Remarkable Retail Podcast

In our second episode recorded live at the World Retail Congress in Barcelona, our special guest is author and customer-centricity thought leader Martin Newman.While being customer-centric is a stated priority of most brands, many have a hard time delivering on the promise. Martin helps us understand the challenges and the essential building blocks of putting customers first, while laying out how to find your brand's North Star and assemble a truly holistic approach.First up, however, are our hot-takes on the week in retail news, including another trip to the Wobbly Unicorn Corner as "retail disruptors" like Allbirds and Wayfair continue to set alarms off with disappointing earnings results. Better news comes from Walmart with the naming of a new top merchant, while Amazon offers Prime customers an incentive to play fetch.About MartinMartin is one of the world’s leading authorities on customer centricity, and a force for positive change for consumers and brands.As well as fighting for consumer rights Martin is an advocate for diversity, social responsibility and employee engagement for all consumer facing sectors. These issues top the agenda in his media appearances across national press and television.He appears regularly on BBC TV and Radio, on Sky, ITV, Channel 5 and a host of other media channels such as LBC, The Times and FT to discuss consumer issues relating to the retail, travel, casual dining, automotive and financial services sectors.Martin has worked for 40 years leading the multichannel operations for some of the world’s most recognisable retail brands. These include Burberry, Intersport, Pentland Brands (Speedo, Berghaus), Harrods and Ted Baker. His bestselling book 100 Practical Ways to Improve Customer Experience, is seen as definitive within the sector and was shortlisted for the Business Book of the Year Award 2019.Following his career in the consumer sector, Martin founded global ecommerce and digital consultancy Practicology, which was sold in 2018 after having scaled up to a global staff of 100 in offices across the UK, EU, Middle East and Asia. Martin has since set up The Customer First Group and new consumer facing website Customer Service Action.Martin delivers keynote presentations and chairs many leading industry events around the World. He has shared stages with innovators and entrepreneurs alike, including Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, to discuss the future of the internet and its implications for retailers.Amongst Martin’s many accolades, he has featured in various industry leader lists including Retail Week’s top 50 eTail Power List five years in a row. He has also been named consecutively in the Retail Insiders top 100 Retail Movers & Shakers list, as well as the British Vogue Online Fashion 100.Martin judges numerous industry awards such as the World Retail Awards, the Customer Experience Awards, the Retail Insider Awards, the PayPal eTail Awards, the Online Retail Awards of Australia and the Great British Entrepreneur awards.Martin’s counsel also encompasses roles as Non-Executive Chairman of Scout Store, and Board Advisor working with the Boards of consumer-facing businesses on their key strategic questions and challenges. He is also a board advisor to Clearpay, the Mayborn Group and is a Trustee of In Kind Direct and a member of the prestigious KPMG IPSOS Retail Think Tank. About UsSteve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his       website.    The expanded and revised edition of his bestselling book  Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is now available at  Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a      Forbes senior contributor and on       Twitter and       LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel      here.Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus  Global eCommerce Leaders podcast, and The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.    You can learn more about Michael   here  or on     LinkedIn. Be sure and check out Michael's latest venture for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel! SPECIAL OFFER for our listeners! SAVE 20% on registration for the all new Shoptalk Luxe event in Abu Dhabi January 27-29.For more info go to https://luxe.shoptalk.com/page/get-ticket and then register using our special code : RRLUXE20 About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

We kick off a series of episodes recorded live in our pop-up studio at the World Retail Congress in Barcelona with Sally Elliott, Co-leader of the Global Retail Practice at Spencer Stuart, one of the world's leading executive search firms. Sally shares key lessons from her vast experience working with top retail Boards and teams around the globe on critical issues of succession planning and what it takes to drives successful transformation. We also get her perspectives on what the new super powers of leadership are and how they've evolved in this new era of constant disruption. Lastly, we learn why empathy, vulnerability, humility, and collaboration are so critical for today's retail leaders.First up, however, are our hot-takes on the week in retail news, including parsing the implications from the latest interest rate hikes, earnings from Crocs (remarkable), Apple and Starbucks (solid), and Peloton (yikes). We also dissect Nordstrom's shocking decision to close its full-line and Rack store in San Francisco and explore why and how Bed, Bath & Beyond shuttered stores are being scooped up, https://www.spencerstuart.com/research-and-insight/the-future-of-retail-leadership-why-retailers-need-to-invest-in-future-leaders-more-than-ever About SallySally Elliott is a specialist in CEO and Board succession across the global retail sector. She is passionate about helping retail boards make the best people leadership decisions for their organisations.  