NRF 2022
The convenience of online shopping means those crowded malls are no longer. No more waiting in a long line to purchase an item, no more pushing through crowds. But also, no longer being able to see the item in a room, on display. No more walking into a store and seeing the products incorporated…
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NRF 2022
Why Virtual Dressing Rooms Will Be Key for Differentiating in Retail
The days of retail clothiers needing to stock multiple garment sizes could be drawing to a close. NOBAL Technologies developed a product poised to revolutionize the customer retail experience with its interactive iMirror solution. Daniel Maher, VP of Technology at NOBAL, joined Retail Refined’s Melissa Gonzalez at NRF to talk about the positive impact iMirror…
NRF 2022
How Fast Fashion Can Fix Its Sustainability Reputation Through the Supply Chain
While at the world’s largest retail conference and expo, Retail Refined Host Melissa Gonzalez spoke with Chris Georgen, Founder and Chief Architect of Topl, a company that sits at the intersection of sustainability, deep-technology, and innovation. Topl, whose mission is to build trust between consumers and products, is set largely within an industry which…
NRF 2022
Bringing One-click Checkouts to Merchants of All Sizes
Ian Leslie, Senior Director of Retail Advocacy at Bolt, joined Retail Refined for a live chat at NRF 2020. Bolt is a San Francisco-based one-click checkout solution powering checkout across e-commerce merchants across the internet. “We’re trying to bring one-click checkout to all merchants whether they’re big or small,” Leslie said. “Give them a best-in-class…
NRF 2022
How Will A Decrease in Foot Traffic Impact the In-Store Environment?
What is the social and economic impact of declining foot traffic at malls around the country? To get insight into this question the Host of Retail Refined, Melissa Gonzalez, sat down with Karen Bomber, the Vice President of Global Marketing for Honeywell, at NRF 2022 to discuss the direct correlation between foot traffic and the…
NRF 2022
Pop-Up Retailers Will Finally Have Analytics to Chart Success
This episode of Retail Refined explored the emerging spatial intelligence technology that provides pop-up stores the opportunity to utilize real-time analytics to enhance the buying and selling experience. George Shaw, founder of Pathr.ai, and Melissa Gonzalez of The Lionesque Group discussed the technology that is set to transform retail environments throughout the world. “We’ve…
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Blue-Collar, High-Voltage, and High-Stakes: Rebuilding the Workforce Pipeline with Skilled Trades Mentorship at TradeMentor
The skilled trades are getting squeezed from both sides: demand is rising—driven by grid upgrades, battery storage buildouts, and the reshoring of manufacturing—while the workforce pipeline keeps narrowing. Across construction, manufacturing, and other skilled trades, employers are facing a demographic cliff: for every five workers who retire, only two replacements enter the workforce. Contractors…
How Business Schools Can Scale Co-op Without Losing the Student Experience
Experiential learning has shifted from a differentiator to an expectation in higher education, especially as employers place more value on job-ready graduates who can adapt quickly to changing workplace demands. At the same time, AI is reshaping entry-level work, making durable skills like judgment, communication, and adaptability more important than routine task execution. In that…
From Firepits to Full Backyard Experiences: How Solo Stove Is Rebuilding Connection Through Product Innovation
As consumer brands navigate a post-pandemic world shaped by digital saturation and rising loneliness, the most successful companies are rediscovering something analog: human connection. A 2025 World Health Organization report found that 1 in 6 people globally are affected by loneliness, highlighting a growing public health challenge tied to weaker social bonds and reduced…
Rethinking Leadership: Why “Doable” Might Be the Most Powerful Strategy in Education Today
At a time when educator burnout is rising and schools across the U.S. are facing ongoing teacher shortages, leaders are being forced to rethink what sustainable success actually looks like. Research shows that teacher attrition is closely tied to working conditions, job-related stress, and workload demands. As districts push for innovation, data-driven instruction, and…
