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Bella Mancini's firm was flying high for nearly two decades when the pandemic hit, shattering her project pipeline. With a bit of outside help, she embarked on an overhaul of her systems, ultimately building back a business that's prepared for whatever comes next. On this episode of Trade Tales, she explains how she overhauled her firm's processes with the help of a business coach, why it's crucial that clients communicate with every member of her team and how ditching a markup has transformed her business for the better.This episode was sponsored by Dallas Market Center and Crate & Barrel. LINKSBella Mancini Kaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Britt and Damian Zunino are a husband-and-wife duo whose creative partnership was a perfect match—bringing together expertise in architecture and design to create spaces where each discipline informs the other. But as the years went on, they realized they couldn't do it alone—it would take a carefully curated team to produce the kind of results they had always dreamed of.This episode was sponsored by Dallas Market Center and Crate & Barrel. LINKSStudio DB Kaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Episode At A Glance: This week on The SavvyCast, Katerina Mountanos joins me to share about her company Kosterina! Kosterina is a brand of high quality olive oils, vinegars, and more. I have been a long-time fan of their products, so it was a treat to sit down with the founder and CEO herself! In this episode, Katerina shares about her company, leading research on the health and beauty benefits of high quality olive oil, her favorite recipes, and more! Questions Answered In This Episode: What is Kosterina? How can high quality olive oil help me reach my health and beauty goals? Does the smoking point of olive oil make it a less healthy oil for cooking? How does olive oil benefit glucose levels? What are Jamie's favorite Kosterina products? Resources Mentioned In This Episode: Click here to shop Kosterina products! (Use this link for 15% off your first Kosterina order.) Kosterina Kitchen recipe rolodex Kosterina Kitchen cookbook Glucose Goddess Dr. Casey Means Good Energy Tucker Carlson episode ACTA 2018 study on the smoke point Who Is Katerina Mountanos? Katerina (Katina) Mountanos is a wellness expert and the founder and CEO of Kosterina. Kosterina is a wellness brand centered around high antioxidant extra virgin olive oil and more broadly, the modern Mediterranean diet. Her mission at Kosterina is to help people live longer, more delicious lives and through Kosterina's line of flavorful olive oils, velvety vinegars, high probiotic olives, and more. As a serial entrepreneur, olive oil sommelier and first generation Greek, Katina's story and knowledge is intriguing, relevant, and sought after. She has been a guest on numerous podcasts such as Be Well with Kelly Leveque and Purely Elizabeth. Katina has appeared on the TODAY Show, KTLA and her opinion is often quoted in Modern Retail, Food & Wine and the Tasting Table. The Kosterina products she's developed have won awards from SELF, Better Homes & Gardens, Men's Health, Tasting Table and the New York International Olive Oil Competition. Katina's journey in building Kosterina started in 2020 with a single bottle of EVOO and has expanded to a large assortment of award-winning products that have been featured in the New York Times, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, Bon Appetit, SELF, Eater, Men's Health and more. Kosterina is available online, at Whole Food Market nationwide, Target, Crate & Barrel, and other select retailers. If you enjoyed this episode, check out the ones below: Shop Here, Not There: A Grocery Insider Reveals the Best and Worst Stores Zane's Three Month A1C and Blood Sugar Update
On today's episode, host Kerry Diamond is joined by Alicia Waters, President of Crate & Barrel and Crate & Barrel Kids, and Sebastian Brauer, Senior Vice President of Product Design. Alicia and Sebastian talk about popular product collaborations with folks like Athena Calderone and Cherry Bombe cover star Molly Baz plus their current project with Monse and Oscar de la Renta fashion designer Laura Kim. They discuss how real relationships are the key to their major partnerships plus the customer trends they respond to when developing new product lines, their advice regarding careers, and more!Thank you to OpenTable and Pernod Ricard for supporting our show. Order our print magazine, get show transcripts, subscribe to our newsletter, and get event details & tickets. More on Alicia: LinkedIn|More on Sebastian: InstagramMore on Kerry: InstagramProduced by Catherine Baker and Elizabeth VogtEdited by Jenna SadhuContent & Partnerships Manager Londyn CrenshawRecorded at Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller CenterRadio Cherry Bombe is a production of The Cherry Bombe Podcast Network.
In our final episode of Season 8 we welcome Janet Hayes, CEO of Crate and Barrel Holdings, the leading home furnishings player with over 100 stores in 9 countries.Janet shares leadership lessons from a remarkable career with brands like Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Nike, and Gap and, now, in her current role driving growth at the owner of Crate & Barrel, CB2, and Hudson Grace. We delve into her perspectives on the role of technology, the changing nature of work in a post-COVID world, and more. We also get a glimpse into the drive forces behind their new flagship store in New York's Flatiron District. But before our fantastic interview we unpack the week in retail news, starting with Amazon achieving another remarkable milestone, along with word of its pending launch of a Temu/Shein fighter. Then we try to make sense of just what the heck is going on at Walgreen's before dipping into less than stellar earnings news from Nike and JC Penney. We wrap up with what seem like forever troubles at Forever 21. About JanetJanet Hayes is a retail industry veteran, with more than 30 years of leadership experience building digitally-led and customer-centric organizations. Currently, Janet is CEO of Crate and Barrel Holdings, a role she started in August 2020, amidst a global pandemic that catalyzed a pivotal shift in consumers' lives and the retail industry as a whole.Focused on building modern, authentic brands, Janet maximizes growth and profitability by elevating the customer experience through an omnichannel and personalized brand presence.A modern mindset guides Janet's leadership style and centers around making decisions rooted in personal purpose. Janet is an inspiring, inclusive leader who builds, mentors, and leads high performing teams that reflect CBH customers' unique values and experiences.www.crateandbarrel.comApp: Download the new Crate & Barrel App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/crate-barrel/id529356019 About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor, board member, and keynote speaker focused on strategic growth and transformation and the impact of digital disruption. He is the author of the bestselling book Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption and the all new Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption , now available for purchase in the U.S. and available for pre-order at book retailers elsewhere. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior contributor and on social media..Don't forget to join Steve's new Linked Group for his new book.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada's Retail Secure conference with leaders from The Gap and Kroger talking about violence in retail stores, keynotes on the state & future of retail in Orlando and Halifax, and at the 2023 Canadian GroceryConnex conference, hosting the CEOs of Walmart Canada, Longo's and Save-On-Foods Canada. Michael brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice. Michael also produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in North America, Remarkable Retail,Canada's top retail industry podcast; the Voice of Retail; Canada's top food industry and the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor, with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois. Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail influencers for the fourth year in a row, Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer, and you can tune into Michael's cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok. Available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state of the retail industry in Canada and the U.S., and the future of retail.
In this podcast episode, Neha Singh, Founder and CEO of Obsess.vr, delves into her journey and the innovative strides her company is making in the world of e-commerce. Singh, whose background uniquely blends computer science from MIT and fashion studies from FIT, has channeled her dual expertise into founding Obsess.vr. The platform transforms traditional online shopping into immersive 3D virtual store experiences, enhancing how consumers engage with brands. Singh's career began with roles at Google and a luxury e-commerce startup, eventually leading her to Vogue, where she launched various digital products. This diverse experience provided her with insights into both the tech and fashion industries, laying the foundation for Obsess.vr. Founded in 2016, Obsess.vr partners with top-tier brands like Dior, L'Oreal, and Crate & Barrel, creating virtual shopping environments that replicate the discovery-driven shopping of physical stores. Singh discusses the shortcomings of current e-commerce interfaces, which often reduce products to small thumbnails on a white background. This setup fails to convey the brand story and the experiential aspect of shopping. Obsess.vr addresses this by leveraging real-time 3D technology to create branded, interactive virtual stores. These environments are accessible via web links and integrate seamlessly with existing e-commerce platforms, making it easy for consumers to engage with them on any device. The platform's use of WebGL and Three.js ensures fast load times and high-quality rendering, essential for keeping users engaged. Singh emphasizes the importance of creating both photorealistic and fantastical virtual environments, depending on the brand's vision. Obsess.vr also incorporates gamification elements, such as scavenger hunts and custom games, which significantly boost user engagement and conversion rates. A key aspect of Obsess.vr's strategy is its focus on accessibility and integration. The platform integrates with major e-commerce systems like Salesforce and Shopify, allowing for seamless product data synchronization and enhanced customer experiences. Singh also highlights the importance of making these virtual experiences accessible through various channels, including social media, email, and even QR codes in physical stores. Singh envisions a future where the internet is inherently 3D, with virtual shopping becoming a standard part of the online experience. Obsess.vr aims to be at the forefront of this transformation, providing brands with tools to create and manage immersive digital experiences. The company is also exploring the use of generative AI to streamline the creation of 3D models and environments, further reducing production time and costs. The podcast also touches on innovative projects like the virtual store for K18 haircare, which educates users about hair structure through interactive 3D experiences, and the use of AI in extending historical ad campaigns into immersive environments for Elizabeth Arden. Singh's approach demonstrates how brands can use virtual spaces not just for selling products, but for creating memorable, educational experiences that build long-term customer relationships. In conclusion, Neha Singh's Obsess.vr is pioneering the next evolution of e-commerce, blending cutting-edge technology with creative brand storytelling. By making virtual shopping engaging, accessible, and integrated, Obsess.vr is set to revolutionize how consumers interact with brands online, making 3D virtual stores an essential component of the future internet. Have any comments or questions? Email the show Feedback@Buildingtheopenmetaverse.org Want more information? Visit our website www.buildingtheopenmetaverse.org And make sure you follow us on Linkedin for all of our show updates https://www.linkedin.com/company/buildingtheopenmetaverse Building the Open Metaverse is a podcast hosted by Patrick Cozzi (Cesium) and Marc Petit that invites a broad range of technical experts to share their insights on how the community is building the metaverse together. #BuildingTheOpenMetaversePodcast #MetaversePodcast #Metaverse
In the fifth part of this six-part series on Stories from the River, host Charlie Malouf welcomes back guest and good friend Charlie Workmon, President and CEO of Riverstone Logistics. In this episode, Charlie W discusses making the move to take over Riverstone Logistics full time with his full focus and effort. He discusses the transition as well as asking Charlie M to serve as his formal mentor in 2021. They discuss the mutually beneficial mentorship meetings that they held every two weeks, which included a formal agenda and walking through the influential Keith J. Cunningham book together, "The Road Less Stupid: Advice from the Chairman of the Board." Charlie W talked about reflecting on the phrase: Know the game you're playing. As Charlie W began to embrace the practice of "Thinking Time" that he took from Cunningham's book, he began to see clearly that Riverstone would be a people-centric and a client-centric platform for loving people well. And not to be the biggest or the best but just to be on the journey and improve a little bit each day. This belief would eventually be infused into the Company's purpose to love, serve, and improve. In 2021, Charlie W also came to the realization that the Company needed to be well capitalized in order to be able to run further faster. This realization would eventually lead him to facilitating a transaction and to bring in a sponsor (i.e., a group of investors) who believed in the vision and to come help them take the Company to a completely different level in a way that's meant to love people. Charlie W cited the connection that he made with Harold Baron, the former CEO of Nolan Transportation, and the key leader behind the strategic money and group of private investors who would invest in RLX. Harold is now the Chairman of the Board of Directors for RLX. Charlie W reflected on the day that transaction closed in mid October 2021 and the gravity of that transaction. He knew that they had put the Company in a really good position for the future, and that this was setting the stage to not just survive but to flourish with open hands. The stage had been set to have rapid growth with strong financial backing. Riverstone Logistics has seen impressive growth with revenues increasing from $13M in 2020, tripling to $42M in 2021, then doubling to $85M in 2022, more than doubling again in 2023 to $191M, and projected to reach $300M in 2024. RLX has been recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in Charlotte by the Charlotte Business Journal for the past three years, and they completed their first acquisition late last year. Charlie W says that RLX today is a sunrise company who's best days are ahead of us. Their operations reach across 31 states and three countries with 650 Extra Milers ("Extra Milers" being the term given to RLX's full-time employees). RLX is a multi-modal logistics company with a successful Final Mile division as well as a growing brokerage division. Their big customers are Lowe's, The Home Depot, IKEA, HD Supply, Crate & Barrel, Ashley Store licensees, and GE Appliances. Charlie W explains that they are playing the part of a company that is set to do business differently. He says that they have a "Field of Dreams" mindset where they bring key people in ahead of the need while waiting to see if their client would also join the company. A mindset of "If you build it, they will come." And, Charlie W says that they strive to over serve their clients, that they're structured to serve and love them well, that they have a transparent cost model, and that they work with their clients to share costs and help rein them in. And he says that they focus on being open hands, being transparent and reliable, and enroll them on the front end as to what is a fair margin for their services. Charlie W unpacks the inspiration behind the company's Purpose statement "to use our God-given talents and opportunities to love our neighbors, serve our communities and improve our industry," which he and the management team crafted in late 2021. And then Charlie W also walks through the seven Core Beliefs of Riverstone Logistics: - Go the Extra Mile - Run through the Storm - Canoe the Mountains - Win the Right Way - Pencils Have Erasers - Mutual Prosperity - Profit Fuels Purpose Book mentioned: The Road Less Stupid: Advice from the Chairman of the Board - Keith Cunningham - https://www.amazon.com/Road-Less-Stupid-Keith-Cunningham/dp/0984659269 RLX Purpose & Core Beliefs: https://rlx.us/purpose/ Listen to part one of this conversation, Family Business to Logistics Leader: How Charlie Workmon Got Started: https://youtu.be/2dtnhUNHwLs Listen to part two of this conversation, Parenthood, Prayer, and Perspective Fuel Purpose for Charlie Workmon: https://youtu.be/aqYuV1qQokk Listen to part three of this conversation, Broad River's 2015 Bold Reset: Turning Challenges into Opportunities with Charlie Workmon: https://youtu.be/1AW0WwZaC4A Listen to part four of this conversation, Purpose-Driven Leadership in Retail Operations with Charlie Workmon: https://youtu.be/1AW0WwZaC4A This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nS3gzJAjF0s Visit https://www.storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes. This show is brought to you by Broad River Retail. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broad-river-retail
