RETHINK RETAIL

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  When Tariffs Hit, Calgary Co-op Doubled Down on Local 16.09.2026 14dk

  $27.6 billion in American goods now enters Canada facing a new tariff, 15%, 25%, or 50% depending on the product, as part of Canada's counter-tariffs on US goods. Dairy, general merchandise, and health and beauty are all caught in it, while Alberta's "Buy Alberta" campaign is pushing grocers to make Canadian products impossible to miss on the shelf For most retailers, that's a scramble. For Calgary Co-op, it's a confirmation. In this episode of the Global Lens podcast, Lavina Suthenthiran sits down with Walter Roth, Director, Digital Commerce & Retail Systems at Calgary Co-op, to find out what a sudden trade shock actually looks like on the ground, and why a 70-year-old, member-owned grocer says the tariffs haven't forced a single strategic pivot. INSIDE THE EPISODE: - Local sourcing isn't a response to tariffs; it's a head start Calgary Co-op was running "Best From the West" long before this trade war started: Alberta beef, Alberta chicken, Western Canadian goods, built into the business for years. So when tariffs hit, there was no scramble to relabel shelves. There was already a campaign running. - "Made in Canada" is a less reliable label than it looks "Made in Canada" turned out to be more complicated than a flag on a package. Some suppliers manufacture the same product in both countries so that identical packaging can carry a different origin week to week. Roth explains why Calgary Co-op built its strategy around regional sourcing instead of a label that couldn't always be trusted. - There's a fourth option beyond absorb, pass on, or swap Most retailers facing new tariffs pick from three familiar levers. Roth argues there's a fourth: wrap the product in enough customer education and experience that the tariffs become almost beside the point. Listen above to hear why Roth believes the real lesson, for any retailer, anywhere, is turning supply chain disruption into a customer story instead of a customer complaint.
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  How Seamless Tech Powers Human Connection 14.09.2026 17dk

  Retail technology has automated the back office for years, but the store floor has lagged, still running on manual gap scans and disconnected systems that pull associates away from the guest. Jerome Rose, SVP Strategic Sales at Vusion, and Mathew Toussaint, Vice President of Operational Processes & Labor, Guest Experience & Labor at The Fresh Market, join Jeremy Goldman to unpack how connected store technology can transform daily floor operations without losing the human connection at the center of the guest experience. INSIDE THE EPISODE: - Hospitality is the thing technology should protect, not perform. Technology should never try to perform hospitality. It should protect the conditions that make hospitality possible. Systems can monitor and prioritize. People still have to read the moment, care, and adapt. - A connected store isn't measured in devices. For Toussaint, a connected store starts with three things: the human experience, the operating condition, and the human return. The real test is whether technology absorbs the complexity backstage so the front-of-house experience stays calm, consistent, and personal. - Electronic shelf labels have outgrown pricing. ESLs increasingly do double duty. On the shopper-facing side, they've evolved into tools for merchandising and storytelling, sourcing, or wellness details beyond just a price. On the associate-facing side, many labels include a second screen entirely - one associates can flip to for real-time inventory levels without leaving the aisle. - Moving from hunting to acting changes what "available" means. Shelf availability and inventory aren't the same thing. A product can exist in the building and still not be available to a guest when they need it. Real-time shelf data lets teams detect, prioritize, replenish, and verify, instead of walking the aisle to find out what's already gone wrong. Listen above to hear how Vusion and The Fresh Market are approaching connected store technology as a way to give teams back their attention, not just their time.
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  Tariffs Hit Canada as AI Reshapes Product Discovery 11.09.2026 33dk

