Retail Is Your Business

Richard is a co-founder and Partner of Triangle Capital and has been an investment banker for over 35 years. Richard has a great deal of experience advising clients in merchandising businesses, particularly in the Retail & Consumer sector. Richard sits down with Rob and Rebecca to talk about the supply chain issues and merger and acquisitions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richard is a co-founder and Partner of Triangle Capital and has been an investment banker for over 35 years. Richard has a great deal of experience advising clients in merchandising businesses, particularly in the Retail & Consumer sector. Richard discusses the current landscape of retail and what will draw motivate consumers to go back into stores. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bridget Lasda is the Chief Customer Officer for King Juice/Calypso. She joins us to discuss the story behind Calypso, the innovation pipeline that is bringing the brand into different categories, and how their team uses data to better tell the Calypso story.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Troy Fischer is the Senior General Manager at Bridgewater Commons, a large super regional shopping center in Bridgewater, New Jersey. He joins us to talk about the impact that the pandemic has had on shopping centers, the tenants, the customers, and the vendors. Troy discusses how he has approached the challenges that have come with re-opening, including stores getting access to products and staffing issues. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gabrielle Licht sits down with Rob and Rebecca to discuss the current state of shopping centers and office buildings. She talks about how Macerich's Brandbox approaches  physical retail for digitally native brands to open and operate stores as as a complement to e-commerce growth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Karl Wiley, CEO of All State Protection Plans, set out with the goal of adding some much needed innovation to the product protection and extended warranty industry. He sits down with Rebecca and Rob to discuss how they have taken a very different approach to disrupt and turn the industry on its head. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The retail landscape is unforgiving and hyper-dynamic, and Michael Scharff, Co-Founder/CEO of Evolv (a pioneering AI technology whose Ascend platform enables organizations to optimize digital customer experiences and website performance) has witnessed first-hand the challenges faced by the biggest and the best as they navigate it. He has held senior leadership roles at several of America's largest retail brands including ToysRUs, Staples, Best Buy and Sears, and share his insights on how AI and other technologies are impacting the retail landscape and how retailers can compete in a very fast moving environment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Provance CEO of 3X3 says retailers need to use digital tools to retain one of their strongest assets, the magic of discovery. 3x3 in a joint venture between several multi-generational alcohol industry veterans and Loeb Enterprises is a digital marketing company. It uses a multi pronged approach to follow customer preferences by incorporating point of sale receipts generated at its exclusive network of 1500 plus stores in 37 states, tracking consumers' interest on social media and analyzing inventory mix, pricing, basket adjacencies, and customer loyalty. Through all this information, 3X3 is better able to understand the preferences and processes behind purchases so retailers/brands can identify and act on emerging trends using digital tools. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maury Blackman is CEO of Premise Data, a market intelligence platform that allows businesses to collect in-store insights in real time, thanks to a global network of 2.5 million contributors. The platform is used by many Global 2000 businesses to conduct retail audits and "mystery shopper" exercises. Especially during the pandemic, when brands can't send consultants into stores, the platform has been a lifeline for businesses looking to monitor shelf activity and even check on product "freshness" dates. Premise also pays its gig workers in bitcoin, if that is their preference. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richard Schnitzel is founder, head chef and chief bottle washer at his company, Bow Tie Bots, a certified Zapier expert which will leverage the power of software and app integration, to create powerful custom automated workflows -- including marketing and client Intake, client management, fulfillment, and personalized operations training. Richard  creates automations responsible for reclaiming thousands of hours in a retailer’s businesses, giving them the systems they need to scale from 6 to 7 figures.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From conception, to development, to growth and marketing, Founder/CEO Aishwarya Iyer of Brightland (offering fresher, healthier California extra virgin olive oil and premium double- fermented vinegars, along with scented candles) takes us through the intriguing journey on building a company that sets a new standard for excellence in the oil and vinegar space---and why it actually matters. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the next 12 months brands’ success will be determined by their ability to adapt their checkout to reach customer touchpoints that span online, offline, voice, social, iOT and more. Yvan Boisjoli, CEO and Co-Founder of Bold Commerce, a technology company that builds specialized ecommerce applications for 90k+ DTC retailers, shares how the next phase of ecommerce will be defined by a headless checkout experience. This will allow brands to turn shoppable moments into revenue on any digital channel, without rebuilding or modifying the backend of their platform, or migrating entirely to a new platform. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mahmoud Arram is Co-founder and CTO of Bluecore, a retail marketing technology that reimagines how retailers communicate with their customers through email marketing and website personalization. He shares how the company is powering retailers to dominate the permanent shift to digital and move at the speed of the consumer through personalized shopper experiences, anywhere, at scale -- and why Bluecore's work with 400+ retailers may have made Bluecore important to the rebound of retail and laying the foundation for long-term stability.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Instacart may be a necessary component to compete in the grocery space because brands expect this kind of functionality in order to get in front of more consumers. Rick Watson, CEO of RMW Commerce Consulting, whose work is centered on supporting investors and management teams incubating and growing direct-to-consumer businesses, offers insights into the increasingly relevant issue. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephan Schambach, CEO of NewStore (a mobile platform that enables retailers to run their physical stores on an iPhone) discusses his new report that assessed nearly 200 brands – while many retailers have done a good job of implementing services during COVID to make the customer experience more convenient and safe, like BOPIS and curbside pickup, online storefronts and physical locations are not truly integrated. Therefore, they have “paper mache” omnichannel capabilities that will soon fail as they aren’t long-term solutions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Ressa, Senior Vice President of Leasing, Midwest and Northeast, at DLC Management Corp, offers insights into the state and continued relevance of physical retail, bridging to ecommerce, the importance of creative marketing and storytelling, and how companies like his have supported retailers during and through the pandemic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Understanding that this is a nervous time for brands as they prepare for the opening of physical retail and events, Seen Displays works with some of the most exciting global brands within the industry to ensure they are ready for inviting their audiences back into physical spaces. Managing Director, of Seen Displays Katie Mitchell boasts a career within the retail industry that’s spanned between working brand side and agency, and Seen is  a Creative Design and Production agency specializing in retail and experiential events, working with some of the biggest names in retail and events, including Nike, Selfridges, Microsoft and Instagram, and creating strategies, design and produce brand activations and experiences such as pop-ups, press and VIP events, windows and creative campaigns all over the world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A proven retail and CPG innovation executive with 30 years’ experience leading teams delivering high-impact products for retailers worldwide, Cheryl Sullivan (President of DemandTec) has spear-headed retail strategy efforts for leading retailers such as Walgreens, PetSmart, Dick's Sporting Goods, Home Depot, Family Dollar, eBags, BJ's, Sally Beauty, Ahold Delhaize, and Douglas. She joins to share how, with a shaky economy and COVID still posing a threat, retailers need to reboot their retail pricing strategies and better understand shoppers’ trust issues with pricing, especially during and post COVID, how to gain a competitive edge with AI-driven pricing strategies and which retailers are “getting it right” during these challenging times, shoppers’ trust issues with pricing explained, leveraging AI-driven competitive pricing for a powerful strategy, and more. With guest host Gary Hawkins. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For nearly 20 years, Doug DuMars worked in finance, managing portfolios for companies like Kraft and Pepsi. Then two years ago, Doug saw a chance to disrupt the energy drink category with Rebellious Infusions; an all-natural, organic product with high levels of antioxidants and zero to low caffeine. Plus they're designed to boost the immune system -- a far cry from their chemical-filled competitors. Doug is looking to disrupt a highly competitive category: energy drinks. He started Rebellious Infusions because he wanted people to reimagine their idea of energy drinks into something that's actually good for you, plus with added health benefits you won't find in other products. Doug offers insights on how the beverage industry has changed over his career, where it's going, and what can be expected in the future.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to rebrand an iconic company after more than two centuries of history, operating in some ways like a startup, propelling innovation, and navigating through its second pandemic? Co-CEO Karen Colberg shares the inspiring history, ethos, missions, and challenges of King Arthur Baking Company (formerly King Arthur Flour Company). With guest host Gary Hawkins. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a finger on the pulse of all things culture, Retail Prophet’s Director of Insights Reilly Stephens leverages her understanding and network in the music, tech, marketing and advertising industry to keep the team up to speed on grassroots movement and trends. She shares insights on how brands and retailers have navigated the pandemic, opportunities and challenges, along with thoughts on drones, user-generated content, and digital fashion, and the roles of media and content in building better bridges between physical and digital commerce. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leading brands, visual creatives, designers, visual merchandisers, architects, vendors and academic institutions worldwide use WindowsWear, reportedly the world’s largest and most comprehensive visual database of retail and e-commerce. Founder/CEO Jon Harari offers insights into how this unique online resource provides competitive research, information, insights, and trends for visual creatives to enhance and coordinate their brand’s physical and e-commerce environments, and the content that includes visual merchandising, window displays, retail & interior design, product packaging, e-commerce, technology and more from the hottest global brands. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Retail Pride is about celebrating your accidental career, and the theme of the first book by author Ron Thurston (Vice President of Stores at Intermix, an author and member of the Board of Directors at Goodwill)."Retail Pride: Your Guide to Celebrating Your Accidental Career" is an indispensable guide for every retail employee, manager, and multi-store leader looking to accelerate their potential and grow their career. It's filled with straightforward, practical tips for developing your talents, connecting with customers, and building your leadership skills. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Passionate about transforming the retail industry, specifically the customer’s buying experience, and integrating technology within that journey, Kishore Khandavalli is the founder of 7T, a custom software development firm that works on projects ranging from mobile apps to large enterprise platforms. He shares how his team recently developed the Fit Freedom app,  an augmented reality (AR) body measurement application designed to simplify the online apparel shopping experience, and designed the app first for Rebel Athletic, who wanted to use it to allow cheer teams, like the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, to shop for athletic wear and custom uniforms within minutes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The post-sales consumer experience is an area of the customer journey that's overlooked by many retailers. Tobias Buxhoidt, CEO and co-founder of parcelLab, has worked in logistics and warehouse operations for over 20 years and now helps over 500 retailers including Ikea, H&M, Puma, Farfetch, and Nespresso improve their post-sales operations and related consumer experience. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the leading manufacturer of reusable bags, Lotus Sustainables has eliminated the need for over 400 million single-use plastic bags. In 2020 the company ranked 144 on the INC 5000 fastest growing companies in America. Founder and CEO Farzan Dehmoube is on a mission to eliminate plastic from shopping with eco-friendly products now available in 15,000+ stores across the US and Canada, as well as on Amazon and Lotus-Sustainables.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cure Hydration is the only organic beverage with a science-backed formula, plant-based ingredients, no added sugar and has 4x the electrolytes of leading sports drinks. With 75% of people being chronically dehydrated, and the majority of drinks in the $14.5 billion sports & energy beverage market full of sugar and synthetic ingredients. CEO/Co-founder Lauren Picasso shares insights on a recent funding round, 10x sales growth in 2020, growth of subscription orders, and standing out and achieving shelf space in major retailers in an established but growing market. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the first time, e-commerce will not just be a channel for transactions – people can now actually browse and shop online, just like they did in-store. Ben Rodier, Co-Founder & Chief Client Officer at Salesfloor, shares how the company offers a mobile application platform designed for store associates so they can personalize each interaction with consumers, whether that’s in-store, online, on social – any channel, helping clients get a 10x lift in online conversions and 47% increase in average order values, compared to traditional e-commerce metrics. Salesfloor is enabling store associates to go virtual where consumers are met on retailer and brand websites by an associate from a local store near the consumer and can help guide the shopping experience by offering product / apparel recommendations, can demo items via live video chat, etc. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Northwood Retail leases, manages, and markets a portfolio of community and mixed-use properties across the United States with a concentration in Texas, Colorado, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Northwood Retail's president, Ward Kampf, provides important insights into how consumers are shopping to buy and are more decisive in the decision making process, that consumers will be more thoughtful about how they spend and what they are getting since many are saving money from traveling this season, the investment trend that consumers continue to make in their homes and luxury, why retailers must create demand and meet the consumer where they are, and why it is so important to provide a targeted and customized shopping experience to stand out.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sustainable direct-to-consumer bedding brand Sheets & Giggles, based in Denver, Colorado, is famous for their naturally cooling eucalyptus lyocell sheets and comforters, their impressive give-back to charitable causes and plating trees for every purchase, and branding and marketing overflowing with humor. Founder/CEO Colin McIntosh shares the origins and ethos of the company along with what drives its rapid growth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brain Corp provides autonomous solutions that enable OEMs to turn their manually driven products into intelligent machines. Phil Duffy, Vice President of Product, Program, and UX Design for Brain Corp, talks through the opportunity to leverage accessible automation, expand workforce capacity, improve facility safety, and how the future of retail robotics and how autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) can support retail employees, while providing valuable data insights to managers to optimize store operations (amid the pandemic and beyond). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

