Talking Shop by Retail Sector
Welcome to "Talking Shop", powered by Retail Sector. We go behind the scenes of the ever-evolving retail industry, bringing you intimate conversations with the sector's luminaries and high-achievers. Every week, we navigate the challenges, celebrate the triumphs, and dissect the strategies that shape the world of retail. Whether you're a seasoned executive or a budding entrepreneur, Talking Shop offers invaluable insights to help you stay ahead. Tune in and level up your business acumen.
Episodes
...With Victoria Ward, Former Tesco Head of Merchandising
This week we're joined by Victoria Ward, a retail consultant at First Friday, who has almost three decades of merchandising experience. We discussed her journey to becoming head of merchandising at Tesco, the close relationship between buyers and merchandisers, and how stock and cash flow are two sides of the same coin.
...With Joe Wykes, CEO of Jollyes (Pet Food & Accessories Chain)
This episode we meet Joe Wykes, CEO of Jollyes, the pet food and accessories retail chain. We discussed Joe's careers path up to and including his appointment as CEO of Jollyes, how the company reached £100m in turnover, how the company ethos creates great staff engagement and customer service, what he's learned about acquisitions and which Jim Carrey movie is his favourite. Michael Northcott is y
...With Charlotte Printie, from McColl's
This week we're joined by Charlotte Printie, head of commercial operations and supply chain at McColl's. With over 20 years of experience in retail, we spoke to Charlotte about her time at McColl's, including the Morrisons takeover, being a successful woman in retail and how to navigate supply chain issues in the industry.
...With Katie Owen, Founder of Sargasso & Grey
This week we’re joined by Katie Owen, the founder of footwear company Sargasso & Grey. Katie talks about the process of turning a side hustle into a full-time business, the benefits of being your own boss, and her thoughts on the UK’s ladies footwear market.
...With Nancy Zeffman, Co-Founder of Cucumber Clothing
This week we’re joined by Nancy Zeffman, Co-Founder of sustainable clothing brand Cucumber Clothing. Nancy tells us about the experience of starting a business with a friend, the intelligent fabrics and sustainable practices she champions, and her Dragon's Den experience.
...With Claire Burrows, Founder of Air & Grace
This episode we are joined by Claire Burrows, the founder of footwear brand Air & Grace. We talked about Claire’s difficulty in finding investment and her unusual solution, how she once had to make a mad dash to Portugal in order to pick up her stock in time to launch it at a consumer show and what advice she would give to others wanting to emulate her success.
...With Rosie Myers, Founder of nope.
This week we’re joined by Rosie Myers, founder of nope., a sustainable shampoo and conditioner bar company. Rosie tells us about the importance of connecting with customers, her long-standing passion for retail, and her own personal journey that inspired the birth of the company.
...With Tanya Patel, Founder of Chapter.London
This week we're joined by Tanya Patel, the founder and CEO of both Lily & Ribbon and Chapter.London. Tanya talks about the importance of good supplier relationships, her hands-on approach to her companies, juggling two businesses alongside motherhood and championing women in retail.
... With Wizz Selvey, Strategist Founder of Wizz&Co
This episode we meet Wizz Selvey, the founder of brand and retail strategy consultancy Wizz&Co. We discussed how she started her career in buying at the iconic department store Selfridges, some of the problems her retail clients encounter and what are some of the main trends at the forefront of retail today.
...With Anneka Wallington, Founder and CEO of Recognised
This week we are joined by Anneka Wallington, the founder and CEO of social impact brand Recognised. We talked about the businesses’ unique origin story, how the powerful message behind the brand connects with customers and her top tips for running a successful pop-up.
This episode is sponsored by Avalara: https://www.avalara.com/eu/en/index.html
...With Felicity Gain, Smile Science Harley Street
This week we spoke with Felicity Gain, business development manager for Smile Science Harley Street. We spoke about her career as a buyer for Harrods, Sainsbury's and Superdrug, among others; what it's like having worked on both sides of the buyer/supplier relationship; and how AI, technology and the sustainability expectations of consumers are changing the cosmetics retail landscape.
