Podcast
The Retail Razor: Retail Transformers Podcast
Hosted by Ricardo Belmar | Top Retail Expert · EN
Retail Transformers is your insider’s guide to the visionaries shaping the future of retail! We dive into candid conversations with the crazy ones, the rebels, the bold thinkers, and the disruptors driving real transformation in retail. Whether they’re redefining the shopping experience, revolutionizing supply chains, enabling AI for frontline retail store teams, or championing the next era of agentic commerce, these change makers are revolutionizing retail.
If you're passionate about innovation, leadership, & the future of commerce, Retail Transformers is the podcast for you.
Stay Sharp. Be Bold. Transform Retail.
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About Your Hosts:
Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voice for 2025 & a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2026. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Retail, a Top 25 AGI & Careers, a Top 50 Agentic AI & Management, & a Top 100 Digital Transformation & Transformation Thought Leader, plus a Top Digital Voice for 2024 & 2025. He was most recently the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.
Casey Golden, is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T, and CEO of Luxlock. She is, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2026, and a Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member.
13episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Retail Leadership Lessons with Bobby Johnson – A People-First Culture
Dec 400:42:31Tap to summarizeS1E5 Retail Resilience & Innovation | Bobby Johnson on Mentorship, Culture, & AI In this episode of the Retail Razor: Retail Transformers Podcast, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden sit down with retail veteran Bobby Johnson, former people-first COO of BrandsMart and now co-founder of Spinjoy, a groundbreaking wash-and-fold laundry service in partnership with Walmart. Bobby shares his remarkable journey from appliance manager to C-suite executive, leading BrandsMart through decades of growth, resilience during the 2008 recession, and the challenges of COVID. His retail leadership philosophy is simple yet powerful: it’s never about the business; it’s always about the people. We explore:How Bobby grew BrandsMart’s profitability 4X annually by putting people firstThe importance of mentorship and building long-term employee loyaltyLessons in resilience and adaptability during retail crisesScaling people-first retail culture across multiple stores and marketsWhy Spinjoy’s Walmart partnership is set to disrupt the laundry industryHow customer-first convenience services are shaping the future of retail If you’re passionate about retail innovation, retail leadership, and customer-centric transformation, this episode is packed with insights from one of retail’s most experienced leaders. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe to The Retail Razor: Retail Transformers for more episodes featuring retail innovators, disruptors, and bold thinkers reshaping commerce.Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://retailrazor.com/Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.comSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://go.retailrazor.com/utubeGuest info:Bobby Johnson, COO, Spinjoy, https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobby-r-johnson/Spinjoy, https://www.spinjoy.comAs a COO, retail operations executive, and strategic sales leader, I bring an extensive record of success and expertise in creating one of the nation's most robust retail operations, delivering world-class experiences for customers, and driving commercial success in highly competitive markets. I excel at standing up innovative new stores and distribution centers, building engaged, high-performance teams with a customer-first mindset, and helping C-level teams achieve exceptional objectives in short timeframes. Combining a dynamic approach to leadership with the personal philosophy that great people are the cornerstone of every successful company-I work effectively from the front lines to the highest levels of the industry, guiding my teams to tackle the toughest challenges and deliver exceptional value for stakeholders, employees, and the customers we serve. Chapters:(00:00) Previews(01:10) Show Intro(04:06) Meet Retail Transformer - Bobby Johnson(07:39) Challenges and Resilience in Retail(10:58) Mentorship and Leadership Development(18:42) Transition to Spinjoy: A New Venture(22:32) Reimagining Wash and Fold Services(25:29) Location Strategy and Demographics(27:19) Trust and Transparency in Leadership(28:22) Personal Costs of Leadership(30:48) Mentoring the Next Generation of Leaders(34:07) The Future of Retail and AI(36:47) The Pendulum of Technology Adoption(39:48) Final Thoughts and Contact Information(40:57) Show CloseMeet your hosts, helping you stay sharp, be bold, and transform retail:Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voice for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2026. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Thought Leader in Retail, a Top 25 Thought Leader in AGI and Careers, a Top 50 Thought Leader in Agentic AIand Management, and a Top 100 Thought Leader in Digital Transformation and Transformation. Thinkers 360 also named him a Top Digital Voice for 2024 and 2025. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformationand the Retail Cloud Alliance. He was most recently the partner marketing leader for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.Casey Golden, is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T, and CEO of Luxlock. She is a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2026, and Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. After a career on the fashion and supply chain technology side of the business, Casey is obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer and is slaying franken-stacks and building retail tech! Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tropikool, from the album Future Beats 2, plus Virtual Apology and New Styles, from the album Shimmer Pop, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.
