Retail Gets Real

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National Retail Federation
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1.3K - 2.2K listeners Neutral 4.5 rating 89 reviews 378 episodes USA
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Retail impacts everyone, everywhere, every day. Join the National Retail Federation for authentic, insightful conversations with the industry's most interesting people. Hear retail executives, industry experts, entrepreneurs and influencers discuss trends, their career stories and the future of retail. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

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Recent Hosts, Guests & Topics

Here's a quick summary of the last 5 episodes on Retail Gets Real.

Hosts

National Retail Federation

Previous Guests

Sonya Gafsi Oblisk
Sonya Gafsi Oblisk is the Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer for Whole Foods Market. With a strong background in retail, she has dedicated her career to understanding consumer needs and trends in the food industry. Oblisk is known for her innovative approach to merchandising and marketing, focusing on building trust with customers and ensuring high-quality sourcing of products. Her career journey includes various roles in the retail sector, where she has developed a passion for problem-solving and enhancing customer experiences.
Giovanni Zaccariello
Giovanni Zaccariello is the Senior Vice President of Global Visual Experience for Coach, a leading American fashion brand. With a strong background in visual merchandising, Zaccariello has played a pivotal role in shaping the brand's visual identity and storytelling approach. His career is marked by a commitment to innovation in retail experiences, and he is known for his insights into consumer engagement and the evolution of visual merchandising. Zaccariello's journey includes significant milestones that have influenced his professional trajectory, and he is an advocate for taking risks and following one's instincts in the fast-paced retail environment.
Rachel Hardy
Rachel Hardy is the Director of Consumer Product Marketing at Pinterest, where she focuses on strategies to engage and inspire users through personalized content. With a background in marketing and consumer behavior, Rachel has played a pivotal role in shaping Pinterest's approach to capturing a diverse and engaged audience. Her career journey includes various roles in marketing and product development, where she has leveraged her expertise to drive growth and innovation in the digital space.
Rick Gomez
Rick Gomez is the Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Target. He has a distinguished career in retail, where he has played a pivotal role in shaping Target's merchandising strategy and enhancing customer experience. With a focus on consumer trends and shopping habits, Gomez has been instrumental in driving Target's success in the competitive retail landscape. His career journey includes various leadership roles that have equipped him with insights into the evolving nature of retail and consumer behavior.

Topics Discussed

Whole Foods merchandising customer service food trends trust high-quality sourcing career journey problem-solving retail industry visual storytelling visual merchandising Coach consumer engagement risk-taking Pinterest personalized content consumer product marketing emerging trends mobile spending AI optimization personalized shopping consumer behaviors retail challenges retail opportunities consumer-first strategy merchandising strategy consumer trends shopping habits career lessons
Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on Retail Gets Real.

0:00 24:49

380. How Vera Bradley transformed a legacy brand

Vera Bradley, the beloved purse, travel and accessory retailer, recently refreshed their brand look and strategy to increase brand awareness and expand their consumer profile. Vera Bradley’s CEO, Jackie Ardrey, joins us to discuss the brand’s transformation, the Vera Bradley customer and how the company stays ahead in the ever-evolving retail industry. She also shares what she loves most about working in retail and her impactful career advice.

(00:00:00) Introductions

(00:00:39) Highlights of the NRF Big Show

(00:01:39) Ardrey’s career background

(00:07:50) The pace of change in retail

(00:09:30) Vera Bradley’s transformation journey

(00:15:05) Balancing brand loyalty with an expanding customer base

(00:17:49) Facing the unpredictability of consumers

(00:21:39) Ardrey’s best career advice

The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association.

Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed.

Resources:

• verabradley.com

• Get ready for Retail’s Big Show in NYC

• Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association

• Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org

• Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy

• Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com

Related:

• What to know about the consumer in 2025

Produced by Crate Media.

0:00 24:12

379. Whole Foods’ holistic approach to merchandising and customer service

Hosts
National Retail Federation
Guests
Sonya Gafsi Oblisk
Keywords
Whole Foods merchandising customer service food trends trust high-quality sourcing career journey problem-solving retail industry

Whole Foods places its whole focus on serving and nourishing its shoppers. Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, chief merchandising and marketing officer for Whole Foods Market, joins us to talk about how Whole Foods stays ahead of food trends, builds trust with its customers and leads the industry in high-quality sourcing. She also shares her career journey, what she loves most about working in merchandising and marketing, and her approach to problem-solving in the retail industry.

