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© 2026 Retail Leadership with Steve Worthy
Description
You’ve earned your position. Now let’s make sure you lead like it.
Retail leadership isn’t what it used to be.
And if you’ve been doing this long enough, neither are you.
The job gets bigger. The expectations get louder.
But the guidance? That usually disappears right when you need it most.
And most leaders are left figuring things out quietly while still being expected to have all the answers.
This podcast is for experienced retail leaders who’ve already proven themselves
and know there has to be a better way to lead than just carrying more.
I’m Steve Worthy. I’ve spent over 30 years working across retail — from boardrooms to regional and district markets, through restructures, reinventions, and the parts of leadership no one really prepares you for.
I’ve coached thousands of retail leaders and advised teams that support the retail industry, and this podcast exists for one reason:
To give you the perspective and clarity most leaders are expected to figure out on their own.
Now let’s make sure how you lead actually matches it.
87 Episodes
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Send us a text After NRF: Decide the Real Problem (Part 1 of 4) Most conferences don’t fail because the ideas are bad. They fail because leaders come back with volume instead of judgment. NRF expands what feels possible. Leadership is deciding what actually matters. In Part 1 of this four-part series, Steve Worthy focuses on the first and most important post-conference decision: deciding the real problem you’re solving this year. NRF pushes solutions. Vendors do their job well. The risk for l...
Send us a text There were years when things looked fine from the outside, but they weren’t fine. Professionally, I was doing the work. Personally, I was carrying more than I should have. I had a coach, a tighter inner circle, and the right intentions, but I still found myself drifting. New ideas kept pulling at me. New opportunities kept showing up. And I didn’t have a reliable way to decide what deserved my energy and what didn’t. That’s when I started using a Word of the Year. Not because I...
Send us a text If you’re a founder trying to sell into retail, this episode may save you months of missteps. If you’re a retail leader evaluating new technology, it’ll reflect what you often wish vendors understood. In this conversation with Ang Nayyar from StrutFit, we get into the realities of how retailers think, decide, and evaluate solutions — far beyond what’s visible from the outside. This episode is especially for: Founders and product teams trying to land their first or fifth retai...
Send us a text What Happens When You’ve Outgrown Your Role? In this episode, I sit down with Ryan Holm from Helzberg Diamonds, and we get right into the real tension many retail leaders feel but rarely talk about — the moment you know you’re ready for more, even if you haven’t said it out loud yet. Ryan’s journey from Dunkin’ Donuts to leading innovation in a Berkshire Hathaway company is filled with the kind of insights leaders need right now. In this conversation we cover: How to know whe...
Send us a text Retail is not complicated. It is hard work. This episode gets us back to the basics that keep a store alive: profit, time, and turns. I sit down with Maximilian Anderson, founder of SKUMAX, to talk about seeing your true cost of goods, why every item should pay rent, and how to make better decisions with the data you already own. If you lead stores, this is a clean reset on what to measure, what to move, and what to let go. Try the free trial in the show notes and s...
Send us a text Conference fatigue is real. The solution isn’t bigger booths. It’s better design. In this episode of Retail Leadership with Steve Worthy, Jamie Hancock — founder of Buying Time and Commerce Futures — breaks down how to build events that create real learning and real pipeline without turning the room into a pitch fest. We cover: Designing your event like a sales motion: ICP, personas, shared problems, clear outcomesWhy putting customers and practitioners on stage beats vendor de...
Send us a text Retail technology often gets lost in hype. But what does it actually mean for leaders on the ground? In this episode of Retail Leadership with Steve Worthy, I sit down with Ricardo Belmar, Producer and Host of The Retail Razor Podcast Network. We cover: Why “perfect test stores” can hide scalability failuresThe difference between replacing tasks and replacing people with techAI’s real challenge: implementation and process readinessThe skills leaders need to guide retail through...
Send us a text In this episode of Retail Leadership with Steve Worthy, I sit down with Lucas Piccinin, founder of NetConV, a platform designed to bring real-time expiration date transparency to grocery eCommerce. We explore how grocers can turn a persistent operational headache into a competitive differentiator by: Integrating seamlessly with existing ERP systemsUsing algorithms to dynamically price products based on freshnessOvercoming cultural and operational resistance to digital transform...
Send us a text Everyone’s talking about AI, but few retail leaders are asking the deeper question: Is your company truly AI-ready—or just overwhelmed with data? In this episode, I sit down with, Abhijit Patharkar, the co-founder of Nexlytix to unpack the unspoken barriers to effective AI in retail: siloed systems, misaligned storytelling, broken decision-making, and the myth that more dashboards mean more clarity. We cover: What AI readiness really looks likeWhy storytelling must change based...
