OFFBounds Retail

Recorded at NRF APAC in Singapore, Paula Macaggi sits down with Alex Lawson, Head of Strategy & Media at The Warehouse Group, one of the largest retailers in New Zealand, operating more than 160 stores across brands including The Warehouse, Noel Leeming, and Warehouse Stationery. Alex shares how the company built its retail media business from the ground up in a market where stores remain central to shopping behavior, offering a unique perspective on how retail media evolves beyond the supermarket playbook.

The conversation explores the realities of launching a retail media network in a smaller, highly distinctive market...

In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi goes to Singapore for NRF APAC 2026 and sits down with Delphine Dultzin, CEO and Co-Founder of OnTheList, to explore a retail challenge that rarely gets discussed: what happens to the products brands don't sell. What began as a side project in Hong Kong has grown into a business operating across 11 markets, helping luxury and premium brands transform excess inventory into curated shopping events that create value for both consumers and brands. Delphine shares how OnTheList built trust with some of the world's leading brands while creating a model that combines profitability, customer...

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When Ricardo Larroude first joined OFFBounds, Larroudé was producing just 300 pairs of shoes a day. Today, the company manufactures more than 2,000 pairs daily, employs 700 people, and h...

When ChatGPT launched, most retailers focused on chatbots and customer service. Today, the conversation is much bigger. AI agents are beginning to influence how consumers discover products, compare options, and make purchasing decisions. In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi sits down with retail strategist Brandon Rael to explore how agentic commerce is reshaping the customer journey and what retailers need to do to prepare for a future where shopping may start with an AI agent rather than a search engine or brand website.

Together, they discuss why so many companies struggle to move AI initiatives beyond...

Retail is entering a new era where technology is becoming invisible and human connection is becoming more valuable than ever. In this solo episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi breaks down five major trends shaping retail in 2026 based on conversations with some of the world’s leading retail executives. From AI-powered commerce and visual search to the rise of membership models and the transformation of physical stores into emotional destinations, this episode explores how consumer behavior is evolving and what operators need to understand next.

Drawing on insights from brands and leaders across the US, Europe, China, and Au...

Check our new website: OFFBounds.tv

What does a media company built for the AI era actually look like? In this special solo episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi shares how OFFBounds evolved from a retail podcast into an AI-powered media company built with humans and agents working together. After 117 episodes and conversations with executives from more than 30 countries, OFFBounds launched OFFBounds Intelligence, a retail intelligence platform designed to help operators surface the signals, trends, and strategic insights that actually matter. Paula breaks down the thinking behind the platform, the rise of agentic AI, and why the future...

In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi sits down with Nigel Oddy, CEO of American Golf, to unpack what it really takes to turn around a retail business. With more than four decades in the industry and multiple CEO roles behind him, Nigel shares how he approached a company that had lost direction post-COVID, facing overstock, cash pressure, and declining performance. Instead of overcomplicating the strategy, he focused on people, clarity, and a simple vision that the entire organization could align behind.

The conversation goes beyond the numbers and into the realities of execution. Nigel explains how...

How do you take a brand most people see as the budget option and turn it into a serious competitor against Samsung, LG, and Sony? You start by knowing your consumer better than they do.

Cole Moir is the VP of Brand and Digital Marketing at TCL North America, and in this episode he pulls back the curtain on how he's used partnerships with the NFL, Call of Duty, and the Olympics to put TCL at the center of culture, not just on the shelf. He talks about what most challenger brands get wrong, why he puts...

Paula Macaggi sits down with Carl Boutet in Montreal to unpack his new book, The Flip. What starts as a conversation about AI quickly turns into something deeper. A discussion about how value is shifting across retail and business, and why it’s becoming harder to define where that value is actually created. From automation and optimization to contextualization and immersion, Carl breaks down the four forces reshaping commerce and what they mean for leaders trying to navigate this moment of uncertainty.