In the fifth part of this six-part series on Stories from the River, host Charlie Malouf welcomes back guest and good friend Charlie Workmon, President and CEO of Riverstone Logistics. In this episode, Charlie W discusses making the move to take over Riverstone Logistics full time with his full focus and effort. He discusses the transition as well as asking Charlie M to serve as his formal mentor in 2021. They discuss the mutually beneficial mentorship meetings that they held every two weeks, which included a formal agenda and walking through the influential Keith J. Cunningham book together, "The Road Less Stupid: Advice from the Chairman of the Board." Charlie W talked about reflecting on the phrase: Know the game you're playing. As Charlie W began to embrace the practice of "Thinking Time" that he took from Cunningham's book, he began to see clearly that Riverstone would be a people-centric and a client-centric platform for loving people well. And not to be the biggest or the best but just to be on the journey and improve a little bit each day. This belief would eventually be infused into the Company's purpose to love, serve, and improve. In 2021, Charlie W also came to the realization that the Company needed to be well capitalized in order to be able to run further faster. This realization would eventually lead him to facilitating a transaction and to bring in a sponsor (i.e., a group of investors) who believed in the vision and to come help them take the Company to a completely different level in a way that's meant to love people. Charlie W cited the connection that he made with Harold Baron, the former CEO of Nolan Transportation, and the key leader behind the strategic money and group of private investors who would invest in RLX. Harold is now the Chairman of the Board of Directors for RLX. Charlie W reflected on the day that transaction closed in mid October 2021 and the gravity of that transaction. He knew that they had put the Company in a really good position for the future, and that this was setting the stage to not just survive but to flourish with open hands. The stage had been set to have rapid growth with strong financial backing. Riverstone Logistics has seen impressive growth with revenues increasing from $13M in 2020, tripling to $42M in 2021, then doubling to $85M in 2022, more than doubling again in 2023 to $191M, and projected to reach $300M in 2024. RLX has been recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in Charlotte by the Charlotte Business Journal for the past three years, and they completed their first acquisition late last year. Charlie W says that RLX today is a sunrise company who's best days are ahead of us. Their operations reach across 31 states and three countries with 650 Extra Milers ("Extra Milers" being the term given to RLX's full-time employees). RLX is a multi-modal logistics company with a successful Final Mile division as well as a growing brokerage division. Their big customers are Lowe's, The Home Depot, IKEA, HD Supply, Crate & Barrel, Ashley Store licensees, and GE Appliances. Charlie W explains that they are playing the part of a company that is set to do business differently. He says that they have a "Field of Dreams" mindset where they bring key people in ahead of the need while waiting to see if their client would also join the company. A mindset of "If you build it, they will come." And, Charlie W says that they strive to over serve their clients, that they're structured to serve and love them well, that they have a transparent cost model, and that they work with their clients to share costs and help rein them in. And he says that they focus on being open hands, being transparent and reliable, and enroll them on the front end as to what is a fair margin for their services. Charlie W unpacks the inspiration behind the company's Purpose statement "to use our God-given talents and opportunities to love our neighbors, serve our communities and improve our industry," which he and the management team crafted in late 2021. And then Charlie W also walks through the seven Core Beliefs of Riverstone Logistics: - Go the Extra Mile - Run through the Storm - Canoe the Mountains - Win the Right Way - Pencils Have Erasers - Mutual Prosperity - Profit Fuels Purpose Book mentioned: The Road Less Stupid: Advice from the Chairman of the Board - Keith Cunningham - https://www.amazon.com/Road-Less-Stupid-Keith-Cunningham/dp/0984659269 RLX Purpose & Core Beliefs: https://rlx.us/purpose/ Listen to part one of this conversation, Family Business to Logistics Leader: How Charlie Workmon Got Started: https://youtu.be/2dtnhUNHwLs Listen to part two of this conversation, Parenthood, Prayer, and Perspective Fuel Purpose for Charlie Workmon: https://youtu.be/aqYuV1qQokk Listen to part three of this conversation, Broad River's 2015 Bold Reset: Turning Challenges into Opportunities with Charlie Workmon: https://youtu.be/1AW0WwZaC4A Listen to part four of this conversation, Purpose-Driven Leadership in Retail Operations with Charlie Workmon: https://youtu.be/1AW0WwZaC4A This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nS3gzJAjF0s Visit https://www.storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes. This show is brought to you by Broad River Retail. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broad-river-retail
This episode explores the commercial real estate industry on a global level with Gene Spiegelman, Partner at RIPCO Real Estate.The Crexi Podcast explores various aspects of the commercial real estate industry in conversation with some of the top CRE professionals in the space. In each episode, we feature different guests to tap into their wealth of CRE expertise and explore the latest trends and updates from the world of commercial real estate. Sitting with Crexi's Ashley Kobovitch, Gene shares his experience in the retail real estate industry over the past 27 years, highlighting his growth from a newcomer to a leading expert. He explains how the industry has shifted over the years, including the need to enhance business development mindsets with the use of new technologies. From valuable advice to young broker to navigating the turbulent tides of changing interest rates, investor sentiment, and transaction behaviors, Gene and Ashley's wide-ranging conversation includes: Introduction and Guest BackgroundGene Spiegelman's Career JourneyLessons Learned and Favorite Mistakes MadeThe Importance of Fundamentals in Real EstateClimbing the Ranks in Commercial Real EstateBuilding and Training Successful TeamsThe Importance of Networking in Real EstateThe Intersection of Personal Life and Real EstateThe Role of Intuition and Networking in Building a BrandThe Value of Community Contribution in Professional GrowthThe Impact of New Technologies on Business DevelopmentThe Journey of Team Growth at RIPCOThe Current Market Overview and PredictionsThe Role of Consumer Spending in the EconomyAdvice for Young Brokers and InvestorsClosing Remarks and Sign-offs About Gene Spiegelman:Gene Spiegelman has been a prominent leader in the retail real estate industry for the past 27 years and is regarded as a foremost industry expert. His passionate commitment to his clients and acumen in negotiating complex retail transactions have distinguished him in the field. With extensive experience in retailer and landlord representation on a global scale, Gene possesses a unique perspective with a specific emphasis on the urban, luxury, and specialty retail sectors.In June 2018, Gene joined RIPCO Real Estate LLC as Vice Chairman & Principal. Moving into an entrepreneurial role, Gene has focused on growing the New York metro region's largest independent retail services firm and providing clients with the expertise and guidance required to navigate the complexities of today's retail environment.Before joining RIPCO, Gene enjoyed a distinguished 18-year career at Cushman & Wakefield. He was widely credited with launching Retail Services in the United States and is highly regarded for his passionate commitment to its growth to become an industry leader. He was also recognized as a five-time Cushman & Wakefield leading retail producer and consistently ranked among the firm's top-producing real estate professionals.In 2014, Gene was named Head of North America Retail Services, providing leadership for the United States, Canada, and Mexico and coordinating C&W's global cross-border retail initiatives. He drove Cushman & Wakefield's client-only mandate across the Retail Platform and prepared Retail Services for future growth following the 2015 merger with DTZ.In 2015, Gene negotiated the most significant retail deal in modern-day Boston history with his representation of Millennium Tower Boston in the lease of 142,000 square feet to Primark in the city's renowned Downtown Crossing. He is also a two-time winner of the Real Estate Board of New York's Retail Deal of the Year Award for representing Crate & Barrel in a 48,000 square-foot lease at 611 Broadway in 2001 and Gucci in its lease to Diesel at 685 Fifth Avenue in 2008.He frequently contributes to important news publications and broadcast outlets, providing commentary and insight on retail industry trends and events. Gene received a Master's degree in Real Estate Investment and Development from New York University and is a graduate of the University of Maryland. He is a member of the Real Estate Board of New York, the International Council of Shopping Centers, Young Men's/Women's Real Estate Association of New York. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our newsletter to receive the very next one delivered straight to your inbox. For show notes, past guests, and more CRE content, please check out Crexi Insights. Ready to find your next CRE property? Visit Crexi and immediately browse hundreds of thousands of available commercial properties. Follow Crexi:https://www.crexi.com/ https://www.crexi.com/instagram https://www.crexi.com/facebook https://www.crexi.com/twitter https://www.crexi.com/linkedin https://www.youtube.com/crexi
We're coming at you LIVE! from the inaugural summit of SALUTE in my favorite city, NYC baby. The SALUTE (South Asian Ladies Unite To Empower) mission is to build an impactful community of South Asian women focused on innovation, unity, and progress. Members of this community are rising leaders in their fields, who are making decisions to shape the present and influence the future. Guys, I can't tell you how much I love this community. The founders have built something very special and profound for South Asian Women. The summit itself was not only impactful, but it felt incredibly warm and intimate, which is not easy to pull off. I had a blast talking to so many amazing South Asian women who are just dominating in their fields, checking out all their amazing brands, and also running into all sorts of friends. It felt like one big reunion, so I hope you enjoy this very special Live episode honoring the women of SALUTE. In today's episode, I talked with: Founder of Girls That Invest, Simran Kaur on getting involved with SALUTE and her panel on all things investing (1:50)NYC Yoga and Meditation guide, Neeti Narula after leading the mindfulness break for the group (6:31)Managing Director at J.P Morgan Private Bank, Deevana Palazzolo on connecting with her community and sharing her expertise alongside such impactful women (10:36)Chief Strategy Officer and Senior Associate Dean at Stanford Medicine, Priya Signh on the importance of mentorship, aligned values, and what makes SALUTE special (17:22)Board Partner and former CEO of Crate & Barrel, Neela Montgomery on cultural identity and navigating the career journey (24:27)Founder of Brown Girl Angels, Bhargavi Varma on financial literacy and supporting brown co-founders in their founders journey (27:24)President and Co-Founder of GEP Worldwide, Neha Desai Shah on the many paths to impact and success (33:34)Speaker and Founder of Silver Linings, Parul Somani on leading her workshop and defining empowerment (36:53)Co-Founder of SALUTE, Neha Singh on the journey to reaching the summit, experimenting along the way, and finding your voice (42:42)Co-Founder of SALUTE, Era Ray on the vision behind their paid membership and her hopes for ther collective moving forward (57:52)Connect with SALUTE: SALUTE Hasan MinhajLet's Connect: Instagram
BOH editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen joins host Dennis Scully to discuss the biggest news in the design industry, including Crate & Barrel's answer to rising renovation costs, Banana Republic's effort to build a lifestyle brand, and a New York magazine cover story that paints a stark future for commercial real estate. Later, Pin-Up editorial director Felix Burrichter discusses Barbiecore. LINKSPin-Up MagazineDennis ScullyBusiness of Home
Tim Hogan is a creative leader that helps companies find their voice in the connected world, adapting to the ever-changing media landscape, always seeking new ways to enhance brand experiences. He is currently the CCO of Tim Hogan Creative. His most recent role was as executive creative director of WundermanThompson's Los Angeles office, where he headed up creative for some of the agency's largest clients: including Microsoft and Snapchat. Tim specializes in building diverse, cross-disciplinary teams, tailored to the needs of business and has done so at agencies like Ogilvy and R/GA, where he brought a systems-focused approach to activating global brands including Kimberly Clark, Unilever, SC Johnson and Constellation Brands. For ten years, Tim was partner in a startup cross-media agency called The Royal Order of Experience Design. The digital-first agency focused on human-centered design before it had a name, connecting the dots between digital and retail by creating solutions for Patagonia, Kohler, Crate & Barrel, Orvis, NatureMade, Gogo and many more. His work has been recognized by award shows and publications including the American Institute of Graphic Arts, Graphis, Communication Arts, Strathmore, W3, Print Magazine and South by Southwest Interactive. As a member of the American Institute of Graphic Arts and the Society of Typographic Arts, he is a frequent competition judge, student portfolio reviewer and guest speaker. He has served on the board of The Boulevard, an organization committed to breaking the cycle of homelessness in Chicago, EPIC (Engaging Philanthropy, Inspiring Creatives) which pairs creative professionals with nonprofit clients, and Mudlark Theater which allows young people making real theater. He lives in Evanston, IL with his wife and three children, and when not working can usually be found riding one of his bicycles or coaching youth sports. What you'll learn in this episode: How to embrace and implement sound creative leadership for impactful results How to stay resilient during difficult times by relying on trusted individuals and reframing situations creatively Why it is important to prioritize a clear brief for sharper, faster, and targeted ideas How to navigate the challenges of identifying your value proposition and differentiating yourself from others How to distill problems into simple truths and how this leads to bigger ideas Why it is important to pressure-test ideas before committing to them How to establish an emotional connection and trust with customers and build long-term business relationships How to achieve the delicate balance between standing up for creative ideas and maintaining good business relationships Additional Resources: Website: https://www.timhogancreative.com/ 7 Ways to Coach Like a Creative Director Tim's LinkedIn Tim's Facebook Tim's Twitter Tim's Instagram
Meet Julie Lassow Juli is the founder of JHL Solutions – a consultancy dedicated to helping build phenomenal retail partnerships. Her specific expertise (and professional passion) is connecting the dots between retailers, suppliers, and the strategies they need to bring must-have products to market. From working with mass retailers to coaching aspiring consultants, she's passionate about sharing the lessons learned to motivate and guide her industry boldly into the future. Virginia and Julie Talk About: Julie's background & how she got started How Julie creates partnerships Four steps to being successful in creating partners The meaning of “value” The importance of creating customer loyalty Smart Stuff From This Episode: You've got to know you before you create partnerships What does success look like for your partnerships? Be discerning - not all patterns are the best partners Get comfortable not having all the answers Julie would like to meet: Amy Leonard Amberly Johnson Both with Crate & Barrel
GSD Mode Podcast Interview with Scott Krone & Joshua Smith. Scott Krone is the founder of Coda Management Group, a firm that specializes in managing a wide range of real estate including single and multi family homes, retail, commercial warehouse, self storage and multi use flex athletic spaces. Scott also owns self storage units all over the midwest and is the founder of One Stop Self Storage. In addition, Scott is an Author, Speaker and has been featured on/in: NBC, Best Buy, Ace Hardware, Crate & Barrel, Houzz & More (scroll below for Scott's contact info & more)... Check Out More Free Resources, Free Training, Coaching & More Below
Margo is joined by none other than Lilla Rogers. With a degree in fine art from San Francisco and a second degree in illustration, Lilla spent the 1980s working as a full-time, highly successful illustrator, whose art has featured in publications including the New York Times Magazine, Vogue magazine, the Grammys and many more. She then went on to found Lilla Rogers Studio, a visionary art agency that represents over three dozen artists from around the world and has sold art for products worth over $300 million. As well as representing some of the most sought-after artists worldwide, the Studio has licensed artwork on a huge variety of products, including best-selling children's books, home décor, major ad campaigns, magazines, wall décor, and greetings cards: their client list includes Crate & Barrel, Chronicle, the New York Times, Blue Q, Godiva, Barneys New York, Warner Brothers, IKEA, Target, Paperchase, Anthropologie, and hundreds more. Margo and Lilla discuss: How she encourages finding your own voice and power Opportunities and access to success for everyone Where she found the strength to live life on her own terms and encouraging others to do the same Amplifying marginalized voices How the creative landscape has changed over time Making creativity mandatory Battling and balancing cultural overwhelm Finding fulfillment and pride in creative work Her assignment bootcamp Creating a better future for creatives Upcoming projects and more Connect with Lilla: www.lillarogers.com www.makeartthatsells.com https://www.instagram.com/lillarogers/ Connect with Margo: www.windowsillchats.com www.instagram.com/windowsillchats
In this Prime Talk Podcast Sponsored by GETIDA – Allen Iov - CEO of Brands 10X - talks about how to grow brands from e-commerce to physical stores and also more information about his life's journey. #Allen Iov #Brands10x About Allen Iov of Brands 10x - https://www.brands10x.com/ Former CEO of Lumieworld.com. Sold products to Nordstroms, Crate & Barrel, Best Buy, Target, and thousands of stores across America. His products were featured in Netflix movies, Disney, and TV. Brick and Mortar Retail expansion expert. Find out more about GETIDA: https://getida.com/ Please subscribe to our channel and share your thoughts and comments below.
