RETHINK RETAIL

At NRF 2026, April Sabral, Founder of April Sabral Leadership & Ask April AI, spoke with Marie Schwartz, CEO of RETHINK Retail, about leadership, community, and the real future of AI in retail. They explore: - Why true community starts with deep listening, not followers - What retailers must prioritize in 2026 beyond chasing every new AI trend - How leading with vulnerability can be a competitive...

From garage startup to global cult following. During NRF 2026, one thing really stood out in this conversation between Marie Schwartz and Jennifer Sprague, CMO at Hammit. Hammit has built something rare. Customers do not just buy a bag. They collect them. They trade them. They know the story behind the rivets. That kind of loyalty is intentional.. They discuss: - How Hammit protects its brand iden...

Enterprise AI doesn’t fail because the models aren’t ready. It stalls when operating models, data foundations, and decision paths can’t keep up. Recorded at NRF, this AiR Podcast features Yael Kochman in conversation with Rakesh Srinivasan (The Estée Lauder Companies) and Chris Daniels (Toptal) on what it takes to move from scattered experimentation to repeatable, enterprise deployment - across br...

There is a reason NRF is called Retail’s Big Show. Each year, it generates an unmistakable buzz across the retail industry. What matters most, however, is how that buzz translates into real insight and action. NRF 2026 delivered bold predictions, big ideas, and no shortage of conversation around AI. The real question is what retailers actually took seriously this year. In this episode of Retail Th...

Recorded live at NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show, The RETHINK Retail Podcast features Fritz Finlay, Head of Production at RETHINK Retail, in conversation with Will Burghes, Head of Professional Services at Rockerbox & DoubleVerify. The discussion focuses on how retail media measurement is evolving as brands and retailers move beyond impressions and clicks toward outcome-based metrics that matter to th...

Unlock the Future of Brand Growth Discover what’s changing fastest in how brands grow today, straight from industry leaders who are shaping modern commerce. The RETHINK Retail Podcast takes you behind the scenes of marketplace strategies, ecosystem-driven growth, and omnichannel success. Learn from the expertise of Tim Derner of Authentic Brands Group and Remington Tonar of Cart.com as they explor...

Recorded live at NRF 2026: Retail's Big Show, this episode of the RETHINK Retail Podcast features Michelle James, Vice President at CTIA, in conversation with Melissa Blassingame, RVP of Partner Alliances at Twilio. As consumers increasingly ignore unknown calls, this episode explores how Branded Calling ID in retail is helping brands rebuild trust and improve voice engagement. - Why trust in voic...

Can technology actually make shopping feel more personal? Recorded live at NRF 2026, this RETHINK Retail Podcast moves past the AI hype to focus on the people behind the counter. Host Michael Klein is joined by David Weissman from Tulip, Rissa Jarrat from Jenni Kayne, and Kimberly Levine from TUMI for a candid conversation about the future of clienteling. In a world of digital noise, these leaders...

Recorded live at NRF 2026: Retail's Big Show, the RETHINK Retail Podcast dives into how Rebag is using conversational AI to transform luxury resale. Olivier Hepner, CPTO at Rebag and Howe Gu Senior Vice President, Partnerships & Ecosystem at Rezolve AI, discuss moving beyond traditional search, helping shoppers make confident decisions, and blending AI with human expertise. Discover what intellige...

Retail AI is evolving — and the biggest breakthroughs are happening after the sale. In this episode of the Rethink Retail Podcast, host Michael Zakkour speaks with Aadil Kazmi, Head of AI at Infios, about how agentic AI is reshaping retail execution across order management, fulfillment, and transportation. Key Takeaways - Execution is the new battleground – AI’s biggest retail impact is shifting f...

Recorded at NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show, this episode of the RETHINK Retail podcast explores how retailers are translating data into more informed decision-making at the store level. In 'From Insight to Impact: How Intelligent Retail Creates Results', industry leaders discuss how connected retail ecosystems, spanning POS, self-checkout, back office operations, and analytics, can support operationa...

AI is transforming how retailers manage payments, prevent fraud, and deliver seamless checkout experiences. In this episode of the Rethink Retail podcast, host Matthew Adam Smith speaks with Kai Lindstrom, VP of Retail Payment Services at SOK, and Jagrati Singh, Regional Sales Director at HCLTech. Key Takeaways: - AI-powered checkout: faster, seamless, and secure transactions - Fraud prevention: s...

