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- 35:43 min

Interview

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You Don’t Need an AI Strategy, You Need a Business Strategy That Uses AI

In today’s fast-moving retail landscape, technology alone doesn’t drive innovation; people do. That’s why building high-performing IT teams starts with mastering the fundamentals. Drawing inspiration from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, truly effective tech teams must first ensure operational stability: systems must run smoothly, websites stay live, and data flows without friction. Only after that foundation is solid can teams evolve to execute value-driving projects and ultimately, innovate. Innovation, in this model, isn’t a buzzword—it’s something that’s earned.

Retailers like The Vitamin Shoppe, a leading health and wellness brand with over 650 stores across the U.S., exemplify this approach by embedding innovation deeply into their culture. From leveraging AI for warehouse automation and customer insights to using robotic process automation (RPA) to eliminate repetitive tasks, the brand isn’t chasing technology for its own sake. Instead, it uses these tools to free up employees—known internally as “health enthusiasts”—to focus on what they do best: delivering expertise and personalized care to customers navigating their own wellness journeys.

The rise of AI also calls for a shift in mindset. Leaders shouldn’t be asking, “What’s our AI strategy?” Instead, they should ask, “How can AI help us achieve our business goals faster and smarter?” At The Vitamin Shoppe, AI is being used not just for productivity gains but also for inclusivity, like real-time transcriptions for deaf employees and multilingual communication tools. Tech is treated as a toolset, not a strategy in itself, with the flexibility to swap in or out vendors through a modular, composable architecture that ensures agility and adaptability in the years ahead.

Perhaps most importantly, the future of IT leadership depends on hiring for traits that don’t show up on résumés: curiosity, adaptability, and a genuine desire to learn. In a world where technology evolves weekly, those who stay curious—and humble—will be best equipped to lead. Whether it’s navigating the ethical boundaries of AI or finding smarter ways to serve customers, tomorrow’s innovators will be those who blend technical fluency with human empathy.

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Interview

Coterie: When Product, Brand, and Experience Align

A key theme behind Coterie’s success is the power of messaging. While many brands focus heavily on channels, Ankur emphasizes that growth begins with clearly communicating the value you create.

A key theme behind Coterie’s success is the power of messaging. While many brands focus heavily on channels, Ankur emphasizes that growth begins with clearly communicating the value you create.

Interview

A key theme behind Coterie’s success is the power of messaging. While many brands focus heavily on channels, Ankur emphasizes that growth begins with clearly communicating the value you create.

Coterie: When Product, Brand, and Experience Align

A key theme behind Coterie’s success is the power of messaging. While many brands focus heavily on channels, Ankur emphasizes that growth begins with clearly communicating the value you create.

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.

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