Not Just Background Noise: Ola Sars on How Music Drives Sales and Shapes Retail
How often do you notice the background music when you’re shopping? 🎶 It’s not just “noise” - it can shape how long we browse, how we feel, and even how much we spend. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg sits down with Ola Sars, music tech entrepreneur and founder of Soundtrack Technologies, the world’s leading B2B music streaming service. Ola’s journey spans co-founding Beats Music (which became Apple Music) to building Soundtrack into a platform powering 80,000+ businesses across 74 countries. You’ll discover: • How music influences customer behavior and dwell time • Why brands should treat music as a strategic asset, not background noise • The role of AI in creating “sonic identities” for retailers • Real-world examples of brands boosting sales with the right soundtrack • The future of audio in retail and customer experience If you’re curious about the intersection of retail, music, and technology, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.
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Menopause & Retail: Heather Jackson on Meeting the Needs of 1 Billion Women
Menopause impacts 1 billion women worldwide — but retailers are still failing to meet their needs. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, host Natalie Berg speaks with Heather Jackson, CEO & co-founder of GenM, about how brands can better serve menopausal consumers. Discover how the MTick symbol is transforming the way women shop for menopause-friendly products, why this overlooked market represents a huge commercial opportunity, and what retailers must do to build trust, visibility, and loyalty. If you work in retail, marketing, or product development, this conversation will show you how to turn menopause from a taboo into an opportunity to create meaningful change for consumers. 02:52 The Birth of GenM and the MTick Symbol 05:32 Understanding this Overlooked Demographic 08:50 The Role of Retailers in Supporting Menopausal Women 11:49 Building Trust and Transparency in Menopause-Friendly Products 14:40 Partnerships and Retail Innovations 17:25 Global Expansion and Future Opportunities 👉 Listen to Retail Disrupted on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 or Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM?si=91ee924b951d4894 🌐 Learn more at: https://retaildisrupted.com 📩 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-berg-ba20931/
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Retail Reimagined: Matalan and Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions
Big changes are happening at Matalan. The 40-year-old British fashion and homeware retailer is making major investments in its stores, products, and digital capabilities as part of a multi-year transformation programme. On this episode, Natalie is joined by Phil Hackney, Chief Operating Officer at Matalan; Katherine Davis, Chief Retail Officer at Matalan; and Martin Ward, Head of Software for the UK & Ireland at Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions. The panel unpacks Matalan's strategic shifts and shares their views on wider industry trends. They explore: 02:29 Matalan's Strategic Direction and Transformation Programme 05:35 Understanding Customer Identity and Market Positioning 08:58 The Evolving Role of Bricks and Mortar Retail 11:54 The Future of Self-Checkout and Technology Integration 27:17 Empowering Frontline Staff for a Better Customer Experience 35:34 E-commerce Trends and Customer Engagement 40:27 Future Trends and Innovations in Retail 📺 Prefer to watch the conversation unfold? Check it out on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8-Mdbpn28k This episode is brought to you by Toshiba. For more, visit https://commerce.toshiba.com
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How Disruptive Thinking Shaped Holland & Barrett's First Experience Store
A Pilates studio, health checks, biological age testing and free consultation hubs. These are just some of the features of Holland & Barrett’s first experience store that opened in Cardiff earlier this year. On this episode, Natalie is joined by Richard Fisher, Design Manager at Holland & Barrett, leading the transformation of over 1,000 stores across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, and Chris Newell, Creative Partner at Syn - the agency behind the new store concept. They discuss the future of wellness, the evolving role of physical retail, and whether we may see more of these stores popping up on our high streets. 📺 This is a VIDEO episode and can be watched on YouTube, or you can listen on your usual platforms. *The podcast is now pausing for August. Have a great summer break and see you in September.*
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The Future of Grocery Retail
We’re diving deep into the world of grocery retail in this special episode, dissecting the latest trends and innovations that are reshaping the sector. Natalie is joined by Mark Thomson, Director of Retail & Hospitality Strategy EMEA at Zebra Technologies. This video episode was recorded in a London studio. You can watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on your usual platforms! Mark and Natalie explore: Self-service: some retailers are doubling down, others are reassessing. Where have we landed and how might AI drive the next wave of adoption? From accepting payments to more targeted promotions, where next for scan & go? Real-time hyper-personalization: why Mark believes the time has finally come. What's fuelling the rise of retail media and how might it evolve to become (even) more personalized in the future? The AI opportunity in food retail: from recipe inspiration to actually doing our grocery shopping for us. E-commerce: why Mark is bullish about growth opportunities for online grocery and why dark stores may be poised for a comeback. This conversation coincides with the launch of Zebra’s latest report, Creating Great Grocery Trips, which Natalie contributed to. Download the full report. More about Zebra: From seamless transactions and inventory visibility to personalised experiences and engaged associates, Zebra provides solutions that empower retailers to thrive. With connected systems and data-driven decisions, retailers are prepared to overcome challenges, delight shoppers, and drive sustainable growth. For more: https://www.zebra.com/gb/en/industry/... More about Mark: Industry speaker and technology evangelist. Mark works with retailers to provide input on how to face the challenge of a new digital landscape with a particular focus on the broad Zebra technologies portfolio from mobile devices to workforce productivity and inventory visibility solutions. Connect with Mark on LinkedIn.
Disrupt or be disrupted - that's the choice facing retailers today.
Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg, this podcast unpacks the latest trends and innovations impacting the global retail sector. We explore how technology is reshaping the world of commerce, how shopping habits will evolve in the future and what retailers need to do to stay relevant to today's ubiquitously connected consumers. Join us for lively discussions with the industry's brightest minds - retail CEOs, business leaders, disruptive brands, analysts and tech experts.
Topics covered include:
• Retail leadership lessons: how to thrive in a perpetually evolving retail landscape
• How to meet the needs of today's hyper-informed, "on-my-terms" shopper
• Unified commerce: the convergence of physical and digital retail
• How technology can enhance the customer experience
• Store reinvention: how to repurpose bricks & mortar retail
• Future of e-commerce
• How AI and other emerging technologies will revolutionise the retail sector
• Macroeconomic, sociodemographic and ESG trends
• Evolution of customer loyalty
This is a London-based show with a global audience. For more, visit retaildisrupted.com
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