This week we're joined by Victoria Ward, a retail consultant at First Friday, who has almost three decades of merchandising experience. We discussed her journey to becoming head of merchandising at Tesco, the close relationship between buyers and merchandisers, and how stock and cash flow are two sides of the same coin.

This episode we meet Joe Wykes, CEO of Jollyes, the pet food and accessories retail chain. We discussed Joe's careers path up to and including his appointment as CEO of Jollyes, how the company reached £100m in turnover, how the company ethos creates great staff engagement and customer service, what he's learned about acquisitions and which Jim Carrey movie is his favourite. Michael Northcott is your host for this episode.

This week we spoke with Felicity Gain, business development manager for Smile Science Harley Street. We spoke about her career as a buyer for Harrods, Sainsbury's and Superdrug, among others; what it's like having worked on both sides of the buyer/supplier relationship; and how AI, technology and the sustainability expectations of consumers are changing the cosmetics retail landscape. This episode is sponsored by Avalara: https://www.avalara.com/eu/en/index.html

This week we speak with Simon Bell, The Co-Founder and COO of premium vegan fashion marketplace - Immaculate Vegan. We discussed the ins and outs of running a marketplace platform, how to forge successful relationships with brands and the ever-growing vegan retail market.

This week we’re joined by Alok Ruia, director of the iconic SOCKSHOP. Alok talks about his journey from teaching to his current role today, the dynamics of working within a family business, and the ways in which SOCKSHOP has revitalised its brand and revolutionised the sock game.

This episode we're joined by Wayne Hemingway and Maria Chenoweth, the Co-Founders of the UK’s first ever multi-charity shop - Charity Super.Mkt. We discussed the pair's unique and innovative approach to retail, the rise in second hand and social shopping and how they hope to develop the concept over the next few years.

This episode we're joined by Priya Chandé , Global Brand Director at the reusable period underwear brand WUKA. We talk about her extended time at L’Oreal and what she learned, her tips for securing investment as a startup and her plans for helping WUKA to evolve over the next few years.

This week we spoke with husband-and-wife team Jenniffer Gearheart-Tang and Drake Gearheart, co-founders of Makeke, a shop entertainment app focusing on local retailers. We spoke about how they approach the challenge of successfully targeting Gen Z's shoppers, how Makeke acts as a counterweight to centralized big e-commerce outfits, and why they think local indie retailers will be a springboard for global app success. This episode is sponsored by Avalara. https://www.avalara.com/eu/en/index.html

This week we're joined by Vix Leyton, Head of Content at Pepper.com and part-time stand-up comedian. We discuss her route into retail analytics, the big trends of 2023 and where the retail space is headed in 2024.

This week we speak to Diane Wehrle, the co-founder of retail footfall analytics firm Springboard. We discussed Diane’s journey, from founding Springboard in 2002 through to its acquisition by MRI Software in 2022, her thoughts on the changes in the retail industry in the intervening 20 years, and how some major retail chain failures are more about poor management than retail decline.

This week we speak with Steve Medway, the CEO of Knightsbridge Partnership & Kings Road Partnership, two Business Improvement Districts or ‘BIDs’, in London. He told us about what BIDs are for and what they can achieve for local retail areas, what the dynamics and challenges of running a BID are like, where he thinks the government could improve how BIDs operate, and what his thoughts are on the state and future prospects of the retail industry.

This week we are joined by Tony Preedy, the managing director of e-commerce marketplace Fruugo. We discussed how Fruugo helps remove the barriers for cross border trade for retailers, how discounting may not always be the best solution for when trying to move unsold stock and he provides his answer to the question left by last week’s guest.

This week we're joined by Charlotte Printie, head of commercial operations and supply chain at McColl's. With over 20 years of experience in retail, we spoke to Charlotte about her time at McColl's, including the Morrisons takeover, being a successful woman in retail and how to navigate supply chain issues in the industry.

This week we’re joined by Chris Griffin, CEO of online marketplace Secret Sales. Chris talks to us about how he disrupted the off-price sales market, how brands can benefit from Secret Sales’s unique model and why evolution is crucial for online marketplaces in the year ahead.

This week we are joined by Karen MacDonald, owner of natural beauty retailer Blomma Beauty. We discussed how her background in buying helped prepare her for launching her own business, the key to developing strong relationships with other brands and how small retailers can create interesting and exciting shopping experiences

On this week’s episode of Talking Shop we are joined by Helenor Gilmour, director of insights and strategy at kids insight consultancy Beano Brain. We discussed the methods Beano Brain uses to gain invaluable insight into Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s characteristics, how this translates to their purchases, and how best to prepare your brand for the younger consumer

This week we spoke with Tillie Peel, founder of the Pop Up club, which takes unused retail spaces and turns them into pop up venues for a collective of small retailers. We discussed how Tillie went from having her own pop up to founding the collective, how some of the small brands have found big success through the model, and how she selects new pop ups to come aboard from thousands of applications.

