Future Shop Podcast with WSL

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & Consumer Goods Business Development at Amazon Web Services, about the impact of the latest technologies transforming business.  They discuss:How generative AI is the next big thing – at least for a moment.How the issues are around tariffs have turned CPG and retail conversations back to supply chain – for the moment.How AI is now part of every business discussion -- and not the next big thing.How companies win in this new technology age only if the CEO is totally engaged.And, the continuing speed at which everything is changing. Fast. Send us a textVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Kevin Host, SVP Health & Wellness Pharmacy at Walmart about how the retailer is bringing accessible health care to communities across the US, every day and in times of crisis. They discuss: The ongoing challenges to delivering easy to access pharmacy and medical care in the US How Walmart is bringing solutions to “health deserts” The ways technology – from automatic pharmacy fills to home delivery --  are enabling pharmacists to deliver healthier patients outcomes, easier access and better in-store experiences Walmart's “health strategy”  that involves, more affordable nutritional options, Nourish My Health How other countries are addressing the challenges of health coverage Accessible health care in times of weather-related crises And, the role of drones, new store formats, parking lots and more. Send us a textVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Anna Harman, CEO and co-founder of Studs, the specialty ear piercing and earring retailer, with 33+ stores and e-commerce site, founded in 2019 just in time for Covid.  They discuss:Going from corporate law to Walmart innovation lab to opening Studs.Creating a unique brand ecosystem through quality products, hospitality, and people.Learning early how to be good at dealing with emergencies to adapt a business model quickly in chaotic times. TikTok and Instagram's critical role in building awareness of the brand's unique customer experience.Why the mall is not dead as a point of distribution (but it needs to be the right mall).The role of unique (odd?) collaborations (like food) to grow awareness.Being ego-less, listening to customers, and not being reluctant to adapt fast.Send us a textVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Keith Sleight, expert in “shopping understanding”, who most recently lead the Shopper Centre of Excellence at Unilever, about the state of shopper insights and where it's headed.They discuss:The biggest changes in the shopper research field over the last five yearsHow “connected commerce” has changed how companies need to study shopping behaviorsHow we have more data than ever, but not necessarily more insight -- or contextThe impact of AI on research and analyticsThe lost art of observation and small dataHow to build a modern relevant organization (clue:  break down the silos, and get people away from their desks and into stores) Send us a textVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Diana Melencio, partner at XRC Ventures, an investor in the early-stage intersection of consumer behavior and technology, and its investment approach in the health, beauty, and technology sectors.They discuss: How XRC finds opportunities (one way:  scraping the web)The touchpoints of the consumer journey that have become so critical in understanding opportunitiesThe challenges of growth when physical retail is shrinking, where stores will become showrooms, and DTC profitability is a challengeRetailers who win are those at the forefront of testing new things in growth marketing and performance marketingHow AI is a must for accelerating growth opportunitiesHow Retail Media is fast becoming the profit center for many retailerThe concern for brands in the middle and their potential race to the bottomSend us a textVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Justin Honaman, Head, Worldwide Retail & Consumer Goods Business Development at Amazon (AWS) about innovation and what expertise -- technology and people driven -- is required to build a modern company. They discuss:Real life use cases for how AI – and generative AI – is transforming work for retailers and brands, whether it's product design or writing corporate manuals.How to innovate in the future. Where to go to be inspired.  They discuss places beyond the obvious.How critical it is to get out of the office, and your aisles – and take your teams with you.Why big brands and retailers are being disrupted every day. (Statis is not a long-term growth strategy).What people skills will be required in 2030 and beyond (it's not what you think).How excited they are about the future of commerce.Send us a textVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Joanna Jensen, founder of Child's Farm, the British multi-award winning, baby and child personal care brand that took leadership of the category from behemoth Johnson's Baby.They discuss:How to take on the biggest brand and win.Why passion so often leads to disruptive brand and retail innovation.That the spending power of women will drive growth – now and in the future.Why the physical store still matters: it's the power of social interaction.The importance of retaining a challenger brand mentality, after a business is acquired by large organizationsHow