What happens when an apparel guy decides to found a tech company? A game-changing concept that can drive retail sales - and build customer engagement, that’s what can happen. And it is exactly what one smart entrepreneur did. Meet Jeff Gray, Founder and CEO of RoboArt Labs, a pioneering AI-powered platform that is transforming how retailers engage with their customers. He is also a co-owner of Creative Apparel Concepts, a company he co-founded over 25 years ago that develops and manufactures app...
Jul 26, 2025•34 min•Season 16Ep. 8
After being off the sourcing radar for almost a decade, suddenly everyone is starting to talk about Pakistan. The combination of brands looking to diversify sourcing - and the benefits of having a the entire supply chain from fiber to finished garment in country - is putting a shine on Pakistan and boosting it up the sourcing tier list. But Pakistan is more than simply another one of the countries where brands used to source until other places became more attractive. To learn more about the mass...
Jun 30, 2025•22 min•Season 16Ep. 7
Do people still have employment opportunities in a world increasingly focused on AI? And if so, where? And what competitive advantage do they have? Turns out, there are still big opportunities for people in the workplace. The key is to understand what value humans can offer that technology can’t. And how smart companies will see the strategic advantage of balancing people with AI. To find out more about where humans have an advantage in an increasingly tech-driven world, I reached out to Ron Thu...
Jun 08, 2025•53 min•Season 16Ep. 6
What if you could find a system that maximized luck and generated outsized returns? A method based on decision science that led you to make better choices - in both your business and personal life. That’s exactly what Daniel Kang did. He learned how to use asymmetric bets to win scholarships that paid for his education, as well as to raise millions of dollars to fund his startup. He then used this principle to land a book deal with leading business-book publisher Wiley & Sons. Today Daniel K...
Mar 26, 2025•38 min•Season 16Ep. 5
2025 has gotten off to what might generously be described as an ‘uncertain start’. The one thing people want right now is clarity. Or at least some idea of what might be the next impact on supply chains. One of the most consistent issues facing sourcing directors and supply chain managers has been logistics. After years of unprecedented disruptions, logistics could be the one blessing in an increasingly chaotic sourcing landscape. To get an insider’s view of what we might expect to see this year...
Feb 15, 2025•33 min•Season 16Ep. 4
Almost everyone in a senior leadership position these days feels the pressure of a business environment that has become increasingly uncertain. At the same time, the pressure to drive both growth and profitability has never been more intense. The pain is being felt by large-scale organizations, as well as start ups as the market becomes much less forgiving that it was even a year or two ago. Today we are joined by Mark Josephson, a three time CEO who’s successfully built, led, raised capital for...
Jan 31, 2025•41 min•Season 16Ep. 3
Many brands are starting to wonder if China might no longer be the hot market for luxury brands that it used to be. After years of disappointing sales growth, some brands are turning their attention away from China and towards markets which they think might be the next big thing. While the China market has certainly faced challenges, the are still huge opportunities there - for brands that know how to read the market. Today we’re joined by Jacques Roizen, Managing Director, China Consulting at D...
Jan 17, 2025•45 min•Season 16Ep. 2
Fast fashion has always been competitive but in recent years its become a speed-driven race to the bottom. No matter how low prices are today, some new player will enter the market - with even lower prices - and more styles! In the midst of this chaos, UK supermarkets have carved out a solid business selling budget priced fashion. Yes, fashion. Not basics. Not the standard socks and underwear you’d expect to find in a supermarket. Not only that, they are offering quality products made from premi...
Jan 06, 2025•51 min•Season 16Ep. 1
Typically older generations complain that young people don’t work as hard as they did when they were that age. However that narrative does seem to carry some truth these days. Suddenly it seems that Gen Z and even younger Millennials are disengaged with the working world. From ‘Quiet Quitting’ to seemingly lacking ambition, what’s happened to the energy and enthusiasm that younger workers used to have? Today we’re joined by Damon Cassidy, a former corporate banker turned content creator with a p...
Dec 22, 2024•51 min•Season 15Ep. 18
In a fast paced, complex business environment decision making has become increasingly difficult. We want to make good decisions. We’re told we need to make faster decisions. But often we end up in ‘analysis paralysis’. Caught between analyzing endless data, including inputs from a vast range of participants, and often trying to please too many masters. It’s no wonder fewer decisions get made. And when they do, they are not the best. If you are looking for a way to simplify decision making and cu...
