Shows
The Voice of RetailHudson's Bay's Untimely Demise, Retail Turnarounds & Consumer Trends: A Conversation with Phil Wahba, Senior Writer at FortuneIn the latest episode of The Voice of Retail, host Michael LeBlanc sits down with Phil Wahba, Senior Writer at Fortune, to explore the ever-evolving landscape of retail leadership, consumer behavior, and strategic transformations. Wahba reflects on more than a decade covering retail bankruptcies, leadership shifts, and innovation, highlighting that while consumer desires have remained relatively stable—good value, seamless experiences, and quality products—retailers often struggle to meet these expectations consistently.Wahba shares insights into how some of the biggest names in retail excel by focusing on core strengths. He points to Costco and Walmart as prim...2025-04-0432 min
From Where I Sit With Tom McGeeEpisode 6: Phil Wahba, Senior Writer at FortuneOn episode 6 of From Where I Sit, hear from Phil Wahba, who has interviewed countless executives leading today’s largest companies as a Senior Writer at Fortune. Tom McGee, ICSC President and CEO and From Where I Sit host, and Phil discuss the values and qualities of today’s successful leaders, what leaders need to understand about Gen Z workers, and the evolution of retail over the course of Phil’s career. Follow From Where I Sit for more conversations about commercial real estate, retail and business.Follow Tom on LinkedIn.Follow Tom on X.2025-03-2634 min
Leadership NextTarget CEO's Unpopular Decision Pays OffWhen Brian Cornell became Target's CEO in 2014, the company was in desperate need of a turnaround. The retailer was plagued by supply chain problems, trying to recover from a major data hack and struggling to compete with e-commerce giants like Amazon.In today's episode of Leadership Next, Cornell talks about some of the key decisions he's made that have led Target to now be ranked number 32 on the Fortune 500, including a particularly unpopular announcement in 2017 that the company would spend $7 billion to rehab Target stores across the country. In the age of Amazon, investors were doubtful that...2023-05-1634 min
Future Shop Podcast with WSLEP43: Leading Retail in Increasingly Complex Times with Phil Wahba, Fortune MagazineIn this episode Wendy Liebmann talks with Phil Wahba, senior writer at Fortune magazine, about what it takes to lead successful retail companies in complex times, as operational issues clash with increasingly demanding shopper and workforce expectations. They discuss:The qualities the next generation of retail leaders must have to succeedHow empathy is a critical CEO requirement in post-Covid times when companies are demanding a lot more of employeesThe need to adapt the structure of the C-suite to the new reality of a company.How a culture of stagnation and lack of experimentation cannot be...2022-11-2928 min
Mindful AgilityBusiness on Fire Part I: Steve Jobs protege Ron Johnson burns JC Penney cash fast as CEOAs an executive working for other CEOs, Ron Johnson succeeded wildly in redesigning Target stores and building Apple Stores from scratch. But then, as a CEO, Ron Johnson crashed and burned two later companies.Join Dan Dickson, a seasoned retail executive and Harvard Business School grad, and Dan Greening, co-host of Mindful Agility, as we talk about Ron Johnson's first failure, JC Penney.Major shifts in management practice arise in response to crises. Lean Manufacturing helped Toyota and Japan survive, after the Japanese industrial base had been destroyed in World War II. Lean Manufacturing now...2022-07-1943 min
BrainstormHow Tech Is Powering the HolidaysWhile in-store sales this Black Friday were significantly down, holiday shopping hasn't skipped a beat thanks to online sales. But retailers with services like curbside pickup are faring far better than others, says Fortune's Phil Wahba. In this episode, Brainstorm's Brian O'Keefe and Michal Lev-Ram speak with Wahba about the winners and losers on the retail side of this holiday season.
Also in the episode, a conversation with Loren Padelford, Vice President and General Manager of Shopify, an e-commerce platform that's experienced meteoric growth during the pandemic.
And you'll hear from Ben Jones, CEO of Ohi. His smart warehousing company...2020-12-1026 min
Axios Re:CapBlack Friday 2020 and the future of retailWe're eight days away from Black Friday, but this year it might be about a lot more than bargains or doorbuster stampedes. Instead, it could help determine if certain retailers will survive past 2020, or at least if they hold on to physical stores. Dan talks with Fortune senior reporter Phil Wahba about which retailers have the most to gain or lose next week and the broader future of retail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2020-11-1911 min
Leadership NextHow the CEO of Lowe's Is Boosting Diversity Company WideMarvin Ellison is one of just four Black CEOs to lead a Fortune 500 company. And the company he runs - home retailer Lowe's - has been booming since the pandemic struck. Sales rose 35 percent in the most recent quarter, and online sales were up 135 percent. Leadership Next's Alan Murray asks if that demand will continue. The heart of the episode however comes when Ellison talks about his efforts to boost diversity at Lowe's - from the executive ranks, all the way through his newest initiative centered around diversifying suppliers. Also in the episode: Ellison's take on problems plaguing JCPenney...2020-09-1524 minAxios Re:CapMisery at the MallJ.C. Penney is the latest large retailer to file for bankruptcy, raising the question: as mall stores flail in the wake of plummeting retail sales, how much of this retail upheaval was inevitable, and how much can be explained by coronavirus? Dan digs into this question with Fortune senior reporter Phil Wahba.
PLUS: Democrats slam Uber’s attempts to buy Grubhub and Facebook gets a pass on its deal for Giphy.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2020-05-1810 min
Retail Gets RealReporting on retail: What’s changing in 2019 and beyondPeople might think reporting on retail is simple because “it’s just about shopping,” says Phil Wahba, senior writer covering retail at Fortune magazine, but there's a lot more happening. Wahba joins Retail Gets Real to talk about what goes into reporting on this complex industry and the stories to watch in 2019. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.2019-01-1419 min
The Kindle ChroniclesTKC 487 Bradley MetrockCEO of Score Publishing, producer of Digital Book World 2018 Interview starts at 15:44 and ends at 43:43 “The Echo Show is an incredible glimpse into the future, because the future is going to be words come out of your mouth, and that’s how you engage the computer rather than typing on a QWERTY keyboard or moving a mouse.” News “Amid Takeover Talk, Barnes & Noble Posts $30 million Q2 Loss, Stock Sheds 10%” by Jonathan Ponciano at Forbes - November 30, 2017 “B&N Has Disappointing Second Quarter” by Jim Milliot at Publishers Weekly - November 1, 20...2017-12-0244 min