What happens when AI isn’t built for people—but with them?

In this episode of Retail Intelligence in Action, sponsored by Microsoft, Ron Thurston sits down with Dave Glick, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Business Services at Walmart, for a rare inside look at one of the most ambitious, people-led AI transformations happening anywhere in retail.

Dave shares how Walmart is building AI capabilities at true enterprise scale—creating tools and platforms that empower campus associates today and ultimately support more than 1.5 million associates across the business. But this conversation isn’t about automation for efficiency’s sake. It’s about agency, ownership, and removing the friction that keeps people from doing their best work.

You’ll hear how Walmart is deploying:

1. Super agents that act as a single front door to work—routing tasks, knowledge, and workflows intelligently
2. Nano agents—small, purpose-built tools often created by associates themselves to solve real, everyday problems
3. AI-powered capabilities like real-time translation, intelligent prioritization, and workflow automation

One of the most powerful insights in this episode is how adoption actually happens. Instead of pushing new technology onto teams, Walmart created tools people pulled into their work—driving organic adoption, rapid iteration, and genuine enthusiasm. From late-night “vibe coding” sessions fueled by Diet Coke to hackathons where non-engineers build agents in minutes, Dave illustrates how culture—not code—determines success.

The conversation also explores how Walmart balances speed with responsibility. Rather than slowing innovation through fear, the company leaned into clear guardrails, trusted governance, and a shared belief that the biggest risk is moving too slowly. This mindset allows teams to learn fast, improve fast, and scale what works.

While Dave’s focus is enterprise operations, the impact reaches customers in a meaningful way. By reducing friction, eliminating root causes, and lowering operational costs, Walmart strengthens its Everyday Low Price promise—proving that associate empowerment and customer value are deeply connected.

At its core, this episode is a case study in what’s possible when technology and HUMAN PRIDE move together—and why the future of retail will belong to leaders who build AI that elevates people, not replaces them.

Key Takeaways:

1. Walmart is scaling AI in a way that restores agency and ownership to associates
2. Over 6,000 associates have been trained to build and deploy AI-driven solutions
3. Super agents and nano agents are transforming how work gets done—without overwhelming users
4. Real transformation happens when technology is pulled by teams, not pushed by leadership
5. Human-centered AI can drive efficiency, engagement, and long-term customer value simultaneously

Voices from the Frontline: AI in Action: Episode 2, Part 2

In this episode of Voices from the Frontline: AI in Action, host Ron Thurston takes listeners inside the Microsoft Experience Center in New York City, where frontline work, customer experience, and AI-powered tools come together in real time.

Recorded on the retail floor at the Microsoft Experience Center, this conversation goes behind the counter to show how frontline teams are using technology not to replace human connection — but to strengthen it.

You’ll hear directly from Jasmine, a frontline leader, as she walks through how tools like Microsoft Teams, Dynamics 365, and Copilot work together to remove friction from daily work. From live inventory requests and mobile POS to appointment scheduling and service support, this episode shows how AI helps associates stay present with customers — without breaking the conversation or leaving the floor.

Key moments include:

1. How real-time “live requests” keep associates connected while serving customers
2. How Copilot summarizes appointment history so customers never have to repeat their story
3. How AI-generated notes save time and reduce administrative burden
4. How intelligent agents support onboarding, training, and process consistency
5. Why speed, clarity, and confidence matter most on the frontline

This episode also explores the employee experience — showing how AI tools support new hires, enable multimodal learning, and help frontline teams stay organized during high-volume, high-pressure moments.

The takeaway is clear:

AI isn’t replacing frontline teams — it’s elevating them.

When technology works quietly in the background, people can focus on what matters most: serving customers, solving problems, and creating meaningful human connection.

This is what Retail Intelligence in Action really looks like — not in theory, but on the floor, in the moment, with real people.

🎙️ Featuring frontline insights from Microsoft

1. 📍 Recorded at the Microsoft Experience Center, NYC

Welcome to RETAIL IN AMERICA!

This podcast is part of The RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, my year-long journey to discover incredible retail heroes all across the country, celebrating our retail culture, community, and careers. Go to retailpride.com or IG @retail pride to see it all, including past podcast episodes, playlists, and future cities on tour.

Kit Campoy is a retail leader turned freelance writer and one of the most prominent voices for frontline retail teams on LinkedIn.

After graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Merchandising, she wanted nothing to do with retail management and had aspirations of being a stylist on photo shoots. 

Then, a funny thing happened; she realized that she was good at leadership and liked it.

A move to San Diego landed her at Old Navy. A two-story behemoth where she was hired to plan shipments/merchandise, then a transition to PacSun, where she learned retail leadership 101. She quickly moved to a Store Manager position and worked for the company for five years.

A jump to Lucky Brand, then Anthropologie, and finally, Tilly's Store Manager, Carlsbad, at the Forum for nine years. Running that building with hundreds of people over the years and close partnerships with vendors and leaders at the home office was the honor & privilege of her career. 

She ultimately left retail in February 2022 and is now a solo entrepreneur who does freelance writing and ghostwriting and writes two weekly newsletters. You can find her on LinkedIn daily, advocating for retail leaders and frontline employees. 

You can connect with Kit on LinkedIn, DeSo, and Twitter. Give hustle-culture a break, and join her weekly newsletter Traveling Money and Kit writes personal essays on Medium. 

Thank you to the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC  is a Frontline Employee Experience Platform. It's an all-in-one mobile app that provides Retail leaders and their frontline teams with inclusive communications, mobile learning, and digitized task management - all in the flow of work.

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omnichannel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello.  

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road!

The RETAIL IN AMERICA podcast team includes:

Producer Roi Perets

Audio Engineer Dean Albak

Cover Image shot by Duke Winn

Welcome to RETAIL IN AMERICA!

This podcast is part of The RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, my year-long journey to discover incredible retail heroes all across the country, celebrating our retail culture, community, and careers. Go to retailpride.com or IG @retail pride to see it all, including past podcast episodes, playlists, and future cities on tour.

This conversation was recorded live in our Airstream in San Diego, CA, with Tony Drockton, Founder and self-proclaimed Chief Cheerleader of Hammitt, a genuine American luxury brand based in Los Angeles.

A lifelong entrepreneur, beginning with an MBA from Bowling Green in his home state of Ohio, Tony established his pattern of success early, through his start-ups in the construction and finance industries, before moving into this crazy fashion business.

Tony took the reins at Hammitt in 2008, overseeing its transformation from a best-kept hometown secret to a digital and retail phenomenon.

Tony is a philanthropist, speaker, mentor, and lifelong entrepreneur, but mostly, he loves experiencing the zest and wonder of life and brings all of that to this conversation. Enjoy! 

A huge thank you to the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC  is a Frontline Employee Experience Platform. It’s an all-in-one mobile app that provides Retail leaders and their frontline teams with inclusive communications, mobile learning, and digitized task management - all in the flow of work.

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello.  

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road!

The RETAIL IN AMERICA podcast team includes:

Producer Roi Perets

Audio Engineer Dean Albak

Cover Image shot by Duke Winn

Welcome to RETAIL IN AMERICA!

This podcast is part of The RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, my year-long journey to discover incredible retail heroes all across the country, celebrating our retail culture, community, and careers. Go to retailpride.com or IG @retail pride to see it all, including past podcast episodes, playlists, and future cities on tour.

This is a very entertaining episode because we are not recording in the Airstream; we are live in the design studio for WiesMade in Napa Valley, CA because I wanted to see the roots of the operation - and it's literally a historic barn behind Nic's home! 

Nic Wiessler didn't start his career as the founder of the premium denim and knitwear brand WiesMade. Because before he was even considering launching his brand, he was a very successful retail leader for over 20 years with some of the country's most exciting and innovative companies. 

It started at GAP, where he ran the stock room at his local store. When Nic graduated college, he took on other leadership roles in retail with Lucky Brand and later as the District Manager in Northern California for Restoration Hardware (RH). In 2009 he took on a DM role with Cole Haan and ultimately became the Head of Retail, overseeing 90 stores as they de-coupled from Nike. 

Nic joined me at Bonobos in 2014 as part of a team that built it from a scrappy small group of 10 stores into a large 42-store fleet. Most recently, he was in the Director of Retail role at Guideboat, where he spent time in the design room working with their lux outdoor apparel line. 

After two years of work, he will launch his brand WiesMade this month, which exclusively sources every piece from "dirt to denim" in the USA, and Nic is now working directly with two mills to develop his own fabrics for his brand.

Nic is a Northern California native, went to school at Sonoma State University, and enjoys everything the beauty of the Northern California coast has to offer, including free diving, spearfishing, and surfing. 

Enjoy the episode, and please support Nic as he launches his new brand by subscribing at https://wiesmade.com

A huge thank you to the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast: 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

The RETAIL IN AMERICA podcast team includes:

Producer Roi Perets

Audio Engineer Dean Albak

Cover Image shot by Duke Winn

Welcome to RETAIL IN AMERICA!

This podcast is part of The RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, my year-long journey to discover incredible retail heroes all across the country, celebrating our retail culture, community, and careers. Go to retailpride.com or IG @retail pride to see it all, including past podcast episodes, playlists, and future cities on tour.

This is an extraordinary episode filled with incredible takeaways from my great friend, Ted Harrington.