This episo
... With Simon Bell, Co-Founder and COO of Immaculate Vegan
This week we speak with Simon Bell, The Co-Founder and COO of premium vegan fashion marketplace - Immaculate Vegan. We discussed the ins and outs of running a marketplace platform, how to forge successful relationships with brands and the ever-growing vegan retail market.
...With Alok Ruia, Director of SOCKSHOP
This week we’re joined by Alok Ruia, director of the iconic SOCKSHOP. Alok talks about his journey from teaching to his current role today, the dynamics of working within a family business, and the ways in which SOCKSHOP has revitalised its brand and revolutionised the sock game.
... With Wayne Hemingway and Maria Chenoweth, Charity Super.Mkt
This episode we're joined by Wayne Hemingway and Maria Chenoweth, the Co-Founders of the UK’s first ever multi-charity shop - Charity Super.Mkt. We discussed the pair's unique and innovative approach to retail, the rise in second hand and social shopping and how they hope to develop the concept over the next few years.
...With Priya Chandé, Global Brand Director at WUKA
This episode we're joined by Priya Chandé , Global Brand Director at the reusable period underwear brand WUKA. We talk about her extended time at L’Oreal and what she learned, her tips for securing investment as a startup and her plans for helping WUKA to evolve over the next few years.
...With Co-Founders of Makeke, Where TikTok Meets Etsy
This week we spoke with husband-and-wife team Jenniffer Gearheart-Tang and Drake Gearheart, co-founders of Makeke, a shop entertainment app focusing on local retailers. We spoke about how they approach the challenge of successfully targeting Gen Z's shoppers, how Makeke acts as a counterweight to centralized big e-commerce outfits, and why they think local indie retailers will be a springboard for
...With Vix Leyton, Head of PR at Pepper.com
This week we're joined by Vix Leyton, Head of Content at Pepper.com and part-time stand-up comedian. We discuss her route into retail analytics, the big trends of 2023 and where the retail space is headed in 2024.
...With Diane Wehrle, former co-founder of Springboard
This week we speak to Diane Wehrle, the co-founder of retail footfall analytics firm Springboard. We discussed Diane’s journey, from founding Springboard in 2002 through to its acquisition by MRI Software in 2022, her thoughts on the changes in the retail industry in the intervening 20 years, and how some major retail chain failures are more about poor management than retail decline.
What are BIDs and how do they help retailers?
This week we speak with Steve Medway, the CEO of Knightsbridge Partnership & Kings Road Partnership, two Business Improvement Districts or ‘BIDs’, in London. He told us about what BIDs are for and what they can achieve for local retail areas, what the dynamics and challenges of running a BID are like, where he thinks the government could improve how BIDs operate, and what his thoughts are on the s
Breaking down the barriers to cross border e-commerce
This week we are joined by Tony Preedy, the managing director of e-commerce marketplace Fruugo. We discussed how Fruugo helps remove the barriers for cross border trade for retailers, how discounting may not always be the best solution for when trying to move unsold stock and he provides his answer to the question left by last week’s guest.
Disrupting the world of off-price sales
This week we’re joined by Chris Griffin, CEO of online marketplace Secret Sales. Chris talks to us about how he disrupted the off-price sales market, how brands can benefit from Secret Sales’s unique model and why evolution is crucial for online marketplaces in the year ahead.
Creating an immersive retail experience with Blomma Beauty
This week we are joined by Karen MacDonald, owner of natural beauty retailer Blomma Beauty. We discussed how her background in buying helped prepare her for launching her own business, the key to developing strong relationships with other brands and how small retailers can create interesting and exciting shopping experiences
Understanding the next generation of shoppers
On this week’s episode of Talking Shop we are joined by Helenor Gilmour, director of insights and strategy at kids insight consultancy Beano Brain. We discussed the methods Beano Brain uses to gain invaluable insight into Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s characteristics, how this translates to their purchases, and how best to prepare your brand for the younger consumer
Pop-Up Power: Transforming Empty Spaces into Retail Revolutions
This week we spoke with Tillie Peel, founder of the Pop Up club, which takes unused retail spaces and turns them into pop up venues for a collective of small retailers. We discussed how Tillie went from having her own pop up to founding the collective, how some of the small brands have found big success through the model, and how she selects new pop ups to come aboard from thousands of application
Understanding the modern wholesale market
This week we’re joined by Charlotte Broadbent, the UK country lead for online wholesale marketplace, Faire. We discuss how Faire has revolutionised the wholesale game, the ways in which it supports independent retailers and brands, and what the future of the High Street looks like in the coming year.