But this episode isn’t about having the answers. It’s about asking better questions. They e...

Rohlik Group delivers 70,000 grocery orders a day across five European markets in as little as 60 minutes, profitably. And most people outside Europe have never heard of them. In this episode, I sit down with Petr Lizner, Head of Strategy at Rohlik Group, to break down how they built one of Europe's most impressive online grocery operations. From baking bread to order and sourcing from the best local butchers, to building their entire tech stack in-house over 11 years, Petr shares how Rohlik turned a Czech startup into a pan-European grocery powerhouse.

We dig into the Brinkmeister acquisition in...

Everyone has a loyalty program, but very few brands actually create loyalty. In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi sits down with Noah Goldberg from Loblaw Companies Limited to unpack what it really takes to build one of the most widely used programs in the world. As the leader behind PC Optimum, with nearly 16 million members, Noah shares how loyalty operates at scale and why it goes far beyond points and discounts.

The conversation explores the shift from rewarding transactions to rewarding engagement, and how digital behavior has become the foundation of modern loyalty programs. It also...

Most retailers don’t have a technology problem, they have a process problem. In this episode, Paula sits down with Liza Amlani to unpack how the disconnect between corporate strategy and store execution actually shows up on the shop floor. From products stuck in stockrooms to stockouts on core items, they explore why so many retail issues are not caused by a lack of tools, but by the way teams operate in silos across merchandising, design, sourcing, and stores.

The conversation goes deeper into what needs to change. Liza shares why process innovation, especially in the concept to...

UNTUCKit built its brand around a simple idea: shirts designed to be worn untucked. But behind that simple product is a complex technology operation supporting 80+ stores, multiple e-commerce sites, and a growing global business. In this conversation, Paula Macaggi sits down with Jason Lerman, VP of IT & Systems at UNTUCKit, to unpack what really happens behind the scenes of retail technology. They discuss the evolution from “best-in-breed” platforms to what many retailers now recognize as a “Frankenstein tech stack,” the hidden complexity of system integrations, and why the best technology in retail is often the kind customers never notice.

Jas...

What happens when you build a retail store in public?

When Sammy Nussdorf launched Meadow Lane, he chose a very different strategy from the traditional retail playbook. Instead of opening quietly and announcing the store once the doors were ready, he documented the entire process online. From signing the lease to designing the space and curating the merchandise, the journey unfolded publicly.

By the time Meadow Lane opened in Tribeca, thousands of people had already followed the story and felt connected to the brand. The result was something unusual for a new retail concept: lines...

Boll & Branch has built its competitive advantage on something many brands overlook: hospitality. In this conversation, Anna Esrov, VP of Customer Experience & Loyalty, shares how the luxury organic bedding brand turns listening into action, from real-time customer feedback that shapes product development to in-home “Room Service” styling that brings five-star hotel energy directly to customers. We explore how surprise and delight becomes part of the culture, how in-house service teams drive retention, and how AI is used to create efficiency without losing the human touch. This is a masterclass in building loyalty through experience, not just product.

In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi sits down with Emily Ketchen, SVP and CMO of Lenovo’s Intelligent Devices Group and International Markets, to explore what it really takes to modernize marketing inside one of the world’s largest technology companies. From building global centers of excellence and putting insights and first-party data at the core of transformation, to leading what she calls a once-in-30-years opportunity to create the AI PC category, Emily shares how Lenovo is shaping the future of compute, brand, and storytelling across 180 markets. The conversation also dives into measuring real marketing impact, turning glob...

Paula Macaggi sits down in New York with Renée Federico, Head of Marketing at Primark US, to explore how one of Europe’s most iconic retail brands is accelerating its growth across America. From launching Primark’s first US brand campaign to building awareness in a store-led model, Renée shares how physical retail drives loyalty, how pop-ups and brand activations fuel customer acquisition, and why listening is the foundation of great marketing. The conversation also looks ahead to one of the most anticipated retail openings, Primark’s flagship store in Manhattan in 2026, and what it takes to scale a...

