FRONTLINE FRIDAYS with Ron Thurston

The best leaders don't just build great stores. They build the people who build great stores. In Season 2, Episode 18 of Frontline Fridays, host Ron Thurston sits down with Mike Love, Chief Retail Officer at Boot Barn, to explore what it really takes to develop the next generation of retail leaders — and why most organisations leave that work to chance. Mike came up through buying, planning, and o...

Most technology leaders build for the screen. David Dawson builds for the floor. In Season 2, Episode 17 of Frontline Fridays, host Ron Thurston sits down with David Dawson, VP of Retail and Digital Technology at Pilot Company, to explore what it really takes to build and lead technology that serves frontline teams — not the other way around. With nearly 25 years of experience, David has spent his...

FRONTLINE FRIDAYS S2 Ep.16: Calm Under Pressure: The Leadership Skill Retail Needs Most Pressure isn’t the problem. How leaders respond to it is. In this episode of Frontline Fridays, Ron Thurston sits down with Lesley Hawkins, former Head of Retail at adidas Canada and leadership advisor. Lesley stepped into retail leadership during one of the most challenging moments in modern retail — leading 1...

FRONTLINE FRIDAYS S2 Ep.15: Leadership Isn’t a Role. It’s a Weekly Discipline. Most retail leaders are told they have to choose: hit results or invest in people. Shalonda Dean spent 25 years proving that’s a false choice. In this episode of Frontline Fridays, Ron Thurston sits down with Shalonda Dean, Founder of Leadership Disrupted Consulting and former leader at Prada, Balenciaga, Apple, Tory Bu...

The Four Pillars of High-Performing Retail Stores — Frontline Fridays, Season 2, Episode 14 Retail teams don’t fail because of effort. They fail because of disconnect. In Season 2, Episode 14 of Frontline Fridays , Ron Thurston sits down with Monika Espinoza, Founder & Principal Operator of Better Way Operations and former retail leader at Louis Vuitton Americas. With more than 25 years in ret...

High growth is hard. Sustained growth is harder. Building a culture people don’t want to leave? That’s leadership. In Season 2, Episode 13 of Frontline Fridays , Ron Thurston sits down with Paul Griffin, Founder & CEO of Griffin Strategic Partners and former Global President of Good American and President & CEO of SMCP North America (Sandro, Maje, Claudie Pierlot). Paul began his career on...

Retail will always face disruption. Great stores still win. In Season 2, Episode 12 of Frontline Fridays, host Ron Thurston sits down with Rachel Williamson, Chief Strategic Retail Advisor at Running Great Stores Retail Consulting, to break down her 30-day blueprint for running high-performing stores in any environment. From tariffs and global pandemics to AI and shifting customer expectations, Ra...

Most leadership frameworks try to add complexity. The best leaders do the opposite. In Season 2, Episode 11 of Frontline Fridays , host Ron Thurston sits down with Corinne Suarez , VP and Head of Retail at Marine Layer, to unpack the principles that have guided her through more than two decades of frontline leadership across some of retail’s most iconic brands. From leading massive store fleets at...

Most strategies don’t fail because they’re bad ideas. They fail because execution breaks down where it matters most. In Season 2, Episode 10 of Frontline Fridays , host Ron Thurston sits down with Kevin Ertell , CEO of Mistere Advisory and a veteran operator with more than 30 years of experience across brands like Nike, Tower Records, and Sur La Table, to unpack why execution is where strategies s...

The hardest part of rolling out new tools in retail isn’t the technology. It’s getting frontline teams to believe in them. In this episode of Frontline Fridays , host Ron Thurston sits down with Missy Pool, executive leader, board member, and former senior operator at Apple, Ralph Lauren, Gap Inc., and West Elm, to unpack why most adoption efforts break down on the floor, and what great leaders do...

The real challenge in retail execution isn’t ambition or strategy, it’s the constant pressure on frontline leaders to decide what matters next while the business keeps moving. In this episode of Frontline Fridays , host Ron Thurston sits down with Fabrice Haiat , Co-founder and CEO of YOOBIC , to unpack how AI is beginning to change how stores actually run, not in theory, but in the real decisions...

The real gap in retail leadership isn’t talent — it’s the pressure to lead without the support to grow. In this episode of Frontline Fridays, host Ron Thurston sits down with Steve Worthy — founder of Worthy Retail, retail leadership strategist, and creator of a groundbreaking global study on retail leaders — to examine the truth behind leadership readiness today. Across hundreds of responses, one...

