In 35 years of a loss prevention career, truth has sometimes been stranger than fiction. Rosamaria Sostilio, vice president of loss prevention for Barnes & Noble Inc., describes what her job involves – from asset protection to risk management – and the unique perspective she brings. Listen to Sostilio on this episode as she reveals a hidden side of retail and what it takes for a woman to rise to the top in the industry.
Two business students set out to make the bra buying experience more comfortable, affordable and accessible, establishing Harper Wilde around the concepts of simple options, fair prices and home try-ons. In this episode, co-founders Jane Fisher and Jenna Kerner discuss how they’re empowering women through revolutionizing the way bras are sold.
How do companies design smooth mobile experiences? Most retailers keep this question top of mind, and Walgreens is no different. The retailer has optimized its mobile experience for customers including Boomers, which comprise over 20 percent of Walgreens’ app users. In this episode, hear from Walgreens’ “mobile guy,” Senior Product Manager Benjamin Weiss, on how the company integrates its services into one app that eases friction in not just the shopping experience, but customers’ quality of lif...
After serving urban communities for more than 20 years, plus-size fashion retailer Ashley Stewart was on the brink of closing in 2013 when investment professional James Rhee stepped in as CEO and brought the company back to life. In this episode, Rhee joins co-host Shannon Schuyler, chief purpose officer at PwC to discuss his values-based leadership style and how passion saved the company.
Kidbox, a curated clothing service for children, uses a proprietary algorithm to serve up the perfect styles. For every full box kept, the company donates new clothing to children in need. In this episode, Kidbox CEO Miki Berardelli discusses how the company thrives on a technology-first approach and dedication to charitable giving.
From humble beginnings to 4.5 million global subscribers, TechStyle brands JustFab and ShoeDazzle are now the largest subscription ecommerce brands worldwide. In this episode, JustFab and ShoeDazzle Brand President Traci Inglis discusses how operating with a startup mentality helps the brands fuel innovation through data and customer personalization.
Retail is going through rapid transformation driven by changing consumer behavior — consumers simply don’t shop the way they used to anymore. NRF’s Director of Research and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen explains generational differences in shopping habits and the consumer preferences shaping today’s retail, including trends in fulfillment and experiential retail.
Tractor Supply Company (which does not sell tractors), celebrates its 80th anniversary this year, and SVP and CIO Rob Mills says that 70 percent of its customers today shop on a mobile device for gardening equipment, supplies for animals, hardware and apparel. In this episode, Mills discusses how the company extends the product expertise it’s known for to the digital world, creating an award-winning online customer experience.
The joy of life, as Kate Ross LeBlanc feels, is being well. As CEO and Co-Founder of Saje Natural Wellness, her mission is to care for a devoted community through her line of all-natural products. LeBlanc shares her passion and some Peppermint Halo with Retail Gets Real, and outlines why service is a core pillar of her phenomenally-successful business.
Soles4Souls was established as a way to help those affected by catastrophic natural disasters. Since 2006, the non-profit social enterprise has distributed over 30 million pairs of shoes in 127 countries and all 50 U.S. states. In this episode, CEO Buddy Teaster discusses how the organization serves communities in crisis, as well as entrepreneurs in developing countries.
With all the new advancements in retail technology, it’s important for retailers to know how it applies to their business. In this episode, Salesforce SVP of Retail Industry Shelley Bransten and PwC Partner Ian Kahn discuss how retailers can leverage data to seamlessly merge the omnichannel shopping experience.
Walmart’s Store No 8 incubates cutting-edge retail technology to help people save money and live better. Lori Flees, Walmart’s SVP of Next Generation Retail and Principal of Store No 8, makes sure that America’s second largest retail company is investing in the right retail technology.
With his tenure as Executive Chairman of Macy's Inc. coming to an end, Terry Lundgren sat down with NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay to discuss a decades-long career in retail and Lundgren’s rise to success. In this episode, Lundgren shares wisdom gained over the years as well as what he sees in retail’s future.
As one of the curators behind the Innovation Lab at NRF 2018: Retail’s Big Show, Seth Webb of Tusk Ventures has his finger on the pulse of retail’s newest and most game-changing technology. In this episode, learn about the latest technologies showcased at NRF 2018, and how they’re poised to transform the retail industry in the not-so-distant future.
More than 37,000 retail industry professionals came to NRF 2018: Retail’s Big Show this January to talk about retail trends and technology. So how does a 120-person team bring an entire industry together? SVP of Conferences Susan Newman and VP of Event Content and Education Angela Elder chat about how it all comes together and the event’s impact on the industry. NRF’s Ellen Davis co-hosts.
