This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabi Barkho and Melissa Daniels get into the big news of Target CEO Brian Cornell stepping down. Cornell will move over to be executive chair of the board, and be replaced by Target vet Michael Fiddelke.

On this week’s rundown, the team also discusses the latest investment Amazon is making in its grocery business as it evolves. The company announced free same-day delivery service for fresh groceries to over 1,000 U.S. cities and towns.

Then, for the featured segment (18:20), Barkho and Daniels are joined by investor Mike Duda of Bullish for an in-depth conversation about the many challenges startup brands are facing right now. The segment covers the challenges of fundraising and growing a young business, advice on how to market more effectively by spending less on social advertising, and other ways savvy brands can stand out in this tough market. In the segment, they discuss:

How the macro environment, tariffs and the overall decline of consumer sentiment is affecting retail brands
What it takes to fundraise in a competitive climate
How to get creative with brand marketing, grow the customer acquisition funnel and reduce reliance on expensive digital advertising

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