Total Retail Talks

In episode 277 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Trish Patton, vice president of human resources at The Body Shop, a global beauty brand and a certified B Corp™ offering high-quality, naturally inspired skincare, body care, hair care and makeup produced ethically and sustainably. Listen in as Patton discusses The Body Shop's Open Hiring…

In episode 276 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Sean Kell, CEO of Blue Nile, the largest e-commerce retailer of GIA-certified diamonds and fine jewelry. Listen in as Kell discusses his career journey leading up to his joining Blue Nile last year, the company's recently announced store expansion plan, and why now is…

In episode 275 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Lizzy Ellingson, chief digital experience officer at David's Bridal, the largest American bridal store chain. Listen in as Ellingson discusses David's Bridal's use of 3D and augmented reality (AR) technology to let shoppers try on virtual bridal gowns; why it was important to provide customers a seamless,…

In episode 274 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Ron Thurston, vice president of stores at INTERMIX, a collection of specialty boutiques and division of Gap, Inc. Listen in as Thurston discusses his 25-plus year career in retail, what he enjoys most about working the industry, and the inspiration behind his new book,…

In episode 273 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Jonathan Wahl, co-founder and CEO of Abbio, a new direct-to-consumer (D-to-C) kitchenware brand with a mission to inspire home cooks through a combination of accessible, professional-grade cookware; unique recipes; and educational tools. Listen in as Wahl discusses Abbio's mission and business, his professional background...

In episode 272 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Zach Freeze, senior director of sustainability at Walmart. Listen in as Freeze discusses Walmart's Project Gigaton, its recent partnership with Schneider Electric to launch the Gigaton PPA (GPPA) Program, and how the initiative educates Walmart suppliers about renewable energy purchases and accelerates renewable energy ado...

In episode 271 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Matthew Rubin, senior vice president of business development and growth at Michaels, North America's largest specialty provider of arts, crafts, framing, floral, wall décor, and seasonal merchandise for makers and do-it-yourself home decorators. Listen in as Rubin discusses the launch of the new MichaelsPro…

In episode 270 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Jeanne Anderson, senior vice president and general manager of Saatchi Art, the world’s leading online art marketplace, connecting people with art and artists they love. Listen in as Anderson discusses the company's history and mission, how Saatchi Art has evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic,…

In this special episode of Total Retail Talks, Digital Content Manager Kristina Stidham speaks with Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan about Total Retail’s recently released Top 100 Fastest-Growing Retailers report, a ranking of publicly traded companies based on year-over-year net sales growth. Keenan shares that this annual report identifies the retail brands that are growing sales at…

In episode 269 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Jordan West, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Little & Lively, a Canadian baby and kid's clothing brand. Listen in as West discusses the company's history, and how his professional background led him and his wife to start the brand. He shares why customer…

In episode 268 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Jacee Scoular, director of brand marketing strategy at Hollister, a global teen brand. Listen in as Scoular discusses why Hollister decided to launch its "Show Up for 2020" voting campaign, the elements of the effort, and the demographics of the brand's customer base. Scoular details…

In episode 267 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Julianne Kiider, affiliate and influencer manager at Tuft & Needle, a sleep company revolutionizing the way people buy mattresses online. Listen in as Kiider discusses Tuft & Needle's history and mission, her role at the company, and how affiliate marketing fits into the brand's marketing…

In episode 266 of Total Retail Talks, Joe Keenan interviews Shrenik Sadalgi, director of research and development at Wayfair, and chair of the Khronos 3D Commerce Working Group. Listen in as Sadalgi discusses why he thinks 3D content has yet to gain widespread adoption among retailers, how consumers aren't yet used to interacting with 3D content…

In episode 265 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews James Pope, director of marketing and sales operations at FLOR, a customizable flooring company. Listen in as Pope describes what makes FLOR unique in the marketplace, how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the company, and the significant growth it has seen in its direct-to-consumer (D-to-C)…

In episode 264 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Dana Zumbo, business development manager at Zappos Adaptive, a division of Zappos that carries a wide range of adaptive clothing and shoes with unique features to fit a variety of needs. Listen as Zumbo discusses why Zappos launched its Adaptive program, how the initiative was sparked…

In episode 263 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Chris Meystrik, chief technology officer of JTV, one of the largest jewelry retailers in the United States offering live TV programming to customers across the country. Listen in as Meystrik discusses the company's history, JTV's recent re-platforming project, and the goals the company wanted to achieve…

In this special episode of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan and Digital Content Manager Kristina Stidham discuss Total Retail’s latest research report, “How to Make Free Shipping Profitable.” The report is the compilation of a 10-part article series that Total Retail published on the topic earlier this year. The article series, which was published…

In episode 262 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Pete Avery, director of retail marketing at Callaway Golf, a leading seller of golf products, including clubs and equipment. Listen in as Avery discusses why Callaway decided to invest in augmented reality (AR) technology, how the company is using AR to improve the in-store shopping experience, and how it's allowing custom...

In episode 261 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Carly Stein, founder and CEO of Beekeeper's Naturals, a bee-powered natural wellness company that's obsessed with revamping the conventional medicine cabinet. Listen in as Stein discusses the inspiration behind the natural medicines company, her career background, and how she informally tested Beekeeper's Natural products…

In episode 260 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Jennifer Kwon, president of CALPAK, a luggage and travel essentials company. Listen in as Kwon discusses the history of the company, its recent product development and direct-to-consumer (D-to-C) growth, and her career journey. She shares how the brand is staying competitive in a crowded luggage…

In episode 259 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Jessica Ringena, senior vice president and chief digital officer at Hy-Vee, an employee-owned grocery retailer with over 250 stores in eight states, headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. Listen in as Ringena discusses the challenges that the retailer has faced operating as an essential…

In episode 258 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Evan Marshall, co-founder and chief technology officer of Plain Jane Hemp, a CBD brand selling smokable hemp products. Listen in as Marshall discusses the inspiration behind starting the company, why launching via an e-commerce site was the right choice for the brand, and the…

In episode 257 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Massimiliano Tirocchi, co-founder and chief marketing officer at Shapermint, an online marketplace for women's shapewear. Listen in as Tirocchi discusses the Sharpermind brand, the body-positive message at the core of the brand, and his professional background. He shares how Shapermint adjusted its marketing strategy durin...

In episode 256 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Conor Riley, CEO of Luxie Beauty, a luxury cosmetics company specializing in high-end, vegan, cruelty-free makeup brushes. Listen in as Riley discusses why the company was founded, how he ended up at the beauty brand, and the typical Luxie customer. He shares how the…

In episode 255 of Total Retail Talks, Joe Keenan interviews Paul Goodman, founder and CFO of Pura Vida, a handmade bracelet and jewelry company. Listen in as Goodman discusses his inspiration for starting the company, how Pura Vida supports hundreds of artisans around the world, and the company's distribution channels. He shares how the COVID-19…