A SEAT at THE TABLE: Helping business leaders grow their influence

Africa has been rising to the top of many buyers’  ‘need to look into’ list.

However the vastness of the continent - and the diversity amongst regions - makes this a daunting task.

A new platform aims to make this easier by gathering key supplier information and organising it in an easy to search database.

Not only that, the platform provides an entire ecosystem that ties in support services from inspection to freelance designers.

Today I’m speaking with Dirk Robens, CEO of ABANA, a digital solution for discovering Africa’s apparel manufacturers. 

Dirk has spent over 30 years in the apparel industry, both on the manufacturing side as well as serving as Sourcing Director for Mr. Price Group, Africa’s largest retailer.

He’ll be explaining what ABANA offers, as well as giving us a closer look at sourcing opportunities in Africa.

Mauritius and Madagascar in particular have a long history as knitwear suppliers.  As African nations, they also have duty-free status to both the EU and the US, as well as the ability to handle small orders with short lead times.

 Before we get started, if you’re looking for trend information to technical innovation, then you’ll want to check out SPINEXPO, the primary exhibition for yarns and knitwear.  The fair provides well-edited forums featuring high quality products that are bursting with creativity.  To learn more, go to SPINEXPO.com.  You can also find a link in the show notes for this episode.

Now, let’s sit down with Dirk and get some insights into sourcing in Africa.

Learn more about SPINEXPO at www.spinexpo.com

Learn more about ABANA at www.abana.mu


The Current Situation in Sourcing:   https://bit.ly/current_situtation

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In recent years retail has gotten a bad rap - especially fashion retail.

Too often stores have fallen into a slump, neglected by management’s shift in attention to building up their e-commerce channels.  And just as often because brands have too many stores and too little revenue to maintain them all properly.

That’s led to a rash of retail closures in many key markets around the world.

But is retail really fated to become just a memory of ‘the way we used to shop?’

Or can the right people with a vision and the drive to bring it to fruition and rejuvenate retail into a dynamic place where today’s consumers want to shop?

I’m Jane Singer and welcome to A Seat at the Table.

Today I’m speaking with Ron Thurston, retail expert and author, and a champion of physical retail.

Ron is Vice President of stores for Intermix and has a decades long career of working with leading brands and driving retail excellence from visual merchandising to taking teams of diverse retail staff and helping them to be the best they can be.

His enthusiasm for retail is contagious.  And he takes an industry that many people view as an ‘if all else fails’ job and shows us the exciting career opportunities it offers for people of all different skills sets and education levels.  Retail is one industry that has almost no barriers to entry - and few limits on how high you can rise.

Most importantly Ron talks about his vision for revitalising retail and provides a path that both large and small companies can easily follow.

You can find Ron’s book, Retail Pride, on Amazon in paperback, hardcover or kindle versions.

Before we get started, if you’re overwhelmed by information and wish someone could sift and sort through it all and provided you with a tight summary of just what you need to know, then you might want to check out Inside Fashion’s market snapshots. You can find more information at  insidefashionlive.net/snapshots.  

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Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

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In an era where technology plays an increasingly dominant role and companies are being told ‘digitise or die’. Is there still a role for human talent?

And if so, for how long?

From major advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, to the growing use of self-service platforms at retail, where do people fit into Industry 4.0?

Can machines and bots do it all?  If they can - is this the future vision that we aspire to?

Today I’m speaking with  Dr. Stephen Patton, who’s visionary view of the future of industry includes vital roles for both man and machine.

As Regional Director of Asian Sourcing for Liverpool Department Stores, Stephen played a pivotal role in helping his company navigate through the pandemic, thanks to his adept management of his supply chain.

Early on, he foresaw how the pandemic could potentially escalate beyond Asia.  This led him to make strategic decisions that resulted in Liverpool having the right inventory at the right time, when some their competitors did not.

Stephen attributes Liverpool’s success to the strength of its Human Resources, and by using technology to empower those people so they can do even better work.

Before we jump into our podcast, if you are struggling to get your sourcing forecast reports done, or you need a sharp, well organised view of the market, then the Current Situation in Sourcing could be the answer to your prayers.  You can request more information about the Current Situation in Sourcing at insidefashionlive.net/css.

Now, lets sit down with Stephen and learn about what Liverpool has achieved by  Humanizing and Digitizing their organisation.

USEFUL LINKS

Learn More about SPINEXPO:  www.spinexpo.com

A Seat at The Table podcast:  https://seat.fm

The Current Situation in Sourcing:   https://bit.ly/current_situtation

SEND US A MESSAGE

THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM

Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

After a year that has been particularly unkind to apparel, many of us are wondering what  the fate of the category might be.  

Consumers are spending, but just not on apparel.  Even before the pandemic, many brands were struggling.

So where are the opportunities for fashion brands?  And what do we need to do move away from relying on discounts and promotions?  

