Retail Gets Real - podcast cover

Retail Gets Real

National Retail Federationretailgetsreal.com
Retail impacts everyone, everywhere, every day. Join the National Retail Federation for authentic, insightful conversations with the industry's most interesting people. Hear retail executives, industry experts, entrepreneurs and influencers discuss trends, their career stories and the future of retail. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.
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Episodes

#143 How Hawthorne sells men’s personal care to a “clueless” consumer

Men's grooming brand Hawthorne is spicing up the men's personal care market, using technology to provide a personalized experience and catering to men who don’t know much about grooming products. CEO and co-founder Brian Jeong shares the origins of Hawthorne, as well as why accessibility in the personal care space involves more than just lowering the price point. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Nov 04, 201929 minEp. 143

#142 How tariffs are impacting retailers

As the trade war continues, U.S. businesses and consumers are paying the price, but how did we get here and what is the end game? Scott McCandless, Trade Policy Leader for PwC US joins the podcast along with NRF Chief Lobbyist David French to shed light on how tariffs are impacting the industry. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Oct 28, 201923 minEp. 142

#141 Ministry of Supply CEO Aman Advani: The scientific method of fashion

Ministry of Supply brings a scientific approach to redesigning the work wardrobe, blending high-tech performance materials, extensive research and experimentation. On this episode, CEO and Co-founder Aman Advani talks about what happens when engineering meets fashion and what the future of retail looks like. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Oct 21, 201924 minEp. 141

#140 The 2019 Holiday Forecast

NRF forecasts that 2019 holiday sales will grow between 3.8% and 4.2% over 2018, to between $727.9 billion and $730.7 billion. NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz discusses what's behind those numbers and the state of the economy heading into the holidays. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Oct 14, 201920 minEp. 140

#139 Designing the store for a digital-first consumer

Original release date: Oct. 15. In a world where customers do everything on smartphones, ZIVELO CEO Healey Cypher says the store of the future isn’t robots and AI. It’s more about seamless—maybe even invisible—tech that helps associates assist customers and stores become self-aware. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Oct 07, 201925 minEp. 139

#138 How Take Care creates an oasis for wellness

Take Care, a natural skincare and wellness shop in Washington, D.C., is so effective at creating inviting spaces that its customers want more reasons to stay in the store. Becky Waddell describes how the business finds new ways to use its retail space, from experimenting with co-working to introducing new services. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Sep 30, 201926 minEp. 138

#137 Zulily’s Brian Doherty: Creating unique experiences

Winning as a team is a core tenet of Zulily. The online retailer’s Brian Doherty joins the show to talk about how Zulily brings together various departments to create a personalized and compelling experience that brings customers back every day — even when they don’t want anything. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com

Sep 23, 201928 minEp. 137

#136 Drybar CMO Sarah Hoffmann on experiential retail

Drybar CMO Sarah Hoffmann joins the podcast to share how the company known for its in-store experience is focusing on mobile and personalization to extend the VIP treatment to guests outside the store. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Sep 16, 201927 minEp. 136

#135 The store of the future with WD Partners’ Lee Peterson

Retailers that don’t change won’t survive in this landscape. Lee Peterson, EVP of brand strategy and design at WD Partners, discusses the trends driving change and what it takes for retailers to adapt in a world where mobile devices give consumers anything, anywhere, any time. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Sep 09, 201927 minEp. 135

#134 How True Value Hardware continues to innovate

Hardware wholesaler, True Value Company, has been in business for almost 70 years and, today, serves more than 4500 independent retail stores. Divisional Vice President of Marketing Strategy, Sue Smolenski chats about how the company is continuing to innovate both online and offline, in a changing marketplace. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Sep 03, 201932 minEp. 134

#133 Getting personalization right

The retail experience of the future is personalized, but what actually resonates with consumers? How can retailers deliver personalized experiences at scale? In this episode, research experts Joe Beier and Rachel Bonsignore from GfK share insights from their latest study. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Aug 26, 201927 minEp. 133

#132 How retailers can prepare for the workforce of the future

Demographic, social and technological disruptions are causing retailers to reevaluate their approach to building teams and cultures. Carrie Duarte, a leader in PwC’s Workforce of the Future, joins Retail Gets Real to talk about how organizations can keep up with the pace of change, from finding new sources of talent to the business case for diversity and inclusion. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Aug 19, 201926 minEp. 132

#131: How Lilly Pulitzer stays fresh for a new generation

A piece of Lilly Pulitzer apparel is immediately recognizable; its vibrant prints and inimitable energy have been delighting customers for 60 years. President Michelle Kelly joins this episode of Retail Gets Real to talk about how the iconic Florida brand stays relevant and uses “the love of Lilly” to bring people together. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Aug 12, 201926 minEp. 131

#130: 3 elements for creating extraordinary retail experiences

Jeffrey Rayport, Faculty at the Entrepreneurial Management Unit at Harvard Business School sees established legacy retailers being “attacked” from three different avenues and suggests three elements that can help them adapt: data analytics, digital marketing and creating customer experiences. Find out more about each, plus learn more about NRF NXT, our newest event. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Aug 05, 201926 minEp. 130

#129 Tips for future-proofing today’s retail

Retail expert James Mullan, formerly SVP and Head of US Business at UK consultant firm GDR Creative Intelligence, describes the trends in retail today that he thinks will have the biggest impact in the future and shares how retailers can adapt and evolve to rapidly changing consumer behavior. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Jul 29, 201935 minEp. 129

#128 How Gap Inc.’s LP leader also helps preserve the planet

As the EVP of Loss Prevention and Global Sustainability at Gap Inc., Keith White has a one-of-a-kind title and position: While protecting the company’s people and assets, he also takes care of the planet. White joins this episode of Retail Gets Real to discuss emerging trends in the loss prevention world and how the apparel retailer is taking corporate social responsibility to the next level. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Jul 22, 201931 minEp. 128

