Talk Retail to Me

As retailers gear up for the critical back-to-school and holiday seasons, new tariffs on Chinese imports—some as high as 145%—are causing significant disruptions in global supply chains. In this episode of Talk Retail to Me, Parker Avery's CEO, Clay Parnell, is joined by the firm's Chief Consulting Officer, Amanda Astrologo, and industry thought leader Walt Holbrook to discuss the current chaos driven by tariffs and how retailers can respond effectively. While recent reports indicate a sharp decline in shipments from China and soaring freight costs, the true challenge runs deeper: retail organizations must move from reactive tactics to integrated, end-to-end strategic thinking. Key Takeaways 1. There's no single fix—retailers need a coordinated, cross-functional response Amanda emphasizes the importance of aligning demand forecasting, pricing, allocation, and inventory strategies. “It's not just about pulling inventory forward,” she notes. “Retailers need to be thinking holistically—how product flows, where it lands, and how pricing strategies evolve with consumer sentiment.” 2. Agility isn't just a buzzword—it's a necessity. Walt shares how flexible retailers are renegotiating with vendors and adapting plans in real-time. “We can't rely on playbooks anymore,” he warns. “This is mission impossible without strong leadership and fast decision-making.” 3. Foundational capabilities matter now more than ever. The trio discusses how inadequate tools and reliance on manual planning are slowing down responses. Amanda highlights a renewed focus on core capabilities like merchandise financial planning and data visibility. “You can't execute pricing strategies or pivot on inventory if your teams are stuck in Excel spreadsheets,” she says. 4. This isn't just another short-term disruption. Comparisons to COVID are valid, but this time, consumer demand hasn't evaporated. “People want to shop,” Amanda notes. “But they don't want to pay 145% more.” That distinction changes the game and requires nuanced planning, inventory, and pricing strategies to protect both margin and customer loyalty. 5. Culture and creativity are competitive advantages. Both guests emphasize the need for a cultural shift inside retail organizations. Store teams must be empowered, and merchants encouraged to explore new sourcing strategies, domestic partnerships, and flexible assortments. “This is also a moment of opportunity,” Walt reminds us.   Final Thoughts This episode of Talk Retail to Me presents a candid, practical discussion on how retailers can move beyond reactive tactics and build long-term resilience. Whether it's scenario planning, realigning supply chain operations, or investing in foundational tools, the message is clear: speed, creativity, and flexibility are no longer optional—they're crucial for survival and future growth.   Host and Guests Clay Parnell, CEO, The Parker Avery Group https://parkeravery.com/clay-parnell/   Amanda Astrologo, Chief Consulting Officer, The Parker Avery Group https://parkeravery.com/amanda-astrologo/   Walt Holbrook, YODA Retail Consulting https://www.linkedin.com/in/waltholbrook/   Related Content & Resources Video Replay on YouTube https://youtu.be/kalorQerjmk   Blog Post | Supply Chain Resilience in the Face of Disruption https://parkeravery.com/supply-chain-resilience-in-the-face-of-disruption/   Blog Post | Rethinking Allocation and Replenishment to Drive Better Inventory Outcomes https://parkeravery.com/rethinking-allocation-and-replenishment-to-drive-better-inventory-outcomes/   Talk Retail to Me Podcast | Strategic Sourcing Considerations for a Disrupted Supply Chain https://parkeravery.com/strategic-sourcing-in-a-disrupted-supply-chain/   Parker Avery Retail Consulting Services https://parkeravery.com/retail-consulting/

In this episode of The Parker Avery Group's "Talk Retail to Me" podcast, retail experts Marty Anderson and Mike Johnson delve into how our firm collaborated with a major theme park retailer to untangle the complexities of managing over 300 unique stores. From hyper-localized assortments to razor-thin inventory margins, these consultants detail how data, analytics, and a clear roadmap contributed to balancing customer satisfaction with operational efficiency. Episode Highlights Managing inventory across 300+ hyper-localized stores requires a fundamentally different approach than traditional retail models. Balancing customer satisfaction with inventory efficiency is possible—but it demands data-backed insights and operational precision. On-site visits, cross-functional interviews, and customized analytics were critical to uncovering actionable opportunities. Even highly successful retailers benefit from an external perspective to challenge the status quo and fine-tune strategies. Robust data availability and high client engagement dramatically accelerate the path to impactful recommendations. Resources Read the project case study: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/retail-inventory-management-assessment/ Learn more about Parker Avery's consulting services: https://parkeravery.com/retail-consulting/ Meet Marty Anderson: https://parkeravery.com/marty-anderson/ Meet Mike Johnson: https://parkeravery.com/mike-johnson/ Meet Tricia Gustin: https://parkeravery.com/tricia-gustin/ Listen to more Talk Retail To Me podcast episodes: https://parkeravery.com/retail-podcast/

Episode Overview In this dynamic roundtable, host Sam Iosevich monitors a panel of pricing experts as they discuss how to tackle the complexities of modern retail pricing. From inflation and AI to organizational alignment and price wars, this episode delivers sharp insights and practical guidance. Guests Robert McGuire, Retail Pricing Leader Jeffrey Kittell, VP, Pricing & Strategy, SpartanNash Eddy Salas, SVP Retail Strategy, DataWeave Key Takeaways How agility in pricing starts with organizational clarity and cross-functional alignment You cannot be agile if your teams are not aligned. A well-defined pricing strategy, clear decision rights, and tight collaboration between merchandising, digital, supply chain, and pricing are foundational. Using AI as a strategic “intern” to streamline pricing ops AI is not a replacement for pricing teams—it's a force multiplier. When treated as an "intern," AI can handle tedious tasks like competitive matching and execution rules, freeing experts to focus on strategy. The danger of racing to the bottom—and how to hold the line on value Price wars destroy long-term value. Winning retailers focus on their game—not the competition's—by reinforcing brand value, leveraging data, and resisting unnecessary discounting. The metrics retailers should be watching beyond gross margin Profit matters—but so do frequency, basket size, and customer lifetime value. Broader, customer-centric metrics give a better read on how pricing impacts both the short and long term. Real-time pricing: aspirational buzzword or operational reality? Real-time adjustments are only possible with integrated systems and data flow. But even without full automation, having playbooks, streamlined approvals, and analyst autonomy can deliver agility. Whether you're rethinking your pricing strategy or trying to avoid the next margin hit, this conversation offers a forward-looking playbook for today's retail leaders. Related Content Parker Avery Insights | The Expert Guide to Retail Pricing (https://parkeravery.com/retail-pricing/) Parker Avery Insights | Price Optimization: Margin Rate vs. Margin Dollars (https://parkeravery.com/price-optimization-margin-rate-vs-margin-dollars/) Case Study | Retailer Sees Strong Results With AI-Driven Price Optimization​ Solution​ (https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/retailer-sees-strong-results-with-ai-driven-price-optimization-solution/) Case Study | Markdown Optimization​ Solution Vastly Improves Retailer's Sell-Through and Margin​ (https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/markdown-optimization-solution-vastly-improves-retailers-sell-through-and-margin/)

