Wisdom From The Top with Guy Raz cover image

Wisdom From The Top with Guy Raz

Carry Water on Both Shoulders: Terry Lundgren (Macy's and Neiman Marcus)

Sep 18, 2024
Terry Lundgren, former CEO of Neiman Marcus and Macy’s, has significantly shaped American retail. He discusses how leadership can awaken under pressure and shares that playing it safe is often the biggest risk. Lundgren recounts the challenges of merging Macy’s and Neiman Marcus and reflects on his journey from local department store president to leading a national giant. He emphasizes the importance of balancing digital innovation with traditional retail values and how his early experiences influenced his strategic vision for the future.
41:00

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Terry Lundgren emphasizes that true leadership often emerges from challenges, highlighting the importance of growth through adversity in retail management.
  • By embracing change and tailoring offerings to local markets, Lundgren transformed Macy's into a responsive national brand during a challenging retail landscape.

Deep dives

Terry Lungren's Impact on Macy's

Terry Lungren played a pivotal role in transforming Macy's into the largest department store chain in the U.S., particularly by embracing risks and changes in the retail landscape. He believed that avoiding change was a far greater risk than adapting to the shifting market, especially as traditional retail faced increasing competition from e-commerce. Lungren's leadership led to Macy's stock reaching an all-time high, showcasing the success of his strategies during a critical time in retail history. He highlighted that adapting to customer demands and embracing innovation were key to Macy's growth and dominance.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode