Leadership

Sweetwater's New CEO on Company Culture, Holiday Outlook
November 20, 2023 at 3:46 pm

In episode 428 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Mike Clem, CEO of Sweetwater, the world's leading music technology and instrument retailer. Listen in as Clem discusses his 20-year career at Sweetwater (1:00), why the company has a strong track record of long-time employee retention (1:45), and how he is working to maintain…

Why Bright Cellars' CEO Joe Megibow Pivoted to 'Off the Shelf' Technology
November 16, 2023 at 3:54 pm

Joe Megibow is CEO of Bright Cellars, an online wine subscription company that uses data to pair people with wine they'll love. Megibow recently spoke at Total Retail Tech in Denver, delivering a keynote on why he opted for an "off the shelf" technology solution to quickly re-platform the business. In this video interview from the…

Surviving Economic Turbulence During the Holiday Season: A Guide for Small Businesses
October 25, 2023 at 2:12 pm

In today's dynamic business landscape, small businesses are facing many challenges as they gear up for the holiday season. This season can make or break a retail business, especially with consumers less loyal than ever before. The current economic turbulence has left many entrepreneurs wondering how to formulate effective strategies for maximizing sales this holiday…

JCPenney Connects People, Processes and Technology for Transformation
October 19, 2023 at 2:54 pm

Vanathy Lakshmi is vice president of product and experiences at JCPenney, leading the iconic American brand through a major transformation. Lakshmi recently spoke at Total Retail Tech in Denver, delivering a keynote on strategies for better managing people, processes and technology. In this video interview from the event, she shares more about her role at JCPenney, how…

Costco CEO Craig Jelinek to Step Down, Replacement Named
October 19, 2023 at 1:12 pm

Costco's longtime CEO Craig Jelinek is stepping down from the company after the warehouse club’s spree of pandemic- and inflation-fueled growth. The company said Wednesday that Ron Vachris, its current chief operating officer, will replace Jelinek. The change will take effect Jan. 1. In a company press release, Costco said the two executives have worked together over nearly…

Tupperware Announces New CEO, Sees Stock Rise
October 18, 2023 at 12:01 pm

Tupperware named the former CEO of Avon North America, OVME Aesthetics, and Spanx, Laurie Ann Goldman, as its new CEO earlier this week. CNBC reported shares of Tupperware closed 8 percent higher at $2.18 Tuesday following the announcement. In a statement, Tupperware board chair, Susan Cameron, called Goldman "a trusted and growth-oriented leader with extensive management experience…

Dara Meath, Chief Technology Officer, Build-A-Bear Workshop | Total Retail Tech 2023
October 13, 2023 at 5:22 pm

This video features a keynote from Dara Meath, chief technology officer at Build-A-Bear Workshop, titled "Transforming Your Tech Organization in 90 Days or Less" from Total Retail Tech 2023 in Denver. Technology expert and current chief technology officer at Build-A-Bear Network, Dara Meath will share her real-world experiences from leading and transforming technology teams. She will detail the…

Joe Megibow, CEO, Bright Cellars | Total Retail Tech 2023
October 13, 2023 at 3:44 pm

This video features a keynote from Joe Megibow, CEO of Bright Cellars, titled "Why This CEO Opted for an 'Off the Shelf' Technology Solution" from Total Retail Tech 2023 in Denver. When Bright Cellars was launched over six years ago, there were few “off-the-shelf” solutions available for a subscription business. Over time, Bright Cellars built an entirely proprietary…

Vanathy Lakshmi, Vice President, Product and Experiences, JCPenney | Total Retail Tech 2023
October 13, 2023 at 3:03 pm

This video features a keynote from Vanathy Lakshmi, vice president of product and experiences at JCPenney, titled "A Strategy for Winning With People, Process and Technology" from Total Retail Tech 2023 in Denver. Transformation involves having a clear strategy, understanding your customers, and evolving the ways of working within to actually change not just the technology, but also…

Walgreens Names Healthcare Veteran as New CEO
October 11, 2023 at 5:39 pm

Walgreens Boots Alliance has selected the former CEO of the country's largest pharmacy benefits management company as its next CEO. Tim Wentworth, who most recently served as the CEO of Express Scripts, will start his new role at Walgreens on Oct. 23, the company said in a press release. He will replace Rosalind "Roz" Brewer,…