Retail Corner: New Normal in Retail Technology & Business
A deeply informative podcast on New Normal in Retail Industry. We cover current retail landscape, best of breed products and retail business best practices. Tune in to listen to retail experts and community thinkers on retail industries current trajectory as well as future projections.
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Episodes
Wednesday May 24, 2023
Wednesday May 24, 2023
In this episode of Retail Corner, listen to Audrey Tourangeau, Director of Planning & Allocation at Frank And Oak, who focuses on sustainable retail and how the fashion industry is adopting this change for the betterment of the world. You will listen to our host talking with Audrey on the following points:
What is sustainability for a fashion brand? What does it entail?
How does your role as Director of Planning help with that?
Did you see the same engagement at the other companies you worked for?
What can we do to help, as consumers of the fashion industry?
About our guest, Audrey Tourangeau:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrey-tourangeau/
Website: https://ca.frankandoak.com/
About Retail Corner Podcast:
Host: Carlos Diaz
Producer: Sachin Kumar Bhate
Podcast Sponsor: Proxima360
Listen to other podcasts at: https://proxima360.com/retail-corner.podcast or https://retailcorner.live
Subscribe our Podcast: Apple iTunes: https://apple.co/3eoeUdT
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3dvjpDJ
Google Podcast: https://bit.ly/3DFHXHw
Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/3tkbhk1
Interested in being on our podcast?
Submit request at: podcast@retailcorner.live
Wednesday May 17, 2023
Wednesday May 17, 2023
In this episode of Retail Corner, listen to Maria McDonald, Director of Sustainability at United By Blue, who focuses on the circular economy, sustainable retail, responsible consumption, and ethical shopping. You will listen to our host talking with Maria on the following points:
Could you tell me about your professional journey to where you are today?
What motivated or inspired you to pursue involvement in sustainability?
What are some of the initiatives that United by Blue is taking in order to reduce its environmental impact
What are some of the responsibilities that you have in your current position as sustainability director?
What is your approach to prioritizing your work?
For those who don't know, could you fill us in on what a B-corp is and what it stands for?
Can you tell me about how the company was founded? It is my understanding that the founders have close ties to the ocean.
What key message do you hope our listeners will take away from this conversation?
About our guest, Maria McDonald:
Maria McDonald is a sustainability professional on a mission to transform business models to prioritize people and the planet alongside profit. Maria comes from a background in helping small and medium-sized businesses achieve innovative sustainability goals.
Maria currently serves as the Director of Sustainability for United By Blue, leading their entire sustainability footprint, from their B Corp certification to their product sustainability, and their one-for-one business model. She has also consulted for businesses of all sizes on cutting-edge sustainability plans through her private consulting practice and with leading sustainability consultancy, the Anthesis Group. She is well versed in sustainable business tactics, such as B Corp certifications, sustainability reporting metrics, product and supply chain management, climate target setting, impact reporting, and sustainability communications.
She holds a Bachelor of Science from Georgetown University and a Master's in Sustainability Planning and Management from the University of Colorado Boulder. Maria resides in Boulder, CO, and enjoys hiking, camping, and music.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-mcdonald-41986363/
Website: https://unitedbyblue.com/
About Retail Corner Podcast:
Host: Carlos Diaz
Producer: Sachin Kumar Bhate
Podcast Sponsor: Proxima360
Listen to other podcasts at: https://retailcorner.live
Subscribe our Podcast: Apple iTunes: https://apple.co/3eoeUdT
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3dvjpDJ
Google Podcast: https://bit.ly/3DFHXHw
Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/3tkbhk1
Interested in being on our podcast?
Submit request at: podcast@retailcorner.live
Wednesday May 03, 2023
Wednesday May 03, 2023
In this episode of Retail Corner, listen to Lee Anne Grant, Chief Growth Officer at Babylist, talk about how Babylist has been successful in simplifying baby registries with an inspired growth mindset. You will listen to our host talking with Lee Anne on the following points:
Seeing Babylist’s growth in the past couple of years, it is obvious it is inspired by a growth mindset.
How do you foster that kind of environment and take advantage of the momentum?
How agile would you consider your team when it comes to change?
Do you think your team adopts ideas faster than the industry, and is there anything that really excites you about what's coming down the line?
How has eCommerce evolved in the past decade, and what do you see as the most significant trends shaping its future?
Babylist is primarily an eCommerce business. What are some of the biggest challenges that eCommerce businesses like Babylist face today, and how can you overcome them?
Does Babylist have brick-and-mortar locations? If so, what are the key challenges in creating a successful phygital strategy, and how can businesses overcome them?
How do you see the role of technology evolving in the phygital space, and what impact do you think this will have on consumer behavior?
About our guest, Lee Anne Grant:
Lee Anne Grant is the Chief Growth Officer at Babylist – the leading vertical marketplace and commerce destination for babies, driving purchase decisions for more than 9 million people each year – responsible for driving profitable revenue through growing our community, deepening merchant and brand partnerships, and developing new product and partnership businesses.
