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The Doing Business in Bentonville Podcast
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Inhalt bereitgestellt von Doing Business in Bentonville. Alle Podcast-Inhalte, einschließlich Episoden, Grafiken und Podcast-Beschreibungen, werden direkt von Doing Business in Bentonville oder seinem Podcast-Plattformpartner hochgeladen und bereitgestellt. Wenn Sie glauben, dass jemand Ihr urheberrechtlich geschütztes Werk ohne Ihre Erlaubnis nutzt, können Sie dem hier beschriebenen Verfahren folgen https://de.player.fm/legal.
To create an ecosystem that connects leaders of all kinds – industry, community, student, educational, civic, investment and entrepreneurial – to help overcome Omnichannel Retail barriers through exclusive, insight-rich content.
129 Episoden
Alle als (un)gespielt markieren ...
Manage series 3556806
Inhalt bereitgestellt von Doing Business in Bentonville. Alle Podcast-Inhalte, einschließlich Episoden, Grafiken und Podcast-Beschreibungen, werden direkt von Doing Business in Bentonville oder seinem Podcast-Plattformpartner hochgeladen und bereitgestellt. Wenn Sie glauben, dass jemand Ihr urheberrechtlich geschütztes Werk ohne Ihre Erlaubnis nutzt, können Sie dem hier beschriebenen Verfahren folgen https://de.player.fm/legal.
To create an ecosystem that connects leaders of all kinds – industry, community, student, educational, civic, investment and entrepreneurial – to help overcome Omnichannel Retail barriers through exclusive, insight-rich content.
129 Episoden
Alle Folgen
×T
The Doing Business in Bentonville Podcast
Retail becomes unforgettable when it feels like culture, not just commerce. We sit down with Ryan Hughes of Gratsy to unpack how curated experiences—at home, in the community, and online with creators—turn casual shoppers into true fans. From precision-packed sampling kits to full-blown store takeovers, Ryan shows how a clear objective, smart logistics, and authentic storytelling can move people to try, buy, and share. You’ll hear the behind-the-scenes of a standout activation with Walmart Connect and ESPN, where a lease space just past the registers morphed into a SportsCenter set, a mini sports museum, and a fan meet-and-greet hub. We talk through how that format makes “store as media” real, even when the product isn’t on the shelf, and how moments of pride and play can influence a whole basket. Ryan also breaks down creator strategy: choosing niche experts when precision matters, partnering with big names when reach counts, and always aligning talent to either awareness or action so the content doesn’t feel forced. We dig into the culture that powers it all—accountability, creativity, and honest postmortems—plus the grit it takes to keep events calm on the surface when chaos strikes beneath. The “Bunpocalypse” scramble, the Old El Paso x Takis temperature-extremes stunt from Death Valley to America’s coldest spot, and the complexities of food-and-beverage sampling inside Walmart lease spaces all reveal what it means to scale bespoke experiences without losing freshness. If you care about experiential marketing, retail media, creator partnerships, and the operational muscle that makes big ideas sing, this conversation is your blueprint for building moments people remember and measure. Enjoy the episode? Follow the show, share it with a teammate, and leave a quick review so more builders can find it.…
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The Doing Business in Bentonville Podcast
Change moves fast in Bentonville, and this conversation puts you right at the center of it. We connect the dots from Walmart’s early tech shifts—scanning, EDI, and Retail Link—to the next turning point: practical AI that speeds real work, from writing and workflows to design iteration that cuts weeks off development. Along the way, we unpack how tariffs and sourcing strategies are reshaping price points, merchandising, and the mix on the shelf. We sit down with veteran operator and consultant John Reeves and 5G Consulting CEO Brett Dye to explore what selling to Walmart and Sam’s Club really requires today. The insights cut through hype and get tactical: why store newness still sparks discovery, how e‑commerce should amplify—not replace—core merchandising, and where AI already delivers value in supplier teams. Brett shares the story behind 5G—built on deep Walmart DNA and focused on replenishment, e‑commerce, and sales execution—plus grounded advice for entrepreneurs preparing to pitch: know your core customer, nail the financials, and be retail‑ready down to the UPC. Expect a frank look at tariffs’ ripple effects, from upper‑tier price lifts to looming pressure on opening price points. We examine diversification beyond China, the realities of nearshoring, and what it would take for U.S. manufacturing to make a meaningful comeback. Throughout, one theme holds: listening, speed, and adaptability win. With Walmart investing in AI training for associates, supplier fluency will become table stakes—just as Retail Link mastery did a generation ago. If you care about retail strategy, Walmart supplier success, AI in merchandising and design, and smart sourcing under uncertainty, this one’s a must‑listen. Subscribe, share with your team, and drop a review with the biggest change you’re making after listening.…
