In episode 506 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Kathy Gagliano, executive vice president of merchandising at Books-A-Million, the second largest bookstore retailer operating more than 220 stores in the United States. The discussion begins with the history of the company, dating all the way back to 1917 (0:55). According to Gagliano, the…

In episode 505 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Tim Parr, founder of Caddis, a cultural lifestyle and eyewear brand boldly celebrating the 40-plus community. Parr shares that he launched Caddis after seeing a cultural and marketing void around aging consumers (3:30). He argues Gen X and older customers are overlooked despite significant…

In episode 504 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Matt Navarro, global president of Stanley 1913, the iconic global lifestyle brand synonymous with premium food and beverage innovation, operated by PMI WW Brands. The discussion begins with talk about Stanley's evolution into a global lifestyle brand (2:00). Navarro explains Stanley's strategy to diversify…

In episode 503 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Marianna Sachse, founder and CEO of Jackalo, the first circular childrenswear brand focused on creating durable, eco-friendly apparel. Sachse describes her inspiration for founding the brand — a difficulty finding comfortable, sustainable, long-lasting pants and hand-me-downs for kids four and older (2:00). She details…

In episode 502 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Mike Hayes, chief commercial officer, Americas at Newell Brands, a leading global consumer products company with a large portfolio of iconic brands such as Graco®, Coleman®, Oster®, Rubbermaid®, and Sharpie®. The discussion begins with Hayes sharing the company's strategic vision behind creating the Customer…

In episode 501 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Nick Lezin, senior vice president of e-commerce and marketing at Ashley, an American home furnishings manufacturer and retailer. Lezin expands on Ashley's strategy for launching a fully transactional shopping experience through artificial intelligence platform Perplexity (1:20), along with the unmet customer needs that its…

We’re excited to share a major milestone for Total Retail Talks: the release of our 500th episode! Since launching the podcast in 2015, we’ve spent more than a decade speaking with hundreds of leading retail executives. We've uncovered insights into the strategies shaping the industry. To mark this moment, our 500th episode features curated clips…

In episode 499 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Mike Natenshon, founder and CEO of apparel brand Marine Layer. Beginning from his desire to re-create a favorite worn-out college T-shirt to founding a successful brand known for high-quality, custom fabrics, Natenshon breaks down Marine Layer's milestones. From opening its first retail store (2:00)…

In episode 498 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Isha Nicole, senior vice president of creative and marketing at Boot Barn, America's largest western and workwear retailer. Tune in as Nicole provides an overview of Boot Barn and her role (1:20) as well as discusses the rise and influence of Americana style (2:15)…

In episode 497 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Rene Federico, head of marketing for the U.S. at Primark, a global  fashion retailer founded and based in Dublin, Ireland. Listen in as Federico discusses Primark's growth in the U.S., focusing on marketing strategies to support this expansion (2:25). She details her role at…