Podcasts about jc penney

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.    Every once in a while, I get to sit across from someone who didn't just participate in an industry, but helped change what we expect from it. Ron Johnson is one of those people and I'm excited to have him as my guest. At Target, he helped bring great design to the mass market. At Apple, working alongside Steve Jobs, he created the Apple Store and helped reimagine a store as something much bigger than a place to buy things. He also has been the CEO of JCPenney and founder of Enjoy Technology. He has a new book out, Shop Different.    THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…entrepreneurs, founders, and business leaders looking to challenge conventional thinking, create differentiated experiences, and turn bold ideas into lasting business impact.   TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…great businesses are about more than selling a product. Ron shares what he learned at Target, JCPenney, Apple about creating experiences that make people want to come back. He also talks about why leaders need both conviction and an open mind, and why the right people and culture are so important when you're trying to do something new.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: Conviction matters, but leaders need to stay close to customer feedback and remain open to changing course. The best customer experiences start with a clear vision and an employee experience designed to support it. Differentiation isn't simply about being different, it's about creating something meaningfully better. Transforming a business requires the courage to think beyond what has worked in the past. The strongest brands create experiences that go beyond transactions and give people a reason to come back.   WHAT I LOVE MOST…the best innovations don't always start with a goal of changing the world. They start with someone willing to think differently, do the work, and create something people genuinely value.   Running Time: 28:05   Subscribe on iTunes   Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X    Find Ron Online: LinkedIn   Ron's Book: Shop Different: How Retail Revealed Apple's Genius

Ron Johnson built the Apple Store as Apple's SVP of Retail, and is the author of Shop Different: How Retail Revealed Apple's Genius.A Note from James:I love the Apple Store.I can walk into one without needing anything and still want to stay. I like looking at the products. I like touching everything. I like the space. I like the feeling.I remember buying one of my first iPods at the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue in New York. I walked out smiling, listening to music from my childhood that I hadn't heard in years.And that feeling was designed.My guest today, Ron Johnson, is the person who created the Apple Store.Before Apple, Ron was at Target, where he helped prove that design could matter even in mass-market retail. He worked with Michael Graves and helped establish this idea that something affordable could also be beautiful.Steve Jobs noticed.Steve had come back to Apple. The Mac was competing in a world dominated by Windows. And he realized there was something advertising could not do: it could not let someone actually experience the product.You had to touch a Mac. You had to use it. You had to see why it was different.So Steve hired Ron.And together they created something that went against almost every trend in retail at the time.No giant stacks of boxes. No salespeople hiding behind registers. No pressure to buy. Products sitting openly on simple tables. Lots of light. Lots of employees. A Genius Bar. A place where you could come in, play with the computers, ask questions, learn something, leave without buying anything, and then come back again.Retail experts said it would fail.And for a moment, they looked right.When Apple opened its third store in Texas, Ron walked into the Monday morning executive meeting and Steve Jobs looked at him and basically said, “What are you doing here? You haven't sold a computer in the state of Texas.”Ron fixed it.Eventually, Apple Stores became some of the most productive retail spaces in the world.Ron's new book is Shop Different: How Retail Revealed Apple's Genius. And what I loved about the book is that you get to see how someone who has spent decades thinking about stores actually sees one.Ron can walk into a store and notice the floor, the lighting, the width of the aisle, the employees, the products, where people park, how customers move, what they see first, and whether the place has what he calls a heartbeat.He sees retail almost like an artist sees a canvas.And the lessons are much bigger than stores.They're about design. Leadership. Kindness. Steve Jobs. Knowing what your customer values. Knowing what parts of your identity are sacred. And maybe most importantly, knowing when not to rush.What You'll Learn:Why Steve Jobs believed Apple needed its own retail stores.How Ron Johnson's work with design at Target attracted Steve's attention.Why Ron sees retail as a fundamentally human and emotional business.How kindness influenced Ron's relationship with Steve Jobs.Why Apple designed the store collaboratively instead of handing the project to a traditional retail team.Why location was one of the first messages the Apple Store sent customers.How George Blankenship brought critical retail real-estate expertise to Apple.Why Apple spent heavily on elaborate window displays in its earliest stores.How the Apple Store was divided between new customers and existing owners.Why Apple removed almost all visible inventory and boxes from the sales floor.How the Genius Bar fit into the original philosophy of service and support.Why Apple Store employees were deliberately different from traditional electronics-store employees.Why Apple recruited people from bookstores.How Apple shifted the retail goal from transaction to relationship.Why Ron told employees never to hurry a potential customer.What Target taught Ron about differentiation and design.How Steve Jobs responded when Apple's first Texas store failed to sell a computer during its opening weekend.Why Ron says Steve criticized performance rather than attacking the person.What Steve Jobs taught Ron about leadership, delegation, standards, and focus.Why Steve wanted A players and gave them room to operate.Why Ron believes physical retail is not dying.What separates “tired retail” from a store with a heartbeat.Why brands need to understand which parts of their identity are sacred.How institutional memory slowly pulls companies away from what originally made them special.Why Ron believes the best business advice is simply: don't be in a hurry.Timestamped Chapters:[04:38] Seeing a Store Like a ChessboardJames tells Ron that reading the book feels like watching a master see patterns invisible to everyone else.[06:08] The Apple Store BeginsJames asks what Ron and Steve Jobs disagreed about while building the first stores.[07:29] Building the Store With Steve JobsRon explains why Apple's stores were developed collaboratively rather than designed independently and presented to Steve for approval.[08:55] How Target Led Ron to AppleJames asks whether Ron's design work at Target was what originally caught Steve Jobs' attention.[09:21] Why Apple Needed StoresRon explains that Steve believed Apple had to control the customer experience if it wanted people to understand why the Mac was different.[10:40] Kindness in the Steve Jobs InterviewJames asks why Ron emphasized kindness when describing his first meeting with Steve.[11:22] Living in Your HeartRon describes his upbringing in Minnesota and why retail taught him to think first about the person in front of him.[13:26] Going Against the Retail TrendJames and Ron discuss why opening expensive physical stores seemed almost irrational during the rise of Dell, e-commerce, and struggling electronics chains.[14:00] The Mac Had to Be ExperiencedRon explains why advertising could only take Apple so far. Customers needed to touch the product and experience the operating system themselves.[15:18] The First Message Is the LocationRon explains Steve Jobs' belief that the location of the store itself tells customers something about the brand.[17:09] Getting People Through the DoorRon describes the importance of real estate, window displays, and creating stores people felt compelled to enter.[18:18] A Place to Hang OutThe early Apple Store becomes somewhere customers can surf the internet, play with computers, and spend time without pressure.[19:27] Simple Enough to Understand at a GlanceRon explains the original store layout: products and discovery in the front, ownership support and services in the back.[20:25] The Employee Is the StarRon explains why Apple staffed its stores so heavily and designed employees' jobs around helping customers rather than completing other tasks.[21:44] Why Tech Stores Felt IntimidatingRon contrasts Apple's approach with the employees and environment he saw in traditional computer stores.[22:43] Hiring From BookstoresRon explains why bookstore employees provided a model for the hospitality and discovery experience Apple wanted.[24:24] Transaction vs. RelationshipRon compares Target, where customers arrived ready to shop, with Apple, where many customers needed multiple visits before they were ready to buy.[24:56] Never Hurry the CustomerRon explains why employees were taught to spend time with people, excite them about the product, and invite them to return.[25:34] Target vs. WalmartJames and Ron discuss the strategic difference between the two discount retailers and how Target used fashion and design to differentiate itself.[27:15] How Apple Influenced Tesla RetailJames notices similarities between Tesla and Apple stores, and Ron explains George Blankenship's role in both companies.[28:31] “You Haven't Sold a Computer in Texas”Ron remembers opening the third Apple Store and walking into an executive meeting before the location had sold a single computer.[29:51] What Steve Jobs Was Really CriticizingRon says Steve's intensity was about performance and standards, not personal criticism.[30:20] Steve Jobs as a LeaderRon explains why Steve focused less on conventional management metrics and more on what Apple should build next and how it could better serve customers.[31:03] Hire the Best People in the WorldRon talks about Tim Cook, Jony Ive, delegation, A players, and how quickly Steve moved when someone did not fit.[33:26] Are Physical Stores Dying?James asks the question Ron hears constantly, and Ron argues that retail formats evolve rather than disappear.[34:55] Why New Brands Still Want StoresRon points to newer specialty brands opening physical locations and explains why demand for good retail space remains strong.[36:05] Experience Beats ConvenienceRon distinguishes online shopping's transactional convenience from the emotional experience and sense of belonging a physical store can create.[37:48] Tired RetailJames brings up JCPenney, and Ron explains why outdated, dim, oversized retail experiences gradually lose relevance.[39:29] Walking Through Stores as an Art FormRon describes visiting stores constantly and reading every product, display, floor, and merchandising decision as evidence of someone's thinking.[40:40] What Target LostRon compares today's Target home assortment with the Target he helped shape decades earlier.[42:00] The Danger of Losing Institutional MemoryRon explains how companies gradually drift away from the qualities that originally made them successful.[42:50] Why the Floor MattersRon gives a seemingly small example: Target's move from bright white flooring to darker concrete changed the emotional character of the store.[43:59] Every Great Brand Has Something SacredJames and Ron discuss why companies need to know which parts of the customer experience define their identity and should not be casually changed.[45:16] The Best Business Advice Ron Ever GotJames asks for Ron's most important business lesson.[45:40] Don't Be in a HurryRon explains why patience, focus, high standards, and sequential innovation were central to Apple's success.[47:16] Apple, AI, and the Race for the Next PlatformJames and Ron connect the lesson about patience to the enormous investment and uncertainty surrounding artificial intelligence.[49:03] Closing ThoughtsJames reflects on what the Apple Store has meant to him personally and recommends Shop Different.Additional Resources:Shop Different: How Retail Revealed Apple's Genius — Official Book SiteRon Johnson — Official LinkedIn ProfileApple RetailApple Fifth AvenueSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thanks for listening, and please follow us on Insta @NHPTalent and www.youtube.com/thePOZcastFor all episodes, please check out www.thePOZcast.com#thePOZcast is proud to welcome Dalia as our newest partner. Dalia helps employers convert more career-site traffic into qualified applicants by giving job seekers a universal candidate profile that eliminates repetitive applications and streamlines the application process. Learn more (link below)https://www.dalia.co/audit?utm_source=pos Key Topics:- The founding and design of the Apple Store- The importance of human connection in retail- Lessons from Ron Johnson's career at Target and Apple- The impact of AI on retail and customer experience- Failures and lessons learned from JC Penney- Timeless principles of store design and customer engagementChapters00:00 Introduction to Ron Johnson and his journey02:04 Early influences and childhood lessons04:05 Career shift from finance to retail passion08:12 Joining Target and pioneering design in retail12:03 Meeting Steve Jobs and the Apple Store vision19:46 Design principles of the first Apple Store29:56 The role of human connection in retail success35:56 Lessons from JC Penney's challenges and failures45:01 Reflections on leadership, presence, and success51:55 The future of retail and Apple in an AI world