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The Doing Business in Bentonville Podcast
What if the secret to national scale is hidden in a story time circle at your first store? We sit down with founder and CEO Monica Royer to unpack how Monica + Andy grew from a neighborhood, experience-led boutique into a parent-trusted brand now selling online and in 1,200 Walmart locations—without sacrificing organic quality or the brand’s soul. Monica walks us through the earliest days: a Lincoln Park shop that doubled as HQ and community center, where music classes and new-parent meetups fueled real product insights. Those hands-on lessons set the tone for everything that followed, from fabric choices and fit to bundles that match the rhythm of early parenthood. When the opportunity to go mass arrived, the team had already sequenced the crucial pieces—sourcing, quality control, and a codified set of brand values—to deliver the same standard at scale. We get candid about the tradeoffs behind the strategy. Monica shares what keeps her up at night, how leading a growing team changes decision-making, and why a great co-founder can be the difference between stalling and moving with conviction. She breaks down omnichannel the practical way: treat DTC as home base, anchor to five core values, and let assortment flex by channel without confusing the customer. Along the way, we explore post-COVID shifts, the risk of playing it safe, and why community is still a better growth engine than ads. If you’re building a consumer brand, this conversation is a field guide to scaling without drift: start close to the customer, make quality non-negotiable, sequence your operations before you widen distribution, and preserve the story that made people care in the first place. Subscribe, share with a founder who needs a nudge, and leave a quick review to tell us which insight you’ll use this quarter.…
Retail is changing aisle by aisle, and we’re walking through the shift with a front‑row view. We dig into how Walmart moved from years of heavy investment to a true “harvest” phase, where technology finally meets day-to-day usefulness. From electronic shelf labels and RFID to in-store retail media and traffic analytics, we show how the store itself is getting smarter, and how that intelligence translates into better value, faster trips, and clearer choices. We connect the dots between brick-and-mortar strength and e-commerce integration, where curbside and delivery turn every supercenter into a forward-deployed node. That shift demands a packaging revolution: cases and primary packs designed for robots to pick, place, and palletize in both regional fulfillment and microfulfillment. Expect more squared formats, less air, and fewer damages, which improves margins and speeds. Along the way, we highlight Sam’s Club momentum, scan-and-go, a cleaner layout, seasonal impact upfront, and a rising health focus that stretches from small appliances to functional ingredients, while private label evolves beyond opening price point into feature-rich value. Then we look ahead. With a documented price gap supporting the “save money” pillar, the next edge is “live better” through contextual, AI-driven guidance. Imagine a commerce agent that plans around real life, bill cycles, game nights, and family dinners, while honoring EDLP and personal preferences. That’s where the lines blur among shopping, media, and lifestyle, making the experience feel like problem-solving instead of errands. Still, the cultural guardrail matters: avoid hubris, stay humble, and keep decisions anchored to the customer’s mission. If you enjoy thoughtful, on-the-ground analysis of how tech, merchandising, and operations come together, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who geeks out on retail, and leave a quick review to tell us what you want to hear next.…