Janet Hayes started her job as CEO of Crate & Barrel Holdings in August 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. The retail industry veteran looked at it as an opportunity to connect with the company's customers more deeply and leaned into the idea of “courage over comfort.” Host Kerry Diamond interviews Janet at her office in Crate & Barrel headquarters in Northbrook, Illinois, and the two discuss Janet's early days as one of six kids, her career in retail, what attracted her to Crate & Barrel, and what advice she has for entrepreneurs. They also discuss Crate & Barrel's new collaboration with Athena Calderone of Eyeswoon. More on Janet: LinkedIn, Crate & Barrel, the Athena Calderone collectionCheck out our Cooks & Books line-up here, happening Nov. 5th & 6th at Ace Hotel Brooklyn! Radio Cherry Bombe is a production of Cherry Bombe Magazine. Our theme song is by the band Tra La La. Thank you to Tom Brown of Innova Digital and sound mixer Kelly Askam of Mind Exchange Music LLC for engineering this episode.Subscribe to our newsletter and check out past episodes and transcripts here!
Across his 12-year career, Sebastian Brauer has been the driving force behind multi-billion-dollar businesses. We're talking Anthropologie, Williams-Sonoma, Inc., J Crew, and now as Senior Vice President of Product Design at Crate & Barrel. While building mega brands is undoubtedly impressive, it's Sebastian's purpose-driven leadership that really sets him apart. I experienced this intentional approach first-hand when I collaborated with him and his team on our Crate & Barrel collection. In today's episode, we dive into our process, why intention is always at the heart of everything he does, how he navigated a non-linear career path, and so much more! Sebastian's advice? “Fear can always be overcome. All it takes is a little courage.”
Have you been wondering how to find your own artistic style? Whether you are an established artist with a good sense of your own artistic voice ready to take the next step in licensing your work, or you're just getting into creating art, this episode has so many wonderful things in store for you - not least of which is the FREE art class today's guest Este Macleod has given all the listeners of The Creative Genius Podcast. Este is a generous soul and inspired teacher. Her paintings ethereal and happy and her approach to art is a wonderful mix of thoughtful observation and working intuitively (which we talk about) Este has worked with some large brands licensing her artwork and she tells us about the ups and downs of that so if that's something you're considering you're going to want to listen to this episode. Things Este and I talk about The ups and downs of working with large partnerships like Crate & Barrel with her artworkWhy it is OH SO important to invest in good materials at the startSome provocative questions to prompt the voice of your inner artistThe number one thing artists starting out should remind themselves every day (especially on days when they think they are not good enough, or think they will never sell anything) What to do if you feel really stuck, can't find your creative voice and don't know what to do. Why she thinks it can be ok to copy other artists work, but the number one absolute no-no when doing soWhat to do when you run out of inspiration How to be inspired by other artists or themes and trends and adjust your work so it becomes yours/How she found her own voice as an artist the ups and downs of that journeyThe life changing dream that woke her up on a flight Creativity's critical role in innovation and problem solving. Her recent project with Sketchbook RevivalAll the reasons she feels our lives depend on creativityResources discussed in this episode:Sketchbook Revival Creative Question Mark Challenge Her courses 1-2-3 Let's paint catsGift to all creative genius listeners free 123 lets paint course!Free Class ABOUTEste MacLeod is a visual artist, designer and creator of online art and creativity coursesHer paintings are informed by the real and the imaginary. A background in textile and ceramic design is evident in the stylised, abundant and colourful forms used in still life, landscape and floral paintings. She is a colourist painter, she uses a variety of painting and mark making techniques to layer colour and shapes, resulting in ethereal paintings. She draws inspiration from travel, nature, dreams, seasons, sentiments and thoughts as well as everyday surroundings. Observation and drawing are important parts of the creative process. Working intuitively, she allows paintings to develop over time. Her artworks are presented to convey intrinsic beauty, a feeling or memory of a place or impression.Born in South Africa, Este has lived in England since 1999, and been based in Berkshire since 2005Este MacLeod website | facebook | instagramKate Shepherd: art | website | instagramMorning Moon Nature Jewelry | website | instagramCreative Genius Podcast | website | instagramPlease share the show with a friend and if you are moved to make a financial contribution to the production of this podcast, THANK YOU here is the link for our Patreon
The time has come to share our top five wedding trends! If you've been wondering what you can expect to see throughout the remaining half of the year and into 2023 at wedding celebrations, this week's episode is right up your alley! PLUS: We share our go-to places to find design inspo. Discussed in this Episode: Wedded Gratuity Guidelines (https://www.weddedshop.com/product-page/gratuity-guideline) Wedding Trends: 2021/2022 Edition (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wedding-trends-2021-2022-edition/id1551208110?i=1000530975152) Over The Moon Styling Services (https://blog.overthemoon.com/styling-services/) In Conversation with Carrie Goldberg: Bridal Stylists—What Are They and Why You Need One! (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-conversation-with-carrie-goldberg-bridal-stylists/id1551208110?i=1000507045981) CB2 (https://www.cb2.com/) Restoration Hardware (https://rh.com/) RH Louis Bench (https://rh.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod2110859) Crate & Barrel (https://www.crateandbarrel.com/) Bouclé (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boucl%C3%A9) Assouline Coffee Table Books (https://www.assouline.com/) Architectural Digest (https://www.architecturaldigest.com/) Visit Our Website:https://www.WeddedPodcast.comGrab Our Freebies And Planning Tools:www.WeddedShop.comEmail Us All Of Your Questions and Comments:Questions@WeddedPodcast.comFind Us On Social:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weddedpodcastRead About Our Hosts:Tracy Taylor Ward DesignWebsite: https://www.TracyTaylorWard.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracytaylorwardShannon Leahy EventsWebsite: https://www.ShannonLeahy.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/shannonleahyevents
Sebastian Brauer, the senior vice president of product design at Crate & Barrel, was recently given a new task: helping Crate & Barrel explore the metaverse. On this episode of the podcast he talks with host Dennis Scully about his interest in all things crypto, NFTs and Web3, and what they might mean for the home industry. He also discusses creating product with designers in mind, the future of work, and why, metaverse or no, real-life retail is here to stay. This episode is sponsored by Vaughan and Serena & Lily LINKSCrate & Barrel Dennis ScullyBusiness of Home
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/eb0UsN3I8zU The CPSC and Asweets are recalling Wonder & Wise Baby Activity Walkers. The rubber rings on the walker's rear wheel may detach and create a strangulation hazard for infants and toddlers. About 13,000 of these walkers were sold at Albee Baby, Bloomingdales, Crate & Barrel, Nordstrom, The Tot and children's boutiques nationwide, and online at crateandbarrel.com, littlewonderandco.com, www.modernnursery.com, nordstrom.com,thetot.com and wonderandwise.com. Don't permit your young children to use these walkers until they are repaired. Contact Asweets by phone at 1-833-422-2028 or via email at info@asweets.com to receive free replacement rear wheels. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2022/Asweets-Recalls-Wood-Baby-Activity-Push-Walkers-Due-to-Strangulation-Hazard #wonderandwise #walkers #wheels #strangulation #recall
Jahje Ives is an artist, story teller, mindful creator, fierce mama, nature lover and spiritual seeker. Her first studio was her kitchen table where her mother (also an artist) let her play freely with paints, pencils and more. It was a magical time and it cultivated a lifelong love of creating. Jahje jokingly says she is an over-educated artist with a BFA and MFA, her favorite was earned in a painting in a studio in Rome. Over the years she has worked in the arts for 20+ years as a gallery director, art consultant, teacher and as the founder of her company Baby Jives Co which creates whimsical products to inspire families. She is also the founder of Cultivating in Creativity, her art full membership for women to explore art making and mindfulness in an intentional way. Jahje's work has been carried in stores small and big including Nordstrom, Crate + Barrel and has been seen on the Today Show, HGTV, Martha Stewart, Vogue and more. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheryl-benjy/support
#55: Points expert, Julia Menez, joins Chris to go deep on all things points and miles, including points stacking, optimizing rewards, tools to help organize your points and miles, using buying clubs to earn lots of points, and Chris shares how a somewhat sketchy website saved him an extra 15% off a new couch!Julia Menez (@geobreezetravel) is a points strategy coach, speaker and host of the Geobreeze Travel podcast, where she interviews travelers from all walks of life about their points and miles strategies.Full show notes at: https://allthehacks.com/maximize-points-julia-menezView the video version of the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dbhznmaq0BgSponsor LinksVuori: 20% of the most comfortable performance apparel I've ever wornInsideTracker: 20% off personalized wellness & nutrition plans backed by science.Fabric: Affordable term life insurance for you and your familyCardPointers: 20% off the app that helps you earn more cash back, points, and miles. All the Hacks Live Q&A EpisodeMonday, 5/9 @ 12p PDTRegister and join at allthehacks.com/live Selected Links From The EpisodeConnect with Julia Menez: Website | Instagram | FacebookJulia's Podcast: Geobreeze TravelJulia's gift to All the Hacks listeners: Geobreeze Hotel Upgrade TemplateBuyers ClubsPFS Buyers ClubMYS Buying GroupBuyForMeRetail@thepointsanalystPack Your Bags With PointsJulia's Monthly Buyers Club MasterclassEarn More Points + $$$Grabr - International purchasers prepay for you to buy items locallyRakuten - Cash back at thousands of storesFluz - Cash back at thousands of stores + referral bonusesSeated - 20%+ back at partnered restaurantsDosh - Additional rewards shop, dine, and book. Can be stacked with Seated and other dining portalsCashback Monitor - Portal to find cash and points back for online retailersHoney & RetailMeNot - Promo Codes instantlySearchTempest - Search the whole USA on CraigslistSavendeals - Coupons for Crate & Barrel, Lowes and Home DepotMyVegas Rewards - Get points towards free things in VegasFrequent Miler - Blog with great points + miles contentDoctor Of Credit - Blog with great points + miles contentPay1040.com - Pay taxes with your credit cardID.me - Discounts for teachers, military and moreOptimizing Your PointsFeedly - Keep track of many blogs/websitesAwardWallet - One dashboard for all your pointsTravelfreely - Credit Card managementCardPointers - Automated Reward optimizer for your credit cardsCredit Karma - Credit score trackingPoint.me - Award flight search toolANA Around the World Redemption - Up to 8 flights in biz class for less than 120k pointsTurkish Airlines Miles & Smiles - Great deals for award flightsUnited Excursionist Perk - Unique trick to get an extra free award flight from UnitedScott's Cheap Flights - Alerts on cheap flights around the worldCredit CardsAmerican Express Gold - 4x Dining/GroceriesBilt Rewards - Earn Points on RentChase Freedom Unlimited - 1.5x on EverythingChase Freedom Flex - 5x on Rotating CategoriesChase Sapphire Preferred - Huge 80k Bonus and 3x Dining/2x TravelChase Sapphire Reserve - 3x Dining/TravelAll the Hacks Card Signup Site - Thanks for using this! :)PodcastsGeobreeze Travel podcast:Episode 7 - How to Stack Points and Rewards Programs with Angel Trinh (@pennywisetraveler)Episode 56 - How to Earn More Points on a Teacher's Salary with Zac Hood (travelfreely.net)Episode 67 - Brazil Travel Tricks and Military Benefits with Mark WhiteHacking the American Dream Full Show NotesHow people on a smaller budget can earn enough points to use toward travel [03:05]Outsource buying, how participating in buying groups can work to your advantage [05:14]When sourcing items, do buyers usually pay more than the item costs? [07:04]Buyer's groups: are they reliable? trustworthy? Advice to keep you from being scammed, and how to learn about the different buyer's clubs options available [08:36]Using Freedom Flex, Freedom card, Freedom Unlimited, Sapphire Preferred, and Sapphire Reserve to earn points [11:10]Bringing electronic and medical devices to Latin America: reasons to consider using Grabr, and advice about safety during the product exchange [11:55]Chris and Julia walk through an extreme example of how valuable ‘stacking' can be along with ways to automate the process [13:40]The unbelievable benefits of stacking through dining portals [14:54]Using Cashback Monitor to learn the best places for cashback, transferable points, and airline points, as well as hacks for accessing coupons online [18:45]Julia's favorite app for stacking deals in Las Vegas and how often you can take advantage of the offers [23:53]Chris highlights the “crazy amounts” of point stacking deals [26:39]Specific places to search online for timely deals that require prompt action and tools to help organize your point balances [28:52]Why it's important to understand the 5/24 rule and its exceptions [31:54]Julia Menez's go-to cards and her advice for travelers who are just beginning the process of accumulating points [35:16]Amazing redemptions to take advantage of even though