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.

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.

Getaway takes a fresh approach to hospitality, offering cabins in the woods designed for city dwellers overworked and burned out by the digital age. Getaway replaces amenities that people have come to expect, like Wi-Fi, with a simpler experience that will bring more balance to their lives. Founder Jon Staff discusses reimagining an established industry and creating an experience for an unmet consumer need. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Jo Malone is an English “scent maverick” responsible for creating some of the world’s most loved fragrances. A Dreamer on the NRF Foundation's The List of People Shaping Retail's Future, she discusses her Jo Loves brand and how she is changing the way the world wears fragrance — for a second time. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Beauty was a $500 billion industry that hadn’t been disrupted since the market shifted from department stores to specialty stores — until Birchbox came on the scene in 2010. Now the subscription box pioneer is partnering with Walgreens to bring its highly personalized experience into physical stores, meeting customers at the intersection of efficacy and delight. To learn more about the partnership and the evolution of this disruptive beauty brand, we chat with Birchbox co-founder and CEO Katia Beauchamp. Recorded at NRF 2019: Retail’s Big Show. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Automation isn’t just a trend, it’s a new way of working. Chris Wong, vice president of strategy and alliances at IBM Global Consumer Industry, shares learnings from a new global study conducted by IBM's Institute for Business Value and NRF that reveals how retailers are using AI-powered automation. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

How does one of the world’s largest and most successful retailers achieve digital transformation at scale? From NRF 2019: Retail’s Big Show, Walmart Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Jeremy King describes the investments the company is making in supply chain technology and more, and what emerging technologies like machine learning and blockchain mean for the future of retail. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Partnerships that create customer value are good, but for partnerships to be great, they should be built on shared values. Joining us at NRF 2019: Retail’s Big Show, Stacy Brown-Philpot, CEO of TaskRabbit, takes us inside the partnership between TaskRabbit and IKEA and talks about her incredible career journey. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

In the last year, Ed Stack, Chairman and CEO of Dick’s Sporting Goods, has made headlines and left a lasting impression on the retail industry. The company has also navigated a time of great change in retail, all while committing to support youth sports programs across the country. Stack sits down at NRF 2019: Retail’s Big Show to share more about the vision that drives Dick’s. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Levi’s experienced almost a decade of sales stagnation and nearly lost a generation of young consumers, but new leadership and a clear strategy helped the brand reclaim lost ground and reemerge as a cultural touchstone. On this episode, we talk with Levi Strauss & Co. President and CEO Chip Bergh, who was recently recognized as “The Visionary” by NRF. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

People might think reporting on retail is simple because “it’s just about shopping,” says Phil Wahba, senior writer covering retail at Fortune magazine, but there's a lot more happening. Wahba joins Retail Gets Real to talk about what goes into reporting on this complex industry and the stories to watch in 2019. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

The retail store is transforming, and innovation means opportunity and change. Oliver Chen covers retail for Cowen and Company and sees a lot of this transformation firsthand. In this episode, Chen discusses how modern retailers are updating their success metrics for a new age and what the future of retail holds for companies and their customers. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

2018 has been one of the best years for the retail industry in a decade. While the economic environment will be more complicated in the year ahead, retail CEOs are feeling optimistic about 2019. Matthew Shay, president and CEO of the National Retail Federation, reflects on the state of the industry and what’s to come in 2019. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Last year, we talked to business guru Scott Galloway about what it takes to succeed in retail today, the importance of a great workforce and what Amazon’s next move should be. Ahead of his appearance at NRF 2019: Retail’s Big Show, we’re revisiting his industry predictions. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

A lot of consumers spread out holiday shopping over the last two months of the year, but “people still have a lot of shopping left to do,” says NRF Director of Industry and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen. She joins the third installment of the podcast’s holiday mini-series to discuss who’s still shopping and what retailers can expect during the last weekend before Christmas, including Super Saturday. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

From experiments in retail experiences to robotics in fast casual restaurants, NRF’s Director of Industry and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen and Susan Reda, editor of STORES Magazine, discuss the trends that are likely to shape the retail landscape in 2019. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

NRF’s Director of Industry and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen discusses what NRF’s holiday consumer survey revealed about how people are giving back to the community during the holidays. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Neiman Marcus has learned a thing or two over its 109-year history — and one thing is for sure: The company must anticipate future customer needs if they want to stay on the cutting edge of retail. Scott Emmons, head of the innovation lab, discusses how Neiman Marcus does it while staying true to its origins. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

NRF’s Director of Industry and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen is back to tell us more about one particularly interesting bit of data from the Thanksgiving weekend shopping survey: gifting trends! Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