  Welcome to another edition of Retail Roundup. This is your weekly brief helping retail leaders decode the biggest shifts in retail, AI, and commerce. In this week's episode, Jeremy Goldman sits down with Kimberly Morgan (CEO & Founder, The Fashion Tech Exec) and Ricardo Belmar (Founder, Retail Razor) to unpack the trade pressures, AI shifts, and brand loyalty questions reshaping retail this week. INSIDE THE EPISODE: CANADA's TARIFFS ARE FORCING A DIVERSIFICATION RECKONING Canada's new tariffs are pushing brands to ask how much revenue they can safely risk on a single retail account like Ulta, Sephora, or Walmart. The panel argues that the same risk is already playing out with shoppers. Once someone trades down to a cheaper brand, they rarely trade back. AI IS MOVING UPSTREAM IN SHOPPING, AND NO ONE OWNS IT YET Shoppers are increasingly starting their search in ChatGPT or Claude instead of a retailer's own site, and Anthropic's new agent blueprints are accelerating that shift. The panel agrees there is no one platform anymore, and argues retailers need to focus on being discoverable everywhere, rather than trying to control where the search starts. ANTHROPOLOGIE's NIKE BET IS A MASTERCLASS IN CATEGORY EXPANSION A 30% jump in customers searching Anthropologie for sneakers led the retailer to add Nike, its largest footwear brand yet. The panel argues curated expansion like this builds loyalty, while growth without focus confuses shoppers. Listen above for the full conversation on the trends making us rethink retail this week.
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  China's Unichannel Model, Latin America's Opportunity 09.09.2026 22dk

  Unichannel isn't the next phase of omnichannel. It proves that omnichannel was never the finish line. In this episode of the Global Lens podcast series, host Lavina Suthenthiran speaks with Michael Zakkour, Founder & Chief Strategist of 5 New Digital, about the unichannel model he pioneered in China, retail's next growth market, and what makes a merger actually work. INSIDE THE EPISODE: - Omnichannel and multichannel were always the same thing The real goal was never more channels; it was one unified business behind them. Unichannel means no separate teams, budgets, or profits and losses for each channel, just one experience that feels consistent no matter where the customer shows up. -China built the model the rest of the world is still catching up to Alibaba fully integrated online, offline, supply chain, and media into one system, buying up department stores, grocery chains, and liquor retailers and folding them directly into its online business. That integrated model put Alibaba years ahead of Amazon at the time, and it's what most Western retailers are only now starting to build toward. - Latin America is the market to watch next Brazil, Mexico, and Central America are where real investment is happening now, driven by proximity to the US and a strong demand for modern retail infrastructure and expertise. -The strongest brands aren't the biggest, they're the best-prepared Right now, the strongest opportunity is in the lower middle market: brands between $4M and $100M in revenue that are already profitable. The advice for founders is simple: build your company as if you're exiting in four years, whether you plan to or not. Listen above for the case against omnichannel, why Latin America is retail's next big market, and why due diligence determines global expansion success.
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  The Scale Playbook: How Sonic Turned Different Into $2B 08.09.2026 23dk

  Scaling a brand and protecting what makes it distinct aren't the same goal, and knowing the difference separates lasting growth from quiet erosion. For 23 years as CEO of Sonic Corp, Clifford Hudson guided the drive-in chain through decades of growth and helped engineer one of the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry's most successful digital reinventions. Now co-author of Bricks and Clicks: How We Drove Sonic Into the Digital Age, Hudson joins Jeremy Goldman to unpack what it takes to scale a brand without losing what makes it distinct. INSIDE THE EPISODE: - Scaling without sacrificing differentiation. Why growth efficiencies belong in the "plumbing": purchasing, distribution, and physical operations. The pair examines why cutting corners on customer-facing brand elements in the name of scale can quietly undermine the brand it was meant to strengthen operations. - How Sonic turned drinks and ice cream into a signature advantage. A menu overhaul drove 12% systemwide comps in its first year and a 40% increase in average store-level profitability. Sonic reached $1 billion in system sales in 1997, then $2 billion four years later. - The CUPID framework for evaluating new strategies. Customer, Users, Profit, Innovation, and Differentiation: A filter Hudson and co-author Craig Miller use to determine whether a new initiative is actually worth pursuing. - Technology should serve the brand, not the other way around. How leaders can bring AI and digital tools into their business in ways that augment the customer experience instead of reshaping the brand around the technology. "Companies really should dig in on why things are going right just as they do when things don't go well." Listen above to hear Hudson's perspective on building brand loyalty that lasts, and what today's retail leaders can learn from one of QSR's most enduring transformations.
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  Amazon Doubled Apparel Share. Shein's IPO Fell 04.09.2026 42dk

