Screenshot 2025-08-15 at 11.01.14

- 35:33

Book Author

or listen on

The Power of Positive Leadership in Retail

📍New York, NY

Leadership in retail has never been more demanding. With constant pressure to deliver results, navigate change, and inspire large teams, the difference between an average manager and a transformative leader often comes down to mindset. At the heart of this lies a principle that may sound simple but is profoundly powerful: positivity. Far from being a “soft skill,” positive leadership has a direct impact on sales, retention, and culture. When leaders believe in possibilities and inspire that belief in others, entire teams rise to challenges they once thought were impossible.

Few know this better than April Sabral, who began her career as a part-time sales associate at 17 and went on to lead hundreds across global brands like Starbucks, Banana Republic, and David’s Tea. Through decades of experience, she has seen firsthand that optimism and empathy are not just nice-to-have qualities, but essential drivers of performance. Her philosophy can be summed up in a simple truth: if leaders don’t believe in a vision, their teams won’t either. This mindset shift often marks the turning point between stagnation and breakthrough results.

Central to Sabral’s approach is the ACT framework—Accept, Create, and Teach. Leaders must first accept reality and build authentic, judgment-free relationships. From there, they can create energy, focus, and direction by managing their mindset and time with intention. Finally, great leaders must teach, coaching their teams to build skills and confidence rather than micromanaging. This approach builds resilience, accountability, and long-term engagement, transforming retail teams into empowered, high-performing communities.

In an industry marked by high turnover and relentless change, positive leadership offers something far deeper than motivation. It creates a ripple effect: better customer experiences, stronger employee loyalty, and ultimately, better business results. Whether it’s rallying a team around an ambitious sales goal or cultivating a culture of accountability, the lesson is clear—positivity is not about ignoring challenges, but about facing them with belief, energy, and purpose. For retail leaders looking to inspire lasting impact, that choice to lead with positivity may be the most powerful one they make.

Listen more

Interview

How Helzberg Uses Technology to Remove Frontline Burden

Under Ryan Holm's leadership, the 111-year-old jewelry retailer has invested in technology that removes administrative burden while protecting human connection.

Under Ryan Holm's leadership, the 111-year-old jewelry retailer has invested in technology that removes administrative burden while protecting human connection.

Interview

Under Ryan Holm's leadership, the 111-year-old jewelry retailer has invested in technology that removes administrative burden while protecting human connection.

How Helzberg Uses Technology to Remove Frontline Burden

Under Ryan Holm's leadership, the 111-year-old jewelry retailer has invested in technology that removes administrative burden while protecting human connection.

Interview

How HANRO US Used Streaming Ads and Clienteling to Accelerate Growth

Growth has not come from nostalgia alone. Under Satanas’ leadership, HANRO USA invested in modern acquisition channels while playing the long game on brand building. Paid social laid the foundation, but streaming ads delivered a breakthrough moment.

Growth has not come from nostalgia alone. Under Satanas’ leadership, HANRO USA invested in modern acquisition channels while playing the long game on brand building. Paid social laid the foundation, but streaming ads delivered a breakthrough moment.

Interview

Growth has not come from nostalgia alone. Under Satanas’ leadership, HANRO USA invested in modern acquisition channels while playing the long game on brand building. Paid social laid the foundation, but streaming ads delivered a breakthrough moment.

How HANRO US Used Streaming Ads and Clienteling to Accelerate Growth

Growth has not come from nostalgia alone. Under Satanas’ leadership, HANRO USA invested in modern acquisition channels while playing the long game on brand building. Paid social laid the foundation, but streaming ads delivered a breakthrough moment.

Interview

Inside Westwing’s Turnaround: The Decisions That Changed Everything

At the center of this transformation sits an unusual balance of rigor and creativity. Hoerning often describes it as the tension between data and intuition.

At the center of this transformation sits an unusual balance of rigor and creativity. Hoerning often describes it as the tension between data and intuition.

Interview

At the center of this transformation sits an unusual balance of rigor and creativity. Hoerning often describes it as the tension between data and intuition.

Inside Westwing’s Turnaround: The Decisions That Changed Everything

At the center of this transformation sits an unusual balance of rigor and creativity. Hoerning often describes it as the tension between data and intuition.

Trends

The Rise of Brand Memberships and the Future of Customer Loyalty

Brand memberships are having a moment in retail, and it is not a passing one. Across fashion, beauty, grocery, and home, brands are moving beyond traditional loyalty programs built on points and discounts and instead creating paid or value-based memberships that promise access, belonging, and emotional connection.

Brand memberships are having a moment in retail, and it is not a passing one. Across fashion, beauty, grocery, and home, brands are moving beyond traditional loyalty programs built on points and discounts and instead creating paid or value-based memberships that promise access, belonging, and emotional connection.

Trends

Brand memberships are having a moment in retail, and it is not a passing one. Across fashion, beauty, grocery, and home, brands are moving beyond traditional loyalty programs built on points and discounts and instead creating paid or value-based memberships that promise access, belonging, and emotional connection.

The Rise of Brand Memberships and the Future of Customer Loyalty

Brand memberships are having a moment in retail, and it is not a passing one. Across fashion, beauty, grocery, and home, brands are moving beyond traditional loyalty programs built on points and discounts and instead creating paid or value-based memberships that promise access, belonging, and emotional connection.

Interview

Leading With Craft: Jonathan Adler’s Next Chapter

Eight weeks into her role as President of Jonathan Adler, Mary Beth Sheridan is already clear on what matters. Craftsmanship, customer connection, and emotional resonance are not marketing language for the brand, they are the foundation.

Eight weeks into her role as President of Jonathan Adler, Mary Beth Sheridan is already clear on what matters. Craftsmanship, customer connection, and emotional resonance are not marketing language for the brand, they are the foundation.

Interview

Eight weeks into her role as President of Jonathan Adler, Mary Beth Sheridan is already clear on what matters. Craftsmanship, customer connection, and emotional resonance are not marketing language for the brand, they are the foundation.

Leading With Craft: Jonathan Adler’s Next Chapter

Eight weeks into her role as President of Jonathan Adler, Mary Beth Sheridan is already clear on what matters. Craftsmanship, customer connection, and emotional resonance are not marketing language for the brand, they are the foundation.

Receive new exclusive episodes


Sign up for our newsletter now!

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

3rd Party Cookies

This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages.

Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.