OFFBounds Retail

Most retailers don’t have a technology problem, they have a process problem. In this episode, Paula sits down with Liza Amlani to unpack how the disconnect between corporate strategy and store execution actually shows up on the shop floor. From products stuck in stockrooms to stockouts on core items, they explore why so many retail issues are not caused by a lack of tools, but by the way teams ope...

UNTUCKit built its brand around a simple idea: shirts designed to be worn untucked. But behind that simple product is a complex technology operation supporting 80+ stores, multiple e-commerce sites, and a growing global business. In this conversation, Paula Macaggi sits down with Jason Lerman, VP of IT & Systems at UNTUCKit, to unpack what really happens behind the scenes of retail technology....

What happens when you build a retail store in public? When Sammy Nussdorf launched Meadow Lane , he chose a very different strategy from the traditional retail playbook. Instead of opening quietly and announcing the store once the doors were ready, he documented the entire process online. From signing the lease to designing the space and curating the merchandise, the journey unfolded publicly. By...

Boll & Branch has built its competitive advantage on something many brands overlook: hospitality. In this conversation, Anna Esrov, VP of Customer Experience & Loyalty, shares how the luxury organic bedding brand turns listening into action, from real-time customer feedback that shapes product development to in-home “Room Service” styling that brings five-star hotel energy directly to cust...

In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi sits down with Emily Ketchen , SVP and CMO of Lenovo’s Intelligent Devices Group and International Markets, to explore what it really takes to modernize marketing inside one of the world’s largest technology companies. From building global centers of excellence and putting insights and first-party data at the core of transformation, to leading what she c...

Paula Macaggi sits down in New York with Renée Federico, Head of Marketing at Primark US, to explore how one of Europe’s most iconic retail brands is accelerating its growth across America. From launching Primark’s first US brand campaign to building awareness in a store-led model, Renée shares how physical retail drives loyalty, how pop-ups and brand activations fuel customer acquisition, and why...

Paula Macaggi sits down with Ankur Goyal , SVP of Growth at Coterie , to explore how a premium, subscription-first brand can win in one of the most competitive and emotional consumer categories: baby care. They unpack how trust is built when product, brand, and customer experience work together, why messaging matters more than channels, and how Coterie balances performance marketing with long-term...

Ryan Holm, Divisional VP of Retail Innovation and Operations at Helzberg Diamonds, joins me in our New York studio to explore how a 111-year-old jewelry retailer bridges heritage with cutting-edge technology. We dive into the unique world of jewelry retail, where sales associates don't just close transactions—they start lifelong relationships with customers. Ryan shares the Christie Griffin story...

Marianna Satanas, President of HANRO USA , joins me for a great interview while we wear pajamas in our New York studio. We dive into the world of luxury intimate apparel, exploring the deeply personal nature of the business and how she's driving growth in the US market. Marianna shares her remarkable streaming ads success story (12x ROI in weeks), lessons from multiple replatforming projects, the...

Westwing’s transformation is a rare example of how a digital brand can reinvent itself and return to profitable growth. Recorded in Munich, this conversation with CEO Andreas Hoerning explores how the company shifted away from the flash sales model, rebuilt its technology foundation, premiumized its design-led assortment, expanded into physical retail, and made the difficult decision to walk away...

In the first episode of OFFBounds Season 3, Paula Macaggi is joined by retail trend expert Jack Stratten to unpack one of the fastest-growing shifts in retail today: the rise of brand memberships. From Costco and RH to emerging fashion and beauty brands, they explore why retailers are moving beyond traditional loyalty programs and building paid, emotional, and experience-led memberships instead. T...

OFFBounds’ 100th episode celebrates a major milestone by turning the spotlight on host Paula Macaggi, with Oliver Banks stepping in as guest host. The conversation looks back on how the show began, how it has grown, and what it took to get there, from Paula’s global journey and early nerves behind the mic to building a truly international retail podcast driven by curiosity and consistency. Paula s...

In this episode of OFFBounds , Paula Macaggi sits down with Mary Beth Sheridan , just a few weeks into her role as President of Jonathan Adler , to talk about how she’s thinking about the future of the brand so early on, from craftsmanship and customer connection to growth, digital-first retail, and the role of AI as a creative tool. It’s a thoughtful conversation about leading with instinct, scal...

Paula Macaggi is joined by Ometria's Hannah Stacey, Director of Strategy and Product Marketing, and Rita Martins, Retail Intelligence Team Lead, to break down what really happened during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Drawing on performance data from hundreds of retail brands, they explore why Black Friday has become a full season, which categories and customer behaviors drove growth, how marketin...

Sherry Smith, President of Retail Media at Criteo, joins OFFBounds to unpack the rapid evolution of retail media and what brands, agencies and retailers must prepare for next. From the industry’s early days in 2008 to today’s surge of more than 200 retail media networks, Sherry explains where growth is coming from, why self-serve activation is critical, how AI and agents will reshape customer jour...

In this episode, Julius Carrell , Director at Enactor , breaks down why the future of retail depends on building a flexible blueprint rather than relying on rigid, legacy systems. We explore how retailers can simplify complexity, adapt faster and design technology foundations that actually match the way their business and customers evolve. From the true cost of rigid stacks to the cultural shift r...

In this episode, Paula sits down with Jill Dvorak , SVP of Content at the National Retail Federation , for a wide ranging conversation about the state of retail in 2025, the turbulence created by tariffs and policy uncertainty, and why consumers are still driving a one trillion dollar holiday season. Jill breaks down what NRF really does beyond the Big Show , the global view from APAC and Europe,...

In this episode, I sit down with our first Norwegian guest: Martin Lien, Chief Commercial Officer at Norrøna, to explore how one of Norway’s most iconic outdoor brands has built a global community rooted in nature, performance and experience. We talk about Norrøna’s unique approach to product development with extreme athletes, their growing ecosystem of festivals, expeditions and hospitality, the...

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...

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...

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 abo...

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...

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...

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 fr...

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 clarit...