Based in London, Sally is the co-leader of Spencer Stuart’s Global Retail Practice. She partners with privately and publicly owned retailers and retail brands to support their strategic objectives through board and leadership renewal, as well as advisory work. Most of Sally’s experience in executive search and leadership advisory, spanning over two decades, has been focused on CEO and non-executive board projects for retailers around the world. Sally is an advisory board member of the World Retail Congress, the leading global forum for the retail sector, where she serves alongside CEOs of some of the world’s most recognised and innovative retailers. Sally is a frequent writer about retail leadership topics, and she also speaks regularly at various consumer forums and events. About UsSteve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his       website.    The expanded and revised edition of his bestselling book  Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is now available at  Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a      Forbes senior contributor and on       Twitter and       LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel      here.Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus  Global eCommerce Leaders podcast, and The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.    You can learn more about Michael   here  or on     LinkedIn. Be sure and check out Michael's latest venture for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel! SPECIAL OFFER for our listeners! SAVE 20% on registration for the all new Shoptalk Luxe event in Abu Dhabi January 27-29.For more info go to https://luxe.shoptalk.com/page/get-ticket and then register using our special code : RRLUXE20 About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

Welcome to a special Shoptalk 2023 Bonus episode of the Remarkable Retail podcast, presented by MarketDial, recorded live beachside in the Wizeline podcasting studio at Mandalay Bay Beach, Las Vegas.In this episode, we meet with Amena Ali, Chief Executive Officer at Optoro. Optoro is a leading provider of returns technology for retail brands, using data science and real-time decision-making automation to make returns better for customers, retailers, and the planet. We wanted to explore their innovations in and around product returns. Amena is new to the business and the retail industry, so with a fresh perspective, Steve and I were curious about what Amena and Optoro were up to.  About AmenaAmena Ali is a proven leader with more than 20 years experience in delivering value for customers and successfully growing software businesses.Amena has an exceptional track record of scaling high-growth technology businesses in SaaS and enterprise software, including at her two recent CEO roles. She has led successful revenue generation at startups, middle market, and public companies.Amena most recently served as CEO of Airside Mobile, a leader in digital identity verification technology. Previously, Ali was CEO of database monitoring company VividCortex, where she led the company to grow ARR by 80% in 17 months. She has held several senior leadership positions, including at Earth Networks, Softek Storage Solutions (acquired by IBM) and Legato Systems (acquired by EMC). She serves on the board of database DevOps company Liquibase. Amena started her career as a management consultant at Bain & Company. She holds an MBA from the Yale School of Management and a Bachelor’s Degree from Wesleyan University.Outside of work, Amena enjoys traveling, her family, yoga, and “a good walk spoiled”, aka chasing a small white ball with a long stick on rolling greens.About UsSteve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his       website.    The expanded and revised edition of his bestselling book  Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is now available at  Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a      Forbes senior contributor and on       Twitter and       LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel      here.Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus  Global eCommerce Leaders podcast, and The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.    You can learn more about Michael   here  or on     LinkedIn. Be sure and check out Michael's latest venture for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel!  SPECIAL OFFER for our listeners! SAVE 20% on registration for the all new Shoptalk Luxe event in Abu Dhabi January 27-29.For more info go to https://luxe.shoptalk.com/page/get-ticket and then register using our special code : RRLUXE20 About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