Ted has many titles, including the #1 best-selling author of HACKABLE, the Tech Done Different podcast host, and the Executive Partner at Independent Security Evaluators (ISE), the company of ethical hackers famous for hacking cars, medical devices, web applications, and password managers. Ted and his company have helped hundreds of companies fix tens of thousands of security vulnerabilities, including Google, Amazon, and Netflix.

Ted has been featured in over 100 media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and Forbes. His team also founded and organizes IoT Village, an event whose hacking contest is a three-time DEF CON Black Badge winner.

And just last month, he delivered his first TedTalk!

But most importantly, he’s a man with great wisdom that he generously shared with me as we sat together a recent morning while the Airstream was parked in Malibu.

Don’t miss this conversation, as you may discover you’re a hacker too!

A huge thank you to the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast:

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

The RETAIL IN AMERICA podcast team includes:

Producer Roi Perets

Audio Engineer Dean Albak

Cover Image shot by Duke Winn

Welcome to RETAIL IN AMERICA!

This podcast is part of The RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, my year-long journey to discover incredible retail heroes all across the country, celebrating our retail culture, community, and careers. Go to retailpride.com or IG @retail pride to see it all, including past podcast episodes, playlists, and future cities on tour.

Today I am LIVE from the Airstream in Malibu, California, with Misti Blasko, the President of North America for All Saints and John Varvatos, and John Gregory, the Global Retail category Development Officer for Spotify.

Misti Blasko and I were introduced early last year through Kristen Conklin, who was guest number 1 on this podcast. She is a big fan of RETAIL PRIDE and wanted us to meet, and here we are!

John Gregory and I also met in early 2021; he interviewed me for the internal teams at Spotify Advertising about how to speak to retail executives in the selling process. He was an early advocate of my mission for the Retail in America Tour, and Spotify Advertising is now a title sponsor of my tour.

Please enjoy the conversation, it’s a great one, and contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello!

The RETAIL IN AMERICA podcast team includes:

Producer Roi Perets

Audio Engineer Dean Albak

Cover Image shot by Duke Winn

A huge thank you to the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

Enjoy the show!

Welcome to RETAIL IN AMERICA!

This podcast is part of The RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, my year-long journey to discover incredible retail heroes all across the country, celebrating our retail culture, community, and careers. Go to retailpride.com or IG @retail pride to see it all, including past podcast episodes, playlists, and future cities on tour.

Today I am LIVE from the Airstream in Palo Alto, California, with Jill Grande, a Senior Director with Tiffany & Co.

Jill grew up in fashion because on Sunday mornings, when the other kids watched cartoons, she watched runway shows! She has led teams as small as 6 to groups of over 50, turning the poorest-performing businesses into record-breaking powerhouses.

Jill has traveled the world developing teams, diagnosed pain points in the fashion industry's most essential flagships, and proudly built fashion's biggest names alongside some of the industry's greatest leaders.

Full disclosure, Jill and I have known each other for over 12 years! I was the newly hired DM for Tory Burch for the west coast, and she was the GM of the store in Valley Fair Mall. Jill went on to open the Flagship on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, and I recruited her to work for me again at Saint Laurent as the Store Director of Valley Fair Mall, back where it all began. 

Today, she is the Senior Director at Tiffany & Co. at Stanford in Palo Alto, California.

In 2019 also asked Jill to be a contributor to RETAIL PRIDE, and I'm proud to have been able to include her wisdom. You will no doubt hear how our connection and friendship run deep. 

Please enjoy the show and contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello!

And a huge thank you to the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

The RETAIL IN AMERICA podcast team includes:

Producer Roi Perets

Audio Engineer Dean Albak

Cover Image shot by Duke Winn

Welcome to RETAIL IN AMERICA!

This podcast is part of The RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, my year-long journey to discover incredible retail heroes all across the country, celebrating our retail culture, community, and careers. Go to retailpride.com or IG @retail pride to see it all, including past podcast episodes, playlists, and future cities on tour.

What do being in a rock band, coffee, craft beer, and sustainable outdoor apparel have in common? Josh Hagquist will tell you! We spoke together in my Airstream at an RV park south of downtown Portland, and he is a man full of wisdom about life and leadership.

Josh Hagquist is the Head of Retail for prAna, based out of San Diego. We were introduced to each other because prAna is one of the emerging brands under the Columbia Sportswear umbrella and a customer of KWI.

A bit about Josh; after college, he plunged into the music world to tour, put out records, travel with his friends, and follow his passion for all things music almost exclusively for six years. He then landed with Starbucks and said he was" lucky to have some fantastic mentors and leaders who helped shape my ethos surrounding the customer experience and team building."

After Starbucks, he worked for almost ten years with Stone Brewing, managing multiple locations, building high-performing teams, and telling the Stone story to hundreds of thousands of patrons. His retail and life journey brought him to prAna in 2021, where their passion for the outdoors and sustainability was something that resonated with him.

You will hear how he still puts out records, plays the occasional show, and loves to make music. He is also an avid hiker, backpacker, and explorer, usually found on a random trail or remote road somewhere with his camera looking for obscure historical stuff! Enjoy the conversation.

Follow Josh @j_hagquist and his music at @thebeautifulmistakeband and @saintvalletta and @stranger_kings

Please enjoy the conversation, and contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello!

The RETAIL IN AMERICA podcast team includes:

Producer Roi Perets

Audio Engineer Dean Albak

Cover Image shot by Duke Winn

A huge thank you to the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

Welcome to RETAIL IN AMERICA!

This podcast is part of The RETAIL IN AMERICA Tour, my year-long journey to discover incredible retail heroes all across the country, celebrating our retail culture, community, and careers. Go to retailpride.com or IG @retail pride to see it all, including past podcast episodes, playlists, and future cities on tour.

I'm excited to be back live with guests as we make our way down the West Coast for the next couple of months. Today, we are sitting together in my Airstream, parked in northern Seattle on Lake Pleasant. It's a gorgeous setting in this vibrant city.

Dayna Brown is a native Californian like I am, raised in LA, working for over a decade in what she considers a career defined by retail, but it has led to so much more.

She went into retail sales because of her love for apparel and styling, but what she found along the way was a career inspired by how to help people feel good in their skin, help find out who they are in the world, and own it.

She has spent time with businesses, including Nordstrom, Bonobos, BCBG, and The Collected Group, until she had the opportunity to diversify and challenge her fashion background with EVO in the outdoor industry. Today, she is the Senior District Manager for this Seattle-based company.

And lastly, a huge thank you to the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

Please enjoy the conversation, and contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello!

The RETAIL IN AMERICA podcast team includes:

Producer Roi Perets

Audio Engineer Dean Albak

Cover Image shot by Duke Winn

Welcome to RETAIL IN AMERICA!

This podcast is part of The RETAIL IN AMERICA Tour, my year-long journey to discover incredible retail heroes all across the country, celebrating our retail culture, community, and careers. Go to retailpride.com or IG @retail pride to see it all, including past podcast episodes, playlists, and future cities on tour.

Today I am in West Glacier, Montana, as we wrap up our time here this week, and I have wanted to have this conversation with Keith Moneymaker since the tour began; he is an incredibly inspirational man. When I think about retail heroes positively impacting others and their communities, you will hear that Keith is one of those people.

About two years ago, Keith and I were introduced by Mark Kinsley and Mark Quinn, Dos Marcos. Their book, Come back to Bed about the mattress industry and how to deliver outstanding service and results from the same publisher as my book. We quickly became friends, I have been a guest on their podcast twice, and they knew I needed to meet Keith!

Keith Moneymaker calls himself the President, Founder, and DREAM MAKER at Sweet Dreams Mattresses and More in North Carolina, and he is the founder of the Dreams4All Foundation.

Keith says that "too many people living in poverty or struck by tragedy struggle to find a place to sleep night-to-night. By customers donating their used mattresses when they're ready to buy a new one, you start the process of giving someone a place to sleep."

He is also the father of 3 boys, and there's a great story there that you don't want to miss.

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello.

The RETAIL IN AMERICA podcast team includes:

Producer Roi Perets

Audio Engineer Dean Albak

Cover Image shot by Duke Winn

A huge thank you to the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

Hello! This is Ron Thurston, the best-selling author of RETAIL PRIDE, and I am on the phone today with Nadine Huebel to learn all about the heroes of the travel retail industry.

Welcome to Retail In America! 

This podcast is part of The RETAIL IN AMERICA Tour, my year-long journey to discover incredible retail heroes all across the country, celebrating our retail culture, community, and careers. Go to retailpride.com or IG @retail pride to see it all, including past podcast episodes, playlists, and future cities on tour. 

Today I am in West Glacier, Montana, and excited to have this conversation with Nadine about travel retail - an enormous segment within our industry full of retail heroes that you might not fully appreciate as all of us are running through airports and cruise ships around the world. 

A bit about Nadine Huebel, she just took on a new role as the Senior Managing Director of Travel Retail at Harper Dennis Hobbs, where she is responsible for establishing the world's most sought-after luxury brands in the North American travel retail market, converting more travelers into customers. 

Most recently, Nadine was the CEO of Heinermann America's, Inc. During her six-year tenure as the highest-ranking executive in the company's history, she secured contracts with some of the world's most significant cruise lines, bringing the company's projected revenue to $250 million by the end of 2022. 

She is passionate about mentorship, female empowerment, giving back to the community, and Miami's budding tech ecosystem. She sits on the Advisory Board for Babson College's Center for Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership (CWEL) and the South Florida Board for UNICEF. 