In this episode, Tricia Gustin is joined by Sam Iosevich from Parker Avery and Dilip Popat from Novulis Consulting to discuss how AI-driven demand signals transform retail and CPG industries. The conversation explores the power of the Enterprise Intelligence Hypercube, an advanced platform that integrates data across all organizational functions to provide real-time, actionable insights. Sam and Dilip share how AI enables retailers to address inventory productivity, revenue variability, and margin pressure while emphasizing the importance of clean data for successful AI implementations. Key Takeaways: What is an AI-driven Demand Signal? An AI-driven demand signal unifies data from multiple business functions (finance, supply chain, pricing, etc.) into a single, real-time signal. The Hypercube platform makes this possible by centralizing and structuring data for AI-powered insights across the organization. The Importance of Data Quality: High-quality data is crucial for effective AI-driven demand signals. Sam Iosevich explains how the Hypercube addresses data challenges and prepares it for AI algorithms by cleaning and structuring data across different functions. Real-Time Agility: AI allows retailers to make quicker, more informed decisions using real-time insights. This agility helps avoid stockouts, optimize pricing, and enhance supply chain efficiency. Cross-Functional Insights: The Hypercube enables all teams within a retail organization to access data and projections, helping them comprehend how their actions impact demand and work together more effectively across departments. Integration with Existing Systems: Despite many retailers' complex and fragmented technology landscapes, the EI Hypercube integrates seamlessly with legacy systems, ensuring that existing applications can easily access data. The Continuous Journey: Implementing AI-driven demand signals is merely the start. Retailers must persist in refining data, adjusting to new trends, and expanding AI applications throughout the organization. Tune in to learn how AI and data integration can elevate your retail operations and drive meaningful business outcomes!   Enterprise Intelligence Case Studies: Enterprise-wide Planning Solution Drives Global Retailer's Agility​ https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/enterprise-wide-planning-solution-drives-global-retailers-agility/   Markdown Optimization​ Solution Vastly Improves Retailer's Sell-Through and Margin​ https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/markdown-optimization-solution-vastly-improves-retailers-sell-through-and-margin/   SKU-Level Forecasting Accuracy Drives Strategies for Precision and Growth https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/sku-level-forecasting-accuracy-drives-strategies-for-precision-and-growth/   Subscribe to the Podcast: Don't miss out on more insights from retail experts. Subscribe to Talk Retail to Me for more discussions on how AI and innovative technologies are revolutionizing the retail industry. Plus learn how Parker Avery's retail experience and consulting expertise transform retail and consumer brand challenges into meaningful, sustainable improvements.   Follow Us on LinkedIn: Parker Avery https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-parker-avery-group/ Novulis Consulting https://www.linkedin.com/company/novulis-consulting/     Contact Information: Parker Avery Website: https://parkeravery.com/enterprise-intelligence/ Novulis Consulting Website: http://www.novulis.com/

In this episode of Talk Retail to Me, we dive into a transformation at one of America's largest family-owned luxury retailers. What started as a straightforward client project to clarify roles became a journey of rebuilding trust, transforming leadership behaviors, and healing a deeply fractured organization. Join Parker Avery CEO Robert Kaufman, Principal Kathi Toll, and host Tricia Gustin as the team unpacks how authentic leadership, structured processes, and a willingness to admit mistakes turn an organizational crisis into a story of redemption. Key Takeaways What started as a simple process improvement project revealed deep organizational trust issues stemming from a poorly executed reorganization Leadership's informal decision-making and inconsistent communication created widespread confusion and frustration Rebuilding trust required authentic leadership acknowledgment of mistakes and sustained behavioral changes A successful RACI (responsibility assignment matrix) implementation helped provide clarity and structure Organizational change requires consistent, repeated communication and a clear explanation of the "why" behind changes Client Background and Challenge A family-owned luxury retailer initially engaged The Parker Avery Group to help with what seemed to be a straightforward process improvement project in their product development area. However, within hours of arriving, the consultants discovered much deeper organizational issues: A recent reorganization had been implemented poorly, with employees being moved to new roles without proper training or explanation Leadership made informal decisions without proper communication or documentation Different leaders were giving conflicting directions to their teams Employee surveys revealed significant dissatisfaction and loss of trust HR had been sidelined during the reorganization process Project Evolution The scope expanded from process improvement to addressing fundamental trust and organizational issues The consulting team worked closely with HR and, eventually, the CEO to address leadership behaviors One senior leader's transformation after attending a leadership academy helped shift team dynamics Outcomes While trust wasn't fully rebuilt in three months, significant progress was made, and the client achieved a stronger overall team environment Teams became highly engaged in implementing the RACI matrix New structures provided clarity around roles and advancement opportunities The project left the organization with tools for sustained improvement, though ongoing leadership commitment would be crucial The project highlighted the importance of clear communication, proper organizational change management, and authentic leadership during organizational changes.   Learn more about Parker Avery's consulting services: https://parkeravery.com/retail-consulting/ Read the case study: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/better-merchandising-processes-and-new-roles-drive-fine-jewelers-future/ Meet Robert Kaufman: https://parkeravery.com/robert-kaufman/ Meet Kathi Toll: https://parkeravery.com/kathi-toll/ Meet Tricia Gustin: https://parkeravery.com/tricia-gustin/ Listen to more Talk Retail To Me podcast episodes: https://parkeravery.com/retail-podcast/