to build a relevant work culture: it's in person, lifestyle relevant and health supported. (Yes, menopause support makes a difference, for women and men.)Send us a textVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Catherine Magee, co-founder of Playground, the sexual health and wellness brand, about the opportunities and challenges facing this newly emerging area of women's health.They discuss:How sexual health and wellness is the last frontier of overall health and wellness.That 60 million women in the US suffer from some sexual health or pleasure issue often driven by a life stage change such as pregnancy, peri-menopause or menopause. How social media is creating a greater openness.The urgency to transition from outdated category definitions and shaming into vernacular that is more relevant and positive.How new products and categories are emerging quickly, and will bring a modern openness to the retail aisle (physical or digital)That retailers across channels, from Target to Ulta to Nordstrom, see the opportunity.Challenges of building a women-first brand centered around women's pleasure and health needs, and where future investment is required to capture the massive opportunity.Send us a textVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & CPG, GTM & Segment Leader for Food & Beverages for Amazon Web Services.  They preview 2025, and what winning companies are doing – and need to do – to capitalize on the latest technology…and other things.They discuss:The continuing tension around pricing.How AI is quickly becoming ingrained into the everyday business culture; from supply chain to CRM, ecommerce and marketing transformationThe state and future of retail media How to leverage technology in new ways to drive personalization and loyaltyIn-store technology, including self-checkout, are being embraced. New ways for brands and retailers to collaborateThe re-emergence – and dangers -- of silo-ismA call to action to get out from behind our desks to immerse ourselves beyond data, and categories, to see all the innovation and opportunitySend us a textVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Norm de Greve, Global CMO of General Motors, and former CMO of CVS Health, about transforming industries, retailers and companies, and the role marketing plays.They discuss:How to keep the shopper with you as you manage dramatic changeThe importance of protecting the shopping experience during transformationHow not to become a victim of short-term profitability while investing in changeHow to keep your eye on the product and the experience it deliversThe importance of creating distinctive innovation – be it health care or carsThe role of digital and CRM in personalizing the experience – for cars or for care.How transforming cars and health care is not that differentSend us a textVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Jacqueline Windsor, partner in Strategy and Deals for the Consumer Market and UK Head of Retail, PwC, London about the differences and similarities between the UK and US consumer and retail markets, and where to find growth in the coming years.They discuss:Unlocking the power of consumer tribes vs. demographic segments.The role of the store (a clue: it's no longer a transactional channel alone).How to build a successful omni strategy; how many stores you need, and what a profitable digital model looks like.Reassessing category management: where private brands fit, and the role legacy brands.What personalization really means to shoppers.How to navigate “vibecession”.The framework for growth for the coming years.Send us a textVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to WSL's president, Candace Corlett about the emerging Gen A population, and other opportunistic shopper segments that can drive much needed retail growth in the near future.  They discuss: The size of the Gen A cohort.  What makes them unique.Whether Gen A is ready for prime-time shopping or merely influencers.  At least for now.Why the 50+ population is the bigger opportunity today – and ripe to drive retail growth.   Immediate opportunities to support Caregivers – younger and older shoppers stressed by their new everyday roles – and drive traffic and sales growthImplications for brand and retail trust and loyalty, reflected in the current fractious political and social environment Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode Wendy Liebmann talks to Michael Wysong, CEO of Care Pharmacies about the challenges and opportunities to deliver health care at retail in the future.They discuss:How to deliver more personalized, local health care the way people need and want it in times of great complexity Learning from diverse operators, with unique propositionsUsing technology, including AI, to enhance the relationship with patients How to create intimacy in retail relationships in order to deliver more personal careThe opportunity to support the fast-growing population of caregivers The implications of medical innovations such as GLP-1s, the solutions they provide, and the challenges they createVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Debbie Kelly, WSL's director of insights, about the latest How America Shops® research that reveals how often unrecognized populations shifts can drive traffic and volume growth.They discuss:How marketers need to look beyond traditional demographic stereotypes for growth in the future.Why single-person and multi-generational households provide some of the biggest traffic and volume opportunities now -- and will in the future.How weekly shopping trips and locations are quickly being transformed.  Walmart is leading the way.The implications for everything from product size and packaging, to the places that people now shop offline and online – and will. Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