StellaLife is a biotech company on a mission to improve people’s lives by offering innovative, natural products to accelerate the healing process while also helping to relieve oral pain as well as reducing the need for opioids. CEO Gennady Sirota shares the passion StellaLife has for customers, innovation, natural healing and social responsibility, the goal to help combat the significant societal issue and health crisis of opioid abuse, the support for non-profit organizations and offering natural alternatives to current pain medications, working supportively with oral care providers during the pandemic, and how his own entrepreneurial journey has prepared him for this very moment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brands like legacy ice cream brand Casper's have had to work twice as hard to fulfill orders and demands from their over 10,000 retailers who are selling out of ice cream.  Keith Lawes, VP of Sales and Marketing at Casper's Ice Cream, provides insights into the company's long history, diversifying the roster of successful products, what retail strategies work, and  how they are able to fulfill these large demands (with safety protocols) even in the face of a pandemic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Working with a number of the nation's most prominent grocery and convenience store chains to improve their customer experience and satisfaction efforts and results, Founder and President Jeff Hall shares how empathy plays into the impact Second to None makes, and why we've probably experienced the effect of its work. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The global pandemic has created a permanent shift in the consumer shopping experience and the strategies retailers should implement to adapt to this new reality. Sanjeev Sularia, CEO and Co-Founder, Intelligence Node shares the mission to empower retailers to grow in the Age of Amazon using data-driven competitive insights and how Intelligence Node has built the retail product database anywhere, which feeds the growth of more than $600 billion in retail revenue globally, and customers includes major retailers from LVMH to Adidas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Direct-to-consumer kitchenware brand Abbio is inspiring home cooks through a combination of accessible, professional-grade cookware, unique recipes and educational tools. Co-founder Jonathan Wahl takes us through how Abbio is formulating its path to a meaningful place in the cookware industry, and why the pandemic has offered up an unexpected boost. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Verb's amazing platform, verbLive, is making it possible for retail shops to provide customers with the part of in store shopping that they miss most - human connection (virtually of course). Founder/CEO Rory Cutaia inspires with what is possible now, and how retail and other industries can be deeply affected by this game-changing technology. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

