Retail Gets Real

403. Building a people-first culture in modern retail with Ulta Beauty

Retail is an industry built on people, emotion and constant reinvention, and few leaders embody that reality more fully than Ulta Beauty President and CEO Kecia Steelman. In this episode of Retail Gets Real recorded live from NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show in New York City, Steelman explores her remarkable career journey, leadership philosophy and how she’s guiding the nation’s largest specialty beauty retailer through one of the most transformative moments in retail history. (00:00:00) From the sales floor to the CEO seat (00:05:48) How retail creates opportunity at every level (00:09:14) Why beauty retail is about emotion, not just products (00:12:52) Why the future of retail has no finish line (00:16:24) How culture drives performance at Ulta Beauty (00:19:28) How Ulta Beauty localizes a global brand (00:22:14) What retail needs more (and less) of right now The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. Resources: • Become an NRF member [https://nrf.com/membership/nrf-membership] and join the world’s largest retail trade association • Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org [https://nrffoundation.org/] • Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy [https://nrf.com/advocacy] • Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com [https://retailgetsreal.com/] Related: • 380: How Vera Bradley transformed a legacy brand [https://nrf.com/podcast/how-vera-bradley-transformed-a-legacy-brand] • 376: How Target’s consumer-first strategy drives success [https://nrf.com/blog/how-targets-consumer-first-strategy-drives-success]

402. How agentic AI is redefining the future of retail

Live from NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show in New York City, Ali Furman, partner and U.S. consumer markets industry leader at PwC, and Barbara O’Beirne, head of global enterprise business development at Stripe, both join Retail Gets Real for a wide-ranging conversation on how AI is rapidly moving from experimentation to execution — and what that means for retailers right now. Near the Expo floor buzzing with robots, AI demos and next-generation technology, Furman and O’Beirne unpack why agentic AI represents a structural change rather than a passing trend. Unlike earlier generations of AI that primarily assisted with search and discovery, agentic AI is designed to act. It can evaluate options, make decisions and increasingly transact on behalf of consumers. They say this evolution is reshaping the very top of the shopping funnel and redefining how consumers decide what to buy. (00:00:00) Why agentic AI was everywhere at NRF 2026 (00:04:49) How commerce is moving inside AI conversations (00:07:29) Why agentic commerce is a structural shift, not a trend (00:10:21) How will agentic AI impact bricks-and-mortar retail? (00:12:45) How PwC and Stripe are helping retailers move from pilots to reality (00:18:31) Where retail leaders should start with AI right now The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. Resources: • Become an NRF member [https://nrf.com/membership/nrf-membership] and join the world’s largest retail trade association • Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org [https://nrffoundation.org/] • Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy [https://nrf.com/advocacy] • Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com [https://retailgetsreal.com/] Related: • 395: Adapting to the rise of AI shoppers [https://nrf.com/podcast/adapting-to-the-rise-of-ai-shoppers] • 390: The role of AI in shaping cybersecurity and fraud prevention [https://nrf.com/podcast/the-role-of-ai-in-shaping-cybersecurity-and-fraud-prevention]

401. How Old Navy is building opportunity at scale

Horacio “Haio” Barbeito, president and CEO of Old Navy, joins Retail Gets Real to reflect on a global career in retail, the responsibility of developing future talent and how leaders can navigate rapid change while keeping humanity at the center of the business. With nearly three decades of experience spanning Argentina, the United States, Chile, Puerto Rico and Canada, Barbeito’s leadership philosophy was shaped by working across cultures and markets. His journey — which included 26 years at Walmart and CEO roles in multiple international businesses — reinforced an early lesson: Growth happens when leaders are willing to leave their comfort zones. Retail, he says, is never static. It demands constant learning, movement and responsiveness to customers whose expectations evolve at the speed of culture. (00:00:00) Building a global retail career through change (00:06:16) Creating first jobs that change lives (00:10:26) Why investing in people is smart business (00:13:20) Navigating AI without losing the human touch (00:19:14) Advice for the next generation of retail leaders The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. Resources: • Learn more about Retail’s Big Show in NYC [https://nrfbigshow.nrf.com/?utm_source=NRF.com&utm_medium=Home_CTA&utm_term=Save%2B300&utm_content=MK_AN25_nrfcom_RegDL_092424&utm_campaign=MK_AN25] • Become an NRF member [https://nrf.com/membership/nrf-membership] and join the world’s largest retail trade association • Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org [https://nrffoundation.org/] • Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy [https://nrf.com/advocacy] • Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com [https://retailgetsreal.com/] Related: • 391. AI, skills-first hiring and the next era of retail jobs [https://nrf.com/podcast/ai-skills-first-hiring-and-the-next-era-of-retail-jobs]

400. How retail navigated uncertainty and transformation in 2025

As Retail Gets Real reaches its 400th episode, we’re joined by Matthew Shay, president and CEO of the National Retail Federation, for a special conversation reflecting on the year that was, and what it reveals about the future of retail. The milestone episode offers a comprehensive look at the forces that shaped the industry in 2025, from global expansion and trade policy to consumer behavior and artificial intelligence. (00:00:00) Marking 400 episodes and setting the stage for retail’s future (00:05:35) Trade policy, tariffs and the cost of uncertainty (00:10:00) Keeping the consumer at the center of retail policy (00:12:10) Understanding today’s consumer: anxious, adaptable and still spending (00:17:24) Making sense of AI without getting overwhelmed (00:25:01) Investing in the future of retail leadership and education The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. Resources: • Learn more about NRF’s work on behalf of the retail industry in 2025 at nrf.com/2025 [https://nrf.com/2025] • Get ready for Retail’s Big Show in NYC [https://nrfbigshow.nrf.com/?utm_source=NRF.com&utm_medium=Home_CTA&utm_term=Save%2B300&utm_content=MK_AN25_nrfcom_RegDL_092424&utm_campaign=MK_AN25] • Become an NRF member [https://nrf.com/membership/nrf-membership] and join the world’s largest retail trade association • Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org [https://nrffoundation.org] • Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy [https://nrf.com/advocacy] • Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com [https://retailgetsreal.com] Related: • 375: Tech, trade and taxes: What’s impacting retail in 2025 [https://nrf.com/blog/tech-trade-and-taxes-whats-impacting-retail-in-2025] • 332: The state of retail heading into 2024 [https://nrf.com/blog/state-retail-heading-2024]

399. Inside Retail’s Big Show: Innovation, AI and what’s coming next

Retail’s Big Show has long been the industry’s can’t-miss gathering.In this episode of Retail Gets Real, we get an inside look at what’s ahead for NRF 2026, straight from the leaders who bring the event to life. We’re joined by Susan Newman, senior vice president of event strategy at the National Retail Federation; Jill Dvorak, senior vice president of content; and Scot Case, vice president of corporate social responsibility and sustainability and executive director of NRF’s Center for Retail Sustainability, to preview what attendees can expect at the retail industry’s most influential event. (00:00:00) What “The next now” means for retail (00:04:42) Inside the NRF Expo experience (00:07:03) Keynotes, AI and must-see content (00:10:20) Networking, celebrations, and shared experiences (00:11:29) Introducing NRF Rev and the circular economy (00:13:27) Insider tips for navigating Retail’s Big Show The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. Resources: • Get ready for Retail’s Big Show in NYC [https://nrfbigshow.nrf.com/?utm_source=NRF.com&utm_medium=Home_CTA&utm_term=Save%2B300&utm_content=MK_AN25_nrfcom_RegDL_092424&utm_campaign=MK_AN25] • Learn more about the all new NRF Rev [https://nrfrev.nrf.com/] • Become an NRF member [https://nrf.com/membership/nrf-membership] and join the world’s largest retail trade association • Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org [https://nrffoundation.org/] • Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy [https://nrf.com/advocacy] • Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com [https://retailgetsreal.com/] Related: • 371: NRF 2025 preview: Big things are coming to Retail’s Big Show [https://nrf.com/blog/nrf-2025-preview-big-things-are-coming-to-retail-s-big-show] • 375: Tech, trade and taxes: What’s impacting retail in 2025 [https://nrf.com/blog/tech-trade-and-taxes-whats-impacting-retail-in-2025]