Category: High Streets

  • Powering the Pop-Ups

    Matt Hopkins, Founder of IND!E, joins Natalie to discuss the evolution of pop-up shops, the role of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) brands in driving innovation, and the significance of storytelling in retail.

    Matt shares his views on changing consumer expectations such as the heightened demand for authenticity and ethical shopping. They also delve into the trend of digitally native brands moving into physical spaces and highlight some of the challenges faced by SME challenger brands in a competitive market.

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    Open "Consumers want the story behind the brand, says Matt Hopkins, Founder of IND!E" directly

    Matt’s bio:

    Matt Hopkins is a seasoned business leader with over 25 years of experience in successfully selling products to major retailers. He excels in identifying growth opportunities, crafting robust commercial strategies, and driving impactful sales and marketing initiatives.

    A visionary entrepreneur and creative thinker, Matt has a proven track record of developing and scaling diverse business models. His expertise in licensed branding has led to collaborations with renowned brands such as Jamie Oliver, Laura Ashley, The Great British Bake Off, and Chef Tom Kerridge.

    Throughout his extensive career in retail, Matt recognised a significant shift in consumer trends toward locally made products with compelling stories. This insight inspired him to establish IND!E, a fresh and dynamic force driving change in the retail industry. Under Matt’s leadership, IND!E has become a market leader, supporting both major retailers and the SME challenger brand community. The company operates hundreds of pop-up shops in major retail locations each year and has pioneered a unique shop-in-shop concept, offering a crucial stepping stone for SME brands. Additionally, IND!E provides a comprehensive learning and resource hub and is set to launch its own e-commerce platform this year, further solidifying its role as an innovator in the retail landscape.

    Connect with Matt on LinkedIn.

    Visit IND!E.

    Find out more about the Retail Disrupted Podcast by visiting retaildisrupted.com

  • Pop-Up Retail and Keeping Dept Stores Relevant

    David Blakeney, former Store Development Director at House of Fraser and Sook, joins Natalie to discuss:

    • Why physical retail is on the cusp of a new dawn.
    • Repurposing physical space in a digital era.
    • Innovation in department stores – are retailers doing enough
    • Pop-up retail – which verticals are best suited (you’ll be surprised) and lessons from Sook.

  • The Retail Leader’s Roadmap with Brian Librach

    Brian Librach, former VP of Stores at Urban Outfitters, Pacific Sunwear and Old Navy, joins Natalie to discuss his new book: The Retail Leader’s Roadmap.

    They explore the reasons why retail leaders get stuck, the evolution of bricks & mortar retail, and how retailers can ensure their staff are motivated and engaged.

    Other topics include:

    • What is the future of stores and how should we be measuring success?
    • Which brands does Brian admire and what are they getting right?
    • Cultural shifts: digital transformation journeys and the importance of taking your people with you.
    • Upskilling and investing in digital competencies.
    • Squiggly careers: why the path to success isn’t always linear.
    • Natalie and Brian debate the key traits of winning retailers. 

  • Hyper-Localism, Cinemas, High Street Regeneration

    Have you been to Catford Mews or Peckham Levels? Then you’ll know what can be achieved by transforming disused car parks and empty retail units into vibrant, community-led, cultural hubs.

    Preston Benson, founder of Really Local Group and fellow American in London, joins Natalie on the podcast to discuss:

    • How Really Local Group is creating and restoring cultural infrastructure by regenerating disused high street locations.  
    • Homogenous high streets – how to inject character and make our high streets relevant for 21st century shopping.
    • Funflation – the Taylor Swift Effect and how cinemas will evolve in the future.
    • Hyper-localism, community and the importance of financial inclusivity.
    • Why Amazon has partnered with Odeon and what this means for smaller, community-led cinemas. 

    Catford Mews was RLG’s first site and they’ve since expanded into a number of locations like Ealing, Peckham, Reading and Sidcup with more venues planned throughout 2024 and beyond.