When you combine the power of simplicity with a relentless commitment to customer experience, you can transform industries—just ask the visionary mind behind the Apple Store. What does it take to redefine retail for generations to come?In this energizing episode, Lou Diamond connects with Ron Johnson, the trailblazer who helped turn Apple, Target, and JCPenney into icons of customer-centric innovation. Ron Johnson shares firsthand insights from working alongside Steve Jobs, the secrets behind the Apple Store's groundbreaking design, and how empathy, openness, and a passion for serving people drove a retail revolution. He delves into creating spaces that invite curiosity, explains why kindness matters as much as technology, and reveals the personal journey behind his new book, "Shop Different."Key highlights include the untold challenges early Apple Stores faced, the cultural shift sparked by the launch of the iPhone, and deeply personal reflections on leadership, creativity, and legacy. Whether you're a founder, innovator, or lifelong learner, this episode is packed with actionable wisdom for anyone looking to make an impact.Timestamped overview:00:00 Introduction and setting the stage for innovation01:08 Lou Diamond welcomes Ron Johnson02:22 How the Apple Store concept was born03:51 Going after the “second half”—bringing computers to everyone05:14 Retail transformation and the importance of experience06:10 The power of openness and simplicity in store design07:10 Early customer reactions and the Apple community09:00 Culture, kindness, and personal influences10:20 The iPhone launch and retail mania12:25 Building Apple's global retail footprint13:39 Training staff for the iPhone revolution15:10 Reflections on Steve Jobs and innovation philosophy17:17 Creating legendary Apple Store locations (Grand Central story)18:12 Writing "Shop Different" and personal discoveries19:33 Early Apple Store challenges and breakthroughs21:08 The enduring Apple ecosystem22:23 The modern Apple Store experience22:33 Where to find "Shop Different" and connect with Ron Johnson23:05 Fun Street: movies, music, favorites, and rapid fire26:04 Closing thoughts and gratitude

Most people think the Apple Store succeeded because of great design. Ron Johnson says that's only half the story. The real secret was something much more personal. In this episode, Ron Johnson, the man who built the Apple Store alongside Steve Jobs and later became CEO of JCPenney, breaks down the invisible forces that shape how leaders make decisions. He introduces a concept called personal geography, the idea that every choice we make as a leader is filtered through our own lived experience, whether we realize it or not. Ron traces how his mother's simple belief that everyone deserves a place to belong quietly became the emotional blueprint behind the Genius Bar, the open floor plan, and the entire Apple retail experience. Ron also opens up about what he calls his biggest professional failure, transforming JCPenney, and why a genuinely good vision still collapsed. The conversation digs into why fast change without buy-in creates fear instead of momentum, why uncertainty registers in our brains as danger, and why the most successful leaders resist the urge to rush. This episode will change how you think about retail, leadership, and the quiet personal history that drives every decision you make. Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Cold Start & Intro 00:02:24 – Meet the Man Behind the Apple Store 00:08:11 – The Secret Behind Apple's Mobile Checkout 00:09:32 – Why Everyone Called the Apple Store a Terrible Idea 00:19:07 – The Psychology of Standing in Line 00:21:57 – What Is Personal Geography 00:26:07 – The Childhood Memory That Built the Apple Store 00:33:35 – Why JCPenney Became His Biggest Failure 00:41:15 – The Real Lesson Behind Leading Change 00:52:44 – Why Personal Geography Shapes Every Leader Guest: Ron Johnson Websites: https://ronjohnsonshopsdifferent.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shopdifferent   Book: Shop Different: How Retail Revealed Apple's Genius

Braga, King, and Ski talk: :15: Dry chicken in Mexican food, the week zero slog, Braga's Orange County Choppers 'stache.14:00: Jed York going cheap on discretion, depressed billionaires in JCPenney shorts, the NFL not caring about sex crimes, Deshaun Watson's lack of self awareness.31:00: Conference winners, and CFB Playoff picks, ideal Oregon natty matchups.52:10: Week zero betting lines, Ski's one week until Oregon football trivia thing.1:09:29: Top 3 influential Dolly and Curry things.

In this week's Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Quorso, Veloq, and R&S Logistics, Chris Walton was joined by Joe Laszlo, Head of Content & Insights, U.S., Shoptalk, to discuss: • Target's latest results, including stronger sales, rising traffic, grocery growth, and a raised full-year outlook, and whether the retailer is truly turning the corner or still lacks the differentiated strategy needed to sustain its momentum: https://www.wsj.com/business/retail/target-raises-fiscal-year-forecast-again-as-turnaround-gains-traction-with-consumers-b3548cfd • Home Depot's nationwide rollout of three-hour delivery, and whether the retailer is smartly getting ahead of consumers' growing expectations for ultra-fast delivery, particularly when something breaks and needs to be fixed fast: https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/home-depot-rolls-out-express-delivery-in-3-hours-or-less-across-us/828175/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202026-08-20%20Supply%20Chain%20Dive%20%5Bissue:88350%5D&utm_term=Supply%20Chain%20Dive • J.C. Penney's new “Retail Regret to Retail Redemption” campaign, which takes direct aim at off-price retailers like TJX, Ross, and Burlington, and whether picking a fight with the competition is a bold move or could actually send shoppers straight to the rivals JCPenney is attacking: https://www.retaildive.com/news/jc-penney-takes-aim-off-price-stores/828001/ • California Pizza Kitchen's plan to deploy up to 1,000 automated pizza kiosks, and whether shrinking restaurant footprints combined with faster, more convenient formats could give the nostalgic pizza brand a new path to growth: https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/california-pizza-kitchen-automated-kiosks/828423/ • Ann Taylor's brand comeback, including its first major integrated marketing campaign in nearly a decade, its Substack newsletter, and a New York Fashion Week activation, and whether the heritage brand can successfully reconnect with younger shoppers without losing what made it distinctive in the first place: https://www.retaildive.com/news/ann-taylor-stages-a-brand-comeback-with-substack-fall-fashion-blitz/828475/ • What's ahead at Groceryshop and Shoptalk Fall, as Joe previews the upcoming events and the conversations shaping the future of retail. Groceryshop takes place September 22–24 in Las Vegas, followed by Shoptalk Fall September 29–October 1 in Nashville. Plus, Chris and Joe debate pineapple on pizza, share their most recent home repair disasters, uncover the bizarre story behind the infamous 1975 Sears catalog “page 602”, and reveal their favorite museums in this week's Lightning Round. P.S. Be sure to check out all our other podcasts from the past week here, too: https://omnitalk.blog/category/podcast/ P.P.S. Also be sure to check out our podcast rankings on Feedspot: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.com

What's up, dudes? Remember standing in line for hours to get that one toy? Your parents probably did, especially after you sat down and circled all the toys you wanted in the Wishbook? Vinnie Brezinsky from Huey and Bax joins me to talk holiday shopping and wishbooks! Malls and shopping and commercials! Oh my! From Toys 'R' Us to Sears, from JC Penney to Kmart, we talk all about shopping and wishbooks. The Sears Wish Book began in 1933 as a special Christmas edition of the Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog, packed with toys, games, dolls, bicycles, clothing, and other gifts that quickly made it a beloved holiday tradition for American families. Over the decades, the catalog grew into a massive annual showcase—often hundreds of pages long—where generations of children eagerly circled, dog-eared, and dreamed about the presents they hoped Santa might bring. As department-store catalogs declined and shopping shifted online, Sears discontinued the traditional Wish Book in the 1990s, briefly revived it in print and digital forms in later years, and left behind an enduring piece of Christmas nostalgia.Toys? Check. Clothes? Yeah, they're in there too. Christmas decorations? Of course! So grab your red marker and circle all the things you want in this episode on 1980s holiday shopping and wishbooks!  Give us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter,  Instagram,  Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com!  Later, dudes!

Check your inbox. I bet there is a Black Friday email sitting in there right now from a course creator, a template shop, or a digital product seller, and I bet you skimmed it and archived it and thought "well, that's nice for them." Then you closed the tab and counted yourself out of Black Friday for another year. In this episode, I am making the case that Black Friday is for you as a family photographer, and no, it does not involve slashing your session prices.I am talking about this in the middle of August on purpose. Every year I watch family photographers ignore Black Friday until the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, then panic-post a mini session discount they never wanted to offer at a price they never wanted to charge. That is not a Black Friday problem. That is a missing system problem, and August is when you fix it.What you'll learn in this episodeWhy the version of Black Friday in your head (giant red banner, 70% off, JCPenney doorbusters) was never built for a service providerThe math that makes the course creator model fall apart the second a photographer copies itFour reasons Black Friday is worth your time, even with a small email listWhy a warm list of 200 local families outperforms 3,000 subscribers who forgot they downloaded something from you in 2022And So Much More!Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/black-friday-for-family-photographers-skip-the-discount/▸ Get your free ticket to the Black Friday Virtual Summit: https://blackfridaysummit.com/Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education)

You've probably been inside an Apple Store. And if you have, you know: it's a totally different kind of retail experience. That's because of Ron Johnson. He was Steve Job's handpicked hire to launch the Apple Store, after Steve saw how Ron revitalized Target with an emphasis on design.  He and Steve Jobs worked closely to launch what has to be one of the greatest retail experiences ever built. In this episode, you'll see exactly how they did it – and how it all stemmed from Ron's belief that you should love your customers.  He also talks (with refreshing vulnerability!) about what he learned from his failed turnaround attempt at JCPenney. This episode is for you if: You need to improve the customer experience at your company You're trying to get buy-in on a big idea You want to build more excellence into your culture You admire Steve Jobs and the Apple brand Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The How Leaders Lead App⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daily Insight Emails⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you'll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.