Step into a Springdale store and club with us and see why Walmart’s growth streak feels unstoppable. We break down what’s actually happening on the floor: clearer sight lines, displays that teach as much as they sell, and end- caps that can host a $5 deal and a $250 mixer without confusing the shopper. The result is a shopping journey that feels like landing on a well-designed website, intuitive, discoverable, and built to nudge you into the right aisles. We unpack the engine behind the scenes too. Walmart’s “second productivity loop” blends profitable e-commerce, retail media, membership, and marketplace to fuel the classic flywheel of traffic, expense leverage, and price leadership. That strategy shows up as lean inventory with strong in-stocks, faster turns, and a floor where marketing finally stands shoulder to shoulder with merchandising. You’ll hear how the spark, typography, and iconography now frame supplier storytelling, and why co-branding is the new entry ticket for displays, packaging, and promotions. Assortment is where the balance becomes obvious. Challenger brands and premium names have real presence, while private labels like Bettergoods and Member’s Mark read like quality badges, not just opening price points. Beauty feels like a specialty shop, toys like a specialist aisle, and housewares like a curated home store, without losing the fast-moving value play that built the business. If you’re a supplier, you’ll leave with clear steps: design displays that educate, align visuals to the retailer’s system, and plan retail media to amplify in-aisle stories. If you’re a shopper, you’ll recognize why the trip just feels better. Like what you heard? Follow the show, share this episode with a teammate, and leave a quick review to help more retail pros find us.…
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The Doing Business in Bentonville Podcast
1 Ep. 122 - From Burnout to Breakthrough: A CEO’s Turning Point 1:01:03
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Change doesn’t wait for us to feel ready, and that’s exactly where real leadership begins. Andy sits down with Elise Mitchell, CEO-turned-coach and bestselling author of Leading Through the Turn, to unpack seven hard-earned principles for guiding teams through uncertainty without losing your grip on what matters. From a personal “intervention” during hypergrowth to an unforgettable motorcycle lesson about focus and risk, Elise shows how to balance realism with optimism and keep your eyes on the line you want to exit. We dig into accepting reality as the gateway to progress, making decisive calls when data is incomplete, and communicating in a way that creates context, connects the dots, and builds confidence. Elise goes deep on fear, fear of failure, of losing control, of not having every answer, and explains why courage must come before confidence. You’ll learn how to remove roadblocks that slow change, including the uncomfortable moment when the leader is the roadblock, and how to “ride loose” during people challenges so you can read the room, address conflict early, and stay present under pressure. Then we shift to staying close to your people with genchi genbutsu: go and see for yourself. Get out of the tower, visit the frontline, praise effort as well as results, and create a culture of try where experiments are safe and learning beats perfection. Instead of rescuing, ask catalytic questions that return ownership to your team. Elise closes with practical cognitive tools, reprioritizing, distancing, identity-based motivation, and reframing, to help you manage yourself, show up as your ideal self, and keep momentum when the turn gets tight. If you’re navigating change, leading a messy people problem, or just need a fresh dose of practical courage, this conversation will meet you where you are and move you forward. Subscribe, share with a leader who needs it, and leave a review with your top takeaway so we can keep bringing you conversations that sharpen your edge.…
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The Doing Business in Bentonville Podcast
Change doesn’t just test a strategy; it tests a leader. With Elise Mitchell in the chair, we go straight at the hard stuff: why your brain fights change, how to flip from threat to opportunity, and the exact conversations that pull a team out of frustration and into forward motion. Elise brings a rare mix of neuroscience, hard-won CEO lessons, and clear frameworks you can use today, including the five questions that reset a stuck team and three core principles for leading through uncertainty: embrace reality, be decisive, and connect the dots. We unpack how to recognize an away mindset, quiet the amygdala, and fuel the prefrontal cortex so you can think clearly when the stakes rise. From there, Elise shows how to make courageous decisions without perfect information, cooling emotions, widening inputs, and sharpening discernment to balance risk and reward. Her story about selling her firm grounds the theory in real trade-offs leaders face with their people, clients, and communities on the line. Communication becomes the force multiplier. We explore the cascade of messaging, from inner circle to broader team to clients, and a simple three-step frame to create context, connect individual roles, and cultivate confidence without pretending certainty. The throughline is trust: you’ll only lead people as far as they trust you. Earn it by telling the truth, inviting participation, and showing your work. We close with a teaser for part two: removing roadblocks, including the uncomfortable moment when the leader realizes they are the bottleneck. If this sparked a new way to lead through change, follow the show, share it with a leader who needs it, and leave a quick review so others can find it. What’s the one decision you’re ready to “break glass, pull handle” on this week?…