Paula Macaggi sits down with Ankur Goyal, SVP of Growth at Coterie, to explore how a premium, subscription-first brand can win in one of the most competitive and emotional consumer categories: baby care. They unpack how trust is built when product, brand, and customer experience work together, why messaging matters more than channels, and how Coterie balances performance marketing with long-term brand building. From controlling customer acquisition costs and prioritizing quality over quantity, to using service and personalization to drive retention, this conversation reveals what modern DTC growth really looks like and what comes next for the brand following...

Ryan Holm, Divisional VP of Retail Innovation and Operations at Helzberg Diamonds, joins me in our New York studio to explore how a 111-year-old jewelry retailer bridges heritage with cutting-edge technology. We dive into the unique world of jewelry retail, where sales associates don't just close transactions—they start lifelong relationships with customers. Ryan shares the Christie Griffin story that changed his career trajectory, how AI-powered scheduling saved managers 66% of their time, the art of finding your store "innovators" for successful tech rollouts, and why treating solution providers as actual partners earned him Retail Partner Person of the Year. Fr...

Marianna Satanas, President of HANRO USA, joins me for a great interview while we wear pajamas in our New York studio. We dive into the world of luxury intimate apparel, exploring the deeply personal nature of the business and how she's driving growth in the US market. Marianna shares her remarkable streaming ads success story (12x ROI in weeks), lessons from multiple replatforming projects, the key differences between European and US luxury consumers, and why perfection doesn't exist post-launch. From managing change to knowing when to use AI versus the human touch, this conversation is full with honest insights...

Westwing’s transformation is a rare example of how a digital brand can reinvent itself and return to profitable growth. Recorded in Munich, this conversation with CEO Andreas Hoerning explores how the company shifted away from the flash sales model, rebuilt its technology foundation, premiumized its design-led assortment, expanded into physical retail, and made the difficult decision to walk away from unprofitable revenue. The discussion also dives into leadership during crisis, balancing data with intuition, and Westwing’s ambition to become Europe’s leading design super brand.

In the first episode of OFFBounds Season 3, Paula Macaggi is joined by retail trend expert Jack Stratten to unpack one of the fastest-growing shifts in retail today: the rise of brand memberships. From Costco and RH to emerging fashion and beauty brands, they explore why retailers are moving beyond traditional loyalty programs and building paid, emotional, and experience-led memberships instead. The conversation covers the psychology behind belonging, the role of community and hospitality, and why memberships are becoming a powerful engine for growth, data, and long-term customer loyalty in 2026 and beyond.

OFFBounds’ 100th episode celebrates a major milestone by turning the spotlight on host Paula Macaggi, with Oliver Banks stepping in as guest host. The conversation looks back on how the show began, how it has grown, and what it took to get there, from Paula’s global journey and early nerves behind the mic to building a truly international retail podcast driven by curiosity and consistency. Paula shares honest lessons about confidence, the hard work behind producing a weekly show, and the realities of traveling the world to record in person. The episode is both reflective and celebratory, while also...

In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi sits down with Mary Beth Sheridan, just a few weeks into her role as President of Jonathan Adler, to talk about how she’s thinking about the future of the brand so early on, from craftsmanship and customer connection to growth, digital-first retail, and the role of AI as a creative tool. It’s a thoughtful conversation about leading with instinct, scaling a deeply personal brand, and evolving an iconic name without losing what makes it special.

Paula Macaggi is joined by Ometria's Hannah Stacey, Director of Strategy and Product Marketing, and Rita Martins, Retail Intelligence Team Lead, to break down what really happened during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Drawing on performance data from hundreds of retail brands, they explore why Black Friday has become a full season, which categories and customer behaviors drove growth, how marketing volume and engagement shifted, and why retention remains the biggest post Black Friday challenge. The conversation focuses on what these results mean for long term growth, brand value, and how retail leaders should think about preparing for the...

