Retail Gets Real

National Retail Federation
  • 3.6 (5)
  • CAREERS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Retail impacts everyone, everywhere, every day. Join the National Retail Federation for authentic, insightful conversations with the industry's most interesting people. Hear retail executives, industry experts, entrepreneurs and influencers discuss trends, their career stories and the future of retail. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

  1. 3D AGO

    407. Inside Sweetwater’s people-first approach to retail innovation

    As retail continues to evolve at the intersection of technology and human connection, Jason Johnson, CIO of Sweetwater Sound, offers a compelling perspective on what it means to lead with both innovation and heart. On this episode of “Retail Gets Real,” Johnson discusses how Sweetwater has grown into one of the most distinctive retailers in the industry by treating technology not as a back-office function, but as a core driver of growth — especially with its team of more than 700 commissioned sales engineers building off the founder’s core mission of deeply personal service (00:00:00) Inside Sweetwater’s rock ‘n’ roll retail model (00:04:46) From Navy service to CIO leadership (00:11:10) Innovating at scale with AI and education (00:16:30) Bringing the in-store experience online (00:19:40) Leading with radical transparency and trust (00:23:12) Building a culture where people truly thrive (00:26:34) The future of retail in an AI-powered world The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. Resources: • Visit sweetwater.com • Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association • Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org • Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy • Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com Related: • 392: How Warby Parker is redefining retail and customer experience • 364: How BJ’s Wholesale Club leverages AI to serve its customers

    34 min

  2. FEB 17

    406. The rise of smart retail merchandising

    Technology is reshaping the in-store experience, and Jake Neiman is helping retailers bring digital innovation into the physical world. The co-founder and CEO of BIG Digital joins Retail Gets Real to discuss how immersive kiosks, smart merchandising solutions, AI-powered interfaces and next-generation ePaper displays are transforming how customers engage with brands inside stores. (00:00:00) Powering live events with interactive kiosks (00:04:38) Building BIG Digital during a global shutdown (00:07:04) Bringing immersive technology onto the sales floor (00:11:26) What limits retailers from adopting new tech (00:12:56) What’s next for digital retail innovation (00:17:34) The future of retail belongs to immersive experiences The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. Resources: • Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association • Learn about our retail education platform, the NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org • Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy • Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com Related: • 399: Inside Retail’s Big Show: Innovation, AI and what’s coming next • 392: How Warby Parker is redefining retail and customer experience

    22 min

  3. FEB 10

    405. The cultural forces shaping tomorrow’s consumer

    Cassandra Napoli, head of marketing, events and culture forecasting at WGSN, returns to Retail Gets Real to explore what is changing in culture, technology and consumer behavior. Recorded live from NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show in New York City, she discusses the evolving nature of human connection and what retailers can do to future-proof their businesses in a world shaped by uncertainty, fragmented identities and competing demands for attention. (00:00:00) When disruption reshapes the future overnight (00:04:25) How uncertainty is shaping the next consumer generation (00:07:35) Loneliness, community and the return of shared experiences (00:12:07) Why niche communities and creators are redefining influence (00:16:29) Where AI helps and where it hurts the retail experience (00:18:41) Why the next big disruption is going offline (00:23:49) How culture, entertainment and moments are driving what’s next (00:29:03) Rapid fire insights on media, habits and attention The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. Resources: • Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association • Learn about our retail education platform, the NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org • Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy • Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com Related: • 400: How retail navigated uncertainty and transformation in 2025 • 374: Get ahead of the future of retail

    33 min

  4. FEB 3

    How Taco Bell uses digital innovation to highlight human connection

    Known for its bold brand, devoted fans and culture of innovation, Taco Bell continues to push the boundaries of what modern retail can be, blending human connection with digital transformation to create memorable experiences for both consumers and team members. Dane Mathews, global chief digital and technology officer at Taco Bell joins guest host David French of NRF for this wide-ranging conversation on innovation, leadership, and the evolving role of technology in retail, recorded live at NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show in New York City. (00:00:00) From fandom to digital transformation (00:05:05) Turning loyalty into human connection (00:08:57) When AI changes the customer mindset (00:10:39) Scaling meaningful moments in 2026 (00:13:55) Managing risk at the edge of innovation (00:16:53) Rethinking the human and technology equation (00:20:04) Leading with connection, curiosity and momentum (00:22:47) Why volatility is retail’s greatest opportunity The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. Resources: • Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association • Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org • Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy • Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com Related: • 386: Inside Starbucks’ commitment to thriving communities • 358: How McDonald’s enhances customer engagement and loyalty

    27 min

  5. JAN 27

    403. Building a people-first culture in modern retail with Ulta Beauty

    Retail is an industry built on people, emotion and constant reinvention, and few leaders embody that reality more fully than Ulta Beauty President and CEO Kecia Steelman. In this episode of Retail Gets Real recorded live from NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show in New York City, Steelman explores her remarkable career journey, leadership philosophy and how she’s guiding the nation’s largest specialty beauty retailer through one of the most transformative moments in retail history. (00:00:00) From the sales floor to the CEO seat (00:05:48) How retail creates opportunity at every level (00:09:14) Why beauty retail is about emotion, not just products (00:12:52) Why the future of retail has no finish line (00:16:24) How culture drives performance at Ulta Beauty (00:19:28) How Ulta Beauty localizes a global brand (00:22:14) What retail needs more (and less) of right now The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. Resources: • Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association • Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org • Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy • Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com Related: • 380: How Vera Bradley transformed a legacy brand • 376: How Target’s consumer-first strategy drives success

    28 min

  6. JAN 21

    402. How agentic AI is redefining the future of retail

    Live from NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show in New York City, Ali Furman, partner and U.S. consumer markets industry leader at PwC, and Barbara O’Beirne, head of global enterprise business development at Stripe, both join Retail Gets Real for a wide-ranging conversation on how AI is rapidly moving from experimentation to execution — and what that means for retailers right now. Near the Expo floor buzzing with robots, AI demos and next-generation technology, Furman and O’Beirne unpack why agentic AI represents a structural change rather than a passing trend. Unlike earlier generations of AI that primarily assisted with search and discovery, agentic AI is designed to act. It can evaluate options, make decisions and increasingly transact on behalf of consumers. They say this evolution is reshaping the very top of the shopping funnel and redefining how consumers decide what to buy. (00:00:00) Why agentic AI was everywhere at NRF 2026 (00:04:49) How commerce is moving inside AI conversations (00:07:29) Why agentic commerce is a structural shift, not a trend (00:10:21) How will agentic AI impact bricks-and-mortar retail? (00:12:45) How PwC and Stripe are helping retailers move from pilots to reality (00:18:31) Where retail leaders should start with AI right now The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. Resources: • Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association • Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org • Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy • Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com Related: • 395: Adapting to the rise of AI shoppers • 390: The role of AI in shaping cybersecurity and fraud prevention

    26 min

  7. JAN 14

    401. How Old Navy is building opportunity at scale

    Horacio “Haio” Barbeito, president and CEO of Old Navy, joins Retail Gets Real to reflect on a global career in retail, the responsibility of developing future talent and how leaders can navigate rapid change while keeping humanity at the center of the business. With nearly three decades of experience spanning Argentina, the United States, Chile, Puerto Rico and Canada, Barbeito’s leadership philosophy was shaped by working across cultures and markets. His journey — which included 26 years at Walmart and CEO roles in multiple international businesses — reinforced an early lesson: Growth happens when leaders are willing to leave their comfort zones. Retail, he says, is never static. It demands constant learning, movement and responsiveness to customers whose expectations evolve at the speed of culture. (00:00:00) Building a global retail career through change (00:06:16) Creating first jobs that change lives (00:10:26) Why investing in people is smart business (00:13:20) Navigating AI without losing the human touch (00:19:14) Advice for the next generation of retail leaders The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. Resources: • Learn more about Retail’s Big Show in NYC • Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association • Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org • Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy • Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com Related: • 391. AI, skills-first hiring and the next era of retail jobs

    21 min

  8. JAN 9

    How retail navigated uncertainty and transformation in 2025

    As Retail Gets Real reaches its 400th episode, we’re joined by Matthew Shay, president and CEO of the National Retail Federation, for a special conversation reflecting on the year that was, and what it reveals about the future of retail. The milestone episode offers a comprehensive look at the forces that shaped the industry in 2025, from global expansion and trade policy to consumer behavior and artificial intelligence. (00:00:00) Marking 400 episodes and setting the stage for retail’s future (00:05:35) Trade policy, tariffs and the cost of uncertainty (00:10:00) Keeping the consumer at the center of retail policy (00:12:10) Understanding today’s consumer: anxious, adaptable and still spending (00:17:24) Making sense of AI without getting overwhelmed (00:25:01) Investing in the future of retail leadership and education The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. Resources: • Learn more about NRF’s work on behalf of the retail industry in 2025 at nrf.com/2025 • Get ready for Retail’s Big Show in NYC • Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association • Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org • Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy • Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com Related: • 375: Tech, trade and taxes: What’s impacting retail in 2025 • 332: The state of retail heading into 2024

    29 min
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Ratings & Reviews

3.6
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Retail impacts everyone, everywhere, every day. Join the National Retail Federation for authentic, insightful conversations with the industry's most interesting people. Hear retail executives, industry experts, entrepreneurs and influencers discuss trends, their career stories and the future of retail. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Information

  • Creator
    National Retail Federation
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    405
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © National Retail Federation
  • Show Website
    Retail Gets Real

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