Retail Leader Trend Talk Podcast
"Trend Talk" is a podcast from Retail Leader, bringing you a fresh mix of perspectives and in-depth discussion of the latest trends that are driving innovation across all retail sectors.
Each episode, we speak with retail experts and thought leaders who share their firsthand experiences and insights on the trends shaping retail today.
We’re staying on top of the trends so you don’t have to. Tune in for every episode so you don’t miss a thing.
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Season 3 Episodes:
Episode 3
JCPenney encourages thoughtful connections and ‘unplanned collisions’
JCPenney reopened its new corporate offices in Plano, Texas, in the same building where the retailer operated for 28 years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. JCPenney’s return to its 320,000-square-foot facility marked a transformative moment for the retailer as it drives forward a new hybrid-work strategy for associates.
Episode 2
Primark shares new store plans for 2024
International fashion retailer Primark first entered the U.S. market exactly 8 years ago in September with its first store opening in Boston. Primark now has a total of 21 U.S. stores, opening five stores already this year with another three stores set to open by the end of 2023. As a brick-and-mortar retailer who puts a lot of energy into its in-store experience, Primark also finds itself well-positioned with its value proposition.
Episode 1
Claire's engages Gen Zalpha with limited products on Roblox, soon in-store
Claire's has a long-standing history and passion for self-expression. Today, the iconic global fashion retailer finds itself with Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers sitting at the intersection of the physical and digital spaces. Retail Leader spoke with Chris Duncan, Claire’s vice president of consumer insights and digital marketing, about Claire's partnership with gaming studio Super League and growing its ShimmerVille experience on Roblox to keep a pipeline of newness engaging consumers online and driving shoppers to physical stores.
Season 2 Episodes:
Episode 5
Ferrero North America shows the value of premium
While mass merchants and large grocery chains are always going to be critically important to Ferrero North America’s sales, the dollar channel offers a new avenue for the company to grow. Ferrero has taken on the challenge of showcasing value while also maintaining a premium brand.Retail Leader spoke with Noah Szporn, senior vice president of Nutella at Ferrero North America, about how premium products still can flourish during inflationary times.
Episode 4
‘Content is queen’ for Shay Mitchell’s DTC travel brand BÉIS
In this episode of “Trend Talk,” Retail Leader chats with Adeela Hussain Johnson, the president of travel brand BÉIS. Johnson shares how Mitchell has been involved in the brand since its inception, and how her role has evolved as BÉIS has grown. She also answers key questions facing every DTC brand, including how to best leverage social media platforms and whether BÉIS is planning to open its own brick-and-mortar stores in the future.
Episode 3
How Showfields Leverages Experiences to Expand
Retail Leader spoke with Tal Zvi Nathanel, the co-founder of Showfields, just after the opening of its latest location in Washington, D.C. The new store, called House of Showfields, is the fifth location for the department store that was founded in New York City in 2019. We dive into experiential retail, why most retail isn’t “democratized” and how in-store technology is key to Showfields’ strategy.
Episode 2
Why Retailers Should Innovate Despite Economic Pressures
As the holiday shopping season comes to a close, consumers are facing mounting economic challenges. On this episode of "Trend Talk," we talk to Carman Allison, NielsenIQ's vice president of thought leadership for North America, who explains how retailers can still meet customers.
Episode 1
How Ulta Beauty is Rethinking In-Store Experience
This week on Retail Leader's "Trend Talk," we sit down with Paul Loux, the vice president of store design and experience at Ulta Beauty. We chat about the new design at Ulta Beauty, the retailer's growing omnichannel efforts, Gen Z consumers and more.
Season 1 Episodes:
Episode 31
How Orbit Baby Launched a Digital Showroom
In this week of Trend Talk, we catch up with Braden Jones, CEO of Orbit Baby, to learn how the e-commerce company enhanced its omnichannel strategy with livestreaming, virtual demos and a new digital showroom.
