The Retail Darwin: Recent Episodes
WS Development
Retail is a space of constant change, adaptation and innovation. In an industry in which the worlds of art and design, culture, technology and fashion intersect, The Retail Darwin was created to explore and examine the evolution of retail as we know it. This podcast, designed by WS Development, is a collection of interesting stories, relevant perspectives and industry insights meant to inspire new thinking and incite ongoing conversations about our ever-changing environment. Subscribe now to ensure you never miss an episode. theretaildarwin.com @theretaildarwin
Harry Arnett is co-founder of sport utility gear brand MUNICIPAL with partners Mark Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson. Launched in summer 2020, MUNICIPAL fuses modern street style with sports performance, comfort, and versatility. Prior to MUNICIPAL, Harry served as EVP of Callaway Golf Company and Vice President of Global Marketing at TaylorMade-adidas Golf. Listen in as he shares the stories of Municipal's launch and growth into the physical space while inciting wisdom from his long standing career in sports branding and marketing.
We did it LIVE! Thank you to all who joined us in @seaportbost for The Retail Darwin LIVE. Our founders and brand officers shared so many anecdotes and snippets of advice for new and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Kelly Brabants, Founder of Booty by Brabants,
Sunni Fleming, Chief Brand Officer of Randolph Sunglasses
Gavin Mosely, Founder of The Garret Group, The Garrett, Borrachito, Chillhouse, and Rocco’s
Susanna Twarog, Founder of SOS Smart Vending Machines
Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, Founder of Clerisy (Formerly, GILT Groupe and Glamsquad)
Meet Nicky Bandera, the force behind Project Paulie. Project Paulie was born in Covid with the intent to feed and has since grown to support and connect people to over 33 organizations that better our communities. Learn how Nicky has taken the idea of a charitable giveback ten steps further and interwoven it into her brand’s everyday operation. Grab yourself a tomato hat and get involved at projectpaulie.com
La Vie Style House's one-size-fits-all caftans and wraps have splashed into the fashion scene in a big way. With mentorship from none other than retail-God Andrew Rosen, founders Lindsey and Jamie started their Dallas-based brand (with additional stores now in Palm Beach and the Hamptons) selling caftans out of Lindsey's coat closet to friends. Learn how they found themselves quickly picked up by Barney's, building their flagships store, and how they think about the modern woman's fashion needs in this ultra-chic episode.
Megababe has positioned itself as a total disruptor in the beauty space with their multiple-award-winning products that break down the stigma of everyday body challenges like sweat, chafe, and more. In this episode Taylor and Carina speak with Megababe founder - and beauty inventor - Katie Sturino to talk about her brand's inception, how she rode the prime wave of Instagram, and have a live conversation about the exploration of physical space.
This week's episode comes to us all the way from Charleston South Carolina where Hart Hagerty's namesake jewelry brand HART has created a dialogue around the idea of soulful adornment with their signature talismans and unique charms. Listen in as Taylor and guest co-host Cailey Hudson chat with Hart about her origin story and where she found her sweet spot in the marketplace. Their new pop-up opens May 2023 in Boston's Seaport at The Current.
The wait is over! Season 4 is all about digging deep with influential founders and we're kicking off with a message from @adriannacarrig founder and CEO of @littlewordsproject - it's cool to be kind. Listen in to learn about how her shareable, trackable, original-word-bracelet brand's origin story, explosive growth into physical space, and so much more. Episode one is available now on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you listen to podcasts with new episodes EVERY MONDAY. https://www.littlewordsproject.com/
In a new panel series "Shop Talk" we meet five influential female founders paving the way in their industries. Our first Shop Talk is hosted in the Boston Seaport featuring business owners within the district. Taylor and Carina are joined by event moderator Ariel Foxman, General Manager of Seaport and former Editor in Chief of InStyle Magazine.
Listen in as BoF's Sheena Butler-Young discusses how different generations act and react in consumption, employment, and more. Gain insights as Carina Donoso uncovers tips and best-practices for retailers to discover and connect with their dedicated consumers and gain access to tools for your business. Learn more by following @theretaildarwin and letting us know what you'd like to hear about next!
In this episode, our host are exploring a new idea of renting art for your physical store. Listen in as they speak to art consultant and manager of the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum's art loan program Gabriella Levy to discuss the benefits of renting vs. purchasing, how to go about it, and much more!
In Exploring Resale, we're joined by TheRealReal's Courtney Hawkins to talk about the buzz in the pre-owned retail markets. With expansive growth in the physical space, we're discussing the consumer's needs, the sustainability angle, potential challenges, and the future.
Staffing is the #1 question we get asked about. In this episode, we're bringing that conversation to the table through the lens of the retailer and exploring creative ways to identify potential roadblocks and solutions to hiring and retaining great talent in a climate where everyone is hiring. Don't forget to follow along and let us know what you'd like to hear about on Instagram @theretaildarwin
It seems that every day we're waking up to a new brand collaboration announcement, both amongst natural brand partners and unlikely pairings as well! In this episode, we're joined by Glossy's Editor in Chief Jill Manoff to unpack this boom and explore how retailers can take note to incorporate elements of collaboration to enhance their in-store experience, target a new consumer, and much more. Listen in and don't forget to follow us on instagram @theretaildarwin for polls, episode announcements, and more!
When you walk into a store, what you find is so much more than just a visual experience. Today we're talking about the entire sensory experience. Perhaps you're familiar with incorporating the traditional five senses (but if you're not, we touch on this too) so how do you level up? What are brands with big budgets doing, and what learnings can we extract from them to bring to the store level? Listen in and follow to make sure you don't miss an episode.