The strongest retention strategy in retail isn’t a program or a perk — it’s the leader who shows up. In this episode of Frontline Fridays , host Ron Thurston sits down with Billy Kissel, Head of Stores (East) at Office Depot , to explore why visibility, presence, and culture-building are the real drivers of keeping great people. After 35+ years leading teams at brands like Gap, J.Crew, West Elm, a...

The last marketing mile isn’t digital — it’s human. In this episode of Frontline Fridays , host Ron Thurston sits down with Ian Scott , retail consultant and founder of Ian Scott Retail , to talk about why the final moment of every customer journey depends on your store teams. After decades leading innovation tours and advising brands like LEGO, Coca-Cola, and L’Oréal, Ian shares why he calls stor...

Safety isn’t a slowdown — it’s a performance strategy. In this episode of Frontline Fridays , host Ron Thurston sits down with Dean Correia , Founder of Correia Security Resources , to talk about what it really takes to run safer stores without slowing teams down. With over 30 years of experience leading security and operations for brands like Walmart, Starbucks, and Gap, Dean shares why “the safe...

Leading through change isn’t about reacting — it’s about flexing. In this episode of Frontline Fridays, host Ron Thurston sits down with Detria Courtalis, VP of Retail at Pandora, to unpack what it really means to lead with adaptability, empathy, and self-awareness. They talk about the three types of people in change, why “feedback is a gift” is one of the strongest leadership philosophies, and ho...

Developing talent isn’t a program — it’s a practice. In this episode of Frontline Fridays , host Ron Thurston sits down with Adam Lukoskie , Executive Director of the NRF Foundation , to talk about what leaders often miss when it comes to growing their teams. They dig into why people development so often gets deprioritized, the simple questions every manager should be asking, and why real growth s...

Accountability isn’t a tough talk; it’s a system. In this kickoff to Season 2, host Ron Thurston sits down with leadership expert and bestselling author April Sabral to explore what accountability really looks like on the shop floor.  They discuss how to set clear expectations, check for understanding, and follow a nine-step framework that keeps progress visible without burning out. April also sha...

Purpose without action is just decoration. Chris Freeman, SVP of Store Operations at Michaels, believes brand values need “batteries included” — lived daily, not laminated on a wall. In this episode, he shares how a servant leadership mindset can transform store culture, reduce turnover, and build lasting commitment. You’ll walk away with practical ways to embed values on the sales floor, model pu...

Curiosity isn’t just a trait of great leaders — it’s a tool that drives results. Karrie Helm, Senior Director of Stores at EVEREVE, has built her store teams around what she calls “operationalizing curiosity” — turning questions into a daily practice that sparks innovation and growth. In this episode, she shares how to make curiosity part of your playbook so your teams tackle problems creatively,...

Luxury retail and hospitality may have started in different lanes, but the future belongs to leaders who blend them into one seamless experience. Nailah Ayeshia Nash, Director of Retail at The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, has spent nearly a decade proving that retail can elevate guest satisfaction and loyalty to new heights. In this episode, she shares how to forge powerful brand partnerships, anti...

The pandemic blew up traditional quick serve restaurant training — and the smartest leaders didn’t rebuild the old model, they reinvented it. Ashley Helkenn, Sr. Director of Training at Bonchon Korean Fried Chicken, has led that charge with fresh approaches shaped by her career at Dickey’s, Macaroni Grill, and Bahama Breeze. In this episode, she unpacks what’s changed for good, the new skills fron...

Retail is high stress by design — constant change, nonstop customers, and pressure to perform. The result? Burnout and turnover. Fil Farinaccio D’Urbano, Chief Leadership and Mindfulness Officer at Ardene, believes the missing piece is mindfulness. With 40+ years in HR at brands like L Brands and Groupe Dynamite, Fil has woven mindfulness into Ardene’s culture with game-changing results. In this e...

Great retail design doesn’t just look good — it works. Brandon Lee, Creative Director and Owner of Brandon Lee Designs, has spent 20 years proving that creativity without operations won’t deliver results. From shaping the visual identities of Ralph Lauren, Bonobos, and Gap to pioneering new approaches in cannabis and furniture, Brandon blends artistry with execution. In this episode, he shares pra...

Customer loyalty isn’t built on quick sales — it’s earned through real connection. Few know this better than Lance Orso, General Manager of Dallas Harley-Davidson and a third-generation rider who’s turned relationship selling into a repeatable process. In this episode, Lance shares how to teach teams to build bonds that outlast transactions, balance freedom with professionalism, and create in-stor...