Future Shop Podcast with WSL
Business & Finance
About
Our podcast focuses on how shoppers are transforming retail and what you need to do about it. Retail strategist and shopping futurist Wendy Liebmann shares her passionate, unvarnished shopper-centric view of where retail is headed. She interviews experts in retail, marketing, insights, design, education, and more. She and the WSL team regularly share excerpts from WSL’s latest proprietary shopper research about what’s coming next. The Future Shop Podcast is a no-holds-barred view of what shoppers want, what you need to deliver, who’s getting it right, and who’s getting it wrong. And why. In this fast and furious view, you will begin to understand how to anticipate the future that’s emerging right under your nose. WSL Strategic Retail is a leader in shopper insights and retail strategy. It helps clients around the world anticipate change in order to grow in the near and longer-term. It is recognized for its ground-breaking How America Shops® and How the World Shops research. Visit us
Episodes
- EP109: Longevity Nation: Michael Clinton on the Future of Aging and Business
In this episode of Future Shop, Wendy Liebmann sits down with renaissance man and ROAR Forward founder Michael Clinton to discuss his latest book, Longevity Nation . As life expectancies climb and today’s children face a 50% chance of livi…
- EP108: How to Reach the New Frontiers of Beauty & Wellness with Ali Kole
In this episode of Future Shop , Wendy Liebmann sits down with retail powerhouse Ali Kole to dissect the “accelerated evolution” of the beauty and wellness industry. Drawing on her extensive background at McKinsey, Amazon, and Sephora, Kol…
- EP107: Beyond the Screen: Why Humanity is Retail’s Secret Weapon in 2026 with Wendy Liebmann and Guests
As we transition into 2026, the retail landscape is being reshaped by two powerful, seemingly opposite forces: the rapid ascent of autonomous AI and a growing hunger for authentic human connection. In this special year-in-review, Wendy Lie…
- EP106: The Future of Beauty: K-Beauty, Viral Fragrances, and the TikTok Effect
This podcast episode of Future Shop features WSL’s Wendy Liebmann and Elia Auchane as they recap their recent trip to Cosmoprof North America in Miami. Together, they explore the shifting landscape of the beauty industry, questioning if th…
- EP105: TikTok Shop, Agentic AI, and the Future of Retail Trust with Kelsie Johnston
Join host Wendy Liebmann as she sits down with Kelsie Johnston, a retail strategist with a career spanning Macy’s, Walmart, Coty, and most recently, TikTok. In this episode of Future Shop , Kelsie breaks down the seismic shift from traditi…
- EP104: Retail’s Next Act: Human Connection in an AI World with Christi Geary
In this episode of Future Shop , Wendy Liebmann sits down with Christi Geary, EVP at Advantage Marketing Partners, to explore the evolving landscape of retail and the enduring power of the human connection. They dive into the intersection…
- EP103: Agentic AI vs. Human Connection: The Future of Retail Explained with Andy Murray
In this episode of Future Shop, Wendy Liebmann sits down with retail veteran Andy Murray to dissect the conflicting forces impacting the modern shopper. From the bifurcated "K-shaped" economy to the rise of "vibe shopping" among Gen Z, And…
- EP102: The Agentic AI Revolution: What Companies Need to Know for 2026 with Justin Honaman
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann and Justin Honaman (Amazon Web Services) dive into the chaotic yet exciting world of retail and technology as 2025 wraps up. From AI’s real-world impact on commerce to the rise of “agentic AI,” they explore…
- EP101: How to Build a Brand with Purpose, one Retailer at a Time with April Showers
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann sits down with April Showers , the founder of Afro Unicorn® , a brand born from purpose, community, and the need for representation. They discuss how April’s personal passion and smart retail partnerships br…
- EP100: How America Shops® in Chaos. What’s Worth It Now?