A huge thank you to the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast.

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omnichannel platform for specialty retailers. With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello.  

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road!

Audio engineer Dean Albak 

Cover image shot by Duke Winn

Retail Intelligence in Action — Microsoft | Episode 2, part 1

A Limited Series with Ron Thurston

In this episode of Retail Intelligence in Action, host Ron Thurston takes listeners inside the Microsoft Experience Center in New York City to explore what frontline work looks like when AI is applied with intention, empathy, and clarity.

This conversation brings AI out of theory and onto the sales floor — where technology and humanity meet in real time.

Ron is joined by frontline leaders and associates from Microsoft to show how tools like Microsoft Teams, Copilot, and Viva are transforming communication, simplifying operations, and reducing burnout for teams across retail, healthcare, and hospitality.

Rather than focusing on “future promises,” this episode highlights what’s already happening today: AI helping frontline teams save time, reduce friction, and gain confidence — without complexity or disruption.

You’ll hear powerful, human examples of how Copilot supports people of all skill levels, how one source of truth can serve multigenerational and multilingual teams, and why starting small is often the smartest path to adoption.

This episode reinforces a simple but powerful idea:

Technology alone doesn’t transform work — people do.

And when the right tools are placed in the hands of the frontline, everything changes.

Key themes include:

1. How AI supports frontline teams without replacing them
2. Why clarity and simplicity matter more than perfection
3. How Copilot gives time back to managers and associates
4. The role of community, trust, and pride in frontline work
5. Why AI adoption must be human-centered to succeed

The future of frontline work isn’t coming.

It’s already here — and it’s human-powered.

🎙️ Featuring frontline insights from Microsoft

1. 📍 Recorded at the Microsoft Experience Center, NYC

Today we are live from the Airstream in Denver, Colorado, with April Bibich from Eddie Bauer.

This podcast is part of The RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, my year-long journey to discover incredible retail heroes all across the country, celebrating our retail culture, community, and careers. Go to retailpride.com or IG @retail pride to see it all, including past podcast episodes, playlists, and future cities on tour.

April Bibich is a Colorado native, a perfect person, and the perfect brand to represent my time in Colorado. 

Eddie Bauer celebrates 100 years of product innovation for outdoor adventurers this year. They continue their adventure-driven innovation with even more sustainability and inclusivity as they look forward, using materials and methods that minimize impact and building an outdoor culture open to everyone.

And they are just getting started! They believe the outdoors is for everyone, and for the next 100 years, their mission is to enable all people to get outside and enjoy nature.

April is currently the Store Manager of Eddie Bauer in Park Meadows and had a long tenure in leadership roles at Victorias secret and Children's Place.

Her accidental career started as a summer job working with her Mom as she worked through school and graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado Denver in Elementary Education.

However, as you will hear, the birth of her son, Dom, redirected and solidified her career in retail. She's now "Mom" to Dom and his sister Bella, who endlessly keep her entertained with their teenage shenanigans.

She also loves playing with her golden doodle Baxter, camping, hiking, paddle boarding, and riding motorcycles- the true outdoor life that Colorado offers.

Before we begin, we thank the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omnichannel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello.  

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road!

Audio engineer Dean Albak 

Cover image shot by Duke Winn

This podcast is part of the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, my year-long journey to discover incredible retail heroes all across the country, celebrating our retail culture, community, and careers. Click the link and follow me on Instagram @retail pride to see everything, including past episodes of this podcast, videos, press for the tour, and future cities.

And just added, there are now RETAIL IN AMERICA playlists exclusively on Spotify that I have developed to celebrate the cities we have visited...one you might even play in your store!

For this episode, we are in the Prima Vera room in the corporate campus of James Avery in Kerrville, Texas, with Lindsey Tognietti, the granddaughter of Mr. Avery, and John McCullough, the CEO,

James Avery is a 68-year-old vertically integrated, family-owned company located in the heart of Texas Hill Country. All the jewelry is designed and crafted by skilled artisans using the finest materials worldwide.

The company is a multi-channel retailer with over 110 James Avery stores in four states and is available at JamesAvery.com and over 220 Dillard's locations. 

This episode wraps up several weeks in Texas, which seems very fitting because this brand is a household name in this state. You are the epitome of retail in America! 

A huge thank you to the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

With that, enjoy the show!

Audio engineer Dean Albak 

Cover image shot by Duke Winn

This podcast is part of the RETAIL IN AMERICA Tour in an Airstream trailer, my year-long journey to discover incredible retail heroes all across the country, celebrating our retail culture, community, and careers.

Go to retailpride.com or on Instagram @retail pride to see everything, including past episodes of this podcast, videos, press for the tour, and future cities. Make sure you sign up for emails to get this podcast directly to your inbox. 

And just added, there are now Retail in America playlists exclusively on Spotify that I have developed to celebrate the cities we have visited...one you might even play in your store! 

We are live today in the Austin offices of Reflex with its co-founder and CEO, Mike Meyers. 

For the first time since this podcast began, I am having a conversation with the founder of a retail technology startup that I believe has the power to change this industry as we know it. It's also the story of an entrepreneur who has discovered how extraordinary the front-line teams are. 

You may not need or have the ability to utilize this platform today, but I encourage you to listen with curiosity and an open mind about how the hero in our stores is not always human. 

But before we get started, I want to thank the three important title sponsors for the retail in America tour and this podcast: 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello.  

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road!

Audio engineer Dean Albak 

Cover image shot by Duke Winn

Welcome to episode 11, Season 1 of the RETAIL IN AMERICA podcast! This episode was recorded live in our Airstream trailer in Dallas, Texas, and I am honored and excited to introduce you to Patrick Carrion.

Patrick is the perfect guest to share what retail in America means to Texas, as he is originally from Robstown, a small town close to Corpus Christi.

He attended Baylor University in Waco for a bachelor's in marketing and a minor in Fashion Merchandising. Subsequently, he received his Master's in Business Administration from Texas A&M Kingsville and is now a certified life coach.

Patrick has been in retail for over 20 years, including 13 years at Gap Inc with Old Navy, Banana Republic, and GAP, where he went from retail to corporate. (9 years in the field and four years in SF at Corp)

From there, he spent four years at Louis Vuitton as a Training Manager for the Central Region of the US. After four years with MCM Worldwide, where he started as a Training Manager for the Americas, he is now the brand's Global Director of Learning and Development. 

Patrick is also the first guest to share his insight on the metaverse and Web 3.0 - you don't want to miss it!

But first, a huge thank you to the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

Go to RETAIL PRIDE and follow me on IG @retailpride to see all the details about the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, the cities we will visit, media links, and more. 

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello.  

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road!

Audio engineer Dean Albak 

Cover image shot by Duke Winn

Welcome to the RETAIL IN AMERICA podcast, and we made it to 10 episodes! This is a special one because I have 2 of the Brand Presidents and Franchise Owners of Buff City Soap, Charli Gorman and Tim Chaffin. It was recorded in a store location outside of Memphis, Tennessee, in front of a live audience of team members and leaders from various Buff City Soap brand locations.

For anyone unfamiliar with the brand, here are a few details;

• They are currently open in 29 states and have 218 locations.
• Their purpose: "Make Life Smell Wonderful, One handmade Soap at a Time."
• 100% of their products are handmade daily by local Makers in their Soap Makery, and customers can experience their beauty and laundry products handmade in front of their eyes
• This also means that each store creates its own inventory and only produces what is necessary and favored by that local customer. 
• No complicated ingredients and confusing language. Just plant-based goodness, that's the Buff City Soap way.

In this episode we learn more about what it means to be a franchise owner of a fast-growing retail business, an essential part of our industry. You don't want to miss it!

There is also a quick video here with all of the highlights of our time together.

But first, a huge thank you to the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

Go to RETAIL PRIDE and follow me on IG @retailpride to see all the details about the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, the cities we will visit, media links, and more. 

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello.  

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road!

Audio engineer Dean Albak 

Cover image shot by Duke Winn

Welcome to episode 9 of the RETAIL IN AMERICA podcast! I would like to introduce you to a phenomenal leader I met in Nashville, Priscilla Willis.

Priscilla is the General Manager of Burberry in The Mall at Green Hills in Nashville, Tennessee. Her incredible retail career has taken her all over the country, from NYC to Miami and back to Tennessee, with brands including Banana Republic, Cole Hahn, Gibson Guitars, Tory Burch, and more.

Priscilla says that although retail has been an accidental career and being a leader is most fulfilling, the engagement with clients has always kept her going year after year! Her personal development has been purposeful and driven based on her curiosity about different roles and the enjoyment of various aspects of leadership.

Our conversation focused on networking and relationship building as a critical part of a successful retail career; you won't want to miss it.

But first, a huge thank you to the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omnichannel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

Go to RETAIL PRIDE and follow me on IG @retailpride to see all the details about the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, the cities we will visit, media links, and more. 

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello.  

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road!

Audio engineer Dean Albak 

Cover image shot by Duke Winn

Welcome to Episode 8 of the RETAIL IN AMERICA podcast! I would love to introduce you to two awe-inspiring retail heroes from the Ashley HomeStore in Asheville, North Carolina.

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Fort Mill, South Carolina, Broad River Retail is a privately held company and one of the largest and fastest growing independently owned Ashley HomeStore licensees.