In this episode of Parker Avery's "Talk Retail to Me" podcast, Clay Parnell (president and managing partner) and Marty Anderson (principal) discuss a recently completed project for a $7 billion jewelry retailer. The two retail experts share valuable insights from the project which entailed developing a comprehensive, actionable roadmap to address business and technology challenges resulting from significant growth and acquisitions. Read the case study: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/global-jewelers-new-retail-process-and-technology-roadmap-energize-growth/ Learn about Parker Avery's consulting services: https://parkeravery.com/retail-consulting/ Start solving your most important merchandising challenges:  https://parkeravery.com/contact-us/ 

In this episode of the 'Talk Retail to Me' podcast by The Parker Avery Group, Tricia Gustin, senior director Carrie Habel, and senior manager Dustin Wright discuss a recent store operations improvement project. They detail their innovative approach, including a capsized train-the-trainer strategy and deep store collaboration, to identify inefficiencies such as laborious administrative tasks and ineffective training practices. The project resulted in significant labor savings, improved processes, and enhanced backroom organization, illustrating the value of cross-functional collaboration and retailer engagement.   Start solving your most important store operations challenges:  https://parkeravery.com/contact-us/  Learn about our retail consulting services: https://parkeravery.com/retail-consulting/  Read the episode summary: https://parkeravery.com/behind-the-scenes-of-a-remarkable-store-operations-improvement-project/  Check out the case study: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/retailers-new-store-processes-and-training-boost-profit-and-efficiency/  Visit more Talk Retail to Me episodes: https://parkeravery.com/retail-podcast/  

In this episode of Talk Retail to Me, Parker Avery's Chief Executive Officer, Robert Kaufman shares his insights about the changing role of the retail chief supply chain officer. Answering questions from a recent interview with media outlet, Modern Retail, Robert discusses how changes in consumer shopping behaviors, combined with global macroeconomic events and disturbances have added great complexity, challenges, and risks to the retail supply chain. These issues continue to prevent a reliable and consistent flow of goods for even the largest and most sophisticated retailers and have dramatically altered the chief supply chain officer's role and impact on the company's success. Robert outlines new characteristics the executive-level supply chain and operations roles must possess to be successful as he addresses questions such as: What is pushing apparel brands into hiring new supply chain leaders or COOs? How have retail inventory planning and supply chain planning changed in recent years? What type of qualities are apparel brands looking for in their new chief supply chain officers? What are some of the major challenges that supply chain officers will face in the coming months? Meet CEO Robert Kaufman: https://parkeravery.com/robert-kaufman/ Read the blog version: https://parkeravery.com/podcast-expert-qa-new-role-of-retails-chief-supply-chain-officer/ Read the article in Modern Retail: https://www.modernretail.co/operations/as-supply-chain-disruption-eases-apparel-brands-are-tapping-new-leaders-to-manage-operations/ Learn about Parker Avery's supply chain consulting services: https://parkeravery.com/retail-consumer-goods-consulting/supply-chain-services/ Listen to more Talk Retail to Me podcasts: https://parkeravery.com/retail-podcast/ Meet The Parker Avery Group: https://parkeravery.com/about-us/

In this episode of Talk Retail to Me, Senior Director and omnichannel expert Rob Oglesby shares his insights into how big box retailers are handling the in-store fulfillment of omnichannel orders. Answering questions from a recent interview with media outlet Modern Retail, Rob outlines the implications, challenges, and risks, even as this capability becomes critical to many retailers' success. Rob answers the following questions about in-store omnichannel fulfillment: What is the basic idea behind using stores as fulfillment centers? What is pushing this strategy to become popular among big box stores? What are some of the major benefits of in-store omnichannel fulfillment? Why is this strategy particularly popular with big box stores like Walmart, Ulta, and others? Do employees have dual identities as store associates and fulfillment center workers? How can retailers benefit from this type of fulfillment method? What are some of the risks or challenges of this type of strategy? How do you see this trend impacting the retail industry?   Read Parker Avery's expert guide to omnichannel order management and fulfillment: https://parkeravery.com/omnichannel-order-management-and-fulfillment/ Meet Rob Oglesby: https://parkeravery.com/rob-oglesby/ Listen to more Talk Retail to Me podcasts: https://parkeravery.com/retail-podcast/ Learn more about The Parker Avery Group: https://parkeravery.com/about-us/

Hosted by retail demand planning experts, Sam Iosevich, Marty Anderson, and Steve Gordon, Parker Avery's recent Talk Retail to Me Transformation Happy Hour covered integrated business planning as a key strategic focus area for leading retailers and consumer brands. The trio outlined key enablers around technology, business process, and organization that help companies unleash collaboration and efficiencies with integrated business planning to help realize meaningful business improvements. During this interactive happy hour, Sam, Marty, and Steve introduced Parker Avery's retail and CPG planning maturity model and answered participants' most pressing questions regarding integrated business planning. Show resources: Insights | The Expert Guide to Integrated Business Planning Download | Retail and CPG Planning Maturity Model Download | Integrated Business Planning Resources Parker Avery Blog | Transform Your Retail Enterprise with Advanced Analytics Parker Avery Blog | How to Overcome the AI Hype and Drive Retail Collaboration Case Study | Unified Demand Signal Drives Global Retailer's Enterprise Agility Case Study | Integrated Merchandise Planning Design and Roadmap To learn how Parker Avery helps clients achieve better planning capabilities, please visit our Enterprise Intelligence page or contact us to set up a time to discuss your specific needs. 

