Resilient Retail

Today Steph Laposta is joined by Jeremy + Julie Brown of Province of Canada for the last episode of Real Life Retail, a weekly segment with honest, candid conversations with retailers. To finish the season off they talk about the creation of Province of Canada, the patience it takes to build a business, their thoughts on having a physical retail store versus online, and their dreams for the future of Province of Canada!

REI needs no introduction. They've been a juggernaut in the outdoor retail industry for decades, and most of us already know that their customer experience is absolutely unmatched. In this episode, Chief Experience Officer Curtis Kopf digs into the ways that REI builds community, adventure, and sustainability into every touchpoint. That means amazing experiences in their physical stores, online, and everywhere in-between. Check out REI and follow them on Twitter Connect with Curtis on LinkedIn and Twitter Connect with Kristen on Twitter and LinkedIn

This Friday, Kristen is joined with Kat Cole to cover the hottest industry news and trends of the week. Sadly we have reached the finale of Resilient News! To finish the season off we chat about leading through change, having empathy as a business owner, and staying on track with the mission.

So much of Resilient Retail this season has been about the importance of brand. But what happens when you take brand out of the equation? Well, you get Italic. They're rethinking the basics of commerce by connecting top-tier manufacturers directly to customers at the lowest possible markup. It's a more radical move than you might think. This episode is all about a fundamentally different approach to growth based on a simplified supply chain and a membership model. Check out Italic and follow them on Instagram Connect with Jeremy on LinkedIn Connect with Kristen on Twitter and LinkedIn

Venus ET Fleur is a husband-and-wife-led luxury brand disrupting the flower industry - not least by offering roses that last a full year with minimal upkeep. That alone would set them apart. But they've also nailed an exciting, innovative approach to meeting their customer's needs, no matter how they enter the funnel. Maintaining pitch-perfect operations is important for a brand like VEF. After all, they're dealing with living, breathing products that need special care to arrive on customers' doorsteps in tip-top shape. This episode is all about the ways that operations feed directly back into the customer experience.

DTC subscription and in-store retail often feel like they're coming from opposite ends of the shopping spectrum. So what happens when you combine the two? Shane Pittson, VP of Growth at Quip, is all about creating a shopping experience that helps customers build healthy oral care habits in the most convenient ways possible. This episode digs into the relationship between retail and subscription, Shane's innovative rewards program, and how Quip has hit an 80% response rate on their post-purchase survey.  Check out Quip and follow them on Instagram Connect with Shane on LinkedIn Connect with Kristen on Twitter and LinkedIn

Join Steph LaPosta each week for Real Life Retail. A weekly segment with honest, candid conversations with retailers. Today we have a special episode in celebration of PRIDE month! Joined by Queeriosity folks Eli Holtz and Kai Joseph, to chat about starting Queeriosity, the struggles of going through the production process, getting their product sold in retail stores, and we even get a little taste of the game, Queeriosity: The LGBTQ+ Social Game!

Most entrepreneurs would have balked at the decision to launch Neighborhood Goods in late 2018. After all, many department stores were barely surviving by the end of the 2010s, and the department store retail model appeared to be on the verge of collapse. But against all odds, co-founder and CEO Matt Alexander has leveraged amazing growth in changing economic times.So what sets Neighborhood Goods apart? It all comes down to a creative rethinking of the in-store experience. They start by curating a smart range of products. Then, they display them in dynamic, engaging spaces built for human connection. It's all about bringing to life the kind of community experience that transforms a quick errand into an enjoyable event. Check out Neighborhood Goods and follow them on Instagram Connect with Matt on LinkedIn Connect with Kristen on Twitter and LinkedIn

Emanuel Edwards took a big risk when he transitioned to managing his curated vintage brand The Goody Vault full-time in early 2021. Thanks to the fact that he'd already been building relationships via his one-on-one showroom experience for a couple years, he was ready to hit the ground running when the Vault moved from side hustle to main attraction. Emanuel's success is rooted in his understanding that fundamentally, people buy from people. He crafts every in-store experience for maximum human connection, and that approach has built a community around the brand that's hard to top. Check out The Goody Vault and follow them on Instagram Connect with Emanuel on LinkedIn Connect with Kristen on Twitter and LinkedIn

Join Steph LaPosta each week for Real Life Retail. A weekly segment with honest, candid conversations with retailers. In this episode, Jenna Lam, from Early Bird & Worm and Nest & Hatch, joins us to chat about starting a private label, the challenges of not being able to plan, and the rollercoaster of owning a business.

