Retail Therapy

By Australian Retailers AssociationSociety & Culture Business Careers

Retail Therapy episodes

June 02, 2023Season 5 Trailer: Leadership
We’re excited to announce the launch of Season 5 of Retail Therapy, proudly brought to you by American Express.
This season, ARA CEO Paul Zahra will be chatting with a great line-up of guests from Australia’s retail industry, including the leaders of some of the biggest retailers in Australia.
We’ll be finding out what makes them tick, what defines their leadership style and how they got to the top of their game.
Our guests include:
Jack Gance, Chairman Of The Board, Chemist Warehouse
Mirja Viinanen, CEO & Chief Sustainability Officer, IKEA Australia
Ian Bailey, Managing Director, Kmart Group
Tanya Deans, President, Hanes Brands Australasia
Plus many more!
Thanks for listening, and we can’t wait to share Season 5 with you.
Learn more about American Express: https://www.americanexpress.com/au/merchant/accept-amex-cards.html
ABOUT THE ARA: The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is the oldest, largest and most diverse national retail body, representing a $400bn sector that employs 1.3 million Australians. Learn more: retail.org.au
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
2 min
May 19, 2023Transforming the retail landscape
In this episode of Retail Therapy, ARA CEO Paul Zahra welcomes two successful entrepreneurs, Andrew Butt and Shobhit Shukla to the podcast studio. They discuss their respective businesses, Enable and Near, and their growing impact on the global retail industry.

This episode explores how technology addresses supply chain challenges and provides essential locational data to retailers.

Tune in to hear Paul, Andrew and Shobhit discuss:
Understanding the value of data-driven decision-making
The improvement of operations through innovative solutions
Influence of the 'Deal Economy' on retail
The impact of the pandemic on businesses
Opportunities for startups in the retail ecosystem
Important marketing data points
The role of data analytics in the omnichannel customer journey
Privacy concerns and data privacy in the retail industry
Learn more about American Express: https://www.americanexpress.com/au/merchant/accept-amex-cards.html
ABOUT THE ARA: The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is the oldest, largest and most diverse national retail body, representing a $400bn sector that employs 1.3 million Australians. Learn more: retail.org.au
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
34 min
May 05, 2023Leading with passion and purpose
In this episode of Retail Therapy, we welcome Nicole Sheffield, Managing Director at Wesfarmers OneDigital and the first female president of the Australian Retailers Association to the studio.
Nicole shares insights into her career trajectory, leadership inspirations, challenges in closing the gender equality gap, the importance of data and technology in retail, advice for aspiring executives, and predictions for the industry's future.
This episode offers valuable insights for anyone interested in navigating the rapidly changing retail landscape or has their sights set on leadership.
ARA CEO Paul Zahra and Nicole discuss:
Nicole's journey to Wesfarmers OneDigital
Breaking barriers and inspiring future leaders
Embracing data and technology in retail
Advice for aspiring female leaders and key focus areas
Tracking ROI in the digital environment
Assessing what's hype versus critical
Learn more about American Express: https://www.americanexpress.com/au/merchant/accept-amex-cards.html
ABOUT THE ARA: The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is the oldest, largest and most diverse national retail body, representing a $400bn sector that employs 1.3 million Australians. Learn more: retail.org.au
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
32 min
April 21, 2023Sustainability in retail is rife for innovation
In this next episode of Retail Therapy, we're chatting about the opportunities within sustainability innovation for retailers with Tom Ferrier, Founder of Greener.

Tom is a former IT professional, who hung up the suit and tie to develop Greener – a first-to-market solution to help small businesses understand and prioritise the steps they can take to reduce their carbon footprint.

Greener was awarded the #1 clean-tech start-up in Australia and is working to build a Green Economy - one in which every dollar spent is carbon neutral.

In this episode, Tom and ARA CEO Paul Zahra discuss:
How Greener supports SMB retailers to improve their sustainability credentials
How Australia is tracking in sustainability innovation in comparison to other countries
What great looks like at Greener
The next frontier of customer loyalty
The role the venture capital industry plays in innovation
Learn more about American Express: https://www.americanexpress.com/au/merchant/accept-amex-cards.html
ABOUT THE ARA: The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is the oldest, largest and most diverse national retail body, representing a $400bn sector that employs 1.3 million Australians. Learn more: retail.org.au
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
18 min
April 07, 2023Equal parts retailer and tech company
In this next episode of Retail Therapy, we're chatting about tech and innovation with Erica Berchtold, CEO of THE ICONIC.

THE ICONIC is one of the most successful online marketplaces in the country. The company is part of Global Fashion Group which is the leading fashion and lifestyle destination in many markets around the world.

THE ICONIC launched in 2011 and is one of Australia’s largest fashion, sports, beauty, kidswear and homewares destinations with over 1500 brands and 165,000 items.

Incredibly, THE ICONIC's Sydney-based Fulfilment Centre spans a 28,000 sqm footprint with 46,000 sqm of space, including one of the largest mezzanines and pick towers in the Southern Hemisphere. Erica Berchtold has led the business since 2019 and has seen many achievements since that time.

In this episode, Erica and ARA CEO Paul Zahra discuss:
What goes on behind the scenes in THE ICONIC's tech and digital strategy
The workplace skills of the future
The importance of agility
Using tech to support re-commerce
Delivering hyper-personalisation
Learn more about American Express: https://www.americanexpress.com/au/merchant/accept-amex-cards.html
ABOUT THE ARA: The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is the oldest, largest and most diverse national retail body, representing a $400bn sector that employs 1.3 million Australians. Learn more: retail.org.au
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
23 min
March 24, 2023Raising the bar for customer experience
In this episode of Retail Therapy, we’re joined by Janet Menzies, Country Manager of Amazon Australia. Janet has led the Amazon Australia team since 2021, presiding over substantial growth in that time as more and more people embraced shopping online during the pandemic.