In this episode of Future Shop, host Wendy Liebmann sits down with retail visionary Ron Johnson—former Senior VP of Retail at Apple and former VP of Merchandising at Target. Ron opens up about his storied career, including the creation of Target's groundbreaking "Design for All" collaborations with icons like Michael Graves, and the strategy behind launching Apple's revolutionary retail stores. Together, they explore what made these retail models endure, the critical lessons learned from his attempt and failure to transform J.C. Penney, and how physical retail will adapt and thrive alongside AI and digital innovation.HighlightsDemocratizing Design: How Target brought high design to the masses with Michael Graves and changed the discount retail strategy.Building Apple's Retail Empire: Behind the scenes with Steve Jobs to create the Genius Bar, overcome technology fear, and design stores for everyone.Lessons from J.C. Penney: The risks of moving faster than your customer and what retail failure teaches about brand transformation.The Future of Retail & AI: Why AI won't kill physical stores and why omnichannel retail continues to win.Send us Fan MailVisit our website for transcripts, links mentioned on this episodes, and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!

Why do some companies become more valuable after laying off thousands of employees?In this episode of Corporate Finance Explained, we explore the financial logic behind corporate restructuring and why the market often rewards companies that make difficult decisions before a crisis forces them to. Using real-world examples from Meta, Intel, Sears, and JCPenney, we explain how operational restructuring can strengthen a business, improve capital allocation, and create long-term shareholder value.You'll learn why successful restructurings go far beyond layoffs. We break down the three pillars of operational restructuring: cost resets, operating model redesign, and portfolio pruning, and show how companies use these strategies to improve efficiency while protecting future growth. We also explain why timing matters and how proactive restructuring differs from reactive cost-cutting.

Drew Forsyth is an award-winning portrait photographer and director based in the North West of England, working with commercial and advertising clients across the UK and internationally. His work centres on people who've given everything to be extraordinary at what they do — from dancers with English National Ballet and musicians of the BBC Philharmonic and the Hallé Orchestras, to Nobel Prize-winning scientists, politicians, and performers at the height of their careers. His photography has been featured by BBC News, The Guardian, The Times, and Rolling Stone, and recognised by the Royal Society of the Arts. He's an AOP Accredited Photographer and Fellow of the RSA, and speaks internationally at events like Photo North, Pas de Deux Photo Conference, and the Royal Photographic Society.In this episode, Drew and Nikki trace his path from a JCPenney-style family portrait studio to photographing world leaders, Nobel laureates, and major corporate campaigns — and he breaks down exactly how he prices that work today. They dig into setting boundaries on set (and how to say yes to more without losing your mind), why those early "conveyor belt" studio years became his real technical training, and why he believes his biggest competition isn't other photographers — it's being forgotten. Drew also walks through how he actually quotes corporate jobs (day rates, itemized breakdowns, and the cautionary tale of a client who blamed him for "cheap-looking" dresses), how personal passion projects like his "Breaking Ground" series and a helicopter shoot over Manhattan became his best marketing, and the "Helsinki Bus Station Theory" — his framework for why so many photographers give up on their style right before it becomes distinctive.Topics covered:Setting boundaries with clients without losing bookingsWhy "conveyor belt" studio work builds indispensable technical skillsThe accidental path from individual sessions to corporate/organizational clientsPricing corporate shoots: day rates, itemized quotes, and scope questionsWhy past-client relationships and personal introductions beat cold outreachMarketing through consistent presence, not constant hard-sellingPassion projects as a client-acquisition strategyThe Helsinki Bus Station Theory: staying the course creativelyIf you're building a photography business, want to grow your portrait photography income, or are curious about how to make money from photography online, this conversation is packed with actionable advice.

Why do smart strategies fail so often? According to Kevin Ertell, the problem isn't a lack of ideas—it's execution. In this Encore episode of The Voice of Retail, Michael LeBlanc sits down live in person at the NRF Big Show in New York in The Remarkable Retail Narvar podcasting studio with Kevin Ertell, founder of Mistere Advisory, veteran retail operator, and former Vice President of Global Retail at Nike. Kevin is also the author of the new book The Strategy Trap: Why Companies Fail at Execution and How to Get It Right, which draws on more than two decades of hands-on leadership experience across iconic retail brands including Tower Records, Borders, Sur La Table, and Nike. Kevin explains how organizations fall into the “strategy trap”—a tendency to over-invest in ideas, decks, and executive alignment while underestimating the human and organizational work required to execute effectively. He argues that strategy should be treated as the first step of execution, not as a theoretical exercise completed before real work begins. Using well-known retail case studies, including the failed transformation of JCPenney, Kevin illustrates how untested assumptions, poor internal alignment, and misunderstanding customer behavior can derail even bold strategies. Leaders often assume that communication equals understanding, when in reality teams fill in the gaps with their own interpretations—creating misalignment that only becomes visible once execution is underway. The conversation introduces Kevin's practical “Six Cs of Execution” framework. The first phase—co-creation, clarity, and capacity—focuses on setting the stage by involving the right people, defining priorities, and making space for execution. The second phase—communication, coordination, and coaching—highlights the role of active leadership in sustaining momentum and course-correcting as conditions change. Kevin also shares actionable tools leaders can use immediately, including structured problem-definition sessions, force-ranking priorities, and creating safe environments where teams can challenge assumptions. He emphasizes that focus is a leadership discipline—and that trying to pursue too many initiatives at once almost guarantees failure. For retail leaders navigating AI disruption, economic volatility, and shifting consumer expectations, this episode offers a clear, operator-led blueprint for escaping the strategy trap and turning strategy into results. Presented by Kokek, Canada's Way to Pay. Visit Konek.ca to learn more. Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025 and 2026. Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail. If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael's cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.

Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real engagement programs: professorgame.com/WildCD Episode Summary Rob breaks down behavioral debt: the borrowed motivation hiding inside every legacy points, discount, or bonus program, showing why cutting an engagement program off cold is the fastest way to blow it up. He walks through JCPenney's collapse under Ron Johnson, a Fortune 500 rewards program employees now budget around like income, and how LATAM Airlines and Caixa Econômica Federal restructured their own behavioral debt using Octalysis Core Drives instead of switching it off. Listeners learn how to read their program's real balance sheet and start servicing behavioral debt without triggering a JCPenney-style default. About the Host Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Key Takeaways JCPenney's Ron Johnson scrapped every discount and coupon overnight, replacing them with everyday low pricing; sales fell 25%, roughly $4.3 billion, and he was gone within two years. Ron Johnson later admitted only 1% of JCPenney's sales happened without a discount, meaning 99% of purchases depended on coupons the company had just eliminated. LATAM Airlines kept its miles intact but rebuilt the experience around Core Drive 7 (Unpredictability & Curiosity) and Core Drive 3 (Empowerment of Creativity & Feedback), driving a 153% increase in credit card acquisitions. Caixa Econômica Federal's incentive program had drifted to roughly 10% participation before a rebuild around collective purpose pushed it to 90%, adding $1.06 billion in revenue. Points tied to reaching performance targets ran on Core Drive 4 (Ownership & Possession) and Core Drive 8 (Loss & Avoidance), turning a reward employees didn't need into part of their household income. Topics Covered 0:00 — Behavioral debt hiding under green metrics 0:25 — A Fortune 500 rewards program families budget around 1:39 — Why most engagement advice assumes a blank slate 2:51 — Why behavioral debt hides behind green dashboards 3:29 — Borrowed motivation compounding like real interest 4:17 — JCPenney's Ron Johnson cuts every discount overnight 6:04 — Core Drives 4 and 8 inside the Fortune 500 case 8:07 — Why behavioral debt has no repayment plan 8:59 — Why you can't just switch off behavioral debt 9:20 — LATAM Airlines: servicing debt while building the replacement 11:23 — Caixa's jump from 10% to 90% participation 12:37 — Closing: most loyalty programs are just debt service Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real engagement programs: professorgame.com/WildCD Mentioned in This Episode LATAM Airlines Gamification Case Study (The Octalysis Group) Caixa Econômica Federal Banking Gamification Case Study (The Octalysis Group) The Octalysis Framework JCPenney's 2011-2013 "everyday low prices" strategy under CEO Ron Johnson Free Resources and Get in Touch Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Free Guide Get Daily Value on Your Email Let's chat about your gamification project YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Start Your Community on Skool for Free Ask a question