Today I’m speaking with Glenn McMahon, a fashion and brand consultant with an impressive multi-decade track record of helping brands become retail winners.

Most recently, Glenn was operating partner at TRAUB, after having served as CEO at St. Johns Knits. Prior to that he held  C-suite roles at other international apparel brands.

Glenn will be sharing his view of what brands need to do meet what today’s consumers want.  He also dives into where he sees opportunities - even in a challenging market.

Before we get started, if you’re overwhelmed with information  but need a view of global sourcing, then you might want to take a look at the Current Situation in Sourcing.  These concise, easy-to-read snapshot reports have been a live saver for many sourcing directors - saving them days of tedious work.

You can learn more at www.current situation.net. That’s www.current situation.net 

Now let’s sit down with Glenn and get an expert view on apparel brands.

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THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM

Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Most brands want to be more sustainable, but they also need to meet price targets and also create products that consumers want to buy.

At the same, mills and manufacturers around the world are often sitting on mountains of dead stock - rolls of perfectly good fabric that is destined to be dumped into landfill.

My guest today was able to successfully connect the dots between these two scenarios and create a platform that provides brands with a sustainable source of high quality fashion fabrics while giving manufacturers a way to turn unused stock into profits.

Stephanie Benedetto is a sustainability super hero.  Her vision and relentless efforts to go from idea to a fully functioning service that benefits thousands of brands, retailers and consumers is making it possible for everyone to make a huge impact on sustainability, without sacrificing on fashion.

From corporate attorney to tech startup entrepreneur, Stephanie has purpose built Queen of Raw, a platform that allows manufacturers to list dead stock and brands to easily purchase it - along with a dashboard that provides critical data such as the amount of water or energy being saved.

Before we jump into our podcast, if you’re struggling to get your sourcing forecast reports done - or you simply want a sharp, organised view of the market, then the Current Situation in Sourcing could be the answer to your prayers. You can find more information in the show notes for this podcast.

Now, let’s sit down with Stephanie and hear about Queen of Raw.

Contact Queen of Raw at www.queenofraw.com

Learn more about Current Situation in Sourcing at insidefashionlive.net/css

SEND US A MESSAGE

THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM

Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Everyone is looking for the next big thing.

It turns out, that the next big thing is huge! 

We’re talking about space.  And in the New Space Age the opportunities are of galactic proportions.

If you’re like me you, when someone mentions the Space industry you probably think astronauts, rockets, planets and maybe even extraterrestrials.

Today, the Space industry is all that (well maybe not the extraterrestrials) and more… a lot more!

This massive next gen sector has opportunities for a vast range of supporting and tangent industries. 

And, unlike other industries, there are more jobs (good paying jobs) than people to fill them. 

Not only that, there are piles of patents waiting for entrepreneurs and industrialists to bring them to market.

From technology to logistics and even textiles, here’s a sector that’s bursting with real opportunities - at a time when we need them most.

I’m Jane Singer and today I’m speaking with Shelli Brunswick, Chief Operating Officer of Space Foundation, a US-based non-profit organisation dedicated to connecting the space sector with dynamic industries and individuals who see the future and want to be part of it.

Shelli has parlayed  a distinguished career as a space acquisition and program management leader and Congressional Liaison for the US Air Force — to her current role leading the Center for Innovation and Education.

As a leading role model for women in space, she chairs the Women in Aerospace (WIA) Foundation, hosts the Women’s Global Gathering annually at Space Symposium, serves as a United Nations Space4Women Mentor and an Ambassador for WomenTech Network, and sits on the board of directors for Manufacturer’s Edge.

Before we jump into our podcast, I’d like to suggest that if you are struggling to get your sourcing forecast report done, The Current Situation in Sourcing is the answer to your prayers.  It provides a sharp and concise snapshot of the situation in major sourcing nations, along with key data. In a a fast and easy-to-read format - of course.

Now, let’s sit down with Shelli and talk about space!

Space Foundation: www.spacefoundation.org

Current Situation in Sourcing:  https://insidefashionlive.net/css

SEND US A MESSAGE

THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM

Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

After nearly a year of lockdowns, mandatory store closures and people working from home, it’s becoming more difficult to envision what retail will look like when we get past the pandemic.

Right now workout gear, yoga pants, hoodies and comfy tops are bestsellers.  And shopping online is not just the channel of choice, for many it’s the only choice.

 The question on most of our minds is when will retail finally rebound?

 And what will consumers want to buy as life gets back to normal?

So I got in touch with retail expert Tom Ott to get an insider’s view of what retail will look like as we emerge from the strange days of COVID.

During Tom’s impressive 24-year career at Saks Fifth Avenue he was Senior Vice President and GMM of Men’s, Gifts and Home.  He then went on to be Chief Merchant at Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th.

