In retail, change is constant. Always has been, always will be. We must keep up, evolve, and stay competitive with the ever-changing demands and requests of our customers. As new fiscal years begin, retail organizations are notorious for launching fresh initiatives—new strategies, updated processes, technology rollouts, merchandising resets, and operational improvements. These changes are often necessary…

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St. Patrick’s Day is often associated with luck—four-leaf clovers, pots of gold, and lucky charms. But when it comes to leading successful retail teams, luck usually has very little to do with it. What Some People Call “Luck” in Retail Leadership When stores perform well, you might hear people say things like: “They’re lucky to…

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Each March we have the opportunity to pause and celebrate the contributions, leadership, and resilience of women across industries. In retail especially, women have long been the backbone of the workforce, from the sales floor to the C-suite, and their leadership continues to shape the future of our industry. This celebration is especially meaningful to…

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I have had so much fun this month interviewing some of our clients on how they got into retail, what they loved about the industry in the beginning, and what keeps their passion churning for retail after all these years. Thank you to Chris Freeman from Michaels, Jillian Wiese from Cavender’s and Paul DeSousa, recently…

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Valentine’s Day in retail is fast, emotional, and often last-minute-for customers and teams alike. It’s also a great sales boost to beat the winter blues in the month of February. According to the NR’s annual survey, consumer spending on this year’s expression of affection is expected to increase 5.7% to a record $29.1 billion, with…

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As we step into November, I always find myself reflecting on why Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I think it’s because it represents the calm before the storm — the brief, grounding moment when the world feels a little quieter, the pace feels manageable, and gratitude takes center stage. (Of course, my grocery…

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“Right people/right product.” From my beginnings in retail, that was the mantra I always heard. Everyone knew it was the winning formula for retail. And I remember it being exciting and challenging as the merchant and store operations teams worked together to steer us towards common goals and consistent execution. Reflecting back on it now,…

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By Matt Brown and Mary Beth Garcia As artificial intelligence transforms every corner of the retail landscape from inventory forecasting to customer analytics, one factor remains beyond its reach: the unique human ability to connect, empathize, and inspire. Technology can crunch numbers, predict demand, and automate tasks, but it can’t read subtle cues, build trust,…

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The Power of Leadership, Accountability, and Reinforcement Here’s a pattern that plays out all too often in retail: Teams come out of a training workshop energized, motivated, and ready to apply what they’ve learned. Senior leaders feel good about the investment and expect there will be tangible impact in the business to show for it,…

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The long days of summer are beginning to wane. Maybe you’re just back from vacation or you’re about to head out and log off for a week or two. Or perhaps one or several of your critical team members are taking time off and you’re taking on more of the burden while they are away.…

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