How to attract investment for your retail business
This week we’re joined by Lex Deak, the founder of e-commerce app, Basket. In this episode we discuss his latest venture and how it is revolutionising how consumers track the products they desire, what its like taking a business from startup to exit, and how you should go about courting investors for your business.
Becoming a heritage brand of the future
This week we are joined by Jessica Hanley, founder of Piglet in Bed, the luxury bedding and homeware retailer. We discussed how important branding and marketing is when launching a new lifestyle brand, the process and intricacies of opening its first bricks and mortar stores, and how it plans to become a heritage brand of the future.
How retail marketeers could be sitting on a data gold mine
This week we speak with Stuart Russell, chief strategy officer at Plinc, a customer data technology company. We spoke about the changing nature of personalized customer communications and how retail marketeers are adapting, how Plinc can bring together a retailer's disparate data sources and produce insights that help the marketing team have maximum impact, and how AI looks set to revolutionize th
How retailers can disrupt a heavily fragmented market
This episode we are joined by Nikolay Piriankov, the CEO of Bespoke Jeweller Taylor & Hart. We discussed his early entrepreneurial spirit and whether retail leaders are born or made, the challenges and opportunities of operating in a highly fragmented market and why retailers should not be solely focused on guaranteeing low returns.
With Theo Paphitis, TPRG, Dragons' Den, Millwall FC
This week we spoke with Theo Paphitis, owner of Rymans, Robert Dyas and Boux Avenue, who became a household name appearing as one of the famous Dragons on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den. We spoke about how he overcame dyslexia during his education, his early entrepreneurial career, his high street business empire, his experience owning Millwall FC, and how he can’t choose a favourite from his collection o
Why retailers should not overlook the power of gift cards
This week we are joined by Anna Uprichard, Vice President of Commerce for Blackhawk Network. We discussed how the £1trillion pound gift card market has developed over the years, how they can help drive customer acquisition, and how they may be an innovative solution to mitigating rising staff costs.
Retail's reconstruction through efficiency and AI consumer experience
This week we spoke with Kate Ancketill, founder and CEO of GDR Creative Intelligence, a business futurist consultancy. We spoke about the global macro trends that affect retail and what they mean for a five year horizon, how the age of abundance is giving way to a reconstruction based around efficiency and AI based consumer experience, and why the successful retail firms of tomorrow needs sophisti
Why retailers should be making data-driven decisions
This week we are joined by Stefan Loncar, the founder of data analytics company Loncom Consulting. We discussed how Loncom has helped fashion brands with managing their inventory, common errors retailers often make with their data management, and how technological development may lead to even more opportunities for data-driven decision making.
Running a 130-year-old family department store in 2024
This episode we’re joined by Sam Walker, the manager of independent, family-run department store Walker & Ling. He discusses the interesting history behind the building itself, how retailers can best engage with their local community, his approach to running a sustainable independent business, and the return of traditional stores to the high street.
What's the magic sauce behind good retail email marketing?
This week we spoke with Jim Rudall, head of EMEA at Intuit Mailchimp. We spoke about his career in marcomms including founding his own consulting firm, how Intuit Mailchimp is incorporating AI into its toolset to help SMBs drive better customer comms than ever before, and how consumers’ expectations around email marketing have evolved over time.