  • Retail Veteran Nigel Oddy on Treating Shoppers as VIPs

    Natalie speaks to Nigel Oddy, currently CEO of the UK and Europe’s leading golf retailer American Golf, and previously CEO of House of Fraser, New Look, Matalan and The Range.

    The video version of this episode is available on YouTube and is part of a special collaboration with the Richmond Retail & E-commerce Directors’ Forum. Nigel will be speaking at the event alongside leaders from across the industry – Tesco, Charlotte Tilbury, TikTok, N Brown and more. 

    In this episode, Nigel gives us a sneak preview of what we’ll be discussing at the event. He shares what it was like running New Look during the pandemic, his biggest successes, what motivates him, the importance of spending time on the shop floor and why you must treat your shoppers as VIPs.

  • The Future of Retail with Chris Browne

    Chris Browne, former Global Retail Director at Ted Baker, joins Natalie to discuss:

    • Visual AI and the opportunities for fashion retail  
    • How tech can enhance the shopping experience
    • Addressing the perennial problem of returns
    • What Western retailers can learn from Asia
    • Chris’ vision for the future of the high street

    Prefer video? You can also watch Natalie and Chris’ conversation on YouTube.

    This episode is part of a special collaboration with the Richmond Retail & E-commerce Directors’ Forum. Chris will be speaking at the event alongside leaders from across the industry – Tesco, Charlotte Tilbury, TikTok, N Brown and more.

  • TV Dragon Theo Paphitis on Successful Retailing

    Natalie speaks to TV dragon, retail magnate and small business champion Theo Paphitis live on stage at Springfair. They discuss:

    • Digital transformation and the impact on retail
    • Why stores are assets in today’s digital era
    • High street struggles – business rates, rents and levelling the playing field
    • Failing fast in business
    • What will retail look like in 2034?

  • N Brown Retail CEO Sarah Welsh on Women in Retail

    Sarah Welsh, CEO of Retail at N Brown, joins Natalie on the podcast to discuss:

    • What are the barriers to getting women in retail leadership positions?
    • The importance of representation – how should we nurture future female leaders?
    • Who has inspired Sarah throughout her career?
    • How has the shift to flexible and hybrid working impacted women?
    • How does N Brown drive the wider EDI&B agenda?

    This episode is part of a collaboration with the Richmond Retail & E-commerce Directors’ Forum. It’s available on the usual channels (Apple and Spotify) or you can watch a video version on YouTube.

  • Helen Dickinson on the BRC’s 2024 Retail Manifesto 

    Helen Dickinson OBE, CEO of the British Retail Consortium, joins Natalie on the podcast to discuss the BRC’s 2024 manifesto. They discuss: 

    • Business rates: how is the retail industry disproportionately affected and what does reform look like?
    • Retail jobs and impact of AI: how can the industry continue to attract and retain talent?
    • Shoplifting and staff abuse: what more can be done to deter retail theft?
    • ESG: how can retailers accelerate their transition to net zero and what are the BRC’s policy recommendations? 
    • Tax-free shopping: did the government underestimate the impact of scrapping this and might we see a U-turn?
    • The everywhere economy: what is the BRC’s vision for the future of retail?

    This episode is available on the usual channels (Apple and Spotify) or you can watch a video version on YouTube.

  • The Shoplifting Epidemic

    Chris Noice, Communications Director at the Association of Convenience Stores, joins Natalie to discuss Britain’s shoplifting epidemic. They explore:

    • The scale of the problem and factors driving the growing wave of shoplifting.
    • What motivates shoplifters and is it a victimless crime?
    • Cops in shops – will we see more retailers and shopping centres collaborate with the police for in-store police stations?
    • From equipping staff with body cams to hiring undercover security guards – what more can retailers do to deter theft?
    • Retail staff abuse and the issue of under-reporting.
    • The rise of middle class shoplifting and how automation is exacerbating the problem.
    • Will retailers see more TikTok-inspired mass shoplifting rampages?
    • How can the government take action to curb the rise in shoplifting?