Drop us a note about the podcast. A single Scripture can change how you see everything and Psalm 2 does not whisper. We start with God's warning to rulers and His promise of joy for anyone who takes refuge in Him, then we bring that lens to a modern story of violence in Lancaster, South Carolina. The question we keep circling is simple and uncomfortable: when we talk about immigration, crime, and ideology, do we remember the real victims and our responsibility to protect the vulnerable right in front of us?We also slow down and pray for listeners who are anxious, depressed, fearful, or at the end of themselves, and for those who serve in the military, law enforcement, EMS, and firefighting. From there we turn to Proverbs 5:18–19 and speak plainly about marriage, desire, and why churches often avoid the parts of Scripture that challenge our comfort. If you want Bible-based marriage encouragement that does not sugarcoat reality, this part will make you think and maybe prompt some honest conversations at home.Then we read Acts 22 and follow Paul through injustice, lawful appeal, and a chaotic council, connecting it to Proverbs 18:13 about the danger of spouting off before listening to the facts. We close with a piece of American Christian heritage: JCPenney's Great Depression collapse, a hospital hallway hymn, and a surrender that lifted crushing worry. If you need a reminder that faith in crisis is not bravado but release, this story lands. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.JCPenny#ChristianNation#AmericanPatriotSupport the showThe American Soul Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribeCountryside Book Serieshttps://www.amazon.com/Countryside-Book-J-T-Cope-IV-ebook/dp/B00MPIXOB2 America's Christian Heritage Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/2622483

Ron Johnson is one of the most influential retail innovators of the modern era. Best known for creating the Apple Store alongside Steve Jobs, Ron also helped bring designer collaborations to Target, served as CEO of JCPenney, and founded Enjoy, the first mobile retail store. In his new book, Shop Different: How Retail Revealed Apple's Genius, Ron shares the principles behind building unforgettable customer experiences, trusting your instincts, and creating products and businesses that stand the test of time. On this episode we talk about: How Ron's first sales experience as a Little League player shaped his approach to business Why he chose learning over earning by starting in a retail stockroom after Harvard Business School The story behind creating the Apple Store and working alongside Steve Jobs How customer experience—not transactions—became Apple's greatest retail advantage Why trusting your inner voice is more valuable than following conventional wisdom, especially in the age of AI Top 3 Takeaways Invest your early career in developing skills and expertise instead of chasing the highest salary—your long-term earning potential will be much greater. Great businesses are built by creating memorable experiences, not simply selling products. The biggest breakthroughs often come from trusting your own convictions rather than relying on conventional thinking or outside opinions. Notable Quotes "Making money starts with finding a way to connect emotionally with other people." "Learning teaches you how to think for yourself." "You don't learn by thinking—you learn by doing." Connect with Ron Johnson: Website: https://ronjohnsonshopsdifferent.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shopdifferent/ Book: Shop Different: How Retail Revealed Apple's Genius A Word from Our Sponsors: - Visit DrinkAG1.com/TMM to get a free AG1 Travel Case with 7 free AG1Travel Packs in your Welcome Kit with your first AG1 subscription order while supplies last.  - Go to Leesa.com for 25% OFF select mattresses (through August 23, 2026) PLUS get an extra $50 off with promo code TMM, exclusive for my listeners  - To learn more about Mode Mobile and its investor community, go tohttps://invest.modemobile.com/travismakesmoney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us Fan MailCatalyst Brands is redefining what it means to build a modern retail portfolio. Formed in early 2025 through the merger of JCPenney, Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers, Lucky Brand, and Nautica, the company has spent the past 18 months bringing together five iconic brands with distinct customer bases and rich histories. Now, the focus is shifting from integration to growth, with loyalty, customer insights, and personalization playing a central role in that strategy.  For Marika Bigler, Vice President of Customer Growth Strategy at Catalyst Brands, the opportunity extends far beyond operational efficiencies. While the merger created opportunities to streamline processes across the organization, the bigger goal is finding new ways to connect customers with more of the company's brands, create more engaging shopping experiences, and deliver greater value across the portfolio. Loyalty is one of the first major steps in bringing that vision to life.Stay connected with Loyalty360! Follow us on LinkedIn and X for the latest loyalty insights, industry news, and upcoming events.https://www.linkedin.com/company/loyalty-360https://x.com/Loyalty360https://www.youtube.com/@Loyalty360_

Jennifer Johnson is an author, speaker, and the founder of True Fashionistas, a highly successful designer resale enterprise based in Naples, Florida. In this episode, she opens up about her incredible journey from a small Minnesota dairy farm to the fashion world, navigating a devastating business betrayal, and why she firmly believes that things happen for us, not to us. 

We're still surprised people did this but... 50+ founders worth $10M to $4B reveal their personal finances. Here it is: https://joinhampton.com/mw-wrWhy do we do this? Because if you're an aspirational person or someone who runs a business and is making money, it's incredibly challenging to figure out what to do. Information is impossible to find — and that's what we put together: the net worth reveal and why we do this podcast, Moneywise.He got his first $5M check and expected to feel superhuman. The next day was one of the most disappointing of his life.Jesse Pujji walked away from a Goldman Sachs job where he made $500K at 25 — with a boss making $3M and a group head making $20M — to bootstrap an ad agency on $33K per partner and a stack of Amex cards. Ampush cracked the Facebook arbitrage before almost anyone: $100K in monthly revenue in June 2010 became $2M a month with $600K in EBITDA fourteen months later. He scaled it to half a billion in annual ad spend and 250 employees without raising a dollar, turned down $25M at 27, sold 20% to Red Ventures in 2015, and sold the whole thing to New Mountain Capital in 2022 for somewhere between $40M and $60M on a 35% stake. He never got the nine-figure number he made up in his head, and he says chasing it was the mistake.This episode gets into the exact allocation of a post-exit portfolio, why Jesse refuses to let his advisors put illiquid startup equity on his balance sheet, what $500K a year of "normal" spending actually buys, and why he asked his financial advisor how people possibly spend more than that. He's honest about the gap between the money he expected to change him and the money that didn't. And we spend real time on the part most founders avoid: three kids who never saw him grind, a Greenlight allowance split into thirds, a $63 JCPenney paycheck at 16 that taught him more than any of it, and the question of whether to leave them anything at all.Also, this podcast is made by Hampton, which is a community for founders doing on average $20 million a year in revenue. We saw a lot of these money conversations happening privately behind closed doors and we thought, "What the heck, let's make it public." If you are a founder, apply here: http://joinhampton.com/mwTimestamps:00:00 — Jesse's origin story: immigrant household in St. Louis, a snow shoveling business in middle school, and $33K each plus Amex cards to start Ampush02:00 — The Facebook arbitrage that changed everything: $100K/month in June 2010 to $2M in revenue and $600K in EBITDA fourteen months later02:49 — "Sandbox entrepreneurship" — Facebook cold-calls them: "Who the hell are you guys? You're one of our top 100 advertisers"04:24 — Why he left Goldman at 25 making $500K: "I would rather make half of my future expected earnings and do something I feel excited about"06:18 — The $25M offer two years in, why they said no, and the $3M dividend they took instead — $1M each, which bought his SF house07:30 — The made-up number that wrecked them: hoping for $150M, getting $60–75M offers, and turning down $190M in Marin stock09:24 — The Red Ventures deal and $5M after tax: "I thought I would get wings or superhuman strength... nothing changed"11:16 — 2022: selling to New Mountain and walking away without going with the deal13:12 — The exit number, on the record: a $40–60M range on a stake "a little bit more than a third"16:04 — The Zone of Genius framework, and why being a CEO sat in his zone of excellence — good at it, drained by it17:52 — Gateway X by the numbers19:06 — Whether the scarcity ever goes away: "nine days out of ten" became "one day out of ten," and the coach question he couldn't answer20:16 — The Deer Valley condo, and finally understanding why people buy vacation homes21:08 — Full portfolio breakdown and why he tells his advisors to mark his startup equity at zero23:24 — Annual spend 26:52 — The schedule that makes it work: Tuesdays and Thursdays he misses bedtime, Monday/Wednesday/Friday he doesn't, and he deletes Slack on vacation28:16 — The thing that keeps him up: "They've gotten all the fruits of the grind without actually observing the grind"29:23 — Greenlight, allowance equal to their age, and splitting it into thirds — spend, save, give30:19 — Running a Starbucks P&L with his 9-year-old daughter in the store32:30 — The four-bucket framework: spend it, give it to the government, give it to charity, or give it to your kids34:44 — A Schnucks family board member on generational wealth: "Money doesn't ruin kids. Lack of values does."35:36 — What Jesse wants said at his funeralSponsors: Daily Body Coach - achieve your dream body with https://moneywise.dailybodycoach.comSubscribe to Moneywise: https://www.youtube.com/@themoneywisepodcastFollow Daniel on X: https://x.com/danielcberkListen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts: [search "Moneywise Hampton"]

How Passion, Purpose & Persistence Built a National Beauty Brand with Shan Berries How do you turn a side hustle into a nationally recognized beauty brand? In this inspiring episode, Shan Berries shares how purpose, perseverance, and passion helped her build a cosmetics company that's changing lives. After more than a decade in radio and television, Shan made a bold leap into entrepreneurship by launching Shades By Shan Cosmetics, a beauty brand now carried in over 600 JCPenney stores nationwide. Beyond creating high-quality beauty products, Shan built her company around a mission to support single parents through the The MamaBerries Nonprofit Foundation, which has already helped more than 100 families across the country. In this episode, we discuss: • Transitioning from broadcasting to entrepreneurship • Growing a side hustle into a national retail brand • The realities of fundraising and scaling a business • Building a purpose-driven company that gives back • Representation as a Latina founder in the beauty industry • Balancing ambition with impact Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a beauty enthusiast, or someone looking for inspiration to pursue your purpose, this conversation will leave you motivated to dream bigger and lead with heart. Connect with Shan

How Passion, Purpose & Persistence Built a National Beauty Brand with Shan Berries How do you turn a side hustle into a nationally recognized beauty brand? In this inspiring episode, Shan Berries shares how purpose, perseverance, and passion helped her build a cosmetics company that's changing lives. After more than a decade in radio and television, Shan made a bold leap into entrepreneurship by launching Shades By Shan Cosmetics, a beauty brand now carried in over 600 JCPenney stores nationwide. Beyond creating high-quality beauty products, Shan built her company around a mission to support single parents through the The MamaBerries Nonprofit Foundation, which has already helped more than 100 families across the country. In this episode, we discuss: • Transitioning from broadcasting to entrepreneurship • Growing a side hustle into a national retail brand • The realities of fundraising and scaling a business • Building a purpose-driven company that gives back • Representation as a Latina founder in the beauty industry • Balancing ambition with impact Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a beauty enthusiast, or someone looking for inspiration to pursue your purpose, this conversation will leave you motivated to dream bigger and lead with heart. Connect with Shan

In this 85th episode of the Paul Zimnisky Diamond Analytics Podcast, Paul begins by talking about his recent trip to an Apple Store at a New Jersey mall to get a new MacBook. He shares his thoughts on the transformation of U.S. malls to more modern, higher-end shopping destinations that are attracting younger generations. Next, he reveals that he saw lab-grown diamonds being sold above the counter at JCPenney and he opines on what this could mean for the larger category. Then, Paul candidly explains why the natural and lab-grown industries can't "playing nice" and he bids his case for why physically "marking" natural diamonds is necessary. Finally, Paul discusses the current nuances of the semiconductor industry and what it could mean for the next generation of man-made diamonds.   Hosted by: Paul Zimnisky Guest: No guest Guest plug: N/A More information on PZDA's State of the Diamond Market report: www.paulzimnisky.com/products   Show contact: paul@paulzimnisky.com or visit www.paulzimnisky.com.   Please note that the contents of this podcast includes anecdotes, observations and opinions. The information should not be considered investment or financial advice. Consult your investment professional before making any investment decisions. Please read full disclosure at: www.paulzimnisky.com.