Previously, she was the vice president of marketing and revenue. She manages the sales and marketing team and is responsible for driving profitable revenue through growing the community, deepening merchant and brand partnerships, and developing new businesses. She uses her deep experience in performance and brand marketing to optimize an eight-figure marketing budget with content and brand strategies that support an industry-leading NPS score.
Babylist is the generational brand in baby, leading the $88 billion baby products market as the trusted go-to solution for growing families, driving $900 in attributable commerce in 2022. Before Babylist, Lee Anne held executive roles at fast-growing media and consumer brands such as ShopStyle (acquired by Rakuten Inc), POPSUGAR (acquired by Group Nine Media), and Brandless.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leeannegrant/
Website: https://www.babylist.com/
About Retail Corner Podcast:
Host: Carlos Diaz
Producer: Sachin Kumar Bhate
Podcast Sponsor: Proxima360
Listen to other podcasts at: https://retailcorner.live
Subscribe our Podcast: Apple iTunes: https://apple.co/3eoeUdT
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3dvjpDJ
Google Podcast: https://bit.ly/3DFHXHw
Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/3tkbhk1
Interested in being on our podcast?
Submit request at: podcast@retailcorner.live
Wednesday Apr 26, 2023
Wednesday Apr 26, 2023
In this episode of Retail Corner, listen to Jim Loden, Chief Research Officer at Mulligan, talk about effective omnichannel strategies in today's retail world. You will listen to our host talking with Jim on the following points:
How has omnichannel become the hero of new sectors?
How have you approached change—Amazon listings and shifting customer bases?
What do you think is key when it comes to setting up solid partnerships with retailers?
How have you overcome all the modern supply chain and multinational sourcing challenges?
How have you had to adjust your practices to adapt to changing forecasts in the retail world?
What is the key to managing the diversity of geography and favored tastes across the country in an omnichannel supply chain?
About our guest, Jim Loden:
A tenured executive who has worked for years in the retail and distribution industries, driving explosive growth over and over. Helped conceptualize and develop the Apple Store model. Have grown sales from $300M to over $1.5B in 30 months.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimloden/
About Retail Corner Podcast:
Host: Carlos Diaz
Producer: Sachin Kumar Bhate
Listen to other podcasts at: https://retailcorner.live
Subscribe our Podcast: Apple iTunes: https://apple.co/3eoeUdT
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3dvjpDJ
Google Podcast: https://bit.ly/3DFHXHw
Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/3tkbhk1
Interested in being on our podcast?
Submit request at: https://www.retailcorner.live/guests/intake/ or email podcast@retailcorner.live
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
In this episode of Retail Corner, listen to Rosaland Jones, Director of Digital Marketing, at Rack Room Shoes, talk about the power of digital marketing strategies within the retail space. You will listen to our host talking with Rosaland on the following points:
The source of PR and the voice that comes along with it, and how does Rack Room Shoes manage to guide that overall voice.
With budgets tightening across the marketing space, how is Rack Room Shoes adapting to make the most of each dime?
How does Rack Room Shoes balance the short-term results of “boosted posts” vs the long-term effect of brand building? SEO?
How does the communication Rack Room Shoes produces affect its brand? The associate? The customer experiences?
How does Rack Room Shoes keep track of all the different angles of its marketing effort?
How is Rack Room Shoes using the data at hand to make the right decisions?
About our guest, Rosaland Jones:
Rosaland Jones leads the digital marketing team at Rack Room Shoes with a focus on paid digital, social media, SEO and marketing analytics. Rosaland has spent most of her career in eCommerce (Dillard’s, Timex, Rack Room Shoes) and non-profit digital fundraising (Save the Children). She holds a Master’s in Applied Mathematics.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosalandjones/
Website: https://www.rackroomshoes.com/
About Retail Corner Podcast:
Host: Carlos Diaz
Producer: Sachin Kumar Bhate
Listen to other podcasts at: https://retailcorner.live
Subscribe our Podcast: Apple iTunes: https://apple.co/3eoeUdT
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3dvjpDJ
Google Podcast: https://bit.ly/3DFHXHw
Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/3tkbhk1
Interested in being on our podcast?
Submit request at: https://www.retailcorner.live/guests/intake/ or email podcast@retailcorner.live
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
In this episode of Retail Corner, listen to Jeremiah Curvers, CEO of Polysleep, talk about how to embrace a growth mindset in a competitive niche market and rise to the top. You will listen to our host talking with Jeremiah on the following points:
What does not having a growth mindset mean to you?
How have you seen sustainability change your corner of the retail world?
What do you think is key when it comes to setting up solid partnerships with sustainable providers?
How have you overcome all the modern challenges with supply chains and distribution centers?
What are you working on right now that excites you?
About our guest, Jeremiah Curvers:
Raised in a Belgian family with a strong entrepreneurial spirit in furniture and decor, Jeremiah emigrated to Canada at the age of 15. It was only two years later that he founded his first business venture; it was a sign of things to come. His early passion for graphic design and technology led him into digital marketing for major brands, including – at age 24 – a management position at Yellow Pages Group and consulting work with Videotron, Bell, Wawanesa, Cossette, Touché! and others.