(00:00:00) Introductions

(00:01:31) Oblisk’s career journey

(00:05:45) Why Oblisk loves merchandising & marketing

(00:08:11) Getting to know the Whole Foods customer

(00:11:10) Leading in trends and quality control

(00:13:11) What’s next for Whole Foods in 2025

(00:19:45) Oblisk’s best career advice

The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association.

Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed.

Resources:

• wholefoodsmarket.com

• Find out more about Retail’s Big Show in NYC

• Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association

• Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org

• Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy

• Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com

Related:

• 10 retail experiences you shouldn't miss in New York City

0:00 25:52

378. How Coach captivates consumers with visual storytelling

Hosts
National Retail Federation
Guests
Giovanni Zaccariello
Keywords
visual storytelling visual merchandising Coach career journey consumer engagement risk-taking

Coach is a visionary of visual storytelling and experiences. Giovanni Zaccariello, SVP of global visual experience for Coach, joins us to discuss the evolution of visual merchandising and how he tells Coach’s story to a global audience. He also shares the moment that changed his career trajectory and his advice for taking risks and following your gut.

(00:00:00) Introductions

(00:01:27) Zaccariello’s career journey

(00:07:17) The evolution of visual merchandising

(00:10:25) Telling the coach story

(00:13:55) Zaccariello’s proudest career moment

(00:19:09) Zaccariello’s lessons and future learnings

The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association.

Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed.

Resources:

• coach.com

• linkedin.com/in/giovannizaccariello

• Learn more about Retail’s Big Show in NYC

• Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association

• Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org

• Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy

• Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com

Related:

• 10 retail experiences you shouldn’t miss in New York City

0:00 27:42

377. How Pinterest wins with personalized content

Hosts
National Retail Federation
Guests
Rachel Hardy
Keywords
Pinterest personalized content consumer product marketing emerging trends mobile spending AI optimization personalized shopping consumer behaviors retail challenges retail opportunities

Consumers turn to Pinterest for inspiration on everything from design and fashion to meal prep and so much more. Rachel Hardy, director of consumer product marketing for Pinterest, joins us to share how the brand captures such a wide and engaged audience. We explore the consumer outlook and emerging trends for 2025, including mobile spending, AI optimization and personalized shopping.

(00:00:00) Introductions

(00:01:26) Pinterest’s young and engaged audience

(00:03:04) Hardy’s career journey

(00:06:20) Emerging consumer behaviors

(00:12:16) Pinterest predicts 2025 trends

(00:15:11) Retail challenges and opportunities for 2025

(00:21:24) Hardy’s learnings and inspirations

The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association.

Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed.

Resources:

• pinterest.com

• Learn more about Retail’s Big Show in NYC

• Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association

• Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org

• Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy

• Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com

Related:

• Retail trends to watch in 2025

• What to know about the consumer in 2025

Produced by Crate Media.

0:00 19:58

376. How Target’s consumer-first strategy drives success

Hosts
National Retail Federation
Guests
Rick Gomez
Keywords
consumer-first strategy merchandising strategy consumer trends shopping habits career lessons

Target hits the bullseye when it comes to serving its customers. Rick Gomez, Target’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer, joins us to talk about Target’s winning merchandising strategy, his favorite consumer trends and how shopping habits have evolved in recent years. He also shares the biggest lessons he’s learned in his illustrious career.

(00:00:00) Introductions

(00:01:19) Gomez’s career journey

(00:06:18) His most challenging and rewarding moments

(00:08:58) The secrets behind Target’s magic merchandising

(00:12:51) Top retail trends

(00:15:04) Shifts in consumer shopping habits

(00:17:01) Gomez’s best career advice

The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association.

Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed.

Resources:

• target.com

• Learn more about Retail’s Big Show in NYC

• Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association

• Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org

• Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy

• Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com

Related:

• How Target’s people-first culture and leadership programs are driving success

• Off-site retail marketing takes off

Ratings
Global:
4.5 rating 89 reviews
USA
4.6 ratings 83 reviews
Canada
3.6 ratings 5 reviews
UK
5.0 ratings 1 reviews
Ireland
0.0 ratings 0 reviews
Australia
0.0 ratings 0 reviews
New Zealand
0.0 ratings 0 reviews
Singapore
0.0 ratings 0 reviews
South Africa
0.0 ratings 0 reviews