This episode of Parker Avery's Talk Retail to Me podcast focuses on business process transformation. Featuring two of our retail leaders, Clay Parnell and Deanna Emsley, we take a deep dive into what it means to transform business processes. We cover what areas are focus points for our clients, how Parker Avery helps retailers and consumer brands prioritize and navigate these process transformations, and what success looks like.  Moderated by Senior Director, Tricia Gustin, Clay and Deanna discussed the following questions What does business process transformation mean?  What might it include? Is every change in the way things are done a “business process transformation”? What is the most common trigger for a process transformation within a business? What processes or functional areas do we see the most opportunities for transformation today? Should retailers think about business process transformation as a short or long-term effort? Is business transformation usually tied to new system implementation or can it be a stand-alone activity? What are the biggest challenges our clients face when transforming their business processes?   What are some key success factors when launching a business transformation effort? For more information about Parker Avery's business transformation and retail consulting services, please visit: https://parkeravery.com/retail-consulting/ https://parkeravery.com/retail-consumer-goods-consulting/business-transformation/  

With technology moving at lightning speed, proper management of master data is critical to fully take advantage of new tech innovations.  Yet, many retailers struggle with master data management and overall data governance.  Hosted by master data experts and retail veterans, Deanna Emsley, Heidi Csencsits, and Rob Gentry, our June 29 Talk Retail to Me Transformation Happy Hour will dive deep into the most pressing master data challenges Parker Avery's clients and other retailers are facing.   Our happy hour hosts provide a brief overview of master data challenges and the implications of not having a planful approach and governance in place.  Most of the happy hour is spent answering questions and having an open dialog with participants. Show resources: Download | Data governance scope and definitions infographic  Download | Data governance and master data management resources Parker Avery Blog | Project Planning: Four Considerations for Data Readiness Parker Avery Blog | Make No Mistake: Avoiding Data Governance Issues Case Study | Master Data Consolidation Enables Core Merch Transformation Case Study | Item Master Assessment and Implementation  

Back by popular demand! Due to so much interest in our earlier podcast discussion on Transformational Leadership, we hosted an online happy hour focused on the same topic so we could answer your questions in a live format.   This fun, interactive event was hosted by Parker Avery OCM experts and retail veterans, Kathi Toll, Marty Anderson, and Carrie Habel who refocused the traditional paradigm of change management to a mindset that instills stronger elements of transformational leadership. Joining from three different states, three timezones, two airports, and one home office, Kathi, Carrie, and Marty discussed how retail leaders can assess and improve their ability to engage their teams to become ambassadors of meaningful transformative change.    Materials and links discussed during the show: Change Management Resources (online) OCM and Transformational Leadership Resources (pdf) Change Management Assessment The Nordy Pod To learn how Parker Avery helps clients through transformations and navigate change, please see our change management services: https://parkeravery.com/change-management-services/  

In this episode of Talk Retail to Me, Parker Avery consultants and retail veterans Marty Anderson, Deanna Emsley, and Mike Johnson take a deep dive into the world of retail hierarchies. Senior Director of Marketing, Tricia Gustin, hosts the discussion, during which the experts discuss: What are retail hierarchies and what roles are involved? Why they are so often mismanaged or poorly executed? What are best practices when it comes to developing and maintaining retail hierarchies? Where does data governance factor in with hierarchies? What systems support hierarchies and which integrations are important? To learn more about Parker Avery's retail consulting services and our areas of expertise, please visit: https://parkeravery.com/consulting-services/

In this episode of Talk Retail to Me, Parker Avery consultants take a deep dive into allocation and replenishment. Coming off the heels of Shoptalk 2023, where so many people are still reaching for the shiny tech, we are focused on ensuring the basics of retail are securely and optimally in place so those customer-facing innovations work well and deliver a great customer experience. Allocation and replenishment is one area with its share of innovations like integration to AI-driven demand forecasting, but also brings lots of opportunities to increase internal and external efficiencies and result in better inventory management and visibility.  Senior Director of Marketing, Tricia Gustin, hosts Parker Avery retail experts Nia McDonald, Mike Johnson, and Dave Seeley.  All are senior managers with Parker Avery and have been deep in client work focused on allocation and replenishment. To learn more about Parker Avery's retail consulting services and our areas of expertise, please visit: https://parkeravery.com/consulting-services/

Organizational change management and retail experts Kathi Toll and Carrie Habel discuss transformational leadership and why this competency is critically important. They outline how it differs from change management and specific tactics retailers and brands must take to evolve their organizations and people into transformational leaders. Meet Kathi Toll: https://parkeravery.com/kathi-toll/ Meet Carrie Habel: https://parkeravery.com/carrie-habel/ To learn more about The Parker Avery Group and our range of consulting services for retailers and CPG companies, please visit https://parkeravery.com. For the video version of this episode, visit: https://youtu.be/XibEpX3uuvc

In this episode of our Talk Retail to Me podcast, we discuss integrated business planning (IBP) and how Parker Avery approaches this strategic capability that many retailers and consumer brands struggle to effectively grasp because of the traditionally highly siloed nature of planning. This episode features Sam Iosevich, Parker Avery's Chief Analytics Officer, and Steve Gordon, our Chief Customer Officer. Both Sam and Steve have deep experience with aligning organizations' planning processes around a unified demand signal.    Also joining the conversation is retail veteran and Principal Marty Anderson, who lends an industry-backed perspective from his experience implementing integrated business planning at Belk.  The trio of experts outlines changes and challenges companies experience as they attempt to migrate towards more collaborative IBP, and how Parker Avery's Enterprise Demand Intelligence solution not only easily integrates into our clients' existing planning systems, but provides data at levels and measurements appropriate to be used by each functional area.   To learn more about Parker Avery's retail and demand planning experience, clients, and consulting services, please visit https://parkeravery.com   Introduction music: On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay.