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The Playbook for Scaling Startup Innovation with Anna Farberov
Nov 2000:46:21Tap to summarizeS1E4 - From Pilot to Scale: How Anna Farberov Drives Innovation at PepsiCo Labs In this episode of the Retail Transformers Podcast, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden talk with Anna Farberov, GM of PepsiCo Labs, about how one of the world’s largest CPG companies scales startup innovation from pilot to enterprise-wide transformation. Anna shares her journey from finance and strategy into corporate innovation leadership, revealing how PepsiCo Labs built a structured playbook for startup partnerships that achieves a remarkable 50% success rate. She explains how to avoid innovation theater, define clear KPIs for pilots, and separate AI hype from real agentic AI solutions that deliver measurable ROI. You’ll learn: How PepsiCo Labs partners with startups to solve real-world challenges Why KPIs and clear business cases are critical for scaling innovation Navigating the dynamics of corporate vs. startup innovation cultures How to identify AI hype vs. real solutions in startup pitches Why integrating multiple startups is often key to solving complex problems like digital twins What makes a startup pitch stand out—and what founders should avoid Whether you’re a startup founder, a corporate innovator, or curious about retail and CPG innovation, this episode offers actionable insights from one of the industry’s leading voices. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe to The Retail Razor: Retail Transformers for more episodes featuring retail innovators, disruptors, and bold thinkers reshaping commerce.Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://retailrazor.com/Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.comSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://go.retailrazor.com/utubeGuest info:Anna Farberov, GM, PepsiCo Labs. https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-farberov/Anna leads PepsiCo’s global engagement with technology companies - from emerging disruptors to the world’s largest enterprises. She partners with senior executives to identify, test, and scale solutions that are reshaping how PepsiCo operates across data, AI, manufacturing, supply chain, and logistics. Her work accelerates growth and drives transformation across one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies. Anna brings a unique blend of expertise in strategy, finance, commercial execution, and venturing. Earlier in her career, she led commercial initiatives across consumer, customer, and marketing functions, including new product launches, go-to-market design, and demand creation. She also built a foundation in finance at Procter & Gamble, holding roles in operations, commerce, and strategic planning. Prior to PepsiCo, Anna was a senior executive at Israel’s largest holdings company, where she led corporate strategy, investments, and the development of new growth platforms. This background in strategy and venturing now informs her work at PepsiCo Labs, where she builds models that connect corporate scale with technological disruption. A frequent speaker at global conferences, Anna shares perspectives on how leaders can harness technology ecosystems, bridge business and innovation, and lead organizations with clarity and impact in times of rapid change.Chapters:(00:00) Previews(01:03) Show Intro(05:06) Welcome Anna Farberov(07:02) Challenges and Risks in Innovation(09:27) Building a Systematic Playbook(11:41) The Importance of Clear KPIs(13:04) Navigating Corporate and Startup Dynamics(17:50) Secrets to Successful Innovation(20:46) What Makes a Startup Stand Out(25:17) Avoid Insulting Your Audience(26:19) Relevance of AI in Startups(27:18) Identifying Real AI Solutions(29:52) Integrating Multiple Startups(31:45) Future of Innovation and Technology(33:35) Balancing Innovation and Business Operations(36:46) Avoiding Innovation Theater(41:10) Advice for Future Innovators(44:45) Show CloseMeet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail & retail tech:Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voice for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2026. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Thought Leader in Retail, a Top 25 Thought Leader in AGI and Careers, a Top 50 Thought Leader in Agentic AIand Management, and a Top 100 Thought Leader in Digital Transformation and Transformation. Thinkers 360 also named him a Top Digital Voice for 2024 and 2025. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformationand the Retail Cloud Alliance. He was most recently the partner marketing leader for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.Casey Golden, is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T, and CEO of Luxlock. She is a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2026, and Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. After a career on the fashion and supply chain technology side of the business, Casey is obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer and is slaying franken-stacks and building retail tech! Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tropikool, from the album Future Beats 2, plus Virtual Apology and New Styles, from the album Shimmer Pop, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.