In this milestone episode, Wendy Liebmann celebrates 100 episodes of Future Shop with WSL’s newest Director of Research & Insights, Rich Kaminski. Together, they unpack the latest How America Shops® in Chaos study — revealing how shoppers…
- EP99: The Future of Category Management with Gina Zilleox, Glanbia Performance Nutrition
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Gina Zilleox, Senior Director Category Management, Glanbia Performance Nutrition about the need to make dramatic assumptions about the competitive landscape in order to thrive in the future. They di…
- EP98: AI, Pricing, Supply Chain, Loyalty and First Thoughts on 2026 with Justin Honaman, AWS
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to regular guest Justin Honaman, Global Head, Restaurants, Retail & Consumer Goods Business Development at Amazon Web Services, about what’s now – and next – as technology transforms retail and consume…
- EP97: Influencing the Future of Retail, with Kenvue, Kroger and InMarket
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Amanda Coussoule, Chief Customer Officer at Kenvue , Marla Fielder, Health & Wellness Leader at Kroger and Sharon Glass, Global VP, OTC & Pharma at InMarket , about how to transform organizations in…
- EP96: Beauty Everywhere: Connecting Brands, Retail and Consumers with Liza Rapay
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Liza Rapay, Vice President, Head of Cosmoprof North America, and Founder of Beauty New York, about the importance of bringing industry, innovators and consumers together to grow the beauty business…
- EP95: Driving Retail Innovation -- Retail Safari®-ing with NielsenIQ
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Anna Mayo, NielsenIQ VP Beauty Vertical, and WSL Strategic Retail’s Elia Auchane and Katie Hornsby about the importance of collaboration to drive innovation at retail. They discuss: In challenging r…
- EP94: Transforming Health Care Retail into a Temple of Care with Fiona Sartoretto Verna
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Fiona Sartoretto Verna, retail architect and co-leader of the company Sartoretto Verna™, founded by her grandfather to reshape the global pharmacy landscape. Today, the company has designed pharmaci…
- EP93: Generative AI, Tariffs, and Flexible Leadership with Justin Honaman, AWS
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & Consumer Goods Business Development at Amazon Web Services, about the impact of the latest technologies transforming business. They discuss: How generative…
- EP92: How Retail Can Bring Accessible Health Care to Communities Everyday with Kevin Host, Walmart
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Kevin Host, SVP Health & Wellness Pharmacy at Walmart about how the retailer is bringing accessible health care to communities across the US, every day and in times of crisis. They discuss: The ongo…
- EP91: How To Grow a Specialty Retail Business in Chaotic Times with Anna Harman, Studs
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Anna Harman, CEO and co-founder of Studs, the specialty ear piercing and earring retailer, with 33+ stores and e-commerce site, founded in 2019 just in time for Covid. They discuss: Going from corpo…
- EP90: The Next Revolution in Shopper Insights with Keith Sleight
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Keith Sleight, expert in “shopping understanding”, who most recently lead the Shopper Centre of Excellence at Unilever, about the state of shopper insights and where it’s headed. They discuss: The b…
- EP89: Investing in the Future of Retail – Where, Why, How with Diana Melencio
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Diana Melencio, partner at XRC Ventures, an investor in the early-stage intersection of consumer behavior and technology, and its investment approach in the health, beauty, and technology sectors. T…
- EP88: AI Transforms Innovation…In Real Time. Right Now. With Justin Honaman, AWS
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Justin Honaman, Head, Worldwide Retail & Consumer Goods Business Development at Amazon (AWS) about innovation and what expertise -- technology and people driven -- is required to build a modern comp…
- EP87: The Future of Brands, Retail, Innovation, and Work with Joanna Jensen, Child's Farm
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Joanna Jensen, founder of Child’s Farm, the British multi-award winning, baby and child personal care brand that took leadership of the category from behemoth Johnson’s Baby. They discuss: How to ta…
- EP86: Women’s Wellness – Opportunities, Challenges and What’s Next with Catherine Magee, Playground
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Catherine Magee, co-founder of Playground, the sexual health and wellness brand, about the opportunities and challenges facing this newly emerging area of women’s health. They discuss: How sexual he…
- EP85: A Preview of 2025. AI, Tech, Culture and More, with Justin Honaman, AWS
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Justin Honaman , Head of Worldwide Retail & Consumer Goods Business Development for Amazon Web Services . They preview 2025, and what winning companies are doing – and need to do – to capitalize on…
- EP84: Transforming Retail with Norm de Greve, General Motors
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Norm de Greve, Global CMO of General Motors, and former CMO of CVS Health , about transforming industries, retailers and companies, and the role marketing plays. They discuss: How to keep the shoppe…
- EP83: Retail 2030 – A Framework for Growth with Jacqueline Windsor, PwC
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Jacqueline Windsor, partner in Strategy and Deals for the Consumer Market and UK Head of Retail, PwC, London about the differences and similarities between the UK and US consumer and retail markets,…
- EP82: Gen A – White Space Opportunity or Not…(Yet)? with Candace Corlett
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to WSL’s president, Candace Corlett about the emerging Gen A population, and other opportunistic shopper segments that can drive much needed retail growth in the near future. They discuss: The size of…
- EP81: A Vision for the Local Healthcare Store in a Digital Age with Michael Wysong, Care
In this episode Wendy Liebmann talks to Michael Wysong, CEO of Care Pharmacies about the challenges and opportunities to deliver health care at retail in the future. They discuss: How to deliver more personalized, local health care the way…
- EP80: Thinking Beyond Demographic Stereotypes to Drive Retail Volume with Debbie Kelly