Tricia Gustin, Senior Director of Marketing for The Parker Avery Group is joined by Parker Avery's CEO, Robert Kaufman, along with Senior Manager John Lawing. The trio takes a deep dive into the product development process and supporting PLM systems. Based on their decades of experience helping Parker Avery clients enhance this key functional area, they also highlight best practices and innovations that retailers and brands should be considering, as well as common pitfalls to avoid. Questions covered include: What is product development and what roles are involved? What key capabilities are the most important? What are the best practices for product development and PLM system implementations? Alternatively, what common mistakes or biggest challenges do you see today? What innovations can improve a company's product development capabilities? To learn more about Parker Avery's retail and product development experience, clients, and consulting services, please visit https://parkeravery.com   Introduction music: On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay.

In this episode of Talk Retail to Me, Tricia Gustin is joined by Parker Avery's Chief Analytics Officer Sam Iosevich, along with Senior Analytics Consultant Scott Kirila and Professor Alex Iosevich from the University of Rochester mathematics department. This episode provides an insider's view of the university's STEM Tripods 2022 summer research program. The group discusses the "real world" retail industry experience the participating students received, Parker Avery's hands-on involvement, as well as how the program continues to expand.  STEM for All is a month-long summer program during which participants from the university and other local colleges, as well as some high schools, work on intensive research projects outlined by billion-dollar, global companies. The Parker Avery Group's analytics team has been deeply involved in these STEM programs for several years, and the team will continue its partnership with UR in future research programs.   To learn more and get involved in this growing program, please use the following links: Parker Avery press release   2022 version of the STEM For All program: https://people.math.rochester.edu/faculty/iosevich/stemforall2022.html   Ongoing undergraduate research program: https://people.math.rochester.edu/faculty/iosevich/Fall2021DataScienceUndergradResearch.html   Research paper resulting from Tripods/StemForAll2022 (Alex and Scott are co-authors): https://arxiv.org/abs/2209.12079   Featured on the Best 60 Retail Podcasts Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay.  

This episode of Talk Retail to Me features Principal Marty Anderson and Senior Manager Dmitry Magas, who are both retail pricing and advanced analytics experts.  A few weeks ago, Maria Monteros from Modern Retail interviewed Marty and Dmitry for an article she wrote titled, “Not raising prices is the hot new inflation marketing tactic.”  We invite you to sit in on their conversation, where the two experts discuss how different pricing strategies, along with deeply understanding price elasticities of your products, and the use of advanced analytics tools like Parker Avery's are capabilities that set retail leaders far ahead of their competition.   Featured on the Best 60 Retail Podcasts Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay.

This week, we welcome Mark Burstein who is the EVP, Industry & Market Development for Logility. Logility is a supply-chain-focused solution vendor that is accelerating the digital sustainable supply chain by helping retailers seize new opportunities, sense and respond to changing market dynamics, and more profitably manage their complex global businesses.  Mark is also a Contributing Member of the Forbes Technology Council. Joining Mark is Parker Avery Partner Randi Nolan.  The two industry experts recently attended the American Apparel and Footwear Association's Traceability and Sustainability Conference held in beautiful downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.   In this episode, we discuss their key takeaways from the AAFA conference, as well as why retailers need to start now with a clear roadmap that includes sustainability in the supply chain. They also touch on where other retailers are in their sustainability efforts, as well as critical first steps retailers must take to achieve sustainable supply chain maturity.  Learn more about Logility:  https://www.logility.com/ Learn more about the AAFA: https://www.aafaglobal.org/   Featured on the Best 60 Retail Podcasts Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay.

This week, Parker Avery Principal Marty Anderson along with Senior Managers Heidi Csencsits and Dmitry Magas discuss retail pricing and promotions.  The three industry experts expand on their recent core merchandising conversation and take a deep dive into another key retail capability area. Along with host Tricia Gustin, the team covers: What is involved in the effective management of pricing and promotions? What key capabilities are the most important? What common mistakes or challenges do you see?   What innovations can improve a company's capabilities in this area? To learn more about Parker Avery's retail experience, clients, and services, please visit https://parkeravery.com  Featured on the Best 60 Retail Podcasts Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay.

In this episode, The Parker Avery Group continues our focus on core retail functions and we cover merchandise financial planning (MFP). Senior Director of Marketing, Tricia Gustin is joined by Senior Managers LouAnn Villasor and Russ Smith, both of whom have deep experience in merchandise financial planning business processes and system implementation across a wide variety of retailers. In this discussion, we focus on MFP challenges, innovations, and key capabilities.   To learn more about Parker Avery's retail experience, clients, and services, please visit https://parkeravery.com  Featured on the Best 60 Retail Podcasts Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay.

This week, Parker Avery's Chief Analytics Officer and Managing Partner, Sam Iosevich, and Senior Director of Marketing, Tricia Gustin, welcome Steve Gordon into the firm. Steve is an apparel, grocery, and CPG industry veteran with over three decades of experience as a retail industry insider, business development professional, and consultant.  He joins The Parker Avery Group as the firm's Chief Customer Officer.  Learn about Steve and Sam's long career history together and the key tenets they share about company culture, clients, and teams.   Read Steve's press release: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/the-parker-avery-group-expands-firms-executive-team/  Learn more about The Parker Avery Group's consulting and analytics services: https://parkeravery.com/services/  Featured on the Best 60 Retail Podcasts Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay.