Well, he did it....He only went and did it. As teased (or threatened) by Ant, here it is. It's the first episode of Kit Korner Internationale World Cup Special, presented to you by QPR NYC The Podcast Podcast Network! (this name might need some work over the summer) Ant is joined by QPR NYC founder and fellow kit sicko Tom Holden, as they recap all the World Cup kit news, check out every team's threads and pick their group winners and runners up. Added bonus, it's our first video podcast: (Only on Spotify, its audio everywhere else) - No Andy or Dun anywhere to be found, as Ant said they only have faces for audio and Tom was the good looking one of the gang...Along the way, Tom and Ant cover:The First international kits they owned (knockoff or otherwise)The format for determining the World Cup kit championWacky World Cup schedulingInaugural Sgt. Slaughter Coin FlipFashion collabs stealing the showMore third kits than everWeird collars and shouldersKit controversy for Haiti!We have always been at war with OceaniaPatch-apalooza!JC Penney adidas discount glitchWho is rocking England's 1998 look? England Channeling their own history or is it a Panama channal?Shoutouts to the non adidas, Nike & Puma teams. What's a Capelli, a Jako or a Kelme anyway? There's a Marathon, not a Sprint...You can find Tom's new project at @WorldCupMerchDesk on Instagram and Ant is @StayGold.Ant.Tune in for part 2. Coming soon. It'll be a knock out!

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of The Real Estate Vibe Show, Vinki Loomba sits down with Will Harvey, Founder & Principal of Harvey Capital, to break down where real opportunities are emerging across public and private real estate markets in 2026. This conversation dives deep into mindset shifts, market inefficiencies, and how investors can position themselves ahead of the next wave of opportunity. Key TakeawaysWhy many investors unknowingly build “high-paying jobs” instead of wealth-generating systemsThe mindset shift from operator thinking to investor thinking and why disciplined capital allocation drives outcomesHow buying with margin of safety prevents catastrophic mistakes and unlocks long-term compoundingWhy understanding value drivers matters more than focusing only on revenue and short-term profit (P&L vs valuation thinking)The difference between public vs private market investing and why opportunity sets vary dramatically across bothEpisode Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction: Where smart investors are deploying capital in 202601:20 – Will's journey from loan officer to fund manager05:21 – Why rentals didn't feel like wealth creation09:18 – House flipping, leverage, and early capital stacking13:45 – Biggest investing mistakes and lessons learned20:32 – Operator vs investor mindset shift 24:25 – Where smart money is going in today's market29:00 – Public market arbitrage (JCPenney liquidation deal)33:52 – REITs vs private deals and return differences37:07 – How AI is changing underwriting and deal analysis39:39 – Best opportunities over the next 12–24 months

In March 1953 and May 1955, government officials—including the Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA), the US Department of Defense, and the Atomic Energy Commission—released nuclear bombs on two model towns at Nevada Test Site, the continental nuclear test facility during the Cold War. These so-called “Doom Towns” were designed to illustrate in the most vivid way possible what might happen to a “typical American home” caught in a Soviet atomic blast. Instead of training troops for war overseas, the Doom Towns literally brought the Cold War home. Drawing on newspaper articles, FCDA reports, and corporate documents, in Doom Town, USA: The Nevada Test Site as Ground Zero of 1950s American Culture (University Press of Kansas, 2026), Dr. John Wills brings readers into Doom Town, USA—a place where life-size mannequins of the archetypal Mr. and Mrs. America walked the streets in JCPenney clothes, drove Chrysler cars, and lived in the latest trailer homes, tailor-made to escape in the event of nuclear war. The two Doom Towns of Operation Doorstep (1953) and Operation Cue (1955) were far more than just an exercise in developing a new civilian home front. They were a media spectacle and a cultural flashpoint, attracting corporate sponsors, drawing in atomic tourists, and generating new consumer products. The atom bomb may have been bad for world peace, but it was good for business. In the excitement about these experiments, real people even volunteered to be living test subjects—but most were turned away. Doom Town became an unusual but effective banner for corporate and consumer life in the 1950s. Doom Town was an effective simulacrum of white middle-class America, right down to the racially segregated social spaces and the hierarchical gender roles of the dummies living in their classic suburban homes. But these homegrown Hiroshimas also contributed to a broader culture of catastrophe and fear in the late 1950s. Concerns over Communist invasion, Soviet spies, and ICBM missiles coalesced in the Nevada desert, framing a national culture of anxiety. The sudden explosion of the model towns revealed the shocking fragility of postwar living, calling into question the 1950s American Dream and the survivability of American ideals. The cultural crater left by these nuclear test sites exists even today in the many movies, television shows, and video games that dwell on the existential crisis of impending apocalypse. Doom Town, USA is an eye-opening tour guide of one of the most bizarre and uniquely American places in history. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In March 1953 and May 1955, government officials—including the Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA), the US Department of Defense, and the Atomic Energy Commission—released nuclear bombs on two model towns at Nevada Test Site, the continental nuclear test facility during the Cold War. These so-called “Doom Towns” were designed to illustrate in the most vivid way possible what might happen to a “typical American home” caught in a Soviet atomic blast. Instead of training troops for war overseas, the Doom Towns literally brought the Cold War home. Drawing on newspaper articles, FCDA reports, and corporate documents, in Doom Town, USA: The Nevada Test Site as Ground Zero of 1950s American Culture (University Press of Kansas, 2026), Dr. John Wills brings readers into Doom Town, USA—a place where life-size mannequins of the archetypal Mr. and Mrs. America walked the streets in JCPenney clothes, drove Chrysler cars, and lived in the latest trailer homes, tailor-made to escape in the event of nuclear war. The two Doom Towns of Operation Doorstep (1953) and Operation Cue (1955) were far more than just an exercise in developing a new civilian home front. They were a media spectacle and a cultural flashpoint, attracting corporate sponsors, drawing in atomic tourists, and generating new consumer products. The atom bomb may have been bad for world peace, but it was good for business. In the excitement about these experiments, real people even volunteered to be living test subjects—but most were turned away. Doom Town became an unusual but effective banner for corporate and consumer life in the 1950s. Doom Town was an effective simulacrum of white middle-class America, right down to the racially segregated social spaces and the hierarchical gender roles of the dummies living in their classic suburban homes. But these homegrown Hiroshimas also contributed to a broader culture of catastrophe and fear in the late 1950s. Concerns over Communist invasion, Soviet spies, and ICBM missiles coalesced in the Nevada desert, framing a national culture of anxiety. The sudden explosion of the model towns revealed the shocking fragility of postwar living, calling into question the 1950s American Dream and the survivability of American ideals. The cultural crater left by these nuclear test sites exists even today in the many movies, television shows, and video games that dwell on the existential crisis of impending apocalypse. Doom Town, USA is an eye-opening tour guide of one of the most bizarre and uniquely American places in history. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

In March 1953 and May 1955, government officials—including the Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA), the US Department of Defense, and the Atomic Energy Commission—released nuclear bombs on two model towns at Nevada Test Site, the continental nuclear test facility during the Cold War. These so-called “Doom Towns” were designed to illustrate in the most vivid way possible what might happen to a “typical American home” caught in a Soviet atomic blast. Instead of training troops for war overseas, the Doom Towns literally brought the Cold War home. Drawing on newspaper articles, FCDA reports, and corporate documents, in Doom Town, USA: The Nevada Test Site as Ground Zero of 1950s American Culture (University Press of Kansas, 2026), Dr. John Wills brings readers into Doom Town, USA—a place where life-size mannequins of the archetypal Mr. and Mrs. America walked the streets in JCPenney clothes, drove Chrysler cars, and lived in the latest trailer homes, tailor-made to escape in the event of nuclear war. The two Doom Towns of Operation Doorstep (1953) and Operation Cue (1955) were far more than just an exercise in developing a new civilian home front. They were a media spectacle and a cultural flashpoint, attracting corporate sponsors, drawing in atomic tourists, and generating new consumer products. The atom bomb may have been bad for world peace, but it was good for business. In the excitement about these experiments, real people even volunteered to be living test subjects—but most were turned away. Doom Town became an unusual but effective banner for corporate and consumer life in the 1950s. Doom Town was an effective simulacrum of white middle-class America, right down to the racially segregated social spaces and the hierarchical gender roles of the dummies living in their classic suburban homes. But these homegrown Hiroshimas also contributed to a broader culture of catastrophe and fear in the late 1950s. Concerns over Communist invasion, Soviet spies, and ICBM missiles coalesced in the Nevada desert, framing a national culture of anxiety. The sudden explosion of the model towns revealed the shocking fragility of postwar living, calling into question the 1950s American Dream and the survivability of American ideals. The cultural crater left by these nuclear test sites exists even today in the many movies, television shows, and video games that dwell on the existential crisis of impending apocalypse. Doom Town, USA is an eye-opening tour guide of one of the most bizarre and uniquely American places in history. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

