For the busy showroom owner who wants to stay in the know about the state of the retail industry, podcasts are the perfect option, offering the ability to learn something new while on the go or when you have a quiet moment to yourself. For those who want to keep up with retail industry trends, here are four podcasts to check out next time you have some downtime and the itch to gain some knowledge that could help your business.
1. Tell Me Something Good About Retail
In this podcast from Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor, Phibbs brings his retail expertise to the table. In each episode, he interviews vendors and brick-and-mortar retailers from a variety of industries to find out how they stay competitive in today’s retail climate. Episodes are short — usually no more than 20-30 minutes — so they’re easy to listen to on a break or for a quick boost of inspiration during the day.
Episode to check out: Episode 114: Whitney Morgan, Collage | Being Socially Responsible
In this episode, Morgan, owner of Pennsylvania-based gift store Collage, shares her experience practicing social responsibility through her work with a local women’s shelter and offers insight on how she finds success at her independent business.
2. Retail Gets Real
From the National Retail Federation, Retail Gets Real features conversations with industry experts on topics ranging from the future of AI in retail to how Millennial parents shop differently from other parents. Episodes come out multiple times a week and are around 20 minutes long. At the end of each episode, the host does a fun rapid fire segment with the guest, with questions including “last thing you geeked out over” and “sunrise or sunset?”
Episode to check out: Episode 98: Reporting on retail: What’s changing in 2019 and beyond
Host Bill Thorne chats with Phil Wahba, senior writer at Fortune magazine for an interesting conversation on what it’s like to cover retail and what retailers should be keeping their eyes out for this year.
3. Reinventing Retail
This weekly podcast from Infor, a global business cloud software company, offers bite-sized discussions on the future of the retail industry. The hosts talk about today’s consumer demands, the shopper experience and emerging technology trends.
Episode to check out: Reinventing Retail 30: The Retail Apocalypse is #FakeNews
Host Jenny Reese Potter talks with analysts from IHL Group, a global research and advisory firm that specializes in retail technology. The conversation centers on the so-called retail apocalypse and the sensationalized idea of the death of retail. The guests share that U.S. Census and store count data ultimately doesn’t point to a dying industry, but rather indicates some changing consumer habits and some pressure on specific chains and department stores in particular.
4. Women in Retail Talks
From the Women in Retail Leadership Circle, co-founder and host Melissa Campanelli interviews women in retail for tips on everything from professional development to retail strategy. For women looking to learn how their peers in the industry tackle challenges and find success, this podcast is not one to miss.
Episode to check out: Elevate for Her Helping Women Gain Skills for Career Success
Campanelli interviews guest Rhonda Moret, the founder of Elevate for Her, a professional development organization for women. Moret shares a bit on her professional background, why she founded Elevate for Her and some tips on negotiation strategies and navigating the workplace.
What are your favorite podcasts? Let us know in the comments!
Photo: Unsplash user freestocks.org