In this episode, guest Michelle Bogan joins our discussion. Michelle's firm, Equity at Work, provides consulting to companies focused on developing DEI strategies to align business objectives, employee experiences, and company values. Equity at Work also supports company leaders in driving the appropriate changes.  This episode also features Kathi Toll and Carrie Habel, who both lead Parker Avery's Organizational Change Management Academy and OCM projects for the firm's clients, as well as Tricia Gustin, the firm's marketing leader.  The discussion focuses on: Michelle's extensive retail background How and why she started her firm Equity at Work The parallels between omnichannel retail and DEI efforts How organizational change management can support DEI efforts Michelle also provides her advice for companies embarking on or struggling with navigating diversity, equity, and inclusion.  Learn more about Parker Avery's change management services: https://parkeravery.com/change-management-leadership/ Learn more about Equity at Work: https://equity-at-work.com/ Meet Michelle Bogan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleebogan/ Meet Kathi Toll: https://parkeravery.com/pag-team-kathi/ Meet Carrie Habel: https://parkeravery.com/pag-team-carrie/ Meet Tricia Gustin: https://parkeravery.com/pag-team-tricia/ ----more----Featured on the Best 60 Retail Podcasts Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay.

In this episode of Talk Retail to Me, we kick off a series that will focus on specific business areas across retail and CPG.  Over the next few months, we're going to take a deep dive into all areas of merchandising, planning, supply chain, forecasting, omnichannel, and more. For each of these business areas, Parker Avery's team of experts gets into basics and details, covering questions like: What does this area encompass? What key capabilities are the most important? What retailers or consumer brand companies excel at it? What common mistakes or challenges do you see? What innovations can improve a company's capabilities in this area? This week we focus on core merchandising, featuring:  Marty Anderson, Principal Heidi Csencsits, Senior Manager Tricia Gustin, Senior Director of Marketing (and host) To learn more about Parker Avery's retail and CPG experience and our array of consulting services, we invite you to visit: https://parkeravery.com/. Featured on the Best 60 Retail Podcasts Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay.

This week, Clay Parnell, Parker Avery's President and Managing Partner, and Tricia Gustin, Senior Director of Marketing, welcome retail industry leader Randi Nolan into the firm. Randi has an extensive list of executive titles across global retail and apparel brands—and her accomplishments are widely recognized throughout the industry.  The trio discusses Randi's extensive career in retail, as well as their perspectives on key focus areas for retailers as they navigate 2022 and beyond.  To learn more about Parker Avery's team, we invite you to visit: https://parkeravery.com/pag-team/. Featured on the Best 60 Retail Podcasts Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay.

This episode of Talk Retail to Me features Les McNeill, the Chief Technology Officer and founder of Impulselogic, Inc., along with Parker Avery store operations experts, Senior Director Rob Oglesby, and Tricia Gustin, Senior Director of Marketing. The trio of experts talks about the causes of in-store inventory management issues as well how changes to the overall store inventory paradigm and business processes, along with strategic use of new technologies, can help drive better results not just in stores, but throughout the supply chain and even upstream into merchandising and assortment planning decisions.  To support this paradigm change, Impulselogic provides advanced predictive analytics powered by artificial intelligence to create the optimal product flow through the store.  The system, along with business process alignment and execution consistency, helps to ensure product availability for both in-store and online customers, reduce waste, improve labor efficiency, and increase profits.   To learn more about Parker Avery's array of retail consulting services and expertise, we invite you to visit: https://parkeravery.com/services/. To learn more about Impulselogic, Inc., please visit: https://www.impulselogic.com/ Featured on the Best 60 Retail Podcasts Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay 

This week, Tricia Gustin is joined by Parker Avery's President and Managing Partner, Clay Parnell, along with Dave Seeley, who recently joined The Parker Avery Group as a Senior Manager. Dave brings a tremendous amount of retail industry experience, across operations, merchandising, and IT.  In this episode, we discuss Dave's extensive retail industry background, his continued interest in integrating AI and advanced analytics with the business of retail, and why his principle of keeping retail execution simple is paramount for success in any initiative.  The trio of experts also provides an insider's view of The Parker Avery Group's culture, how it strengthened during the pandemic, and why the firm is busier now more than ever.  To learn more about Parker Avery's array of retail consulting services and expertise, we invite you to visit: https://parkeravery.com/services/.   Featured on the Best 60 Retail Podcasts Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay 

This week, we took a departure from our usual industry focus and talked about an initiative that's near and dear to The Parker Avery Group's culture—our partnership with RetailROI and the JEDI Challenge.  We began this relationship early in 2021 with a sponsorship of RetailROI's SuperFriday event, which led to another sponsorship of their March Gladness event. Those two events began a series of conversations among Parker Avery's team about what more could we could do to help, beyond sponsorships, ultimately leading us to create an entrepreneur program for young Jamaicans. In this episode, we discuss the JEDI Challenge with Greg Buzek, President and Secretary of RetailROI, along with key principals from the Fergus Simpson Foundation, Janeth Brown, Carol and Lawrence Madden. We dive into what our young entrepreneurs have been up to since the JEDI Challenge ended late last year, as well as our plans going forward.  For more information about RetailROI: https://www.retailroi.org/ To participate in March Gladness: https://www.retailroi.org/march For more information about the Fergus Simpson Foundation: https://fergussimpsonfoundation.org/ To learn more about the JEDI Challenge: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/the-parker-avery-group-develops-entrepreneur-program-in-jamaica/ To get involved in JEDI 2.0 (slated for summer 2022): contact tricia.gustin@parkeravery.comgivin Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay 

This week, Tricia Gustin sat down with The Parker Avery Group's Chief Analytics Officer, Sam Iosevich, along with Senior Manager Dmitry Magas, who joined the firm almost exactly a year ago. The trio talked about Dmitry's analytics background and history with Sam, as well as some highlights of past client projects focused on forecasting and demand analytics.  They also discussed some recent Parker Avery pricing and analytics projects including a recently completed price optimization project for a global grocery retailer.  Learn about Dmitry's development of what Parker Avery's analytics team calls their "time machine," as well as why analytics is just one part of the overall forecasting and demand planning solution. To learn more about Parker Avery's advanced analytics services and expertise, we invite you to visit: https://parkeravery.com/advanced-analytics/    Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay 