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Built on Belief: Matt Marcotte on Cultures of Commitment in Retail
Oct 701:00:54Tap to summarizeS1E3- Why Compliance Isn’t Enough: Matt Marcotte on Fostering True Commitment In this episode of the Retail Transformers podcast, part of the Retail Razor Podcast Network, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden sit down with retail legend Matt Marcotte — founder of M2 Collaborative, former COO of Bergdorf Goodman, retail executive at Apple, Tory Burch, and The Gap, and former Global Industry Advisor at Salesforce. Matt shares insights from his new book, Built On Belief: Why Cultures of Commitment Are The Competitive Advantage, exploring why commitment-driven cultures outperform compliance-driven organizations. You'll learn how belief can transform both customer experience and employee experience.Listeners will learn:Why retail culture is the ultimate competitive advantageHow to move from compliance to commitment in leadershipLessons from Matt’s career at Bergdorf Goodman, Apple, Tory Burch, and SalesforceWhy clarity, communication, and belief are essential for retail transformationHow retailers can embrace AI and technology without losing the human connectionThe North Star leadership principle and how it drives brand alignmentPractical frameworks like Connect, Assess, Deliver, Exceed, Transform for building lasting customer relationships Whether you’re a retail executive, brand strategist, or future leader, this episode delivers actionable insights on retail leadership, innovation, and culture that will help you transform your organization from the inside out. Don’t miss this conversation with Matt Marcotte, a true retail transformer and author of one of the most important new books in retail leadership. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe to The Retail Razor: Retail Transformers for more episodes featuring retail innovators, disruptors, and bold thinkers reshaping commerce.Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://retailrazor.com/Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.comSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://go.retailrazor.com/utubeGuest info:Matt Marcotte, Author, “Built On Belief: Why Cultures of Commitment Are The Competitive Advantage”https://www.linkedin.com/in/mamarcotte/“Built On Belief: Why Cultures of Commitment Are The Competitive Advantage” available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/4qiw4SB Matt Marcotte is the founder and principal of M2 Collaborative, an executive leadership and high-performance consultancy. Matt brings more than 35 years of experience building, scaling, reinventing, and advising some of the most valuable brands in the world to help leaders lead better through meaningful, relevant connection and relationship with employees and consumers. Before launching his own practice, Matt was Senior Vice President and Head of Global Industry Advisors at Salesforce. He also served as Chief Operating Officer at Bergdorf Goodman, and as Global Executive Vice President of Direct-to-Consumer at Tory Burch. Earlier, Matt led Apple’s North America retail organization and at The Gap, he spearheaded a complete reinvention of the brand’s retail presence. His career began as a merchant at May Co. Matt holds a BA in Economics from Boston College, where he now teaches an MBA course on Consumer and Brand Relationships. He is a Columbia-trained executive coach, named one of RETHINK Retail’s 100 Most Influential People and a Thinkers360 Top 100 Thought Leader.Most recently, Matt released his first book, Built on Belief - Why Cultures of Commitment are THE Competitive Advantage.Chapters:(00:00:00) Opening tease: beliefs, inspiration, and the lost magic(00:01:15) Show intro and hosts set the stage(00:08:14) Retail Transformer - Matt Marcotte (00:08:49) Career Transition: From Retail to Tech (00:12:24) The Importance of Clarity and Communication (00:13:13) Why Write Built on Belief: Culture, Commitment, Leadership(00:14:51) Tech Insights and Retail Experience (00:20:16) Brand North Star: Do You Know What Your Brand Believes?(00:37:11) The Friendship Factor in Sales (00:38:19) The Connect, Assess, Deliver, Exceed, Transform Framework (00:40:42) Exceeding Customer Expectations (00:43:19) Practices to ditch: checklists, email, and real personalization(00:47:58) The Role of AI in Retail (00:54:00) Final Thoughts and Takeaways (00:59:12) Show CloseMeet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail & retail tech:Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voice for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2026. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Thought Leader in Retail, a Top 25 Thought Leader in AGI and Careers, a Top 50 Thought Leader in Agentic AIand Management, and a Top 100 Thought Leader in Digital Transformation and Transformation. Thinkers 360 also named him a Top Digital Voice for 2024 and 2025. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformationand the Retail Cloud Alliance. He was most recently the partner marketing leader for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.Casey Golden, is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T, and CEO of Luxlock. She is a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2026, and Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. After a career on the fashion and supply chain technology side of the business, Casey is obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer and is slaying franken-stacks and building retail tech! Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tropikool, from the album Future Beats 2, plus Virtual Apology and New Styles, from the album Shimmer Pop, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.
Transcribe →