In our final episode of Season 8 we welcome Janet Hayes, CEO of Crate and Barrel Holdings, the leading home furnishings player with over 100 stores in 9 countries.
Janet shares leadership lessons from a remarkable career with brands like Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Nike, and Gap and, now, in her current role driving growth as the CEO of Crate & Barrel, CB2, and Hudson Grace. We delve into her perspectives on the role of technology, the changing nature of work in a post-COVID world, and more. We also get a glimpse into the drive forces behind their new flagship store in New York's Flatiron District.
But before our fantastic interview we unpack the week in retail news, starting with Amazon achieving another remarkable milestone, along with word of its pending launch of a Temu/Shein fighter. Then we try to make sense of just what the heck is going on at Walgreen's before dipping into less than stellar earnings news from Nike and JC Penney. We wrap up with what seem like forever troubles at Forever 21.
About Janet
Janet Hayes is a retail industry veteran, with more than 30 years of leadership experience building digitally-led and customer-centric organizations. Currently, Janet is CEO of Crate and Barrel Holdings, a role she started in August 2020, amidst a global pandemic that catalyzed a pivotal shift in consumers’ lives and the retail industry as a whole.
Focused on building modern, authentic brands, Janet maximizes growth and profitability by elevating the customer experience through an omnichannel and personalized brand presence.
A modern mindset guides Janet’s leadership style and centers around making decisions rooted in personal purpose. Janet is an inspiring, inclusive leader who builds, mentors, and leads high performing teams that reflect CBH customers' unique values and experiences.
About Us
Steve 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.