Just in time for the holiday shopping frenzy, retail experts Kathi Toll, Heidi Csencsits, Carrie Habel, and Tricia Gustin discuss the recent launch of Homegoods' e-commerce platform, and the implications of this strategy on store operations, roles and responsibilities, merchandising, customer perception, inventory management, and more.  Enjoy this entertaining and casual conversation that not only veers off into other retail segments, but also highlights the deep industry expertise and the consumer perspectives of these professionals. To learn more about Parker Avery's retail and consumer goods consulting services and expertise, we invite you to visit: https://parkeravery.com/services/    Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay 

This week, Chief Analytics Officer, Sam Iosevich, and Director of Analytics, Dinesh Helwade, discuss their decades-long working relationship as well as Dinesh's plans for the firm's analytics team in India.  Learn how their deep analytics expertise, combined with a strong organizational culture, create compelling analytics solutions for Parker Avery clients.  To learn more about Parker Avery's analytics services and expertise, we invite you to visit: https://parkeravery.com/advanced-analytics/   Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay 

In this episode, Parker Avery's change management leader Kathi Toll, along with experts Carrie Habel and Heidi Csencsits talk about the firm's best-of-breed approach to change management and why it raises the bar above more traditional methods.   In this lively discussion, the team touches on: Why a more tailored approach to change is needed in every client environment and project Situations where we've seen clients “wing it” or use outdated tools/philosophies—and expect success (but are usually disappointed) At what point in a project change management activities should start Key tenets for success in helping clients navigate change To learn more about Parker Avery's change management services and expertise, we invite you to visit: https://parkeravery.com/change-management-leadership/   Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay 

After recently completing an in-depth change management initiative with popular retailer Abercrombie & Fitch, Parker Avery's change management leader, Kathi Toll, sat down with Dru Dominici, Director of Wholesale, and Tony Bradley, VP of Corporate Development, to discuss the need for more agile and adaptable organizations.  During this lively chat, the three experts also discuss John Kotter's “Thrive versus Survive” response, as as outlined in a recent HBR article, as well as the criticality of understanding that the most effective change activities specifically address these innate human responses. With the world's increasing volatility and complexity, and rapid change increasingly accepted as the “new normal,” these tenets are key to developing successful change competencies.  To learn more about Parker Avery's change management services and expertise, we invite you to visit: https://parkeravery.com/change-management-leadership/ Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay 

This week we're talking about Demand Intelligence, Parker Avery's software-as-a-service demand planning platform.  Demand Intelligence is not only powered by the latest in advanced analytics and artificial intelligence, but it's also driven by deep retail and CPG industry expertise.  One of the unique things about Demand Intelligence is that its development was informed with input from several global retail and CPG executives. The guiding light was to solve real retail and consumer goods business challenges and incorporate industry best practices bolstered with advanced analytics. Outside of the deep science and math, Demand Intelligence is a workflow-guided solution with a very intuitive and user-friendly interface.  What's more, it can be implemented in a matter of weeks, not months. In this episode, we give you a first-hand encounter of why Demand Intelligence is different from so many advanced analytics platforms on the market. Joining the discussion is our Chief Analytics Officer, Sam Iosevich, along with Partner Amanda Astrologo, and Principal Marty Anderson.  To learn more about Demand Intelligence, we invite you to read our latest press release: Parker Avery Solves Demand Planning Challenges with Groundbreaking AI Enabled Solution Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay 

In this episode, Senior Manager Heidi Csencsits, hosts Principal Marty Anderson and Senior Manager Louann Villasor to discuss assortment planning.  The Parker Avery Group has seen tremendous interest in our clients for improving their assortment planning capabilities, not only bringing in new technology, but also revamping business processes and organization to ensure these retailers are providing compelling assortments that drive both customer traffic and bottom line profit.  Louann and Marty recently completed a major assortment planning system selection and implementation for a large home décor retailer, and the three experts provide their perspectives on the subject.  The team discusses: Insights, unique requirements, and some "ah ha" moments experienced during the recent assortment planning implementation Why attribution and data quality are so critical for assortment planning Where assortment planning fits into the overall strategy, demand forecasting, planning, and buying processes Measures of successful assortment planning and store clustering methodologies The key tenet of simplicity as retailers desire to expand their assortment planning capabilities Where advanced assortment planning and clustering strategies should be headed to go beyond sales and margin Learn more about The Parker Avery Group's services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/services/ Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

In this episode, Partner Amanda Astrologo introduces one of the newest members of The Parker Avery Group, Senior Consultant Nia McDonald.  With over a decade of experience across a wide variety of retailers, retail segments, and CPG companies, Nia focuses on merchandise and sales planning, forecasting, and replenishment, as well as pricing and promotional strategies.   Amanda and Nia discuss her journey into retail consulting, the key skills and characteristics that successful consultants share, what it's like to be on the "consulting side," as well as being part of The Parker Avery Group's unique culture.   Meet the other members of The Parker Avery Group: https://parkeravery.com/pag-team/ Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

Organizational change management experts Kathi Toll, Deanna Emsley, and Marty Anderson talk about the new muscles retail and consumer brand companies must develop to be effective and competitive.  In this episode of Parker Avery's "Talk Retail to Me" podcast, the team discusses: Tenets that must be true for an organization to be effective Their experiences of going "back" into the office and traveling How communication within an organization needs to change with such a different work environment What associates in the corporate buildings can learn from the retail staff "on the front lines" Why higher priority must be placed on empathy in a professional setting The importance of hind-sighting on a more frequent basis We invite you to learn more about The Parker Avery Group's consulting services by visiting:  https://parkeravery.com/services/   Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

This week President and Managing Partner Clay Parnell, along with Partner Amanda Astrologo and Senior Director Rob Oglesby discuss key areas retailers are focusing on now and where they must focus in the near future for effective retail inventory management.  This may come as a surprise, but it's less about technology and much more about core capabilities driven by business processes and a sizable shift in traditional organizational roles and responsibilities across the retail enterprise. Further, it's about a focus on foundational elements to ensure resiliency and agility throughout the supply chain to ensure retailers meet customer demand and expectations.  We invite you to learn more about The Parker Avery Group's consulting services by visiting:  https://parkeravery.com/services/   Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

