Remarkable Retail Podcast

In the first of our 8-part summer series produced in partnership with CommerceNext, our guest is  Ken Pilot —retail executive, tech investor, and host of The Retail Pilot: Leaders & Legends podcast. Ken's legendary career spans decades and includes pivotal roles such as President of Gap Global, Factory Stores at Ralph Lauren, and leadership positions at J.Crew, American Eagle, and ABC Carpet & Hom...

In this Season 10 finale of The Remarkable Retail Podcast , Steve interviews Vuori CEO & Founder Joe Kudla live on-stage during the closing keynote of the CommerceNext Growth Show in New York. Steve and Michael also are on-stage for a session gleaning the top retail trends of the year so far and set the stage for what's most important to focus on the balance of the year. Instead of covering the we...

In the latest episode of Remarkable Retail, Michael LeBlanc and Steve Dennis return with a their hot takes on the week's top retail headlines. The duo begins with a macroeconomic update, including political gridlock in the U.S. over the "Big Beautiful Bill," the Fed's inflation outlook, and uncertainty surrounding consumer spending. They then break down TikTok's extended 90-day reprieve, speculate...

In the latest episode of the Remarkable Retail podcast, co-hosts Steve Dennis and Michael LeBlanc return with Part Two of “The Analysts," which featues three of the retail industry’s most respected thought leaders—Sucharita Kodali (VP & Principal Analyst, Forrester Research), Neil Saunders (Managing Director, GlobalData Retail), and Simeon Siegel (Managing Director, BMO Capital Markets). But first...

This landmark episode launches "The Analysts," a periodic new feature segment, bringing together three of retail's most respected thought leaders in a new format . Part One features Sucharita Kodali (Forrester Research), Neil Saunders (GlobalData Retail), and Simeon Siegel (BMO Capital Markets) who cut through industry chaos to reveal what really matters. News of the Week Highlights: The episode o...

In this special edition episode, Michael LeBlanc and Steve Dennis address the unprecedented challenges facing retailers with Steve's "10 Tantalizing Tips for Tumultuous Times." Steve rates current market turbulence at a 9 out of 10, comparing it to COVID-era disruption but noting the added complexity of legal uncertainties around tariff policies. The news segment covers significant retail developm...

Joining us for a fascinating interview is Neil Blumenthal, co-founder and co-CEO of Warby Parker, one of the most successful and innovative "disruptor brands" to emerge in the past two decades. Neil shares the brand's origin story, what makes Warby Parker remarkable, why they've aggressively invested in brick-and-mortar locations, the critical interplay between digital and physical, and a whole lo...

In this episode of the Remarkable Retail podcast, hosts Michael LeBlanc and Steve Dennis begin with a news segment covering recent market developments, notably the "tariff turmoil" between the US and China. They discuss how the US has partially de-escalated its stance, with tariffs dropping from a proposed 145% to 30%, creating a 90-day window for retailers to import products. However, they emphas...

In this episode of the Remarkable Retail podcast, hosts Michael LeBlanc and Steve Dennis begin by dissecting the week's most important retail news, highlighting the Trump administration's UK trade deal. They discuss the more consequential negotiations with China befor examining how Chinese e-commerce giants Temu and Shein are experiencing sales drops of 17% and 23% respectively after implementing...

In the latest episode of the Remarkable Retail podcast, hosts Michael LeBlanc and Steve Dennis continue their conversation with retail media expert A ndrew Lipsman , founder and chief analyst at Media, Ads and Commerce, exploring the evolution and future of retail media networks. The episode kicks off with an in-depth news segment covering significant economic developments. The hosts discuss the r...

In Season 10, Episode 16 of the Remarkable Retail Podcast , hosts Michael LeBlanc and Steve Dennis open with a deep dive into the latest turbulence in the retail world. They tackle the U.S. administration’s wobbly trade policies, slowing home sale, and rising inventory risks stemming from ongoing tariffs. They also dissect challenges facing the luxury sector, with Kering posting disappointing numb...

In the latest episode of the Remarkable Retail podcast, hosts Michael LeBlanc and Steve Dennis deliver a powerhouse episode split between urgent retail news and a highly anticipated interview with returning guest Andrew Lipsman , Founder & Chief Analyst Media, Ads + Commerce, one of the world’s foremost authorities on retail media networks. The episode opens with a comprehensive review of the week...