This week we’re joined by Charlotte Broadbent, the UK country lead for online wholesale marketplace, Faire. We discuss how Faire has revolutionised the wholesale game, the ways in which it supports independent retailers and brands, and what the future of the High Street looks like in the coming year.

This week we’re joined by Lex Deak, the founder of e-commerce app, Basket. In this episode we discuss his latest venture and how it is revolutionising how consumers track the products they desire, what its like taking a business from startup to exit, and how you should go about courting investors for your business.

This week we are joined by Jessica Hanley, founder of Piglet in Bed, the luxury bedding and homeware retailer. We discussed how important branding and marketing is when launching a new lifestyle brand, the process and intricacies of opening its first bricks and mortar stores, and how it plans to become a heritage brand of the future.

This week we speak with Stuart Russell, chief strategy officer at Plinc, a customer data technology company. We spoke about the changing nature of personalized customer communications and how retail marketeers are adapting, how Plinc can bring together a retailer's disparate data sources and produce insights that help the marketing team have maximum impact, and how AI looks set to revolutionize the space.

This episode we are joined by Nikolay Piriankov, the CEO of Bespoke Jeweller Taylor & Hart. We discussed his early entrepreneurial spirit and whether retail leaders are born or made, the challenges and opportunities of operating in a highly fragmented market and why retailers should not be solely focused on guaranteeing low returns.

This week we spoke with Theo Paphitis, owner of Rymans, Robert Dyas and Boux Avenue, who became a household name appearing as one of the famous Dragons on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den. We spoke about how he overcame dyslexia during his education, his early entrepreneurial career, his high street business empire, his experience owning Millwall FC, and how he can’t choose a favourite from his collection of cars.

This week we’re joined by Katie Owen, the founder of footwear company Sargasso & Grey. Katie talks about the process of turning a side hustle into a full-time business, the benefits of being your own boss, and her thoughts on the UK’s ladies footwear market. 

This week we are joined by Anna Uprichard, Vice President of Commerce for Blackhawk Network. We discussed how the £1trillion pound gift card market has developed over the years, how they can help drive customer acquisition, and how they may be an innovative solution to mitigating rising staff costs.

This week we spoke with Kate Ancketill, founder and CEO of GDR Creative Intelligence, a business futurist consultancy. We spoke about the global macro trends that affect retail and what they mean for a five year horizon, how the age of abundance is giving way to a reconstruction based around efficiency and AI based consumer experience, and why the successful retail firms of tomorrow needs sophisticated strategies from the off.

This week we are joined by Stefan Loncar, the founder of data analytics company Loncom Consulting. We discussed how Loncom has helped fashion brands with managing their inventory, common errors retailers often make with their data management, and how technological development may lead to even more opportunities for data-driven decision making.

This episode we’re joined by Sam Walker, the manager of independent, family-run department store Walker & Ling. He discusses the interesting history behind the building itself, how retailers can best engage with their local community, his approach to running a sustainable independent business, and the return of traditional stores to the high street.

This week we spoke with Jim Rudall, head of EMEA at Intuit Mailchimp. We spoke about his career in marcomms including founding his own consulting firm, how Intuit Mailchimp is incorporating AI into its toolset to help SMBs drive better customer comms than ever before, and how consumers’ expectations around email marketing have evolved over time.

This episode we are joined by Sarah Parham, founder of Sarah Verity Jewellery. We talked about the brand's interesting origins than can be traced back to afternoon tea in India, how a government mentor scheme helped her learn all she needed to run a successful retail business and why she believes the launch of her brands new TV channel may signify an opportunity for all retailers

This week we are joined by Josh Graham, the co founder and CMO of Airtime Rewards. We discussed how Josh identified a gap in the market for mobile strategies for retailers, how a literal elevator pitch helped the business find its feet in its early days and how technology will play an important role in bringing customers back to bricks and mortar stores.

Marcus Fox, CEO of Agile Retail, joins us this week to discuss what he learned during his 15 years at supermarket giant Sainsbury’s, how Agile helps retailers trial innovative solutions in order to figure out what their customers will want and need in the future and how the make up of physical stores may change in the coming years.

This episode we spoke with Nicky Lovell, head of outlets and retail business development, at Global Mutual, a real estate investor, operator and developer. We covered how outlet retail has developed since it emerged the 90s, how Global Mutual identifies opportunities, and turning outlet shopping into a family-focused destination for the benefit of the local community.

In this episode, we’re joined by Julian Bambridge, CEO of MPM Products. Julian discusses MPM’s unique offering and expansion into 49 global markets, the process of becoming a B Corp organisation and the symbiotic relationship between the business and its investors.