  Welcome to another edition of Retail Roundup. This is your weekly brief helping retail leaders decode the biggest shifts in retail, AI, and commerce. In this week’s episode, Jeremy Goldman sits down with Sky Canaves (Principal Analyst, EMARKETER), James Tenser (Storyteller-in-Chief, CPGMatters), and Lavina Suthenthiran (Senior Retail Analyst, RETHINK Retail) to discuss a shaky IPO, a widening apparel gap, and what's really building shopper trust in 2026. IN THIS EPISODE, THE PANEL BREAKS DOWN: - Shein's anticlimactic Hong Kong IPO. After years of regulatory setbacks in New York and London, Shein finally went public at roughly a quarter of its 2022 valuation. The panel unpacks why investor enthusiasm cooled and whether Shein's real long-term opportunity is less about fast fashion and more about becoming an AWS-style supply chain service for other brands. - Amazon's growing grip on apparel. Amazon's share of US clothing spend has doubled since 2019, while Walmart's has stayed flat. The group examines broader brand selection, easier returns, and an AI shopping assistant that's quietly reshaping how people discover what to buy. - Target's beauty reset draws scrutiny. Following its split from Ulta, Target's new in-house beauty assortment features just 2% Black-owned brands, a percentage that's raising questions given the company's prior commitments and recent DEI reversals. - Physical retail might be the best ad you're not counting. The group explores how a store's mere presence, even one a shopper never enters, can build the trust that drives online conversion. Listen now for the full conversation.
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  Why Brand Loyalty Is Retail's Best AI Defense 02.09.2026 18dk

  Global retail leaders are adjusting their strategic playbooks as practical AI integration, localized omnichannel operations, and customer retention redefine competitive growth across worldwide markets. On this special edition of Global Lens, Jill Dvorak (NRF) and Annabelle Serres (NRF Europe) sit down with host and Senior Retail Analyst Lavina Suthenthiran to unpack how overarching industry strategies translate into practical solutions on the ground at NRF 2026: Retail's Big Show Europe. AI is an Efficiency Enabler, Not a Full Replacement: - Brands are steering clear of full-scale AI handoffs or replacing core infrastructure. Instead, forward-thinking teams are layering AI directly over tedious operational functions like budget scenario planning, inventory forecasting, and product and pricing research to clear immediate operational slowdowns. Regional Market Divergence and Localization Strategy: - Digital commerce tools fail when copied verbatim across regions. Effective strategies adapt directly to local realities, whether that means capitalizing on live video commerce and dense quick-delivery networks in Asian markets, or navigating complex cross-border licensing regulations, fragmented payment systems, and strict compliance standards throughout Europe. Prioritizing Brand Loyalty and Customer Retention: - Generative search and agentic discovery engines risk turning unbranded product searches into pure commodities. Capturing mindshare and maintaining active direct-to-consumer relationships are no longer just a marketing metric. It is the single most critical defense against having your catalog filtered out by third-party search tools. Listen to the full episode above for expert takes on navigating global market shifts, putting impactful technology to work, and maximizing your experience on the show floor in Paris.
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  The 30 Seconds at Checkout That Make or Break Loyalty 31.08.2026 21dk

