Retail Gets Real

Retail may be seen as an unconventional career path for college students in fields like computer science, data analytics and accounting, but the industry offers many opportunities for building a career. Group Vice President at Macy’s Inc. and NRF Foundation Board Member Anne Voller argues that education is the key when it comes to promoting the retail industry as an exciting option for students thinking about life after university. In this episode, Voller shares Macy’s approach to talent acquisition and how employees are trained to move through the ranks, and explains why education is so important to the future of retail employment.

Running a restaurant and delighting customers enough for them to return is no piece of cake, but Anthony Lupo and Brian Schram of Scarlet Oak and Southern Hospitality restaurants exceed expectations when it comes to creating loyal communities and happy employees. “We wanted to really focus on the hospitality side,” Lupo says about their simple concept of pairing great food with great service. On this episode, Lupo and Schram share how much hard work goes into running multiple restaurants, how social media affects the business and what they do to keep employees motivated and customers coming back for more.

Rob Colenso, senior product manager and UI/UX team lead for Total Wine & More, brings a natural curiosity and a knack for user research from his previous career as a journalist into UX design. He increased ecommerce revenue by 55 percent from last year by identifying and improving multiple touchpoints in the online consumer journey. On this episode, Colenso shares insights on how UX and product designers approach user research and shape their findings to create a seamless and emotionally enriched shopping experience.

People are at the core of any business operation, and choosing the right employees to help carry a brand forward requires a passion for the search and a knack for spotting the “right fit” for the company. On this week’s episode, Chloe Rosenthal, director of human resources for &Pizza, shares how the hiring process works at the innovative D.C. pizza chain and how these decisions play into long-term company strategy.

Myles Powell loves a challenge. Starting a food blog and entering Food Network’s “Best Cooks in America” competition were just two he took on. With a knack for seemingly uncommon flavor combinations, Powell created 8 Myles on a whim and took his passion for food all the way to quitting a job in civil engineering and becoming a full-time small biz owner. 8 Myles, a gourmet sauce and seasonings company, started locally and is fast gaining national popularity through deals with Whole Foods and Williams-Sonoma. This week, Powell describes the hard work he put in behind the scenes to get his product on retail shelves and shares juicy stories of solo entrepreneurship.

Jack Kleinhenz is a self-proclaimed “watchdog” as he collects, models and provides perspective for economic data collected on a daily basis. As the chief economist for the world’s largest retail trade organization, NRF’s Kleinhenz has over 35 years of experience and knows that numbers are not always perfect — without perspective, the data is useless. “I’m a storyteller,” he says about his profession. On this week’s episode, listen to the conversation as Kleinhenz describes the art and science of economic forecasting, and shares his views on why the perception of present retail transformation is far from the reality.

Sarween Salih had a successful consulting career, but her undeniable passion was for fitness and fashion. She started an athleisure company as a pop-up in the back of a gym where she was teaching fitness classes, which ultimately led to a permanent storefront in Washington, D.C. Listen to this week’s episode to hear how this small retailer is building a scalable business.

Consumption-oriented retail concepts like shopping malls are transitioning to experience-based urban developments like CityCenterDC in the heart of downtown Washington. The mixed-use property is a unique draw for residents and visitors alike, including international tourists. On this week’s episode, hear from CityCenterDC General Manager Timothy Lowery and Hines Senior Manager of Corporate Communications Whitney Burns as they describe the inner workings of large urban developments and how their public space appeals to a wide variety of customers. From free yoga classes and farmers markets that attract foot traffic to strategic brand selection, Lowery and Burns explain how they’ve worked with retailers and the community to create the hottest space in town.

Lobbyists have to counter many misconceptions, and you might be surprised to hear that “a good lobbyist is really ethical,” says David French, NRF’s senior vice president of government affairs. On this week’s episode, French joins NRF’s Bill Thorne and Susan Reda for a candid discussion about how lobbying works and how NRF helps tell the story of retail on Capitol Hill. French describes how he communicates with members of Congress and members of the world’s largest retail trade association.

Cary Kelly’s passion for cooking led the former executive coach to open her first food retail business. Over the years, Kelly and her company have evolved constantly to stay on top of changing trends. Rebranding her culinary marketplace as The Cookery and customizing each location to suit the neighborhood has helped the company’s stores gain a loyal following. On this week’s episode, Kelly explains why she measures success by employee and customer satisfaction and shares lessons learned from expanding her business.