Episode 30
How Starday Foods' Data-Driven Approach Landed at Kroger
This week on Retail Leader Trend Talk, we catch up with Caroline McCarthy, co-founder and vice president of growth of Starday Foods, a modern food startup, to discuss the art and science of the food and beverage industry, plus how Starday cut a deal to be on Kroger shelves just weeks after launching.
Episode 29
Understanding Retail Trends like the Metaverse and Social Commerce
This week on Retail Leader Trend Talk, senior editor of Consumer Goods Technology Lisa Johnston, joins to dive into the top retail trends that are hot in the minds of executives.
Episode 28
How Pacsun is Breaking into the Metaverse with Pacworld
This week on Retail Leader Trend Talk, we chat with Pacsun co-CEO Alfred Chang to hear more about the retailer's moves in the metaverse and meeting Gen Z consumers where they play.
Episode 27
How Grove Collaborative is Breathing Sustainability into the CPG Industry
This week on Retail Leader Trend Talk, we chat with Danielle Jezienicki, director of sustainability for Grove Collaborative, about ongoing sustainability trends and challenges in the CPG industry.
Episode 26
Why Net-Zero is the Next Big Buzz Word
This week on Retail Leader Trend Talk, we tackle sustainability with Scot Case, vice president of sustainability at the National Retail Federation. Tune into the interview as Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter and Case discuss sustainability trends in retail, how retailers are crafting a new sustainability language and why net-zero is about to be huge.
Episode 25
Understanding the Unique World of Gen Z
Dive into the world of Gen Z in this episode of Trend Talk, with Hana Ben-Shabat, author of Gen Z 360: Preparing for the Inevitable Change in Culture, Work and Commerce.
Episode 24
The Evolution of the Retail Associate
Tune into another Trend Talk with Regina Aiello, vice president of sales innovations and sales partnerships at Ben Bridge Jeweler, and Oscar Sachs, CEO of Salesfloor, about the evolving role of the retail associate.
Episode 23
Misfits Market Expands Nationwide
We catch up with Kai Selterman, chief strategy officer at Misfits Market, to learn about the online grocery retailer's latest expansion to all the lower 48. Tune into the interview, where Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter and Selterman discuss pandemic grocery trends, supply chain challenges and more.
Episode 22
Apple Rose Beauty’s Journey Into Retail
Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter catches up with Kristy Alexander, founder and chief big heart of Apple Rose Beauty, about the skincare brand's journey in retail.
Episode 21
Gorjana’s Retail Expansion is Underway
Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter sits down with Jason Griffin Reidel, CEO of Gorjana, to learn about the jewelry brand's ongoing retail expansion.
Episode 20
Breaking Down the Soul of Business with Rishad Tobaccowala
We caught up with Author, Speaker and Visionary Rishad Tobaccowala, who clued us in on the emerging trends and best practices for business leaders.
Episode 19
How to Sell Apples (Yes! Apples) Online
We spoke with Yes! Apples, a consumer-first apple brand that recently opened up an e-commerce shop to bring New York apples directly to consumers. Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter sat down with Tenley Fitzgerald, vice president of marketing at Yes! Apples, to learn more about the rebrand and the nuances of marketing apples.
Episode 18
A Pea in the Pod Returns to Brick-and-Mortar
Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter caught up with a maternity brand that returned to physical stores after going fully digital in 2019. A Pea in the Pod and Motherhood Maternity's Marla Ryan tells us about two new concept stores, 2022 goals and more.
Episode 17
How DSW is Taking on Men's Shoes
With new partnerships and added product assortment, DSW's Chief Marketing Officer Julie Roy discusses why the retailer is making its move to capture male customers in an interview with Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter.
Episode 16
Indochino Takes on 2022
Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter sits down with Drew Green, CEO and president of Indochino, about the custom suit retailer’s entry into women’s wear, reaching 100 retail locations and plans to capture a larger share of the booming wedding market in 2022.
Episode 15
Looking Back at the Year in Resale with Chairish
This week on Retail Leader Trend Talk, Editor Amy Baxter sits down with Gregg Brockway, CEO and co-founder of resale marketplace Chairish to look back at the year in resale. Tune in to hear the two discuss the rising interest in resale, why millennials are so engaged in furniture resale and the role of the circular economy.