Sherry Smith, President of Retail Media at Criteo, joins OFFBounds to unpack the rapid evolution of retail media and what brands, agencies and retailers must prepare for next. From the industry’s early days in 2008 to today’s surge of more than 200 retail media networks, Sherry explains where growth is coming from, why self-serve activation is critical, how AI and agents will reshape customer journeys, and what talent and skills will win in the next phase. This is a sharp, future-focused conversation for anyone navigating retail, ecommerce, and marketing transformation.

You can read more on what we disc...

In this episode, Julius Carrell, Director at Enactor, breaks down why the future of retail depends on building a flexible blueprint rather than relying on rigid, legacy systems. We explore how retailers can simplify complexity, adapt faster and design technology foundations that actually match the way their business and customers evolve. From the true cost of rigid stacks to the cultural shift required for future proofing, Julius shares practical insights on creating a blueprint mindset that empowers teams, unlocks new journeys and sets retailers up for long term growth.

Julius and Enactor will be with me at...

In this episode, Paula sits down with Jill Dvorak, SVP of Content at the National Retail Federation, for a wide ranging conversation about the state of retail in 2025, the turbulence created by tariffs and policy uncertainty, and why consumers are still driving a one trillion dollar holiday season. Jill breaks down what NRF really does beyond the Big Show, the global view from APAC and Europe, the surge of AI shaping this year’s event, and the growing importance of reverse logistics and new regulations like California’s textile law. She also shares her unconventional career path and the less...

In this episode, I sit down with our first Norwegian guest: Martin Lien, Chief Commercial Officer at Norrøna, to explore how one of Norway’s most iconic outdoor brands has built a global community rooted in nature, performance and experience. We talk about Norrøna’s unique approach to product development with extreme athletes, their growing ecosystem of festivals, expeditions and hospitality, the strategy behind Norrøna House in Oslo, and how the brand is preparing for its 100th anniversary. Martin also shares lessons from his own career journey and what it takes to build a brand that stays r...

Four years in tech feels like sixty, so I sat down with Matt Maher, Founder of M7 Innovations, to catch up on what’s really happening in the world of AI and retail innovation.

From agentic browsing and spatial computing to wearables like the Meta Ray-Bans, Snap Spectacles, and Apple Vision Pro, we explored the tools shaping how consumers discover and shop. Matt breaks down the difference between AI hype and real impact, why Reddit and Wikipedia are becoming key data sources for search, and how brands can win in an AI-first world by investing in authority ov...

In this episode of Retail Intelligence in Action, host Ron Thurston sits down with Ometria co-founders Djalal Lougouev  and Ivan Mazur to explore how AI is redefining the future of retail marketing. Together, they discuss the realities of implementing AI within legacy systems, the transition from channel-based to customer-based marketing, and why data architecture is becoming just as critical as creative strategy. Through honest insights and practical examples, they reveal what it truly takes for modern CMOs to lead in an era where intelligence and innovation shape every customer interaction.

👉🏼Trusted by leading retailers like Foot Locker, Sephora...

In this episode, Paula Macaggi sits down with Richard Kestenbaum, Partner at Triangle Capital, and Forbes contributor, to break down what’s really shaping the 2025 holiday season. From tariffs and inflation to shifting consumer confidence and cautious spending, Richard shares his perspective on why “flat is the new up,” how retailers can navigate uncertainty, and what signals in M&A reveal about the health of the retail industry heading into 2026.

Check Richard's full article here
See here KPMG's tariffs report

Retail Intelligence in Action returns with Episode 3, “Beyond the Hype: How AI Fuels Speed, Insight, and Story-Doing,” where host Ron Thurston speaks with Djalal Lougouev, President of Ometria, and Pri Shumate, former CMO of the Miami Dolphins and alum of Nike and Airbnb, about turning instinct into action through AI. The conversation covers talking to your data for rapid answers, using AI as a validator rather than a silver bullet, building small pirate teams that test, learn, and scale, elevating human creativity to find the disruptive idea, rethinking agencies and org design to move from insight to execution, and driv...