Nov 24, 2024•59 min•Season 15Ep. 7
When people talk about PTSD we usually think of returning military veterans or survivors of catastrophic events. Yet many other people suffer from stress-related issues that are not unlike PTSD. Terry Earthwind Nichols, is a bestselling author and father of Repetitive Behavior Cellular Regression, a methodology that helps people decrease anxiety, fear, procrastination, self sabotage and overall stress In this podcast, he talks about how people can overcome some of the past traumas that continue ...
Nov 17, 2024•33 min•Season 15Ep. 6
Everyone wants to build a brand. But few people actually know how. For most, a brand is a logo and a vague mission statement - and little more. And you can really blame them. Creating a unique brand identity - and articulating it so that others (ideally customers) understand what you stand for - is a lot bigger undertaking than it seems. I'm Jane Singer, and welcome back to A Seat at the Table. In each episode, we sit down with some of the smartest and most innovative people who join us as guest...
Sep 07, 2024•37 min•Season 15Ep. 5
AI has become one of the most talked about technologies. A lot of the hype makes AI seem like a magic wand that can do anything or an evil demon that will leave massive numbers of people without jobs. While it's unlikely, at least for now, that these extreme cases are true, there is little doubt that AI is a technology we need to understand. For most companies, the challenge is identifying what are practical use cases for AI in their organizations. I'm Jane Singer and welcome back to A Seat at t...
Sep 03, 2024•37 min•Season 15Ep. 4
The apparel industry is being forced to re-imagine itself in the face of pressure to meet new green standards. Suddenly, what we thought was sustainable turns out to be merely a ‘good try’ - but not enough. While apparel needs to now recycle, be circular, reduce carbon emissions and lower water usage, it also has to appeal to consumers - who want clothing that is eye catching, comfortable, high quality and personalized. That’s a big ask for any industry, let alone an industry that runs on razor ...
Jul 24, 2024•30 min•Season 15Ep. 3
Retail sales continue to outperform expectations - in both the US and in key European markets. Yet analysts are still waiting for that slowdown that was supposed to be driven first by inflation - and then by higher interest rates. Yet, consumers are proving resilient - but for how long? Long term a lot is likely to come down to the retailers themselves. Those with the right products - and the right retail formats are likely to keep growing sales. So the question is which retailers are set to be ...
May 19, 2024•34 min•Season 15Ep. 2
It seems we live an age of documentation. There are increasing levels of regulations around everything - and the supporting documentation around those regulations keeps getting more complex. Paper work that used to be handled by one or two people now requires a department with a hierarchy of staff - just to understand the regulations - let alone do all of the necessary documentation. This is becoming a serious challenge for HR departments in a world where company staffing can include not only fu...
Apr 21, 2024•36 min•Season 15Ep. 1
Telehealth got a serious toehold into healthcare during the pandemic. Now it looks set to be a massive disrupter to the healthcare industry, powered by greater digitization and the use of AI. If it comes to its full potential, more people will be able to get better healthcare - at more affordable prices. The opportunity here is so massive that Amazon has been betting heavily on digitized health care with its One Medical service. But there is more to it than digitization. A lot more. Today we are...
Apr 14, 2024•28 min•Season 14Ep. 13
After decades of being counseled to become specialists - to find our niche - to be known as an expert in a specific field - it seems now the pendulum might be shifting in the opposite direction. Are we at the cusp of a new era that favors generalists? And if so, why the change? And just as importantly, we do we need to do to get ahead of the curve? Today we are joined by Ed Fidoe, founder and CEO of the London Interdisciplinary School, which offers an innovative, interdisciplinary curriculum foc...
Mar 25, 2024•33 min•Season 14Ep. 12
One of the biggest supply chain concerns right now is materials costs. While most stakeholders would like to see costs go down, everyone would at least like some clarity on what prices might be like - especially for cotton, which plays a key role in the apparel supply chain. While nobody has that proverbial crystal ball that can see the future, there are people who have the kind of first hand market knowledge that helps them to make more accurate predictions. Today we are joined by Dr. O.A. Clev...
Mar 16, 2024•24 min•Season 14Ep. 11
After decades of wanting bigger and more, people have been starting to recognize the benefits of downsizing. It’s not just about buying less stuff or finally clearing out the closets, garage or basement. Over the past decade there has been a clear and growing trend towards to choosing smaller houses - much smaller. The most recent iteration of this development has been the growing popularity of Accessory Dwelling Units or ADUs as they are called. It’s a new take on a historic way that people cre...
