Retail Gets Real

Karen Katz started as an assistant store manager in a small Neiman Marcus store; 32 years later, she is CEO of the luxury retailer. Retail “has allowed women to achieve things much faster and earlier as an industry than many other industries,” she says. Katz joins Retail Gets Real to discuss how the 110-year-old company has adapted to drastic changes in the industry with a “digital-first” approach, and how the evolution is impacting today’s retail workforce.

As director of Kohl’s Center for Retailing Excellence, Jerry O’Brien helps open the eyes of college students to the immense opportunities in retail for building fulfilling careers. His job is easier now, he says, because having grown up as digital natives helps today’s students see themselves fitting into the retail industry. On this episode, O’Brien discusses how he helps shape the retail career conversation.

Rick Schart has witnessed a great evolution in supply chain management throughout his more than 40 years in the industry. As SVP of supply chain and ecommerce for Stein Mart, he oversees everything from when a buyer places an order to when it ends up in the customer’s hands, whether it’s at a bricks-and-mortar store or directly on their doorstep through ecommerce. On this episode, Schart explains how technological sophistication and complexity make supply chain management “more like rocket science” today.

CEO Bobby Farahi’s NSFW rebelliousness shines through when he talks about Dolls Kill, the alternative fashion brand he co-founded with his wife, former DJ Shoddy Lynn. The cult-brand has fans so loyal that they camped out for the company’s first store opening. Farahi shares three strategies that worked for the brand when it comes to developing customer loyalty, and at our request, kept the conversation G-rated.

Disruption seems to be the buzzword these days, and Allbirds co-founder Joey Zwillinger found shoemaking to be ripe for the picking. With longer working hours the norm and a modern way of dressing in the workplace, Zwillinger’s innovative idea was to make a shoe that takes the customer from day to evening with “extraordinary” comfort. On this episode, Zwillinger describes how the digital startup got its foot in the door of a long-established industry with direct-to-consumer marketing.

NYU Clinical Professor of Marketing Scott Galloway’s new book explores the big four companies in retail and tech today, and what their domination means for the evolution of the retail industry. In this episode, Galloway shares his research and discusses how retailers can adapt to Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google’s power positions in the industry, along with his predictions on what’s next for Amazon.

Roy Choi was at the lowest point of his life when an idea to put tacos and his Korean heritage together beckoned him to the food truck scene. A decade later, he is on the TIME 100 Most Influential People in the World list. As the owner of multiple food trucks and restaurants with cult followings, including Kogi BBQ, Choi joins us from NRF’s Shop.org conference in Los Angeles to share how he got started and developed his business into an award-winner.

Lane Bryant is the most recognized name in plus-size clothing. As chief marketing officer, it is Brian Beitler’s job to tell the story of the brand and what it stands for. On this episode, Beitler shares how not being part of the customer base helps him listen and try harder to understand the customer. His philosophy: “Discuss in the office, decide in the store.” Learn more about how the company reinvented its brand image to appeal to modern customers and how it strives to reshape the current conversation on body equality.

Brack Sullivan and Trey Stewart, talent acquisition executives at The Home Depot, discuss how retail jobs have evolved with the changing industry and how the home improvement giant attracts top talent.  “When you think of Home Depot, you don’t really think of the seamless transactional experience that our customers are looking for and what it takes to keep that engine moving” Sullivan says. Listen to the episode to learn about the types of roles the company hires for and how it entices potential employees to choose The Home Depot to build a career.

Retail may be seen as an unconventional career path for college students in fields like computer science, data analytics and accounting, but the industry offers many opportunities for building a career. Group Vice President at Macy’s Inc. and NRF Foundation Board Member Anne Voller argues that education is the key when it comes to promoting the retail industry as an exciting option for students thinking about life after university. In this episode, Voller shares Macy’s approach to talent acquisition and how employees are trained to move through the ranks, and explains why education is so important to the future of retail employment.

