Huge retail news today that Gap has selected its next CEO, Richard Dickson, to lead the charge on turnaround efforts. As a leader who has spent most of his career in CPG, where knowing your target consumer inside out is critical to business success and sometimes its survival, I’m excited…

A stalwart brand that evokes classic Americana better than most any other, Levi’s has not lost its cool. Unlike Gap, Levi’s — while popularity has ebbed and flowed over the years — remains an iconic American brand that has never really gone out of style. …

I published this story in August 2014 about the PE buyout of Tom’s Shoes seeming strategically off. Fast forward to now and here’s the latest in Bloomberg about how things fared. The answer: not great. The attempted comeback with a Nike veteran at the helm is in progress and in…

Neighborhood small businesses are a large part of what gives a neighborhood its character. Consider the various neighborhoods in your favorite city. You may think of a seafood shop that sells the best scallops or the pocket-sized wine bar that plays boy band hits for sing-alongs. …

When I was leading a CPG business several years ago, I had both consumers — the end users of the products in my portfolio — and customers — the retailers who sold those products to consumers. It’s sometimes referred to as B2B2C and it was the primary business model for…

Gorpcore is officially a trend for 2020. Unfamiliar with Gorpcore? It’s a preternatural enthusiasm for outdoor activities clothing. Here’s a good explainer from Grailed if you want to dive into the details. The seeds of this movement started circa 2017, when I noticed Timberland boots started gaining traction among the…

For retailers, 2020 was either the stuff of nightmares or an exhilarating roller coaster ride ending on a hopeful note, or both. While we struggle to contain the virus and distribute vaccines to the populace, 2021 will be as unpredictable as ever. …

Like most Americans who grew up in the 80s and 90s, Gap holds a special place in my memories. The mall stalwart was where we went to buy our favorite jeans, hoodies, and polos. It’s where a lot of our friends worked their first jobs. It defined casual cool for…

During the e-commerce boom of the last 15+ years, online grocery shopping has been the holdout. The final bastion, the ultimate obstacle to the tipping point. The tipping point has now arrived. Bank of America card data from May 5, 2020 indicates e-commerce is now at 30% of all retail…