Leanna Mares started her retail career in 2009 at the age of 39 and had never sold a thing! She was recently promoted to the General Manager of the Asheville, NC location, having spent time in other roles with the company, including Sales Manager and Retail Performance Manager.

Cory Plott had always drawn and painted as a child to pass the time. After graduating from Haywood Community College with an associate in Professional Crafts focusing on production pottery, Cory produced 8 tons worth of wares annually and sold them at art shows and State Fairs from Philadelphia to Miami.

In 2019 he decided to pursue his passion for furniture and interiors by working at Ashely HomeStore and quickly became a Million Dollar Memory Maker!

This is a great episode full of passion and pride for what they both do and filled with authentic local North Carolina southern charm.

Enjoy!

A huge thank you to the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omnichannel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

Go to RETAIL PRIDE and follow me on IG @retailpride to see all the details about the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, the cities we will visit, media links, and more. 

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello.  

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road!

Audio engineer Dean Albak 

Cover image shot by Duke Winn

As one of the title sponsors of my RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, KWI, the industry's only true turnkey omnichannel platform for specialty retailers, has allowed me to engage with their fantastic customers. And one of them is SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker, her namesake footwear, handbags, and accessories brand. 

This conversation is entirely due to KWI's strong relationship with its customers, and I am very grateful for our partnership and this opportunity.

I would say that Sarah Jessica Parker needs no introduction, but let me share just a few highlights…

She is most known for her role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City, for which she won two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress in a Comedy Series, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The character was widely popular during the airing of the series and was later recognized as one of the most notable female characters in American television.

She later reprised the role in the films Sex and the City (2008) and Sex and the City 2 (2010), and the most recent television show And Just Like That….(2022)

Sarah Jessica and her husband, Matthew Broderick, are currently starring on Broadway in Neil Simon's Plaza Suite revival.

In February 2014, she started SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker, a footwear line initially launched exclusively at Nordstrom that has grown into a global business sold in every major department store and a small fleet of her own brick-and-mortar locations around the world. 

This conversation was recorded in front of a small live audience at the end of April 2022, at her 54th street location in NYC, one that is very special to her as you will hear.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

Ron

A huge thank you to the three essential title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour AND this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

Go to RETAIL PRIDE and follow me on IG @retailpride to see all the details about the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, the cities we will visit, media links, and more. 

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello.  

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road!

Audio engineer Dean Albak 

Hugh Linn is a Florida native, and as many people do, he started in retail just to get through college. He was initially studying to be a math teacher and went on to get an MBA in HR from Nova Southeastern University.  

Today, he says, " I still get to be a teacher and choose my students for the most part. I have also always been fascinated by leadership and what goes into being a great leader. I have failed more times than I have succeeded, but the learnings from that failure have fueled my success."

He is currently with Office Depot as a General Manager in Orlando and initially spent 13 years growing his career at Lane Bryant. 

He says that his secret superpower is empathy, and he has found that leaders can solve most problems with compassion and patience. You will hear that loud in clear when you hear him describe his career journey.

Enjoy the episode with Hugh!

But before we get started, I want to thank you to the three essential title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour AND this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US. It has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform.

Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omnichannel platform for specialty retailers. 

Please subscribe, review, and then share this podcast with everyone you know in retail - and there are many of us! 

Go to RETAIL PRIDE and follow me on IG @retailpride to see all the details about the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, the cities we will visit, upcoming events, media links, and more. 

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or just say hello.  

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road! 

Audio engineer Dean Albak 

Cover image shot by Duke Winn

Welcome to episode 6, and I have another exceptional retail hero here with me in Boston today! Ladiane Cardoso is a Multi-Store General Manager for Zadig et Voltaire today and is very passionate about Talent Development and Client Relationship Management.

She is originally from Cape Verd, a small country on the West Coast of Africa. Ladiane moved to the US 8 years ago for college and started her American journey without knowing the language in a small town in Rhode Island. 

She was initially studying Social Service, but after only one year of working in retail, she changed my major to Business Management and Fashion Merchandising at Fisher College.  

This life-changing introduction to the retail industry was just 6 years ago as a Part-Time Sales Associate at Banana Republic, right here on Newbury St. in Boston.

She says that although her retail career was accidental, it unfolded perfectly, and she can't imagine doing anything else!

But before we get started, I want to thank you to the three essential title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour AND this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US. It has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform.

Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omnichannel platform for specialty retailers. 

Please subscribe, review, and then share this podcast with everyone you know in retail - and there are many of us! 

Go to RETAIL PRIDE and follow me on IG @retailpride to see all the details about the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, the cities we will visit, upcoming events, media links, and more. 

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or just say hello.  

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road! 

Audio engineer Dean Albak 

Cover image shot by Duke Winn

Part 3 of Voices from the Frontline: AI in Action, a limited series sponsored by Microsoft, dives into two of the biggest, most stubborn challenges in frontline work: scheduling and onboarding — the things that have frustrated leaders and associates for decades.

We open with a reminder that teams don’t need dozens of versions of content or training. You can create one source of truth, and AI helps every associate consume it in the way that works best for them — by voice, text, audio, images, and in the language they prefer. It’s a huge win for multigenerational and multilingual teams, and the example of using Copilot to help a nurse streamline her documentation makes the shift feel incredibly real and human.

From there, we jump into one of the most painful realities of frontline work: scheduling. Whether you’re running a 5-person team or a store with hundreds of associates, scheduling has always been a massive burden — mentally, emotionally, and operationally. Irina breaks down how new intelligence layers in Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 can simplify everything: pulling in demand signals, skills, availability, benefits eligibility, and more to create a schedule that actually works for both managers and employees.

It’s not about replacing systems — it’s about placing intelligence on top of them, giving managers clarity and giving employees control.

The conversation also highlights how AI can make onboarding dramatically faster. Instead of ten-hour workshops or dense PDFs, new associates can ask an agent questions in the moment, learn as they go, and get exactly the information they need — which improves productivity, experience, and retention.

What Part 3 makes undeniably clear is this:

When you solve scheduling and modernize onboarding, you unlock an entirely new frontline experience.

AI brings flexibility, predictability, fairness, and speed — so both managers and associates can spend less time wrestling with complexity and more time serving customers.

This isn’t just an efficiency upgrade. It’s a transformation of how frontline teams work, learn, and thrive.

Key Takeaways:

• AI personalizes learning for every worker, regardless of generation or language.
• Intelligent scheduling reduces friction, bias, and manual effort for managers and associates.
• AI layers in Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 unlock flexibility and predictability without rebuilding systems.
• Smarter scheduling improves staffing, productivity, and financial outcomes.
• AI-enabled onboarding speeds up training and supports seasonal or high-turnover teams.
• Agents create fairness by delivering consistent, logic-based scheduling decisions.
• Multimodal tools support diverse learning styles through voice, images, and audio.
• AI gives time back to teams, freeing them to focus on customers and meaningful work.
• The frontline experience becomes more human as AI removes complexity and elevates connection.

Like many people we all know, Phil Denny found his way into retail by chance.

From starting in the stockrooms of a home décor store to managing teams across North America for Reiss, he finds his inspiration from the fantastic people working throughout the field. 

Phil loves retail and can talk endlessly about commercial reports, but those that have been a part of his team know his true focus is always on people. He helps every individual realize their role in the bigger picture and shares his journey as an example to show how everyone can become a success.

Phil is also a classical musician who studied piano and voice and is an active member of the master choral of South Florida.

This is a fun conversation filled with great lessons of leadership and the joy of retail!

As always, thank you to the three essential title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour AND this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US, with over 380 million monthly active users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform.

Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers. 

Please subscribe, review, and then share this podcast with everyone you know in retail - and there are many of us! 

Go to RETAIL PRIDE and follow me on IG @retailpride to see all the details about the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, the cities we will visit, media links, and more. 

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or just say hello.  

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road! 

Audio engineer Dean Albak 

Cover image shot by Duke Winn

Twenty years ago, Jeffrey Cabrera started as a part-time stock associate at the Container Store, and he fell in love with retail. 

He has since had the opportunity to work in leadership roles for New York and Co. and Victoria's Secret. Today, he leads the retail teams for Faherty Brand, where he was recently promoted to become the Area Leader of NYC.

This is a beautiful, heartfelt conversation about the power of human connection, his inspirations in life including his mother, and so much more. You don't want to miss it.

Thank you to the three essential title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour AND this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US, with over 380 million monthly active users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform.

Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers. 

Please subscribe, review, and then share this podcast with everyone you know in retail - and there are many of us! 

Go to RETAIL PRIDE and follow me on IG @retailpride to see all the details about the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, the cities we will visit, media links, and more. 

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello.  

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road! 

Audio engineer Dean Albak 

Cover image shot by Duke Winn

Kirk Black has extensive retail experience working for various luxury brands from Rick Owens, Rag & Bone, and Diesel. Currently, he works for Shinola as the East Coast Regional Manager, focusing on their retail growth strategy, employee engagement, and his team's career development. 

And fun fact...he practices beekeeping and manages a few hives with his wife on their apartment terrace in the Bronx!

Thank you to the three essential title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour AND this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US, with over 380 million monthly active users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform.

Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers. 

Please subscribe, review, and then share this podcast with everyone you know in retail - and there are many of us! 

Go to RETAIL PRIDE and follow me on IG @retailpride to see all the details about the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, the cities we will visit, media links, and more. 

