SAN DIEGO — When Carolyn Crowley and Russell Higgins launched Myriad Software on July 13, 1990, the technology landscape looked very different. The average home furnishings retailer was still entering orders on green or amber monochrome screens, often running software designed for entirely different industries.
Crowley and Higgins saw an opportunity — and a challenge — that would ultimately reshape how mid-sized furniture retailers ran their businesses.
“There really wasn’t a POS application written specifically for mid-sized retailers,” Crowley recalled. “Two companies were competing for the Top 100 retailers, but the thousands of others weren’t even in the mix. We wanted to change that.”
From that conviction, Myriad Software was born.
Higgins had left GE Retail Systems in 1989; Crowley, who was still there at the time, didn’t initially plan to follow. “I stayed another year, not expecting to leave,” she said. “But that changed.”
The pair shared a belief that technology should empower — not intimidate — retailers. Their goal was to build something intuitive, visual and practical for stores that didn’t have an IT department.
“We wanted to bring easy-to-use software, color screens — remember when everything was green or amber? — and a menu-driven design,” Crowley said. “It had to be simple for users, and it had to give them the reporting tools to make good decisions, not just enter data.”
That philosophy — user-friendly design focused on decision-making — would become a defining feature of Myriad’s DNA.
Armed with a prototype that wasn’t even fully finished (“We didn’t have all the accounting programs written yet,” Crowley admitted), the founders decided to test the waters at the October 1990 High Point Market. For Higgins, it was his first time attending.
Crowley recalls not being sure what to expect. What she heard surprised and encouraged her.
“The first thing people said was, ‘Wow, you have color screens!’” Crowley remembered with a laugh. “They loved that the menu clearly showed the areas of a retailer’s business: sales, merchandising, accounting and so on. It made the system easier to understand, train and secure.”
That same market, fate intervened. A former GE Retail client that had relocated to North Carolina was opening a new furniture store and bought the system before even cutting the ribbon. Soon after, a Colorado retailer that saw the demo also signed on.
Within days, Myriad had its first two clients and a clear signal it was on the right track.
From those early installs, Myriad’s platform — eventually branded Big Ticket Retail Manager — grew into one of the first fully integrated business software packages written specifically for home furnishings retailers. It combined point-of-sale, inventory, accounting and reporting in one package that ran on the new generation of PC-based networks rather than expensive mainframes.
That accessibility was revolutionary for mid-sized retailers, who could now manage their businesses with the same sophistication as larger chains but without the heavy costs. It also reflected Crowley’s forward-looking mindset at a time when even seasoned tech executives doubted the staying power of PCs and networks.
Through the 1990s and 2000s, Myriad continued to innovate. The company introduced Eclicktic, a Windows-based system serving home furnishings, carpet, appliance and consumer electronics retailers. The robust software manages sales, inventory, barcoding, accounting, special order tracking and customer history, all in one integrated system.
Crowley says the success of Eclicktic helped Myriad quickly amass more than 350 mid-size retail clients, and today the software runs in more than 11,000 retail locations across North America.
In the mid-2010s, Myriad launched PointCentric, a state-of-the-art, cloud-based retail management system. The web-based SaaS platform is touch-optimized, mobile-compatible and accessible from anywhere at any time. Its features include inventory tracking, CRM, podium integration, pricing and discount tools, and real-time reporting.
Retailers can operate from workstations, tablets or touch devices, giving them the flexibility to manage their business from the showroom floor or remotely. The system also supports custom applications for clients such as Bassett and La-Z-Boy, helping retailers expand into bedding, accessories and other product categories.
Beyond software, Myriad emphasizes hands-on training and personalized support. Crowley notes that even the most advanced technology only works when users feel confident.
“You can have great technology,” she said, “but if users aren’t comfortable with it, it doesn’t matter. We stay close to our customers and make sure the software works for their business, not the other way around.”
Despite three decades of technological change, Crowley says Myriad’s core values have remained consistent: partnership, innovation and personal service. “The past three decades working with our clients and business partners have been extremely rewarding,” she said. “We deeply appreciate and value the connections we’ve made.”
Myriad’s commitment to people extends beyond retail technology. The company actively supports organizations that promote leadership development for women and those dedicated to fighting hate and disease.
Crowley herself has been recognized for her contributions. In 2025, she received the Visionary Award from WithIt, the women’s leadership network for the home and furnishings industries, during the WOW Awards at the April High Point Market.
“It meant so much to me to receive this award,” she said. “It was a special moment in my life and my career to be recognized by my peers.”
Crowley reflects on the early days when both the home furnishings and tech industries were heavily male dominated. “I wondered where all the women in the industry were,” she said.
“Since I founded Myriad with Russ, I can’t say what my experience would have been like if I had founded the company alone. I am happy to see more women who are now running both retail and manufacturing operations.”
She credits her professional experience at GE Retail Systems and Levitz Furniture for guiding the creation of software designed specifically for mid-sized retailers. However, while she considered one of her mentors, GE Retail President Gary Reif, to be a smart man, she said he didn’t see PCs and networks taking off.
“He said that he didn’t think that would fly with big companies running on PCs,” Crowley said. “I didn’t plan to start my own company, but Russ and I went to the October High Point Market in 1990, and we signed several new clients, including American Furniture in Denver.”
Crowley has observed that some smaller retailers still use pen and paper, relying on warehouse managers to track inventory. She enjoys helping these retailers embrace technology, including e-commerce and modernized websites, and watching them bring in new generations — children and grandchildren — to guide modernization.
At the High Point Market, she has seen clients using PointCentric on smartphones and tablets to display real-time company data, highlighting the software’s flexibility and responsiveness.
“We wanted to be touch screen and tablet-oriented, which is inherent in a web application,” she said. “And the system is constantly being updated with the latest technology. It is not as difficult as it sounds to move to a web app.”
Looking ahead, Crowley says Myriad will continue to educate retailers on the importance of technology adoption, help build custom applications for large clients and expand into new sectors of the home furnishings industry.
“The data from a web application allows companies to see how they are doing relative to last year; what items are turning faster, and how they can remain more relevant to their frequent customers,” she said.
In an industry that often measures success by product turns and same-store sales, Crowley says Myriad’s 35-year journey offers a different benchmark: the power of purpose. “From those first color screens in 1990 to today’s cloud-based dashboards, Myriad has helped thousands of retailers see their business more clearly, literally and figuratively,” she said, adding, “While I continue my journey in this industry, … “I’d love to share what I can to help others who are in the same shoes I wore some years ago because giving back is so important to me.
Crowley reflected, “Several people told us this couldn’t happen. But 35 years later, we’re still here, still learning and still excited about what’s next.”
