2025 Provocative Predictions for Retail's Future: Part 2

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, including a wee bit of macro-economic news amid a fair amount of chaos. Then it's on to DeepSeek's shocking announcement, even more encouraging reports on GLP-1 drugs, and a big funding round for fast-growing fashion brand Quince. We also start off earnings season by commenting on lackluster results from both Starbucks and LVMH. We conclude with happy news that The Container Store has emerged from bankruptcy and that Walmart is going big in Canada. About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

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 retail news including what the wild and wooly first week of the Trump administration and what it might portend for the retail industry. Then we discussion what to make of a prediction that store closings will more than double this year, what's driving the continued strong growth of private label, and whether we're about to see a meaningful uptick in retail management layoffs. Then we conclude unpacking a fascinating partnership between Walmart and Rebag and speculating what sort of merch partnerships might work for the pod.Our Interview with Fashionphile CEO Sarah Davis.Check out our updated YouTube channel.  About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

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 learning how Sam's deftly blends leading edge technology with the power of human connection. But first we kick things off with a fast-paced overview of last week's "NRF Big Show.."  Then it's on to the big retail news of the week, including our take on how the holiday season turned out, possible emerging troubles in the white-collar labor market, and what to make of Macy's and Kohl's accelerated pace of store closings. Steve also attempts to clear up his irrationally exuberant comments about the formation of Catalyst Brands. About Chris:Chris Nicholas is president and chief executive officer of Sam’s Club, a membership club that is pioneering the retail experience, providing members exclusive access to value, convenience, and modern omnichannel shopping options.Before taking this role in September 2023, Chris served as executive vice president and chief operating officer (COO) for Walmart U.S. As COO, he was responsible for all aspects of Walmart’s U.S. Store Operations and Supply Chain – including strategy, innovation, automation, store operations, distribution center and fulfillment center operations, last mile delivery capability, and real estate.Chris joined the company in 2018, serving first as deputy CFO, then CFO for Walmart International and then as CFO of the U.S. segment. He grew up working in retail and has more than 20 years of broad retail experience working in nine countries and serving in leadership roles with companies such as Tesco, The Salling Group, and the Coles Group, where he played a key role in leading the Coles business through unprecedented change within the Australian supermarket industry.He graduated from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology with a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Management Science and is a chartered accountant (ACMA). Chris and his wife, Meagan, have two children and live in Northwest Arkansas. About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

A Dozen Provocative Predictions for Retail's Future, Plus 5 "Wild Card" Prognostications! In the first of two episodes, Steve lays out his first six predictions for retail in 2025.But first, we start with a look at the latest retail news from the past couple of weeks, including an early result on Holiday consumer spending, the formation of Catalyst Brands consisting of SPARC's Lucky Brand, Aéropostale, Nautica, Eddie Bauer and Brooks Brothers brands, as well as JCPenney.   We look back briefly on the career of Dave Kimbell as he steps down at Ulta and, Kecia Steelman gets elevated to the President & CEO role, and Costco shows courage on DEI.Our Interview with Dave Kimbell About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

If we had to pick a couple of words to describe the last few years, "volatile" and "uncertain" are very likely to be at the top of anyone's list.What words and themes will define this next year? Chaos? Clarity? Prosperity? Purpose?Will struggling retailers at long last make the bold leaps they must, or edge ever closer to the precipice? Can the promises of innovation be met, taking consumer experiences to new heights?/2025 looks to be a year where agility and resilience reign supreme as retailers must navigate a world of accelerating technological change, constrained consumer spending, new political realities, and greater power concentrated among only a handful of large retailers.When more and more change is certain, but the way forward is often less than clear, you need a compass, a map, keen insight and no-nonsense advice.This is Steve Dennis, strategic advisor, keynote speaker, and best-selling author. I invite you to join me and fellow retail insider Michael LeBlanc each week as we make sense of an increasingly volatile and uncertain retail world.The Remarkable Retail podcast is the only podcast hosted by two of the NRF's 2025 top retail voices. In this, our tenth season, we'll continue our award-winning formula by giving our hot takes on the week's most important retail news and by featuring guests who are on the leading edge of what's new and next in commerce today.So be sure to follow us on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your podcasts so you won't miss an episode. Get ready for a steady stream of lively conversations, inspiring leadership stories, and no BS perspectives.Our tenth season of the Remarkable Retail podcast debuts on Tuesday, January 14th. If you want to surf the waves of change and thrive in 2025, we hope you'll join us.  About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

In this special encore bonus episode, we update and revisit the story of Primark, the Dublin-based retail giant with 450 stores across 17 countries.We initially spoke to Primark's US President, Kevin Tulip, in the spring of 2023, and we discussed the brand's steady push into the American market and its ambitious plans for the future.Primark ended 2024 with 29 stores in 12 states, including its first two locations in Texas, and has set its sights on reaching 60 stores in the US by 2026—highlighted by the upcoming opening of a flagship location in Herald Square, right next to the NYC Macy's flagship store.   About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

