A SEAT at THE TABLE: Conversations with Today's Top Industry Leaders

2025 has gotten off to what might generously be described as an ‘uncertain start’.

The one thing people want right now is clarity.  Or at least some idea of what might be the next impact on supply chains.

One of the most consistent issues facing sourcing directors and supply chain managers has been logistics.

After years of unprecedented disruptions, logistics could be the one blessing in an increasingly ...

Almost everyone in a senior leadership position these days feels the pressure of a business environment that has become increasingly uncertain. 

At the same time, the pressure to drive both growth and profitability has never been more intense.

The pain is being felt  by large-scale organizations, as well as start ups as the market becomes much less forgiving that it was even a year or two ago.

Today we a...

Many brands are starting to wonder if China might no longer be the hot market for luxury brands that it used to be.

After years of disappointing sales growth, some brands are turning their attention away from China and towards markets which they think might be the next big thing.

While the China market has certainly faced challenges, the are still huge opportunities there - for brands that know how to read the mar...

Fast fashion has always been competitive but in recent years its become a speed-driven race to the bottom.

No matter how low prices are today, some new player will enter the market - with even lower prices - and more styles!

In the midst of this chaos, UK supermarkets have carved out a solid business selling budget priced fashion.  Yes, fashion.  Not basics.  Not the standard socks and underwear you’d expect to fi...

Typically older generations complain that young people don’t work as hard as they did when they were that age.  However that narrative does seem to carry some truth these days.

Suddenly it seems that Gen Z and even younger Millennials are disengaged with the working world.  

From ‘Quiet Quitting’ to seemingly lacking ambition, what’s happened to the energy and enthusiasm that younger workers used to have?

In a fast paced, complex business environment decision making has become increasingly difficult.

We want to make good decisions.  We’re told we need to make faster decisions.  But often we end up in ‘analysis paralysis’.

Caught between analyzing endless data, including inputs from a vast range of participants, and often trying to please too many masters.   It’s no wonder fewer decisions get made.  And when they do...

When people talk about PTSD we usually think of returning military veterans or survivors of catastrophic events.

Yet many other people suffer from stress-related issues that are not unlike PTSD.  

Terry Earthwind Nichols, is a bestselling author and father of  Repetitive Behavior Cellular Regression, a methodology that helps people decrease anxiety, fear, procrastination, self sabotage and overall stress

In this podcast, he talks abou...

Everyone wants to build a brand.  But few people actually know how.

For most, a brand is a logo and a vague mission statement - and little more.

And you can really blame them.  Creating a unique brand identity - and articulating it so that others (ideally customers) understand what you stand for - is a lot bigger undertaking than it seems.

I'm Jane Singer, and welcome back to A Seat at the Table.

AI has become one of the most talked about technologies. A lot of the hype makes AI seem like a magic wand that can do anything or an evil demon that will leave massive numbers of people without jobs. 

While it's unlikely, at least for now, that these extreme cases are true, there is little doubt that AI is a technology we need to understand. 

For most companies, the challenge is identifying what are practica...

The apparel industry is being forced to re-imagine itself in the face of pressure to meet new green standards.

Suddenly, what we thought was sustainable turns out to be merely a ‘good try’ - but not enough.

While apparel needs to now recycle, be circular, reduce carbon emissions and lower water usage, it also has to appeal to consumers - who want clothing that is eye catching, comfortable, high quality and persona...

Retail sales continue to outperform expectations - in both the US and in key European markets.  Yet analysts are still waiting for that slowdown that was supposed to be driven first by inflation - and then by higher interest rates.

Yet, consumers are proving resilient - but for how long?

Long term a lot is likely to come down to the retailers themselves.

Those with the right products - and the right reta...

It seems we live an age of documentation.   There are increasing levels of regulations around everything - and the supporting documentation around those regulations keeps getting more complex. 

Paper work that used to be handled by one or two people now requires a department with a hierarchy of staff - just to understand the regulations - let alone do all of the necessary documentation.

This is becoming a serious...

Telehealth got a serious toehold into healthcare during the pandemic. Now it looks set to be a massive disrupter to the healthcare industry, powered by greater digitization and the use of AI.  

If it comes to its full potential, more people will be able to get better healthcare - at more affordable prices.

The opportunity here is so massive that Amazon has been betting heavily on digitized health care with its One...

After decades of being counseled to become specialists - to find our niche - to be known as an expert in a specific field - it seems now the pendulum might be shifting in the opposite direction.

Are we at the cusp of a new era that favors generalists?

And if so, why the change?

And just as importantly, we do we need to do to get ahead of the curve?

Today we are joined by Ed Fidoe, founder and C...

One of the biggest supply chain concerns right now is materials costs.

While most stakeholders would like to see costs go down, everyone would at least like some clarity on what prices might be like - especially for cotton, which plays a key role in the apparel supply chain.

While nobody has that proverbial crystal ball that can see the future, there are people who have the kind of first hand market knowledge that...

After decades of wanting bigger and more, people have been starting to recognize the benefits of downsizing.

It’s not just about buying less stuff or finally clearing out the closets, garage or basement.  Over the past decade there has been a clear and growing trend towards to choosing smaller houses - much smaller.

The most recent iteration of this development has been the growing popularity of Accessory Dwelling...

I just sat down with Brian Librach to discuss his new book "The Retail Leaders Roadmap" and the conversation was powerful!

A lot to unpack!

Some of the key insights you're going to get from Brian include:

1. The five practices of building character, and their significance in career development.

2. Strategies for career advancement within a retail environment, including the importan...

Competition is fierce these days. 

The solution, according to marketing experts, is to create a ‘brand story’ for your company or your product.

Sounds simple.  Until you actually try to do it.

And then, well, suddenly you feel like a stranger in a strange land.

Staring at blank piece of paper or screen  - or brainstorming with colleagues only to come up with something that by anyone’s assessment...

In this episode of A Seat at The Table, I sit down with Nick Bond, founding partner and head of product at Apex, an AI-driven solution focused on customer research and business strategies.

Nick shares valuable insights on how AI is changing the face of marketing, emphasizing the importance of leveraging customer data to drive innovation and strategy.

From understanding customer expectations to turning them into ...