retail innovation Archives - WSL Strategic Retail

AI, Pricing, Supply Chain, Loyalty and First Thoughts on 2026 with Justin Honaman, AWS | EP98

In this episode: In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to regular guest Justin Honaman, Global Head, Restaurants, Retail & Consumer Goods Business Development at Amazon Web Services, about what’s now – and next – as technology transforms retail and consumer goods businesses. Episode Highlights: Retail sales and the tension between inflation, tariffs and spending Managing ... Read more

Influencing the Future of Retail, with Kenvue, Kroger and InMarket | EP97

Influencing-Retail-kroger-kenvue-inmarket

In this episode: Wendy Liebmann talks to Amanda Coussoule, Chief Customer Officer at Kenvue, Marla Fielder, Health & Wellness Leader at Kroger and Sharon Glass, Global VP, OTC & Pharma at InMarket, about how to transform organizations in challenging retail times. Episode Highlights: Knowing when to use “soft” or “hard” influence to move organizations to ... Read more

Beauty Everywhere: Connecting Brands, Retail and Consumers with Liza Rapay | EP96

In this episode: Wendy Liebmann talks to Liza Rapay, Vice President, Head of Cosmoprof North America, and Founder of Beauty New York, about the importance of bringing industry, innovators and consumers together to grow the beauty business in chaotic times. Episode Highlights: The importance of connecting the industry in-person to build relationships, and drive innovation, ... Read more

Driving Retail Innovation — Retail Safari®-ing with NielsenIQ | EP95

In this episode: Wendy Liebmann talks to Anna Mayo, NielsenIQ VP Beauty Vertical, and WSL Strategic Retail’s Elia Auchane and Katie Hornsby about the importance of collaboration to drive innovation at retail. Episode Highlights: In challenging retail times, how critical it is to inspire new thinking The power of bringing different companies and different disciplines ... Read more

Transforming Health Care Retail into a Temple of Care with Fiona Sartoretto Verna | EP94

In this episode: Wendy Liebmann talks to Fiona Sartoretto Verna, retail architect and co-leader of the company Sartoretto Verna™, founded by her grandfather to reshape the global pharmacy landscape. Today, the company has designed pharmacies in over 48 countries, including the US. Episode Highlights: How her family company was founded to create a “temple of ... Read more

Generative AI, Tariffs, and Flexible Leadership with Justin Honaman, AWS | EP93

In this episode: In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & Consumer Goods Business Development at Amazon Web Services, about the impact of the latest technologies transforming business. Episode Highlights: How generative AI is the next big thing – at least for a moment. How the issues are around ... Read more

How To Grow a Specialty Retail Business in Chaotic Times with Anna Harman | EP91

In this episode: Wendy Liebmann talks to Anna Harman, CEO and co-founder of Studs, the specialty ear piercing and earring retailer, with 33+ stores and e-commerce site, founded in 2019 just in time for Covid. They discuss: Going from corporate law to Walmart innovation lab to opening Studs. Creating a unique brand ecosystem through quality ... Read more

The Next Revolution in Shopper Insights with Keith Sleight | EP90

In this episode: Wendy Liebmann talks to Keith Sleight, expert in “shopping understanding”, who most recently lead the Shopper Centre of Excellence at Unilever, about the state of shopper insights and where it’s headed. They discuss: The biggest changes in the shopper research field over the last five years How “connected commerce” has changed how ... Read more

Investing in the Future of Retail – Where, Why, How with Diana Melencio | EP89

In this episode: Wendy Liebmann talks to Diana Melencio, partner at XRC Ventures, an investor in the early-stage intersection of consumer behavior and technology, and its investment approach in the health, beauty, and technology sectors. They discuss: How XRC finds opportunities (one way: scraping the web) The touchpoints of the consumer journey that have become ... Read more

AI Transforms Innovation…In Real Time. Right Now. With Justin Honaman, AWS | EP88

podcast with justin honaman and wendy liebmann

In this episode: Wendy Liebmann talks to Justin Honaman, Head, Worldwide Retail & Consumer Goods Business Development at Amazon (AWS) about innovation and what expertise -- technology and people driven -- is required to build a modern company. ‘If you're in the business and you think AI is just an IT thing, you are missing ... Read more