Episode 14
The Evolution of Shoppable Media with Blue Chip
On this episode of Retail Leader Trend Talk, sponsored by Blue Chip, we discover the best brand opportunities in shoppable media. Editor Amy Baxter sits down with Erich Parker, vice president of integrated media at Blue Chip, to discuss the latest innovations, how brands can find the right platforms and what the future of shoppable media holds.
Episode 13
The Role of Retail in the Cannabis World
As executive vice president of retail operations at Jushi Holdings, Brendon Lynch is leading retail strategy for the multi-state cannabis operator. We caught up with Lynch in this week's Trend Talk to discuss how his extensive retail background with major brands (Anthropologie, TOMS, David Yurman and more) has prepared him for the cannabis industry. Plus, Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter and Lynch get to the bottom of the role of retail in the industry and take a stab at defining the future.
Episode 12
Curating Sustainability for Millennials
Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter sits down with Jaclyn Tracy, CEO and founder of Sistain, about how Sistain is curating sustainable brands for millennials and how consumers may be falling for greenwashing by the big retailers.
Episode 11
The Top 2021 Holiday Digital Shopping Trends
The 2021 holiday season is well underway, and we’re breaking down some of the top digital shopping trends with Stacy DeBroff, CEO and founder of Influence Central. Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter dives in with DeBroff to discuss overarching trends for the season, how supply chain challenges are influencing shoppers and if retailers should be worried if consumers plan to spend less.
Episode 10
Taking Care During the Pandemic
In this episode of Retail Leader Trend Talk, we dive into how retailers have taken care during the pandemic, from how the industry adapted to how workers were treated. Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter sits down with Deb Gabor, CEO of Sol Marketing, to discuss the best - and worst - examples.
Episode 9
How Parachute Expanded into New Categories
In the latest episode of Retail Leader Trend Talk, Editor Amy Baxter caught up with Ariel Kaye, CEO and Founder of Parachute, about the brand's expansion into new categories and its latest foray into furniture.
Episode 8
Changing Up the Beauty Retail Experience
Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter chats with with Amanda McAllister, creative director of ChangeUp, and Kana Panchmatia, co-founder and vice president of design of Revea, about Revea's unique retail store. As a precision skin care company, Revea launched a retail store that doesn't carry inventory.
Episode 7
Zero Waste Retail and the Drive Toward Sustainability
Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter caught up with Ali O'Grady, CEO and founder of greeting card company Thoughtful Human, to talk about all things sustainability and zero waste retail.
Episode 6
The Rise of In-App Shopping and Social Commerce
Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter sits down with Eric Dahan, CEO and co-founder of social commerce company Open Influence to discuss the rise of the social commerce market and in-app shopping.
Episode 5
Back to School and Grocery Sector Data Trends
Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter sits down with Inna Kuznetsova, CEO of 1010data, to discuss data trends from the back-to-school shopping season and the latest changes in the grocery sector.
Episode 4
The Future of Brick-and-Mortar Designs
Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter sits down with Melissa Gonzalez, CEO of The Lionesque Group and Principal at MG2, to dig into the future of brick and mortar.
Episode 3
Breaking Into Big Retailers with Montee Holland
Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter sits down with Montee Tayion Holland, President and CEO of Tayion Collection, to discuss how his men's suit brand has made its way into major retailers like Macy's and Men's Warehouse.
Episode 2
Vera Bradley's New Store Concept Does Good
Retail Leader Editor Amy Baxter caught up with Harry Cunningham, vice president of retail brand experience at Vera Bradley, to discuss the iconic brand's latest store concept, goodMRKT.
Episode 1
Rethinking the Service Station
In the inaugural episode of the Retail Leader Trend Talk podcast, Editor Amy Baxter speaks with Tom Edington, creative director and head of experience at design agency YourStudio, about an innovative service station retail design in the U.K.