Send us a text What if your customer feedback system could make you a better leader—not just improve your metrics? In this episode of Retail Leadership with Steve Worthy, we’re joined by Eric Sangerma, Head of Growth at Simplesat—the customer feedback platform trusted by brands around the world. Simplesat helps retail leaders capture, interpret, and act on customer sentiment in real time. But Eric’s philosophy goes even deeper. He believes feedback is the foundation for great leadership—if yo...
Send us a text Some stores just stop you. You walk in, and for a moment—maybe longer—you forget you're in a place built to sell. You're in something more. A feeling. A point of view. A brand that knows who it is. This episode is a love letter to those stores—and the people who know how to spot them. Steve sits down with two of his favorite retail minds (and friends), Jack Stratton and Ian Scott, for a fast-moving conversation that feels more like a pub chat than a panel. Together, they unpack...
Send us a text Many retail leaders operate with a limited perspective, often assuming that their market’s approach is the gold standard. But in a world where consumer behaviors, technology, and retail strategies vary dramatically by region, leaders who fail to think globally risk falling behind. The challenge isn’t just understanding different markets—it’s learning how to apply global insights in a way that drives innovation and growth. In this episode, Steve sits down with PAULA MACA...
Send us a text AI is transforming retail at an unprecedented pace, and in this episode of Retail Leadership with Steve Worthy, we explore what leaders need to know now. From sneaker culture to digital transformation, Jenna Flatman Posner shares how her background as an elite athlete shaped her approach to leadership, strategy, and innovation. We break down AI’s real impact in retail—cutting through the hype to reveal practical applications, branding challenges, and the evolving ...
Send us a text When Retail Stops Growing You, What’s Next? No one tells you what happens when you outgrow your company. You hit every metric, you do everything right, and yet the growth stops. Your company still expects results, but they’re not developing you. They’re not stretching you. And if you’re being honest, you’re starting to feel it. The hard truth? Most senior leaders won’t admit when they’ve hit this wall. They keep showing up, running the same play, hoping something shifts. But re...
Send us a text Retail leaders talk about innovation, but are they solving the right problems? Too often, companies chase the latest trends—AI, automation, new products—without stepping back to ask: What actually drives transformation? In this episode of Retail Leadership with Steve Worthy, we sit down with Matt Mueller, innovation strategist and author of The Mindful Innovator, to discuss his upcoming Campus Masterclass: Master the Future of Leadership – Strategies for Lasting Transformation....
Send us a text Retail is more complicated than it needs to be, and in this episode of Retail Leadership with Steve Worthy, we cut through the noise with Walter Holbrook, a seasoned retail executive with over 60 years of experience—from stockroom to boardroom. Walter shares the hard truths about leadership, execution, and why common sense is missing in today’s retail landscape. He challenges leaders to rethink how they approach hiring, communication, and operational execution, emphasizin...
Send us a text In today's episode, titled "HQ vs. Store: Bridging the Divide," we finish our two-part series - Everything Works at HQ! What can HQ learn from stores?Why is developing a common language between HQ and stores crucial for successful communication and relationship-building?What strategies can stores implement to better listen and execute the corporate strategy delivered by HQ? We're going to explore the critical need for building a shared vision between your retail stores and c...
Send us a text US vs THEM! This battle in retail has been in existence since Retail began. US - Stores vs THEM - Home Office. Why can’t they see eye to eye? What has hindered these two teams from establishing a mutually beneficial and successful relationship? This two-part series - Everything Works at HQ. Part one titled “What HQ can learn from Stores”, is a candid exploration of the oft-overlooked wisdom that our stores hold for corporate headquarters. The g...
Send us a text Pick up your book: The Retail Leader's Roadmap! HERE! What's up, my friend? You're in for a real treat with this episode featuring Brian. We're going deep into the nitty gritty details of his proven blueprint for accelerating your career growth as a retail leader. Right off the bat, Brian opens up about the profound influence his father had on instilling that insatiable drive to outwork, outlearn, and outlead everyone around him. The dude exudes an unwavering determination th...
Send us a text Meet Kimberly Lee Minor, a dynamic force in retail leadership with over 25 years of industry experience. She's held pivotal roles in renowned organizations like Footlocker Global, London Fog, and Bath & Body Works. Currently serving as CEO of Bumbershoot, LLC, Kimberly's expertise lies in providing cultural and market insights for inclusive, equitable, and diverse representation across brand, content, product, and customer experience. Kimberly's passion extends beyond busi...
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