🌟 Can you feel the anticipation? Together we rise! The countdown to NRF big show 2026 has begun! This year promises new activations and global insights that will reshape the retail landscape. What’s one thing you hope to learn at the show? Share with us.

In this episode of RETHINK Retail, Top Retail Experts unpack how much customer expectations have accelerated and expert tips for retailers trying to compete across stores, apps, loyalty programs, and connected channels. Join Emily Pfeiffer, Principal Analyst of Commerce Tech at Forrester and Roopi Crowley, Managing Director of Strategic Retail at T-Mobile for Business, as they explore: - The futur...

As the retail industry heads into 2026, innovation is no longer theoretical — it’s operational. In this special episode of the Rethink Retail Predictions Podcast, we spoke directly with retail leaders who are actively building the future of commerce. From omnichannel growth and AI-driven personalization to pricing pressure, trust, and the rise of machine-assisted shopping, these experts share unfi...

In this episode of Rethink Retail, host Martin Bailie is joined by Jerome Hamrit, Senior Vice President for Data and Retail Media at VusionGroup, and Thaddeus Segura, Senior Vice President for Product at VusionGroup, to explore the evolution of the connected store. What you’ll learn in this episode: - Why store digital transformation is fundamentally different from e-commerce transformation - How...

What if store cameras were one of retail’s most underused growth assets? In this episode, Martin Bailie (Advisory Board, RETHINK Retail) sits down with Karissa Price, Chief Customer Officer at Dragonfruit AI, and Randy Meadows, Retail Advisor to Dragonfruit AI and former SVP of Asset Protection at Kohl’s, to explore how video AI is transforming retail beyond loss prevention. Key takeaways: - Most...

What happens when survey-based consumer research gets replaced by real-time, AI-orchestrated insight? At GroceryShop 2025, host Kirat Anand sits down with Trevor Sumner, CEO of iGenie.ai, to unpack how the company is redefining a $35B insights industry. They explore: - Why traditional surveys fail — and why 70% of responses are unusable - How iGenie analyzes billions of real consumer signals acros...

How do you scale one of the fastest-growing beverage categories in retail? In this episode, host James Tenser sits down with Sean Goldsmith, Co-Founder & CEO of The Zero Proof, to unpack what’s fueling the explosive rise of the non-alcoholic (NA) movement — and how retailers can capitalize. They explore: - The cultural shift toward wellness, moderation, and premium adult experiences - How new NA s...

Cyber threats aren’t evolving, they’re accelerating. 🚨 In this new AiR Podcast episode, Renee Hartmann sits down with Kenneth Ogami, Industry Leader for Retail & Hospitality at Palo Alto Networks, to unpack the new language of retail resilience. Kenneth brings 20+ years of hands-on retail security experience — from securing Westfield’s digital ecosystem to helping luxury brand Amiri scale securel...

How is PepsiCo reshaping its future while staying true to the brands consumers love? In this episode, host Matt Mueller sits down with Michael Del Pozzo, President of PepsiCo North America, to explore the company’s bold new chapter. They discuss: - How PepsiCo balances data-driven precision with creative instinct - What’s fueling innovation across beverages, snacks, and brand refreshes - How “One...

On this episode of “Building a Modern Food Brand,” host Christina Downey sits down with Matthew Newman, CCO at It’s Skinny, to talk about the hard choices founders must make early — and why focus, discipline, and a clear go-to-market strategy matter more than saying “yes” to everyone. Matthew shares: - Why startups must define where they want to live — and hold firm - How It’s Skinny reset its cor...

What happens when automation, speed, and smart fulfillment collide in the grocery industry? In this episode of the Global Retail Leaders Podcast by RETHINK Retail, host Theo sits down with Petr Lizner of Rohlik Group - one of Europe’s fastest-growing online grocers, to walk us through how Rohlik’s blend of automation hardware and in-house software is redefining what modern grocery can achieve. The...

Value isn’t just about low prices anymore. As shoppers become more intentional and economic pressures rise, retailers are shifting their strategies—from promotions and pricing to emotional connection and brand authenticity. We dive into how value is being redefined across the industry. Joined by experts Andrew Smith, Carol Spieckerman, Liza Amlani, and Andrea K. Leigh, we explore how retailers are...

What happens when technology meets true customer empathy? In this episode of Rethink Retail: Global Retail Leaders, host Alex Baker sits down with Uttam Kumar, Engineering Manager at American Eagle Outfitters, to discuss: - How engineers are becoming storytellers and changemakers in retail - The real role of AI — beyond recommendations, toward anticipation - Why successful digital transformation s...