Establishing a jewellery retail brand from scratch
This episode we are joined by Sarah Parham, founder of Sarah Verity Jewellery. We talked about the brand's interesting origins than can be traced back to afternoon tea in India, how a government mentor scheme helped her learn all she needed to run a successful retail business and why she believes the launch of her brands new TV channel may signify an opportunity for all retailers
Reinventing mobile strategies for today's retail environment
This week we are joined by Josh Graham, the co founder and CMO of Airtime Rewards. We discussed how Josh identified a gap in the market for mobile strategies for retailers, how a literal elevator pitch helped the business find its feet in its early days and how technology will play an important role in bringing customers back to bricks and mortar stores.
Helping retailers reimagine the physical store experience
Marcus Fox, CEO of Agile Retail, joins us this week to discuss what he learned during his 15 years at supermarket giant Sainsbury’s, how Agile helps retailers trial innovative solutions in order to figure out what their customers will want and need in the future and how the make up of physical stores may change in the coming years.
Third spaces: The changing face of retail outlets
This episode we spoke with Nicky Lovell, head of outlets and retail business development, at Global Mutual, a real estate investor, operator and developer. We covered how outlet retail has developed since it emerged the 90s, how Global Mutual identifies opportunities, and turning outlet shopping into a family-focused destination for the benefit of the local community.
MPM Products CEO on securing the right investor to grow your business
In this episode, we’re joined by Julian Bambridge, CEO of MPM Products. Julian discusses MPM’s unique offering and expansion into 49 global markets, the process of becoming a B Corp organisation and the symbiotic relationship between the business and its investors.
E-Commerce Evolution: David Muldoon on Navigating the New Normal
This week we spoke with David Muldoon, vice president strategic advisory at MediaLink, a management consultancy which provides strategic media buying, PR, and creative options.
We spoke about his 23-year career at Boots, what he learned about effective retail marketing across their seasonanal campaigns and TV advertising, what drives consumer engagement in the modern retail marketing setting, an
Outform's VP of Growth on understanding today's shopper psychology
This week we are joined by Clare Cryer, Vice President of Growth at Global innovation agency Outform. We discussed how Clare’s early work honed her focus on shopper psychology, the work Outform does with big retail clients designing and manufacturing solutions for their stores and how the role of the store may change when shaping the overall consumer experience.
The Middle AI-sle: How AI will help retailers make smarter choices
This week we are joined by Melissa Minkow, director of Retail Strategy at global digital specialists CI&T. We discussed how CI&T works with retailers to solve a number of problems to help improve their efficiency, how AI is transforming the way consumers interact with retail stores - particularly in terms of store layouts and personalisation - and some of her own personal favourite retail experien
The keys to maximising the ROI on your influencer marketing campaign
This week we are joined by Ishveen Jolly , the CEO and founder of OpenSponsorship, an influencer marketing management platform with a focus on working with Athletes, Teams, and Musicians. Ishveen told us about her journey from management consultant to sports agent and how that helped inspire her idea to make it easier for brands to partner with athletes. How she advises brands on what to consider
How detrimental has Brexit been for UK retail?
This week we are joined by Alexander Otto, Head of Corporate Relations, at Tradebyte and Richard Lim, CEO of Retail Economics. We discussed the findings from a joint report by Tradebyte and Retail economics on the impact of Brexit on UK retail, why some segments have fared better than others when it comes to exporting to the EU and their advice for retailers looking to make the jump and sell overs
From R&D to Funding: launching a women's wellness disruptor brand
This week we speak to Olly Johnson, co-founder of Valerie, a soon to launch Perimenopausal supplements and social community brand. We spoke about why pre-existing products in this space are seen as inadequate by the women they're aimed at, how Valerie intends to address this market of a billion women, and what the R&D process behind the brand looks like in practice.
Fraser Smeaton: Turning a costume craze into a multi-national business
On this episode of Talking Shop, we are joined by Fraser Smeaton, the founder of MorphCostumes – the company that seized upon the morphsuit craze of the late 2000s. In this episode, we discussed the crucial early stages that signified the businesses’ growth potential from a side hustle into a multi-million pound business, how he successfully diversified the firm’s product offering and his tips for
How does a turnaround expert help retailers improve their performance?
