Cutting Through the Retail Technology Clutter with Brendan Witcher, VP & Principal Analyst, Forrester

Remarkable Retail

We welcome Brendan Witcher, Forrestor's VP & Principal Analyst back to the pod to get his always insightful and provocative perspectives on retailer's priorities for 2024. He helps us separate the real from the imagined with a preview of his upcoming report on where retailers are placing their bets for the future. We start with his takes on what makes the "Hype" list, as well as what should be on most retailer's radar screens. Then it's on to the top ten priorities, including hot areas in omni-channel fulfillment, personalization, AI, and guided selling.

As usual we start with our perspectives on the most important news of the week, including WeWork's bankruptcy and how worried we should be about the contagion effect from an ever shakier office market. Then it's on to positive news as Walmart stock hits an all time high on the heels of its big store investment plans. We shift to dissecting earnings from some of the OG's of disruptive DTC as Warby Parker, ThredUp, and TheRealReal report. We concluded with news of Overstock.com's rebranding to Beyond as they also show their CEO the door.

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We've been nominated for the Top Retail Voice Award and can use your help. It's easy to vote for us.

1. Go Here

2. Register to vote

3. Vote for the Remarkable Retail podcast in The Retail Voice Award category.

Brendan's First Podcast Appearance (April 2021)

Remembering BlueStar’s Steve Cuntz

We welcome Brendan Witcher, Forrestor's VP & Principal Analyst back to the pod to get his always insightful and provocative perspectives on retailer's priorities for 2024. He helps us separate the real from the imagined with a preview of his upcoming report on where retailers are placing their bets for the future. We start with his takes on what makes the "Hype" list, as well as what should be on most retailer's radar screens. Then it's on to the top ten priorities, including hot areas in omni-channel fulfillment, personalization, AI, and guided selling.

As usual we start with our perspectives on the most important news of the week, including WeWork's bankruptcy and how worried we should be about the contagion effect from an ever shakier office market. Then it's on to positive news as Walmart stock hits an all time high on the heels of its big store investment plans. We shift to dissecting earnings from some of the OG's of disruptive DTC as Warby Parker, ThredUp, and TheRealReal report. We concluded with news of Overstock.com's rebranding to Beyond as they also show their CEO the door.

**********************************

We've been nominated for the Top Retail Voice Award and can use your help. It's easy to vote for us.

1. Go to https://lnkd.in/g5bGMey5

2. Register to vote

3. Vote for the Remarkable Retail podcast in The Retail Voice Award category.

Brendan's First Podcast Appearance (April 2021)

About Brendan

As VP and Principal Analyst for Forrester Research, Brendan is a leading expert on consumer behavior, market developments, and tech trends in commerce. Considered a notable authority on strategies for achieving digital excellence, he often keynotes industry events and is sought after frequently for commentary by media outlets such as Bloomberg, CNBC, Marketplace, NPR, PBS, The Economist, Time, and The Wall Street Journal.

About Us

Steve Dennis is a strategic advisor, board member, and keynote speaker focused on strategic growth and transformation and the impact of digital disruption. He is the author of the bestselling book Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption and the forthcoming Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption , which will be published in March 2024 and is now available for pre-order at book retailers everywhere. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior contributor and on social media..

Michael LeBlanc is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast, The Voice of Retail, plus Global eCommerce Leaders podcast, and The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois. You can learn more about Michael here or on LinkedIn.

Be sure and check out Michael's latest venture for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue, his YouTube BBQ cooking channel!

About Us

Steve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.

Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.

Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.

Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer. If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.

Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.