Jennifer Fisher has styled for clients from Miley Cyrus to Rihanna, but her jewelry brand's major break came in 2006, when Uma Thurman wore one of Jennifer's custom necklaces on the cover of Glamour magazine.Since then, Jennifer Fisher Jewelry has exploded. Her creations have appeared in Vogue, Variety, People, Elle, and more. She's expanded into a culinary line and the brand has recently opened retail locations in New York and Beverly Hills. Jennifer's spent the past fifteen years building a brand that can change with the times while remaining true to her initial creative spark, and the results have been astounding. This conversation digs into the ways that Jennifer has remained flexible, authentic, and open over the years. Check out Jennifer Fisher Jewelry and follow the brand on Instagram Connect with Jennifer on LinkedIn and check out her food Instagram Connect with Kristen on Twitter and LinkedIn

Join Kristen and Halie LeSavage to cover the hottest industry news and trends of this week. Sadly it's the last episode with Halie around but we’re here to chat about Amazon Prime Day and back to school shopping, Etsy’s acquisition of Depop, the power of physical retail, and Bed Bath and Beyond’s new changes.

A pizzeria isn’t generally what comes to mind when we think of retail, but General Assembly Pizza (also known as GA Pizza) isn’t exactly playing by the rules. Since 2017, they’ve been rewriting the playbook for fast casual.Founder and CEO Ali Khan Lalani has built the brand around truly seamless customer experiences. That means focusing on the connections between technology and the range of mediums customers use to interact with the brand- online, dine-in, and everywhere in-between. This episode is all about the ways that GA Pizza serves their ever-expanding customer base. Check out GA Pizza and follow them on Instagram Connect with Ali Khan Lalani on LinkedIn Connect with Kristen on Twitter and LinkedIn

This week on Real Life Retail, Steph LaPosta is joined by Jeff St. Pierre, Retail Launch Engineer at Shopify, for an honest, candid conversation about what he’s learned in his own successes of working in retail, how to create a brand vision, and creating smart partnerships.

This episode of Resilient Retail is a little different. Brik + Clik has spent the last eight months testing out a range of much-hyped technologies in their California location. Co-founder Hemant Chavan is here to tell Kristen what worked, what didn’t, and what to expect from the next decade in retail.So here’s the name of the game: Kris quizzes Hemant on a range of technologies, and he talks us through what’s here to stay. This episode is loaded with actionable insights from one of the most cutting-edge brands in the retail world today. Kristen and Hemant dig into NFC tags, micro-fulfillment, gamification, and much, much more. Check out Brik + Clik and follow them on Instagram Connect with Hemant on LinkedIn Connect with Kristen on Twitter and LinkedIn

This Friday, Kristen is joined with Kat Cole to cover the hottest industry news and trends of the week. This week we’re talking all things travel! As travel restrictions are lifting we’re seeing a trend in hospitality, immersive experiences, and the opportunities in the hospitality market.

Hill House Home has exploded over the past couple of years, especially in the wake of a truly viral product known as the "Nap Dress.” Through it all, founder and CEO Nell Diamond has balanced customer demand and her own personal vision to craft a brand that’s both responsive to its customers and true to its founding aesthetic.So how did Hill House grow from a Yale University incubator into a brand with a truly fanatic fan base? It comes down to Nell’s deeply humanistic approach to business. This episode of Resilient Retail is all about the ways that brands and customers build a story together and the amazing results those connections yield. Check out Hill House Home and follow them on Instagram Connect with Nell on LinkedIn and Instagram Connect with Kristen on Twitter and LinkedIn

Join Steph LaPosta each week for Real Life Retail. A weekly segment with honest, candid conversations with retailers. In this episode, Tim Guram, Founder of 100 Years of Love joins the show to talk about the passion behind 100 Years of Love, the thought process behind a rebrand, and why the approach of being open and honest is important.