  Retailers spend fortunes perfecting the store, then hand the whole experience over to 30 seconds at the counter. In our latest episode, Senior Retail Analyst Lavina Suthenthiran sits down with Jessie Cole, Director of Strategic Planning at Effy Jewelry, and Sandra Ishak, Head of Marketing, Americas at Ingenico, to break down why the physical checkout moment carries as much weight as the first impression, and what it takes to get it right. INSIDE THE EPISODE: - Why the last touchpoint matters as much as the first, illustrated by Effy's cruise ship business, where community-driven checkout experiences bring customers back to the counter even when they're not buying. - How the "peak-end rule" explains why one frustrating moment, like a rebooting terminal or a clunky interface, can erase 45 minutes of great in-store browsing. - Why retailers are now asking Ingenico for operational simplicity and mobile flexibility over raw speed, from managing devices remotely across hundreds of stores to checking customers out anywhere with an NFC phone. - How fixing checkout takes more than new hardware, from Effy's approach of listening to sales associates to Ingenico's emphasis on testing the full workflow before rollout. Listen above to learn how to turn checkout from your store's last afterthought into its strongest loyalty driver.
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  FTC Cracks Down on Pricing as Amazon Bets $530M on Delivery 28.08.2026 33dk

  Welcome to another edition of Retail Roundup. This is your weekly brief helping retail leaders decode the biggest shifts in retail, AI, and commerce. In this week's episode, Jeremy Goldman sits down with David Polinchock (Brand Experience Lab) and Drew Cashmore (Vantage & Chair of MiR) to mark nine years since Amazon's Whole Foods acquisition, unpack the FTC's new scrutiny of personalised pricing, and break down what Walmart and Target's latest earnings reveal about the state of retail media. Inside this special edition, Cashmore shares the motivation behind expanding Media in Retail (MiR) to include brand and agency founding members, rounding out the community for retail media's full ecosystem. He explains how this move elevates the discipline's voices and craft while developing the next generation of retail media talent. Learn more about the community here. ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: Nine Years of Whole Foods, and Amazon's Next Flywheel Bet A look at Project Tetramino, Amazon's next-generation delivery station projected to cost over $530 million through 2029 and process packages 2.5x faster than current systems. Why the panel thinks most retailers can't compete on throughput alone, and what differentiating instead of imitating actually looks like. Is Personalised Pricing Retail's Next Trust Problem? The FTC's proposed crackdown on undisclosed personalised pricing, and why the panel thinks consumer tolerance comes down to whether a price shift feels like it's working in their favor. Retail Media Is Growing, Just Not Evenly Walmart's ad business grew 38%, and Target's Roundel grew nearly 30%. Still, Cashmore's numbers show growth outside Amazon and Walmart is slowing fast, leaving dozens of smaller retail media networks competing for a shrinking pool of dollars. 🎧 Listen above for the full conversation on the trends making us rethink retail this week.
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  When Creative Becomes Software: Walmart Connect Product Leader Nishanth Kadiyala on Scaling AI 26.08.2026 23dk

  Global retail media expansion hinges on balancing localized AI-generated creative with brand integrity. In this episode of the Global Lens podcast series, host Lavina Suthenthiran speaks with Nishanth Kadiyala (Walmart Connect) about how Walmart built an automated creative generation system handling nearly $1 billion in ad spend and how to scale generative AI across international borders. INSIDE THE EPISODE: - Creative was retail media's last automation holdout. While ad tech automated targeting, bidding, and attribution in seconds, creative production traditionally took weeks of manual reviews across designers, researchers, and policy checkers. This bottleneck is critical to solve as the IAB 2026 Outlook study projects commerce media spend to grow 12.1% this year, with two-thirds of buyers prioritizing agentic AI for campaign execution. - Scaling AI creative requires a non-negotiable rubric. To manage brand risk across endless product catalogs, Walmart aligned stakeholders around four core evaluation pillars: product truth, compliance and policy, brand voice, and visual aesthetics. - Rollouts must be sequenced by brand sophistication. Walmart launched its automated tool with long-tail marketplace sellers who prioritize raw performance first, using that volume to build its evaluation engine before expanding to mid-market brands and eventual Fortune 50 CPGs with strict national campaign guidelines. - Tech infrastructure travels across borders, but cultural nuance requires local expertise. When expanding its creative AI tools from the US to Mexico, Walmart found that 80% of the underlying tech guardrails transferred directly. However, because US consumer habits do not automatically generalize, the team trained local subject-matter experts to teach the AI regional language, culture, and shopper preferences. Listen above to learn how Walmart Connect built its automated creative generation system, how to manage AI-driven brand risk, and what retailers need in place before scaling generative AI globally.
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  Uscreen & BBM: Transforming Video into Community 24.08.2026 25dk