We wrap up Season 9 with Part 2 of taking account of Steve's 2024 retail predictions. Our second batch include:7.  Neiman Marcus and Saks merge.8. Nordstrom goes private.9.  Apple's "Vision Pro" is a big nothing burger...for now10.  Sustainability schizophrenia hits a new high.11.  Bailing still doesn't fix the hole among those stuck in the mediocre middle.12.  Health-related services are this year's retail media networks.13.  Commercial real estate becomes a slow motion crisis (if we're lucky)We also discuss some upcoming NRF activities including Steve's appearance at the inaugural edition of the "NRF Book Club" and a live on-stage special recording of the Remarkable Retail podcast at Celonis' WTC headquarters on January 13th. NRF Top Retail Voices 2025Steve's 2024 Retail Predictions About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

We're all about accountability on the Remarkable Retail podcast, so as we bring this season to a close once again it's time to grade Steve on 2024 predictions. In part 1 we dig into six of his baker's dozen of retail prognostications, which include:1. The bifurcation of just about everything accelerates.2. For many brands, flat is the new up.3. AI: This time its personal.4. The D continues to come out of DTC—except for top vendor brands5. There is a culling of the once and future unicorn herd6. Honey, I shrunk the store (again).But we start with the retail news that caught our attention this week including lots of deals in the news: the end to the Kroger/Albertson's merger, the likely beginning of Saks and Neiman's, a possible go private transaction on the part of Walgreens, and yet another activist takes on Macy's. Then we assess Tik Tok's future in the US, before wrapping up with earnings news from Costco, Lululemon, and RH.Steve's Prediction from Forbes (Part 1)FootPrints AI Retail Media EventThe Great Vanilla Fudge from the Ed Sullivan Show: Keep Me Hanging On! About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

In this special bonus episode, we delve into the innovative intersection of sports and e-commerce with Patrick Jenkinson, Commercial Director for Venue and E-commerce at Manchester United, and Thomas Peyer, Director, Growth, SCAYLE, a leading enterprise e-commerce platform.Patrick shares insights into Manchester United's remarkable global fan base, boasting over 270 million social followers and viewership that rivals global sporting events like the Super Bowl. Highlighting the club's transition from an outsourced to an in-house e-commerce model, Patrick emphasizes the importance of providing a seamless, unified shopping experience that caters to fans worldwide, regardless of location or language.Thomas discusses SCAYLE's unique approach to enterprise e-commerce, rooted in modern architecture and API-driven platforms. He explains how Scale enables organizations like Manchester United to integrate diverse digital offerings, from merchandise to content subscriptions, fostering deeper fan engagement and loyalty.The conversation also explores broader retail trends, emphasizing the significance of loyalty programs, unified commerce, and agile technology to meet evolving consumer expectations. With a record-breaking Black Friday and ambitious plans for international growth, Manchester United and SCAYLE exemplify the potential of combining heritage with cutting-edge technology to deliver unparalleled customer experiences.Tune in for a compelling discussion that showcases how innovative partnerships are reshaping the business of sports and retail.This episode is brought to you by SCAYLE, the world's fastest growing enterprise commerce platform.  Patrick JenkinsonManchester UnitedCommercial Director Venue & E-CommercePatrick Jenkinson is responsible for revenue across direct-to-fan products at Manchester United. He oversees a broad range of business units across the physical and digital realms including retail, content, and subscriptions, serving one of the biggest fan audiences in sport. Patrick joined the club from Leeds United where he served as Head of Business Development and prior to this he was a VP at DAZN, the world's largest live sport streaming service. At DAZN, he held in-market leadership roles in Japan and Spain as well as overall responsibility for international expansion. He began his career in TMT M&A followed by sports & media private equity. Thomas Peyer, SCAYLEDirector of GrowthThomas is Director Growth and part of the Management Team at SCAYLE. He is tasked with growing SCAYLE's business beyond its home market Germany. Before joining SCAYLE, Thomas worked at adidas as VP Advanced Analytics, where he was responsible for all AI / ML products for the brand. Thomas spent his formative years as a McKinsey consultant and in Private Equity. He holds a MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics and an MBA from INSEAD. About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

Our very special guest this week is is Artemis Patrick, President of Sephora-North America, clearly one of the most remarkable brands in retail today. Artemis shares her remarkable personal and professional journey, along with the keys to Sephora's fantastic growth across the last two decades. We explore how the brand creates a harmonized shopping experience, the role of both humans and technology in delivering a memorable customer experience, and why supporting diverse voices is so important. We also get many inspiring leadership lessons and learn about Sephora's plans to update all their stores.Before our interview, as usual, we dig into the most important news of the week, including a quick review of Black Friday/Cyber Week trends. Then it's on to earnings reports from Foot Locker (a very stalled turnaround), Kroger (meh), the two big dollar store players (losing momentum), and Chewy's (slowing sales growth as they search for sustainable profits). We also report that the Saks and Neiman Marcus deal may finally close and reveal a potential new segment.Celonis NRF eventOur interview with Anish Melwani, CEO, LVMH North America About ArtemisArtemis Patrick is the President & CEO of Sephora North America. In her role, Artemis is responsible for shaping the retailer’s strategic multi-year growth for the US and Canada. She is also a member of Sephora’s Global Leadership Team (SLT) and Sephora America’s Operating Committee. About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.