you may not have a huge balance and how to use the ANA Around the World redemption program [40:02]Plan a trip across Europe using Julia's redemption super hacks [45:07]Buying points, is it worth it? Chris and Julia share their perspectives [50:55]3 reasons why paying your taxes on a credit card might actually make sense [52:54]Hacks to save money and earn perks for members of the military and their spouses [57:49]For upgrades and extra perks, while traveling, Julia shares a special link to a template on her website for All the Hacks listeners [59:56] Where to find Julia Menez online [1:01:50] Today's SponsorsVuoriVuori is a new and fresh perspective on performance apparel. Perfect if you are sick and tired of traditional, old workout gear. Everything is designed to work out in, but doesn't look or feel like it. The product is incredibly versatile and can be used for just about any activity like running, training, swimming, yoga; but also great for lounging or weekend errands.To get the most comfortable and versatile clothing on the planet with 20% off your first purchase (plus free shipping on any US order over $75 and free returns) visit allthehacks.com/vuori FabricFabric is where parents come to start their families' financial lives. They make life insurance easy with new lower prices that mean significant savings over other providers, like a million dollars in coverage for less than a dollar a day. With everything online, it takes less than 10 minutes to apply, and you could be offered coverage instantly, with no health exam required. Fabric is fully-backed by Vantis Life, one of the most trusted names in life insurance. To start protecting your family today with a 30-day money-back guarantee visit meetfabric.com/allthehacks InsideTrackerInsideTracker provides a personalized plan to improve your metabolism, reduce stress, improve sleep, and optimize your health for the long haul. It's created by leading scientists in aging, genetics, and biometrics. They analyze your blood, DNA, and fitness tracking data to identify where you're optimized—and where you're not. With Inside Tracker you'll get a daily Action Plan with personalized guidance on the right exercise, nutrition, and supplementation for your body.For a limited time, you can get 20% off at allthehacks.com/insidetracker CardPointersCardPointers is a free app that helps you manage all your credit cards in one place and makes it easy to find the right card to maximize your category bonuses on every purchase. You can also load it on your partners phone so they'll also the best cards to use. The app automatically tracks every category bonus and recurring credits from over 5,000 cards. They also track and help you use your Amex, Chase, Bank of America, or Citibank offers to save even more money every day.The app is free to download and many of the features are free too, but if you want to unlock all the features, you can get 20% off CardPointers Pro at allthehacks.com/cardpointers Connect with All the HacksAll the Hacks: Newsletter | Website | Facebook | EmailChris Hutchins: Twitter | Instagram | Website | LinkedIn
Raquel Duarte first conquered the publishing industry with an internship at Glamour Magazine while also working as a studio manager and on-set assistant for fashion photographer Jon Ragel. She then shifted gears to representing and producing for a roster of renowned photographers, as an artist's agent at AFG Management and later Marge Casey. Today, she applies her experience and expertise as a freelancer by producing for advertising agencies, such as Arnold, Lloyd&Co, Directv, Translation, Pereira O'Dell, Interesting Development, YardNYC, AirParisNY, amongst others. Raquel has been honored to guide the creation of campaigns for global brands, such as Timberland, AT&T, Remy, Martin, Crate & Barrel, and Alaska Airlines to name a few. Raquel applies her working motto of making “content that we are proud” of to every aspect of her 20 plus year career and has always embraced the challenge of an ever evolving advertising industry. In their conversation, Heather and Raquel dive deep into the challenges of being a freelance producer, remote work, the evolution of the producer's role in such a dynamic industry, as well as insight into Raquel's personal working style and processes. In an industry where the rules are always changing, it's helpful to hear from those on the front lines. Heather Elder is the visionary behind NotesFromARepsJournal.com; visit HeatherElder.com for industry updates, stunning photography and video, and the artists behind the work. More about our guest: Find Raquel Duarte on LinkedIn here More about your host: Heather Elder's Bio Heather Elder's Blog Heather Elder on Instagram Heather Elder on Twitter Heather Elder on LinkedIn Heather Elder on Facebook
For the first decade of its digital journey, Crate & Barrel didn't even sell furniture online. Obviously, times and customer expectations have changed, and Joan King, Sr. Vice President, eCommerce & International at Crate & Barrel, has been there for the entire ride. Hear how the company shifted its strategy in line with its customer's digital evolution.Tune in to learn:What have been some of the most surprising shifts in customer behavior? (6:00)How do you create a seamless experience for big-ticket items? (8:50)What mistakes are people making when thinking about ecommerce vs. retail? (11:00)Why you should be looking to other industries for innovative ideas. (19:00)Which brands are set up to succeed with shoppable TV? (25:00)Why should we get excited about renewable commerce? (30:00)Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerceMission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org.
Have you seen those beautiful, colorful bottles of Method Soap at Target? They're most likely the work of today's guest, Lisa Congdon, who is one of the world's most recognizable graphic designers, a fine artist, and an illustrator who creates for clients such as Amazon, Comme des Garcons, Crate & Barrel, REI, and MoMA. She's also the author of ten books, including Art Inc: The Essential Guide to Building Your Career as an Artist, and Find Your Artistic Voice: The Essential Guide to Working Your Creative Magic, the host of The Lisa Congdon Sessions podcast, and she teaches on the faculty of Northwest College of Art. But you might be surprised to learn Lisa didn't discover her true passion for design until her 30s, and at that point, she assumed it was too late to make it her career. Little did she know she had an entire journey of discovery ahead of her, and so much of that had to do with finding her voice. 0:42 - Why we tell ourselves we're too old to be creative 1:40 - How imposter syndrome intensified when her career blew up 6:30 - Learning to stand in your creative power 7:00 - How Lisa manages to handle the various aspects of her career and life that bring her joy 12:18 - How to surround yourself with a great creative team 17:15 - Gauging whether or not to say yes to a creative opportunity 21:15 - Listening to your gut 22:43 - Knowing how much to charge for creative services 28:43 - The complicated nature of social media 33:33 - The elements of artistic voice 39:27 - Remembering that we hit multiple impasses in our creative work and that's not a problem 44:48 - Working with the pressure to produce 48:15 - Developing grit in your creative life through physical challenges Get a copy of Lisa's books here: Art Inc: The Essential Guide to Building Your Career as an Artist Amazon Bookshop Find Your Artistic Voice: The Essential Guide to Working Your Creative Magic Amazon Bookshop Visit Lisa's shop and world: https://lisacongdon.com/ Visit jenniferlouden.com/podcastkit to get instant access to a collection of audios that will: help you with some of the most common struggles we creatives have to manage including fear of choosing, falling into compare and despair, managing the inner critic (s), and feeling too exposed and vulnerable when you put yourself or your work into the world.
Using the same glass to drink red wines, white wines, and pink wines -- while switching to a "Champagne" flute for sparkling wines, is not the best way to enjoy wine. Listen to Maximilian Riedel, CEO and president of Riedel Crystal, explain why you'll want to use a specifically shaped glass that is designed for the type of wine you're drinking. You may be stunned to find out what he has to say about what kind of glass is best for Champagne and sparkling wines -- it's not what you think (and not THAT, either!). Show Notes: Do you use one, favorite glass for drinking red wines, white wines, and pink wines — while using a flute for sparkling wines such as Champagne? If so, then you're doing it ALL WRONG. In this podcast episode, wine glass expert and producer Maximilian Riedel of Riedel Crystal explains why you should use a specifically shaped glass that is designed for the wine type you are drinking. And you may be stunned to find out what he has to say about the use of a Champagne glass (also known as a “flute”) when drinking sparkling wines. Born in Austria, Maximilian is the 11th-generation CEO and president of Riedel Crystal, a glassware manufacturer established in 1756(!) and best known for pioneering the concept of grape variety-specific glassware. Maximilian began interning for his family's company at age 12, and by age 25, moved to the United States and to take on the role of CEO, Riedel Crystal North America. It was then that Maximilian began to make his mark on both the family business as well as the wine industry, serving as the face of the company by hosting workshops and seminars while also developing innovations in stemware and decanters. For example, while living in a tiny NYC apartment, with cabinets too small to house tall-stemmed wine glasses, Maximilian designed the world's first variety-specific stemless wine glasses (the Riedel “O” Series). Between that time and his promotion to the parent company in Kufstein, Maximilian turned Riedel into a household name, the leading wine glass manufacturer in the world, with its variety-specific glasses carried in nearly every major retail outlet — such as Macy's, Bloomingdales, Williams-Sonoma, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, Crate & Barrel, and many others. Links Mentioned: Riedel Website: https://Riedel.com Riedel Instagram: (@riedel_official): https://instagram.com/riedel_official/ Maximilian's Instagram (@maxiriedel) https://instagram.com/maxiriedel/ More tips, including How To Throw A Wine Glass Tasting at https://Wine365.com/28 If You Liked This Episode: Please be sure to hit the subscribe button Tell a friend! Give the show a 5-star rating Comments or Questions? Email me at joe@insidewinepodcast.com Leave a voicemail at 917-727-9242 GET THE APP!!! Go to the app store and install the free Wine 365 app, which delivers every Inside Wine Podcast episode automatically and offers bonus episodes, extras, and wine tips.
Title: A Successful Sustainable Initiative with Scott Krone Mr. Krone is a Chicago native whose career in architecture began in 1991 by pursuing his Masters of Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology. While obtaining his degree, he also worked as a Project Manager for Optima, Inc. During his time at Optima, Krone's responsibilities included such notable projects as the 400 unit Coromandel in Deerfield, IL, the 40 unit HedgeRow in Winnetka, IL, and the 51 unit Optima Center Wilmette in Wilmette, IL. In 2012, Krone founded Coda Management Group – a firm who specializes in managing real estate assets. Since its inception, Coda has managed a wide range of real estate including single and multi-family homes, retail, commercial warehouse and self-storage and multi-use flex athletic spaces. Currently, the platform of investments is in excess of $60 million. In 1998, Krone founded Coda, an award winning Design + Build | Sustainability | Consulting firm. Since its inception, Coda has won numerous design/build awards including the international Green GOOD Design Award in 2010, Best of Houzz 2014 and 2015, and Design Evanston Award. Their work has been featured in notable publications as Dream Homes - Chicago, Midwest Luxury Homes, Crate & Barrel 2010 Best Catalogs, NBC TV Show Taste, and national ACE Hardware Commercials. In addition, Krone has authored High Performance Homes – Navigating the Green Road to Your Dream Home, a book for homeowner's seeking to incorporate green technology into their home. Let's hear more of his story! [00:01 - 09:03] Opening Segment Let's welcome my guest for today's show, Scott Krone Scott tells us how he got into the Real Estate space Why did their family decide to sell their business at the time Scott shares about his first project that he did The taste of reality [09:04 - 26:14] Make Houses Green and Sustainable Starting Coda Is a ‘green' and sustainable house part of the company's business model Green Technology Education to the community The strong desire to build Going Green vs. their potential earnings Multifamily developments and value add Turning the development inside out Real money is made in development The focus of Scott's company these days What drew Scott into Self-Storage asset class Scott likes to be in the front end of the curve What Scott and his company looks for in properties they turn around What has led to Scott's success What Scott does in his free time Scott's family and their involvement in the family business [26:15 - 28:23] Closing Segment Final Words Connect with my guest, Scott, in the links below Tweetable Quotes "My perception of Architecture was a little bit askewed.” - Scott Krone "People assumed solar panel means ‘green house'.” - Scott Krone "The biggest money is made when you change the program or development of something. . . If you're not changing the program, then you're not inherently changing the generational wealth for the wealth of the project.” - Scott Krone ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shoot Scott a message through his email, skrone@codamg.com Reference their company and see what they have to offer to you. Reach out to them for a free copy. And do not miss their company's website, www.codamg.com WANT TO LEARN MORE? Connect with me through LinkedIn Or send me an email sujata@luxe-cap.com Visit my website www.luxe-cap.com or my YouTube channel Thanks for tuning in! If you liked my show, LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, and subscribe!