In March 1953 and May 1955, government officials—including the Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA), the US Department of Defense, and the Atomic Energy Commission—released nuclear bombs on two model towns at Nevada Test Site, the continental nuclear test facility during the Cold War. These so-called “Doom Towns” were designed to illustrate in the most vivid way possible what might happen to a “typical American home” caught in a Soviet atomic blast. Instead of training troops for war overseas, the Doom Towns literally brought the Cold War home. Drawing on newspaper articles, FCDA reports, and corporate documents, in Doom Town, USA: The Nevada Test Site as Ground Zero of 1950s American Culture (University Press of Kansas, 2026), Dr. John Wills brings readers into Doom Town, USA—a place where life-size mannequins of the archetypal Mr. and Mrs. America walked the streets in JCPenney clothes, drove Chrysler cars, and lived in the latest trailer homes, tailor-made to escape in the event of nuclear war. The two Doom Towns of Operation Doorstep (1953) and Operation Cue (1955) were far more than just an exercise in developing a new civilian home front. They were a media spectacle and a cultural flashpoint, attracting corporate sponsors, drawing in atomic tourists, and generating new consumer products. The atom bomb may have been bad for world peace, but it was good for business. In the excitement about these experiments, real people even volunteered to be living test subjects—but most were turned away. Doom Town became an unusual but effective banner for corporate and consumer life in the 1950s. Doom Town was an effective simulacrum of white middle-class America, right down to the racially segregated social spaces and the hierarchical gender roles of the dummies living in their classic suburban homes. But these homegrown Hiroshimas also contributed to a broader culture of catastrophe and fear in the late 1950s. Concerns over Communist invasion, Soviet spies, and ICBM missiles coalesced in the Nevada desert, framing a national culture of anxiety. The sudden explosion of the model towns revealed the shocking fragility of postwar living, calling into question the 1950s American Dream and the survivability of American ideals. The cultural crater left by these nuclear test sites exists even today in the many movies, television shows, and video games that dwell on the existential crisis of impending apocalypse. Doom Town, USA is an eye-opening tour guide of one of the most bizarre and uniquely American places in history. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-west

In March 1953 and May 1955, government officials—including the Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA), the US Department of Defense, and the Atomic Energy Commission—released nuclear bombs on two model towns at Nevada Test Site, the continental nuclear test facility during the Cold War. These so-called “Doom Towns” were designed to illustrate in the most vivid way possible what might happen to a “typical American home” caught in a Soviet atomic blast. Instead of training troops for war overseas, the Doom Towns literally brought the Cold War home. Drawing on newspaper articles, FCDA reports, and corporate documents, in Doom Town, USA: The Nevada Test Site as Ground Zero of 1950s American Culture (University Press of Kansas, 2026), Dr. John Wills brings readers into Doom Town, USA—a place where life-size mannequins of the archetypal Mr. and Mrs. America walked the streets in JCPenney clothes, drove Chrysler cars, and lived in the latest trailer homes, tailor-made to escape in the event of nuclear war. The two Doom Towns of Operation Doorstep (1953) and Operation Cue (1955) were far more than just an exercise in developing a new civilian home front. They were a media spectacle and a cultural flashpoint, attracting corporate sponsors, drawing in atomic tourists, and generating new consumer products. The atom bomb may have been bad for world peace, but it was good for business. In the excitement about these experiments, real people even volunteered to be living test subjects—but most were turned away. Doom Town became an unusual but effective banner for corporate and consumer life in the 1950s. Doom Town was an effective simulacrum of white middle-class America, right down to the racially segregated social spaces and the hierarchical gender roles of the dummies living in their classic suburban homes. But these homegrown Hiroshimas also contributed to a broader culture of catastrophe and fear in the late 1950s. Concerns over Communist invasion, Soviet spies, and ICBM missiles coalesced in the Nevada desert, framing a national culture of anxiety. The sudden explosion of the model towns revealed the shocking fragility of postwar living, calling into question the 1950s American Dream and the survivability of American ideals. The cultural crater left by these nuclear test sites exists even today in the many movies, television shows, and video games that dwell on the existential crisis of impending apocalypse. Doom Town, USA is an eye-opening tour guide of one of the most bizarre and uniquely American places in history. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society

How do you turn a side hustle into a nationally recognized beauty brand?   In this inspiring episode, Shan Berries shares how purpose, perseverance, and passion helped her build a cosmetics company that's changing lives.   After more than a decade in radio and television, Shan made a bold leap into entrepreneurship by launching Shades By Shan Cosmetics, a beauty brand now carried in over 600 JCPenney stores nationwide. Beyond creating high-quality beauty products, Shan built her company around a mission to support single parents through the The MamaBerries Nonprofit Foundation, which has already helped more than 100 families across the country.   In this episode, we discuss:   • Transitioning from broadcasting to entrepreneurship • Growing a side hustle into a national retail brand • The realities of fundraising and scaling a business • Building a purpose-driven company that gives back • Representation as a Latina founder in the beauty industry • Balancing ambition with impact   Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a beauty enthusiast, or someone looking for inspiration to pursue your purpose, this conversation will leave you motivated to dream bigger and lead with heart.   Connect with Shan  

Howdy, History Hoes! This month, we're getting some rest and relaxation. We'll be back in July to bring you some piping hot stories from history. But for now, we thought you might enjoy a replay of our series on the history JCPenney – the greatest department store in the world.And if you miss us, you can get new content on patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. For just $5, you can binge our catalog of monthly bonus episodes and chitty chat the day away in our Discord! The Great Depression hit James Cash Penney hard. It decimated his finances. It worried him. It humbled him. After some soul searching, he came to realize that he could make a comeback. JC Penney the man proved to himself, and the world, that he still had something to offer. But the story didn't end quite as sweetly for JCPenney the store.Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from: Currey, Mary Elizabeth. Creating an American Institution: The Merchandising Genius of J.C. Penney. Dissertations-G, 1993.Kruger, David Delbert. J.C. Penney: The Man, the Store, and American Agriculture. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2017.Penney, James Cash. Fifty Years with the Golden Rule. Harper and Brothers, 1950.Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts!Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you'll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90's style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin's previous podcast, Let's Go To Court.

​Ford City Mall opened in 1965 and once was a retail icon in Chicago. Now, JC Penney---the only store that's still open in the mall---will be the last one to close. ​Alderman Derrick Curtis calls Ford City Mall a "safety hazard". Curtis says Namdar Realty Group purchased the mall in 2019, and he says {quote}: "Namdar is not going to fix the things that need to be fixed". Officials say a movie theater at the site of the Ford City Mall will stay open.

​Ford City Mall opened in 1965 and once was a retail icon in Chicago. Now, JC Penney---the only store that's still open in the mall---will be the last one to close. ​Alderman Derrick Curtis calls Ford City Mall a "safety hazard". Curtis says Namdar Realty Group purchased the mall in 2019, and he says {quote}: "Namdar is not going to fix the things that need to be fixed". Officials say a movie theater at the site of the Ford City Mall will stay open.

​Ford City Mall opened in 1965 and once was a retail icon in Chicago. Now, JC Penney---the only store that's still open in the mall---will be the last one to close. ​Alderman Derrick Curtis calls Ford City Mall a "safety hazard". Curtis says Namdar Realty Group purchased the mall in 2019, and he says {quote}: "Namdar is not going to fix the things that need to be fixed". Officials say a movie theater at the site of the Ford City Mall will stay open.

Send us Fan MailAlex and Trav use a full 1993 paycheck earned by an average American to buy nothing but video games from Christmas catalogs!Check out Caleb J. Ross's latest video! Catalogs for today's game draft:JCPenney 1993 Christmas CatalogToys R Us Christmas CatalogElectronics Boutique Christmas 93'Sears Catalog 1993 (page 1) (page 2)Perfect Game.... Games (there are more than these but these are ones we mentioned)Basketball https://www.82-0.com/Hockey https://www.nhl-82-0.com/Football https://17-0.sleeper.com/Baseball https://statgm.com/draftBaseball with Pitchers https://162baseball.com/Support the showFind links for all things network related here: https://linktr.ee/polymedianetworkFind Travis on BlueSkyFind Alex on BlueSkySend us an email drunkfriendpodcast@gmail.comVisit our Subreddit reddit.com/r/polymedia

Howdy, History Hoes! This month, we're getting some rest and relaxation. We'll be back in July to bring you some piping hot stories from history. But for now, we thought you might enjoy a replay of our series on the history JCPenney – the greatest department store in the world.And if you miss us, you can get new content on patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. For just $5, you can binge our catalog of monthly bonus episodes and chitty chat the day away in our Discord!James Cash Penney had an ambitious dream. He wanted to own 50 Golden Rule stores. Over the course of just a few years, he achieved that dream and then some. But tough lessons in his personal life taught him that financial success wasn't everything. So, he pulled back. He reevaluated his life. He travelled. He sought counsel from his pastor. He even bought a ticket on the Titanic! Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from: Currey, Mary Elizabeth. Creating an American Institution: The Merchandising Genius of J.C. Penney. Dissertations-G, 1993.Kruger, David Delbert. J.C. Penney: The Man, the Store, and American Agriculture. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2017.Penney, James Cash. Fifty Years with the Golden Rule. Harper and Brothers, 1950.Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts!Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you'll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90's style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin's previous podcast, Let's Go To Court.

