Our podcast focuses on how shoppers are transforming retail and what you need to do about it. Retail strategist and shopping futurist Wendy Liebmann shares her passionate, unvarnished shopper-centric view of where retail is headed. She interviews experts in retail, marketing, insights, design, education, and more. She and the WSL team regularly share excerpts from WSL’s latest proprietary shopper research about what’s coming next. The Future Shop Podcast is a no-holds-barred view of what…
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Inside the Creation of the Apple Store, Target Design, JC Penney Failures & The Future of Retail with Ron Johnson | Ep 113
In this episode of Future Shop , host Wendy Liebmann sits down with retail visionary Ron Johnson—former Senior VP of Retail at Apple and former VP of Merchandising at Target. Ron opens up about his storied career, including the creation of Target’s groundbreaking "Design for All" collaborations with icons like Michael Graves, and the strategy behind launching Apple’s revolutionary retail stores.…
EP112: •The AI Shopping Revolution: Is Retail Media in Jeopardy? And What About Shoppers with Kiri Masters
In this episode of Future Shop , Wendy Liebmann sits down with Kiri Masters, founder of the Retail Media Breakfast Club , to dissect the rapid evolution of the shopper journey in the age of generative AI. Using real-world buying experiences—from hair tools to refrigerators—they reveal how tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity are bypassing traditional retail homepages and sending consumers straight to…
EP111: Why Sexual Wellness is the Next Big CPG Growth Category with Rachel Marler
In this episode of Future Shop, host Wendy Liebmann sits down with Rachel Marler, the North American Chief Commercial Officer for Lifestyles (the makers of SKYN condoms). Together, they explore the rapid evolution of the sexual and intimate wellness category from a restricted retail afterthought to a crucial pillar of holistic physical and mental health. From breaking retail stigmas and adapting…
EP110: AI Agents and the “Hot Mess” of Modern Retail with The CPG Guys
In this episode of Future Shop , Wendy Liebmann sits down with the industry’s most plugged-in duo, Peter V.S. Bond and Sri Rajagopalan (The CPG Guys), to dissect a retail landscape currently in the throes of a "hot mess" transformation. They navigate the complex collision of agentic AI , the shifting power of retail media , and a growing leadership talent crisis. From why Target is struggling to…
EP109: Longevity Nation: Michael Clinton on the Future of Aging and Business
In this episode of Future Shop, Wendy Liebmann sits down with renaissance man and ROAR Forward founder Michael Clinton to discuss his latest book, Longevity Nation . As life expectancies climb and today’s children face a 50% chance of living to 100, the “second half of life” is being completely rewritten. Michael shares how businesses, retailers, and individuals must adapt to a world where 74 is…
EP108: How to Reach the New Frontiers of Beauty & Wellness with Ali Kole
In this episode of Future Shop , Wendy Liebmann sits down with retail powerhouse Ali Kole to dissect the “accelerated evolution” of the beauty and wellness industry. Drawing on her extensive background at McKinsey, Amazon, and Sephora, Kole explores how technology—from back-end logistics to front-end AI—is empowering the modern, information-hungry consumer. They dive into the expansion of beauty…
EP107: Beyond the Screen: Why Humanity is Retail’s Secret Weapon in 2026 with Wendy Liebmann and Guests
As we transition into 2026, the retail landscape is being reshaped by two powerful, seemingly opposite forces: the rapid ascent of autonomous AI and a growing hunger for authentic human connection. In this special year-in-review, Wendy Liebmann reflects on a transformative period of “perpetual chaos,” where shoppers are seizing control of their journeys amid economic and global uncertainty. From…
EP106: The Future of Beauty: K-Beauty, Viral Fragrances, and the TikTok Effect
This podcast episode of Future Shop features WSL’s Wendy Liebmann and Elia Auchane as they recap their recent trip to Cosmoprof North America in Miami. Together, they explore the shifting landscape of the beauty industry, questioning if the sector is “tapped out” while identifying the viral trends, from K-Beauty to Middle Eastern fragrances , that are currently dominating the global market.…
EP105: TikTok Shop, Agentic AI, and the Future of Retail Trust with Kelsie Johnston
Join host Wendy Liebmann as she sits down with Kelsie Johnston, a retail strategist with a career spanning Macy’s, Walmart, Coty, and most recently, TikTok. In this episode of Future Shop , Kelsie breaks down the seismic shift from traditional omnichannel retail to the exploding world of social commerce and the dawn of “Agentic AI.” They discuss why brands and retailers must move beyond…
EP104: Retail’s Next Act: Human Connection in an AI World with Christi Geary
In this episode of Future Shop , Wendy Liebmann sits down with Christi Geary, EVP at Advantage Marketing Partners, to explore the evolving landscape of retail and the enduring power of the human connection. They dive into the intersection of technology and emotion, discussing why physical retail remains vital despite the digital explosion and how brands must shift from simple execution to true…