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello.  

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road!

Audio engineer Dean Albak 

Cover image shot by Duke Winn

Kristen Conklin is a retail and fitness guru, 10-time marathon runner, and a fashion and retail professional for over 20 years. Today, she is the boutique leader of Lafayette 148 NY in SOHO.

Kristen has coached and managed hundreds of sales professionals & leaders in various retail settings, leading them to exceed their goals and advance professionally. She holds an MBA in Business Management, a BA in Psychology and has taught college students various marketing and management courses. 

I want to thank the three important title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour AND this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising  Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US, with over 380 million monthly active users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform.

Over 300 companies in 80 countries trust YOOBIC to drive their retail performance at scale, get real-time visibility into multi-location business execution, digitized task management, and more. 

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers. 

Please subscribe, review, and then share this podcast with everyone you know in retail - and there are a LOT of us! 

Go to RETAIL PRIDE and follow me on IG @retailpride to see all the details about the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, the cities we will visit, media links, and more. 

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello.  

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road! 

Audio engineer Dean Albak

Cover image shot by Duke Winn

The expectation for instant answers has completely reshaped frontline work. Today’s customers are used to getting information in seconds on their phones or watches — and they now expect frontline teams to operate with that same speed and confidence.

In part 2 of my limited series sponsored by Microsoft, Abbie Sweeney and Irina Parsina break down how tools like Microsoft Copilot and specialized AI agents are making that possible. These technologies give frontline employees the power to check inventory, translate on the spot, compare products, or solve customer problems without disappearing into a back office or wrestling with outdated systems.

What really stands out is how AI is making work more accessible, intuitive, and personalized for every generation of workers. With multimodal learning — voice, images, audio, and text — teams can get support in the way they learn best. It’s not one-size-fits-all anymore.

And ultimately, that’s what this episode shows so clearly: AI isn’t just about efficiency. It’s about redefining the frontline experience, giving employees more clarity and confidence, and allowing them to spend more time doing what matters most — connecting with customers.

Key Takeaways:

• Customer expectations for instant information have permanently changed frontline service.
• Copilot gives employees fast access to what they need — without delays or back-office bottlenecks.
• AI agents provide role-specific guidance so employees get consistent, accurate answers every time.
• Multimodal tools support every kind of learner — visual, audio, hands-on — improving training and productivity.
• AI is redefining frontline work: faster answers, higher confidence, and more time for meaningful customer connection.
• Personalized, adaptive AI support leads to stronger employee retention and better customer experiences.

AI isn’t just enhancing the shopping journey anymore — it’s officially part of it. New research from the IBM Institute for Business Value shows a staggering 62% jump in consumer use of AI shopping tools in just two years, and the momentum isn’t slowing down.

In this episode, a limited series sponsored by IBM, I sit down with Jane Cheung to explore what happens when AI shifts from “helpful assistant” to active participant in how people discover products, compare options, and make decisions. This isn’t the future — it’s already reshaping retail today.

We discuss how consumers are blending physical and digital experiences with AI at the center, why economic pressure is accelerating this behavior, and what brands must do right now to stay visible and trusted. From product data accuracy to real-time transparency, AI is raising the stakes for every retailer.

If you’re preparing your business for an AI-driven marketplace, this episode lays out exactly where to focus and what it takes to earn a place in the new shopping journey.

• Consumer use of AI shopping tools has surged 62% in two years.
• 1 in 3 consumers now want AI-powered features built directly into their shopping experience.
• Economic pressure is pushing shoppers toward smarter comparisons and value-driven decisions powered by AI.
• “Converged commerce” is here — consumers are blending digital, physical, and AI-driven touchpoints seamlessly.
• AI is moving from assisting shoppers to participating in their decisions.
• Retailers must strengthen their data systems to meet rising expectations and stay competitive.

Download the full report here: https://obvs.ly/Ron1

• IBM

Part 1 of Voices from the Frontline: AI in Action, a limited series sponsored by Microsoft, sets the foundation for everything that follows. In this episode, we cut through the noise and clear up some of the biggest misconceptions about AI on the frontline.

With Abbie Sweeney and Irina Parsina from the Microsoft Copilot Acceleration team, we dive into what leaders everywhere need to hear: you don’t need a perfect system or a massive transformation plan to get started with AI. You can begin right where you are, take small steps, and build over time.

We also explore why Microsoft’s responsible AI principles — trust, safety, and transparency — matter so much when you’re supporting the people who make your business work every day.

Through practical examples, Abbie and Irina show how tools like Microsoft Copilot can take everyday tasks off the plates of managers and associates, giving them more time and energy to do what they do best: connect with customers, care for patients, and elevate the human experience.

This episode is all about confidence and clarity. It reminds leaders that AI isn’t something to fear or avoid — it’s an accessible, manageable evolution that can make frontline work smarter, simpler, and more human.

• AI can be integrated into existing workflows, making it accessible no matter where an organization is on its tech journey.
• AI readiness is a moving target — perfection is not required to begin.
• The smartest approach is to start small, learn, and iterate, rather than aiming for a massive overhaul.
• Microsoft’s AI strategy is grounded in trust, safety, and transparency, helping organizations adopt AI responsibly.
• Copilot acts as the UI for AI, giving frontline teams one simple entry point for powerful intelligence.
• AI frees up valuable time for human connection, allowing employees to focus on customers, patients, and guests.

Welcome to Retail in America, Season 2, episode 1, with a special conversation sponsored by IBM.

Brand loyalty isn’t what it used to be — and today’s consumers are proving just how quickly it can disappear. In this conversation, I sit down with IBM’s Jane Cheung to unpack the latest findings from the IBM Global Consumer Research study and explore why trust has become the true competitive advantage.

Consumers are still willing to choose the brands they believe in, even when prices rise — but the margin for error is shrinking fast. With AI playing a growing role in how people research, validate, and discover products, the expectations for transparency and consistency have never been higher.

We dig into what this shift means for retail leaders: how loyalty must evolve, what today’s “value equation” really looks like, and why advocacy is emerging as one of the most powerful signals in an AI-driven marketplace. This episode is a roadmap for any brand that wants to stay relevant — not just to people, but to the AI systems helping them shop.

• Loyalty is more fragile than ever — trust is now the differentiator.
• Data transparency matters: 83% of consumers have concerns about privacy and usage.
• 25% of shoppers will still pay more for brands they truly trust.
• Advocacy is rising fast, with 47% of consumers recommending a new brand recently.
• AI is reshaping loyalty programs and how value is delivered.
• Strong data governance is essential for accurate, timely, and personalized engagement.

Register to receive the full report here: https://obvs.ly/Ron1

IBM

Welcome to RETAIL IN AMERICA!

This podcast is part of The RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, my year-long journey to discover incredible retail heroes all across the country, celebrating our retail culture, community, and careers. Go to retailpride.com or IG @retail pride to see it all, including past podcast episodes, playlists, and future cities on tour.

Today I am LIVE from the Airstream in Palm Springs, California, with Joe Lopardi, the Director of Retail for the iconic brand TRINA TURK

Joe prides himself on building and retaining dynamic teams at all levels, being a company culture proponent, leveraging an elevated event strategy to benefit local charities and non-profits, and delivering positive results. He is a people-centric leader who values his relationships with internal and external clients.

He has pioneered client development programs, led teams through the construction of mission, vision, and value statements, and is leading his present team to deliver the strongest net sales results in company history this year.

When he is not making market visits with his teams and clients, he is working on restoring a 1930s bungalow he recently purchased with his fiancée in Los Angeles, CA.

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello.

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road!

The RETAIL IN AMERICA podcast team includes:

Producer Roi Perets

Audio Engineer Dean Albak

Cover Image shot by Duke Winn

A huge thank you to the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast. 

Spotify Advertising Spotify is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats. 

YOOBIC  is a Frontline Employee Experience Platform. It’s an all-in-one mobile app that provides Retail leaders and their frontline teams with inclusive communications, mobile learning, and digitized task management - all in the flow of work.

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omni-channel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more. 

Welcome to RETAIL IN AMERICA!

This podcast is part of The RETAIL IN AMERICA tour, my year-long journey to discover incredible retail heroes all across the country, celebrating our retail culture, community, and careers. Go to retailpride.com or IG @retail pride to see it all, including past podcast episodes, playlists, and future cities on tour.

Today I am LIVE from the Airstream in Malibu, California, with Bree Jacoby, the founder and CEO of BREE.

Bree Jacoby is an LA-based entrepreneur, stylist, founder, and all-around powerhouse - and if you work in any capacity in sales or retail, you will want to experience this conversation!

Bree and I go way back and have done several things together that we'll talk about, and as she says, "fashion and entrepreneurship are in my blood."

As a Los Angeles native who grew up in a family of entrepreneurs, she is passionate about trailblazing the style space by making luxury more attainable and empowering people to be their best.

Her company's mission is to transcend what to wear by revolutionizing how people get dressed and sparking a more personal, confident relationship with style for everyone.

By streamlining what you already own, curating purposeful purchases, and digitizing polished looks, you reduce stress, wasted time, and guesswork to make dressing well a whole lot more fun and BREEzy for you!

Please enjoy the episode, and a big thank you to the three title sponsors fueling the RETAIL IN AMERICA tour and this podcast.

