Rephonic
Artwork for Retail in America

Retail in America

Ron Thurston
Artificial Intelligence
Microsoft
Copilot
Walmart
AI Agents
Loyalty
Frontline Retail
Brand Advocacy
Data Privacy
Trust
Microsoft Copilot
IBM Institute For Business Value
Retail
Converged Commerce
Frontline Work
Dynamics 365
Microsoft 365
Frontline Workforce
AI In Retail
Scheduling

Retail in America is a front-row seat to the transformation of frontline work — at the intersection of people, technology, and leadership. Hosted by Ron Thurston, two-time bestselling author of Retail Pride and HUMAN PRIDE, the show explores how retail is evolving — and what it means for the people who power it. Season 1 was a journey across 30 states in an Airstream, capturing the heartbeat of fr... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes37Founded4 years ago
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Artwork for Retail in America

Latest Episodes

65% of consumers trust AI to compare prices. Only 14% trust it to place an order on their behalf. We’re in the most aggressive AI deployment cycle in retail history — and most customers don’t trust it where it matters most.

In this episode, Ron Thur... more

Retail turnover is running at 81% annually. Everyone in the boardroom knows it. Nobody is treating it like the emergency it actually is.

In this solo episode, Ron Thurston breaks down three human truths about what’s really driving frontline employee... more

American companies spent more than a trillion dollars on technology last year. More than 60% saw no meaningful impact on their bottom line. The reason isn’t the technology. It’s who we keep forgetting to invest in first.

In this episode, Ron Thursto... more

What happens when AI isn’t built for people—but with them?

In this episode of Retail Intelligence in Action, sponsored by Microsoft, Ron Thurston sits down with Dave Glick, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Business Services at Walmart, for a rare... more

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Recent Guests

Dave Glick
Senior Vice President of Enterprise Business Services at Walmart
Walmart
Episode: Inside Walmart’s AI Transformation: Empowering Work Across 1.5 Million Associates
Kofi Opoku-Akwa
Senior Operations Manager at the Microsoft Experience Center
Microsoft Experience Center, New York
Episode: Microsoft on the Frontline: Retail Intelligence in Action Part 1
Jasmine Rodriguez
Customer Advisor at the Microsoft Experience Center
Microsoft Experience Center, New York
Episode: Microsoft on the Frontline: Retail Intelligence in Action Part 1
Abby Sweeney
Episode: Microsoft Part 3: How AI Streamlines Scheduling and Onboarding for Frontline Teams
Abbie Sweeney
Leader on Microsoft's Copilot Acceleration team
Microsoft
Episode: Microsoft Part 1: How Copilot Is Transforming Frontline Operations with AI
Irina Parsina
Leader on Microsoft's Copilot Acceleration team
Microsoft
Episode: Microsoft Part 1: How Copilot Is Transforming Frontline Operations with AI
Jane Cheung
IBM Institute for Business Value researcher
IBM
Episode: IBM Part 1: What Their New Research Reveals About Loyalty

Host

Ron Thurston
Host of Retail in America

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 38 ratings
  • Leadership

    I have followed your career and enjoy listening to the podcast. Todays episode (11/15/2022) meant a lot to me. Misti Blasko is such an inspirational leader that I get to work with everyday.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dieseljn
    United States3 years ago
  • Bringing needed focus to retail heroes

    A very different podcast focusing on the stories of the people that make retail possible. Ron guides guests to tell their story about how they entered the retail business and their journey so far with a focus on why they stay in the industry. As an industry, retail impacts everyone but until now we usually only hear from the people running corporate retail. Now we hear from those on the frontline to those who are responsible for directly managing and supporting store teams. Definitely worth a sp... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MrSuperion007
    United States4 years ago
  • A breath of fresh air

    Ron is a naturally gifted storyteller and interviewer who allows his guests to shine. Three episodes in and I’m already a big fan. So excited to follow Ron his journey across America.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ellie Bock
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Episodes are described as inspirational and practical, with a strong focus on human-centered leadership on the sales floor.
The show is valued for highlighting frontline perspectives often missing in retail discussions.
Listeners praise the host's storytelling and interview style, noting guests shine when given space to share their journeys.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Inside Walmart’s AI Transformation: Empowering Work Across 1.5 Million Associates
Q: What were the governance and risk considerations when scaling AI across Walmart?
Policies were streamlined with a practical NDA approach that allowed experimentation without paralyzing compliance, emphasizing data privacy and governance while encouraging fast iteration.
Inside Walmart’s AI Transformation: Empowering Work Across 1.5 Million Associates
Q: How do nano agents and super agents work, and what impact have they had on daily work?
Super agents provide a front door and routing for tasks, while thousands of domain-specific nano agents handle specialized work, enabling non-engineers to automate repetitive tasks and empower them to focus on higher-value activities.
Inside Walmart’s AI Transformation: Empowering Work Across 1.5 Million Associates
Q: What is the two-year to ten-year vision for Walmart's AI transformation, and how does it affect associates?
AI is being deployed to put powerful tools in the hands of every campus associate, with agents and training enabling them to perform more efficiently and stay engaged, ultimately improving productivity and career development.
IBM Part 2: What Their New Research Says About the Future of Shopping
Q: What is one thing retail leaders could do today to prepare for AI-first retail?
Focus on strategic brand positioning, data readiness, and ensuring the consumer experience and data flows support AI, so that brands can be discoverable and trustworthy in an agentic shopping environment.
IBM Part 2: What Their New Research Says About the Future of Shopping
Q: What's the story behind the story, Jane?
Jane explains the longitudinal consumer study, showing increased AI use not just for shopping but across learning and daily life, and notes surprising upticks among older generations due to convenience.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Retail in America

What is Retail in America about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A practical, leadership-focused show exploring how frontline retail is transforming with technology, people, and leadership at its center. Episodes emphasize human-centric AI, frontline empowerment, and the balance between digital tools and authentic customer relationships, with real-world examples from Walmart, Microsoft, and IBM. The conversations often highlight actionable leadership practices, floor-level engagement, and governance around AI, making it useful for retailers, store managers, and tech partners seeking to understand how to implement tech without losing the human touch. Notable is the consistent emphasis on frontline buy-in, practical workflows, and the idea that technology serves people on the shop floor rather than replaci... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Retail in America?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Retail in America:

1. RETHINK RETAIL
2. All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
3. Hidden Brain
4. The CPG Guys
5. The Marketing Millennials

How many episodes of Retail in America are there?

Retail in America launched 4 years ago and published 37 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Retail in America?

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What guests have appeared on Retail in America?

Recent guests on Retail in America include:

1. Dave Glick
2. Kofi Opoku-Akwa
3. Jasmine Rodriguez
4. Abby Sweeney
5. Abbie Sweeney
6. Irina Parsina
7. Jane Cheung

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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