This week we’re joined by Nancy Zeffman, Co-Founder of sustainable clothing brand Cucumber Clothing. Nancy tells us about the experience of starting a business with a friend, the intelligent fabrics and sustainable practices she champions, and her Dragon's Den experience. 

This week we spoke with David Muldoon, vice president strategic advisory at MediaLink, a management consultancy which provides strategic media buying, PR, and creative options. We spoke about his 23-year career at Boots, what he learned about effective retail marketing across their seasonanal campaigns and TV advertising, what drives consumer engagement in the modern retail marketing setting, and how retailers should be thinking about the coming years.

This week we are joined by Clare Cryer, Vice President of Growth at Global innovation agency Outform. We discussed how Clare’s early work honed her focus on shopper psychology, the work Outform does with big retail clients designing and manufacturing solutions for their stores and how the role of the store may change when shaping the overall consumer experience.

This week we are joined by Melissa Minkow, director of Retail Strategy at global digital specialists CI&T. We discussed how CI&T works with retailers to solve a number of problems to help improve their efficiency, how AI is transforming the way consumers interact with retail stores - particularly in terms of store layouts and personalisation - and some of her own personal favourite retail experiences.

This week we are joined by Ishveen Jolly , the CEO and founder of OpenSponsorship, an influencer marketing management platform with a focus on working with Athletes, Teams, and Musicians. Ishveen told us about her journey from management consultant to sports agent and how that helped inspire her idea to make it easier for brands to partner with athletes. How she advises brands on what to consider when trying to maximise the potential of their campaigns and how influencer marketing differs between the US and the UK.

This week we are joined by Alexander Otto, Head of Corporate Relations, at Tradebyte and Richard Lim, CEO of Retail Economics. We discussed the findings from a joint report by Tradebyte and Retail economics on the impact of Brexit on UK retail, why some segments have fared better than others when it comes to exporting to the EU and their advice for retailers looking to make the jump and sell overseas.

This week we speak to Olly Johnson, co-founder of Valerie, a soon to launch Perimenopausal supplements and social community brand. We spoke about why pre-existing products in this space are seen as inadequate by the women they're aimed at, how Valerie intends to address this market of a billion women, and what the R&D process behind the brand looks like in practice.

On this episode of Talking Shop, we are joined by Fraser Smeaton, the founder of MorphCostumes – the company that seized upon the morphsuit craze of the late 2000s. In this episode, we discussed the crucial early stages that signified the businesses’ growth potential from a side hustle into a multi-million pound business, how he successfully diversified the firm’s product offering and his tips for managing a rapidly growing business.

On this episode of Talking Shop we are joined by Erin Brookes, Managing Director and Head of Retail and Consumer for Europe at Alvarez & Marsal. We discussed her career to date including her time as interim CMO at Debenhams, how she supports retail clients with turnaround and transformation programmes, and what she has learned thanks to her new role as non-executive director at Revolution Beauty.

This episode we are joined by Natalie Frow, managing director for retail at DHL Supply Chain UK. We discussed her role at DHL and how she manages its relationships with retailers, how technology is reshaping the logistics landscape and what is actually meant by the term smart warehousing, and how DHL has adapted its strategies in response to global disruptions.

This episode we spoke with spoke with Pete Champion, Director and Shareholder at I-Am Associates, a creative agency working across insights, strategy, digital, branding, interiors and architecture, serving retail and other sectors. We spoke about how consumers forge an emotional connection with good brands, how counterintuitive branding choices are often what makes a great retail experience, and how retailers are slowly getting better at integrating their in-store and online channels.

This episode we are joined by Claire Burrows, the founder of footwear brand Air & Grace. We talked about Claire’s difficulty in finding investment and her unusual solution, how she once had to make a mad dash to Portugal in order to pick up her stock in time to launch it at a consumer show and what advice she would give to others wanting to emulate her success.

In this week's episode we speak to Blair McVicar, Global Head of Customer Success at Proximity. Blair talks about the lessons learned during his time at David Jones in Australia (where he was the youngest store manager in its history), how Proximity’s tech and insights help retailers best engage with customers, and how creating a strong employee experience leads to higher customer satisfaction.

In this week’s episode, we are joined by Shahnila Rashid, founder and CEO of SR Retail Consultancy. We discussed her experience working in merchandising roles for a variety of retailers – from River Island to TK Maxx – and how merchandising has translated into her current work as a consultant for large corporate giants.

On this episode we are joined by Suzy McClintock, VP of Grocery and Retail at Deliveroo. We discussed Deliveroo’s current retail and grocery offering and how Suzy oversees its Hop rapid service and why on-demand delivery could help high street retailers reconnect with consumers who are looking for instant purchases.

This episode we are joined by Elaine Wrigley, Retail, Operations, and People Director at American Golf. We discussed some of her career highlights including launching M&S’ first ever stores in Greece, the changes American golf has made over the last 18 months to improve performance and the dos and don’ts when it comes to effective succession planning.