What’s the central nervous system of your business? For Goorin Bros controller, Aaron Wyse, it’s the logistical tools that underpin your operations. That means looking at the interplay between technology and human labor to build workflows that hold up under pressure.Goorin Bros has pivoted to new forms of omnichannel shopping over the past couple years, which opens up a ton of challenges and opportunities. Aaron digs deep into the questions brands should be asking as they scale and connect with customers in new ways. Check out Goorin Bros Connect with Aaron on LinkedIn Connect with Kristen on Twitter or LinkedIn

Join Kristen and Halie LeSavage to cover the hottest industry news and trends of this week. With not a heavy news week, they talk about Macy's Q1 earnings and their shift to category expansion, the growth of livestream shopping and Facebook’s launch, and Knix’s amazing round of funding.

SuitShop might come from humble beginnings, but you’d never know that looking at them today. The men’s formalwear brand is an incredible example of a digitally native brand that’s grown by prioritizing the customer every step of the way. That started with crafting a great online shopping experience, but it has also meant a surprise pivot to retail and groundbreaking new approaches to omnichannel selling. SuitShop’s success comes from a willingness to shift, bend, and change based on customer behavior. This conversation is a masterclass in product-market fit, and the ways that brands build trust with customers in the lead up to one of the biggest days of their lives. Check out SuitShop and follow them on Instagram or Twitter Connect with Jeanne and Diana on LinkedIn Connect with Kristen on Twitter or LinkedIn

Join Steph LaPosta each week for Real Life Retail. A weekly segment with honest, candid conversations with retailers. In this episode, Bo Hong from Lou-Lou's Flower Truck talks mobile retail and pop ups, the importance of social media, and pivoting the floral industry in the midst of COVID.

If there’s a theme in the past decade of retail, it’s been the shift online. For most of us, that begs a tough question: how do we stay personal and human-focused when our interactions with customers are mediated through technology? For Loeffler Randall, a family owned and operated fashion brand sold in over 300 retailers worldwide, maintaining genuine relationships means understanding yourself first.Founder and Chief Creative Officer Jessie Randall has built an amazing brand by staying true to the passion that first drove her to start designing shoes in her Brooklyn apartment. Sixteen years later, she and her teammates are still the primary audience for the product. They know the customer will love something as long as they love it first. This episode digs into the launch of Loeffler Randall’s first retail location, how they connect with their fans, telling the brand story in full 3D, and much, much more. Check out Loeffler Randall and follow them on Twitter Follow Jessie on Instagram Connect with Kristen on Twitter or LinkedIn

This week on Resilient news, Kristen is on her own! We'll walk through the impacts of new vaccination rollout, the back to school rush, Chipotle's push to hire 20,000 new workers, and a bold move by New Belgium Brewery.

eevee’s is a PEV (personal electric vehicle) company rethinking the ways that we move, selling everything from electric unicycles to onewheels and eSkateboards. Co-founders Bradley Spence & Lukas Tanasiuk are building a brand that straddles the online and retail spaces and they’ve used their focus on community and education to survive and even thrive after launching during a pandemic.This episode digs into the ways they’ve harnessed free in-store lessons to build trust and community, as well as what it means to be a customer service fanatic. Moral of the story? Sometimes you’ve gotta deliver beer and a burger to a customer’s house.Show Links Check out eevee’s Follow eevee’s on Instagram: @_eevees Connect with Bradley and Lukas on LinkedIn Connect with Kristen on LinkedIn or Twitter

Join Steph LaPosta each week for Real Life Retail. A weekly segment with honest, candid conversations with retailers. In this episode, Pam and Frank from North Standard Trading Post share their journey from being retailers to becoming wholesalers, how a reselling business turned to a full on brand and how they're rethinking their business for the future.