Running a restaurant and delighting customers enough for them to return is no piece of cake, but Anthony Lupo and Brian Schram of Scarlet Oak and Southern Hospitality restaurants exceed expectations when it comes to creating loyal communities and happy employees. “We wanted to really focus on the hospitality side,” Lupo says about their simple concept of pairing great food with great service. On this episode, Lupo and Schram share how much hard work goes into running multiple restaurants, how social media affects the business and what they do to keep employees motivated and customers coming back for more.

Rob Colenso, senior product manager and UI/UX team lead for Total Wine & More, brings a natural curiosity and a knack for user research from his previous career as a journalist into UX design. He increased ecommerce revenue by 55 percent from last year by identifying and improving multiple touchpoints in the online consumer journey. On this episode, Colenso shares insights on how UX and product designers approach user research and shape their findings to create a seamless and emotionally enriched shopping experience.

People are at the core of any business operation, and choosing the right employees to help carry a brand forward requires a passion for the search and a knack for spotting the “right fit” for the company. On this week’s episode, Chloe Rosenthal, director of human resources for &Pizza, shares how the hiring process works at the innovative D.C. pizza chain and how these decisions play into long-term company strategy.

Myles Powell loves a challenge. Starting a food blog and entering Food Network’s “Best Cooks in America” competition were just two he took on. With a knack for seemingly uncommon flavor combinations, Powell created 8 Myles on a whim and took his passion for food all the way to quitting a job in civil engineering and becoming a full-time small biz owner. 8 Myles, a gourmet sauce and seasonings company, started locally and is fast gaining national popularity through deals with Whole Foods and Williams-Sonoma. This week, Powell describes the hard work he put in behind the scenes to get his product on retail shelves and shares juicy stories of solo entrepreneurship.

Jack Kleinhenz is a self-proclaimed “watchdog” as he collects, models and provides perspective for economic data collected on a daily basis. As the chief economist for the world’s largest retail trade organization, NRF’s Kleinhenz has over 35 years of experience and knows that numbers are not always perfect — without perspective, the data is useless. “I’m a storyteller,” he says about his profession. On this week’s episode, listen to the conversation as Kleinhenz describes the art and science of economic forecasting, and shares his views on why the perception of present retail transformation is far from the reality.

Sarween Salih had a successful consulting career, but her undeniable passion was for fitness and fashion. She started an athleisure company as a pop-up in the back of a gym where she was teaching fitness classes, which ultimately led to a permanent storefront in Washington, D.C. Listen to this week’s episode to hear how this small retailer is building a scalable business.

Consumption-oriented retail concepts like shopping malls are transitioning to experience-based urban developments like CityCenterDC in the heart of downtown Washington. The mixed-use property is a unique draw for residents and visitors alike, including international tourists. On this week’s episode, hear from CityCenterDC General Manager Timothy Lowery and Hines Senior Manager of Corporate Communications Whitney Burns as they describe the inner workings of large urban developments and how their public space appeals to a wide variety of customers. From free yoga classes and farmers markets that attract foot traffic to strategic brand selection, Lowery and Burns explain how they’ve worked with retailers and the community to create the hottest space in town.

Lobbyists have to counter many misconceptions, and you might be surprised to hear that “a good lobbyist is really ethical,” says David French, NRF’s senior vice president of government affairs. On this week’s episode, French joins NRF’s Bill Thorne and Susan Reda for a candid discussion about how lobbying works and how NRF helps tell the story of retail on Capitol Hill. French describes how he communicates with members of Congress and members of the world’s largest retail trade association.

Cary Kelly’s passion for cooking led the former executive coach to open her first food retail business. Over the years, Kelly and her company have evolved constantly to stay on top of changing trends. Rebranding her culinary marketplace as The Cookery and customizing each location to suit the neighborhood has helped the company’s stores gain a loyal following. On this week’s episode, Kelly explains why she measures success by employee and customer satisfaction and shares lessons learned from expanding her business.  

STORES Magazine Editor Susan Reda has covered retail through its glory days and challenging times. Reda shares how companies on the 2017 list of Top 100 Retailers constantly innovate to stay relevant, using technology and customer insights to provide compelling omnichannel shopping experiences. Listen to this week’s episode to learn which companies top this year’s list, and hear Reda’s predictions for the next big trend in retail.