All Podcast Episodes
The Interview: Retail Trust
The Interview - Retail Trust: In this episode, host Mark Faithfull returns to the important issue of wellbeing, as we mark Mental Health Awareness Week and the Retail Trust’s Together Fest 2022, which takes place in London today. Recorded at Spring Fair 2022, Retail Trust wellbeing consultant Andrea Woodside joins us to examine whether retail is a happy place, why kindness and empathy is not rocket science (but can be rocket fuel), and why it’s important to give retail leaders permission to focus their energy and efforts on signposting support to make a meaningful difference to employees.
In Focus: Employee Wellbeing
In Focus - Employee Wellbeing: In this episode, host Mark Faithfull talks wellbeing. Employee wellbeing doesn’t stop at the store or office entrance. We sit down with Claire Kershaw, Wellbeing Offer at Next and Terry Streather, Director of Oakwood Training to discuss the importance of achieving buy-in at a senior level, why the narrative needs to switch from reactive to one that’s proactive, how to empower managers to spot the warning, and what wellbeing will look like in the future.
In Focus: Ethics Work
In Focus - Ethics Work: In this latest episode of The Retail Exchange podcast, host Karl McKeever talks to three companies about how to design and source more sustainably, and explores how creating sustainable products has been integral to their own journey from seed to full bloom. Recorded at Spring Fair 2022 and in support of its ‘The Power of One’ campaign, that aims to energise retailers and consumers to take small steps to change the world.
The Interview: Joe & Seph’s, Director & co-founder Paul Sopher
In this episode of The Interview series, recorded at Spring Fair 2022, host Mark Faithfull is sits down with Joe & Seph’s co-founder Paul Sopher as he shares the intriguing story of how a trip to the US led to the transformation of the UK popcorn category, his experience of life in a fast-growing family business, and advice for wannabe entrepreneurs.
Despite the company's success and expanding range of product lines, it remains singularly committed to one thing: creating the best tasting popcorn possible. That focus has helped to reinvent a category, taking the word of popcorn far beyond simply being a moorish movie treat.
The Interview: British Independent Retailers Association CEO Andrew Goodacre
In this episode of The Interview series, recorded at Spring Fair 2022, host Karl McKeever is joined by British Independent Retailers Association CEO Andrew Goodacre and Jayne Weldon, ECommerce Manager of new BIRA-backed online trading platform Neartoo. While The Retail Exchange’s Mark Faithfull talks to Claire Leigh, founder of award-winning independent retailer, Two Ducks.
During the pandemic, customers were increasingly keen to support smaller, independent and community retailers. But will bricks-and-mortar independent retail still be popular and relevant as we move forward? BIRA CEO Andrew Goodacre believes so. Now it’s time for independent shops, run by owners with passion and commitment, to seize the moment.
The Interview: Green & Black’s, co-founder Jo Fairley
In this episode of The Interview series, recorded at Spring Fair 2022, host Karl McKeever is joined by Green & Black’s co-founder Jo Fairley as she shares her experience of founding a business during a recession and discusses the importance of staying true to her core belief that doing good for your people and the planet simply makes good business sense.
Event Review: Spring Fair 2022
For those who have an eye on wholesale retail, Spring Fair has traditionally had a strong spot on their roster. Its physical presence may well have been on pause since 2020 but this year it's back, to claim the mantle of being Europe's biggest post-pandemic industry event to date. And with a distinct era of hope and optimism as well. In this special episode, The Retail Exchange reports from Spring Fair 2022 at the NEC Birmingham to bring you a review of the flagship four-day wholesale retail event.
The Interview: Mintel, director of trends EMEA Simon Moriarty
As we look ahead to Spring Fair 2022, host Karl McKeever sits down with Mintel Director of Trends EMEA Simon Moriarty to discuss post-pandemic consumers trends and the big changes that will impact the world in which we all live and work within in 2022, and beyond.