The owner of Gallery Furniture, Jim "Mack” McIngvale, became a Houston icon and hometown hero for his commitment to giving back, especially after he turned his stores into shelters for victims of Hurricane Harvey. McIngvale joins this episode from NRF 2018: Retail’s Big Show to share why caring for the community is so important in retail. PwC's Steve Barr co-hosts.
Luke Chatelain began his career as a molecular biologist and is now West Elm’s vice president of innovation. In this episode, he explains how his background prepared him to develop forward-thinking solutions for the furniture retailer.
Carlos Mateos Jr. got his start working part-time at his father’s McDonald’s and now owns the restaurant where he first flipped burgers. In this episode, Mateos discusses his dynamic career with McDonald’s and how automation is changing the business.
HSN gives entrepreneurs a platform to sell their products to a large television audience and the prospect of finding the next innovation energizes Dara Trujillo, VP of New Business Development. In this episode, Trujillo discusses how the company elevates entrepreneurs with business education, guidance and exposure, and chats about HSN's new American Dreams Academy program.
STORES Magazine Editor Susan Reda believes that 2017 was one of the most transformative periods of retail we’ve seen in decades and predicts that 2018 will continue to be just as dynamic, with technology playing an increasingly important role for both physical and digital retailers. Listen to learn more about her retail industry predictions for 2018.
The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership helps connect retailers with qualified talent. CEO Karin Norington-Reaves discusses how workforce development initiatives help job-seekers, retailers and the entire retail industry, and chats about the importance of initiatives like the NRF Foundation’s RISE Up program.
As the largest external driver of consumer need, weather is more than just a conversation-starter for retailers. Evan Gold, EVP of global services at Planalytics, helps retailers account for weather when planning their business strategy for the coming year. The trick is to remove weather effects from historical data to arrive at a “weather-neutral baseline” from which to start making sound decisions. On this episode, learn how retailers can plan for a rainy day.
BJ’s Wholesale Club has 215 stores in 16 states and sells more fresh food per member than any of its club store competitors. CEO Chris Baldwin says his company’s 5 million members shop there frequently and that BJ’s offers them immense value. In this episode, Baldwin discusses what keeps the company competitive in a rapidly changing industry.
Gregg Renfrew believes that a woman with passion can really make a difference. She is the founder and CEO of Beautycounter, a health and beauty empire that empowers women with advocacy, education and safe products. Learn how Renfrew nurtures a remarkable connection with her coalition of consultants and how the company achieved exponential growth in just five years.
NRF’s Director of Retail and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen paints a picture of what retailers can expect to see this holiday, from consumer spending to what gets people in the spirit of the season. Listen to this episode for insights on what people are buying, where they’re shopping, and what makes them choose one channel over another.
Karen Katz started as an assistant store manager in a small Neiman Marcus store; 32 years later, she is CEO of the luxury retailer. Retail “has allowed women to achieve things much faster and earlier as an industry than many other industries,” she says. Katz joins Retail Gets Real to discuss how the 110-year-old company has adapted to drastic changes in the industry with a “digital-first” approach, and how the evolution is impacting today’s retail workforce.
As director of Kohl’s Center for Retailing Excellence, Jerry O’Brien helps open the eyes of college students to the immense opportunities in retail for building fulfilling careers. His job is easier now, he says, because having grown up as digital natives helps today’s students see themselves fitting into the retail industry. On this episode, O’Brien discusses how he helps shape the retail career conversation.
Rick Schart has witnessed a great evolution in supply chain management throughout his more than 40 years in the industry. As SVP of supply chain and ecommerce for Stein Mart, he oversees everything from when a buyer places an order to when it ends up in the customer’s hands, whether it’s at a bricks-and-mortar store or directly on their doorstep through ecommerce. On this episode, Schart explains how technological sophistication and complexity make supply chain management “more like rocket scien...
CEO Bobby Farahi’s NSFW rebelliousness shines through when he talks about Dolls Kill, the alternative fashion brand he co-founded with his wife, former DJ Shoddy Lynn. The cult-brand has fans so loyal that they camped out for the company’s first store opening. Farahi shares three strategies that worked for the brand when it comes to developing customer loyalty, and at our request, kept the conversation G-rated.
Disruption seems to be the buzzword these days, and Allbirds co-founder Joey Zwillinger found shoemaking to be ripe for the picking. With longer working hours the norm and a modern way of dressing in the workplace, Zwillinger’s innovative idea was to make a shoe that takes the customer from day to evening with “extraordinary” comfort. On this episode, Zwillinger describes how the digital startup got its foot in the door of a long-established industry with direct-to-consumer marketing.