  Building a loyal audience takes far more than just posting on social media and relying on fickle algorithms. As creators and brands look for reliable growth, the real challenge is scaling reach without losing the direct, human connections that turn casual followers into long-term subscribers. Jeremy Goldman sits down with Allison Yazdian, CEO of Uscreen, and Briana Christine, Founder of BBM Health & Fitness, to break down why the most successful digital businesses are moving away from the "rented land" of traditional social platforms to build owned, video-first communities. KEY INSIGHTS: - How algorithms restrict reach, and why owned platforms secure direct access, data control, and predictable recurring revenue. - How real human connection and lived experiences build genuine trust as automated content floods social feeds. - How unpolished member check-ins and peer support spark stronger brand advocacy than polished ads. - Why broad appeal dilutes engagement, whereas targeting specific customer archetypes creates sustainable loyalty. - How to capture first-party data off social media using quizzes, landing pages, and lead magnets. 🎧 Listen above to learn how to transition from borrowed social feeds to owned digital communities that drive lasting member retention.
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  David’s Bridal, Brooks Running, and Does Sustainability Matter? 21.08.2026 48dk

  Welcome to another edition of Retail Roundup. This is your weekly brief helping retail leaders decode the biggest shifts in retail, AI, and commerce. In this week’s episode, Jeremy Goldman sits down with industry experts Charisma Glassman (Genpact), Ricardo Belmar (Retail Razor Podcast Network), and David Polinchock (Brand Experience Lab) to examine Prime Day's impact on July sales, the boom in health and wellness, and why sustainable denim brand Mud Jeans filed for bankruptcy. Plus, stick around for an interview from the eTail Boston show floor with David’s Bridal’s Chief Communications & Creative Officer, Lisa Horton, and President & Chief Business Officer, Elina Vilk. INSIDE THE WEEK's EPISODE: DECODING JULY RETAIL SALES A look behind July’s 0.6% drop in retail sales and e-commerce shifts. Why month-to-month volatility can misread the consumer, how Back-to-School moved into June, and what category-level spending reveals about the economic landscape. WHY BROOKS RUNNING IS WINNING How Brooks achieved 14% revenue growth by capturing replacement purchases from dedicated run clubs, where runners treat $150+ shoes as consumable tools rather than fashion accessories. THE SUSTAINABILITY REALITY CHECK Why consumers care about circular commerce but resist paying a premium: from the fall of Mud Jeans to the rise of thrifting, resale, and DIY personalization. TRANSFORMING A 76-YEAR-OLD RETAILER: DAVID's BRIDAL Lisa Horton and Alina Vilk break down how David's Bridal operates like a startup inside a legacy brand by expanding into the $100B+ wedding ecosystem, mastering LLM discovery, and launching new outlet retail concepts. 🎧 Listen above for the full conversation on the trends making us rethink retail this week.
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  Global Lens: What Nike & Under Armour Got Wrong in China 19.08.2026 27dk

  Scaling an international brand isn't about flooding new markets with identical stores. It is about knowing exactly what to protect in your brand's DNA and what to rewrite on the ground. In this week's episode of our Global Lens podcast, Senior Retail Analyst Lavina Suthenthiran sits down with global growth advisor Renee Hartmann (who has advised brands such as Armani, YSL, and Fendi) to explain why precision, not footprint size, drives modern international expansion. INSIDE THE EPISODE: - Domestic success breeds arrogance abroad. Local success requires auditing brand awareness, adjusting product fit, and ditching copy-paste strategies. - Adapting locally shouldn't dilute core heritage. Successful brands protect their identity while letting regional teams drive authentic partnerships and tailored experiences. - China isn't just a luxury buyer anymore. Local beauty, tech, and EV brands are now driving global retail innovation. - The hidden trap of cross-border e-commerce: Turning on international digital shipping is easy, but if you under-invest in local demand generation, nobody shows up. Sustainable market entry requires bottom-up financial planning rather than relying on technical capability alone. Tune in to the full episode above to hear Renee's field-tested advice on navigating global expansion, the financial realities of market entry, and local execution. Download the Global Lens Report to access the complete framework for building an agile, future-proof global operating model.
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  eTail Recap: AI Returns, $95 Loyalty & GLP-1 Trends 17.08.2026 43dk