Spotify Advertising is the #1 podcast platform in the US and has grown to over 420M monthly unique registered users around the globe, over half of which are supported on the ad platform. Spotify advertising will help you reach and target your audience across devices, locations, and formats.

YOOBIC is a Frontline Employee Experience Platform. It's an all-in-one mobile app that provides Retail leaders and their frontline teams with inclusive communications, mobile learning, and digitized task management - all in the flow of work.

KWI is the industry's only true turnkey omnichannel platform for specialty retailers.

With over 35 years of experience, let KWI help you execute flawlessly with the features that matter most, including endless aisle, clienteling, mobile checkout, inventory management, e-commerce, and more.

Contact me directly here to nominate a retail hero for this podcast, host a retail networking or book signing event in your city, or say hello.

Keep your retail pride strong, and I will see you on the road!

The RETAIL IN AMERICA podcast team includes:

Producer Roi Perets

Audio Engineer Dean Albak

Cover Image shot by Duke Winn

Forrester Research is calling this moment ‘peak ambiguity.’ Rising bankruptcies. Falling consumer sentiment. Geopolitical uncertainty. And when strategy is unclear at the top — it’s the frontline that absorbs it first. Every time.

In this episode, Ron Thurston breaks down three human truths about what retail’s peak ambiguity is really costing your people — and how the right investment right now creates a competitive advantage that’s very hard to close.

Three Human Truths This Episode

HUMAN TRUTH #1 — Uncertainty Is a Leadership Problem That Becomes a Frontline Crisis.

When communication stops at the top, the floor fills the gap with rumors and disengagement. Consumer sentiment is falling. Customers are more demanding and less forgiving. Your frontline needs the most clarity at the exact moment they have the least.

HUMAN TRUTH #2 — The Manager Crisis Is Retail’s Hidden Emergency.

The store manager is your AI adoption lead, your retention strategy, and your customer experience all in one. 47% of frontline workers feel there are two separate cultures in their company. The manager is caught between them every single day — and most retailers are dramatically underinvesting in developing them.

HUMAN TRUTH #3 — Ambiguity Is a Competitive Advantage If You Invest in the Right Layer.

McKinsey documents a 3-point comp sales lift at the best frontline retail employers. When every competitor is pulling back on people investment, the company that leans in creates a gap that’s very hard to close. Uncertainty isn’t just a threat. It’s a window.

Takeaways:

1. Uncertainty has emerged as a pivotal concern in retail, overshadowing topics such as AI and automation.
2. The prevalent atmosphere of ambiguity necessitates clear and honest communication from leadership to frontline employees.
3. Store managers are critical stabilizing forces within organizations, deserving of investment and development amidst uncertainty.
4. Consumer trust is fragile; therefore, investing in frontline personnel establishes a durable competitive advantage in retail.
5. When leadership fails to communicate effectively, the frontline becomes disengaged, exacerbating the crisis of uncertainty.
6. The current period of peak ambiguity can serve as an opportunity for organizations that choose to invest in their people.

Data & Sources

Forrester Research — Three Themes for Retail in 2026 (March 2026)

https://www.forrester.com

UKG — Global Study: Flexibility and Financial Wellness Are Top 2026 Priorities for Frontline Workers (January 2026)

https://www.ukg.com/company/newsroom/global-study-reveals-flexibility-and-financial-wellness-are-top-2026-priorities-frontline-workers

McKinsey — How Retailers Can Build and Retain a Strong Frontline Workforce (2024)

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/how-retailers-can-build-and-retain-a-strong-frontline-workforce-in-2024

U.S. Consumer Sentiment Index — University of Michigan (2026)

https://data.sca.isr.umich.edu

Get the Book

📘 HUMAN PRIDE: Optimizing Your Human Potential in a Digital Job Market

→ https://www.ronthurston.com

65% of consumers trust AI to compare prices. Only 14% trust it to place an order on their behalf. We’re in the most aggressive AI deployment cycle in retail history — and most customers don’t trust it where it matters most.

In this episode, Ron Thurston breaks down three human truths about the trust gap between AI technology and the frontline workers and customers caught in between.

Three Human Truths This Episode

HUMAN TRUTH #1 — Customers Trust AI for Transactions. Not for Relationships.

65% trust AI for price comparison. 14% trust it to place an order. The line between utility and relationship is where your frontline earns its keep — and where AI has to earn its place. The frontline worker is the trust infrastructure that makes AI worth deploying.

HUMAN TRUTH #2 — The Real Disruptor Isn’t AI. It’s the Trust Deficit Behind It.

Forrester calls it ‘humanity vs tech.’ 53% of Americans believe AI will worsen their ability to think creatively. 50% say it will worsen their ability to form meaningful relationships. That’s the environment your frontline is navigating every shift.

HUMAN TRUTH #3 — The Companies Winning With AI Are Building Trust First.

Walmart trained 1.6 million employees before deploying AI — and 6,000+ associates are now building their own tools. Technology pulled by teams, not pushed by leadership. Three questions every retailer should ask before any AI deployment.

Takeaways:

1. The rapid deployment of AI in retail necessitates an examination of customer trust levels.
2. While many consumers trust AI for transactional tasks, they prefer human interaction for nuanced decisions.
3. A significant majority of consumers express skepticism regarding AI's impact on creativity and relationships.
4. Companies must prioritize building trust with their frontline teams before implementing AI systems.

Data & Sources

YouGov — Which Retail Tasks Do Americans Trust AI With (December 2025)

https://yougov.co.uk

Forrester Research — Three Themes for Retail in 2026 (March 2026)

https://www.forrester.com

Pew Research Center — How Americans View AI and Its Impact on People and Society (June 2025)

https://www.pewresearch.org

Fortune — Walmart Is Offering AI Training to 1.6 Million Workers (February 2026)

https://fortune.com/2026/02/19/walmart-trillion-dollar-retail-gaint-artificial-intelligence-training-google-partnership-invest-in-workers-not-replace-tech-changing-jobs/

Get the Book

📘 HUMAN PRIDE: Optimizing Your Human Potential in a Digital Job Market

→ https://www.ronthurston.com

Retail turnover is running at 81% annually. Everyone in the boardroom knows it. Nobody is treating it like the emergency it actually is.

In this solo episode, Ron Thurston breaks down three human truths about what’s really driving frontline employee turnover in retail — and why solving it has nothing to do with pay.

Three Human Truths This Episode

HUMAN TRUTH #1 — Everyone Knows. Nobody’s Treating It Like an Emergency.

Retail turnover has been above 60% for decades. Some subsectors are now hitting 81%. Yet boardrooms keep calling it a “known variable” instead of a burning platform.

HUMAN TRUTH #2 — This Isn’t a Pay Problem. It’s a Neglect Problem.

8 out of 10 reasons frontline workers leave are emotional, not operational. 42% of turnover is viewed by employees themselves as preventable.

HUMAN TRUTH #3 — The Real Cost Never Shows Up on a Spreadsheet.

A mid-sized retailer at 60% turnover spends roughly $600,000 annually in hard costs alone. At the best frontline retail employers, comparable store sales run 3 full percentage points higher than low performers.

Takeaways

1. The retail industry currently experiences an alarming annual turnover rate of 81%, indicating a significant challenge that requires urgent attention from leadership.
2. New hires in retail typically require approximately two months to achieve full productivity, meaning that stores are often staffed by individuals still learning their roles.
3. Research reveals that eight out of ten frontline workers leave their retail jobs for emotional reasons, emphasizing the importance of valuing employees and investing in their growth.
4. The disconnect between executive perceptions and frontline realities leads to a neglect problem rather than a pay issue, necessitating a shift in organizational focus and accountability.
5. Preventable turnover is a critical issue, with 42% of employees viewing their departure as avoidable, highlighting the need for proactive management practices.
6. Investing in employee satisfaction and stability can lead to significant improvements in sales performance, demonstrating that human capital is the primary competitive advantage in retail.

Data & Sources

Fountain — Frontline Work 2025: 5 Trends Shaping the Future

https://www.fountain.com/posts/frontline-workforce-trends-2025

Harvard Business Review — Why Your Frontline Employee Turnover Is High (April 2025)

https://hbr.org/podcast/2025/04/why-your-frontline-employee-turnover-is-high

TruRating — Employee Turnover in Retail (2025)

https://trurating.com/blog/employee-turnover-in-retail/

U.S. Employee Turnover Statistics 2024–2025

https://high5test.com/employee-turnover-statistics/

McKinsey — How Retailers Can Build and Retain a Strong Frontline Workforce (2024)

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/how-retailers-can-build-and-retain-a-strong-frontline-workforce-in-2024

theEMPLOYEEapp — Frontline Workforce Trends and Predictions 2025

https://theemployeeapp.com/blog/frontline-workforce-trends-and-predictions/

Get the Book

📘 HUMAN PRIDE: Optimizing Your Human Potential in a Digital Job Market

→ https://www.ronthurston.com

American companies spent more than a trillion dollars on technology last year. More than 60% saw no meaningful impact on their bottom line. The reason isn’t the technology. It’s who we keep forgetting to invest in first.

In this episode, Ron Thurston breaks down three human truths about AI, retail, and the frontline workers caught in between.

Three Human Truths This Episode

HUMAN TRUTH #1 — The Investment Gap

Companies spend $9,100 per employee on software. $1,200 on training. McKinsey’s conclusion: build human capability before you deploy technology.