After leaving Saks, Tom became Chief at Retail and Fashion Solutions, which provides strategic solutions for retail and fashion companies.

Recently, he’s launched Retail Czar, an e-commerce platform.

Today Tom is sharing his outlook for what consumers are going to want as we head into healthier times - and why. 

Spoiler Alert! There’s a lot of good news - especially for menswear.

Tom will talk about his view of how physical retail might fare in a world where e-commerce has seen a year of skyrocketing growth.

Before we jump into our podcast, I’d like to suggest that if you are struggling to get your sourcing forecast report done, The Current Situation in Sourcing is the answer to your prayers.  It provides a sharp and concise snapshot of the situation in major sourcing nations, along with key data. In an easy-to-read format - of course.

Learn more about the Current Situation in Sourcing:  insidefashionlive.net/contact

Contact Tom Ott at:  www.retailczar.com

SEND US A MESSAGE

THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM

Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Consumers are crying out for more personalised products - and brands are crying over too much inventory.

Digitization is being hailed as the solution to both problems.

It can make pre-production faster, make product design more flexible, and, of course, save costs.

Digital printing has been one of the earliest  technologies to gain real market share.

Starting out as a solution for making customised t-shirts, the technology has now been used by almost every apparel category. 

Advancements in equipment have enabled textile manufacturers to print on rolls of fabric.  A critical development in supporting smaller orders.

Digital printing can now be applied to almost any based material, a big win for the active sports category, intimate apparel and knitwear.

Today I’m speaking with Andy Yarrow, digital printing industry veteran with two decades of hands on experience.

Andy has held senior management roles with some of the world’s leading digital printing companies including Kornit Digital and EFI.

I reached out to him to learn about what he saw as the biggest opportunities for brands and what were some of the key new developments in digital printing.

Contact 'A Seat at the Table' at https://insidefashionlive.net/contact   or go to our website:  https://insidefashionlive.net

Request info about 'Current Situation in Sourcing' : https://insidefashionlive.net/css-contact/

SEND US A MESSAGE

THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM

Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

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According to two leading U.S.-based real estate advisers, it’s not the property or the people that are the problem.  What malls need are fresh new brands and innovative services to bring customers back - and get them to stay.

Contact us at:  insidefashionlive.net
Learn more about Retail by MONA at  www.retailbymona.com

Show Summary

Physical retail might be about to rise from the dead.

Despite the popular narrative that ‘consumers only want to shop online’ and that ‘no one goes to malls any longer’ that might not actually be true.

According to two leading U.S.-based real estate advisers, it’s not the property or the people that are the problem.  

They say that with fresh, new brands and attractive new services, retail can be made right again.

So while e-commerce is growing, physical retail can continue grow too - as partners not competitors.

Today I’m talking with Brandon Singer, CEO and Co-founder of Retail by MONA.  

Brandon and his partner Michael Cody have taken their nearly two decades of experience in  retail property  and leveraged it to develop what they believe is a new vision of what retail needs to look like.

From their earlier years as top ranked brokers at Cushman & Wakefield to setting up a division within the company to cater to the new digital native and indie brands, Brandon and Michael saw the writing on the wall.   

It seems that malls aren’t dead.  They’re just tired.  And Retail by MONA is set to provide the energy boost they need.

Why not take a few minutes and listen to what Brandon sees as the future for malls and high streets.

SEND US A MESSAGE

THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM

Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

A solution that’s helping companies keep team members educated and engaged are learning management systems. 

You can contact us at: insidefashionlive.net

Learn more about Eclipse Learning Partners:  http://eclipselearningpartners.com/

Episode Summary

One of the challenges in having most of your team members working remotely is training.

Before, it was easy to organize on-site training and ensure that everyone was updated and educated across the entire department, division or company.

Now, most companies are using some form of independent learning, with managers hoping that every one is up to speed on new procedures, protocols, systems and so forth.

But how do you know if everyone has watched the training video? Or the screencast outlining a new protocol?  This can be particularly critical for areas where a lack of knowledge can lead to costly mistakes.

Beyond that, there’s also the matter of keeping a team of people working remotely feeling  like they are still part of a team and engaged with the company culture.

One solution that’s helping to solve this are learning management systems.  These fairly easy to install programs take the typical video training library and turn it into an organized system that managers can use to monitor employee training.

Today I’m speaking with Steve Peckman, founder of Eclipse Learning Partners.

Steve has spent over two decades working with companies to create internal career development and training systems, as well as process and change management programs.

He’s been able to develop programs that are well aligned with the company’s business objectives, and offer a great user experience, as well.

Through Eclipse Learning Partners, Steve is taking learning management to the next level by helping companies create a team spirit amongst employees who are working from home, as well as keeping them up to speed on important skills and protocol.

SEND US A MESSAGE

THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM

Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm