Retail Gets Real

413. Leading Carhartt through growth, culture and change

From a wholesale-only business to a multi-channel global brand, Carhartt has expanded its reach without losing sight of who it serves: hardworking people. Linda Hubbard, president and CEO of Carhartt Inc., shares how one of America’s most iconic brands has grown while staying grounded in its original purpose. (00:00:00) Growing Carhartt beyond wholesale (00:05:50) Leading change inside a legacy family business (00:10:08) Career growth, mentorship, and asking for more (00:14:22) How the Carhartt customer has evolved (00:17:52) Carhartt’s strategy for opening stores (00:20:12) Inside the Carhartt and Ford collaboration (00:23:38) The future of retail: AI, resale and direct growth 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: • Forged In Detroit: Carhartt And Ford Announce Partnership To Strengthen Essential Economy [https://www.carhartt.com/press-release-ford-partnership] • 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: • 393: How Bealls is shaping the next era of value shopping [https://nrf.com/podcast/how-bealls-is-shaping-the-next-era-of-value-shopping] • 349: How Arc’teryx is reaching new heights while staying loyal to its core customers [https://nrf.com/blog/how-arcteryx-reaching-new-heights-while-staying-loyal-its-core-customers]

412. How Brieane Olson is shaping the future of youth retail at Pacsun

Brieane Olson has spent nearly two decades helping reshape Pacsun. She joins Retail Gets Real to share what it takes to evolve a legacy retail brand without losing sight of the customer. With a retail career that began at age 15, her foundation in fashion still shapes how she leads today. The connection point between product and consumer remains an energizing part of her career journey, and influences how she leads people, sets strategy and guides the business through constant change. (00:00:00) Olson’s path to CEO (00:07:40) Pacsun’s evolution from retailer to brand (00:12:58) Inside Olson’s new book, “Co-Created” (00:15:16) Leading through change and uncertainty (00:20:20) Why leading mission-first is essential for the future of retail (00:24:10) What Gen Z and Gen Alpha are saying 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: • Preorder “Co-Created” by Brieane Olson [https://www.amazon.com/Co-Created-Cultural-Strategy-Redefined-Pacsun/dp/B0GPPB7G4Y] • 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: • 411: Redefining JCPenney for today’s customer [https://nrf.com/podcast/redefining-jcpenney-for-todays-customer] • 401: How Old Navy is building opportunity at scale [https://nrf.com/podcast/how-old-navy-is-building-opportunity-at-scale]

411. Redefining JCPenney for today’s customer

Retail is evolving at an incredible pace, but at its core, it still comes down to people. Michelle Wlazlo, brand CEO of JCPenney, joins Retail Gets Real to share her grounded and optimistic perspective on where the industry is headed and why the fundamentals of serving customers remain as important as ever. (00:00:00) A retail career shaped by customers (00:06:44) Why physical stores aren’t going anywhere (00:09:02) Reintroducing JCPenney to a new generation of customers (00:15:52) The forces reshaping retail right now (00:17:52) Career advice that changes how you lead and grow (00:19:54) What will and won’t change in the future of retail (00:22:24) The joy of shopping beyond just buying 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: • Yes—JCPenney: Their Boldest Campaign Yet [https://corporate.jcpenney.com/2025/05/12/one-month-in-jcpenneys-boldest-campaign-yet/] • 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: • 393: How Bealls is shaping the next era of value shopping [https://nrf.com/podcast/how-bealls-is-shaping-the-next-era-of-value-shopping] • 401: How Old Navy is building opportunity at scale [https://nrf.com/podcast/how-old-navy-is-building-opportunity-at-scale]

410. Inside the art of experiential retail at Hershey’s

Retail stores remain powerful spaces for storytelling, connection and cultural relevance. José Raul Padron, design lead for the Hershey Experience at The Hershey Company, joins this episode of Retail Gets Real to share how thoughtful retail design transforms everyday shopping into memorable experiences. From immersive brand homes to viral product moments, he says physical retail continues to evolve in a digital-first world. (00:00:00) From chocolate legacy to retail design leadership (00:06:04) Why physical retail still matters in a digital world (00:11:17) Building immersive retail moments that capture culture (00:14:07) Where creative inspiration for retail design comes from (00:16:31) Inside the Hershey’s creative hub in Pennsylvania (00:17:49) Career advice for the next generation of retail creatives 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: • 394: Halloween trends: What’s driving record spending [https://nrf.com/podcast/halloween-trends-whats-driving-record-spending] • 367: How Kraft Heinz deploys omnichannel strategies across emerging global markets [https://nrf.com/blog/how-kraft-heinz-deploys-omnichannel-strategies-across-emerging-global-markets]

409. Inside REI’s strategy for trust, community, and growth

Leadership in retail today requires balancing innovation, culture and purpose. Mary Beth Laughton, president and CEO of REI Co-op, joins this episode of Retail Gets Real to share lessons from a career spanning some of the most influential brands in retail and explain how she is guiding REI into its next chapter. She discusses her career journey, the role of mentorship and how the co-op is evolving its strategy while staying rooted in its mission and values. (00:00:00) From consulting to leading iconic retail brands (00:05:51) Leveraging REI’s unique strengths for growth (00:07:37) Navigating culture at an 87-year-old retailer (00:09:25) REI’s strategy for the next chapter of growth (00:11:09) Turning strategy into action at REI (00:15:37) Leading retail in the age of AI (00:18:23) Keeping purpose at the center of the business (00:20:31) Building a culture that embraces change (00:24:01) The evolving future of retail 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: • 392: How Warby Parker is redefining retail and customer experience [https://nrf.com/podcast/how-warby-parker-is-redefining-retail-and-customer-experience] • 380: How Vera Bradley transformed a legacy brand [https://nrf.com/podcast/how-vera-bradley-transformed-a-legacy-brand]