Startups

In episode 431 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Anna Harman, co-founder and CEO, and Lisa Bubbers, co-founder and chief brand officer, of Studs, a new ear piercing experience that enables consumers to express themselves through "earscaping." Listen in as Harman and Bubbers provide an overview of the company (0:55), their inspiration for…

Diana Ganz is co-founder of SuitShop, a destination for affordable, size- and gender-inclusive, and yours-to-keep suiting. Ganz recently spoke on a panel discussing emerging technology trends at Total Retail Tech in Denver. In this video interview from the event, she provides a overview of the SuitShop business, identifies what she attributes the growth of the business to, and…

In episode 39 of Total Retail Tech Insights, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Chelsie Hall, founder of ViralMoment, a startup AI social intelligence tool. Hall was the winner of the Startup Challenge at this year's Total Retail Tech event. Listen in as Hall provides an overview of ViralMoment (1:05), how brands can implement and access insights using the…

This video features the startup challenge session from Total Retail Tech 2023 in Denver. Startup presenters include Chelsie Hall, CEO, ViralMoment and Madisen Dewey, head of product marketing, TYB (Try Your Best). Judges include Jessica Coogan, vice president of digital commerce, James Avery Artisan Jewelry; and Jeff Haddox, chief digital officer, RuffleButts; Alexandra Mason, vice president, portfolio…

As the dust settles on the direct-to-consumer (DTC) boom, a new era of fashion entrepreneurship emerges, characterized by an innovative approach to company building within a transformed industry landscape. There are many remarkable journeys of these visionary founders exploring the uncharted avenues they tread upon to achieve growth, while also seeking insights from agencies deeply entrenched…

Swedish fintech Klarna changed how consumers — particularly younger consumers — buy and pay for goods. Its model, which countless other rivals have since replicated, is simple. Rather than pay the entire sum upfront, the consumer pays a portion, and Klarna fronts the rest, which the consumer repays in manageable bi-monthly or monthly installments. At…

Maurice Contreras is founder and CEO of Volcanica Coffee, a specialty coffee roaster that imports 150-plus exotic coffees from volcanic regions around the world. While at the National Retail Federation Big Show in New York City earlier this week, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan spoke with Contreras about the company and his career background, the online shopping…

 Since 2014, Bean Box has helped consumers discover and develop a love for gourmet coffee, sourced from some of the world’s best specialty coffee roasters. Its products focus on discovery, curation, and the tasting experience, and while it has reached a wide audience through its direct-to-consumer (D-to-C) model, until late 2021, the brand hadn’t really…

The New Year is fast approaching, and for a retail business, that means it's time to start thinking about closing out the year and preparing for the next. While it's a great time to reflect and set goals, it's also a time of year that creates a lot of “to-dos” for retailers. The holiday season…

Wholesale is a hugely competitive space, with thousands of new and long-established brands constantly vying for partnership and prime placement with top national retailers such as Walmart, CVS and Target. I’m proud to say that the company I founded in 2014, pH-D Feminine Health, now offers products at all these retailers (and many more). However,…