On this episode of Talking Shop we are joined by Erin Brookes, Managing Director and Head of Retail and Consumer for Europe at Alvarez & Marsal. We discussed her career to date including her time as interim CMO at Debenhams, how she supports retail clients with turnaround and transformation programmes, and what she has learned thanks to her new role as non-executive director at Revolution Beauty.
DHL’s Retail MD on how to navigate global supply disruptions
This episode we are joined by Natalie Frow, managing director for retail at DHL Supply Chain UK. We discussed her role at DHL and how she manages its relationships with retailers, how technology is reshaping the logistics landscape and what is actually meant by the term smart warehousing, and how DHL has adapted its strategies in response to global disruptions.
I-Am Associates Director on the key design features that create an effective retail brand
This episode we spoke with spoke with Pete Champion, Director and Shareholder at I-Am Associates, a creative agency working across insights, strategy, digital, branding, interiors and architecture, serving retail and other sectors. We spoke about how consumers forge an emotional connection with good brands, how counterintuitive branding choices are often what makes a great retail experience, and h
Why brilliant customer engagement starts with developing a strong employee experience
In this week's episode we speak to Blair McVicar, Global Head of Customer Success at Proximity. Blair talks about the lessons learned during his time at David Jones in Australia (where he was the youngest store manager in its history), how Proximity’s tech and insights help retailers best engage with customers, and how creating a strong employee experience leads to higher customer satisfaction.
Off-Price retail: Former TJX director on driving revenues from £40m to £2.5bn
In this week’s episode, we are joined by Shahnila Rashid, founder and CEO of SR Retail Consultancy. We discussed her experience working in merchandising roles for a variety of retailers – from River Island to TK Maxx – and how merchandising has translated into her current work as a consultant for large corporate giants.
Deliveroo's VP of Grocery and Retail on what the future of on-demand shopping could look like
On this episode we are joined by Suzy McClintock, VP of Grocery and Retail at Deliveroo. We discussed Deliveroo’s current retail and grocery offering and how Suzy oversees its Hop rapid service and why on-demand delivery could help high street retailers reconnect with consumers who are looking for instant purchases.
Elaine Wrigley on why American Golf put its people and stores at the centre of its retail ‘reset’
This episode we are joined by Elaine Wrigley, Retail, Operations, and People Director at American Golf. We discussed some of her career highlights including launching M&S’ first ever stores in Greece, the changes American golf has made over the last 18 months to improve performance and the dos and don’ts when it comes to effective succession planning.
Cegid's Head of Onboarding on perfecting team communication to execute retail strategies
This episode we are joined by Jack Newman, Head of Onboarding Customer Success at Cegid. We discuss his career journey and the lightbulb moment where he knew working in retail was truly what he wanted to do, how retailers can best prepare for peak trading and why effective communication is so vital for retailers when onboarding new employees and beyond
Why all retailers should pay attention to the TV commerce revolution
In this episode we speak to Mike Shaw, Director of International Ad Sales at Roku. Mike talks to us about the advent of retail media and how TV commerce is in an exciting new phase of growth, the benefits of shoppable ads in both the retailer and consumer journeys, the democratisation of the television ad industry, and the exciting developments ahead in the shoppable ad space.
Why retail should be paying attention to the surge in demand for EV charging
In this week's episode we are joined by Liz Warren, interim director of public charging and Tim Johnson, head of sales for Mer UK. We discussed how the uptake of EV sites in the UK compares with countries abroad, the increase in footfall and other added benefits retailers can expect from having charging ports readily available and how in 10 years time EV charging could be an expectation rather tha
'Real-time data is key' : How retailers can pinpoint dissatisfaction and take immediate action
On this episode we are joined by Tim Waterton, chief revenue officer and feedback management expert at HappyOrNot, a Finnish company that makes feedback terminals for measuring customer satisfaction. We spoke about how instant feedback can reveal surprising insights even down to the time of day, how employee experience is just as important as customer experience, and how AI will revolutionise the
What does a true customer-first approach really look like?