During these formative years, he began to embrace the notion of disruptive innovation, an idea that innovation by an outsider can eventually replace establish, market-leading firms. This approach inspired him (following a painful back injury – but that’s another story!) to found Polysleep in 2016. And it drives the business to this day. Leveraging state-of-the-art research and development techniques and the latest digital marketing strategies, Polysleep became one of the Globe and Mail’s “Canada’s Top Growing Companies” in 2022, ranking an impressive 39th out of 430 successful businesses.
Jeremiah is also a firm believer in walking the talk when it comes to living personal values. Polysleep, as a company, is well known for its environmentally responsible production and “mattress in a box” delivery methods, as well as its support for numerous charities. For his part, Jeremiah is an active member of the Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Montreal and helps other companies as an executive advisor. Jeremiah’s goal is to sleep well at night knowing he’s helping others do the same.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremiahcurvers/
Website: https://polysleep.ca/
About Retail Corner Podcast:
Host: Carlos Diaz
Producer: Sachin Kumar Bhate
Listen to other podcasts at: https://retailcorner.live
Subscribe our Podcast: Apple iTunes: https://apple.co/3eoeUdT
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3dvjpDJ
Google Podcast: https://bit.ly/3DFHXHw
Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/3tkbhk1
Interested in being on our podcast?
Submit request at: https://www.retailcorner.live/guests/intake/ or email podcast@retailcorner.live
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
In this episode of Retail Corner, listen to Melissa Wong, CEO & Co-Founder of Zipline, talk about the future of retail and how digital innovation is revolutionizing the customer experience. You will listen to our host talking with Melissa on the following points:
How has brick-and-mortar retail evolved in the last few years?
Issues with store execution? Examples of brands communicating ineffectively/inefficiently?
Why is now the time for retailers to invest in digital transformation, despite economic concerns?
How does one balance the need to embrace digital transformation with the importance of maintaining a strong in-person shopping experience for customers?
How does one measure the success of a digital transformation initiative in the retail industry?
Advice for retailers who are just beginning their digital transformation journey?
How does communication affect a brand? The associate? The customer experience.
How have trends like ‘quiet quitting’ affected the state of retail and what tools do front-line workers need in order to get their jobs done?
What does the future of retail look like? What are some of the biggest trends and changes we can expect to see in the retail industry in the next decade?
How are consumer preferences and behaviors changing, and how will this impact the way retailers operate in the future?
About our guest Melissa Wong:
Melissa Wong is the CEO And co-founder of Zipline, a unified platform for operational excellence helping 80+ best-in-class retailers bring brand strategies to life in stores. Under Melissa's leadership, Zipline has achieved a Net Promoter Score of 72, was included in the Inc. 5000's list of fastest-growing private companies, and received an honorable mention in Fast Company for World-Changing Ideas. Melissa was also named a 2022 Brick-and-Mortar Power Player by Business Insider and won gold in the 2022 Stevie Awards for Women in Business.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissaawong/
Website: https://getzipline.com/
About Retail Corner Podcast:
Host: Carlos Diaz
Producer: Sachin Kumar Bhate
Listen to other podcasts at: https://retailcorner.live
Subscribe our Podcast: Apple iTunes: https://apple.co/3eoeUdT
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3dvjpDJ
Google Podcast: https://bit.ly/3DFHXHw
Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/3tkbhk1
Interested in being on our podcast?
Submit request at: https://www.retailcorner.live/guests/intake/ or email podcast@retailcorner.live
Wednesday Mar 29, 2023
Wednesday Mar 29, 2023
In this episode of Retail Corner, listen to Sean White, a Supply Chain Leader in the Retail Industry, talk about Supply Chain Management. You will listen to our host talking with Sean on the following points:
As a supply chain leader:
How do you foster a growth mindset within an organization, and what are some effective strategies for promoting ongoing employee learning and development?
To what extent does process optimization impact business performance and competitiveness?
What is Integrated Business Planning (IBP) & how does it contribute to overall business strategy?
As a mentor/ leader:
How does effective leadership impact the overall efficiency and productivity of a supply chain, and what metrics can be used to measure this?
What steps are organizations taking to prioritize sustainability considering the current circumstances?
As a leader in the egg industry:
How is avian influenza impacting the industry?
Which companies are profiting the most from the current state of the egg industry?
Where do you see the industry going in the next 12 months?
About our guest Sean White:
I have over 13 years of experience in the supply chain. I am deeply intrigued by data analysis and the power it wields to drive optimization within a company. I have focused my career on isolating problems, constructing solutions, and executing continuous improvement plans. Partnering with cross-functional teams is an essential tool I use to gain buy-in and identify the best path for project success. I have an infectious curiosity to learn and whenever possible I attempt to share the lessons I have learned.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swh001/
About Retail Corner Podcast:
Host: Carlos Diaz
Producer: Sachin Kumar Bhate
Listen to other podcasts at: https://retailcorner.live
Subscribe our Podcast: Apple iTunes: https://apple.co/3eoeUdT
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3dvjpDJ
Google Podcast: https://bit.ly/3DFHXHw
Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/3tkbhk1
Interested in being on our podcast?
Submit request at: https://www.retailcorner.live/guests/intake/ or email podcast@retailcorner.live