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Debbie Kelly, WSL’s director of insights, about the latest How America Shops® research that reveals how often unrecognized populations shifts can drive traffic and volume growth. They discuss: How m…
- EP79: Retail Tension. AI, Retail Media, Pricing. What’s Next? with Justin Honaman, AWS
Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & CPG, GTM & Segment Leader for Food & Beverages for Amazon Web Services, continue discussions about emerging technology and the implications for the…
- EP78: Retail’s Urgent Search for Volume. How? Now! with Sri Rajagopalan, The CPG Guys
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Sri Rajagopalan, co-founder and co-host of The GPG Guys and founder of Think Blue, about the fast-changing dynamics of retail, what’s plaguing board rooms, and what retail leaders needs to address r…
- EP77: Caregiving – The Next Big Retail Opportunity with AARP
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Reema Jweied-Guegel , Director, AARP Enterprise Strategy Group about the growing population of caregivers, who they are, the challenges they face, and how retailers and brands can support them. They…
- EP76: How to Build a Joyful Gen Z Beauty Retail Experience. With Claudia Lloreda, Blush-Bar
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Claudia Lloreda, founder and general manager of Blush-Bar, the Latin American beauty specialty retailer about creating a unique beauty experience for Gen Z shoppers. They discuss: How to create a un…
- EP75: The Power of Pets on the Future of Retail, with HABRI
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Lindsey Braun, Vice President of Research & Operations at HABRI (the Human Animal Bond Research Institute) about the power of pets to positively impact the health and wellbeing of people – and retai…
- EP74: The Future of Retail. A View from the Other Side. With Helena Foulkes, Hudson's Bay Company
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper talks to Helena Foulkes , current board member of Costco & Harry’s, former president of CVS Pharmacy and CEO and Board Member of the Hudson’s Bay Company , amongst other roles. T…
- EP73: Retail Loyalty Programs: What Shoppers Want Now, with Mara Sipzener, CVS Pharmacy
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper talks to Mara Sipzener, General Manager of Loyalty at CVS Pharmacy about what’s driving all the recent activity and upgrades to retail loyalty programs. They discuss: What shoppe…
- EP72: AI, Unified Commerce & Getting It Done with Justin Honaman, AWS
Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & CPG, GTM & Segment Leader for Food & Beverages for Amazon Web Services, continue discussions about emerging technology and the implications for the…
- EP71: Creating Happy Retail – One CPG Category at a Time, with Craig Dubitsky, Happy™
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Craig Dubitsky, founder of Happy™ products, about his recent launch of Happy™ Coffee, his partnership with Robert Downey Jr., and how philanthropy is embedded in reinventing the category at retail.…
- EP70: Innovating Beauty Retail - A Latin View with the WSL team
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to WSL Retail Strategy Consultant, Elia Auchane, and Retail Innovation Manager, Allie Chilicki, about curating a Retail Safari® at the inaugural Cosmoprof Miami event. And the power of connecting in st…
- EP69: Building a “Magic” Health Care Box with Alex Gourlay, Holland & Barrett
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Alex Gourlay, Executive Chair of Holland & Barrett, the UK’s leading wellness retailer, and formerly Executive Vice President and Co-Chief Operating Officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance, and Presiden…
- EP68: [ CLOUD CHAT ] A Fast & Furious Take On Emerging Tech & Retail Trends with Justin Honaman, AWS
In this Cloud Chat episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper and Justin Honaman , Head of Worldwide Retail & CPG, GTM & Segment Leader for Food & Beverages for Amazon Web Services, continue Cloud Chat, a short, sharp take on eme…
- EP67: Reinventing Luxury Beauty Retail on the Corner with Maly Bernstein, Bluemercury
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Maly Bernstein, CEO, Bluemercury, the luxury specialty beauty retailer, about her vision for the future of beauty retail and how her strategy is coming to life neighborhood by neighborhood. They dis…
- EP66: 2024: Caution! Retail Curves Ahead with Candace Corlett, WSL
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to WSL’s president Candace Corlett about the latest How America Shops® research that reveals how Americans are feeling (not happy), and what that means for 2024 and beyond (challenging). They discuss:…
- EP65: A Fast & Furious Take On Emerging Tech & Retail Trends with Justin Honaman, AWS
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Consumer Goods at AWS, continue Cloud Chat, a short, sharp, sometimes provocative take on emerging technology and the implications for the f…
- EP64: A Retailer’s Lifelong Journey to Wellness with Muriel Gonzalez, the Vitamin Shoppe
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Muriel Gonzalez, President, The Vitamin Shoppe about how the pandemic brought her out of retirement to lead the transformation of street corner vitamin shop into a model of 21st century wellness. Th…
- EP63: The Consumerization of Technology in Health Care with Alissa Hsu Lynch
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Alissa Hsu Lynch , formerly of Google and Johnson & Johnson, about the consumerization of technology in health care, and the implications for consumer packaged goods companies and retail. They discu…
- EP62: [ CLOUD CHAT ] A Fast & Furious Take On Emerging Tech & Retail Trends, Justin Honaman, AWS
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper, and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & CPG, GTM & Segment Leader for Food & Beverages for Amazon Web Services , introduce Future Shop’s Cloud Chat – a short, sharp, some…
- EP61: How to Build a Modern Shopper Experience with Justin Lafoe
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Justin Lafoe, most recently Executive Vice President of Marketing and Merchandising for Trader Joe’s and, prior to that, SVP of Merchandising & Retail, Disney Parks, Experience & Products, where he…
- EP60: Retail Leaders Define 6 Critical Trends for 2024-2025
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to six industry leaders about key trends that will impact retail in 2024-2025. Listen to: Susan Lang, CEO, XIL Health Michael Clinton, CEO & Founder, ROARForward Parbinder Dhariwal, VP & General Manage…