NRF’s Director of Industry and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen walks us through the biggest surprises from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, how consumer behaviors are changing this holiday season and the role of social media. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Zenni Optical isn’t replacing the demand for glasses — it’s creating new demand by changing the business model for prescription eyewear. Zenni’s Chief Product Officer, Bai Gan, talks about the company’s mission, how it’s able to sell a pair of glasses for $7 and the retail approach that fosters rapid business growth. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Retail is one of the most dynamic industries in the world and retailers are driving innovation. On this episode, Matt Alexander, co-founder of Neighborhood Goods, discusses how the Plano, Texas, startup is rethinking the traditional department store experience. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

We are in the early days of blockchain and not everyone yet understands the full scale and scope of its impact. Scott Likens, new services and emerging tech leader at PwC, helps us get past the buzzword and learn the current and future impact of blockchain on the retail industry. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Everyone in the United States — and everyone who trades with the U.S. — is likely to experience the impact of the administration’s newly implemented and proposed tariffs. Small business owners and manufacturers can already feel the effects, and it’s only a matter of time before the increasing costs trickle down to consumers, employees and communities. NRF's Vice President of Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jon Gold explains what retailers need to know about this complicated topic, and we hear from small business owners about how the tariffs are impacting them. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

CVS Pharmacy is a purpose-driven company dedicated to helping people on their path to better health. But that path is rapidly changing, and CVS has to change with it. President of CVS Pharmacy Kevin Hourican discusses how CVS is adapting in the face of a changing industry and, even more importantly, changing customer behaviors. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

As retail continues to evolve, online marketplaces are booming. Millions of sellers have turned to Amazon Marketplace to grow their retail business. Theo Prodromitis is the owner of Florida-based small business Spa Destinations, and she's become an expert in using Amazon's platform to her advantage. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

How can retailers bring the best of online thinking into the physical world? It’s a big question, but one retailers must tackle to give customers the experience, service and speed they will expect from retail in the future. Healey Cypher of ZIVELO is working to create the kind of tech that brings the advantages of digital into the store. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Sur La Table is one of the nation’s largest kitchenware retailers and a huge component of the business is its culinary school — over 80 stores have a cooking school in the store taught by resident chefs, and more than 600,000 students annually take advantage of them. CEO Billy May talks about how this strategy helps Sur La Table acquire customers and keep them coming back for more. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Nicole Panettieri is much more than a retailer – she’s an advocate for small business and her community. As the owner of The Brass Owl, a boutique in the Astoria, Queens neighborhood of New York City, Panettieri exemplifies what it means to be a community retailer that makes a real impact. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Retail is evolving — gone are the days when a company needed was a good product or service. Now they need to create an experience, a brand and a community. To learn about how the most successful entrepreneurs do this, we talk to JJ Ramberg, the host of MSNBC's “Your Business” and the Been There. Built That. podcast. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Shopping is no longer about visiting a store to pick up products. Consumers expect a visit to the store to be much more than browsing and checking out. Matt Corey, chief marketing officer for PGA TOUR Superstore joins this episode to discuss how the golf-focused sports store is using technology to design a stand-out experience both online and offline. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

The retail industry loves to talk trends, but SapientRazorfish’s Jason “Retailgeek” Goldberg says that many are overhyped. So what will stick? Joining us at Shop.org 2018 in Las Vegas, Goldberg chats about the retail tech trends that will gain momentum in the coming year and why a solution is in sight for the “mobile gap” problem. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

For millions of people around the world, Pinterest is the first stop on their retail journey — it’s a place to discover, get inspired and personalize. For retailers, Pinterest is an opportunity to engage with customers earlier and more often, well before a transaction takes place. To learn more about how brands of all sizes are taking advantage of this social media platform, we sit down with Amy Vener, the head of retail strategy at Pinterest. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Shopping for bras is generally an unpleasant experience — so ThirdLove takes shoppers out of awkward dressing rooms and allows them to shop for underwear at home, using data to create a more personalized shopping experience and better products. Chief Creative Officer Ra’el Cohen shares how ThirdLove is disrupting the bra industry by “taking data and using it in a really personal way.”   Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Brandless is “unapologetically a brand,” says co-founder and CEO Tina Sharkey, and it’s one specifically designed to appeal to millennials. On its online platform, Brandless carries everything from applesauce to knives for no more than $3, and all products are sustainably manufactured, organic and non-GMO. On this episode, learn how Brandless makes the business model work while also donating a meal to Feeding America for every purchase.   Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Back-to-college spending is expected to reach $55 billion this year, and many of those shopping for themselves are members of Generation Z. Katherine Cullen, NRF’s director of retail and consumer insights, discusses trends from NRF’s annual survey of back-to-class shoppers and how this generation of consumers that grew up with the internet and smartphones is shaping retail.   Learn more at www.retailgetsreal.com.    

Intel is at the forefront of today’s retail revolution, driving the technology that incorporates the best of the physical and digital store. Stacey Shulman, chief innovation officer for the retail solutions division at Intel, discusses Intel’s role in retail and some macro technology trends that affect everyone in retail. Learn more at www.retailgetsreal.com.