How do you keep a fitting room safe in a pandemic? As apparel retailers move to re-open physical retail locations in a world ravaged by a pandemic, one challenge is that customers simply don’t feel safe in the fitting room. It's crucial to build confidence in the inshore experience with both customers and associates. Two companies, Alert Tech and Healthe Lighting, have brought together their technologies to provide a solution right now for retailers, using Far UVC lighting. It is an effective visible system that cleans the air and surfaces using existing infrastructure. Alert Tech's VP of Sales Brian Laney and Healthe's CTO Fred Maxik unpack the story and possibilities. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

As physical retail locations reopen, how do you protect customers and employees alike? Not everyone will comply with mask wearing requirements or expectations, creating a complicated path to keeping people safe while maintaining positive consumer experience. Richard Carriere (Senior VP, Global Marketing & General Manager, US  Operations for Cyberlink) discusses existing technology that has been transformed into a vital mask detection tool and  a real game changer.

How does a family owned retail apparel business survive challenge after challenge after challenge, from 9/11 to a hurricane to a pandemic? Guido Campello, Co-Owner of lingerie retailer Cosabella and Journelle, offers insight into a family history of more than 37 years in the lingerie business, and how he took this time to re-evaluate the business while also giving all locations a facelift before a reopening of physical retail locations.

Anomalie is pioneering a new model in retail supply chains uniquely fit for expansive customization at mass scale. Leslie Vorhees brings an extensive background in mechanical engineering, and career in supply chain management for Nike and Apple.  She joins Rebecca Fitts and guest host Marc Raco to discuss how Anaomalie is thriving in the face of a pandemic, and why a half million women have already looked to the company for a solution to their wedding dress needs.