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The Doing Business in Bentonville Podcast
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The Doing Business in Bentonville Podcast
The floor is buzzing in downtown Bentonville, but the real signal is trust. We step into Slalom’s Innovation Day at The Record to explore how a local-first consulting model, a practitioner mindset, and a world-class partner ecosystem turn AI from flashy demos into business outcomes. From quick, no-code agents that capture leads on a phone to a lakehouse foundation that unifies data for analytics and governance, the conversations focus on what customers actually need—and how fast they can get there without sacrificing safety or ethics. Saint Fults, General Manager at Slalom, lays out Slalom’s ethos: take on the hardest problems with a local team you know by name. That proximity changes everything—strategy becomes concrete, timelines get tighter, and results get measured in customer impact. Marco Kilongkilong, Senior Principal at Slalom, dives into trusted AI, unpacking why governance, responsible inputs, and clear design choices are the bedrock of adoption. John Mathis, Managing Director at Slalom, zooms out to the big picture: leaders are drowning in options, so the path forward is to pick practical use cases, start small, and ship value quickly while protecting privacy and staying compliant. Partners bring the engine. Databricks explains how the Data Intelligence Platform and Agent Bricks lower the barrier to agentic systems so non-technical teams can orchestrate tasks and content with real guardrails. Salesforce shows how a unified platform lets business users build AI-powered workflows rapidly—no code required—while highlighting zero-copy data sharing across providers like Google and Databricks to finally unlock end-to-end insights. Throughout the night, one theme keeps returning: the future belongs to teams that blend clear governance, solid data foundations, and human-centered change. If you’re navigating AI hype, looking for your first high-impact win, or rebuilding trust with tech that actually works, this conversation offers a roadmap you can use tomorrow. Subscribe, share with a colleague who’s stuck at “pilot,” and leave a review with the AI use case you want us to unpack next.…
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The Doing Business in Bentonville Podcast
Discover the remarkable journey of collaboration between Procter & Gamble and Walmart in our latest podcast episode featuring industry expert Tom Muccio. Unpacking the pivotal moments that shaped this partnership, we delve into the complexities of change management, shared objectives, and overcoming resistance. As Tom shares his experiences from Cincinnati to Bentonville, he draws important lessons on fostering transparency and trust within organizations. Our discussion reveals insights about the One Company Model, a revolutionary approach emphasizing unity over competition, and how this framework can benefit modern businesses. Moreover, Tom elaborates on the five dragons that leaders often confront, such as corporate fog and bureaucratic hurdles, exposing the pain points that can stifle innovation and collaboration. The episode is packed with practical strategies designed to inspire leaders to embrace servant leadership, humility, and the art of testing new ideas. Join us for a thought-provoking exploration into what it takes to navigate challenges in the corporate landscape, build effective relationships, and ultimately drive success for all parties involved. Don't miss out, subscribe, share, and leave your thoughts on our conversation as we continue to explore transformational leadership and business relationships in upcoming episodes!…
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The Doing Business in Bentonville Podcast