Retail is supposed to consist of humans helping one another to find products that improve our lives. During the pandemic, that was challenged. One of the companies helping to bridge the gap was HERO, which strives to bring together the best of the retail world and the digital world. HERO has helped companies like Nike and Liberty London to keep retail associates employed by breaking down traditional retail silos. Founder and repeat Resilient Retail guest Adam Levene describes how HERO brings the warmth of the human touch to digital, and incorporates the ease of digital technology into physical spaces. In essence, they’ve helped to push the creative boundaries of retail in order to meet customers exactly where they are. Check out HERO Follow HERO on LinkedIn or Twitter Connect with Adam Levene on LinkedIn or Twitter

Every Friday, join Kristen and a co-host to cover the hottest industry news and trends of the week. This week, Halie LeSavage, writer of Retail Brew is back to chat about Zara's beauty launch and their sustainability, brands allowing consumers to opt out of holiday emails, and consumer behaviors going into the summer.

Founded in 1988, Rosalind’s Ethiopian Restaurant is practically a landmark. In fact, it helped inspire the formal creation of LA’s Little Ethiopia. Pre-pandemic, Rosalind’s had served as a communal hub thanks to Meklit’s personable and well-connected father. But COVID put them into a tailspin, with a daunting menu and food that didn’t easily lend itself to takeout. Meklit decided to experiment with the menu, working with her father to update both the copy on the menu and the dishes themselves. Soon, customers were lining up asking for the new specials, and John Legend and Chrissy Teigen even gave the restaurant a resounding seal of approval.

Join Steph LaPosta each week for Real Life Retail. A weekly segment with honest, candid conversations with retailers. In this episode, Leah Eyles of Scout shares her ideas behind creating Scout, the launch of a second location, how she transitioned to online shopping due to COVID, all the hardships of having a small business in the midst of a global pandemic, and she finds strength in all the challenges.

When Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon founded The Village Market ATL in 2016, she was a former educator who felt inspired to help local Black entrepreneurs make their mark on the world. What started as a support system to facilitate businesses in her home base of Atlanta to connect with customers soon turned into something bigger. Today, the organization has helped funnel over $5.3 million dollars to Black-owned businesses across the nation and beyond. During the pandemic, the organization even opened its first retail location in the form a special co-op called The Village Retail. Dr. Key’s philosophy is simple: when you buy local and through sources like The Village, everybody wins.

Every Friday, join Kristen and a co-host to cover the hottest industry news and trends of the week. Kat Cole is back this week to talk about all things food, from the evolution of food brands, food retailers missions, the healthiest leading brands, and all their favorites!

In a country where online purchases are a source of distrust and skepticism, Macarena Riva and Andrea Sanchez are turning the tide. The two best friends started Raw Apothecary, a natural beauty brand that speaks to women of all ages. The women’s journey started by tapping into the thriving bazaar marketplace culture in their native Mexico. After forming an in-person relationship with customers, they took the brand online with the conviction that Latin America’s online ecosystem would soon catch up to the rest of the world.

Join Steph LaPosta each week for Real Life Retail. A weekly segment with honest, candid conversations with retailers. In this episode, Ashley Wittig of Honey’s Ice Cream and Tyger Tyger, shares her experience creating delicious, plant-based ice cream for Honey’s Ice Cream and her passion project, Tyger Tyger promoting great, plant-based, holistic options for everyone.

Founded in the 1940’s, Igloo was the world’s first recreational ice chest. Seeing one today may give us a warm nostalgic glow - but the brand is all about keeping things cool. Brian Garofalow is the Chief Marketing Officer at Igloo. An experienced ecommerce marketer, Brian’s focus with Igloo is less about building brand awareness (about 90% of households already know the Igloo name) and more about dialing in how Igloo’s many sales channels can play nicely together. Listen in to hear how Igloo is pursuing a new DTC approach, and how innovative designs and partnerships are keeping things fresh.

Every Friday, join Kristen and a co-host to cover the hottest industry news and trends of the week. This week, Kristen takes a few minutes to reflect on the last year of the world's most important news, and Halie LeSavage is back to talk Amazon’s first hair salon opening in the UK, the passion behind retail workers and the future, and the new expansion of comfort and inclusivity in women's intimates.

What do you get when a rock and roll backpacker and pilot-slash-poker-player start a jewelry business? The results are out-of-this-world unique. Shane Vitaly Foran is the founder and CEO of Compound Studio, a company that has dreamed up three incredible brands. With their focus on jewelry and accessories that cater to specific consumer archetypes, Shane and team have successfully spun up brands in different universes. Bootstrapped from day one, the company took their flagship line Vitaly through a journey of apparel pop ups and wholesale before settling on a more scoped jewelry collection that you won’t find anywhere else.