Howdy, History Hoes! This month, we're getting some rest and relaxation. We'll be back in July to bring you some piping hot stories from history. But for now, we thought you might enjoy a replay of our series on the history JCPenney – the greatest department store in the world.And if you miss us, you can get new content on patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. For just $5, you can binge our catalog of monthly bonus episodes and chitty chat the day away in our Discord! Say what you will about James Cash Penney Jr. Just don't say he didn't work his booty off. After he left his hometown, James tried desperately to succeed as a businessman. He found work as a sales person. He bought a struggling butcher shop/bakery. With each effort came failure.Then he discovered a new kind of business. It was called the Golden Rule Dry Goods Store. The store featured low-priced goods in a clean environment. The store owners treated their customers with respect. James went to the store, hoping to be hired. He knew that if he could get his foot in the door, he'd one day find success.Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from:Currey, Mary Elizabeth. Creating an American Institution: The Merchandising Genius of J.C. Penney. Dissertations-G, 1993.Kruger, David Delbert. J.C. Penney: The Man, the Store, and American Agriculture. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2017.Penney, James Cash. Fifty Years with the Golden Rule. Harper and Brothers, 1950.Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts!Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you'll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90's style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin's previous podcast, Let's Go To Court.

Greg Hahn returns to the podcast to discuss the philosophy that has made Mischief one of the most talked-about agencies in the world.From Tubi's famous Super Bowl interruption campaign to turning around legacy brands like JCPenney, Greg explains why the biggest risk brands face today isn't failure, it's being ignored. We discuss how to create safe spaces for dangerous ideas, why AI risks making marketers more cautious, and the hidden cost of playing it safe.Greg also shares the traits of great CMOs, the future of agencies and pitching, the campaigns he's most proud of, and the advice he'd give to the next generation of creatives.Thanks for System1 for supporting the podcast: https://system1group.comTimestamps00:00 - Start01:43 - Who are Mischief and what do they stand for?04:26 - What would Greg Hahn's walk on track be?05:05 - How to make a safe space for dangerous ideas07:46 - Is AI making us play it safe?10:37 - What is the real cost of playing it safe?14:31 - The Mischief strategy behind Tubi16:20 - Tubi's famous Super Bowl interruption campaign17:20 - The reward prediction error theory22:16 - Turning around a large legacy business like JCPenney25:55 - The traits of a successful CMO28:06 - The JCPenney movie trailer30:16 - Goldfish Chilean Sea Bass campaign35:51 - Why Greg likes George Felix as a CMO37:09 - The work that Greg is most proud of38:03 - What does the future of pitching look like?40:50 - How much of Mischief's work comes from pitching42:13 - The future of social media43:17 - What other agency work is Greg envious of?45:03 - What would Greg do if he wasn't afraid?48:01 - What does the future creative agency look like?49:14 - What does the future CMO role look like?51:12 - What does Greg want to achieve next?53:29 - Greg's advice for young creatives54:25 - What's the best advice Greg Hahn has ever been given?56:59 - What content does Greg consume? - Post chat

On Episode 304 of the Remarkable Retail podcast, co-hosts Steve Dennis and Michael LeBlanc dig into a busy earnings season, the global forces reshaping retail, and the competitive divides separating winners from also-rans. They open with the department store sector, which Steve frames as "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly." Macy's shows incremental progress and Bloomingdale's posts double-digit growth, but Kohl's stays stuck and JCPenney's latest numbers underscore the structural problems dogging traditional operators. The throughline: shifting market share, real estate decisions, and changing consumer behavior keep narrowing the path forward for the format, and the gap between the sector's healthier players and its laggards continues to widen. From there, the hosts turn to retail's brighter turnaround stories. Victoria's Secret keeps building momentum with stronger comps and improved profitability, while Gap Inc. shows how disciplined brand management and sharper product focus can revive a business. They also weigh the intensifying competition among athleisure brands as the category's leaders pull further ahead and the middle of the pack scrambles to keep up. Value retailing is the episode's recurring theme. TJX, Ross Stores, Burlington, and Five Below all posted strong results, reinforcing the durable consumer shift toward value and the treasure hunt. Steve and Michael explore why off-price keeps outperforming while dollar stores wrestle with a tougher customer—and they spotlight Costco, where fuel, membership economics, and traffic-driving loss leaders keep the warehouse club model ahead of much of the sector. Drawing on his recent travels through Portugal and Spain, Steve shares observations on European retail: the distinct dynamics of specialty players, the enduring pull of department stores like El Corte Inglés, and one of the world's most remarkable retail experiences, Livraria Lello in Porto, a bookstore so beloved that shoppers pay admission and book a timeslot just to get in. The episode closes with Walmart's fast-expanding same-day delivery, the rise of faster fulfillment across retail, Saks Global's exit from bankruptcy, and the geopolitical risks looming over supply chains and consumer spending. Michael also previews his visit to T&T Supermarket's first California store—a reminder of how much innovation is still alive in modern grocery. It's a wide-ranging look at a sector where the winners are pulling away and the stragglers are running out of time. Join us at the CommerceNext Growth Show in New York June 23rd and 24th with this exclusive discount code for 10% off general admission tickets and FREE retail tickets: Your code is "REMARKABLE" . See you in the Big Apple! About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling author of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the NRF as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025 and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

Send us Fan MailShan and Erika built Shades By Shan from a San Francisco garage into a nationally distributed cosmetics brand carried in more than 600 JCPenney Beauty stores, but the real lesson is not simply how they scaled, it is how they protected their mission while navigating the pressure of national retail. This conversation is a sharp, deeply human study in founder discipline, radical honesty, community-led growth, and the kind of purpose-driven strategy that turns a small team into a powerful market presence.Show NotesShan and Erika's story reveals what happens when a brand is built with commercial ambition and a deeply personal North Star, because Shades By Shan was never designed to be just another cosmetics company; it was created as a vehicle for representation, retail readiness, and direct support for single parents through The MamaBerries Nonprofit Foundation.Shan and Erika share how their experience growing up with a single mother became the foundation for both Shades By Shan and their 501c3 nonprofit, proving that a founder's “why” can become a true strategic advantage when it is embedded into the business model.They break down the realities of national retail, including why they initially had to decline JCPenney's offer, how the retailer ultimately backed their expansion, and what small brands must understand before saying yes to a massive opportunity.The sisters discuss the operational discipline behind scrappy growth, from launching with limited capital to building community, visiting stores, protecting cash flow, and making decisions without outside investors.Their partnership offers a powerful lesson in family business leadership, showing how clear lanes, trust, honest conflict, and ego-free execution can help founders move through pressure without losing the mission.Guest Contact & ConnectShan and Erika are the founders of Shades By Shan, a San Francisco-based cosmetics company founded in 2018 and now available online and nationwide at JCPenney Beauty. A portion of every purchase supports single parents in need through their 501c3 nonprofit, The MamaBerries Nonprofit Foundation.Website: Shades By ShanInstagram: @shanberriesTikTok: @shanberriesLinkedIn: Shan Berries---Subscribe and ReviewIf you loved this episode, drop us a review, share it with a badass woman in your life, and subscribe to Badass Women in Business wherever you get your podcasts.Stay badass. Stay bold. Build it your way.Keep up with more content from Aggie and Cristy here:Facebook: Empowered Women Leaders  Instagram: @badass_women_in_businessLinkedIn: ProveHer - Badass Women in BusinessWebsite: Badasswomeninbusinesspodcast.comAthena: athenaac.com

Faith Kates' exit from Next Management became another example of the Epstein files turning old relationships into present-day professional consequences. Kates, the co-founder of Next, had long been known as a major figure in the modeling world, but newly released Epstein materials and follow-up reporting painted her relationship with him as far deeper than a passing association. The files showed years of warm, personal communication, business discussions, apparent advice from Epstein, and troubling exchanges involving models or aspiring models even after his 2008 conviction. Kates stepped down from Next in late 2025, officially citing personal reasons and charity work, but the timing and the later revelations made that explanation look incomplete at best. Once the emails and references became public, Next moved to distance itself from her, saying her Epstein relationship was unknown to current management and that the company was working to end all legal ties with her. In practical terms, the Epstein revelations turned Kates from a powerful agency founder into a liability.The Brunel side of the story shows how deeply Epstein's orbit overlapped with the mainstream fashion and retail ecosystem before Epstein's second arrest in 2019. Jean-Luc Brunel's MC2 Model Management, which had Epstein ties and was later scrutinized over allegations that it helped supply young women into Epstein's world, was not operating in some obscure corner of the industry. Reporting linked MC2 to major retailers and brands including Victoria's Secret, Nordstrom, Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, JCPenney, Kohl's, Target, Sears, and Belk. Some companies later minimized the relationship or said the work was limited, but the larger point is brutal: Brunel's agency had enough legitimacy to operate inside the commercial bloodstream of American retail while Epstein's history was already publicly known. That is what makes the modeling-agency angle so disturbing—not just the individual allegations, but the way a loosely regulated industry, powerful retailers, wealthy men, scouts, agencies, visas, housing, and access all overlapped in a system where vulnerable young women could be treated like inventory long before the public reckoning finally arrived.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Howdy, History Hoes! This month, we're getting some rest and relaxation. We'll be back in July to bring you some piping hot stories from history. But for now, we thought you might enjoy a replay of our series on the history JCPenney – the greatest department store in the world.And if you miss us, you can get new content on patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. For just $5, you can binge our catalog of monthly bonus episodes and chitty chat the day away in our Discord! Normie C starts this series with a bold claim: That JCPenney is the best department store ever. This raises a lot of questions. Questions like… Really? Has Norm been to other department stores? Also, really??In Part 1, Norm loads us up with all the context we'll ever need about James Cash Penney Jr. A poor farm boy from Missouri, Penney would eventually create a chain of department stores with more than 2,000 locations worldwide. (If you're able, please listen to this episode while wearing your finest St. John's Bay polo.)Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from:Currey, Mary Elizabeth. Creating an American Institution: The Merchandising Genius of J.C. Penney. Dissertations-G, 1993.Kruger, David Delbert. J.C. Penney: The Man, the Store, and American Agriculture. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2017.Penney, James Cash. Fifty Years with the Golden Rule. Harper and Brothers, 1950.Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts!Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you'll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90's style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin's previous podcast, Let's Go To Court.