Mar 04, 2024•35 min•Season 14Ep. 10
I just sat down with Brian Librach to discuss his new book "The Retail Leaders Roadmap" and the conversation was powerful! A lot to unpack! Some of the key insights you're going to get from Brian include: 1. The five practices of building character, and their significance in career development. 2. Strategies for career advancement within a retail environment, including the importance of aligning with leadership and seeking feedback from mentors. 3. The crucial role of prioritization in organizat...
Feb 26, 2024•31 min•Season 14Ep. 9
Competition is fierce these days. The solution, according to marketing experts, is to create a ‘brand story’ for your company or your product. Sounds simple. Until you actually try to do it. And then, well, suddenly you feel like a stranger in a strange land. Staring at blank piece of paper or screen - or brainstorming with colleagues only to come up with something that by anyone’s assessment is pretty generic. Not exactly what you were hoping for. Today we’re talking with Deevo Tindall, a holis...
Feb 18, 2024•33 min•Season 14Ep. 8
In this episode of A Seat at The Table, I sit down with Nick Bond, founding partner and head of product at Apex, an AI-driven solution focused on customer research and business strategies. Nick shares valuable insights on how AI is changing the face of marketing, emphasizing the importance of leveraging customer data to drive innovation and strategy. From understanding customer expectations to turning them into brand ambassadors, Nick provides practical advice for companies to create strong cust...
Feb 11, 2024•29 min•Season 14Ep. 7
In a market that gets increasingly competitive, “get more sales” is a directive that’s coming from more than just the sales manager. The concept is easy. Achieving it is a bit more challenging. Everyone is after everyone else’s markets - and customers. While persistence is still the foundation of success, to win in today’s market we also need to be a bit more strategic. And that leaves the question of “How do we do this?” Meet Karl Becker, the CEO of Improving Sales Performance and author of “Ic...
Feb 04, 2024•30 min•Season 14Ep. 7
A growing number of companies are looking for new supply chain opportunities. In some cases, they are looking for new capabilities. Others are targeting risk reduction. And of course, there’s the ongoing demand for better prices. One of the fastest developing links in the global supply chain is Southeast Asia. The region originally was just another source of cheap labor and in some cases raw materials. That’s changed as more nations are moving up the value chain. Yet often we’re not aware of the...
Jan 28, 2024•26 min•Season 14Ep. 6
Managing an apparel supply chain has never been easy - but in recent years its got far more complicated. The combination of greater uncertainty- and increased demands to be faster, better - and more transparent - has made it almost impossible to rely on old models. While everyone sees the situation from a different perspective - just about everyone agrees things are not likely to go back to what is wistfully referred to as ‘normal’. That has left a lot of global sourcing directors and suppliers ...
Jan 22, 2024•34 min•Season 14Ep. 5
Suddenly everyone is talking about India. And if you are working in India - or thinking of doing so - then this is episode is for you! After years of being in the shadows of China, Vietnam, Bangladesh and other key sourcing nations, India is finally taking center stage. India has always had the right stuff - a huge population, domestic cotton, a strong textile sector for yarns and fabrics and of course a legacy in apparel manufacturing. However, the nation hasn’t been able to pull all that toget...
Jan 14, 2024•46 min•Season 14Ep. 4
One of the most frustrating things a parent can face is watching their child struggle in school. Yet many children hit speed bumps during their early school years. For some children it’s trying to master math. For others it could be tackling spelling and grammar - or reading. What seems like something that should be easy to achieve ends up being a source of daily angst for both the students - and their families. For most parents and teachers the advice is to push the child to try harder … to spe...
Jan 07, 2024•37 min•Season 14Ep. 3
For nearly 4 years I’ve had the opportunity to host so many fabulous leaders and innovators on this show. And help share their stories, their wisdom and their expertise with our audience in 133 countries. But in this episode I’m passing the mic to the phenomenal Kenz Soliman, a legend on Udemy where she has a following of nearly 150,000 students. She is also the organizer of a game changing co-working program, a visionary entrepreneur and a masterful course creator. Oh, and on top of that, she’s...
Dec 30, 2023•34 min•Season 14Ep. 2
If you’re like most of us, sooner or later you face times when you’re just burnt out. You hit a wall. There’s nothing left in the tank. Yet we still need to keep going and moving ahead at work and in our personal lives. In this podcast we’re going to be talking about practical ways that anyone can help prevent burnout so that they can be more productive and live their best life. Today we are joined by Eric Recker, founder of Win The Now. Eric knows what it’s like to battle burnout and to have to...
Dec 23, 2023•32 min•Season 14Ep. 1