Join Steph LaPosta each week for Real Life Retail. A weekly segment with honest, candid conversations with retailers. In this episode, Bryce Taylor-Vaisey, from Penny Candy Jam and AM Bagel, talks about the creation of his businesses, his experiences with selling at flea markets, and how he stays focused on the business dream.

Allbirds was one of DTC’s first pioneers when they built their successful sustainable sneaker brand. Driven by an ethos of transparent sustainability, every pair of Allbirds shoes is made with earth-friendly materials like merino wool and eucalyptus fiber. Travis Boyce is Head of Global Retail Operations at Allbirds and handles all things brick and mortar for the brand. He explained why Allbirds decided to pursue a global retail strategy - and why they view their current efforts as simply another channel within their original DTC framework.

On today's BONUS episode, Kristen takes us on a tour across the UK and Ireland retail. You'll hear from four retailers and experts based in the UK and Ireland as they tell us the stories of their last 12 months and their plans for reopening.

Every Friday, join us as we cover the hottest industry news and trends of the week. This week, Kristen and Kat Cole talk about all things cannabis industry, dispensaries and their retail methods, their favorite brands, and Kat shares her theory of how CBD will blow up in the years to come!

Sustainability starts with good habits, and good habits can start with great role models. This episode of Resilient Retail focuses on Azora Zoe Paknad, founder of ecommerce retail brand Goldune. Goldune is all about injecting excitement into the realm of sustainable and zero waste shopping. For Azora, this meant elevating sustainability out of the realm of hippie handbags or wealthy housewives and transforming it into something both approachable and chic. By curating a carefully vetted collection of sustainable brands from diverse merchants, Goldune entices shoppers to put sustainability center stage.

Join Steph LaPosta each week for Real Life Retail. A weekly segment with honest, candid conversations with retailers. In this episode, Richard Nair of Nishe shares his story of launching Nishe, the loyalty and emotional aspect of connecting to stores, and how creating monthly idea sounding boards helps further the business.

When Jack Meredith became the first employee at Kettle & Fire, the company had zero revenue and next to no retail know-how. Today, their healthy bone broth products are sold online, in stores like Whole Foods, via subscription, and more. Kettle & Fire’s technique lies in proactively listening to customers and taking a uniquely hands-on approach to growth. In this episode of Resilient Retail, Jack described how Kettle & Fire took on the wholesale market by mailing letters to local nutritionists, and how they use their digital presence to test and execute the perfect marketing messages.

Every Friday, join Kristen and a co-host to cover the hottest industry news and trends of the week. This week, Halie LeSavage, writer of Retail Brew is here to chat about Dick’s Sporting Goods’ new experiential flagship concept, a major acquisition in the jewelry world, results from a new teen spending survey, and lastly our hosts wonder whether the pandemic has made brunch culture a thing of the past.

When Althea Johnson opened Korean beauty shop Propr Life + Style a mere week before the pandemic, she was soon surrounded by shuttered stores on all sides. But the creative and resourceful retailer refused to be one of them. Instead, she anchored herself in growing her business through an innovative combination of home delivery, social media, and email marketing. By listening to her customers’ changing needs and remaining available through thick and thin, Althea earned the loyalty of a customer base that was eager for self-care dialogue during a trying time.

Join Steph LaPosta each week for Real Life Retail. A weekly segment with honest, candid conversations with retailers. In this episode, Brenda Ngina Kahura of Parkdale Pet Foods shares her experience starting a business in the midst of COVID, navigating health regulations, the booming pet industry, oh yeah, and all the regular growing pains and celebrations of starting a small business.

For many physical retailers, business is driven by maximizing square footage and cramming the windows with bestsellers. For Gorjana and Jason Griffin Reidel, building their jewelry business gorjana was more about feng shui. By embracing things like aesthetics, scent, and an authentic sense of place - not to mention gorgeous jewelry - the couple has created a growing brand that customers come back to again and again.

In our final pre-season episode, Kristen and Steve Dennis sit down once more to discuss the 8 essentials of Remarkable Retail. Hear how your store can embrace these essentials to survive, and thrive, in the coming years.