This episode recaps the Embark Retail Innovation Summit, a part of Retail Innovation Week, a gathering that highlights the energy, collaboration, and authenticity driving the future of retail. Northwest Arkansas emerges as more than Walmart’s backyard—it is a thriving hub of retail innovation. “There is no better place to talk retail than Bentonville,” says Kristen Rodgers of Plug and Play, whose role as a “corporate matchmaker” embodies the event’s collaborative spirit. At the Embark Retail Innovation Summit, executives from companies like L’Oreal and Accenture connected with founders of breakthrough brands such as Lifeway Foods, Black Paper Party, and Trash Ice Cream, creating meaningful opportunities for conversation. What set the event apart was its intimacy. “You’re getting to actually spend time with people,” notes RetailWire CEO Chase Binnie, contrasting it with larger conferences. That closeness allowed for deeper discussions about retail’s challenges, opportunities, and values. The transformation of Bentonville itself mirrors these themes: innovative, sustainable, and increasingly diverse. A recurring message throughout the Embark Retail Innovation Summit was authenticity. From speakers to founders, many emphasized that growth only matters if relationships remain genuine. As a Black Paper Party founder Jasmine Hudson reflected, “None of this matters if you’re void of just being nice and kind and genuine.” The University of Arkansas also contributed by bridging academia and industry, helping students bring fresh ideas into the marketplace. From established CPG leaders to agile startups, this recap of the Embark Retail Innovation Summit captures the collaborative energy reshaping the retail landscape. Subscribe to hear more insider perspectives and join the conversation about how authenticity and community are defining the next wave of retail transformation.…
What happens when warehouse chaos meets artificial intelligence? Sean McCarthy, co-founder and CEO of BackOps.ai, joins the Warehouse Whisker Warriors to reveal how agentic AI is transforming supply chain communication and problem resolution. Drawing from his experience at Amazon Shipping, McCarthy identified a critical gap in warehouse operations: while systems existed to capture issues, humans still had to manually gather information across multiple platforms to solve problems. BackOps' solution utilizes an agentic AI framework that operates concurrently across systems, rather than following the linear paths of traditional Robotic Process Automation (RPA). The magic happens when a warehouse issue arises, missing pallets, damaged goods, shipment discrepancies, and the AI simultaneously checks carrier systems, vendor portals, warehouse management systems, and even contacts stakeholders. This parallel processing dramatically accelerates resolution times while maintaining accuracy and working through existing communication channels like phone, email, or messaging apps. Most impressively, the AI sounds remarkably human. During demonstrations, even experienced professionals have mistaken the BackOps AI for a human agent. This natural communication style helps overcome the hesitation many feel toward AI systems, especially in relationship-driven industries like supply chain management. For companies concerned about removing humans entirely, BackOps offers flexible human-in-the-loop options while providing measurable ROI from day one. The system also builds predictive analytics capabilities, helping identify recurring issues with specific carriers or vendors before they become problems. Ready to see how AI can transform your warehouse operations? Contact Sean directly at sean@backops.ai or visit www.backops.ai to schedule a demo and experience firsthand how their system is creating the future of intelligent supply chain resolution.…
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The Doing Business in Bentonville Podcast
Ever wonder why some stores convert browsers into buyers while others struggle despite decent foot traffic? This eye-opening conversation with Mark Ryski, founder of HeadCount Corporation and author of Store Traffic is a Gift , reveals how retailers and brands are missing a massive opportunity hiding in plain sight. At its core, store traffic represents the ultimate denominator and demand signal for physical retail. Yet surprisingly, only about half of retailers today actually track it properly, instead relying on transaction counts that miss crucial insights about non-buying visitors. Mark explains why this oversight leads to misaligned staffing, missed conversion opportunities, and ultimately, lost sales. The conversation takes a fascinating turn when Mark reveals how dramatically conversion rates can vary within the same retail chain – from as low as 30% to as high as 75%. These "super converting" stores hold the secrets to chainwide improvement, offering practical lessons that can be replicated across locations. For brands and suppliers, understanding traffic patterns provides leverage when negotiating promotional opportunities and helps quantify the true exposure their products receive. Perhaps most compelling is Mark's perspective on friction in the shopping journey. While retailers endlessly discuss the importance of reducing friction, most lack effective methods to measure it. Conversion rates provide that measurement, highlighting exactly when and where customers abandon their shopping journey. By tracking hourly traffic and conversion, retailers can pinpoint precisely when friction occurs and take targeted action to address it. For anyone involved in physical retail – whether you're managing stores, developing products, or analyzing performance – this conversation will transform how you think about traffic data and its strategic value. Tune in to discover practical ways to treat traffic as the precious gift it truly is and unlock the full potential of your physical retail presence.…
What happens when high-achieving leaders neglect to lead themselves? In this eye-opening conversation, executive coach Irene Ortiz-Glass pulls back the curtain on the hidden struggles of top performers and reveals the profound connection between personal history and leadership effectiveness. Irene shares her powerful personal journey from childhood trauma to corporate success to complete burnout, demonstrating how our origin stories shape our leadership approaches. "What got you here didn't start today—it started 10, 20 years ago," she explains, highlighting how early experiences create the mindsets we bring to our leadership roles. The discussion explores our "maladaptive" modern work environment, where constant connectivity and back-to-back meetings trigger chronic stress responses that impair decision-making. Leaders who thrive have learned to be intentional about energy management, creating clear boundaries while maintaining high performance. Irene provides practical insights on creating psychological safety for teams, explaining how threat responses trigger the "amygdala hijack" that prevents authentic engagement and strategic thinking. For listeners feeling overwhelmed, Irene offers a starting point: ask yourself what you truly want, examine your core values, and honestly assess whether your daily activities align with those values. "The happiness factor in life is feeling connected to what matters to you," she notes, challenging the notion that success requires sacrificing personal well-being. Whether you're leading a team through organizational change or seeking greater balance in your own leadership journey, this conversation provides both the neuropsychological framework and practical tools to become more effective. Ready to transform your approach to leadership? Start by understanding your own story.…
The retail media landscape is undergoing rapid transformation, with AI technology reshaping how brands connect with consumers on retail platforms. At the forefront of this revolution stands AdFury.ai, a groundbreaking startup built from day one as an artificial intelligence company focused on solving retail media's most pressing challenges. Becca Shaddox and Brandon "BV" Viveiros join the podcast to share their journey building AdFury.ai. With Becca's 17 years of technology experience at Walmart and BV's extensive background spanning from Nokia to Saatchi & Saatchi X, this leadership team brings uniquely relevant expertise to the retail media AI space. What sets them apart isn't just their impressive credentials, but their firsthand understanding of the inefficiencies and opportunities in retail media advertising. AdFury's AI platform addresses a critical pain point for brands and agencies: creating relevant, high-performing display advertisements for retail media networks with unprecedented efficiency. Rather than requiring creative teams to produce countless variations of ads manually, their system allows brands to upload assets and guidelines once, then leverages generative AI to produce optimized creative at scale. The platform incorporates a continuous feedback loop, learning from performance data to improve future creative generation. Starting with Walmart's retail media network but with plans to expand to other retailers, AdFury.ai is strategically positioned in Northwest Arkansas—the retail capital of the world. This location provides invaluable access to brands, agencies, and retail partners, creating a perfect environment for rapid iteration and growth. Their roadmap includes expanding beyond static display ads into video, connected TV, and social media formats. For brands struggling with the complexity and resource requirements of retail media advertising, AdFury.ai represents a compelling solution that lowers barriers to entry while improving performance. As both retail media and AI continue their explosive growth, this team is uniquely positioned at the intersection of these transformative technologies. Ready to transform your retail media advertising? Visit https://www.adfury.ai/ to learn how their AI platform can help your brand achieve greater efficiency, consistency, and performance in the rapidly evolving retail media landscape.…
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