HUMAN TRUTH #2 — Walmart Gets It Right

1.6 million Walmart employees receive free AI training through Google. 6,000+ associates are already building their own AI tools. Real transformation happens when technology is pulled by teams — not pushed by leadership.

HUMAN TRUTH #3 — The Burnout Signal Nobody’s Talking About

UKG’s global study of 8,200 workers found 76% of frontline employees reported burnout in 2025. Nearly half feel there are two separate cultures inside their company. No AI investment closes that gap without addressing the human foundation first.

Takeaways:

1. The investment in technology significantly overshadows the investment in employee training and development.
2. A profound disconnect exists between frontline workers and decision-makers within organizations, exacerbated by AI deployment.
3. Walmart exemplifies a progressive approach by providing free AI training to all employees, fostering inclusion.
4. Companies must prioritize investing in their workforce to achieve sustainable growth and improved engagement.
5. A staggering 76% of frontline workers reported experiencing burnout, indicating a critical need for cultural change.
6. To effectively implement AI, organizations must first ensure their workforce is adequately prepared and trained.

Data & Sources

McKinsey & Company — A US Productivity Unlock: Investing in Frontline Workers’ AI Skills (January 2026)

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/operations/our-insights/a-us-productivity-unlock-investing-in-frontline-workers-ai-skills

Fortune — Walmart Is Offering AI Training to 1.6 Million Workers (February 2026)

https://fortune.com/2026/02/19/walmart-trillion-dollar-retail-gaint-artificial-intelligence-training-google-partnership-invest-in-workers-not-replace-tech-changing-jobs/

UKG — Global Study: Flexibility and Financial Wellness Are Top 2026 Priorities for Frontline Workers (January 2026)

https://www.ukg.com/company/newsroom/global-study-reveals-flexibility-and-financial-wellness-are-top-2026-priorities-frontline-workers

Special Series: The Human Edge in the Job Market (Part 2 of 6)

Job applicants in 2025 were 12% less likely to reject a job offer than they were in 2023. People are taking jobs right now that — two years ago — they would have walked away from. Not because the jobs got better. Because the people got more scared.

In Part 2 of The Human Edge in the Job Market, Ron Thurston speaks directly to the listener who doesn't have a stack of offers in front of them right now — and walks through three big questions that protect you from the wrong yes, even when the market is pressuring you to settle.

This isn't a philosophy. It's protection. Three big questions for you. Five interview questions for them. And a 24-hour rule that stands between you and the wrong job.

Big Question #1 — What are my three non-negotiables? Not five. Not ten. Three. Preferences are the things you'd like. Values are the things you won't live without. When the offers are scarce, your non-negotiables are the only thing standing between you and a wrong yes. Ron explains why three is the number — and why five or ten gives you permission to trade.

Big Question #2 — What am I asking them? An interview is a two-way decision. The candidates who win offer after offer are the ones who walk in evaluating the company right back. Inside this question: five specific interview questions to carry into every interview from now on. Pick two or three. But know them. They shift the dynamic from candidate to peer.

Big Question #3 — Have I given myself permission to say no? Permission to say no is not the same thing as planning to say no. Most of the offers you get, you're going to take — that's fine, that's often the right answer. But you cannot say the right yes if you haven't given yourself permission to say no. Plus the 24-hour rule that protects you from a yes-by-default, and the kind, warm, professional no that keeps the bridge intact.

🎧 Subscribe: ronthurston.com

📚 Ron's Books:

• Retail Pride — amazon.com/dp/1544509456
• Human Pride — geni.us/humanpride (the first four chapters are written for the job seeker)

🔗 Sources & Stats Referenced:

• Glassdoor Worklife Trends 2026 — Job applicants 12% less likely to reject an offer in 2025 vs. 2023; hiring rates at a 10-year low. glassdoor.com/blog/worklife-trends-2026
• Glassdoor Worklife Trends 2026 — Mentions of "misaligned" up 149% in employee reviews from 2024 to 2025; "disconnect" up 24%; "distrust" up 26%. glassdoor.com/blog/worklife-trends-2026
• Resume Now International Career Regrets Survey 2025 — 58% of workers regret staying in a bad job too long; only 38% regret quitting. Survey of 1,000 workers across the U.S., U.K., France, and Germany. resume-now.com/job-resources/careers/career-regrets

👤 Follow Ron:

• LinkedIn — linkedin.com/in/ron-thurston
• Instagram — @retailpride
• Website — ronthurston.com

Episodes 18–23 are built for anyone in career transition — retail or otherwise. If you built something, lost a role, or you're figuring out what's next, this series is for you.

Right now, more than 28 million people have the Open to Work banner on LinkedIn. If you're one of them — or you're thinking about turning it on — this episode is for you.

Over the next six episodes, Ron walks through the edges you already have in a job market being rebuilt around technology. Not tactical job-search tips. Not resume hacks. The advantages that didn't end when the role did — the things no algorithm can see, no title can capture, and no restructure can take from you.

In Part 1, the foundation: three Human Edges you already carry.

Edge #1 — Your Judgment. The pattern-recognition you've earned from doing the work. Analytical thinking, adaptability, and problem-solving are the top skills employers are hiring for in 2026 — and the #1 reason hires fail isn't technical ability. It's judgment.

Edge #2 — Your Relationships. Referred candidates are 4 to 10 times more likely to be hired than candidates who apply through job boards. Referrals make up only 7% of applicants — but 30–50% of hires. The job you get next is probably going to come from a conversation, not an application.

Edge #3 — Your Story. The through-line that makes every chapter of your career make sense. The single most persuasive thing you own — and the thing most candidates leave out.

Three edges. All yours. All already in you.

"The role ended. Your value didn't."

https://www.ronthurston.com/

Retail Pride: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1544509456 Human Pride: https://geni.us/humanpride

• 28 million+ Open to Work profiles on LinkedIn — LinkedIn member data, cited in LinkedIn stats roundups (2026): https://writefulcopy.com/blog/linkedin-stats-handy-reference-b2b-marketers
• Applications up 45.5% / job postings down 10.6% — LinkedIn Recruitment Trends Report, Q3 2024: https://copilot.recruitaisuite.com/blog/linkedin-recruiting-statistics-2026/
• 85% of employers using skills-based hiring in 2026 — TestGorilla State of Skills-Based Hiring Report: https://www.testgorilla.com/skills-based-hiring/state-of-skills-based-hiring-2024/
• Two-thirds of hiring managers cite industry experience as the biggest gap — LinkedIn Future of Recruiting Report: https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/resources/future-of-recruiting
• Top skills for 2026: analytical thinking, adaptability, problem-solving — LinkedIn Skills on the Rise 2026: https://www.linkedin.com/business/talent/blog/talent-acquisition/linkedin-skills-on-the-rise
• 89% of bad hires lack critical soft skills — LinkedIn Global Talent Trends: https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/global-talent-trends
• Referrals = 7% of applicants, 30–50% of hires — Zippia Employee Referral Statistics: https://www.zippia.com/advice/employee-referral-statistics/
• Referred candidates 4x more likely to be hired — Boon / Jobvite data: https://www.goboon.co/post/referral-hiring-the-solution-to-high-turnover-rates
• Company career pages: 13% of applicants, 26% of hires — SilkRoad Sources of Hire Report: https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/talent-acquisition/employee-referrals-remain-top-source-hires
• LinkedIn profile photos: 21x more views, 36x more messages — LinkedIn profile optimization data: https://www.linkedin.com/business/sales/blog/profile-best-practices/17-steps-to-a-better-linkedin-profile-in-2017

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-thurston/ Instagram: @retailpride Website: https://www.ronthurston.com/

Listening to the whole series? Episodes 18–23 are built for anyone in career transition — retail or otherwise. If you built something, lost a role, and you're figuring out what's next, this series is for you.

Next up — Episode 19: Know What You Won't Compromise.

Retail didn't have a middle management problem. It had a leadership investment problem — and solved it the fastest and worst way possible. In this episode, Ron breaks down what actually happens when you eliminate the manager: the floor walks stop, the conversations stop, and the people who make your strategy real disappear. Three human truths about retail, technology, and the people caught in between.

Retail: Flattening the org chart didn't create efficiency. It created silence. And silence doesn't mean alignment — it means something is breaking.

Technology: We didn't replace managers with AI. We replaced judgment with dashboards — and hoped compliance would feel like leadership. It doesn't.

People: Forty-four percent of retail workers are planning to leave. Not because of pay. Because of leadership. They're not asking for more money — they're asking to be known.

Middle managers made up one-third of all layoffs in 2023 — up from 20% in 2018. This analysis was conducted by Live Data Technologies for Bloomberg.

Bloomberg: Middle Manager Jobs Make Up 30% of White Collar Layoffs

CNBC: Middle Managers Are Getting Laid Off — But Their Role Is 'More Important Than Ever'

Korn Ferry's annual survey of 15,000 professionals worldwide found that 41% of employees say their organization has slashed management layers. 40% of U.S. employees say they feel a lack of direction at work as a result. More than a third feel directionless without a manager.

Korn Ferry Workforce 2025 Report

Korn Ferry Press Release: Workforce 2025 Research

Note: The script references 'over 40% of companies had flattened management layers.' The Korn Ferry Workforce 2025 data shows 41% of employees globally report this, with 44% in the U.S. Both figures are consistent with the script's claim.

Gartner projects that through 2026, 20% of organizations will use AI to flatten their organizational structure, eliminating more than half of current middle management positions.

