
Retail Gets Real
Retail impacts everyone, everywhere, every day. Join the National Retail Federation for authentic, insightful conversations with the industry's most interesting people. Hear retail executives, industry experts, entrepreneurs and influencers discuss trends, their career stories and the future of retail. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.
Latest episodes

Jun 8, 2021 • 30min
223. The post-pandemic world: Consumer behavior and how retailers are responding
Jason “Retailgeek” Goldberg is the Chief Commerce Strategy Officer at Publicis Group and has been a go-to retail expert for industry leaders for years. He is consistently one of our top-rated speakers at NRF events, not to mention the host of his own podcast on eCommerce, the Jason & Scot Show. Jason will be speaking at our upcoming NRF Retail Converge event in June. In this episode, we discuss the hottest things happening in retail today. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Jun 1, 2021 • 30min
222. How Best Buy emphasizes inclusive leadership
As we head towards NRF’s newest event, NRF Retail Converge, we’re highlighting a few speakers you’ll hear from at the event. Mark Irvin, Best Buy’s Chief Inclusion, Diversity, and Talent Officer, joined Retail Gets Real earlier this year for a conversation. Originally released March 2, 2021. Best Buy’s Mark Irvin, is working hard to build and maintain an inclusive work environment for the 125,000 employees that work at Best Buy. In this episode, he talks about his path to the role and the retailer's approach to attracting, retaining, and growing a diverse talent pool. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

May 25, 2021 • 26min
221. What to expect from NRF’s newest virtual event: NRF Retail Converge
This summer, NRF is putting on a whole new virtual event, one that brings together the entire retail community to hear from leaders and experts about where the industry is today and where it’s headed in the future. NRF Retail Converge will run from June 21st through the 25th. Today, we sit down with Martine Reardon, CMO and EVP of Content and Membership at NRF, to discuss how the show is coming together and why we're so excited about it. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

May 18, 2021 • 24min
220. Supporting fair trade & artisanal creators with Ten Thousand Villages
When Ten Thousand Villages opened its doors in 1946, it was a fair trade pioneer, offering ethically-sourced, handmade products, crafted by artisans from developing countries. In today's episode, we're speaking with their CEO, Gordon Zook, about how the organization continues its mission, helping to positively impact the life and community of its makers and villages around the world, even as consumers and the world of retail evolve. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

May 11, 2021 • 28min
219. How the classic Levi’s brand stays modern
A great pair of jeans never goes out of style. That fact is one of the many reasons why Levi Strauss & Co. has led the way for over a century. Today's guest is Marc Rosen, President of Levi Strauss Americas. We'll talk to Marc about Levi's digital strategy and how the brand is appealing to a whole new generation of consumers. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

May 4, 2021 • 26min
218. How veteran-owned small business Teak & Twine makes gifting easy & accessible
Torrance Hart is the founder of Teak & Twine, a small business making it easy to send thoughtfully curated gifts to just about anyone. A veteran-owned business, Teak & Twine is one of the featured businesses in NRF Foundation and Qurate Retail Group’s Small Business Spotlight. Torrance talks about growing Teak & Twine and how uplifting other brands. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Apr 27, 2021 • 28min
217. Creating a gender-fluid retail experience with The Phluid Project
Today's guest, Rob Smith, is on a mission to challenge boundaries with humanity. That’s the overarching goal of The Phluid Project, a gender-free fashion brand that works to foster community and acceptance in the industry. Smith, The Phluid Project's founder and CEO, discusses his inspirations for building the company, its purpose-driven evolution, and what the future holds for himself, his brand, and the retail world he aims to transform. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Apr 20, 2021 • 30min
216. Sustainability: How retailers can make a lasting impact and get the consumer on-board
As many around the country celebrate Earth Day this week, it's a good time to think about sustainability and how businesses can make a difference. NRF Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability, Scot Case discusses what makes a sustainable brand and what retailers can do to ensure progress and communicate transparently with consumers. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Apr 13, 2021 • 26min
215. How Ministry of Supply is reinventing business attire for the modern world
Many of us who work in corporate environments haven't touched our business attire in a year. As we work from home, stretchy pants have become the new business casual. Today's guest is Brian Kennedy, Vice President of Operations at Ministry of Supply, an apparel brand that specializes in reengineering business attire for the modern professional. We talk with Brian about how Ministry of Supply shifted gears during the pandemic, what the last year has been like for business, and what's ahead for the cutting-edge brand. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Apr 6, 2021 • 31min
214. Beyond buy now, pay later with Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski
The past several months have been a whirlwind of growth and change for the retail industry, including in how people pay for things. Today we’re talking about buy now, pay later with Sebastian Siemiatkowski, CEO and co-founder of Klarna, which partners with thousands of retailers in the United States and across the globe to offer new payment options. He offers his unique take on the retail landscape and what he's seeing for the future of retail. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.