Wendy Liebmann, WSL's CEO and Chief Shopper and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & CPG, GTM & Segment Leader for Food & Beverages for Amazon Web Services, continue discussions about emerging technology and the implications for the future of retail.They discuss:The tension points at retail: prices, efficiency and where to invest.AI: is it hype or not? New and different ways to use AI to become more efficientPersonalization and composable commerce, and what that looks like from a modernization perspectiveIncreasing investment in tech in new store openingsRetail media – what's next?  Who's winning? Not throwing the baby out with the bath water. How to maintain the best of the old while adopting the new. Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Sri Rajagopalan, co-founder and co-host of The GPG Guys and founder of Think Blue, about the fast-changing dynamics of retail, what's plaguing board rooms,  and what retail leaders needs to address right now.They discuss:Retail's number one problem post-Covid: driving volumeHow digital influences virtually every purchase Why the role of the in-store end cap is significantly diminished nowThe urgent need for marketers to get away from their data and their desks to see what's going on at the shelf (and why DSD companies have the edge because they're in the stores all the time)The erosion of national brand shelf space (by smaller and private brands)Why (old world) full-funnel marketing is more essential than ever.  (Lower-funnel is not the answer.) How consumer-centricity is key to all decisions.  (No argument from us!)Why investing in innovation is more important than ever.Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Reema Jweied-Guegel, Director, AARP Enterprise Strategy Group about the growing population of caregivers, who they are, the challenges they face, and how retailers and brands can support them.They discuss:WSL's latest How America Shops® research which indicates that 6/10 Americans take care of someone's health other than their own, That a growing number of caregivers are Gen Z and younger Millennials.What the caregivers' lives of perpetual juggling are like.What caregivers need to make their lives easier, less stressful, more affordable; from expert advice to convenience to value, and the role technology can play.That caregivers also need to take care of themselves, and the opportunity to provide empathy, and support.The role retail, brands and organizations like AARP can do to support the caregiver of the future.  It's a growing commercial opportunity.Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Claudia Lloreda, founder and general manager of Blush-Bar, the Latin American beauty specialty retailer about creating a unique beauty experience for Gen Z shoppers. They discuss:How to create a unique beauty retail experience for Gen Z, by challenging the established orderWhy sustaining a clear shopper-led vision – and passion – is so critical to successThe importance of creating an experience that reflects the values and needs of younger shoppers (e.g., sustainability, mental health)The importance of the in-store beauty advisor and service for younger shoppersThe role of social media and ecommerce in building Blush-BarHow to adapt the product focus to different LatAm beauty culturesLearnings for Hispanic beauty shoppers in the US, andThe power of pink bunniesVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Lindsey Braun, Vice President of Research & Operations at HABRI (the Human Animal Bond Research Institute) about the power of pets to positively impact the health and wellbeing of people – and retail.They discuss:The science behind the pet–human connection and the power pets have to change lives.  (It's real.)How having a pet can improve overall health and wellbeing, including mental health, autism, and medical outcomesWith the ageing of America, the role pets can plan in reducing loneliness, even caregivingThe positive effects of pet friendly workplacesWhy retailers such as Walmart, Petco and others continue to enhance their pet servicesVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL's CEO and Chief Shopper talks to Helena Foulkes, current board member of Costco & Harry's, former president of CVS Pharmacy and CEO and Board Member of the Hudson's Bay Company, amongst other roles.  They discuss:Her reflections on the pandemic: What she has learned about retail, leadership and the future.  How and why the power dynamic shifted from manufacturer to retailer to technology -- and now to consumers.The lasting effects of the pandemic. (It's not technology.)The power of community, and the role retail.  How companies can prosper in times of paradox and complexity.The big opportunity in the consumerization of healthcare. What makes for future retail winners and losers (a clue: people and innovation, not AI). Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL's CEO and Chief Shopper talks to Mara Sipzener, General Manager of Loyalty at CVS Pharmacy about what's driving all the recent activity and upgrades to retail loyalty programs.  They discuss:What shoppers expect to be loyal todayWhy CVS, Walmart, Target Bath & Body Works, and others have upgraded their programs recentlyHow loyalty programs need to focus on not only delivering affordability (discounts) but also convenience and personalizationHow the new shopper journey (and all the many touchpoints) needs to be part of a meaningful programBest-in-class loyalty programs (a hint: REI is one)Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

