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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

Scaling Connection: Inside Mecca’s Emotion-Driven Retail Model

In an era where AI is reshaping the way we work and shop, Mecca Brands is proving that emotional intelligence may be the most powerful differentiator in modern retail

In an era where AI is reshaping the way we work and shop, Mecca Brands is proving that emotional intelligence may be the most powerful differentiator in modern retail

Interview

In an era where AI is reshaping the way we work and shop, Mecca Brands is proving that emotional intelligence may be the most powerful differentiator in modern retail

Scaling Connection: Inside Mecca’s Emotion-Driven Retail Model

In an era where AI is reshaping the way we work and shop, Mecca Brands is proving that emotional intelligence may be the most powerful differentiator in modern retail

Interview

How DingDong Fresh Is Reinventing Grocery Retail with AI at the Core

With over 1,000 AI-powered “dark stores” operating as micro-fulfillment centers, the company delivers fresh produce, meat, seafood, and ready-to-eat meals to consumers’ doors in under 30 minutes, at scale.

With over 1,000 AI-powered “dark stores” operating as micro-fulfillment centers, the company delivers fresh produce, meat, seafood, and ready-to-eat meals to consumers’ doors in under 30 minutes, at scale.

Interview

With over 1,000 AI-powered “dark stores” operating as micro-fulfillment centers, the company delivers fresh produce, meat, seafood, and ready-to-eat meals to consumers’ doors in under 30 minutes, at scale.

How DingDong Fresh Is Reinventing Grocery Retail with AI at the Core

With over 1,000 AI-powered “dark stores” operating as micro-fulfillment centers, the company delivers fresh produce, meat, seafood, and ready-to-eat meals to consumers’ doors in under 30 minutes, at scale.

Interview

India’s Digital Fashion Revolution Is Just Getting Started

With over 300 million Gen Z consumers and more than 2 million creators, India’s fashion market is buzzing with potential.

With over 300 million Gen Z consumers and more than 2 million creators, India’s fashion market is buzzing with potential.

Interview

With over 300 million Gen Z consumers and more than 2 million creators, India’s fashion market is buzzing with potential.

India’s Digital Fashion Revolution Is Just Getting Started

With over 300 million Gen Z consumers and more than 2 million creators, India’s fashion market is buzzing with potential.

Interview

Korea: How Lotte Group Rethinking Retail in the World’s Most Digitized Market

At the center of Lotte’s reinvention is a singular, unifying vision: to become the customer’s number one shopping destination, no matter the format or channel.

At the center of Lotte’s reinvention is a singular, unifying vision: to become the customer’s number one shopping destination, no matter the format or channel.

Interview

At the center of Lotte’s reinvention is a singular, unifying vision: to become the customer’s number one shopping destination, no matter the format or channel.

Korea: How Lotte Group Rethinking Retail in the World’s Most Digitized Market

At the center of Lotte’s reinvention is a singular, unifying vision: to become the customer’s number one shopping destination, no matter the format or channel.

Markets

What NRF APAC 2025 Revealed About the Future of Retail

Earlier this month, we attended NRF APAC 2025 in Singapore, and it was nothing short of extraordinary. With over 9,500 attendees from 72 countries gathered at the iconic Marina Bay Sands, the event was a true melting pot of ideas, cultures, and bold innovations that are shaping the future of retail in the Asia-Pacific region.

Earlier this month, we attended NRF APAC 2025 in Singapore, and it was nothing short of extraordinary. With over 9,500 attendees from 72 countries gathered at the iconic Marina Bay Sands, the event was a true melting pot of ideas, cultures, and bold innovations that are shaping the future of retail in the Asia-Pacific region.

Markets

Earlier this month, we attended NRF APAC 2025 in Singapore, and it was nothing short of extraordinary. With over 9,500 attendees from 72 countries gathered at the iconic Marina Bay Sands, the event was a true melting pot of ideas, cultures, and bold innovations that are shaping the future of retail in the Asia-Pacific region.

What NRF APAC 2025 Revealed About the Future of Retail

Earlier this month, we attended NRF APAC 2025 in Singapore, and it was nothing short of extraordinary. With over 9,500 attendees from 72 countries gathered at the iconic Marina Bay Sands, the event was a true melting pot of ideas, cultures, and bold innovations that are shaping the future of retail in the Asia-Pacific region.

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