OFFBounds Retail

Four years in tech feels like sixty, so I sat down with Matt Maher, Founder of M7 Innovations, to catch up on what’s really happening in the world of AI and retail innovation. From agentic browsing and spatial computing to wearables like the Meta Ray-Bans, Snap Spectacles, and Apple Vision Pro, we explored the tools shaping how consumers discover and shop. Matt breaks down the difference between AI hype and real impact, why Reddit and Wikipedia are becoming key data sources for search, and how brands can win in an AI-first world by investing in authority over ads. You can also watch the full conversation on YouTube to see the gadgets we tested in action.

In this episode of Retail Intelligence in Action, host Ron Thurston sits down with Ometria co-founders Djalal Lougouev  and Ivan Mazur to explore how AI is redefining the future of retail marketing. Together, they discuss the realities of implementing AI within legacy systems, the transition from channel-based to customer-based marketing, and why data architecture is becoming just as critical as creative strategy. Through honest insights and practical examples, they reveal what it truly takes for modern CMOs to lead in an era where intelligence and innovation shape every customer interaction.👉🏼Trusted by leading retailers like Foot Locker, Sephora, and Steve Madden, Ometria helps retailers create experiences their customers love. Find out more at ometria.com🎧 Loved this episode? Discover more from the world of Retail Intelligence in Action here: http://ometria.com/retail-intelligence-in-action-podcast

In this episode, Paula Macaggi sits down with Richard Kestenbaum, Partner at Triangle Capital, and Forbes contributor, to break down what’s really shaping the 2025 holiday season. From tariffs and inflation to shifting consumer confidence and cautious spending, Richard shares his perspective on why “flat is the new up,” how retailers can navigate uncertainty, and what signals in M&A reveal about the health of the retail industry heading into 2026.Check Richard's full article hereSee here KPMG's tariffs report

Retail Intelligence in Action returns with Episode 3, “Beyond the Hype: How AI Fuels Speed, Insight, and Story-Doing,” where host Ron Thurston speaks with Djalal Lougouev, President of Ometria, and Pri Shumate, former CMO of the Miami Dolphins and alum of Nike and Airbnb, about turning instinct into action through AI. The conversation covers talking to your data for rapid answers, using AI as a validator rather than a silver bullet, building small pirate teams that test, learn, and scale, elevating human creativity to find the disruptive idea, rethinking agencies and org design to move from insight to execution, and driving product-market fit and revenue without relying on discounts.👉🏼Trusted by leading retailers like Foot Locker, Sephora, and Steve Madden, Ometria helps retailers create experiences their customers love. Find out more at ometria.com🎧 Loved this episode? Discover more from the world of Retail Intelligence in Action here: http://ometria.com/retail-intelligence-in-action-podcast

Build-A-Bear Workshop turned birthday rituals and heart ceremonies into a growth engine, with its stock up about 1,900 percent in five years and domestic store traffic up 3 percent while the national benchmark fell. Paula revisits her conversation with CTO Dara Meath to unpack the experience-first model, the rapid 18-month digital sprint from mobile POS to 2D/3D visualization, and the rise of the “kidult” that powers higher-value collecting and gifting. From clever social drops like the Fruit Stand to a culture that “sells stories, not items,” this episode breaks down how emotion, omnichannel execution, and brand discipline translate into real results. Listen for takeaways any retailer can apply.Check my interview with Dara Meath hereSee Build-a-Bear Workshop (BBW) latest results hereVisit the Bear Cave and get a CaBEARnet

In our episode 2 of Retail Intelligence in Action Series in partnership with Ometria, our host Ron Thurston speaks with Ivan Mazour (CEO,Ometria) and Julie Channing (Fractional CMO; ex-Allbirds, Levi’s, Nest) about leading with trust and authenticity in an AI-driven era. They unpack why clean, connected data is the bedrock of customer trust, how to use AI as an accelerant (not a replacement) to free teams for storytelling, where personalization truly adds value, and why transparency around AI usage will separate winners from the pack. Practical moves for retail marketing: start small, focus on retention, and partner for speed.👉🏼Trusted by leading retailers like Foot Locker, Sephora, and Steve Madden, Ometria helps retailers create experiences their customers love. Find out more at ometria.com🎧 Loved this episode? Discover more from the world of Retail Intelligence in Action here: http://ometria.com/retail-intelligence-in-action-podcast

What happens when an iconic Italian coffee brand finds its voice in the U.S. market? Cristian Arcangeli, VP of Marketing, Commercial Strategy and Digital at Illy Caffè, shares how the company achieved fourfold growth by staying true to its premium identity. From redefining what it means to be a luxury coffee brand in America to using Amazon as a storytelling platform, Cristian reveals how clarity, discipline and consistency turned Illy into a modern success story rooted in heritage.

Welcome to Episode 1 of Retail Intelligence in Action, a new series by OFFBounds in partnership with Ometria where we explore how AI is revolutionizing enterprise retail marketing, hosted by retail leader Ron Thurston.There is no established roadmap for AI in retail. In this launch episode of Retail Intelligence in Action, Ron Thurston hosts Nicole Tapscott (CCO, Knix) and Djalal Lougouev (President and Co-Founder, Ometria) to show how teams can chart their own course. They discuss identifying early bottlenecks, running small but meaningful experiments, balancing scale with authenticity, making smart buy vs build calls, earning organizational buy-in with clear goals and guardrails, and avoiding the “sea of sameness” that comes from generic AI tools.👉🏼Trusted by leading retailers like Foot Locker, Sephora, and Steve Madden, Ometria helps retailers create experiences their customers love. Find out more at ometria.com🎧 Loved this episode? Discover more from the world of Retail Intelligence in Action here

In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi sits down in New York with retail veteran and professor Matt Marcotte to celebrate the launch of his new book Built on Belief: Why Cultures of Commitment Are the Competitive Advantage. Drawing on three decades of leadership at Apple, Gap, Tori Burch, Bergdorf Goodman, and Salesforce, Matt shares why employees should be seen as a company’s most important customers, the difference between compliance and commitment, and why profit should be viewed as the reward for doing the right thing. This conversation is a masterclass in leadership, culture, and building brands that inspire from the inside out.Get your copy here!

Danielle Sporkin, the SVP of Media and Marketing Services at Ferrero, is steering the marketing strategies for iconic brands like Nutella and Kinder. In this conversation, she highlights Ferrero's digital transformation and innovative retail media journey. Danielle explains how they measure success beyond just ROAS, focusing on incrementality and omni-channel impact. She emphasizes the need for collaboration across teams and shares insights on balancing data with brand creativity, all while preserving Ferrero's rich heritage.