Gartner Top Predictions for IT Organizations and Users in 2025 and Beyond

Relationships with management account for 86% of workers' satisfaction with their interpersonal ties at work. Managers also spend nearly half their time on work that is not leadership — admin, scheduling, and reporting. That's from McKinsey's Power to the Middle research.

McKinsey: Are You Stuck in the Middle? (Power to the Middle)

McKinsey: The Boss Factor — Making the World a Better Place Through Workplace Relationships

Lack of inspiring leadership is now among the top reasons retail workers leave — alongside lack of career development. McKinsey's frontline retail research documents this shift directly.

McKinsey: How Retailers Can Build and Retain a Strong Frontline Workforce in 2024

McKinsey: How Retailers Can Attract and Retain Frontline Talent Amid the Great Attrition

Note: The script references '44% of retail workers are planning to leave' attributed to Business of Fashion and McKinsey. The McKinsey retail attrition research is the primary source for the leadership/manager-as-attrition-driver data. If you have a specific Business of Fashion report with the 44% figure, link it alongside these.

Retail Pride — Available at ronthurston.com

Human Pride — Available at ronthurston.com

Episode 16: Compliance Is Not Development

Your training is working. Your people are still leaving.

In this episode of Retail in America, Ron Thurston breaks down the critical difference between completing a training module and actually developing a frontline worker.

Through the story of DeShawn — a high-performing associate who left for a two-dollar raise because he couldn't see a path forward — Ron contrasts two types of retailers. Company A measures compliance. Company B measures capability. One is losing its investment; the other is multiplying it.

If your dashboard says training is at 90% but your stores are bleeding talent, this episode is for you.

What you'll hear in this episode:

Only 24% of frontline workers feel confident they have the right training to do their jobs — and 40% aren't even clear on what's expected of them. Yet most companies report completion rates above 90%. The dashboard and the frontline worker are living in two completely different realities.

Harvard Business Review is clear: training embedded in daily workflow is what actually drives performance. And the Forgetting Curve shows that people forget up to 90% of what they learn within a month if it's not applied.

The data on what's at stake: frontline workers who feel properly trained are 3x more likely to stay. 94% say they would stay longer if a company invested in their development. And 85% want another role inside their company — if they can see the path.

The desire to grow is not the problem. The visibility of the path is.

Connect with Ron:

• Subscribe for weekly insights: ronthurston.com
• Read RETAIL PRIDE: Amazon
• Read HUMAN PRIDE: Amazon
• Retail in America is the show about what's really happening inside retail — the space between the strategy and the person expected to execute it.

Episode 15: The Happiness Report & Retail

The World Happiness Report 2026 was just published. 136 countries. Hundreds of thousands of respondents. Decades of data.

And buried inside it is something every retail executive needs to sit with.

In the United States, young people are dramatically less happy than they were fifteen years ago. The primary driver? The same platforms your customers used to find your store.

In this episode, Ron explores three human truths — about retail, technology, and the people caught in between — and makes the case that your frontline team may be one of the most important forces in the wellbeing of a generation.

Reports & Sources Referenced:

• 📊 World Happiness Report 2026 — Wellbeing Research Centre, University of Oxford / Gallup / UN SDSN
• 🛍️ Gen Z Purchases 62% In-Store — WSJ / Circana data, via PYMNTS
• 🏬 42% of Mall Visits Are Social in Nature — Westfield / Advertising Week

Books Mentioned:

• Retail Pride by Ron Thurston — ronthurston.com
• Human Pride by Ron Thurston — ronthurston.com
• Subscribe at ronthurston.com to get every episode delivered to your inbox, twice a week.

Gen Z is walking into your stores on purpose. They came for connection, community, and a human experience they can’t get from a screen. The question is whether the people you hired are ready to meet them.

Most retail job descriptions were written for a store that no longer exists. In this episode, Ron Thurston explores what the experience economy actually demands from your frontline — and what the retailers winning with Gen Z are doing differently.

The Three Human Truths

1. Retail — You’re Hiring for Transactions. Gen Z Needs an Experience.

When Gen Z walks into a physical store, they’re not evaluating it on product selection or price. They’re evaluating it on atmosphere, energy, and the quality of human interaction. Most retail job descriptions are still built around transaction efficiency — POS operation, schedule flexibility, product folding. They were written for a store that no longer exists. The experience economy demands something different: empathy, curiosity, and focus. Those qualities don’t appear on a resume. But they determine every customer interaction.

2. Technology — Onboarding for Compliance Is Failing the Experience Economy.

McKinsey research shows it takes roughly six to eight weeks for a new frontline hire to reach full productivity. The question is what retailers are teaching during that time. UKG’s global frontline study found that 47% of frontline workers feel there are two separate cultures in their organization — one for the floor, one for everyone else. Nowhere is that gap more visible than in onboarding. Retailers give new associates the operational layer. They rarely give them the experiential layer: what does it actually feel like to work here, and what does it mean to make a customer’s day?

3. People — The Retailers Winning With Gen Z Are Rewriting the Role.

The best operators have changed three things: what they select for (emotional intelligence, genuine curiosity about people), how they define success on the floor (dwell time, return visit rate, social engagement — not just conversion rate), and how they invest in the manager who develops the frontline team. Because you can hire the right person and onboard them intentionally — and then put them under a manager who doesn’t have the time, training, or support to develop them. And everything you invested in the first two steps evaporates within 90 days.

Research Sources — Full Links

• 62% of Gen Z purchases happen in physical stores

Deloitte 2025 US Retail Industry Outlook — https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/retail-distribution/retail-distribution-industry-outlook/2025.html

• 52% of Gen Z shoppers share photos or videos during a mall visit

Advertising Week — Gen Z and the Mall, 2025 — https://www.advertisingweek.com/gen-z-and-the-mall-2025

• 47% of frontline workers feel there are two separate cultures in their organization — one for frontline employees and one for everyone else

UKG Global Frontline Study 2026 — More Perspectives from the Frontline Workforce (8,200 workers, 10 countries) — https://www.ukg.com/company/newsroom/global-study-reveals-flexibility-and-financial-wellness-are-top-2026-priorities-frontline-workers

• 32% of all first jobs are in retail — one in four American teenagers works in this industry

RETAIL PRIDE — Ron Thurston (referenced in episode) — https://a.co/d/0j4SaAbM

• Gen Z is evaluating physical retail destinations on atmosphere, energy, and quality of human interaction — not product selection or price

ICSC — The Rise of Third Places: Becoming Your Community’s Social Experience Hub, 2025 — https://www.icsc.com/news-and-views/icsc-exchange/the-rise-of-third-places-becoming-your-communitys-social-experience-hub-in-2025

• 97% of Gen Z shop at brick-and-mortar stores — driven by immediacy, touch, and social experience

ICSC — Rise of the Gen Z Consumer Report, 2023 — https://www.icsc.com/news-and-views/icsc-exchange/the-rise-of-the-gen-z-consumer

• McKinsey: ~6–8 weeks for a new frontline hire to reach full productivity

McKinsey — How Retailers Can Build and Retain a Strong Frontline Workforce, 2024 — https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/how-retailers-can-build-and-retain-a-strong-frontline-workforce-in-2024

Books Referenced

• RETAIL PRIDE by Ron Thurston — #1 Bestseller https://a.co/d/0j4SaAbM
• HUMAN PRIDE by Ron Thurston https://geni.us/humanpride

Connect With Ron

• Website: ronthurston.com https://ronthurston.com
• LinkedIn (Ron): linkedin.com/in/rthurston/ https://linkedin.com/in/rthurston/
• LinkedIn (Retail in America): linkedin.com/company/retail-in-america/ https://linkedin.com/company/retail-in-america/
• Subscribe — Episodes to your inbox: ronthurston.com https://ronthurston.com

62% of Gen Z shops in physical stores — more than any generation before them. They came for community, connection, and a human moment. And the industry’s response is to automate the experience that brought them there.

This episode examines why Gen Z is choosing physical retail, what they actually need when they walk in, and what winning retailers are doing to meet them there.

THE THREE HUMAN TRUTHS

1. RETAIL — Gen Z didn’t come for the product. They came for the person.

42% cite social activity as their primary reason for shopping in person. They’re seeking belonging, not just a transaction.

2. TECHNOLOGY — AI is entering the store at exactly the wrong moment.

Only 14% of consumers trust AI to purchase for them — yet 68% of retailers are deploying AI-powered customer interactions. That’s not a technology failure. That’s a strategy failure.

3. PEOPLE — The associate who greets Gen Z isn’t just a frontline worker. They’re the brand.

Retailers winning with Gen Z have invested in their associates as experience creators. They’ve given them time, training, and permission to build relationships.

SOURCES

•Advertising Week — Gen Z’s Surprising Love Affair with the Mall (2025)

•ICSC — The Rise of Third Places: Becoming Your Community’s Social Experience Hub (2025)

•Salesforce — State of the Connected Customer Report

•McKinsey — The State of AI in 2025

•Edelman — Trust Barometer Flash Poll: Trust and Artificial Intelligence at a Crossroads (2025)

BOOKS BY RON THURSTON

RETAIL PRIDE and HUMAN PRIDE — available at ronthurston.com and wherever books are sold.

CLOSING PULL QUOTE

1. “The brands winning with Gen Z are the brands that still believe in the human moment.”