Gordon Segal is co-founder and former chairman and CEO of Crate & Barrel, an internationally recognized, multichannel home furnishings retail chain. He led the company as CEO from 1962 until his retirement in 2008. Today, he is managing director of Prairie Management Group, a private investment firm.SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER & STAY UPDATED > http://bit.ly/tfh-newsletterFOLLOW TFH ON INSTAGRAM > http://www.instagram.com/thefounderhourFOLLOW TFH ON TWITTER > http://www.twitter.com/thefounderhourINTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR? EMAIL US > partnerships@thefounderhour.com
For more on Leanne, follow her on Instagram @leannefordinteriors, see her Crate & Barrel and Hart collections, and book a design consultation on The Expert. Explore Jenni Kayne Home, and use promo code DETAILS15 for 15% off your first purchase at jennikayne.com. Keep up with us on Instagram @jennikaynehome, and send us a message with design questions you want Jenni to answer on an upcoming episode.
With changing customer trends and demands on top of global supply chain disruption and a pandemic, retailers have had to continually pivot over the last few years. One of the best ways to survive the changes is with a mobile, social and digital-first strategy. When Alicia Waters stepped into her current role as CMO of Crate & Barrel, she pushed to optimize the brand's mobile presence and create more digital services. As customers spend more time at home and more time on their phones, they are inundated with digital content. Brands need to have a strong mobile and digital strategy to cut through the noise and stand out from the competition. Alicia says Crate & Barrel's digital approach comes from a place of empathy and innovation to understand customers and connect with them digitally. Much of that empathy comes from being transparent and showing real-world applications for the brand's products. Pandemic restrictions meant Crate & Barrel couldn't shoot on a typical photography set. But the company got creative and embraced new ways of shooting products like using CGI and having influencers shoot content at their homes. Alicia says some of the most impactful images came from photographers who shot with their kids in their own homes because it was real life and connected with customers on social media. Alicia acknowledges that Crate & Barrel has made great strides in the mobile and digital space, but there is still room to go. The company is on a good path and wants to continue digitizing its stores and revolutionizing parts of the e-commerce experience. Crate & Barrel recently stopped sending stacks of physical catalogs to its stores and now sends a single sign with a QR code that links to a digital catalog. Alicia believes there are many opportunities for content in stores that can be delivered digitally. When customers are shopping in the store, they are doing more than just shopping in the store. They have their phones nearby as a powerful resource, and Crate & Barrel aims to create experiences that complement that behavior. A mobile, social and digital-first strategy requires continual evolution. Alicia regularly brings in people from other areas of the company to offer a fresh perspective and create cross-functional teams that can tap into new digital strategies that resonate with customers. Ultimately, the best mobile, social and digital-first strategy isn't just flashy or convenient but rooted in customer need. Being transparent and showing realness helps brands stand out and build strong relationships with customers, even as the world continues to change. ________ Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of the bestselling book The Customer Of The Future. For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here. Join the new Customer Experience Community here.
Since 1932, the Northwestern Alumni Medal has celebrated alumni who have had a transformative impact on their fields, who have performed exemplary volunteer service to society, or who have demonstrated an outstanding record of service and support to the University. In this special episode of Northwestern Intersections, we will hear insights from this year's recipients of the Northwestern Alumni Association's highest honor: Judy Belk '75, Andrew C. Chan '80, '80 MS, Christopher B. Combe '70 ('99, '09 P), and Gordon Segal '60 ('93 P). In episode 106d we will hear from Gordon Segal, co-founder of Crate & Barrel, and design visionary and retail industry pioneer, who also helped transform the appearance of the University's Evanston and Chicago campuses in his role on the Board of Trustees. If you missed the President's Alumni Panel, we've included a link to the recording here in the show notes. President Morton Schapiro leads a discussion with the Alumni Medalists about how the University shaped their lives and careers. To our alumni listeners, if you know an alum whose life, work, and service truly exemplify the ideals of Northwestern University and deserve recognition for their accomplishments please visit alumni.northwestern.edu/medal to access the form to nominate them or go directly to the nomination form.
Special Guest: Michael Chaney; Director of Business to Business at Crate & Barrel
Gordon and his wife wanted designer European cookware and glassware, but they were very expensive in America. To solve this problem for them and for others, hey opened Crate & Barrel, even though they didn't know anything about business. They struggled, but ultimately succeeded and became multi-millionaires. Let us check out their story.
Gift Guide Round 3: Siblings, Teens, Co-Workers, Friends, and Grandparents! Our third gift guide ep already?! We know. There's so much ahead—and behind if you missed part 1 and part 2—but if you're still on the present hunt, subscribe to Secret Menu for many more holiday-shopping thoughts ‘n feelings. Kids and Teens! Almost 14 year old girl Brooklyn kid Art! Ideal Bookshelf 974: Feminists by Jane Mount, The Ten Largest, No. 2, Childhood, Group IV by Hilma af Klint, Krista Marie Young painting, and Amber Vittoria prints The start of a charm bracelet, maybe with this Catbird Holy Cannoli charm Studs e-gift card Lizzie Fortunato Little Candy DIY Kit (for a younger kid: Super Smalls or Susan Alexandra) Olive & June mani system Dye Kween Sleep mask or socks Kule T-shirt This Is What I Know About Art by Kimberly Drew Macmillan Visual Dictionary D C-T! by Joana Avillez and Molly Young Donation to Girl Up Monogrammed tech accessories from Leatherology Angsty teenage nephews who already have everything Art! Eye Test Chart by George Mayerle, Every Outdoor Basketball Court in Manhattan by Jenny Odell (paired with How to Do Nothing?), or something from Top Posters & Prints Via the Public Announcement newsletter: Procure an iPod, load the iPod with music you love, give the iPod to the kid. Snacks: Bokksu, Patagonia Provisions, Lani Halliday pop-tarts, Blondery Blondies, or Oreo ID Audm subscription Courier magazine subscription Black Futures by Kimberly Drew and Jenna Wortham Youth to Power: Your Voice and How to Use it by Jamie Margolin Donation to Canines for Disabled Kids 10 year old niece who is obsessed with Japan (Japan trip isn't in the budget) Pen pal through Pen Friend Clubs of Japan (PFC) Sanrio! Gudetama bank, Hello Kitty happy lunch box set, and all the stickers, pens, notebooks Punilabo scissors Paperi Design Shop Hiragana chart Bokksu Japanese snack subscription Tatsuya Tanaka Miniature Life calendar Maruchan Ramen Noodle planter from Happy Plants Mochidoki Kawaii Pen Shop gift card Kizuna gift box Nephews/Godsons who already have so much stuff. They are 6 months (read: only interested in food but not really able to eat it) and 4. The 4 year old loves trucks, singing, Toy Story, and learning about everything. but he has all of the things! While I think donations are cool, I'm not really interested in that for a four year old who won't understand that i didn't forget to give him a gift. National Diaper Bank Network donation Kitpas bath crayons Raddish Foodstirs DIY cookie kit Haus playhouse Parchie watch Pedersen + Lennard balance bike Twee planet chalk Storytime Chess Areaware Blockitecture set WayToPlay car track Brothers and Brothers-in-Law! My 35 yo brother who exclusively wears shirts from regattas, has horrible taste in women A feature in the Hot Singles newsletters Hama Hama oysters The Rope Co. nautical rope doormat Games: Wolfum checkers/chess set or Molkky Grailed vintage regatta gear Vaer Field Watch Blackbird Spyplane paid subscription Sirene Journal Ocean Conservancy donation Brother who's living #vanlife Fancy tinned fish: Big Night if you're in NYC, Conserva Culture, and Fishwife Opinel No. 8 beechwood handle knife Westerlind for clothes Alice Waters egg spoon or one from Eggspoon.com Human Race rice powder cleanser or routine pack Libro.fm subscription for audiobooks Feeding America donation Sisters and Sisters-in-Law! Sister - has main character energy. Runs an apple cider vin business. Into funky style. Leanne Ford x Crate & Barrel measuring cups Krista Marie Young oven mitts Jacques Benoît vinegar pot Custom perfume from Nova Vintage blown-glass apples on Etsy James Shaw candleholders Isabel Halley wine cups or dessert plates Novel Mart boquerones baseball cap Edas earrings Carleen quilted vest Custom hand-painted sign from Cevallos Brothers or Olive Panter Oui the People rose gold razor The Missoni Family Cookbook Black Farmer Fund donation My sister: hyper-intellectual, single, gay, social justice dr., autoimmune issues so stuck home. Dusen Dusen PJs Royal Jelly PJs Mizar and Alcor robe Clare Salvo Cards Against Malarkey Hollie Velten Big Sur cushion Horti plant subscription People's Pottery Project ceramics RIP Medical Debt donation Mary Roach books: Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law, Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void, and Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War Sister in law who is mostly great and has very good taste but veryyy self absorbed, always has long term relationships but then doesn't commit because she doesn't believe in compromise, likes good food wine coffee, and also clothes (everlane/& other stories), likes to be luxe but in a slightly (not completely) subdued way. Ceramic coffee set-up, like Anna Lebrija french press or Zizi Ceramics dripper set Gjusta Goods coffee gift box Big Macs & Burgundy by Vanessa Price and Adam Laukuf Eater Wine Club subscription Aqua de Vida balm bars Susanne Kaufman bath oil or bath oil trio The Gentlewoman Modern Manners Jamie Beck Pinot Noir series poster Ripped Bodice Read, Romance, Repeat subscription box Esther Perel Where Should We Begin - A Game of Stories Inclusive Therapists donation My fiance's family does a gift exchange with the extended family with the idea that you can get a bigger/better gift for the one person instead of having to buy something smaller for everyone. I got assigned his cool cousin who lives in NYC. She's in her late 30's, got married 2 years ago, no kids, and she's a really successful lawyer. We only see her so often and she's usually on her computer keeping up with work when we do see her, so I don't have a great idea of her interests...besides they have a tiny dog that they love. I always love an experience gift for people, def something there with NYC? One other possibility is my fiance got her older sister in the gift exchange, so there's a possibility that we could do something that the both of them could enjoy together? Her sister lives in a Philly suburb and has a family with 2 kids so different point of life. Little Beast dog sweater Katie Kimmel custom vase Laylo Pets x Altuzarra dog bed Susan Alexandra dog leash and collar Card holder: OAD wallet or Bottega Veneta credit card holder Flower Flash by Lewis Miller Museum or botanical garden membership Tickets to Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show (deadline is 11/29!) Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, and Other Adults You Know! Next door neighbor, 94 year old Italian woman who loves the Pope and New England sports Go up for Glory by Bill Russell Novel Mart Italiano collection—a bolognese sweatshirt, a ravioli hat! Chefanie farfalle barrettes Grossy Pelosi pasta water mug (with homemade Italian Holiday cookies!) Issimo soup box or Eataly gift box From Roy panettone Felt Pope Christmas ornament Older curmudgeonly uncle with lots of stories and jokes. Cooks but scorns fancy equipment. Miami Fruit Pickle Guys Degen YUCK sweater America's Test Kitchen membership Made In cookware Small Victories by Julia Turshen Save Room for Pie by Roy Blount Jr. Local food bank donation My smart feminist ex-social worker grandma who likes G&Ts and is a hoarder Six Barrel Soda Co. tonic bundle or Sunwink tonic variety pack subscription Chefanie cocktail napkins Made by DWC gift set Woman Made: Great Women Designers by Jane Hall Plan C or National Network of Abortion Funds donation Friends! 29 y/o BFF who just got dumped and fired, she loves Rebecca Solnit, POOG, and yoga Private yoga class with one of her fave instructors Sky Ting TV gift card One of Rebecca Solnit's atlases Collective Wisdom by Grace Bonney Start Where You Are or When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön Esker gift set Something creativity-focused: Gondola Pastels, POJ Studio waza kits, The F Series paint sticks, Studio Sundays art supplies, Art Life practice kits, and Unwind Studio needlepoint kits Dipsea gift certificate Best friend! loves old furniture and travel and old churches and beauty, less than $100 The Furniture Bible: Everything You Need to Know to Identify, Restore & Care for Furniture by Christophe Pourny Stained glass or glass-blowing workshop: Pressed Flowers Stained Glass at Urban Glass in NYC on 12/9 Miniature stained glass churches—so many good ones on Etsy, like this Trendy-ish beauty service, like brow laminating Sania's Brow Bar pencil, tweezers, and scissors Partners for Sacred Places donation Co-Workers and Bosses! My boss who is a die hard AKA sorority sister (same as Kamala Harris), v much part of the Bey-hive, and wears all of the hats (boss, mentor, counselor, mom, wife). EXAU olive oil Justice of the Pies pie Cult Pens advent calendar Vintage AKA tee—here, here, and here Drop the Ball by Tiffany Dufu Kamala and Maya's Big Idea Un|bound five-year journal Black Girls Code donation People I work with - design studio so they all already have access to nice things. Our team is small enough that the vibe is to give everyone something? Under $40 Bonilla a la vista patatas fritas Custom Marmite or Sour Patch Kids Cute food! Opopop, Omsom, Soul Chai, Cornbread26 madeleines, The Chai Box gift set, Gjusta marinated olive oil, and Batchworthy Que water bottles Moglea playing cards Vintage interior design book that you pick out for each Ali Forney Center donation For last year's gift guides, head here and here. What are your last-minute gifting go-tos? We wanna know at 833-632-5463 and @athingortwohq! Download the Zocdoc app—it's free!—and book that doctor's appointment you've been putting off. Explore all of our favorite gift picks at MoMA Design Store—so much amazing stuff, and it's 10% of now through November 24 with the code ATHINGORTWO online or in store. Try professional counseling with BetterHelp—10% off your first month with our link. Gift the coffee- and tea-drinkers in your life Ember. It's 10% off for first-time purchasers with our link. YAY. Produced by Dear Media
What you'll learn in this episode: Why you won't see results if you have a “set it and forget it” mentality about your website Why jewelers should give their website as much attention as a brick-and-mortar location How jewelers can use tricks of the trade to encourage customers to purchase items online, even if jewelry is traditionally bought in person How jewelry brands can take advantage of the new shopping feature on Instagram Why the jewelry business is more like Crate & Barrel than Sephora—and why that distinction is important About Michael Burpoe Michael Burpoe is Director of User Experience for Punchmark, a digital marketing agency that specializes in the jewelry industry. Michael created Punchmark's UX team, which was assembled to take very specific initiatives toward fine-tuning tools and features, and improving the platform on both the front-end and back-end. Since early 2019, Michael has also headed up the strategy, planning, and execution behind Punchmark's Livestream Education program, the In The Loupe podcast, and the Punchmark Community on Facebook. Originally from Saranac Lake, NY, in Michael's spare time you can find him practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or painting cityscapes. Additional Resources: In the Loupe on Spotify In the Loupe on Apple Podcasts Website Blog Facebook Photos: Design Themes: Podcast Logo: Website Samples: After working with jewelry brands of all sizes for the last several years, Michael Burpoe has learned a thing or two about the strategies that make jewelry businesses more successful online. As Director of User Experience for Punchmark, Michael has helped even the most hesitant jewelers invest in their websites and reap the rewards of a fine-tuned digital marketing strategy. He joined the Jewelry Journey Podcast to explain why selling jewelry online is only going to become more common; how to make customers feel comfortable buying luxury items online; and how jewelry companies can use digital marketing tricks to increase sales. Read the episode transcript here. Sharon: Do you find that the people who are calling your company, prospective clients, do they tend to be in an older demographic, like a baby boomer? Not that they don't understand what you're saying, but do they see themselves in you, let's say? Michael: That's a great question. It depends. If you had asked me when I started out at Punchmark about five years ago what the average demographic of people coming to us for a website is, a lot of the time, it's an older demographic. Probably 60, 65 or so, looking for their first website or saying, “Oh I have this really bare-bones website and we need to get a modern website.” The reason why is because they went to some jewelry show and they were told by a speaker, “Hey, you need to have an online presence,” and they're like, “Alright, I'm here,” but they haven't really been convinced of the value of it. Now what I'm seeing is that, again, we're in a Covid