On this episode of Talking Shop we are joined by Julie Austin, Chief Digital Officer at VML Commerce. We discussed what a customer-first approach really looks like for retailers, how customer behaviour has changed over the past year and how omni-channel retail is adapting to meet their new needs.
Eliminating serial returners with ZigZag Global CEO Al Gerrie
This episode we are joined by Al Gerrie, CEO of Zig Zag Global. We discussed Al’s journey in retail and his experience guiding an ecommerce business during the early days of eBay, the current discourse around returns and why retailers are switching back to paid returns and how retailers can find the right balance between providing a smooth returns process and eliminating serial returners.
Unseen Aware: Building inclusivity for hidden disabilities in retail
In this episode we speak to Simon Houghton, the founder of social movement, Unseen Aware. Simon discusses how Unseen Aware helps organisations to better communicate with and support customers and employees with hidden disabilities, the ways in which an inclusive retail experience can improve awareness and customer loyalty, and how staff can become an Unseen Disabilities Ally, promoting greater und
'AI can become the orchestrator of the entire business' : How AI will revolutionise retail business models
This week we spoke with Guy Elliott, Executive Vice President, Industry Lead TMT Global, Retail and Consumer Products EMEA and APAC for Publicis Sapient. We discussed how AI can help retailers optimise their supply chains to be more resilient and efficient and how it will change retail business models in the future.
How can retailers help fight the rise in retail crime?
This week we are joined by Sarah Bird, head of Local Services at National Business Crime Solution also known as (NBCS). We discussed some of the positive work Sarah has done helping to fight retail crime, what are some of the leading factors that have caused the recent spike in incidents retailers have been facing and what they can do to secure the safety of their staff.
How do they come up with Starbucks beverages?
This week we spoke with Sam Henderson, Group Manager of Beverage Development for EMEA at Starbucks. We spoke about his career starting as a barista and working his way up to a senior role over 18 years; how new beverages are conceived and developed from the idea to the cup being sold in-store; and how consumer tastes change over time.
Why store experiences that turn customers into fans are key for bricks and mortar retail
In this episode we speak to Sam Smith, the Managing Director of Household, a design and branding agency that helps create innovative customer experiences in retail. Sam spoke about the process of helping businesses create and communicate cohesive brand identities, helping online businesses jump from URL to IRL and launch in-store, and the benefits of creating fandoms out of your customer base.
'Cautious Christmas': Trading predictions with Diane Wehrle
This week we spoke with Diane Wehrle, founder of Rendle Intelligence and Insights. In a special episode, we discuss Diane’s analysis of the retail market’s performance as we head into the final run up to Christmas. We find out why Diane’s calling it a ‘cautious Christmas’, what’s driving increased spend among smaller numbers of customers, and how every region showing an increase in sales year on y
Ethical fashion, timing, and making bold moves: Damian Hopkins on his approach to retail
For the final episode of series 2 of Talking Shop we are joined by Damian Hopkins CBE, who is the CEO and Founder of PDS Radius Brands and The Brand Group. We discussed Damian’s successful career in retail spanning over 25 years, what it was like being an early adopter of ethical sourcing practices and the challenges of using fairtrade cotton back in the mid 2000s, and how he successfully oversaw
Rewriting commerce: Ella d'Amato on her recommendation-led shopping app 'i love it'
In our first episode of season three we are joined by Ella d’Amato, CEO and co-founder of social commerce platform ‘i love it’. We discussed Ella’s career journey from leaving school at 15 to becoming the interim CEO of Not On The High Street, how i love it enables users to earn commissions for recommending products they actually love, and what the future of social commerce may look like.
Edward Drax: How digital receipts drive customer engagement and data-driven loyalty
This episode we spoke with Edward Drax, managing director of Yocuda, the digital receipts platform, working with major UK retailers like Argos, M&S and Decathlon. We spoke about his career in retail and the key lessons he's learned along the way. How receipts have evolved, from simple proof of purchase to an integral part of the $293bn retail ecosystem, and how Yocuda is transforming this everyday
Why retailers should be making the most of their first-party data
This episode we talk to Amir Malik, Managing Director of Alvarez & Marsal’s Digital Practice. We discussed the opportunities for retailers to use first-party data to drive revenue and create meaningful customer experiences, how retailers can best juggle pushing its capabilities while using first-party data responsibly and how its application could evolve over the next five years.
