Retail Gets Real

Creative collaborations have become a powerful and fresh way to connect with consumers, but the most successful partnerships are about far more than celebrity names or limited-edition products. Gigi Guerra, vice president of marketing and creative curation at Target, shares how thoughtful storytelling, guest insights and authentic partnerships come together to create moments that resonate across generations.(00:00:00) From fashion design to leading iconic retail brands(00:09:21) The strategy behind Target's biggest collaborations(00:14:43) Creating collaborations people can't wait to experience(00:18:19) Why the best collaborations create lasting memories(00:21:55) How social media shapes modern retail collaborationsThe National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association.Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed.Resources:• Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association• Learn more from retail’s most innovative leaders at an NRF event.• Learn about retail education and training from the NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org• Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy• Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.comRelated:• 376: How Target’s consumer-first strategy drives success• 393: How Bealls is shaping the next era of value shopping

Retail is an industry built on people, emotion and constant reinvention, and few leaders embody that reality more fully than Ulta Beauty President and CEO Kecia Steelman. In this episode of Retail Gets Real recorded live from NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show in New York City, Steelman explores her remarkable career journey, leadership philosophy and how she’s guiding the nation’s largest specialty beauty retailer through one of the most transformative moments in retail history.(00:00:00) From the sales floor to the CEO seat(00:05:48) How retail creates opportunity at every level(00:09:14) Why beauty retail is about emotion, not just products(00:12:52) Why the future of retail has no finish line(00:16:24) How culture drives performance at Ulta Beauty(00:19:28) How Ulta Beauty localizes a global brand(00:22:14) What retail needs more (and less) of right nowThe National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association.Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed.Resources:• Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association• Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org• Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy• Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.comRelated:• 380: How Vera Bradley transformed a legacy brand• 376: How Target’s consumer-first strategy drives success

Horacio “Haio” Barbeito, president and CEO of Old Navy, joins Retail Gets Real to reflect on a global career in retail, the responsibility of developing future talent and how leaders can navigate rapid change while keeping humanity at the center of the business.With nearly three decades of experience spanning Argentina, the United States, Chile, Puerto Rico and Canada, Barbeito’s leadership philosophy was shaped by working across cultures and markets. His journey — which included 26 years at Walmart and CEO roles in multiple international businesses — reinforced an early lesson: Growth happens when leaders are willing to leave their comfort zones. Retail, he says, is never static. It demands constant learning, movement and responsiveness to customers whose expectations evolve at the speed of culture.(00:00:00) Building a global retail career through change(00:06:16) Creating first jobs that change lives(00:10:26) Why investing in people is smart business(00:13:20) Navigating AI without losing the human touch(00:19:14) Advice for the next generation of retail leadersThe National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association.Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed.Resources:• Learn more about Retail’s Big Show in NYC• Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association• Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org• Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy• Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.comRelated:• 391. AI, skills-first hiring and the next era of retail jobs

Retail’s Big Show has long been the industry’s can’t-miss gathering.In this episode of Retail Gets Real, we get an inside look at what’s ahead for NRF 2026, straight from the leaders who bring the event to life. We’re joined by Susan Newman, senior vice president of event strategy at the National Retail Federation; Jill Dvorak, senior vice president of content; and Scot Case, vice president of corporate social responsibility and sustainability and executive director of NRF’s Center for Retail Sustainability, to preview what attendees can expect at the retail industry’s most influential event.(00:00:00) What “The next now” means for retail(00:04:42) Inside the NRF Expo experience(00:07:03) Keynotes, AI and must-see content(00:10:20) Networking, celebrations, and shared experiences(00:11:29) Introducing NRF Rev and the circular economy(00:13:27) Insider tips for navigating Retail’s Big ShowThe National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association.Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed.Resources:• Get ready for Retail’s Big Show in NYC• Learn more about the all new NRF Rev• Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association• Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org• Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy• Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.comRelated:• 371: NRF 2025 preview: Big things are coming to Retail’s Big Show• 375: Tech, trade and taxes: What’s impacting retail in 2025

As the winter season approaches, families across the country are stepping into the holidays with renewed enthusiasm — and retailers are preparing for one of the most meaningful shopping periods of the year. In this episode of Retail Gets Real, NRF Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen breaks down the latest holiday data, uncovers shopping trends and shares the heartfelt traditions that define how Americans celebrate this time of year.From spending forecasts and toy trends to the influence of technology and the enduring magic of in-store discovery, this episode offers insights into what consumers value most — and why the holidays remain essential to so many.(00:00:00) Holiday kickoff and early shopping myths(00:07:38) What kids really want—and what toys are trending for 2025(00:11:35) Where holiday gift inspiration really comes from(00:16:41) The songs, foods, and flavors that define the holidays(00:19:58) The traditions that make the holidays meaningfulThe National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association.Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed.Resources:• Get ready for Retail’s Big Show in NYC• Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association• Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org• Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy• Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.comRelated:• 369: How Butterball builds Thanksgiving traditions with customers• 394: Halloween trends: What’s driving record spending

Artificial intelligence is reshaping every corner of the retail landscape, and a new wave of agentic AI shoppers is changing how brands must think about data, experience and customer connection. Debra Langley, partner at CAPTIS Ventures, and Greg Merrill, president at Futura Fragua unpack the rapid rise of AI shopping agents and what this evolution means for the future of retail.(00:00:00) A new era of retail innovation(00:05:02) The rise of AI shopping agents(00:10:08) Explaining AI shoppers to traditional retailers(00:17:06) The promise and peril of AI(00:20:00) Why human experience still mattersThe National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association.Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed.Resources:• CAPTIS Ventures• Futura Fragua• Get ready for Retail’s Big Show in NYC• Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association• Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org• Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy• Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.comRelated:• 381: The innovators driving the future of retail• 364: How BJ’s Wholesale Club leverages AI to serve its customers