Wendy Liebmann, WSL's CEO and Chief Shopper and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & CPG, GTM & Segment Leader for Food & Beverages for Amazon Web Services, continue discussions about emerging technology and the implications for the future of retail.They discuss: How quickly companies are integrating generative AI into operating systemsEfficiency plays that are delivering better access to information and images fasterThe intense focus on stores and how new technologies are impacting in-store experience, through physical store technology The implications for loyalty programs and retail mediaOverall, the importance of unified commerce to create a truly meaningful customer experienceVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Craig Dubitsky, founder of Happy™ products, about his recent launch of Happy™ Coffee, his partnership with Robert Downey Jr., and how philanthropy is embedded in reinventing the category at retail. They discuss:What it takes to be a serial entrepreneur (a clue: it's being obsessed with people)How to disrupt massive, CPG categories, including home care, lip care, oral care and now coffeeBuilding a unique business model based on bringing happiness to everyday categories at affordable pricesFinding the right retailers who understand and can articulate the emotional opportunity on the shelfHow to embed philanthropy into a brand to make a real difference to people's mental health and wellbeingThe importance of design in creating something people want and use everyday Forgetting the usual business buzzwords and focusing on – and articulating – what people want and need to be happyVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to WSL Retail Strategy Consultant, Elia Auchane, and Retail Innovation Manager, Allie Chilicki, about curating a Retail Safari® at the inaugural Cosmoprof Miami event.  And the power of connecting in store and on the convention floor.They discuss:A behind-the-scenes view to customizing the perfect Retail Safari® Best-in-class retailers in the Latin-inspired Miami marketThe power of people to build emotional engagement at retail, at Nike and at AesopHow Amazon and Ulta unlocked the challenges of doing business todayThe excitement of seeing AI at work, IRLOpportunities that emerged when retailers, brands and service companies from Latin and South America and the US came together in Miami Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Alex Gourlay, Executive Chair of Holland & Barrett, the UK's leading wellness retailer, and formerly Executive Vice President and Co-Chief Operating Officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance, and President of Walgreens about the future of health care retailing. They discuss:The generational opportunities in health care (from food to pharmacy)How younger people are much more proactive in taking care of their health, and how longevity means opportunity to support older people with solutions for a continued healthy life The power of the pharmacist and the importance of maintaining personal relationships with customers How technology creates great opportunity for personalization with shared data to deliver specific one-to-one solutionsThe power of physical retail that is simplified, edited and organized by solutions Early “green shoots” of integrated health care, but with much more opportunity still to come to build “a magic box”Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this Cloud Chat episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL's CEO and Chief Shopper and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & CPG, GTM & Segment Leader for Food & Beverages for Amazon Web Services, continue Cloud Chat, a short, sharp take on emerging technology and the implications for the future of retail.They discuss:The year ahead: the yin and yang of the economy, technology and how companies – and shoppers -- are responding, and willHow slow some companies have been to respond to personalization.The urgency to test generative AI and its power to enhance customer experience, and company efficiencyThe need to stop silo-ing e-commerce from the rest of organizationsBest-of-breed technologies, and what's to come Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Maly Bernstein, CEO, Bluemercury, the luxury specialty beauty retailer, about her vision for the future of beauty retail and how her strategy is coming to life neighborhood by neighborhood.They discuss:What makes Bluemercury shoppers unique The focus on personalized skincare – both products and services The importance of new categories and private brands The new store format, with its “modern residential” focus, in-store service bars, master classes and other events that are driving shopper engagement and loyaltyHow wellness is delivered through unique products, partnerships services, and human experiencesThe role technology and AI will play in the future to enhance service and customer experienceVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to WSL's president Candace Corlett about the latest How America Shops® research that reveals how Americans are feeling (not happy), and what that means for 2024 and beyond (challenging). They discuss:How shoppers see the challenges for their standard of living in 2024, and what they plan to do about it.  