  In this special mashup episode of the RETHINK Retail Podcast, host Jeremy Goldman sits down with leaders from New York & Company, Elizée, Ross-Simons, and Paradise Naturals USA live from eTail Boston We dig into the exact tactics driving retail performance today: turning product returns into upsells, replacing point systems with paid VIP perks, and adapting product lines for GLP-1 users. INSIDE THE EPISODE: AI That Makes Money vs. AI That Replaces People Guests: Laura Cantor (VP of Marketing & Ecommerce, New York & Company) & Avani Oswal (Head of Digital, Elizée) - How New York & Company uses AI to read natural-language return reasons and automatically prompt customers with tailored exchange options. - How luxury footwear brand Elizée uses AI for lifestyle image background extensions and stock prediction without losing brand aesthetics. - Why small brands are running fast A/B tests with AI tools while legacy competitors get stuck in legal and corporate red tape. Ditching Point Systems for a $95 Paid VIP Club Guest: Diana Stuparu (VP of Ecommerce & Marketing, Ross-Simons) - Why 74-year-old jeweler Ross-Simons abandoned traditional discount points in favor of immediate, tangible value. - The breakdown of Ross-Simons' paid loyalty program (including three $50 order coupons, free 2-day shipping, and free returns). - How dedicated, real-person shopping assistants based in Rhode Island guide high-intent customers through complex gemstone and estate collections. - Using simple inputs like birth months to deploy automated, story-driven campaigns around monthly birthstones. Amazon Launchpads, CPG Mergers, & GLP-1 Demand Guest: Katya Vass (Founder, Paradise Naturals USA) - Why Paradise Naturals built an "Amazon-first" strategy to capture high-intent buyers searching for gut health tools without spending heavily on DTC ad acquisition. - How agile founders innovate faster than newly consolidated CPG mega-brands (like P&G acquiring Thorne). - Building advocate networks out of real customers who saw visceral health improvements rather than paying traditional influencers. - How appetite-suppressing GLP-1 medications are driving customers toward easy, nutrient-dense protein sources like bone broth powders to meet daily nutritional baselines. Listen above for an inside look at the strategies and operational playbooks shaping the future of retail execution.
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  Tariff Gold Rush, Kroger AI & Hot Topic's Buyout 14.08.2026 33dk

  Welcome to another edition of Retail Roundup. This is your weekly brief helping retail leaders decode the biggest shifts in retail, AI, and commerce. In this week’s episode, Jeremy Goldman sits down with industry experts Zak Stambor (EMARKETER) and Martin Bailie (MWB Advisory Limited) to examine the shifts redefining commerce. Together, they analyze shifting consumer spending, the evolution of ad-supported retail media, and the operational tightrope legacy brands must walk to survive. INSIDE THE EPISODE: Immediate Liquidity vs. Long-Term Customer Loyalty: Invalidated tariff refunds are creating a massive financial asset for retailers, but strategies on how to deploy this capital are starkly divided. - In Action: American Eagle sold off its refund rights to secure immediate cash flow, whereas Costco pledged to pass savings directly back to members through lower prices. Monetizing Conversational Commerce from Day One: Grocers are accelerating retail media monetization by embedding paid ads directly into consumer-facing AI tools at launch. - In Action: Kroger launched its AI shopping assistant with sponsored meal-planning and cart-building placements on day one to capture high-margin ad revenues using its deep first-party loyalty data. Niche Expansion vs. Rebrand Risk: Scaling or modernizing a heritage business requires balancing core brand identity with complex operational realities. - In Action: Spencer Spirit Holdings is consolidating fandom-driven niche retailers by acquiring Hot Topic and Box Lunch to build out its seasonal footprint, while legacy pioneers like QVC face steep uphill battles trying to modernize after emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. From tariff refunds to AI monetization, retail leaders must adapt operations to protect margins and drive customer loyalty. 🎧 Listen above for the full conversation on the trends making us rethink retail this week.
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  Vuori’s Blueprint for International Brand Growth 12.08.2026 17dk