world where the impending-ness and the seriousness of business are paramount. A lot of times the people who are running the website aren't the owners anymore. They know it's a full-time job, like I said. You can't have the business owner being the only one that touches the website. It's not going to get the love it needs. A lot of times we're seeing younger people who are involved in the online business, whether that means it's their store manager or the children of the owner. Sometimes they are specialists who they hired specifically for their website, which I advocate for. We're seeing a switch in that. I think a lot of people still need to be convinced of the value of a website, but it's becoming better, I'd say. Sharon: I'm almost afraid to ask, but once you've done the website, do your clients understand that's just the beginning? That there's SEO, PPC and social media? Do they understand there's a lot more? Michael: Early on when I first started here, they did not know that. They thought that it was a set it and forget it methodology. They get it up, they launch their website, they push it live, and they think it's going to do all the things for them. That is not the case, and we do our best to communicate that as early and often as we possibly can. I always say to people, “Your website will never be done—ever, ever, ever, ever. It has to be constantly updated.” We do have services for that kind of stuff. This isn't a sales pitch. We do have services where people can pay for us to do a lot of the ongoing work: creating landing pages, doing their social media, taking on their SEO strategy. There are services out there for them, not just with us, but we need people to understand that you can't just set it up and it's going to make $1 million on its own. It takes some work. It takes some thought. Sharon: You said an important word, strategy. How do you explain to them that you can't have it look like the Lifesavers package over here and the Tiffany package over there? How do you explain this? Michael: It depends on your service. Every business, it's like its own unique person. They all have brand voice and brand ideology and all those things that come into it; that's the bigger picture. When it comes to the web presence in general, it comes into things like what are your goals as a business? What is your brick and mortar doing as far as dollars? Is it a $1 million dollar store? Is it a $5 million store? Is it a $20 million store? We service the entire gambit. Are you in a small town? That gives you a different strategy. Do you have competitors? Are there other jewelry stores in your town? I'm from a town of 4,000 people. There was one jewelry store in the next town over, and those people have a different strategy for, for example, pay-per-click or SEO than people in Los Angeles, where there's a jewelry store every mile. That is a different strategy as far as how centralized they should be targeting, how broad. The people in the next town over who have a jewelry store, they can set their search radius to 40 miles or 50 miles, whereas the people in Los Angeles need to be targeting very hyper-specific keywords. It's also going to cost a lot more money because the competition is more. So, it all depends. There's no hard-and-fast rule when it comes to, “Oh, you need to be doing X,” because it has to be tailored to what your business approach is as well as where you're located. Sharon: I'm sure you're thinking about this when you're thinking about the user experience, but tell us more about how that role differs. Doesn't everybody in a sense have direct user experience? Michael: I think that's a great question also. User experience is very much the nebulous specter that we're always trying to catch. I always say I can feel it when I feel it. Buying with Amazon—I hate using Amazon for the experience, but let's even talk about Nike. Nike makes great shoes. I buy all my shoes from Nike. Well, what Nike does that is so incredible is that they make it so you can find your product as seamlessly and without pause as possible. When I am buying a pair of shoes, I know I can go in and find the shoes I want without having to look. You go on. You click on shoes. They ask you men's or women's shoes. Well, I want men's. Do you want running shoes or trail shoes, because there's a difference? I want street running shoes. You click on those. They show you all of them. They have alternative angles. Those are all things that go into user experience. The other things that go into it are kind of magic tricks. For example, people who are listening at home, do this: go to Nike and add a product to your shopping cart. Go to check out in the shopping cart. What you're not going to realize until I point it out to you is that the entire navigation goes away; it disappears. The only thing that shows is the Nike logo on the top. This is true for Burberry. This is true for Amazon. When you get into the buy funnel—buy funnel, that's a fancy word for when you get into the checkout process—they get rid of as many distractions as possible. They understand that you are as close as possible to taking out your wallet and paying for those shoes or what have you, and they don't want to distract you with the opportunity to go back and read about the latest tube tops. They want you to go in and buy those shoes, and they get rid of all the distractions. That's one thing we're trying to improve as well as our checkout experience. You can see this in real life. There is user experience in real life, and one of those examples is Michael's, the craft store. There's a reason why they make the checkout line so frigging long. It's because they don't want you to get in line and see how long the line looks and then leave. They want you to get into it, and the chance of your leaving and not converting on your sale is much lower if you're going to have to bump into other people and exit the—what is it called—the cattle line. It's very important. People have done the strategy and thought about this kind of stuff, and you can see it everywhere on websites with user experience. Sharon: That's interesting. Maybe you do this on some of the sites—I'm thinking maybe it's Postmates that does this—but you check out people who bought what you bought, those pants or this top or whatever. Michael: Right, upsells. Sharon: I guess. It seems like that might be another strategy. Is it Home Goods where the checkout line is full of all the little impulse purchase things, the dollar items? Michael: Well, they know that those impulse purchases, that's exactly what they are. They're impulse, which means I'm going to reach over and grab the stuffed animal for my significant other at home without thinking about it. If they took that stuffed animal and put it in one of their aisles, the chance of my doing that is going be less. Also, the time I'm going to spend in front of that stuffed animal is going to be quite a bit higher while I'm standing in line as opposed to walking down an aisle. It all comes down to data. There you can find all these really interesting things. I use this example all the time; you buy a pair of sapphire earrings. Well, if you have a little bit of a budget, maybe you should get a sapphire bracelet or a sapphire necklace and those sorts of things. Maybe you don't; no problem. But when it comes to offering that and the chance that they convert on it, one in 10, even one in 100, well, you just sold double the amount of your product. It's all about those little things that go into having a successful website. It's taking into account previous trends and things that are hot, you might say, and leaning into them. Sharon: As the Director of User Experience, I know it's all about data no matter what, but are you looking at that data and saying, “This is how we can improve the experience”? What are you looking at, exactly? Michael: You can do things in a variety of different ways when you look at data. Two years ago, Punchmark had a big switch where we measure everything now internally and externally. The mindset is that you can't fix what you can't measure. A lot of what we're seeing is that the average transaction size is going up. What that means, if you think about it a little bit, is that people are becoming more comfortable buying stuff online. The other thing we're seeing as far as data is financing. There are companies like Sezzle and Affirm where you can see a variety of different options. We're seeing that retailers that offer some type of financing, shoppers want the opportunity to use that. Affirm allows you to split payments into up to 12 payments. Why is that good? Well, buying jewelry is a luxury. It's expensive. If I'm going to say, “O.K., you need to throw down $1,000 for this bracelet,” maybe they don't have $1,000. Maybe you won't ever be in a financial state where you can afford $1,000 off the top and hand it over, but if I was to say, “O.K., you can pay me $100 for 12 months,” the odds are that fits a little bit better. We are looking at the state of these retailer websites that offer financing options, and we see that they are converting on higher-ticket price point items a lot more frequently. That's an example of the things we look for that we can reverse engineer. Sharon: What differences do you see between a website for the rest of us versus for those in the jewelry industry? Are there certain things that jewelry industry professionals, whether you're a jeweler, a retailer, a maker, a bench jeweler, should keep in mind, as opposed to somebody who manufactures widgets? Michael: To make sure I'm answering your correct question, you're saying a difference between a small-town jeweler versus a Tiffany? Sharon: I'm saying more if somebody who manufacturers bandages decides they're going to do a website because they want to attract wholesale clients versus a jewelry industry retailer or manufacturer, are there certain things that you think are different? Michael: Yeah, absolutely. We have to look at the similarities in the products and also the prices of these products. Back to jewelry and luxury items, it's a one-time purchase, one-time meaning if you buy this $1,000 bracelet and you wear it every day for a year and you love that bracelet, you're probably not going to go back and buy the same bracelet again. Maybe you would, but probably not; that's not what we see. The reason is because that bracelet is still as good as the first time you got it, and that has to do with luxury, long-terms items. A similar industry that has a similar buying state of mind is the furniture business. For example, think about the similarities if I buy a couch. Couches are really expensive if you're curious. We'll pretend this couch is $4,000. I love that couch. If I sit on it every single day for a year and I think to myself, “Man, this couch is awesome,” odds are I'm not going to go back and buy that same couch, but I could buy a matching loveseat. The same thing with jewelry. If I like that bracelet, I'll probably buy a matching earring. You mentioned bandages. Bandages would be a recurring purchase. I try my best never to compare jewelry stores to websites like Sephora. They make makeup and beauty products. I'm very fascinated by Sephora's business model. If I buy a concealer, for example, and I love that concealer—some women get really attached to certain products if it's the right fit for them—and I use it every single day for one year, I will probably run out. If I really like it, I'm going to buy it again. That's why there's a different mindset in the purchasing and buying state-of-mind for shoppers for luxury one-time purchases and recurring purchases. We try to lean into other sites, like a Burberry who sells a fashion product like a trench coat. If you wear it all the time, you're not going buy the trench coat again; you're going to buy something similar. Sharon: Interesting. There's so much to talk about when it comes to marketing this stuff. Michael: Thank you. Sharon: What do you see as the top three mistakes that those in the jewelry industry make on their websites or when you're talking digital marketing? Michael: I think the first mistake—and we've already talked about this ad nauseum, so I won't spend too much time on it—is the crockpot methodology, thinking that it's going to sell on its own. That's unfortunately just not the case. You need to be thinking about it. You need to be updating things and creating new pages and working on your SEO. That's probably one. Number two has to do with imagery. Jewelry is the most visually impactful product that might be out there. I really can't think of anything else, because what it comes down to is not the functionality of the jewelry. A bracelet, it's on your wrist and it looks good, and that's the functionality of it. Beyond that, maybe with earrings, how they move, but not really. It comes down to what it looks like. The end goal is I see it, I want it and I get it. I think a lot of times, these retailers don't put enough time into finding the right products, taking their own product photos or having lifestyle, which is to say having models with the jewelry on their website. As an example of a product details page, when you're shopping for a specific product, you can have, for example, a front view of the piece of jewelry, a side view of the piece of jewelry, maybe an up-close version if it has embossing or engraving or something like that, and then a photo on someone. You probably have a worker in your store; have them put the jewelry on. Snap it with a nice background. Now people can see how it wraps, how it looks around that person's body. I think that that is absolutely a driving force in how you can sell, so that's a good one too. Sharon: That's interesting. The positive would be that the websites that do have that—I see it more and more, where now it's frustrating when you swipe and that's it. There's only one hero shot and that's it. Michael: If it's just one thing, like a pendant, I want to see what the back of the pendant looks like. It's going to be common that I have to see the back of the pendant. I want to see what the clasp looks like. Does it have a lobster clasp or some fancy clasp? Showing that information, like we talked about in the beginning, aids in that comfortability and that confidence when they fork over a couple of thousand dollars on this piece of jewelry. They need to feel confident it's the right purchase. Sharon: You want to see how it looks on somebody's wrist, even if it's just a plastic mannequin. How does it look on a neck? I don't know if this is my last question because I could ask you questions all day long. Michael: No, I appreciate it. Sharon: What I noticed, and I find it a little concerning being a baby boomer who's looked at marketing for a long time, it seems that everybody is moving onto Instagram. Every jeweler has moved to Instagram. They may have a Facebook page and they may have a Twitter—I don't know what the others are—but it seems they're skipping a website. It's like, “Oh, I don't need the website. I'm just putting everything on Instagram.” What are your thoughts about that? Michael: Again, I might be biased—I'll get that out of the way first. I will say this: I think the shopping tools on Instagram are absolutely marvelous. Full disclosure: I really dislike the company Facebook. I'm not a fan of them, but what they have done is make a whole suite of tools that go with Instagram. For example, if you do these collection photos where you show a bracelet, a necklace, earrings and a ring all on one page, you can tag those products. A lot of the time, they do rely on having a website as the hub, so they're feeding the information in. I don't know if the website's time is heading toward the sunset and going fully Instagram is nigh, but I will say the tools on Instagram are incredible. The other thing they do offer is fantastic retargeting. If you go on there and you like a product, as in double-tap it, they're going to re-serve that to you, and they can get better at fine tuning it. You can tell that Instagram is serious about being a shopping tool because they've replaced one of the five icons on the bottom of the Instagram app to become a shopping bag so people can buy easier. Sharon: Very smart. I also find it annoying, but understandable and smart, that every time I say, “Oh yeah, I like this,” “Well, we need your email address. Do you want to see anything else you want on your email address?” No, don't give me the discount. I don't want to give you my email address. Let me just see the product. But you can't do that. Michael: It's all about that retargeting. It's because it works, unfortunately. Sharon: No, it does. Michael: As someone who has worked in the industry for enough time, it can be very easy to get jaded about this kind of stuff and be like, “They're just flooding my inbox with all this stuff.” I get it. If I was on the edge of buying this product and I don't buy it, and you're hitting me back with a discount code: “Hey, get 20 percent off on this thing,” well, I was going to buy it for 100 percent. Now it's a little bit off, and now I can rationalize it better and get it. It does work. Sharon: Absolutely, or they wouldn't be doing it. I'm sure they're looking at the data. Michael, thank you so much. This is so interesting, and I'm sure it's given a lot of people ideas about what they need to go back and revisit or start doing. Thank you so much for being with us today. Michael: Thank you so much, Sharon, for having me on. I really appreciate it. If you guys want to hear more about emerging tech and information regarding the jewelry industry, we have a podcast called In the Loupe. That's on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, whenever you want it. We have a lot more information about different merging tech. You can learn more about Punchmark general at Punchmark.com. Sharon: Thanks. I do want to mention that you have a lot of very informative articles on your site. Michael: I appreciate that. Thank you so much. Sharon: It's definitely worth checking out. We will have images posted on the website. You can find us wherever you download your podcasts, and please rate us. Please join us next time, when our guest will be another jewelry industry professional who will share their experience and expertise. Thank you so much for listening. Thank you again for listening. Please leave us a rating and review so we can help others start their own jewelry journey.
