S1:E9 Bridging the Gap: Communication from Floor to Corporate with. Ron Thurston

In this episode, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden speak with Ron Thurston, co-founder of Ossy and author of 'Retail Pride'. Thurston shares his wisdom on essential skills for retail executives and discusses empathetic communication between corporate and store teams. He emphasizes the three pillars of success: empathy, curiosity, and focus. By understanding and addressing the concerns of frontline workers, retail leaders can build trust and foster a collaborative environment. Thurston also highlights the impact of the hiring process on employee satisfaction and the importance of recognizing the distinct roles within a retail organization. Join the conversation as Thurston shares strategies to enhance the retail experience from recruitment to customer interaction.

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/RRShowYouTube

Meet your hosts:

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2024. Thinkers 360 named him a Top 10 Retail Thought Leader, Top 50 Management Thought Leader, Top 100 Digital Transformation Thought Leader, and a Top Digital Voice for 2024. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and is the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert for 2024 and 2023, and Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer. After a career on the fashion and supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks and building retail tech!

Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Swag, Tag and Brag from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

S1:E8 Cutting Out Negativity - Insights from April Sabral

In this episode, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden welcome April Sabral, founder of retailu.ca and author of 'The Positive Effect' and 'Incurable Positivity.' April shares her insights on the importance of maintaining a positive outlook in retail leadership. She discusses how to deal with negative news and conversations, emphasizing the importance of not getting enrolled in negativity and instead fostering productive and positive discussions. April provides practical advice for retail leaders on how to inspire their teams and achieve success even in challenging environments.

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/RRShowYouTube

Meet your hosts::

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2024. Thinkers 360 named him a Top 10 Retail Thought Leader, Top 50 Management Thought Leader, & Top 100 Digital Transformation Thought Leader, plus a Top Digital Voice for 2024. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and is the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert for 2024 & 2023, & Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand & the consumer. After a career on the fashion & supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks & building retail tech!

Music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Swag, Tag and Brag from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

S1:E7 Cultivating Excellence: Positive Culture in Retail Leadership with April Sabral

Hosts Ricardo & Casey speak with April Sabral, founder of retailu.ca & author of 'The Positive Effect' & 'Incurable Positivity.' With three decades of experience leading retail brands, April shares valuable insights on the significance of fostering a positive workplace culture & its impact on productivity & employee retention. She discusses the essential skills leaders need to inspire their teams & stresses the importance of leadership in developing a thriving organizational environment. Learn practical tips on creating a positive culture that motivates employees & improves business outcomes!

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/RRShowYouTube

Meet your hosts::

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2024. Thinkers 360 named him a Top 10 Retail Thought Leader, Top 50 Management Thought Leader, Top 100 Digital Transformation Thought Leader, and a Top Digital Voice for 2024. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and is the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert for 2024 & 2023, & Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand & the consumer. After a career on the fashion & supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks & building retail tech!

Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Swag, Tag and Brag from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

S1:E6 Career Advancement Strategies in Retail: Insights from Ron Thurston

Ricardo & Casey welcome Ron Thurston, co-founder of Ossy & author of 'Retail Pride,' to discuss fostering a career development culture within retail. Ron shares his experiences & insights on mentorship & career development - key to retaining retail employees. He discusses recent statistics on turnover & the significance of addressing scheduling, benefits, & staff shortages. By engaging field teams & creating a culture of feedback & recognition, Ron emphasizes the critical steps leaders can take to improve retention & drive success.

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/RRShowYouTube

Meet your hosts::

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2024. Thinkers 360 named him a Top 10 Retail Thought Leader, Top 50 Management Thought Leader, & Top 100 Digital Transformation Thought Leader, plus a Top Digital Voice for 2024. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and is the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert for 2024 & 2023, & Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand & the consumer. After a career on the fashion & supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks & building retail tech!