  Scaling globally without losing the core identity and product quality that built early brand loyalty remains one of retail's hardest execution challenges. In this episode of the Global Lens podcast series, host Lavina Suthenthiran speaks with Ashley Kechter, Global President of Vuori, about the mechanics of international expansion and how brands can scale globally while protecting their core DNA. INSIDE THE EPISODE: - Protecting Brand DNA at Scale: Why successful global rollouts rely on preserving the distinct feeling and lifestyle identity behind the product rather than treating expansion as a purely transactional exercise. - Bridging Performance and Lifestyle: How Vuori builds a defensible category position by designing fabric-first, versatile apparel built to move in and styled for life. - Demand-Led Market Entry: How Vuori leverages digital demand signals across 30+ e-commerce markets to strategically build physical store density and local community relationships in key regions like the UK and China. - Localization Without Dilution: Why tailoring global expansion requires blending local culture, artists, and regional brand partners like Jack Draper and Tom Holland with consistent back-end infrastructure. Listen above to learn how modern activewear brands navigate global growth, protect customer loyalty, and scale international operations without losing their identity. Download the Global Lens Report to access the complete framework for building an agile, future-proof global operating model.
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  Scaling Assisted Wellness: Building Member Loyalty 10.08.2026 19dk

  Standing out in the $2.1T wellness market takes more than running social ads. As people seek real solutions for chronic pain and mobility, growing brands have to figure out how to scale nationally without losing the personal, in-person connection that keeps clients coming back. Jeremy Goldman sits down with Lindsey McFadden, CMO of Stretch Zone, to talk about how the assisted-stretching pioneer balances medical claims with retail fitness, uses star power like Drew Brees, and turns first-time trial visits into multi-year memberships. INSIDE THE EPISODE: • Cutting Through Digital Noise in a $2.1T Market: With wellness ad feeds more crowded than ever, maintaining brand clarity requires sharp positioning that clearly distinguishes assisted stretching from DIY routines. • Balancing Clinical Benefits with Retail Fitness: Navigating therapeutic claims demands a flexible messaging strategy that resonates equally with chronic pain sufferers and active golfers without alienating either group. • Leveraging Star Power Without Intimidating Everyday Clients: Utilizing high-profile partners like Drew Brees drives powerful local foot traffic, but must be balanced to ensure non-athlete, everyday consumers feel welcomed and capable. • Scaling Brand Cohesion Across 400+ Locations: Maintaining strict nationwide brand standards while empowering local franchisees to tailor marketing to their specific communities is essential for scalable growth. • Scaling Tech Without Sacrificing the Human Touch: Leveraging backend AI and automated workflows optimizes customer acquisition and retention while preserving the high-touch, personal connection of in-studio sessions. 🎧 Listen above for a practical look at scaling retail wellness, building member retention, and standing out in a crowded market.
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  Grocery, Surveillance Pricing & Should Brands Go Public? 07.08.2026 27dk