Joining us for another great episode recorded at the Wizeline remote podcast studio/beach cabana at Mandalay Bay during Shoptalk 2023 is Ryan den Rooijen, Chief Ecommerce Officer for Chaloub Group, the largest retail operator in the Middle East and leading partner for the world's iconic luxury brands.In a wide ranging conversation on all things retail, Ryan shares his deep knowledge and keen insights on how omni-channel retailing and e-commerce have evolved and, most importantly, where's it is all headed. We also learn about his key Shoptalk take-aways, the importance of customer journeys (not customer journey) mapping, the state of digital maturity, and why "seamless" shopping is now table stakes. We also discuss our mutual disdain for "phygital" and a whole lot more!But as usual we kick-off with a fast-paced review of the week in retail news, including a fast-paced unpacking of Amazon earnings and what's next for Bed, Bath & Beyond now that they've filed for Chapter 11. Then we share our love for Target and the roll-out of curbside returns and LL Bean's social media break. We conclude with LVMH's blockbuster earnings and remarkable market valuation. About RyanRyan den Rooijen is the Chief Ecommerce Officer of the Chalhoub Group, the leading luxury retailer in the Middle East. He manages teams including trade, product, growth, operations, and analytics. His organisation is focused on creating great customer experiences, whatever the platform.Prior to his current role, Ryan held the position of Chief Data Officer of the Chalhoub Group. In this role he worked to infuse data and analytics into every element of the organisation, ensuring we always keep the customer at heart. He previously worked as Dyson’s Director of Data, and before that at Google, where he led the development of the global sales analyst curriculum.Ryan completed an MSc in Social Science of the Internet at the University of Oxford. DataIQ repeatedly named him one of the most influential people in data-driven business. His work focuses on unlocking organisations’ potential using data and digital, beyond the buzzwords.When he is not in the office, Ryan enjoys long-distance running and being a hands-on dad.About UsSteve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his       website.    The expanded and revised edition of his bestselling book  Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is now available at  Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a      Forbes senior contributor and on       Twitter and       LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel      here.Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus  Global eCommerce Leaders podcast, and The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.    You can learn more about Michael   here  or on     LinkedIn. Be sure and check out Michael's latest venture for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel!  SPECIAL OFFER for our listeners! SAVE 20% on registration for the all new Shoptalk Luxe event in Abu Dhabi January 27-29.For more info go to https://luxe.shoptalk.com/page/get-ticket and then register using our special code : RRLUXE20 About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

In this special episode of the Remarkable Retail podcast, presented by MarketDial, Michael and Steve discuss their experience at the World Retail Congress 2023 in Barcelona, Spain.We start by talking about our store tour organized by the WRC and our visit to Primark's flagship store in Barcelona. Then we move on to discuss the Congress itself and what made it worthwhile attending, including the exciting format of the event and the central themes and learnings from the Congress.As a Gold Media event sponsor, we hosted several thought leaders for interviews on upcoming episodes in our pop-up podcast studio. We discuss the big insights of the Congress and highlighted some of our favourite sessions and people we met and interacted with. World Retail Congress is a top-drawer event worth attending for every retail format and retail industry insiders. About UsSteve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his       website.    The expanded and revised edition of his bestselling book  Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is now available at  Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a      Forbes senior contributor and on       Twitter and       LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel      here.Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus  Global eCommerce Leaders podcast, and The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.    You can learn more about Michael   here  or on     LinkedIn. Be sure and check out Michael's latest venture for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel!  SPECIAL OFFER for our listeners! SAVE 20% on registration for the all new Shoptalk Luxe event in Abu Dhabi January 27-29.For more info go to https://luxe.shoptalk.com/page/get-ticket and then register using our special code : RRLUXE20 About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