Music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Swag, Tag and Brag from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

S1:E5 Empowering Retail Leaders Through Intrapreneurship - Insights from Jeffrey P. McNulty

In this fifth episode of the Retail Razor show 'Blade to Greatness,' hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden speak with Jeffrey P. McNulty, founder and CEO of New Retail Ethos.. Jeffrey shares insights from his 30 years of hands-on industry experience, discussing the essential skills every retail executive needs and emphasizing the significance of fostering an environment ofintrapreneurship. He introduces his GAP strategy (Growth, Autonomy, Purpose) as a blueprint for enhancing intrapreneurial culture within organizations. Key points include the importance of succession planning, daily check-ins, competitive wages, flexible scheduling, employee empowerment, and community involvement. Jeffrey also offers practical advice on turning mistakes into lessons and ensuring employees feel trusted and included. He highlights that intrapreneurship benefits both the organization and employees, creating a win-win scenario. As an added bonus, Jeffrey provides listeners with a discount code for his Ultimate Retail Course.

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/RRShowYouTube

Meet your hosts::

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2024. Thinkers 360 named him a Top 10 Retail Thought Leader, Top 50 Management Thought Leader, & Top 100 Digital Transformation Thought Leader, plus a Top Digital Voice for 2024. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and is the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert for 2024 & 2023, & Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand & the consumer. After a career on the fashion & supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks & building retail tech!

Music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Swag, Tag and Brag from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

S1:E4 How to Hire the Right Person in Retail with Ron Thurston

Join hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden on the fourth episode of the Retail Razor: Blade to Greatness. This episode features a discussion with retail industry expert Ron Thurston, co-founder of Ossy and author of 'Retail Pride.' Ron shares his insights on transforming retail hiring processes to better connect highly qualified and engaged candidates with retail brands. He discusses the need for a human-centric approach in hiring frontline retail workers, emphasizing the importance of emotional empathy, curiosity, and culture fit. Tune in to learn how to reframe your job search strategies and improve recruitment outcomes in the retail industry!

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/RRShowYouTube

Meet your hosts::

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2024. Thinkers 360 named him a Top 10 Retail Thought Leader, Top 50 Management Thought Leader, & Top 100 Digital Transformation Thought Leader, plus a Top Digital Voice for 2024. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and is the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert for 2024 & 2023, & Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand & the consumer. After a career on the fashion & supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks & building retail tech!

Music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Swag, Tag and Brag from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

S1:E3 The Power of a Positive Mindset in Retail Leadership with April Sabral

In this episode of Retail Razor's 'Blade to Greatness,' hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden speak with April Sabral, founder of retailu.ca and author of 'The Positive Effect' and 'Incurable Positivity.' April shares her insights on the importance of maintaining a positive mindset in the retail industry. Highlighting her extensive experience with top brands and her transition to leadership coaching, she discusses how positivity can transform customer and employee experiences and drive business success. April emphasizes actionable strategies on shifting perspectives, recognizing wins, and fostering a positive team environment.

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/RRShowYouTube

Meet your hosts::

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2024. Thinkers 360 named him a Top 10 Retail Thought Leader, Top 50 Management Thought Leader, & Top 100 Digital Transformation Thought Leader, plus a Top Digital Voice for 2024. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and is the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert for 2024 & 2023, & Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand & the consumer. After a career on the fashion & supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks & building retail tech!

Music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Swag, Tag and Brag from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

S1:E2 The Power of Employee Autonomy in Retail with Jeffrey P McNulty

In this episode of 'Blade to Greatness,' hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden sit down with Jeffrey P. McNulty, founder and CEO of New Retail Ethos. Drawing from his 30 years of experience in the retail industry and as a retail research analyst, McNulty shares the critical importance of providing employee autonomy. Key insights include the benefits of employee autonomy in fostering innovative ideas and impacting organizational success, illustrated through examples from top companies like Google and Lockheed Martin. McNulty also offers an exclusive discount for his Ultimate Retail Course to listeners, underscoring his commitment to spreading retail excellence. Join us to discover actionable tips for creating future leaders and improving retail management practices.

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/RRShowYouTube

Meet your hosts::

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2024. Thinkers 360 named him a Top 10 Retail Thought Leader, Top 50 Management Thought Leader, & Top 100 Digital Transformation Thought Leader, plus a Top Digital Voice for 2024. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and is the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert for 2024 & 2023, & Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand & the consumer. After a career on the fashion & supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks & building retail tech!

Music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Swag, Tag and Brag from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.