Professional Development

Apple said on Monday that John Ternus is succeeding Tim Cook as CEO, with Cook assuming the role of executive chairman on Sept. 1. Ternus, a senior vice president of hardware engineering, will join Apple’s board of directors when he becomes CEO. Apple’s non-executive chairman Arthur Levinson will become the iPhone-maker’s lead independent director on…

In episode 503 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Marianna Sachse, founder and CEO of Jackalo, the first circular childrenswear brand focused on creating durable, eco-friendly apparel. Sachse describes her inspiration for founding the brand — a difficulty finding comfortable, sustainable, long-lasting pants and hand-me-downs for kids four and older (2:00). She details…

Artificial intelligence can identify your target audience in seconds, optimize campaigns in milliseconds, and generate hundreds of creative variations in minutes. Marketing automation has never been more powerful — or more tempting. Yet the marketers winning right now aren't the ones automating everything. They're the ones who know exactly what not to automate. Because while…

Seasonal spikes have long been a feature, not a bug, of running a modern retail business. In the U.S., sales in November and December average about a fifth of the year's total. With holiday sales in 2025 alone expected to exceed $1 trillion, hiring plans must sync accordingly. But it’s about more today than simply…

While retailers exited the holiday shopping season and planned for the year ahead, their finance leaders have been dealing with interest rate uncertainty, persistent inflation and currency volatility. Combined, these factors have created a variety of financial pressures making it harder to control costs and plan ahead. To combat these challenges, retail finance teams must…

Kroger named former Walmart executive Greg Foran as its chief executive officer on Monday, 11 months after the abrupt resignation of its previous CEO. Foran led Walmart's U.S. division for six years before departing in 2019. While there, he introduced online ordering and pickup, and accelerated Walmart's digital capabilities. Foran succeeds Ron Sargent, who has been…

We’re excited to share a major milestone for Total Retail Talks: the release of our 500th episode! Since launching the podcast in 2015, we’ve spent more than a decade speaking with hundreds of leading retail executives. We've uncovered insights into the strategies shaping the industry. To mark this moment, our 500th episode features curated clips…

Walmart announced a series of executive changes late last week as John Furner prepares to take over as CEO of the world's largest retailer on Feb. 1, replacing Doug McMillon. The moves aim to maintain the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer's growth momentum and bellwether position in the industry by promoting four longtime executives and expanding their…

In episode 499 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Mike Natenshon, founder and CEO of apparel brand Marine Layer. Beginning from his desire to re-create a favorite worn-out college T-shirt to founding a successful brand known for high-quality, custom fabrics, Natenshon breaks down Marine Layer's milestones. From opening its first retail store (2:00)…

Bed Bath & Beyond on Monday named Executive Chairman Marcus Lemonis as its new chief executive, reports Fox Business. He stepped down as CEO of Camping World on Jan. 1, 2026, after more than two decades at the helm. Lemonis has been involved with Bed Bath & Beyond since 2023, serving as executive chairman after…