We wrap up a month of episodes featuring remarkable women retail leaders with another fascinating interview recorded at the Wizeline remote podcast studio/beach cabana at Mandalay Bay during Shoptalk 2023. Our special guest is Anu Narayanan President, Anthropologie Women's, Beauty & Wedding.Anu drops a ton of leadership, strategy, and merchandising wisdom accumulated during a storied career at several top brands. In particular we go deep into what it means to be a lifestyle fashion brand and how she and her team bring that strategy to life at Anthropologie. We also delve into the innovation process at Anthropologie, what it means to "edit to amplify," and how smart calculated risk taking can accelerate growth. We close learning about how technology can be leveraged for far greater merchandising agility.But we kick things with the latest in retail news, including another sale by Walmart as they appear to be winding down their digitally native brand experiment.  We take a short detour into Elon world discussing his rapid unscheduled disassembly event and before mourning the loss of Steve's blue checkmark. Ikea's sets its sights on explosive growth (ha!), while David's Bridal and Bed, Bath & Beyond seem headed in the opposite direction.Then we touch on Lululemon's massive Mirror write-down, layoffs at Best Buy and (yet again) Amazon, and what Hermes' stellar results may portend for luxury retail more broadly.About AnuAnu Narayanan joined Anthropologie Group as President of Women’s, Beauty, & Weddings in the Summer of 2018. Anu is passionate about the Anthropologie brand and bringing an incredible product assortment to their deeply loyal customer.Anu has profound experience within the women’s retail category and prior to joining the Anthropologie brand, Anu spent over 20 years focused on Trend Analytics, Merchandise Planning, Buying & Design at other industry leading brands such as Talbots, Ann Taylor, LBrands and Gap Inc. Anu is a strong merchandising professional with a BS in Finance & Marketing from Boston College of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts at the Carroll School of Management.On a personal note, Anu loves to spend time with her family, vacation in the Bahamas, bake, indulge in anything on Bravo and is attempting to learn the guitar. About UsSteve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his       website.    The expanded and revised edition of his bestselling book  Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is now available at  Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a      Forbes senior contributor and on       Twitter and       LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel      here.Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus  Global eCommerce Leaders podcast, and The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.    You can learn more about Michael   here  or on     LinkedIn. Be sure and check out Michael's latest venture for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel! SPECIAL OFFER for our listeners! SAVE 20% on registration for the all new Shoptalk Luxe event in Abu Dhabi January 27-29.For more info go to https://luxe.shoptalk.com/page/get-ticket and then register using our special code : RRLUXE20 About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

Joining us for the second of several episodes recorded at the Wizeline remote podcast studio/beach cabana at Mandalay Bay during Shoptalk 2023 is Carrie Baker, President of  Canada Goose, the performance luxury brand that has grown to more than 50 of its own stores, along with an expansive online and global wholesale presence. In a wide-ranging interview we learn about the brand's legendary history and its unique positioning in the luxury retail world. We get Carrie's perspective on the complementary role of direct-to-consumer and whole partnerships in driving growth while maintaining a memorable and authentic experience. We learn the origin of Canada Goose's truly remarkable "Cold Rooms," the role of innovation, and how the company works to assure authenticity. We also discuss its recently launched resale program. As usual we kick-off with a fast-paced review of the week in retail news, including the US Census Bureau's monthly sales report which suggests more storm clouds on the horizon.Then we un-pack Amazon CEO Andy Jassey's Annual Letter, which points to expected continued economic headwinds but a commitment to figuring out a physical retail strategy for grocery. Then it's a quick jaunt to the Wobbly Unicorn Corner touching on Walmart's unloading of Bonobo's, Caspers fire sale of its Canadian business, and Rent the Runway's continued profitless prosperity.  We close calling BS on UBS's blaming e-commerce for the predicted shutting of  50,000 stores.World Retail Congress Offer: Select Guest, and use offer code WRCRR20 for 20% off your Retailer Pass. About CarrieRecognized as a dynamic and collaborative leader, Carrie oversees the global commercial business, as well as Marketing, Experience, and Insights. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, she is responsible for driving the company’s growth and customer engagement. In her previous role as President, North America, she established a high-performance team and led the region’s significant business acceleration. Carrie previously held the roles of Chief of Staff and Chief Communications Officer, helping lead the company through critical initiatives including its successful IPO and development of its industry-leading Sustainable Impact Strategy. Prior to joining Canada Goose in 2012, she was a Senior Vice President at a North American communications agency specializing in coaching executives and building the brands of some of North America’s largest retail, technology and consumer goods companies. Carrie was named WXN Top 100 Most Powerful Women Canada in 2019 and serves on the Board of Directors of Trillium Health Partners Foundation.About UsSteve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his       website.    