Stanley Tucci, the food world's favorite actor, stops by Radio Cherry Bombe today and there's a lot to talk about. His memoir, "Taste: My Life Through Food," is out today; "Big Night," the cult film he co-wrote, co-directed, and starred in, just turned 25; and his TV program, "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy," just won an Emmy. Stanley also chats with host Kerry Diamond about his pasta rules, his love for Julia Child, and, of course, timpano. Don't miss this episode! Thank you to Kerrygold, Crate & Barrel, and Ace Hotel Brooklyn for supporting our podcast. Radio Cherry Bombe is recorded at Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center in the heart of New York City.
What you'll learn in this episode: Why you won't see results if you have a “set it and forget it” mentality about your website Why jewelers should give their website as much attention as a brick-and-mortar location How jewelers can use tricks of the trade to encourage customers to purchase items online, even if jewelry is traditionally bought in person How jewelry brands can take advantage of the new shopping feature on Instagram Why the jewelry business is more like Crate & Barrel than Sephora—and why that distinction is important About Michael Burpoe Michael Burpoe is Director of User Experience for Punchmark, a digital marketing agency that specializes in the jewelry industry. Michael created Punchmark's UX team, which was assembled to take very specific initiatives toward fine-tuning tools and features, and improving the platform on both the front-end and back-end. Since early 2019, Michael has also headed up the strategy, planning, and execution behind Punchmark's Livestream Education program, the In The Loupe podcast, and the Punchmark Community on Facebook. Originally from Saranac Lake, NY, in Michael's spare time you can find him practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or painting cityscapes. Additional Resources: In the Loupe on Spotify In the Loupe on Apple Podcasts Website Blog Facebook Photos: Design Themes: Podcast Logo: Website Samples: After working with jewelry brands of all sizes for the last several years, Michael Burpoe has learned a thing or two about the strategies that make jewelry businesses more successful online. As Director of User Experience for Punchmark, Michael has helped even the most hesitant jewelers invest in their websites and reap the rewards of a fine-tuned digital marketing strategy. He joined the Jewelry Journey Podcast to explain why selling jewelry online is only going to become more common; how to make customers feel comfortable buying luxury items online; and how jewelry companies can use digital marketing tricks to increase sales. Read the episode transcript here. Sharon: Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Jewelry Journey Podcast. Today, my guest is Michael Burpoe with Punchmark. Michael is the Director of User Experience for this marketing agency, which specializes in creating effective and compelling websites for the jewelry industry. Today, Michael will talk with us about his journey into the world of jewelry. He'll also share with us some of the secrets about what it takes to create an effective website, one that drives revenue. Michael, welcome to the program. Michael: Thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it. Sharon: We're so glad to have you. How did you get into the jewelry industry? I'm sure that's not where you started out when you decided to take this path. Michael: Yeah, great question. The starting point is, I went to school for design. I went to the Rochester Institute of Technology, which is called RIT, in Rochester, New York, and while I was there I was studying graphic design. I knew I wanted to study user experience. For people who aren't fully aware, that's the overall shopping ease when it comes to websites. It can extend beyond that, but that's where I was most focused. While I was doing a lot of application design and things that were related to e-commerce, I was scouted by this guy, Daniel Sirois, who is my CPO at Punchmark. He hired me on, and I've since found myself in a niche when it comes to e-commerce strategy and web design. I now am Director of User Experience at Punchmark. I lead our dev team as well as the overall production strategy when it comes to that. Sharon: That's really interesting. I'm so surprised to hear you say you went to RIT because that's a heavy design school. All kinds of art jewelers come out of there. Michael: Yeah, it has a major, I think, in metal design as well as jewelry design. What's crazy is they do these installation pieces. I'm sure you're already aware of these pieces that almost orbit around the head, these really dynamic pieces. It might be one of the only master's programs in the U.S. for jewelry design. These pieces are absolutely stunning. They almost install around the head and then have a singular earring. It's all about how the piece is presented. It's very fascinating. I went to a couple of their shows, unbeknownst to me that I end up in the jewelry industry in the end. Sharon: I guess I thought you'd say you studied computer science. You were saying e-commerce. Michael: Yeah. Sharon: What does Punchmark do, and why the name Punchmark for the company? Michael: The original idea behind Punchmark, as it's been told to me by the founders, is that a coin is just metal until it is punched with the original insignia that denotes its value. For example, a quarter is made of the same type of material as a dime; it's just a punch that makes the difference. That's how we see ourselves in bringing brands and businesses to life: everybody starts out, more or less, on the same footing. It's what you add to the process that adds the value. We try to our best to stay ahead of the cutting edge and see where the ball is going, so that way we can lead our leaders. We were one of the first people to be doing serious e-commerce websites for the jewelry industry. Now, with a lot of things shifting toward e-commerce in addition to brick and mortar, what we call an omnichannel solution has had a definite, huge rise in popularity. It's really exciting to be a part of. Sharon: I really like that. That's an interesting concept. It's all the same; it's just what size, which President is on the face. We talked a little about this, but tell us more about the transition you're seeing with jewelers getting into the e-commerce space. Michael: Absolutely. Whenever people ask me about the shift towards e-commerce—obviously Covid had a huge impact on the jewelry industry, especially right in March 2020, the reason being that prior to those events, the vast majority of sales were done inside of brick-and-mortar stores. When I refer to jewelers, I'm referring to jewelry retailers. We also work with vendors and production companies and technology companies, but specifically jewelry retailers. They were doing so much of their business in their stores. When their stores were forced to close at that time, there was this real uncertainty about what they should be doing. I hate to say I told you so, so I won't, but I will say that we've been constantly pushing people as much as possible to take their online presence seriously. One of the things we are always saying is that your online store should be considered just as important or require as much time as any of your brick-and-mortar stores. Some of our retailers, they have three brick-and-mortar stores, and their website should their fourth. That's how we see it, and that's because it takes a lot of work and a lot of extra stuff. Sharon: That's a great way to look at it. It does; it takes a lot of nurturing, a lot of care and feeding to get it right. Michael: Absolutely. Sharon: I'm thinking about the dealers, maybe not so much the retailers that I've talked with. I remember an antique jewelry dealer telling me they had resisted for a long time even doing a website—this was years ago—and the first online sale they made was one of the largest sales they ever made. I know there's a lot of talk about, “Well, everybody has to touch and feel,” but I think a lot of people are getting past that. What do you think? Michael: I think it comes down to who the target customers are. What you just mentioned, being loath to adapt to these online businesses, it's very understandable. Tech is constantly changing, constantly evolving, and it can be extremely overwhelming to get into. That said, it's like learning a language. Once you learn, you learn how to learn, and then you learn how to adapt and pick up new things. That online presence, what we're seeing is—say you're a 60-year-old or 70-year-old retail jeweler. Your shoppers are not all 60 to 70-year-old shoppers. A lot of the target consumers are going to be younger. Now millennials are buying engagement rings and jewelry in general. Gen Z is starting to have enough money that they can start shopping. These generations and Gen X as well are very tech fluent, extremely tech fluent. Speaking for myself as a millennial, I was brought up with a computer. I have had the internet as a part of my life for as long as I can remember, so the idea of me spending $200, $300, $400 online for a product that I have not touched is not as foreign to me as some retailers seem to assume because it's true for them. We're seeing that a lot of shoppers that are coming through are first-time jewelry shoppers, first-time ring buyers. We run a podcast; we sometimes interview consumers for engagement ring buyers, and we're finding that people love the idea of sitting home alone. It's the middle of the night; their significant other might be in bed, and they're shopping online, finding information, getting an idea of what that engagement ring should look like. Whereas before, they walk into a store to buy that engagement ring, and it is intimidating because the store owner is—not breathing down your neck, but very interested. Some people just have social anxiety, and they don't want to talk to anybody. The idea of having all that information in front of them is very attractive to them. Sharon: That's really true. You mentioned two things I want to follow up on. First of all, you mentioned your podcast called In the Loupe, which is a great name; I love it. Michael: A jeweler's loupe, yep. Sharon: Tell us a little bit about that. Michael: Sure. In the Loupe actually started as a different podcast called the Jeweler Survival Kit. This launched in March 2020. Like I mentioned before, there was a lot of uncertainty when it came to how the pandemic was going to impact these businesses. There was all this silence from the movers and the shakers in the jewelry industry, and we decided to come through and be like, “Alright, here's how you do it. You should cash up your inventory by selling your unwanted products, selling them at a discount or doing Facebook sales and stuff like that.” As we did a couple of episodes of it, we realized that Coronavirus wasn't going to go away in one month or two months. We decided to shift to In the Loupe and make it more of a podcast along the lines of educating and advocating. So, not just telling people how things worked, but also saying, “You should be doing this about emerging technologies in the e-commerce space.” We talk about things like SEO, digital marketing, selling online, stuff like that. It's since evolved into a comprehensive look at the jewelry industry, and it's been a lot of fun to be a part of. Sharon: It sounds very interesting and necessary, but I could also visualize a lot of jewelers, retailers, manufacturers shutting it off and saying, “Forget it.” Michael: Yes, we started it like, “Alright, we've told you a million times that you should get SEO, which is search engine optimization. It's how you rank higher in Google. Well, we're going to tell you how it works.” We talk about Google and how it works, hoping that even if they don't buy SEO with us, they start to think, “Maybe I should get SEO.” What we've learned is that trepidation and hesitancy towards these techniques, that doesn't go away in one day or one week or one month; it's a long-term process. I see myself as a steward for the industry in that if I do my job right with In the Loupe, which is a partnership with the Smithee Group, who we coproduce it with—if I do my job right, fewer jewelry stores will fall upon hard times in this really uncertain state. More jewelry stores will adapt and be ahead of the curve instead of being behind the curve, which the jewelry industry historically has always been. Sharon: Do you have people who have worked in the jewelry industry on your team? The reason I ask because I can see prospects pushing back and saying, “What do you know about it?” Michael: We have a GIA-certified gemologist as our CEO. He actually spent a considerable amount of time in the jewelry industry working at a jewelry store. That's how he got his founding. Also, our CTO spent a considerable amount of time in the jewelry industry— Sharon: CTO, you'll need to explain it. Go ahead. Michael: CTO is Chief Technology Officer. The Cockerham brothers, they spent many years in the jewelry industry. They grew up at a jewelry store and have done many trips to Antwerp, Belgium for different buying trips. The reason why we got into jewelry is because we have roots in the jewelry industry and we can relate to these jewelers on a deeper basis. Sharon: First of all, you said something and then we jumped about. You said something about “we're going to tell you how to do it.” Could you just repeat that and then stop? Michael: Yeah. We're going to tell you how to do it. Sharon: What you've told me about your team, it sounds like you have deep jewelry experience on your team. Do you find that prospective clients breathe a sigh of relief when you say that? Michael: It depends. Punchmark was founded in 2008. We've been in the jewelry industry for quite a while, and we have a history in the jewelry industry and have made a name for ourselves. We call ourselves the largest online provider for jewelry websites. We have almost 500 clients, and we can see the statistics that are inside our network. I've seen people be, again, loath or behind the curve when it comes to pushing forward with this emerging tech, but at the same time, we've also taken jewelers who are very slow to adapt and turned them into making frequent sales online. It only seems impossible before you start. Sharon: That's great. I have to remember that it only seems impossible before you start. I remember a lot that my father taught me, but one thing that always sticks in my mind and is very motivating is that he would say, “All beginnings are hard.” Michael: Yes. I also think anything that's worthwhile in business doesn't come out of the box, ready to rock and roll. There is some setup. It does require a little bit of hard work, and it requires some communication. You need to be on your email and, like I said before, it needs to be seen as a significant branch of your business if you want it to be a significant part of your business. The thought of, “Oh, I'm just going to load it up with some images and they're going to sell,” well, in reverse, let's think about it yourself. Would you buy a piece a jewelry if you have a photo of this necklace that's going for $1,000, and you took a photo through the display box window, and it's kind of grainy and the details about it are, “This necklace has 14-karat gold and it's $1,000.” Well, that seems crazy. I would never buy something with that little information, because who knows? It could be a scam. How do I know the details are there? Also, it doesn't look good. That's why we're always advocating through In the Loupe saying, “If you want to sell, you almost need to market to yourself.” What would you look for in this jewelry? For me, at least, I want good photos, lots of details. I want to know everything about the piece of jewelry. I want to be assured that if I'm going to buy a $1,000 bracelet or watch or whatever have you that I am not going to get scammed. It's real; it's available, and I need to be assured about that. Sharon: It sounds like you are marketing to yourself. As director with user experience, you really are looking at what's going to build that trust in terms of, “this isn't a scam.” Let me ask you this: somebody we had on the podcast, a dealer, said they thought the most important thing when it comes to user experience is the return policy. What do you think about that? Michael: Absolutely. Return policies, warranties, shipping information, data policies, all of those accoutrements for an online sale, all of that information is what comes in for the trust factor. We can't get around it: jewelry is a luxury good. You can even think about a wallet or a pocketbook; these are all luxury items. When it comes to that kind of stuff, you can do without it. That's the nature of luxury; it's a want, not a need, but what ends up happening to it is that the other factors are just as important. If I buy this watch and it breaks the first day, am I SOL or am I going to be able to come back and have it refurbished? If I need a new battery, can I come in for that? If it gets shipped to me and it gets lost in the mail, am I out $1,000? All of those things are the trust. At least with millennials and Gen Z, we're finding that they are so tech fluent that they know how to comparison shop much better. If they're not shopping at your store, if they see that there's no information and it feels like a risk, they can easily comparison shop and find the exact same product or a similar one somewhere else. That's the battle you're always going against. You want to have all of the checks in your box as much as possible. Sharon: I think that's such an important point, no matter what industry. If somebody is shopping for something, whether it's a service or whatever, and they go to one website and there's no information or it takes a long time to load, they're gone. That's it; they're on to the better website. Michael: We see that all the time with things like bounce rate. That's the rate of someone visiting your website and then leaving within, I think, 10 seconds. That means you need to load quickly. You also need to have eye-catching imagery and what we call “above the fold,” which is the information that loads that's visible on the screen first. At lot of times, shoppers, they don't even know what they want when they start shopping. They start out as an open shopper. They're going in and they know they need to buy something for their significant other, and they know they like fancy jewelry. Well, they don't know if they want a hoop earring or a stud; they don't know that answer. It's up to you to convince them and show them the way so they can shop without feeling stupid or intimidated. I think that also has to come into the above the fold information.
