Blog
Big Ideas on the Future of Retail
AI and the Real Questions Business Leaders Should Be Asking
By Doug Stephens Each year, thousands of global retail insiders descend on New York City to talk shop at the National Retail Federation’s annual conference. Alongside
To All Business Leaders: Your Brand is Now Political. Whether Your Like It Or Not.
By Doug Stephens When we think of so-called “activist brands,” we tend to think immediately of companies like Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s, and Dove—brands that have
The End of Walmart’s McMillon Era
By Doug Stephens In 2015, I was invited to Bentonville, Arkansas to deliver a presentation to Walmart’s U.S. and global executive groups. The invitation came shortly
We’re Asking the Wrong Question About the AI Bubble
By Doug Stephens There’s been intense speculation about whether we’re on the verge of the AI bubble bursting. And while that’s not the most important question,
Why Trump’s Attack on Universities is Bad for Business
(image credit: Reuters: Nicholas Pfosi) By Doug Stephens This week Harvard University pushed back against the Trump administration’s threats to tie billions in federal funding to
How Private Equity Failed North America’s Oldest Retailer
By Doug Stephens Even before Canada or the United States existed, one intrepid retail company was trading in the wilderness of North America. Founded in 1670,
Walmart’s “Wirkin” Class Problem
By Doug Stephens In December of 2024 amid the usual array of commodity items on Walmart.com, there was one conspicuous product listing that immediately caught the
We Were Promised An Experience Economy. So, Where Is It?
By Doug Stephens I can still recall reading Joseph Pine and James Gilmore’s seminal 1999 book The Experience Economy. Like so many of my colleagues in
Are body cameras the future of retail loss prevention?
Doug spoke recently with CTV’s Your Morning about the rise in usage among retailers, of body cameras, worn by staff to deter rising levels of theft.
The Future of Competitive Advantage
By Doug Stephens As you prepared for work today, did you do so with the belief that your company was working to save humanity? If you’re