The expanded and revised edition of his bestselling book  Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is now available at  Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a      Forbes senior contributor and on       Twitter and       LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel      here.Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus  Global eCommerce Leaders podcast, and The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.    You can learn more about Michael   here  or on     LinkedIn. Be sure and check out Michael's latest venture for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel!  SPECIAL OFFER for our listeners! SAVE 20% on registration for the all new Shoptalk Luxe event in Abu Dhabi January 27-29.For more info go to https://luxe.shoptalk.com/page/get-ticket and then register using our special code : RRLUXE20 About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

Joining us for the first of several episodes recorded at the Wizeline remote podcast studio/beach cabana at Mandalay Bay during Shoptalk is Judith McKenna, who heads up Walmart International.We touch on Judith's journey across the pond to lead Walmart's $100 billion plus division, which operates across 19 countries, before jumping into the challenges and opportunities of executing the Walmart brand promise and purpose while staying attuned to diverse market needs ("strong local businesses powered by Walmart"). Judith shares her perspectives on the importance of strategic alignment, sustaining a culture of innovation, and the emerging role of personalization in driving growth. We close with Judith's take on how to navigate the volatile future of retail and some of her key leadership tips.We start as usual with a review of the week in retail news, including how a revision in the jobless claims numbers suggests a cooling job market, RH's recent (mostly) disappointing earnings release, and Costco's first negative monthly comparable sales report in three years. Then we dissect encouraging news from Walmart before a quick return to the Wobbly Unicorn Corner with word of a bankruptcy filing from Boxed and Chewy's decision to close two fulfillment centers. We wrap up with Bed, Bath & Beyond's continuing financing gymnastics, which don't seem to bode well for their future. We also give a quick shout-out to friend of the pod, Seth Godin, who releases his latest book, The Song of Significance: A New Manifesto for Teams, next month. You can learn more and find links to pre-order here.World Retail Congress Offer: Select Guest, and use offer code WRCRR20 for 20% off your Retailer Pass.About JudithJudith McKenna is president and CEO of Walmart International where she is responsible for all aspects of Walmart’s footprint outside the U.S., leading a team of 550,000 associates across 23 countries. Judith is transforming the shape of the international portfolio while expanding eCommerce and omnichannel offerings, leveraging innovations from across international markets to build strong local businesses that are powered by Walmart, and working to make lives easier by creating a global culture that puts the customer at the center of everything.Prior to leading Walmart International, Judith was executive vice president and chief operating officer for Walmart U.S. During that time she led the rollout of online grocery to the U.S. by leveraging best practices from her time in the U.K. Before that, she served as executive vice president of strategy and development for Walmart International, chief operating officer for Asda Stores Ltd. in her native U.K, and as Asda’s chief financial officer for more than a decade.In addition to leading the business, Judith has a lifelong passion for developing people at all levels and creating opportunities for learning. She’s the daughter of two teachers and is an advocate for associate training and education. She was also the architect behind the introduction of Walmart Academies to the U.S.Judith is a board member of Walmex in Mexico, Flipkart and PhonePe in India, as well as the Walton Arts Center. She also appears on Fortune’s list of Most Powerful Women in Business and Forbes’ list of the World’s Most Powerful Women. Judith graduated with a law degree from University of Hull in England before earning her Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales accounting qualification at KPMG and was awarded an honorary doctorate in law from University of Hull. SPECIAL OFFER for our listeners! SAVE 20% on registration for the all new Shoptalk Luxe event in Abu Dhabi January 27-29.For more info go to https://luxe.shoptalk.com/page/get-ticket and then register using our special code : RRLUXE20 About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