While Amazon is one of the largest retailers on the planet, it only launched in Australia in 2017, but it’s grown to become a well-established business in our local retail community. Amazon is a leader in the tech and innovation space, making this episode a must-listen for any retailer.

In this episode of Retail Therapy, Janet and ARA CEO Paul Zahra discuss:
The challenges in establishing the Amazon brand here in Australia
Establishing a loyal customer base in a new country
Amazon's robotics fulfilment centre in Kemps Creek - the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and the largest warehouse ever built in Australia
The role of tech in delivering improvements to logistics networks
Amazon's mantra when it comes to next-day delivery
Making strong sustainability commitments across the business
Learn more about American Express: https://www.americanexpress.com/au/merchant/accept-amex-cards.html
ABOUT THE ARA: The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is the oldest, largest and most diverse national retail body, representing a $400bn sector that employs 1.3 million Australians. Learn more: retail.org.au
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
21 min
March 10, 2023 The next era of hair and beauty
In this episode of Retail Therapy, we’re joined by David Mannah, CEO of creative and marketing agency MDivision, and founder of the Australian Hair and Fashion Awards. Speaking with podcast host Paul Zahra, David shares his passion for all things hair and beauty and gives insights into the innovations happening in the industry.

David talks about his background and the founding of MDivision, a creative and marketing agency that has worked with leading brands in the hair and beauty industry, such as Loreal, Dyson, Revlon, and American Crew. He also discusses his motivation for founding the Australian Hair and Fashion Awards, the longest-running independent hairdressing awards program.

The conversation moves on to the challenges faced by the hair and beauty industry in Australia, particularly in terms of skill and labour shortages. David shares his thoughts on the solutions needed to address this issue and boost training and apprenticeships.

As a mentor to many young hairdressers, David also talks about the next generation of talent and how they are shaping up. And, he shares some insights into the digital trends in the industry, including changes in consumer behaviour and the industry's adaptation to these changes.

David Mannah’s passion for the hair and beauty industry is evident throughout this episode of Retail Therapy, and his dedication to the growth and development of the industry is truly inspiring.

Learn more about American Express: https://www.americanexpress.com/au/merchant/accept-amex-cards.html
ABOUT THE ARA: The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is the oldest, largest and most diverse national retail body, representing a $400bn sector that employs 1.3 million Australians. Learn more: retail.org.au
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
31 min
February 24, 2023Retail Innovation: Trends, Opportunities, and Challenges for Australia
In the latest episode of Retail Therapy, we have the pleasure of hosting two incredible women, Andrea Culligan and Melissa Dean from Deloitte, in our studio.

Andrea is an expert in Innovation, Ventures, and Ecosystems for Sustainability and Climate, with an extensive business background in tech, innovation, and startups across Canada and Australia. Meanwhile, Melissa has over 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur in digital transformation, customer experience, and technology, and currently serves as the National Retail, Wholesale, and Distribution Sector Lead. Both are trailblazers in their fields and are actively shaping the future of business.

In this episode, Paul, Andrea, and Melissa explore a range of topics, including;
The most exciting developments in retail innovation
The role of technology in tackling climate challenges
Upcoming global trends in retail and their implications for Australia
The importance of collaboration between startups and established retailers
The key opportunities and challenges for innovation in Australia
Learn more about American Express: https://www.americanexpress.com/au/merchant/accept-amex-cards.html
ABOUT THE ARA: The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is the oldest, largest and most diverse national retail body, representing a $400bn sector that employs 1.3 million Australians. Learn more: retail.org.au
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
35 min
February 10, 2023Inside the mind of a Global Innovation Evangelist
In this episode of Retail Therapy, we have the pleasure of hosting Brian Solis. Brian is a leading digital anthropologist and futurist, known for his expertise in digital transformation, customer experience, and innovation. He is currently the Global Innovation Evangelist at Salesforce, where he leverages his vast knowledge to drive thought leadership and research.

Join host Paul Zahra, CEO of ARA, to delve into Brian's unique perspectives on the ever-evolving retail industry. With over 700,000 followers on social media, Brian brings a wealth of insights and observations to the table, offering a glimpse into the future of retail.

Tune in to hear Brian and Paul discuss the following topics:
Brian's journey as a digital anthropologist and futurist
The role of ethics in shaping customer purchase decisions and how companies can stay ahead of the curve
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the future of retail, and the disconnect between older and younger customers
The significance of customer retention and the reimagination of customer loyalty
Addressing the growing digital divide and its impact on the workforce
Navigating the challenging economic landscape for retailers in the current climate.
Learn more about American Express: https://www.americanexpress.com/au/merchant/accept-amex-cards.html
ABOUT THE ARA: The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is the oldest, largest and most diverse national retail body, representing a $400bn sector that employs 1.3 million Australians. Learn more: retail.org.au
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
43 min
January 27, 2023Investing in digital infrastructure
Victor Dominello, NSW Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government is well regarded in the tech and innovation space and joins Retail Therapy to share his insights and experience leading the NSW State Government’s digital strategy for a number of years.
In this episode, Victor and ARA CEO Paul Zahra discuss:
Leading government through digital innovation
The evolution of the Service NSW app and its importance during Covid-19
Streamlining government services
National priorities when it comes to data, tech and innovation
Collaboration between government and start-ups
What’s next for Victor, in his life post-politics
Learn more about American Express: https://www.americanexpress.com/au/merchant/accept-amex-cards.html
ABOUT THE ARA: The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is the oldest, largest and most diverse national retail body, representing a $400bn sector that employs 1.3 million Australians. Learn more: retail.org.au
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
20 min