This week on Autonomy Signals presented by KPMG Grayson Brulte and Rob Grant discuss Figure AI's first commercial humanoid deployment with Catalyst Brands, Stellantis L2++ partnership with Wayve, and Starship Technologies surpassing 10 million autonomous deliveries.Figure AI recently signed a commercial agreement with Catalyst Brands to deploy humanoid robots at a JCPenney distribution center in Reno, Nevada, integrating Figure's humanoids into Catalyst's Joey Pouch sorting system.As new management at Stellantis looks to turn around the global OEM, the company is pursuing a partnership over build strategy to accelerate their expansion into the L2++ market, with a targeted launch beginning with the Jeep Grand Cherokee.Then there is Starship Technologies, which recently surpassed 10 million autonomous deliveries with 3,000 robots operating across more than 300 locations in eight countries. The company says autonomous delivery is already $3 to $4 cheaper than rider-based models, with a long-term target of $1 per drop, though sustained profitability will require lowering the teleoperator intervention rate to near zero while navigating city-by-city municipal regulation.Episode Chapters00:00 Signal 1: Figure AI Signs Commercial Agreement with Catalyst Brands18:10 Signal 2: Stellantis Partners with Wayve to Deploy L2++ in U.S.41:06 Signal 3: Starship Technologies Surpasses 10 Million Autonomous Deliveries59:13 AUTNMY AIAutonomy Signals is presented by KPMG.--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy.™.Through our podcasts, newsletter, and proprietary market intelligence, we set the narrative for institutional investors, industry executives, and policymakers navigating the convergence of automation, autonomy, and economic growth.Join institutional investors and industry leaders who read This Week in The Autonomy Economy every Sunday. Each edition delivers exclusive insight and commentary on the autonomy economy, helping you stay ahead of what's next.Subscribe today: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alpha Warrior sits down with 84-year-old (almost 85) Steve Stern, a man who has been working twelve days a week in a seven-day week for so long he treats it as basic math. The conversation starts in Brooklyn, lands in Miami at age 12 with no palm trees and no hotel, and ends with a man on a first-name basis with the President of the United States. Steve walks through the now-legendary "four corner stores" tale: how a kid knocking on doors in the Empire State Building ended up flying to Korea, inventing a banded-bottom shirt empire, and selling JC Penney $14 million a year for 44 years. His motto came from Cuban refugees: work hard and be honest. The rest is history. The second half pivots to election integrity. Steve explains Precinct Strategy, the new Precinct Project USA, the weekly Election Security Call he started after a personal conversation with President Trump, and why the Republican Party still has 400,000 committee slots with only 200,000 people filling them. He talks Tina Peters, Orange County, and the Trump birthday letter that gave an 80-year-old his second wind. Find him at Stern American on Rumble.

CONgregation, in today's episode, we're revisiting Episode 18, when Laci was joined for the first time by TV writer and podcaster Ira Madison III (Q-Force, YOU). Together, they uncover the “Fraud Prince,” Anthony Gignac, read some of your letters, and dive into JCPenney fooling influencers with a fake high-end store. Stay schemin'! (Originally Released 01/27/2020)   Keep the scams coming and snitch on your friends by emailing us at ScamGoddessPod@gmail.com.   Follow on Instagram: Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod Laci Mosley: @divalaci Ira Madison III: @irathethird   Research by Sharilyn Vera SOURCES https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2018/10/how-the-fake-saudi-prince-anthony-gignac-was-exposed https://nypost.com/2019/06/01/fake-saudi-prince-who-flaunted-on-instagram-sentenced-in-fraud-scheme/ https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2018/10/he-actually-believes-he-is-khalid-the-odyssey-of-a-counterfeit-saudi-prince https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/29/business/payless-fake-store/index.html Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Scam Goddess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Latinos are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the United States, and yet the system is not exactly set up to help them scale. This episode is proof of what happens when you build anyway.In this episode of Amiga Handle Your Shit, Jackie Tapia sits down with Shan Berries and her sister Erika K. Clark, the CEO and CFO behind Shades by Shan, an inclusive beauty brand built from the ground up and now available in every JCPenney store nationwide. Their story starts in their mom's garage in San Francisco, mixing formulas and testing products, determined to create what every beauty aisle had failed to give them: something made for women who looked like them. What makes their story worth paying attention to is not just the destination. It is every wall they hit getting there. When JCPenney came knocking with an offer to launch in all 610 stores, the sisters had no outside funding, no bank support, and no investor willing to take the risk. They turned every stone, heard every no, and almost walked away from the deal entirely. Then JCPenney did something they had never done before: they funded the order themselves. That partnership turned a near-defeat into a seven-figure brand with 80 percent year-over-year growth.But what keeps Shades by Shan growing is not a viral moment or a celebrity co-sign. It is the community they built one store visit at a time, showing up to all 610 locations, training associates themselves, and bringing Hot Cheetos along the way. And behind the brand, there is a foundation, Mama Berry's, dedicated to supporting single parents in need, built in honor of the woman who raised them.Tune in to episode 281 of Amiga Handle Your Shit for a real conversation about building a business without a safety net, and what it actually takes to get your product on the shelf.Episode Takeaways:Why Shan and Erika started a makeup brand and a nonprofit at the same time, and why one could not exist without the other (07:30)What happened when a stranger on a FaceTime call turned out to be connected to JCPenney's beauty buyer (15:43)How they almost turned down a 610-store deal because they could not afford to fulfill it, and what JCPenney did next (18:14)Why visiting every single store in person, Hot Cheetos in hand, became one of their biggest competitive advantages (22:19)The one financial tip every Latina entrepreneur needs to hear before she goes looking for funding (29:29)What "if you're not embarrassed by your first launch, you launched too late" actually looks like in practice (38:58)Connect with Shan and Erika:Shades by Shan websiteShades by Shan InstagramShan Berries InstagramErika K. Clark InstagramLet's Connect!WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInJackie Tapia Arbonne websiteBook: The AMIGA Way: Release Cultural Limiting Beliefs to Transform Your Life Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to transform a legacy brand and yourself as a leader at the same time?To celebrate the launch of the streaming series on Hulu, Designed to Last, Jim welcomes Sherina Smith, Enterprise Chief Marketing Officer at American Family Insurance. Founded nearly a century ago in Madison, Wisconsin, American Family, or AMFAM, has grown into one of the largest mutual insurers in the United States. It serves millions of customers and generates more than $15 billion in annual revenue. The company has built its brand around a powerful purpose: to inspire, protect, and restore people's dreams.Designed to Last is one of the boldest moves in the category, a first-of-its-kind streaming series on Hulu, with the first episode available now.Sherina joined American Family in 2019 as VP of Marketing and is now the Enterprise CMO for American Family and its subsidiary brands. She is responsible for helping guide the company's flagship brand. She also leads the company's marketing transformation, as well as customer growth strategies across the organization. Born and raised in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, Sherina graduated from Ohio State and earned her MBA from USC. She spent a foundational 11 years at Kraft, which we discuss, before roles at AbbVie Pharmaceuticals and JCPenney.Tune in as Sherina dives into how the show came to life, why long-form content is a powerful way to build engagement, and how brands can create deeper emotional connections in a crowded, competitive space.---Stream Designed to Last on Hulu now!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the Christian Music Guys, we chat with Kaelob Mecum! Born in the wheat fields of Southwest Kansas, a first-generation musician who started writing songs on a JC Penney catalog guitar he found in an attic, a worship pastor at 7 Hills Church and founder of 7 Hills Worship, he's collaborated with artists like David Leonard, Chris Tomlin, Elevation Worship, and Cochren & Co., and he's stepping into a new season with his brand new album The Lion—so get ready for a powerful conversation about pain, purpose, and the love of God… help us welcome Kaelob Mecum. @kaelobmecum@christianmusicguyschristianmusicguys.com

Will Harvey began his real estate career in 2015 as a residential loan officer before transitioning into direct real estate investing. After building a small portfolio of rental houses, he moved toward multifamily investing as both a limited partner and general partner, eventually focusing more on the finance, capital allocation, and deal analysis side of the business. Today, Will leads Harvey Capital and invests across opportunities where he can evaluate risk, structure capital, and identify value.     Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.     Key Takeaways Pivot when your investing strategy no longer fits your strengths or goals Use scale to remove yourself from day-to-day tenant management Look for deals with multiple exit options, especially in build-to-rent communities Stay open to overlooked real estate opportunities in both private and public markets Focus on asset classes and strategies that match your skill set, not just what others are doing     Topics From Loan Officer to Real Estate Investor Will started in the mortgage business after leaving college and built a strong W-2 income He realized he was earning money but not building long-term wealth Why Will Moved Beyond Single-Family Rentals Will built a small portfolio of three houses in Northern Virginia He realized he did not enjoy dealing directly with tenants Multifamily appealed to him because scale allows investors to hire strong property managers and systems Learning Multifamily Through Podcasts and Relationships Will spent nearly a year listening to podcasts and learning the multifamily space He connected with other investors and got involved in his first multifamily deal in 2019 Finding His Lane in Finance and Capital Allocation Will learned he preferred spreadsheets, capital structure, and finance over operations He began investing more as an LP and using income from other real estate activities to invest into multifamily Using a Friends and Family Fund Will started a small friends and family fund and invested as an LP into several deals One example was a 95-unit build-to-rent townhome community with individually parceled units and multiple exit options Build-to-Rent and Exit Optionality Will likes deals where investors can sell the full portfolio or potentially sell individual units John and Will discuss why multiple exit options can create flexibility depending on the market Finding Real Estate Opportunities in Public Markets Will explains how real estate opportunities can also exist through publicly traded companies and liquidating trusts He shares an example involving JCPenney's bankruptcy, where real estate assets were separated into a liquidating trust Why Multifamily Still Stands Out Will notes that multifamily remains one of the strongest asset classes he has invested in He points to the simple fact that people always need a place to live and sleep