#127 Data privacy and the customer experience

As retailers seek to build personalized and engaging customer experiences, they’re collecting more consumer data. PwC’s US Cybersecurity and Privacy Leader Sean Joyce joins the show to discuss how retailers must practice transparency around data collection and protect consumer data to build trust with consumers in the age of experiential retail. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Jul 15, 201919 minEp. 127

#126 Cuyana: Scaling a brand built on ‘fewer, better’

Cuyana uses its philosophy of “fewer, better” things to create thoughtfully made items, appealing to women who have become dissatisfied with fast fashion. Co-founder and CEO Karla Gallardo discusses how the business was born, the journey to opening stores and how to grow a brand built on trust. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Jul 08, 201926 minEp. 126

#125 How KiwiCo’s growth is fueled by kids’ creativity

Sandra Oh Lin took her knack for creating fun STEM activities for her kids and turned it into KiwiCo, a monthly subscription box business that fuels kids’ passion for creativity. On this episode, Oh Lin describes how she went from engineer to entrepreneur and the lessons she learned the hard way as demand for the popular kids’ activity boxes quickly grew. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Jul 01, 201922 minEp. 125

#124 How thredUP is changing secondhand fashion

Shopping for used clothing is turning into a luxury experience with thredUP, a company that started online and expanded into five stores in just a few years. President Anthony Morino is helping take this “unappealing” market and making it sexy and environmentally conscious. Hear him explain all the things that are woven into the operation to make it seamless for customers. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Jun 24, 201929 minEp. 124

#123 How b8ta is reimagining the retail model

B8ta’s “retail-as-a-service” model brings new and innovative products to retail faster. Co-founder and President Phillip Raub talks about the company’s unique model and how its retail spaces elevate the discovery experience in the physical world. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Jun 17, 201926 minEp. 123

#122 The Rothy’s formula for success

Shoe brand Rothy's brings together things consumers don't find everyday — shoes that are comfortable, stylish and made sustainably from recycled plastic. That winning combination has earned the company an avid fan base that's growing quickly. VP of Marketing Elie Donahue talks about how to attract fans and where the brand is headed. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Jun 10, 201920 minEp. 122

#121 Facebook: Where social media and shopping intersect

Social media's powerful influence to reach consumers is a game changer for many businesses. Facebook’s Martin Gilliard, head of industry, retail — superstore and grocery, is at the center of where social media and shopping meet. In his role at Facebook, Gilliard drives the development of data products for retail; in this episode, he dives into how Facebook is working with retailers now and in the future. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com ....

Jun 03, 201924 minEp. 121

#120 Sephora’s winning customer experience formula

“Stores are a powerful way to bring experiences to life for people,” says Sephora EVP of Omni Retail Mary Beth Laughton. In this episode, Laughton describes how to look at the customer journey holistically and create a seamless shopping experience — whether in-store or online — through the expertise of beauty advisors, tech that solves a pain point and no-hitch transactions. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

May 27, 201925 minEp. 120

#119 How CAVA keeps fast-casual food fresh

Keeping things fresh on the restaurant side of retail can be quite a challenge, in every conceivable way. Offering healthy food that people actually want to eat, making sure it stays safe throughout the supply chain, and creating a restaurant experience that people want to go back to are all big challenges, for restaurants of all shapes and sizes. In this episode, we’re talking to CAVA’s CEO, Brett Schulman, about how this healthy Mediterranean brand is overcoming these challenges through a posi...

May 20, 201928 minEp. 119

#118: How Framebridge is shaping retail’s future

Today’s guest identified a retail opportunity that no one else saw – an opportunity to disrupt and grow the custom framing industry by focusing on the customer experience – and then she made the entrepreneurial plunge. In this episode, Susan Tynan shares her experience founding Framebridge, how the company can offer a great product at a lower price point, why it is opening physical retail locations after five years as an online business, and her advice for other aspiring entrepreneurs. Learn mor...

May 13, 201925 minEp. 118

#117 Practicing cyber resiliency in the digital age

The digital transformation has ushered in a new era of data, which allows retailers to work smarter, innovate faster and serve customers better — but it has also introduced new risks. PwC U.S. Cybersecurity and Privacy Leader Sean Joyce says when it comes to cyber risk, being resilient is a company’s best defense. In this episode, learn the cyber threats retailers need to be aware of and what consumers can do to protect themselves. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com ....

May 06, 201925 minEp. 117

#116 Building communities in and out of the store

Starting a small business means more than becoming a small business owner — it also means becoming a bigger part of the local community, as well as the community of retailers all around the country. In this episode, we talk to Rachael Gruntmeir, owner of the Black Scintilla boutique in Oklahoma City, about how she builds a sense of belonging in her customers, fosters strategic partnerships within her community and influences both local and national policy. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com ....

Apr 29, 201926 minEp. 116

#115 Chief protector: Inside the business of loss prevention

Mike Brenton, Director of Asset Protection for Giant Food, talks about the business of protecting people, assets, and brands at the grocery chain, and the new technology that presents both opportunities and challenges for loss prevention pros. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com .

Apr 22, 201920 minEp. 115

#114 Engaging consumers in a channel-less world

Retail is a combination of online, mobile, and in-person experiences, but they aren't discrete channels anymore – they are all pieces of the customer experience, and every customer engages with brands through a unique combination of these experiences. A big challenge for retailers, then, is facilitating the seamless journey through this channel-less world. So, in this episode, we sit down with Chris Silver, Director of Global Retail Strategy and International for URBN, which includes the brands ...

Apr 15, 201921 minEp. 114
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