The lack of innovation that leaves shoppers wanting – with little inspiration to pay more.Where shoppers will actually spend more in 2024 – categories, services and retail experiences. There are some.New ways shoppers are defining convenience, value and values.  There's a whole new vernacular emerging.And lots of surprising white space opportunities (segments of shoppers, categories and more….).  Hint: Pet Owners.Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL's CEO and Chief Shopper and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Consumer Goods at AWS, continue Cloud Chat, a short, sharp, sometimes provocative take on emerging technology and the implications for the future of retail.  They discuss:  The holiday season – binge or bust – and implications for 2024What's up – and down – with Generative AIE-commerce and creating a more flexible platformSoon-to-be-revealed AI use cases from brands and retailersAll in 10 minutes or less.Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Muriel Gonzalez, President, The Vitamin Shoppe about how the pandemic brought her out of retirement to lead the transformation of street corner vitamin shop into a model of 21st century wellness.They discuss:The keys to transforming a store for fitness jocks into one for anyone on a wellness journeyHow to manage fast-emerging categories and products in the health and wellness space, from hydration to sports fitness, from menopause to immunityWorking with young entrepreneurs and the power of influencers and social mediaThe importance of the “health enthusiasts” staff in helping shoppers make sense of all the news -- and noise.Creating value in the heavily discounted vitamin categoryHow to create a reason for quick trips and longer-term loyaltyVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Alissa Hsu Lynch, formerly of Google and Johnson & Johnson, about the consumerization of technology in health care, and the implications for consumer packaged goods companies and retail.They discuss:Google's utilization of 10x thinking to create radical solutions How technology will provide better outcomes and more affordable access to health care The success of consumerizing technology in health care is staying focused on real consumer needsHow wearables will evolve and provide more insight into everyday lives over time.How digital tools, like generative AI, plus real people will provide better outcomes. What will come next – from advances in sensors to prescription digital therapeutics for mental health, and the implications for retailThe urgency to build integrated teams – across brand, R&D, marketing, media, user experienceHow data is key to it allVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL's CEO and Chief Shopper, and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & CPG, GTM & Segment Leader for Food & Beverages for Amazon Web Services, introduce Future Shop's Cloud Chat – a short, sharp, sometimes provocative take on emerging technology and the implications for the future of retail.  They discuss:  Generative AI…of courseThe need to explore proofs of concepts and piloting…fastNew focus on data for legacy brands…good news and notReal opportunities for upstart brands to use new tech…take heed legacy brandsCompossible commerce…and moreAll in 10 minutes or less.Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Justin Lafoe, most recently Executive Vice President of Marketing and Merchandising for Trader Joe's and, prior to that, SVP of Merchandising & Retail, Disney Parks, Experience & Products, where he worked for 25 years.They discuss:How delivering a relevant shopper experience has changed as a result of technology and COVID.How deep understanding of changing shopper expectations is essential to building relevant experiences.How the role of the physical store is more important than ever.Why retail icons, such as Starbucks, known for delivering extraordinary experiences have lost their way.How essential it is to engage all constituencies: employees and shoppers in order to deliver a compelling retail experience.The challenges to retailers and brands when values are so politicized.The role of a company's culture in delivering the right customer experience at retail.Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to six industry leaders about key trends that will impact retail in 2024-2025.  Listen to:Susan Lang, CEO, XIL HealthMichael Clinton, CEO & Founder, ROARForwardParbinder Dhariwal, VP & General Manager, CMX, CVS HealthDawn Clark, Co-founder & Principal Architect, Osean StudiosJustin Honaman, Head Worlwide Retail & CPG, GTM, Food/Beverage, Amazon Web ServicesLisa Paley, President, North America, HaleonThey discuss:The health and wellness revolution at retail, and how to define women's wellness.  