Future Shop Podcast with WSL

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Catherine Magee, co-founder of Playground, the sexual health and wellness brand, about the opportunities and challenges facing this newly emerging area of women’s health. They discuss: How sexual health and wellness is the last frontier of overall health and wellness. That 60 million women in the US suffer from some sexual health or pleasure issue often dri...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Justin Honaman , Head of Worldwide Retail & Consumer Goods Business Development for Amazon Web Services .  They preview 2025, and what winning companies are doing – and need to do – to capitalize on the latest technology…and other things. They discuss: The continuing tension around pricing. How AI is quickly becoming ingrained into the everyday business...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Norm de Greve, Global CMO of General Motors, and former CMO of CVS Health , about transforming industries, retailers and companies, and the role marketing plays. They discuss: How to keep the shopper with you as you manage dramatic change The importance of protecting the shopping experience during transformation How not to become a victim of short-term prof...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Jacqueline Windsor, partner in Strategy and Deals for the Consumer Market and UK Head of Retail, PwC, London about the differences and similarities between the UK and US consumer and retail markets, and where to find growth in the coming years. They discuss: Unlocking the power of consumer tribes vs. demographic segments. The role of the store (a clue: it’s...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to WSL’s president, Candace Corlett about the emerging Gen A population, and other opportunistic shopper segments that can drive much needed retail growth in the near future.   They discuss:  The size of the Gen A cohort.  What makes them unique. Whether Gen A is ready for prime-time shopping or merely influencers.  At least for now. Why the 50+ population is...

In this episode Wendy Liebmann talks to Michael Wysong, CEO of Care Pharmacies about the challenges and opportunities to deliver health care at retail in the future. They discuss: How to deliver more personalized, local health care the way people need and want it in times of great complexity  Learning from diverse operators, with unique propositions Using technology, including AI, to enhance the r...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Debbie Kelly, WSL’s director of insights, about the latest How America Shops® research that reveals how often unrecognized populations shifts can drive traffic and volume growth. They discuss: How marketers need to look beyond traditional demographic stereotypes for growth in the future. Why single-person and multi-generational households provide some of th...

Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & CPG, GTM & Segment Leader for Food & Beverages for Amazon Web Services, continue discussions about emerging technology and the implications for the future of retail. They discuss: The tension points at retail: prices, efficiency and where to invest. AI: is it hype or not? New and different ways t...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Sri Rajagopalan, co-founder and co-host of The GPG Guys and founder of Think Blue, about the fast-changing dynamics of retail, what’s plaguing board rooms,  and what retail leaders needs to address right now. They discuss: Retail’s number one problem post-Covid: driving volume How digital influences virtually every purchase  Why the role of the in-store end...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Reema Jweied-Guegel , Director, AARP Enterprise Strategy Group about the growing population of caregivers, who they are, the challenges they face, and how retailers and brands can support them. They discuss: WSL’s latest How America Shops® research which indicates that 6/10 Americans take care of someone’s health other than their own,  That a growing number...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Claudia Lloreda, founder and general manager of Blush-Bar, the Latin American beauty specialty retailer about creating a unique beauty experience for Gen Z shoppers. They discuss: How to create a unique beauty retail experience for Gen Z, by challenging the established order Why sustaining a clear shopper-led vision – and passion – is so critical to success...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Lindsey Braun, Vice President of Research & Operations at HABRI (the Human Animal Bond Research Institute) about the power of pets to positively impact the health and wellbeing of people – and retail. They discuss: The science behind the pet–human connection and the power pets have to change lives.  (It’s real.) How having a pet can improve overall heal...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper talks to Helena Foulkes , current board member of Costco & Harry’s, former president of CVS Pharmacy and CEO and Board Member of the Hudson’s Bay Company , amongst other roles.   They discuss: Her reflections on the pandemic: What she has learned about retail, leadership and the future.   How and why the power dynamic shifted from ma...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper talks to Mara Sipzener, General Manager of Loyalty at CVS Pharmacy about what’s driving all the recent activity and upgrades to retail loyalty programs.   They discuss: What shoppers expect to be loyal today Why CVS, Walmart, Target Bath & Body Works, and others have upgraded their programs recently How loyalty programs need to focus...

Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & CPG, GTM & Segment Leader for Food & Beverages for Amazon Web Services, continue discussions about emerging technology and the implications for the future of retail. They discuss:  How quickly companies are integrating generative AI into operating systems Efficiency plays that are delivering bett...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Craig Dubitsky, founder of Happy™ products, about his recent launch of Happy™ Coffee, his partnership with Robert Downey Jr., and how philanthropy is embedded in reinventing the category at retail.  They discuss: What it takes to be a serial entrepreneur (a clue: it’s being obsessed with people) How to disrupt massive, CPG categories, including home care, l...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to WSL Retail Strategy Consultant, Elia Auchane, and Retail Innovation Manager, Allie Chilicki, about curating a Retail Safari® at the inaugural Cosmoprof Miami event.  And the power of connecting in store and on the convention floor. They discuss: A behind-the-scenes view to customizing the perfect Retail Safari®  Best-in-class retailers in the Latin-inspired...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Alex Gourlay, Executive Chair of Holland & Barrett, the UK’s leading wellness retailer, and formerly Executive Vice President and Co-Chief Operating Officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance, and President of Walgreens about the future of health care retailing.  They discuss: The generational opportunities in health care (from food to pharmacy) How younger pe...

In this Cloud Chat episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper and Justin Honaman , Head of Worldwide Retail & CPG, GTM & Segment Leader for Food & Beverages for Amazon Web Services, continue Cloud Chat, a short, sharp take on emerging technology and the implications for the future of retail. They discuss: The year ahead: the yin and yang of the economy, technology and how com...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Maly Bernstein, CEO, Bluemercury, the luxury specialty beauty retailer, about her vision for the future of beauty retail and how her strategy is coming to life neighborhood by neighborhood. They discuss: What makes Bluemercury shoppers unique  The focus on personalized skincare – both products and services  The importance of new categories and private brand...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to WSL’s president Candace Corlett about the latest How America Shops® research that reveals how Americans are feeling (not happy), and what that means for 2024 and beyond (challenging).  They discuss: How shoppers see the challenges for their standard of living in 2024, and what they plan to do about it.   The lack of innovation that leaves shoppers wanting –...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Consumer Goods at AWS, continue Cloud Chat, a short, sharp, sometimes provocative take on emerging technology and the implications for the future of retail.   They discuss:   The holiday season – binge or bust – and implications for 2024 What’s up – and down – with Generative AI E-commerce and creati...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Muriel Gonzalez, President, The Vitamin Shoppe about how the pandemic brought her out of retirement to lead the transformation of street corner vitamin shop into a model of 21st century wellness. They discuss: The keys to transforming a store for fitness jocks into one for anyone on a wellness journey How to manage fast-emerging categories and products in t...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Alissa Hsu Lynch , formerly of Google and Johnson & Johnson, about the consumerization of technology in health care, and the implications for consumer packaged goods companies and retail. They discuss: Google’s utilization of 10x thinking to create radical solutions  How technology will provide better outcomes and more affordable access to health care ...

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper, and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & CPG, GTM & Segment Leader for Food & Beverages for Amazon Web Services , introduce Future Shop’s Cloud Chat – a short, sharp, sometimes provocative take on emerging technology and the implications for the future of retail.   They discuss:   Generative AI…of course The need to ex...