Adapt or Die: Secret Millionaire Mike Greene’s advice for struggling retailers
On this week’s episode we speak to business entrepreneur and mentor, Mike Greene. We spoke about Mike’s early interest in the psychology of shoppers and their purchase choices, why some major retailers are getting left behind when it comes to change, and the importance of a solid business plan for adapting to today’s climate, as well as his time on the TV show Secret Millionaire, and the ways in w
Emile Naus on what will separate supply chain winners and losers in the years to come
This episode we are joined by Emile Naus, a partner at management and technology consultancy, BearingPoint. We discussed Emile’s 30+ years of experience in logistics and supply chain management, including his time as a long-term planning manager at Tesco, why retailers should not just focus on unit cost when making supply chain decisions and what he thinks will separate the winners and losers in
Retail Media: How retailers are transforming customer data into revenue
This episode we are joined by Hugh Stevens, UK MD of data collaboration platform LiveRamp. We discussed how retail media has developed over the years and how he has seen Liveramp create relationships with major UK retailers such as Boots and Ocado, what are the first steps a business should take when launching its own retail media network? And where he sees the biggest growth opportunities in the
How retailers can keep their frontline staff from feeling undervalued and overstressed
This week we speak to Abby Guthkelch, VP Executive Advisory at Flip, an app that aims to empower and engage employees across all levels of business. Abby talks about how Flip is revolutionising communication between management and frontline retail staff, why retail staff are feeling undervalued and overstressed, and how leaders can help turn this around, how happy staff leads to happy customers an
Should retailers localise their marketing in order to better connect with consumers?
This episode we are joined by Mike Fantis, Vice President Managing Partner at DAC. We discussed the secrets to effective local marketing, why it may not be a bad idea to look to local business celebrities from the US for inspiration, and the one piece of advice he would give to retailers struggling to connect with customers.
Retail reimagined: Matt Hildon on solving tech and organisational challenges
This episode we are joined by Matt Hildon, Retail Portfolio director at Valtech. We discussed Matt’s early career in retail and the key skills and experiences he brought from other sectors to his current role, examples of how digital transformation has helped retailers improve their bottom line and boost staff morale and why retailers need to stop putting a ‘band-aid’ on tech and organisational pr
How the right organisational structure is the secret to breaking the £2m turnover barrier
This episode we are joined by Guy Blaskey , the founder of pet brand Pooch & Mutt and Detrash, the British watch brand crafting timepieces from recycled materials. We discussed the similarities and differences between launching and scaling Detrash compared with Pooch & Mooch 15 years ago, the importance of getting the right organisational structure in place to break through the £2m turnover barrie
Coole Swan CEO Mary Sadlier on embracing global growth while navigating Trump's tariffs
This episode we are joined by Mary Sadlier, CEO of premium Irish cream liquor brand Coole Swan. We discussed Mary’s start in retail and what characteristics she thinks make her an effective entrepreneur, how she helped the business scale into international markets like the US and her advice for retailers wanting to follow suit, and how seeing obstacles as opportunities may help firms navigate curr
Alistair Roman: How retailers can reach their cost optimisation 'Nirvana'
On this episode of Talking Shop, we’re joined by Alistair Roman, founder of The Cost Optimisation Consultancy. Alistair begins by sharing his powerful personal journey — from his upbringing in South Africa to founding his own consultancy — offering a message of hope for those facing daily challenges and aspiring to build careers in accounting or finance. We also delve into the key differences betw
Jay Wright on steering Virgin Wines through 25 years of change
This episode we are joined by Jay Wright, CEO of online wine retailer Virgin Wines. We discussed what it was like managing the company for over 25 years through management buyouts, a listing and an array of economic uncertainty, how to create an effective growth strategy while balancing ambition with realism and sustainability and his advice retail leaders trying to navigate these unpredictable ti
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