The new generation cohort driving growth: how 50+ consumers are the big opportunity now.Personalization, retail media, and how one-to-one marketing is finally in retail's sights. The role of the physical store: now a place of engagement, not more stuff.How AI has already transformed business.  Now what? The urgency to create a modern corporate culture; engaging internal and external constituencies to grow.   Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to WSL's president Candace Corlett about the latest How America Shops® research that addresses the foundational changes in shopper sentiment and behavior as a result of five years of turmoil. (That's right, it's not only about the pandemic.)They discuss:The paradox of shoppers' “just in case” approach to spending versus treating themselvesThe paradox of shopping in many, many more places – channels, stores, digital – versus wanting to make their shopping lives easierThe paradox of the new shopper journeyThe paradox of what makes a brand – and the real challenges to national brands from private brands (not private label)The paradox of how shoppers are taking care – and control -- of their own health and wellbeingVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Noah Rosenblatt, president, SpaceNK North America, about the company's unique retail model, and how to straddle Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, and Walmart all at the same time. They discuss:Why the changing beauty landscape exemplifies where retail at large is headed How to successfully straddle luxury and mass distribution at the same timeHow the pandemic opened the door to a partnership model that brings prestige to a broader audienceThe key to curating categories, brands and price points efficiently to suit the momentWhy successful retail today is about accessibility and affordability How technology enables a better service environment in mass retail, and overcomes staff shortages in luxury retailVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Parbinder Dhariwal, VP & General Manager of CMX, at CVS Health, about the evolution of Retail Media Networks and the opportunity they offer to create more personalized shopping experiences. They discussWhether this is the moment of one-to-one shopper personalization.The challenge of digitizing a traditionally analog retail business How Retail Media Networks must be consumer-led and add value through the increasingly fragmented shopper journey.How to enable consumers to discover products within categories or adjacent areas, and then become a recommendation engine.The responsibility to utilize data and assets to understand consumers to enhance their lives, and their health and wellness journey and deliver the right message to the right person at the right time.How CVS's CMX is staying true to its purpose to benefit CVS shoppers on their health and wellness journey. Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Michael Clinton, author of ROAR into the Second Half of Your Life - Before It's Too Late, and CEO and Founder of ROARforward, a joint venture with Hearst Ventures. They discuss:The new 50+ cohort and the social movement driving change in the developed world, as people live longer. One-third of the population is already 50-plus with substantial – and growing spending power. They're not brand loyal. They're blowing up all of the stereotypes, rejecting brands and retailers where they don't feel they represent them accurately.How marketing strategy and merchandising approaches need to be rethought.  How understanding this new cohort is critical for business, employees, brands, and retailers.The implications for brands and retailers – most of whom are currently getting an F grade.Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode Wendy Liebmann talks to Susan Lang, founder of XIL Health, a women-owned healthcare analytics and technology company that advises major corporations on health care strategy and  invests in healthcare startups. In her prior life, she was a senior executive at Express Scripts, and has spent her entire life working in healthcare.They discuss:Healthcare at retail in the next 3 - 5 - 10 years through the lens of patients/consumers/shoppers.   With advice for CPG companies and retailers The role of the front store and in-store clinics in the future  New health categories that are emerging The impact virtual medical care will have in the future; for which patients and conditions (even pets get a mention)New technology advances, including AIThe shift from “self care” to “self control”  What “Women's Wellness” really meansVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this issue:Wendy Liebmann talks to Debbie Kelly, the new Director of Insights at WSL, about WSL's latest How America Shops® study, entitled Leading Shoppers From Troubles to Joy.  They discuss:After three years of the pandemic, how shoppers are making different decisions about what brings them joy, and what's still only about the lowest price.What makes for joyful shopping in these inflationary times.New shopper segmentation based on how shoppers consider what's a “head” category versus a “heart” category.How companies – brands and retailers -- need to market accordingly.  Who's getting it right.Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Dawn Clark, a noted retail architect, who runs Osean Studios, and was most recently director of design and construction for Amazon, where she led the design of the new Amazon Style concept store, and prior to that Nordstrom and Starbucks.They discuss:How to create a “human” store, and how that has changed since CovidWhy many retail environments are designed to showcase products rather than create an emotional connection with shoppersWhy it's so critical to understand the context of the shopper's life not just what you want to sellThe interweaving and translation of technology in physical spaces, where search tools and algorithms can add value to an in-store shopping experience but where flashing digital screens often do notHow to bring together the right team – architects, construction, technology, merchants, marketers, sales personnel – to create innovative, shopper-lead environmentsAnd why one-eighth of an inch really mattersVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks with Lisa Paley, president of Haleon, NA, formerly GSK Consumer Health, about how to build a modern consumer healthcare company.They discuss:Critical requirements of a modern organization, including purpose, a founder mentality, and agility.  The three C's of success: delivering for the consumer, the retail customer, and colleagues.How to integrate established brands into a new purpose-driven organizationNot to sweat the little stuff, recognizing that everything doesn't stick, and that sometimes change management requires you to go back to move forwardHow essential it is to get out into the market, to following emerging trends, stay close to business partners, and stay open to changeUltimately, the need to balance purpose with performanceVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks with Candace Corlett, WSL's president, about the current state of planned disruption that shoppers have created for themselves, and the resultant impact on brands and retailers.They discuss:How shoppers have created new and dynamic ways to shopThat there is no longer an orderly path to purchaseThe implications for supply chain of people now buying in 40% more places than they did in 2014, including the metaverseThat companies can no longer assume they own the customer.  There is no “my customer”.  The role of the physical store now as the place to find the newest products and services, and the implications on store design and merchandisingHow companies need to plan their own disruption – utilizing what they learned throughout the pandemicVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks with Dan O'Connor, founder of the Future Commerce Initiative and Executive in Residence at the Harvard Business School, about the future of commerce and retail.They discuss:How retail is fast moving into a 50:50 (in-person vs. not-in-person) world.The dramatic complexity of the retail landscape with some 70 different store types around the world and 15 digital models.The implications for CPG companies and large retailers.  How space in stores will need to be redeployed.The impact of conversion marketing channels like Tiktok and Instagram, and the power of Instacart. What Amazon's disappointing sales results mean for it, and the future of e-commerce.And how data digitalization will be critical to support supply chain, localization, and personalization in order to deliver a highly improved shopper experience. Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode Wendy Liebmann talks to Chris Perry and Oskar Kaszubski of Firstmovr, a Center of Excellence for CPG eCommerce Education & Change Management about how to build and educate companies to constantly adapt to the new digital retail landscape.They discuss:The ever-expanding digital eco-system, and the need for constant learning across all areas of organizationsThe multi-dimensional capabilities now required by CPG employees rather than what was a linear approachHow companies must keep the shopper at the center of their e-commerce capabilitiesHow to overcome the struggle to find insights in a world of so much data Visit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Justin Honaman, head of Worldwide Retail & Consumer Goods, Go-to-Market at Amazon Web Services, and worldwide segment leader for Food & Beverage.They discuss:Immersive retail, the power of personalization, frictionless retail and where the Metaverse is already having an impactThe role of the physical store, and the impact AI can have on curating more meaningful shopper experiences. Retail media and how, if done correctly, it can deliver a “triple win”How to develop and execute a Consumer 360-view that can drive loyalty – not just discountsHow retailers and brands are behind in the cloud journey and the urgency to catch upVisit our website for transcripts and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks with Joi Pratt, Senior Consultant for Shopper Activation, at WSL Strategic Retail, about how the WSL team brought the future of retail to life in real time through a customized Retail Safari®. They discuss:The 5 Health & Wellness trends that were the focus of a two-day event conducted in collaboration with the Kroger Company in Cincinnati. The diversity of retail that inspired 30 CPG attendees – from robotics at the Ocado Shed that enable fast seamless delivery, to immersive experiences at Jungle Jim's, to the passion of REI associates, to the Kroger Marketplace and urban format, and more.How bringing people together encourages new thinking and partnerships to deliver what shoppers want now.  And will.

