.

For Father’s Day, we caught up with a handful of Best Buy dads to hear what they hope to teach their kids — and what their kids are teaching them.

There’s one thing we heard repeatedly: Patience, patience and more patience.

A family reunited

When we first met Prince Moyo, his fiancée, Bee, and their infant son had just joined him in the United States.

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09 Jun: Screen Time: When Is It Too Much?

As a kid, I remember thumbing through the printed TV listings that came with the Sunday paper to see what I didn’t want to miss that week. Back then, everything was appointment viewing — there was no DVR or on-demand.  

We also had a Nintendo console, and I’m proud to say the hours I spent defeating castles in Super Mario Bros. have paid off. Even today, I can dodge Koopa Troopas and punch coin blocks with ease. My boys watch in awe.

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09 Jun: Preschoolers Reunite With Best Buy Dad After Graduating ‘Grandparent School’

For almost nine weeks, Tonette Grace took care of her grandkids from out of state so their dad could continue working.

Her son, Devon Mouton, lives in Louisiana and was able to work during the COVID-19 crisis because Best Buy was deemed an essential business. But there was one problem: He lost his usual child care because of the pandemic.

Devon and his mom agreed that the best option was to send 3-year-old Nori and 4-year-old Brody to stay with their “Gigi” and “Paw Paw” in Texas.