In Season 10, Episode 14 of the Remarkable Retail podcast, co-hosts Steve Dennis and Michael LeBlanc deliver a jam-packed episode that blends sharp commentary on today’s global retail turbulence with a thoughtful five-year retrospective on Steve's landmark retail strategy book, Remarkable Retail . The first half of the episode centers on the mounting global trade tensions, specifically the deepeni...

The episode, recorded live at Shoptalk in the Berns Communications Group media room, opens with Steve Dennis and Michael LeBlanc surveying a broad sweep of headline-grabbing developments in the retail world. They highlight continued uncertainty around recently imposed tariffs and resulting economic ripples, as major international trade disputes stoke inflationary concerns. Stock market volatility...

Co-hosts Michael LeBlanc and Steve Dennis return from ShopTalk brimming with insights on the rapidly shifting retail environment. They kick off by breaking down the rollercoaster of consumer confidence, spurred by persistent inflation and ongoing uncertainty. The conversation touches on potential reverberations from looming tariffs that could drive up costs and shake consumer sentiment. Headlines...

In the latest episode of Remarkable Retail , hosts Michael LeBlanc and Steve Dennis kick off with a roundup of the week’s most impactful retail news. They dive into the potential liquidation of Hudson’s Bay Company, examining the challenges the iconic retailer faces amid financial turbulence. With speculation swirling around the sale of HBC’s heritage Stripes brand and the struggle to find buyers...

The latest Remarkable Retail podcast delivers a compelling mix of current market news and expert analysis from returning guest Jason "Retail Geek" Goldberg, Chief Commerce Strategy Officer at Publicis. Hosts Michael LeBlanc and Steve Dennis kick off with the week's headlines, spotlighting the chaos caused by shifting tariff policies. They note that consumer confidence has plummeted amid economic u...

In this episode of  Remarkable Retail , hosts  Michael LeBlanc  and  Steve Dennis  break down a high-stakes week of retail headlines before reprising a conversation recorded two years ago with Canada Goose President, Carrie Baker. Carrie touches on the brand's unique positioning, DTC growth strategy, sustainability initiatives, and product line extensions. Retail News Breakdown: Tariff Whiplash  –...

The retail industry is once again in flux, with store closures predicted to more than double this year, leaving many to wonder: is this a retail apocalypse or just a market correction? In this compelling episode of Remarkable Retail , hosts Michael LeBlanc and Steve Dennis dive deep into the state of physical retail , exploring the reasons behind the latest surge in store closings, the impact of e...

In this compelling episode of the Remarkable Retail podcast, Michael LeBlanc and Steve Dennis welcome Ashley Kechter, Global President of Fabletics , to explore the rapid expansion of the athleisure powerhouse . Since its 2014 launch, Fabletics has evolved into a billion-dollar brand , leveraging an innovative membership model, proprietary fabrics, and a growing network of 100+ physical stores . A...

We're joined by fellow Retail Voices by NRF honoree Kevin Ervin Kelley to unpack some of the key lessons from his remarkable book Irreplaceable: Creating Extraordinary Places That Bring People Together and his recent NRF "Big Show" talk. We discuss how physical retail must dramatically evolve in an ever more digital world, the "Bonfire Effect," his key principles for connecting more powerfully wit...

Joining us for an insightful and fast-paced discussion of what's new and next in retail today are Marie Driscoll, Sharon Yourell Lawlor , and Michael Zakkour, three of our fellow top Retail Voices by NRF. We leverage their deep expertise to get their perspectives on a wide-range of the industry's most important topics, including the potential impact of tariffs, what it will take for the luxury mar...

Joining us to discuss his brilliant new book Rethinking Work: Seismic Changes in the Where, When & Why , is author, speaker, and trusted advisor  Rishad Tobaccowala . Rishad returns to the pod to share important themes in how work is changing in profound ways and what leaders need to do to respond to emerging and powerful new forces.  As usual we start by unpacking the week in retail news, includi...

We wrap up the second batch of Steve's provocative annual retail predictions with a focus on (mostly) educated guesses for the department store sector, what's next for Target, whether a new retail apocalypse is on the horizon, the outlook for deal making, and the impact of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic. All this plus a few bonus wildcard prognostications.  But first, we start with a look at the latest...

Joining us for our first interview of the year is Sam's Club President and CEO Chris Nicholas . Chris shares how he and his team are driving remarkable performance at one of North America's biggest and most successful retailers. In a fascinating conversation he explains how warehouse clubs are "meeting the moment." We delve into the power of the limited assortment, membership model while also lear...