This week, Senior Managers Heidi Csencsits and Mike Johnson talk about a recent client project, where The Parker Avery Group helped a home décor retailer define and standardize product attributes across 50,000 items to improve the omnichannel customer experience and merchandising effectiveness.  The two retail experts also outline the importance of strong master data management and governance as the backbone of all retail omnichannel initiatives, as well as best practices and tips on getting started.  We invite you to learn more about The Parker Avery Group's consulting services by visiting:  https://parkeravery.com/services/   Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

This week, Parker Avery Partner Amanda Astrologo and Tricia Gustin introduce retail expert Julie Cheney, who joined the firm earlier this year. Julie has over 25 years of experience in the retail and wholesale industries as both an executive and consultant. She has held leadership positions in buying, merchandise planning & allocation, and program management within specialty apparel, footwear, outdoor equipment, and general merchandise retailers.   In addition to Julie's perspectives on consulting from within and outside the corporate halls, we discuss how package selection projects have changed over the last year, as well as what elements necessitate more focus in a remote or hybrid environment.  We invite you to learn more about The Parker Avery Group's consulting services by visiting:  https://parkeravery.com/services/   Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

The Parker Avery Group's analytics team gives their perspectives on finding the balance between artificial and emotional (human) intelligence.  Led by Chief Analytics Officer, Sam Iosevich, this team of mathematics PhDs has been continuously enhancing the firm's advanced analytics offerings for Parker Avery's clients.  In this episode, Scott Kirila, Evan Witz, and Luke Vaicunas discuss how intimately understanding each client's situation is key to providing the best solution--as well as the importance of helping the business understand and embrace artificial intelligence.  They also provide insights into the differences and learnings of bringing deep science from academia into the retail and consumer goods business world.  We invite you to learn more about The Parker Avery Group's analytics consulting services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/advanced-analytics/   Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

Retail experts Marty Anderson and Russ Smith discuss how system implementation projects have fundamentally changed during the pandemic.  Based on their experience of halting solution implementation projects mid-stream when the pandemic first hit and then ramping back up months later, Marty and Russ highlight key considerations for implementation success, including: How the overall structure of implementation teams changed. What activities are better conducted in person vs. remotely. How communication, change management, and engagement tactics need to adapt to accommodate a remote environment. We invite you to learn more about The Parker Avery Group's implementation consulting services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/solution-evaluation-selection-implementation/   Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

In this episode, Parker Avery's Chief Analytics Officer and Managing Partner Sam Iosevich sits down with Senior Director of Analytics, George Arutyunyants to talk about George's lifelong journey into and through analytics, his development philosophies, and his passion for chasing challenges in his eternal pursuit of gaining more knowledge.  Discover how the saying, "We are born with two ears and one mouth" and partnerships with academia, coupled with deep analytical, retail, and consumer goods expertise translate to better solutions for Parker Avery's clients.  We invite you to learn more about The Parker Avery Group's analytics services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/tailored-intelligence/  Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

Parker Avery retail planning experts, LouAnn Villasor and Lee Whitaker, discuss how merchandise financial planning (MFP) has changed over the course of 2020.  Based on their deep experience implementing MFP solutions, you will get their perspectives on how retailers need to think differently in approaching MFP going forward into 2021 and beyond. Learn more about The Parker Avery Group's services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/services/ Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-wayLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

This week, retail expert Heidi Csencsits and Parker Avery's change management and training experts, Kathi Toll, LouAnn Villasor, and Carrie Habel discuss training training strategies and tactics for a virtual world.  As with many corporate initiatives, training needs have fundamentally changed. These four retail experts provide insights about how companies must adopt new remote training strategies and tactics to ensure sustainable learning and better adoption of new business processes, roles, and supporting technologies.Learn more about The Parker Avery Group's change management and training services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/change-management-leadership/change-management-services/ Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-wayLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

This week, Parker Avery's Change Management leaders, Kathi Toll and Carrie Habel talk about Carrie's incredible career-long experience helping retailers navigate and manage change.  Discover how and why Carrie made the decision to join The Parker Avery Group.  Also, Kathi and Carrie provide their insights into how leaders should recognize their own feelings as well as their teams' to make sure they're working together to bring about positive, effective change, despite the entire world facing continual "FFT's." Learn more about The Parker Avery Group's change management services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/change-management-leadership/ Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-wayLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

Parker Avery's Chief Analytics Officer, Sam Iosevich sits down with demand planning expert Leo Greyz to talk about the firm's latest developments in demand analytics for retail and consumer goods companies. Hear about the key drivers that are pushing advanced demand analytics capabilities far deeper and faster than what the industry had ever imagined. Also, get realistic advice from Parker Avery's experts that will help your company achieve strong analytics capabilities to quickly realize meaningful results. Learn more about The Parker Avery Group's advanced analytics services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/tailored-intelligence/ Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-wayLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

You don't want to miss the story behind the unbelievable ROI achieved in a mere 8 weeks--to the tune of $8 million.  Parker Avery's pricing leader Josh Pollack and retail expert Heidi Csencsits discuss what made this particular advanced pricing implementation so successful, why pricing solutions can achieve such meaningful results, and several approaches retailers can take to move far beyond their beloved spreadsheets into real solutions driven by advanced analytics.  Learn more about The Parker Avery Group by visiting: https://www.parkeravery.com/ Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-wayLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

In this episode, retail supply chain and logistics experts Lee Whitaker and Rob Oglesby discuss their key takeaways and some surprising findings from the 31st Annual State of Logistics Report®, produced by The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP).  Click here for the full report.  Lee and Rob give their perspectives on:The growing importance of 5-G networks on logistics. Key actions that will contribute to a faster recovery for retail and consumer goods companies. Carrier and shipper behaviors and initiatives that warrant focus in the coming months.The importance of looking beyond the technology and incorporating process and change management.Learn more about The Parker Avery Group by visiting: https://www.parkeravery.com/ Introduction music:  On My Way by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-wayLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay