Dear Corporate... Love Stores | Engaging Retail Employees

What is an employee actually thinking about when they give an engagement survey question a 2, a 3, or a 5? That’s what we wanted to unpack in this episode of Dear Corporate… Love Stores . Bekki takes Matt through a handful of very common employee engagement survey questions and asks him to go beyond the score: What experiences are you recalling? How are you interpreting the question? Who do you th...

Retail has problems. Staffing, workload, culture, expectations — organizations absolutely have a responsibility to make things better. But what happens when you spend years waiting for the job to change before you let yourself have a life? In this episode, Bekki and Matt are joined by Samantha Foster, founder of Aligned Systems Co. and a retail leader with 25 years of frontline experience, to talk...

More than a year ago, we started this podcast with one big question: why is the disconnect between corporate and store teams so hard to fix? So this week, we’re going back to the beginning. In our very first episode, Matt and I unpacked the day-to-day realities behind the corporate–store divide: initiatives landing in stores as though there’s unlimited time to absorb them, too many competing prior...

This week, Bekki asks Matt to walk through an executive store visit from start to finish: the first rumours that someone is coming, the weeks of preparation, what “visit ready” actually means, what happens when executives walk through the door, and the strange phone-tree that follows them from store to store. Matt explains why a well-run store and a visit-ready store aren't necessarily the sam...

What happens when someone without a traditional retail background starts questioning the way the industry works? In this episode, Matt turns the questions on Bekki after a retail veteran warns that she should “be careful” about challenging industry professionals. They talk about who gets credibility in retail, why outside perspectives can be uncomfortable, Bekki’s path from employer branding into...

We talk to Lakeisha "Keisha" Parker, a cannabis advocate and longtime retail leader whose writing frames cannabis as a teacher and the industry as a tug-of-war between profit and purpose. We discuss how cannabis retail overlaps with traditional retail but is complicated by regulation and stigma. Keisha describes burnout, frequent acquisitions, the cost and delays of cannabis hiring/badgi...

"No Man’s Land": The Regional Manager as Retail’s TranslatorWe dig into the “middle layer” between corporate and stores: regional/district/area managers, with guest David Miller joining from Scotland. David describes the role as a balancing act in “no man’s land,” translating corporate strategy into shop-floor reality while pushing real store constraints back up to senior leaders. The gr...

Team Opener vs. Team CloserWe dig into the classic opener-vs-closer rivalry in retail and why it persists even beyond payroll cuts. Using examples from clothing stores and Starbucks, we talk about how tiny missed tasks snowball into resentment, how a negotiated “non-negotiables” document and better communication reduced complaints, and why having leaders actually work closing shifts builds credibi...

We scrap our planned topic and record an impromptu conversation about why high-performing retail leaders get restless and leave even when things are “fine.” Bekki and Matt discuss how boredom is often really unfulfillment, powerlessness, and “busy work,” and how store managers can’t safely critique systems without being seen as uncommitted or immature. Key signs of impending departure include ener...

Pride vs. Ego in Retail Leadership We unpack how pride and ego can look the same until feedback or discomfort appears: pride stays grounded in the work, welcomes critique, and wants to improve, while ego protects a company’s identity and treats feedback like an attack. We talk about how “brand ego” and leadership ego can combine to shut down real conversations, leaving store teams feeling dismisse...

Store teams are held accountable for customer experience, sales, brand trust, cleanliness, and how shoppers feel walking out the door — but most of the decisions shaping those outcomes are made somewhere else. The product mix. The store layout. The HVAC budget. The reformulation. The new stitch. Stores didn't pick any of it. They just have to stand behind it. In this episode, Bekki and Matt un...

What if you led your store team as if they were going to stay? As if retention were possible — and your job was to build a team that wanted to be there. In this episode, Bekki and Matt sit with the difference between transactional leadership (exchange, rewards and consequences, short-term task focus) and transformational leadership (vision, identity, shared purpose) — and what happens in retail wh...

Corporate Launches - Timing & Merit Timing Is King. We talk about how store leaders experience “corporate initiatives”—promos, merch moves, trainings, posters, surveys—and why most aren’t inherently garbage but feel that way when timing ignores store reality. Culture and learning often become compliance checkboxes, especially when messages come from distant departments like HR rather than dire...

We Got the Memo, Not the Why: How Corporate Policies Land in Stores In the season 2 return, the conversation centres on how corporate initiatives and policy changes reach store managers—usually by email with printable memos and occasional manager-only FAQs—but often with little or no context, leaving stores with instructions but not the real “why.” Matt shares examples like sudden cash-log changes...

Season One Wrap: Help Us Shape Season Two of Dear Corporate Love Stores We’re wrapping up season one of Dear Corporate Love Stores—built to create honest, grounded conversations between corporate and stores without the usual politics or hierarchy. Over the past year we’ve dug into what drives the disconnect: empowerment vs. control, metrics that become stand-ins for the mission, job ads/tools/comm...

Balancing Brand Identity and Store FlexibilityWe chat about the importance of knowing your brand inside and out to make those weird, unexpected situations a breeze. From Old Navy’s customer personas to Lush’s values, we explore how companies can maintain a consistent brand while adapting to local needs. Plus, we share some heated opinions on why rigid corporate guidelines might be holding stores b...

The Unspoken Link Between Maintenance Work Orders and Employee MoraleIn this episode of Dear Corporate Love Stores, we dive into the often-overlooked impact of maintenance issues on employee morale. We discuss everything from HVAC and plumbing problems to the bureaucratic hoops that store managers must jump through just to maintain a comfortable working environment. Discover how these seemingly mi...

Why Polished Corporate Videos Can Fall Flat in StoresIn this lively and no-holds-barred episode, we dive headfirst into the world of corporate videos and why they often miss the mark in retail environments. Whether it's culture videos, tech rollouts, or even thank-you messages, we make a case for authenticity, relevance, and a touch of humour. Real stories from real employees beat corporate co...

AI and Retail: Trust, Ethics, and the Mess of HumanityIn this episode of Dear Corporate... Love Stores, we dive into the shiny, complex, and sometimes unsettling world of AI in retail. We compare the promises of a cleaner, more streamlined future against the inherent messiness of humanity. From autonomous stores to AI-driven chatbots, we question if these innovations align with company values and...

Marie Casteller of Kind North Consulting joins us again to dive into how change and communication shapes company culture. We discuss the importance of answering tough questions, avoiding hollow corporate cheerleading, and being honest and authentic with change. Marie shares insights on balancing simplicity with transparency, and Matt recounts experiences where honesty built trust, even if the news...

In this episode, we dive deep into the 'C word'–Culture. We unpack how culture is the vibe when you walk through the door, a fragile equilibrium that can be toppled by new leadership, policy changes, or even a single misstep. Join us and our guest, Marie Casteller from Kind North Consulting, as we explore the delicate dance of maintaining a thriving culture in retail. From real-life exampl...

Unlocking the Secrets of the P&L and the Data EcosystemIn this episode of Dear Corporate... Love Stores, we dive deep into the often overlooked wisdom contained within a store's P&L. It's not just about sales numbers; it's about understanding the nuanced stories those line items can tell. From food waste to labor percentages, we explore how a creative, granular look at the P&am...

"Retail kind of brings a whole mishmash of misfits together. And for me, that's the most alluring part about it." Why does retail remain the chosen path for many, even when other opportunities beckon. We share heartfelt stories and laugh-out-loud moments that underscore the unique camaraderie and diversity that make retail a vibrant industry. If you’ve ever wondered what keeps dedica...

Surviving Holiday Retail: Chaos, Comp Goals, and Complicated Pajamas The holidays are upon us, and we’re diving deep into what that means for retail teams. Join us as we unravel the emotional labor of presenting a cheerful facade during the busiest time of the year, break down how success is measured post-holiday rush, and share some eyebrow-raising stories from the front lines. We discuss how cor...

In this episode of Dear Corporate Love Stores, we take a deep dive into the profound shifts in the retail landscape during COVID-19. We explore instances of genuine leadership, like that of Laura Alber at Williams Sonoma, who balanced empathy with business acumen. We also examine the post-pandemic recoil as companies revert back to rigid policies, stripping away newfound employee empowerment. Join...