In this episode Wendy Liebmann talks with Mindy McKnight, CEO of M-Star Media Inc., content developer and founder of Hairitage by Mindy, about how to build a successful CPG brand today.They discuss:The essence of building a successful multi-million dollar brand without losing its founder soul, and its solution driven reason-for-beingThe keys to creating a modern business collaboration: a partner with the right intellectual capital, a retailer [Walmart] eager to experiment, a digital expertise, and a willingness to let the consumer/shopper be part of brand building  The value of real-time consumer feedback that comes with having a devoted, engaged digital communityHow new social platforms, including the metaverse, will make for exciting retail times in the futureHow a successful content-driven, social brand will make them laugh, cry, teach something or make their life easierWatch this video episode on our YouTube channel.

In this episode Wendy Liebmann talks with Jenny B. Fine, executive editor of WWD and Beauty Inc., about the transformation of the beauty industry and how it has and will change over the coming decade. They discuss:Younger, Generation Z consumers and how their beauty priorities are based on not only looking good but also doing goodHow wellness is being fully integrated into beauty, with more to comeHow social media platforms like TikTok and Flip are changing the rules of engagement, especially with younger generations of shoppersThe explosion of ways to buy beauty that are leaving luxury retail behind, while new experiences are emerging in mass and specialty retail 

In this episode Wendy Liebmann talks with Matthew Liebmann, Chief Innovation & Data Officer at Vista Group about the role of physical experiences in addressing the increasingly disturbing societal issues of loneliness.They discuss:Loneliness and the decline of socialization prior to the pandemic, and its continuing impact across populationsThe opportunities that retail and movie theaters have to create in-person occasions to socialize – and differentiate themselves from competition at the same timeHow to get beyond demographic proxies to understand peoples' tastes, preferences, and behaviors to build more personalized interactionsHow to build new habits of engagement in-store and through other physical experiencesThe role the employees can play when technology and digital tools free them up to interact rather than transact with shoppers

In this episode Wendy Liebmann talks with Phil Wahba, senior writer at Fortune magazine, about what it takes to lead successful retail companies in complex times,  as operational issues clash with increasingly demanding shopper and workforce expectations.  They discuss:The qualities the next generation of retail leaders must have to succeedHow empathy is a critical CEO requirement in post-Covid times when companies are demanding a lot more of employeesThe need to adapt the structure of the C-suite to the new reality of a company.How a culture of stagnation and lack of experimentation cannot be overcome overnight by even the most innovative leadersHow the best leaders – in retail and in general -- get the fundamentals right first and always, and are not distracted by “bright shiny” thingsHow not everything Gen Z entrepreneurs do will revolutionize the (retail) worldThe characteristics that will define retail winners and losers in the future. Who's getting it right now. (We name names.)