Talk of a recession, increasing inflation and a cost of living crisis might lead you to believe that retail was about to die off (again). In this episode of The Retail Tea Break podcast, I speak to an expert who has the inside story. Owen Clifford is Head of the Retail sector within Bank of Ireland, having previously held roles with PWC and Deloitte. His current aim is the continued development of Bank of Ireland’s retail growth strategy and is actively supporting leading retailers and stakeholders in the sector to grow and develop their business in a sustainable manner. This is a refreshingly honest look at the current state of retail and is full of hope and opportunity!

Each week on season 2 of The Retail Tea Break podcast, I’ve be joined by industry experts, retailers and product creators to decode the myths, share knowledge and give you a better insight into the retail industry. In this final episode of season 2, I give you a quick recap of key moments and share my thoughts on retailing in 2022.

So grab your cup of tea, sit back, relax and listen in.

Topics:

• A recap of season 2 of The Retail Tea Break podcast.

• My thoughts on the current retail situation.

As someone that has been fortunate enough to build a successful career in retail, I was delighted to talk to an educator who is supporting the future leaders of the retail industry. Dr. Oran Doherty from Retail Ireland Skillnet explains the important part that education and training plays. Given the difficult times we have faced over the last few years, Oran describes the value that the Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision and Degree in Retail Management Practice bring to both the employees and their employers. The customers are also benefiting from confident, knowledgeable retailers who are delivering excellence across all aspects of the sector. He is honest about the challenges facing the retail industry and is hopeful that with the help of Retail Ireland Skillnet both retailers and their teams can secure a bright future.

Topics:

• What is Retail Ireland Skillnet.

• Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision.

• Degree in Retail Management Practice.

• The importance of education for staff retention.

• Confidence and empowered staff.

I talk to a creative entrepreneur who has introduced children everywhere to an incredible little boy and his sister. Emma-Jane Leeson started the Johnny Magory business with a self-published book and now the brand includes everything from an app to a much anticipate animated series. Her aim is to educate children about Irish heritage and wildlife and to inspire children to get outside and explore. Emma-Jane is honest about how she lacked confidence when she started the business, but by investing in the product and herself she has grown personally and professionally. 2022 sees the brand entering the US market and she explains just how long that journey has taken…

In this episode, I grab a cuppa with someone that studies human behaviour; he says that understanding consumer decision making can enable companies to effectively serve customers better. Dr. Denis O’Hora is an accomplished lecturer with over 20 years’ experience in higher education. He is the Director of the Master of Science in Consumer Psychology, an Experimental Psychologist and a Behavioural Scientist. Denis paints an incredible picture of how you can turn consumers into paying customers, so grab that cup of tea, sit back and listen in!

The importance of #ShopLocal

I meet a women who along with her brothers and sisters, are continuing to run the family retail business that was started by their Grandmother. Tracy Phillips and her family own Phillips Shoes and Phillips Menswear in the West of Ireland. Having been in business for nearly 100 years, this family is at the very heart of the local community. Tracy describes the true meaning of customer service, that has been nurtured over the generations. Having grown both the physical and online parts of the business, Tracy imparts some excellent, honest advice so that you can do the same.

Topics:

• Tell us about you and your business
• Generations of retailing
• The community and shopping local
• Putting the service into customer service
• Facts, figures and expertise
• Plans for the next few months

I grab a cuppa with a retailer and maker who runs a coffee and gift shop on one of Ireland's most famous tourist trails. Caitríona and Kevin Considine founded Moher Cottage at St. Brigid’s Well beside the world-famous Cliffs of Moher. The destination store sells unique, local and Irish made crafts and gifts including award-winning coffee and artisan fudge (that is made in-house). Caitríona didn’t have any retail experience, but that didn’t stop her from starting the business after noticing a gap in the market. She describes how understanding the customers' needs while having a strong belief in herself propelled her on this amazing journey.

Topics:

• Tell us about you and your business
• Planning the coffee shop and store
• Becoming a retailer and maker
• Curating the range and making fudge
• Plans for the next few months

From founder of a luxury experiential store to Managing Director of an online platform with 180 million registered users worldwide. Sarah Curran-Usher is a multi-channel retail expert and her no nonsense approach is so refreshing. She discusses combining data driven consumer experience with human skills to ensure you build trust and loyalty with shoppers. There are so many takeaways from this episode that you’ll want to grab a notebook and pen!

Topics:

• Tell us about you and your retail background
• The start of E-Commerce and digital retail
• True Fit and the data driven experience
• The negative emotional connection
• Exciting plans for the next few months

I grab a cuppa with a couple who have created one of Ireland’s most successful interiors and lifestyle stores. Vanessa O’Brien and Kieran Malone from Vobe Interiors have an exceptionally strong physical and online retail presence. They discuss the challenges of running a store with an ever-changing collection, a social media following of a quarter of a million people and a website that sells stock 24 hours a day. At the heart of it all is the trust factor; they won’t sell to you for the sake of making a quick buck. This conversation is an honest look inside one of Ireland’s best retail examples.

Topics:

• Tell us about you and your backgrounds
• Running a successful physical and online store during a pandemic
• The demanding nature of eCommerce
• Sales vs Service, having the trust factor
• The challenges of building a loyal social media following
• Plans for the next few months