We kick off a month of showcasing remarkable female leaders from some of retail's leading brands, with special guest, Tracey Brown, Walgreens Boots Alliance's Executive Vice President and President, Walgreens Retail & U.S Chief Customer Officer. Tracey's diverse background in advertising, non-profit leadership, and previous stint at the other "Wal" (Walmart) prepared her well for her current assignment at one of the world's largest and most successful drugstore chains.We review the tremendous evolution of the company from its founding in 1901 to becoming a leader in health and wellness. We unpack what it means to be a Chief Customer, the challenge of breaking down silos to put the customer at the center of all you do, and the critical role of agility to maintain your competitive edge. We close with some of Tracey's top leadership tips on how to mobilize people to do go above and beyond for the customer. But we kick things off with a quick review of the week in retail news, including the NRF's annual sales forecast, Lululemon's strong earnings report, and Macys CEO Jeff Gennette's plan to hand the keys of the kingdom to Bloomingdale's CEO Tony Springs early next year, Then we discuss Alibaba's decision to split into six groups, more news out of Amazon, Bed, Bath & Beyond's hail mary financing strategy, and more new formats from Nike. About TraceyTracey Brown is executive vice president, president of Walgreens retail and U.S. chief customer officer, overseeing the transformation of Walgreens to a healthcare company, to create more joyful lives through better health.She is responsible for the Walgreens consumer experience across all consumer touchpoints and leads development of strategies to advance Walgreens across a complex and dynamic competitive landscape. Brown oversees store operations, merchandising, marketing, product, digital, omnichannel, store format, data and analytics, and supply chain organizations, as Walgreens further accelerates its digital transformation, in order to create a seamless integration across all channels – in-store, mobile and online – to provide a unified, consistent brand experience.Brown has more than 30 years of experience driving business growth, operations, creating omnichannel customer experiences and leveraging digital capabilities to connect consumers and brands. Most recently, she served as chief executive officer for the American Diabetes Association (ADA), where she led the organizational transformation including fundraising, advocacy, science and research while fighting for people living with diabetes.Prior to the ADA, Brown was senior vice president, operations and chief experience officer for Sam’s Club, a division of Walmart Inc.  She also served as CEO and managing director of RAPP Dallas, a data-drive integrated marketing agency, chief operating officer for direct marketing agency Direct Impact and director of worldwide consumer marketing for Advanced Micro Devices.  Earlier in her career, she held leadership positions at American Express, Proctor & Gamble and Exxon Mobil.Brown graduated from University of Delaware with her B.S. in chemical engineering and received her MBA from Columbia Business School in New York.She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Weight Watchers and Yeti. In 2021, she was named one of Savoy Magazine’s Most Influential Black Corporate Directors, and in 2022, she was listed on Forbes CEO Next List.About UsSteve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his       website.    The expanded and revised edition of his bestselling book  Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is now available at  Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a      Forbes senior contributor and on       Twitter and       LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel      here.Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus  Global eCommerce Leaders podcast, and The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.    You can learn more about Michael   here  or on     LinkedIn. Be sure and check out Michael's latest venture for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel! SPECIAL OFFER for our listeners! SAVE 20% on registration for the all new Shoptalk Luxe event in Abu Dhabi January 27-29.For more info go to https://luxe.shoptalk.com/page/get-ticket and then register using our special code : RRLUXE20 About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

We're just back from Las Vegas and Shoptalk 2023. Before we left, we jumped on the mic for a fast-paced review of some of our key takeaways. We also recorded several new podcast episodes with top retail leaders in the Wizeline remote podcast studio/beach cabana. Stay tuned as we release them over the coming weeks.  About UsSteve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his       website.    The expanded and revised edition of his bestselling book  Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is now available at  Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a      Forbes senior contributor and on       Twitter and       LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel      here.Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus  Global eCommerce Leaders podcast, and The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.    You can learn more about Michael   here  or on     LinkedIn. Be sure and check out Michael's latest venture for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel! SPECIAL OFFER for our listeners! SAVE 20% on registration for the all new Shoptalk Luxe event in Abu Dhabi January 27-29.For more info go to https://luxe.shoptalk.com/page/get-ticket and then register using our special code : RRLUXE20 About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.