Explore luxury event-planning and how it is navigating a world of pandemic, business and retailers, with Jessica Jordan Events founder Jessica Jordan.

One of the leading design entrepreneurs and experts in the US for home décor and furnishings, and author, Christiane Lemieux (Founder of THE INSIDE a new direct-to-consumer home furnishings brand and author of the new book Frictionless) joins Rebecca Fitts and guest host Marc Raco to share huge lessons on why the "future of everything will be fast, fluid, and made just for you."

With the visions of disrupting the luxury shopping space, beginning with childrenswear, Venezuela-born CEO/Founder of The Collective Child Sandra Makarem has over a decade of experience in the fashion space, including nearly eight years working as a buyer and a planner at Bloomingdale’s where she managed the performance of several omni-channel departments and led the development of new brands, including launching several successful multi-million dollar departments and private label brands to address the emerging millennial market segment. She launched The Collective Child as a side hustle and has helped members discover emerging limited distribution labels from around the world through an unparalleled personalized service to thousands. Her passion, knowledge, and experience come through in every box shipped. With guest host Rebecca Fitts.

Founder/CEO Ayeshah Abuelhiga shares how demand for the "Best Biscuit in America", women-owned, Washington, DC restaurant Mason Dixie Biscuits to create a completely unplanned product that was inspired by loyal customers, resulting in naturally made, fresh, preservative-free products. She also focuses on retail innovation, what makes her products so different from others out there, creating experience for customers, what she has brought to this company from other high-level career experiences, and the values which have driven success (with biscuits now available in many retails stores nationwide): grit, authenticity, transparency, quality, and advancement.

Fasetto, Inc. creates technology solutions for an increasingly connected world. CMO Dan Bruck joins the show on location at CES 2020 in Las Vegas to share the possibilities for brands that comes with unlimited connectivity between people, their content and the devices they use—regardless of platform, device or network.

Mark Kohlenberg, CEO and Founder of WDM Footwear and Accessories, which is a premium leather footwear and accessories company offering turnkey development for private label production, discusses how the company's footwear and accessory production is all vertically integrated and 100% at their own factories in India. This has uniquely positioned them away from any fallout due to the coronavirus outbreak and, in fact, has led to them being inundated with many retail, wholesale, and DTC brands looking for assistance. With dozens of name brand clients, WDM’s capabilities include licensing, design and development, sourcing, packaging and full EDI capabilities and integration. WDM also owns its own DTC brand Moral Code, offering premium leather footwear and accessories for men.

NowMobile’s lines of portable wireless accessories not only allow you to be productive and entertained while on-the-go; they also give back. Brandon Hitt, Managing Partner of Hitt Brands (introducing solution based, trend-forward items that delight customers across all retail channels), joins on location at CES in Las Vegas. Hitt covers how, for every item sold, NowMobile will make a donation to Make-A-Wish; how NowMobile is a global provider of mobile accessories for work, home, and school; and how the subsidiary of Hitt Brands creates products to simplify consumers’ lives and empowers them to fully leverage today's technology without breaking the bank.

Ron Bonacci, Vice President of Marketing and Advertising for Weis Markets (a large regional grocery chain headquartered in Sunbury, PA with more than 200 stores in 7 states) shares insights on innovation, eduction, and keeping pace with change as a grocery retailer with Marc Raco and Sterling Hawkins on location at NGA in San Diego.

Jason Schulweis, SVP and Head of Brand Partnerships and Integrated Marketing for Morning Brew,  offers crucial insights about current trends within media and marketing due to the impact of COVID-19, how marketers can authentically connect with consumers, and the importance of brand purpose in the face of this new reality.

Aside from the physical health risks stoked by COVID-19, there's another byproduct of the pandemic that's potentially terrifying: the social impact of isolation and quarantines. Given the number of people directed and electing to work from home, social distancing becomes both a personal challenge as well as an important business concern. From London, Julia Hobsbawm (social entrepreneur and author of The Simplicity Principle) shares important insights, strategy, and perspective, along with useful plays, for business leaders facing the realities of social distancing amongst their workforce and customers.