  Welcome to another edition of Retail Roundup—your weekly brief helping retail leaders decode the biggest shifts in retail, AI, and commerce. In this week’s episode, Jeremy Goldman sits down with industry experts David Polinchock (Co-Founder & President at Unified Brand Experience Lab) and Aidan Mittra (Co-Founder at OrderGrid) to examine the operational and regulatory forces redefining the industry. From the growing divide in grocery retail, the intense regulatory scrutiny surrounding dynamic pricing and electronic shelf labels, to the strategic debate over whether consumer brands should go public or stay private. INSIDE THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: - THE GROCERY DIVIDE: VALUE vs EXPERIENCE: As cost-conscious shoppers trade down and higher-income consumers seek experiences, middle-ground grocers are caught in the squeeze. While tech giants win on speed, experiential grocers thrive through in-person engagement and community. - DEMYSTIFYING SURVEILLANCE PRICING AND ELECTRONIC SHELF LABELS: Growing regulatory scrutiny and consumer mistrust over dynamic pricing and electronic shelf labels are pushing retailers toward transparency. Winning back trust requires bridging the online-offline pricing gap with a clear value exchange. - PUBLIC MARKET PRESSURES vs THE POWER OF STAYING PRIVATE: Faced with a cool IPO market, consumer brands are choosing to stay private longer. Prioritizing long-term brand equity over quarterly earnings pressure proves that rapid expansion doesn't always yield lasting value. As consumer expectations shift and regulatory pressure mounts, retail leaders must balance operational efficiency with clear customer value. 🎧 Listen above for the full conversation on the trends making us rethink retail this week.
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  Beyond Translation: Standardize Globally, Adapt Locally 05.08.2026 26dk

  The platforms change, but retail’s core rules stay the same. Whether you're entering new international markets or integrating AI into fulfillment, lasting growth comes down to standardizing global foundations while unlearning local habits. On this episode of Global Lens, Senior Retail Analyst Lavina Suthenthiran joins Jim Fielding (former CEO of Claire’s and former President at Disney Stores Worldwide) to unpack practical expansion strategies, experiential store design, and where AI fits into modern retail execution. INSIDE THE EPISODE: - Localization goes far beyond translation. Global consistency can’t ignore local reality. True localization hits trademark laws, product naming, and visual merchandising before inventory ever ships. - The 70/30 Assortment Rule. Over-centralizing creates a "Western bias" that misses regional demand. The strongest global brands maintain a common core while allowing local teams to adapt to regional preferences. - Retail + Storytelling Outpaces Passive Browsing. Physical retail spaces can no longer act as simple transaction hubs. They must provide emotional resonance or risk irrelevance against screens. - Surfing AI Disruption Requires Human Judgment. While AI dramatically accelerates operational speed, automated commerce still faces a massive trust deficit with consumers. Listen to the full episode above for practical lessons on global expansion, localized execution, and experiential retail.
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  Beyond the Search Bar: AI Agents in Retail 03.08.2026 18dk

  AI is changing what search means in e-commerce. Shoppers are no longer just typing keywords and scanning static results. Conversational agents are shaping discovery, addressing objections, and guiding purchases like digital salespeople. Brands must look beyond traditional SEO and design for both human shoppers and AI-driven journeys. Jeremy Goldman sits down with Sean Whitehead, VP of Digital Product & Tech at Fracture, and Aniket Deosthali, CEO and Founder of Envive AI, to discuss how brands can bring in-store service online, adapt to the rise of AI search, earn consumer trust, and preserve brand distinctiveness as AI tools become commoditized. INSIDE THE EPISODE: From Keyword Matching to Digital Salesmanship Traditional search assumes shoppers already know what they want. AI can address hesitation and objections directly on the product page before they turn into abandoned carts. The Financial Imperative of AI Search With half of consumers using AI search, and a projected $750B revenue impact by 2028, optimizing for AI engine visibility (AEO/GEO) is non-negotiable. Brands need to focus on durable fundamentals: structured data, strong content, authority, and answering real customer questions. Trust and Security Are the Ultimate Bottlenecks for AI Adoption With nearly 40% of consumers fearing AI scams or data misuse, brands must "treat AI like a new hire"—using strict guardrails and brand-approved data to prevent costly glitches. Brand Differentiation Will Shift to Proprietary Data and Brand Voice As AI tools commoditize, standing out requires training models on your distinct brand voice and unique customer data. 🎧 Listen above for a practical look at how retail leaders are rethinking AI search, customer trust, and brand differentiation.