This Thanksgiving, recognize the contributions that bring retail to life. When I think of retail in November, I think of Thanksgiving, and the many people whose contributions give us reason to be grateful. Every purchase connects the seasonal associate who assisted the customer to the buyer who selected the product, the planner who anticipated demand,…

Read More

Key Takeaways Holiday retail readiness goes beyond staffing. Retail leaders need to ensure both new hires and experienced employees have the skills, confidence, and preparation to deliver results during peak season. Prioritize hands-on training and coaching. Give new hires time to practice essential skills, receive real-time feedback, and apply what they learn on the sales…

Read More

Key Takeaways Being fully staffed doesn’t necessarily mean being fully prepared. Even when headcount seems sufficient, peak season can expose gaps in employee capability, leadership, coaching, and scheduling. Shift from staffing planning to talent planning. Instead of focusing only on how many people you need, assess whether you have the right skills, leadership capacity, and…

Read More

What a disrupted vacation taught me about retail leadership, customer experience, and leading through change The best leadership lessons don’t always come from the boardroom. Sometimes they come from a river cruise that runs out of river. When circumstances change unexpectedly, leaders can’t always control the problem, but they can control how they respond. They…

Read More

Summer may feel like a brief pause in the retail calendar, but experienced leaders know better. While customers are squeezing in vacations and enjoying the last weeks of summer, retail leaders are already looking ahead. Back-to-school is ramping up, Halloween merchandise is arriving, holiday hiring is around the corner, and, before long, stores will be…

Read More

As we celebrate Independence Day, I’ve been thinking about a different kind of independence: leadership independence. What is true leadership? At its core, it’s about developing people so they’re ready to step up when you’re not there. That means the ultimate measure of your leadership isn’t how well they’re performing when you’re around. It’s whether and…

Read More

May is Mental Health Month in the United States, and it has me thinking about some of the unique stresses and demands that come with the territory if you’re in our industry. While all types of businesses are facing challenges in today’s environment, retail and service professionals in particular have spent years adapting to staffing…

Read More

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. Field Leadership Summits are hosted…

Read More

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…

Read More

It’s that time of year when retailers nationwide are hunched over clipboards, scanning every SKU, closing the books on 2025, and optimizing inventory for what’s ahead. We do this every year because inventory — whether it’s fashion, electronics, or essentials — directly impacts profitability and customer experience. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to…

Read More