Retail Gets Real

Starting a small business means more than becoming a small business owner — it also means becoming a bigger part of the local community, as well as the community of retailers all around the country. In this episode, we talk to Rachael Gruntmeir, owner of the Black Scintilla boutique in Oklahoma City, about how she builds a sense of belonging in her customers, fosters strategic partnerships within her community and influences both local and national policy. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Mike Brenton, Director of Asset Protection for Giant Food, talks about the business of protecting people, assets, and brands at the grocery chain, and the new technology that presents both opportunities and challenges for loss prevention pros. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Retail is a combination of online, mobile, and in-person experiences, but they aren't discrete channels anymore – they are all pieces of the customer experience, and every customer engages with brands through a unique combination of these experiences. A big challenge for retailers, then, is facilitating the seamless journey through this channel-less world. So, in this episode, we sit down with Chris Silver, Director of Global Retail Strategy and International for URBN, which includes the brands Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Free People, to learn about the technology and experiences that keep customers engaged. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

During World War II, Rosie the Riveter famously left her home to go into factories and shipyards and help her country. Today, R.Riveter is bringing jobs into the homes of modern-day military families. Lisa Bradley and Cameron Cruse, co-founders of R.Riveter, share how the handbag maker empowers military families through mobile, flexible income. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Karen Etzkorn is the chief information officer for Qurate Retail Group, the parent organization for brands such as HSN, QVC and Zulily. In this episode, Etzkorn identifies the two technologies all retailers should integrate today and shares how to encourage more women to embrace technology careers. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Social network's ability to connect and influence people's behavior is powerful. In the case of Poshmark, it's not only connecting buyers and sellers, it's also creating a new kind of entrepreneur. Join us as we sit down with founder and CEO Manish Chandra for a look inside the largest social commerce marketplace in the United States. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

MM.LaFleur empowers customers to focus on the things that really matter — like preparing for that client meeting or business trip — through styling, thoughtfully designed products and community. Vice President of Brand Marketing Jennifer Braunschweiger joins this episode to share how her team supports women and brings the brand to life. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

As customer expectations and behaviors change, retailers need to change too. That means creating new processes, implementing new technologies, and building teams with new skills. To learn more about the logistics of improving both the customer and employee experiences, we sit down with Wayfair’s Director of Supply Chain Engineering Dustin Bennett. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Nordstrom is known for offering a great customer experience, and they manage to continue offering exceptional experiences even as customer needs change in our constantly transforming world. To learn how Nordstrom stays ahead of disruption and their customers’ changing needs, we sit down with Senior Vice President of Customer Experience Shea Jensen, who was recently honored at the NRF Foundation Gala as a Disruptor on the List of People Shaping Retail's Future. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Zulily launches over 9,000 new products and 100 sales every single day — and curates a unique storefront for each of its millions of customers. Through personalization and stories told through images, videos and social media, Zulily turns the shopping experience into an entertainment experience. Vice President of Technology Bindu Thota talks about the technology and the people that make it all happen. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.