Retail Gets Real

Cuyana uses its philosophy of “fewer, better” things to create thoughtfully made items, appealing to women who have become dissatisfied with fast fashion. Co-founder and CEO Karla Gallardo discusses how the business was born, the journey to opening stores and how to grow a brand built on trust. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Sandra Oh Lin took her knack for creating fun STEM activities for her kids and turned it into KiwiCo, a monthly subscription box business that fuels kids’ passion for creativity. On this episode, Oh Lin describes how she went from engineer to entrepreneur and the lessons she learned the hard way as demand for the popular kids’ activity boxes quickly grew. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Shopping for used clothing is turning into a luxury experience with thredUP, a company that started online and expanded into five stores in just a few years. President Anthony Morino is helping take this “unappealing” market and making it sexy and environmentally conscious. Hear him explain all the things that are woven into the operation to make it seamless for customers. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

B8ta’s “retail-as-a-service” model brings new and innovative products to retail faster. Co-founder and President Phillip Raub talks about the company’s unique model and how its retail spaces elevate the discovery experience in the physical world. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Shoe brand Rothy's brings together things consumers don't find everyday — shoes that are comfortable, stylish and made sustainably from recycled plastic. That winning combination has earned the company an avid fan base that's growing quickly. VP of Marketing Elie Donahue talks about how to attract fans and where the brand is headed. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Social media's powerful influence to reach consumers is a game changer for many businesses. Facebook’s Martin Gilliard, head of industry, retail — superstore and grocery, is at the center of where social media and shopping meet. In his role at Facebook, Gilliard drives the development of data products for retail; in this episode, he dives into how Facebook is working with retailers now and in the future. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

“Stores are a powerful way to bring experiences to life for people,” says Sephora EVP of Omni Retail Mary Beth Laughton. In this episode, Laughton describes how to look at the customer journey holistically and create a seamless shopping experience — whether in-store or online — through the expertise of beauty advisors, tech that solves a pain point and no-hitch transactions. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Keeping things fresh on the restaurant side of retail can be quite a challenge, in every conceivable way. Offering healthy food that people actually want to eat, making sure it stays safe throughout the supply chain, and creating a restaurant experience that people want to go back to are all big challenges, for restaurants of all shapes and sizes. In this episode, we’re talking to CAVA’s CEO, Brett Schulman, about how this healthy Mediterranean brand is overcoming these challenges through a positive culture, intelligent applications of technology, and a vertically integrated supply chain that keeps great ingredients fresh. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Today’s guest identified a retail opportunity that no one else saw –  an opportunity to disrupt and grow the custom framing industry by focusing on the customer experience – and then she made the entrepreneurial plunge. In this episode, Susan Tynan shares her experience founding Framebridge, how the company can offer a great product at a lower price point, why it is opening physical retail locations after five years as an online business, and her advice for other aspiring entrepreneurs. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

The digital transformation has ushered in a new era of data, which allows retailers to work smarter, innovate faster and serve customers better — but it has also introduced new risks. PwC U.S. Cybersecurity and Privacy Leader Sean Joyce says when it comes to cyber risk, being resilient is a company’s best defense. In this episode, learn the cyber threats retailers need to be aware of and what consumers can do to protect themselves. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.