Authentic connections within your community and with your customers lead to brand loyalty and opportunities to expand your reach. It doesn't happen overnight, but there are several ways to jumpstart your community-building efforts. Episode 4 joins WS Development's Field Marketing team to identify top ways you can show up in your communities. Tune in to the rest of the season to continue on the journey and learn how you can make a dream a reality and DM us at theretaildarwin.com to tell us what your store would be!
Setting goals, identifying key performance indicators (KPIs) and creating a sales calendar to project revenue goals are essential when strategizing business performance. Episode 4 joins WS Development's Asset Strategy and Development team to explain how you can use KPIs to get ahead. Tune in to the rest of the season to continue on the journey and learn how you can make a dream a reality and DM us at theretaildarwin.com to tell us what your store would be!
Marketing is part art, part science. Whether you're opening a permanent store or promoting a pop-up, do your research, know your goals and make a plan to stay on track. Episode 4 joins the team behind @seaportbos to explain the most impactful marketing practices to implement into your store strategy. Tune in to the rest of the season to continue on the journey and learn how you can make a dream a reality and DM us at theretaildarwin.com to tell us what your store would be!
Retail Operations is the term used to describe all the activities that keep the store functioning well. It is more important than ever for retailers to understand and adopt the practices and technologies designed to help stores reach optimal performance. Episode 6 joins WS Development's Retail Experience and Incubation team to take you behind the scenes of retail ops. Tune in to the rest of the season to continue on the journey and learn how you can make a dream a reality and DM us at theretaildarwin.com to tell us what your store would be!
The most important part of any store is the people who bring your product and space to life. Taking the time to educate, train, and inspire passion in employees can boost your bottom line. Episode 5 joins WS Development's friend and owner of Injeanius Alison Barnard O'Brien to discuss talent in the retail industry. Tune in to the rest of the season to continue on the journey and learn how you can make a dream a reality and DM us at theretaildarwin.com to tell us what your store would be!
When visual merchandising is done well, it adds value to your brand and can help you gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Your store should create an experience that stimulates your customers' senses using lighting, music, scents, digital touchpoints and product displays. The Retail Darwin Podcast's second season is all about "talking shop." Have you ever dreamed of opening a store? Episode 4 joins WS Development's Retail Experience and Incubation team to explain the musts of visual merchandising your store. Tune in to the rest of the season to continue on the journey and learn how you can make a dream a reality and DM us at theretaildarwin.com to tell us what your store would be!
Building our your store is a big deal. The way your space looks should be informed by your product and the customer's experience. First impressions matter, and the way your customer feels in the store can impact their purchasing decisions.The Retail Darwin Podcast's second season is all about "talking shop." Have you ever dreamed of opening a store? Episode 3 meets WS Development's Studio and Retail Experience & Incubation teams to help break down the design process. Tune in to the rest of the season to continue on the journey and learn how you can make a dream a reality and DM us at theretaildarwin.com to tell us what your store would be!
Where do your customers already spend their time? When choosing a spot for your shop, try to meet them where they are. The Retail Darwin Podcast's second season is all about "talking shop." Have you ever dreamed of opening a store? Episode 2 joins WS Development's leasing team to help navigate the big question: where should your store be?! Tune in to the rest of the season to continue on the journey and learn how you can make a dream a reality and DM us at theretaildarwin.com to tell us what your store would be!
Your brand is your chance to stand out from the crowd. The Retail Darwin Podcast's second season is all about "talking shop." Have you ever dreamed of opening a store? Start here with Episode 1 as we speak to WS Development's experts in brand building. Tune in to the rest of the season to continue on the journey and learn how you can make a dream a reality. DM us at theretaildarwin.com to tell us what your store would be!
Have you ever gotten a text message from a brand? With the world of retail tech fast approaching a new norm in clienteling, we're sitting down with Boston-based email and SMS tech giant Klaviyo to explore the evolution of clienteling in the retail industry. Listen in as we discuss with Lacey Berrien, Klaviyo's Head of PR, and talk about small business, incentivizing in-store shopping, Klaviyo's Owned Growth Grant at The Current in Boston's Seaport, and much more.
To learn more about what Klaviyo can do for your business, reach out to sales@klaviyo.com and tell them The Retail Darwin Podcast sent you!
On episode 3, Taylor and Carina speak to Robina Verbeek about the future of beauty tech on-the-go. SOS is transforming wellness through a network of smart vending machines that deliver just-in-time necessities where and when you need them most. Each machine offers modern, premium health and wellness products from brands such as Cora, First Aid Beauty, Hero Cosmetics, Megababe, Kosas, and Ursa Major. Listen in as they discuss topics from the beauty consumer's journey to selecting the edit of products!
In this episode we're back to discuss a particularly hot topic in the retail world: the fitting room. As consumer habits evolve, how does the concept of the try-on evolve, too? From virtual reality to fitting rooms without mirrors, listen in to this discussion between our hosts to hear about what's working and what's probably missing the mark. Read more about the fitting room at theretaildarwin.com in "Mirror Mirror" and follow along on Instagram @theretaildarwin.
Episode 1 kicks off with a conversation surrounding retail's evolution with author and retail expert Ron Thurston. Listen in as Taylor West and Carina Donoso from WS Development's Retail Experience and Incubation team explore how retailers should consider approaching the upcoming season, look into local markets, and think differently about the physical space. Learn more at theretaildarwin.com and follow along @theretaildarwin.
Retail is a space of constant change, adaptation and innovation. In an industry in which the worlds of art and design, culture, technology and fashion intersect, The Retail Darwin was created to explore and examine the evolution of retail as we know it. This podcast, designed byWS Development, is a collection of interesting stories, relevant perspectives and industry insights meant to inspire new thinking and incite ongoing conversations about our ever-changing environment.