Build-A-Bear Workshop turned birthday rituals and heart ceremonies into a growth engine, with its stock up about 1,900 percent in five years and domestic store traffic up 3 percent while the national benchmark fell. Paula revisits her conversation with CTO Dara Meath to unpack the experience-first model, the rapid 18-month digital sprint from mobile POS to 2D/3D visualization, and the rise of the “kidult” that powers higher-value collecting and gifting. From clever social drops like the Fruit Stand to a culture that “sells stories, not items,” this episode breaks down how emotion, omnichannel execution, and brand discipline translate into real results...

In our episode 2 of Retail Intelligence in Action Series in partnership with Ometria, our host Ron Thurston speaks with Ivan Mazour (CEO,Ometria) and Julie Channing (Fractional CMO; ex-Allbirds, Levi’s, Nest) about leading with trust and authenticity in an AI-driven era. They unpack why clean, connected data is the bedrock of customer trust, how to use AI as an accelerant (not a replacement) to free teams for storytelling, where personalization truly adds value, and why transparency around AI usage will separate winners from the pack. Practical moves for retail marketing: start small, focus on retention, and partner for sp...

What happens when an iconic Italian coffee brand finds its voice in the U.S. market? Cristian Arcangeli, VP of Marketing, Commercial Strategy and Digital at Illy Caffè, shares how the company achieved fourfold growth by staying true to its premium identity. From redefining what it means to be a luxury coffee brand in America to using Amazon as a storytelling platform, Cristian reveals how clarity, discipline and consistency turned Illy into a modern success story rooted in heritage.

Welcome to Episode 1 of Retail Intelligence in Action, a new series by OFFBounds in partnership with Ometria where we explore how AI is revolutionizing enterprise retail marketing, hosted by retail leader Ron Thurston.

There is no established roadmap for AI in retail. In this launch episode of Retail Intelligence in Action, Ron Thurston hosts Nicole Tapscott (CCO, Knix) and Djalal Lougouev (President and Co-Founder, Ometria) to show how teams can chart their own course. They discuss identifying early bottlenecks, running small but meaningful experiments, balancing scale with authenticity, making smart buy vs build calls, earning organizational buy-in...

In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi sits down in New York with retail veteran and professor Matt Marcotte to celebrate the launch of his new book Built on Belief: Why Cultures of Commitment Are the Competitive Advantage. Drawing on three decades of leadership at Apple, Gap, Tori Burch, Bergdorf Goodman, and Salesforce, Matt shares why employees should be seen as a company’s most important customers, the difference between compliance and commitment, and why profit should be viewed as the reward for doing the right thing. This conversation is a masterclass in leadership, culture, and building brands that in...

In this episode of OFFBounds, host Paula Macaggi sits down with Danielle Sporkin, SVP of Media and Marketing Services at Ferrero, to explore how one of the world’s most beloved confectionery companies is balancing heritage with innovation. From Nutella and Kinder to Butterfinger and Keebler, Ferrero’s portfolio is as diverse as it is iconic. Danielle shares how the company is embracing digital transformation, evolving its retail media strategy from search to full funnel, measuring success through incrementality, and leveraging data and AI to get closer to consumers. She also opens up about her nonlinear career path and offe...

In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi sits down with Azita Martin, VP & GM of AI for Retail, CPG, and QSR at NVIDIA, the world’s most valuable company. Together they explore how AI is transforming retail, from e-commerce and supply chain optimization to computer vision, robotics, and digital twins. Azita shares real-world examples from companies like L’Oréal, Lowe’s, and Yum! Brands, and explains why agentic AI and “Physical AI” will redefine how we shop and experience brands in the years ahead.

Understand more how Nvidia supports retailers here: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/industries/