In episode #13 my little sister Rebecca joined me on the show to discuss how I got into wine and other random questions. She is back again this week in episode #33 to talk about the top 3 wine tools every kitchen needs, the wine regions I want to travel to, what sparkling wine to use for mimosas and more! Be sure to subscribe to the show so that you never miss an episode and check out thewineceo.com to sign up for my free guide to Food & Wine Pairing! ------------- Three wine tools every kitchen needs: 1. Corkscrew Classic Waiter's corkscrew Rabbit manual corkscrew 2. Champagne buckets Sturdy Stainless Steel Amazon Option My Favorite from Crate & Barrel 3. Good Bottle Stoppers Silicone Rabbit bottle stopper Vaccum Pump with silicone stoppers (pulls oxygen out to help your wine last longer!) Classic Sparkling Wine stopper --------------------------- Check out today's sponsor Wash & Wik Candle and Soap Co. Enter code THEWINECEO at checkout for 20% off your purchase!
Join us for a dynamic interview with John Williams, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Amplience, the API-first, headless content management platform for enterprise retailers. John has helped power customer experiences for some of the world's most innovative brands, including Mulberry, Traeger, and Crate&Barrel. Learn about why more retailers are moving away from monolithic platforms and embracing the MACH (Microservices based, API-first, Cloud-native SaaS, and Headless) ecosystem. If you work in enterprise retail or B2B, ecommerce, or have your own platform or microservice, you won't want to miss out on some valuable insights from an ecommerce veteren who was doing headless commerce before it was a thing, and has been instrumental in helping brands build powerful customer experiences. Some topics we discuss are: How Amplience helps power experiences for the world's most innovative brands The importance of content as a service in today's space How composable commerce and headless commerce are different What MACH Alliance is and why it's important for Amplience to be a part of it The biggest challenges in getting brands to understand headless commerce Common misconceptions about Amplience, Headless, and the space in general The exciting future of Amplience and the next 5 years of the industry Guest Bio John Williams is a highly energetic individual with an impressive track record of matching technological innovation with business strategy. He completed his MBA at Imperial College alongside an impressive full-time position as CTO at LBI, Europe's leading digital agency at the time. John became Amplience's CTO in 2010 and has proven to be a genuine asset who thrives in highly complex and commitment environments where precision execution, innovation and leadership are critical. Links/Resources: Amplience LBI International MACH Traeger Crate&Barrel Bold Commerce What is headless commerce?
Produced in partnership with NRF Retail Converge, this episode offers concise coverage of Day 1 sessions at NRF Retail Converge — a virtual event offering deep exploration across multiple specialties within the retail industry. Get detailed insights and takeaways from sessions featuring: • Qurate President and CEO Mike George • Walmart US President and CEO John Furner • Cartier NA President and CEO Mercedes Abramo • The Vitamin Shoppe CEO Sharon Leite • THE YES Founder and CEO Julie Bornstein • Levi Strauss & Company COO Liz O'Neill And executives from organizations including Crate & Barrel, Sephora, AT&T, Best Buy, the Obama Administration, The Gap, Pinterest, Neiman Marcus, and more.
Episode Title: The Rockstar Advocate Feat. Suz PaulinskiEpisode Info: In this episode Durell is joined by Entrepreneur, Coach & Consultant Suz Paulinski. Durell talks to Suz about her early introduction to music, going to college for music business, graduating early and getting her first job in the music industry as the Midwest Sales Manager For EMI Records. Suz talks about being a young executive at the label and the fact that the record stores were closing as she was trying to get them to purchase their inventory. She talks about the fact that nobody was buying CDs and she was trying to navigate the early days of Facebook and social media. She talks about how she quit her job at the label 5 times but kept coming back but then decided to leave and venture out to start her own label with her old college roommate.After a couple years of running the label, she decided to shut the label down and start a consulting firm for artists. What Suz really began to realize is that she knew a lot about music but nothing really about entrepreneurship and what that all entailed. She went back to school and earned her Master's Degree in Psychology but unfortunately her dad had fallen sick and she needed to come home to help the family. She took a part time job managing at Crate & Barrel where she would ultimately learn marketing, branding, and other skills that make a business successful. She still knew she needed to fastrack her learning curve so she hired a business coach. Suz hired her for three months and then within 6 months she was able to launch her company The Rockstar Advocate.Suz knew that wanted to be a counselor for those who suffered with substance abuse and mental health in the music industry. She ultimately saw there was a need for artists who were suffering from burnout after they got back from touring as an independent artist. Artists would talk with her about the things that ultimately led to the lack of productivity and time management. She saw an approach where she could help her clients continue to be them without fitting into the societal norm in terms of what time management and success looks like by leveraging their own unique strengths.Durell and Suz end the episode talking about how she launched the first version of the “Rock Star Life Planner” in 2016. She talks about the fact that musicians really want to be successful in their business but didn't have the tools to be successful. She now is in the 5th edition of her book and it contains even more tools to help them be successful. Suz also is the creator of “The Music Pre-neur Podcast”. She focuses on musicians and their stories and struggles of learning how to become entrepreneurs. She has been able to also create a solid brand voice by creating brand equity by writing for other media platforms focusing on time management and productivity for musicians. For more information on Suz you can visit her website: https://therockstaradvocate.com/
Episode Title: The Rockstar Advocate Feat. Suz PaulinskiEpisode Info: In this episode Durell is joined by Entrepreneur, Coach & Consultant Suz Paulinski. Durell talks to Suz about her early introduction to music, going to college for music business, graduating early and getting her first job in the music industry as the Midwest Sales Manager For EMI Records. Suz talks about being a young executive at the label and the fact that the record stores were closing as she was trying to get them to purchase their inventory. She talks about the fact that nobody was buying CDs and she was trying to navigate the early days of Facebook and social media. She talks about how she quit her job at the label 5 times but kept coming back but then decided to leave and venture out to start her own label with her old college roommate.After a couple years of running the label, she decided to shut the label down and start a consulting firm for artists. What Suz really began to realize is that she knew a lot about music but nothing really about entrepreneurship and what that all entailed. She went back to school and earned her Master's Degree in Psychology but unfortunately her dad had fallen sick and she needed to come home to help the family. She took a part time job managing at Crate & Barrel where she would ultimately learn marketing, branding, and other skills that make a business successful. She still knew she needed to fastrack her learning curve so she hired a business coach. Suz hired her for three months and then within 6 months she was able to launch her company The Rockstar Advocate.Suz knew that wanted to be a counselor for those who suffered with substance abuse and mental health in the music industry. She ultimately saw there was a need for artists who were suffering from burnout after they got back from touring as an independent artist. Artists would talk with her about the things that ultimately led to the lack of productivity and time management. She saw an approach where she could help her clients continue to be them without fitting into the societal norm in terms of what time management and success looks like by leveraging their own unique strengths.Durell and Suz end the episode talking about how she launched the first version of the “Rock Star Life Planner” in 2016. She talks about the fact that musicians really want to be successful in their business but didn't have the tools to be successful. She now is in the 5th edition of her book and it contains even more tools to help them be successful. Suz also is the creator of “The Music Pre-neur Podcast”. She focuses on musicians and their stories and struggles of learning how to become entrepreneurs. She has been able to also create a solid brand voice by creating brand equity by writing for other media platforms focusing on time management and productivity for musicians. For more information on Suz you can visit her website: https://therockstaradvocate.com/
Join us for this warm and wonderful conversation between two icons, Ina Garten and Stanley Tucci. The two got together for the very first time, via Zoom, Ina from the Hamptons and Stanley from London, for a talk to kick off The Julia Jubilee, Cherry Bombe’s celebration of the life and legacy of Julia Child. Ina, star of The Barefoot Contessa and author of 12 bestselling cookbooks, and Stanley, the celebrated actor-director-writer and star of the new CNN series, Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy, talk about the making of the much-loved film Julie & Julia, their relationship with writer-director Nora Eprhon, and what they’d make if Julia Child came by for dinner. Don’t miss this special chat! Thank you to Crate & Barrel for supporting The Julia Jubilee and this episode of Radio Cherry Bombe.
Some might know Anne Willan as the doyenne of La Varenne, the influential culinary school she ran in Paris and Burgundy, but she’s also the author of more than 30 cookbooks, including her latest, 'Women in the Kitchen,' '12 Essential Cookbook Writers who Defined the Way We Eat, from 1661 to Today.' Anne joins host Kerry Diamond to talk about everything from the early days of La Varenne to her friend Julia Child and the antiquarian cookbook collection that Anne and her husband, the late Mark Cherniavsky, donated to the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles. Anne reflects on her life as an author, historian, and teacher and you don’t want to miss it. Today’s show is supported by the sponsors of The Julia Jubilee: Kerrygold, Crate&Barrel, Whole Foods Market, Le Creuset, San Pellegrino, and Kobrand Fine Wine & Spirits.
Chef Bill Kim and Yvonne Cadiz-Kim are both highly respected throughout the hospitality industry. Recently, Chef Jaime Laurita and I had a Kitchen Chat with this dynamic duo. As chef/owner of Urban Belly and chef/partner of Crate & Barrel's The Table at Crate, Chef Kim is navigating the new normal. Carry out is the main focus for Urban Belly, and Chef Bill and Yvonne have amplified the process for controlling the restaurant's environment to keep everything sanitized and to keep everyone safe.
Chef Bill Kim and Yvonne Cadiz-Kim are both highly respected throughout the hospitality industry. Recently, Chef Jaime Laurita and I had a Kitchen Chat with this dynamic duo. As chef/owner of Urban Belly and chef/partner of Crate & Barrel's The Table at Crate, Chef Kim is navigating the new normal. Carry out is the main focus for Urban Belly, and Chef Bill and Yvonne have amplified the process for controlling the restaurant's environment to keep everything sanitized and to keep everyone safe.
Meghan's mom gets an invite from the Queen. Reese Witherspoon stuff at Crate & Barrel. A NYC marathon marriage proposal. Mickey Mouse turns 90. A 5 foot 8 inch store receipt. Teen girls give up social media for 2 weeks.
The Real Boys are in some legal trouble this episode as they are delivered the cease and desist of a lifetime. In this vague episode the Boys discuss Drew's cold case, marrying a hall of mirrors at a fun house, living in an exact replica of a building, Hayao Miyazaki's Dilbert The Movie, relaunching The Real Boy's TV pilot, Aesop's The Three Dirty Pigs, load bearing walls bearing loads, a Corey Hart conundrum, buying Ed Gein lamps at Crate & Barrel, FMK phone apps, and Jake's Science Corner featuring the science of ethics. From Twin Peaks season three, to Get Out, to Max Landis, check out some of our recommendations of 2017 so far. ...and favorite villains. To email us a cease and desist write TheRealBoysPodcast@gmail.com Tweet us about Ziggy comic sans fonts @RealBoysPodcast Join our Jinx season 2 fan page at www.Facebook.com/TheRealBoysPodcast www.TheRealBoysPodcast.com
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