Retail Gets Real
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.
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406. The rise of smart retail merchandising
<p>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.</p><p>(00:00:00) Powering live events with interactive kiosks</p><p>(00:04:38) Building BIG Digital during a global shutdown</p><p>(00:07:04) Bringing immersive technology onto the sales floor</p><p>(00:11:26) What limits retailers from adopting new tech</p><p>(00:12:56) What’s next for digital retail innovation</p><p>(00:17:34) Th...
405. The cultural forces shaping tomorrow’s consumer
<p>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.</p><p>(00:00:00) When disruption reshapes the future overnight</p><p>(00:04:25) How uncertainty is shaping the next consumer generation</p><p>(00:07:35) Loneliness, community and the return of shared experiences</p><p>(00:12:07) Wh...
How Taco Bell uses digital innovation to highlight human connection
<p>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.</p><p>(00:00:00) From fandom to digital transformation</p><p>(00:05:05) Turning loyalty into human connection</p>...
403. Building a people-first culture in modern retail with Ulta Beauty
<p>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.</p><p>(00:00:00) From the sales floor to the CEO seat</p><p>(00:05:48) How retail creates opportunity at every level</p><p>(00:09:14) Why beauty retail...
402. How agentic AI is redefining the future of retail
<p>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.</p><p>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 primaril...
401. How Old Navy is building opportunity at scale
<p>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.</p><p>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 comf...
How retail navigated uncertainty and transformation in 2025
<p>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.</p><p>(00:00:00) Marking 400 episodes and setting the stage for retail’s future</p><p>(00:05:35) Trade policy, tariffs and the cost of uncertainty</p><p>(00:10:00) Keeping the consumer at the center of reta...
399. Inside Retail’s Big Show: Innovation, AI and what’s coming next
<p>Retail’s Big Show has long been the industry’s can’t-miss gathering.In this episode of Retail Gets Real, we get an inside look at what’s ahead for NRF 2026, straight from the leaders who bring the event to life. We’re joined by Susan Newman, senior vice president of event strategy at the National Retail Federation; Jill Dvorak, senior vice president of content; and Scot Case, vice president of corporate social responsibility and sustainability and executive director of NRF’s Center for Retail Sustainability, to preview what attendees can expect at the retail industry’s most influential event.</p><p>...
398. What Gen Z wants: insights shaping the future of retail
<p>Gen Z is rapidly becoming one of the most influential consumer groups in the marketplace. In this episode of Retail Gets Real, we hear from two guests who sit at the heart of this evolving landscape: Carly Berns, assistant vice president at Berns Communications Group and co-founder of The Z Suite, and Olivia Meyer, a Gen Z retail strategist and Z Suite member. Together, they explore what defines today’s youngest adult shoppers, how they influence retail trends and what retailers must do to stay relevant in a world where discovery, personalization and transparency reign supreme.</p><p>(00:00:00) Introducing Ge...
What’s driving holiday shopping in 2025
<p>As the winter season approaches, families across the country are stepping into the holidays with renewed enthusiasm — and retailers are preparing for one of the most meaningful shopping periods of the year. In this episode of Retail Gets Real, NRF Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen breaks down the latest holiday data, uncovers shopping trends and shares the heartfelt traditions that define how Americans celebrate this time of year.</p><p>From spending forecasts and toy trends to the influence of technology and the enduring magic of in-store discovery, this episode offers insights into what consumers va...
