OFFBounds Retail

Hosted by Paula Macaggi

Business Careers

Website RSS feed

Episodes

140

Latest episode

Sep 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

OFFBounds is where the world’s retail and commerce leaders go beyond headlines to talk about the decisions, strategies, and ideas shaping the future of the industry. Every week, Paula Macaggi sits down in person with executives from leading brands, retailers, and technology companies for candid conversations about leadership, innovation, growth, and the realities behind building modern commerce businesses. More than a traditional interview show, OFFBounds explores the human side of leadership: the risks taken, the lessons learned, the moments of reinvention, and the perspectives that rarely make it into press releases or conference stages. Recorded in person with premium audio and video production, OFFBounds brings global commerce executives together in conversations designed to inform, challenge, and inspire the next generation of industry leaders.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

October 20, 2026Episode 13522 min

135. MoMA's Chief Retail Officer: “We're really looking to be a point of entry for the museum.”

What can retailers learn from one of the world’s most influential art institutions? In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi sits down with Jesse Goldstine, Chief Retail Officer at MoMA , to explore how the Museum of Modern Art brings together art, design, and commerce through its retail business. From curator-approved products to exclusive collaborations with brands like Casio and Mattel, Jesse shares what makes MoMA Design Store different from traditional retail. He explains how the team discovers innovative products from around the world, why every item must answer the question “Why MoMA?”, and how the business balances commercial success with its mission to make great design accessible to more people. The conversation also explores how MoMA is rethinking the role of physical stores, product storytelling, and customer engagement . Jesse discusses the strategy behind reducing product assortment to give each design more room to tell its story, the transformation of the SoHo store into a cultural destination, and the importance of e-commerce and international partnerships in reaching new audiences. Beyond retail strategy, he reflects on leadership, collaboration, and what it means to run a profitable business that supports a nonprofit institution. It's a fascinating look at how a strong sense of purpose can shape everything from merchandising decisions to customer relationships, and what other retailers can learn from MoMA's approach.

September 22, 2026Episode 13431 min

134. Retail technology from the investor's perspective

AI is making it easier than ever to build new technology, but also harder to know which companies will still matter tomorrow. In this episode, I speak with Miguel Bagulho, Investment Director for Retail Technology at Bright Pixel Capital, the technology investment arm of Sonae, about how investors identify startups with real long-term potential in such a fast-moving market. We explore what makes retail technology defensible, why solving a measurable business problem matters more than the technology itself, and how retailers should approach the decision to build or buy. Miguel also shares where he sees the biggest opportunities ahead, from AI-native software and robotics to the technologies transforming pricing, inventory, procurement, and supply chains.

September 15, 2026Episode 13339 min

133. Le Alfré's CEO, Alfré Snower: “I want people to feel like they’re in another world.”

What makes someone leave a career on Wall Street to build a menswear brand with no experience in fashion? In this episode, I sit down with Alfré Snower, founder and CEO of Le Alfré , to hear how he transformed four shirts, a small New York apartment, and a lot of persistence into a growing lifestyle brand. He shares the reality of building from scratch, from personally messaging potential followers on Instagram to teaching himself design, manufacturing, content creation, and e-commerce. We also explore how Alfré created an entire universe around the brand, culminating in Alfré’s Penthouse, a reservation-only retail destination in New York City. Our conversation covers intuition, vulnerability, creativity, and the importance of taking risks that established brands might avoid. More than a story about clothing, this is a conversation about believing in yourself, learning through failure, and building a brand that makes people feel something.

September 8, 2026Episode 13234 min

132. CVS Health's CDTO, Tony Ambrozie “The future of healthcare isn’t more technology. It’s less complexity for the patient.”

What if all your health records lived in one place, and AI could help you understand what they actually mean? In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi speaks with Tony Ambrozie, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at CVS Health and Health100, about the company’s vision for a simpler, more connected and more personalized healthcare experience. Tony introduces Health100, an AI-powered platform designed to bring fragmented health information together while keeping consumers in control of their data. They also explore what healthcare can learn from Disney’s approach to customer experience, why AI transformation must begin with a real consumer problem, and how technology can remove complexity from the patient journey, sometimes without the patient even noticing.

August 25, 2026Episode 13133 min

131. ☀️[Rewind] How Loblaw Built the Future of Grocery Retail

In this OFFBounds Summer Rewind, Paula Macaggi revisits her conversation with Lauren Steinberg, Chief Digital Officer at Loblaw, Canada’s largest retailer. Lauren shares how Loblaw built its digital business like a startup within the enterprise, embraced the advantages of being a first mover, and scaled online grocery through experimentation, accountability, and technology designed to evolve with customer expectations. The conversation explores the future of grocery retail, from AI-powered personalization and composable commerce to search, loyalty, and agentic shopping. With Loblaw now bringing grocery shopping into ChatGPT, Lauren’s insights offer a timely blueprint for how retailers can build strong digital foundations today and remain ready for the next wave of commerce innovation.

August 18, 2026Episode 13031 min

130. ☀️ [Rewind] Vitamin Shoppe's Andrew Laudato on AI, Innovation and the Future of Retail

What does it take to lead retail innovation when technology is evolving faster than ever? In this OFFBounds Summer Rewind, Paula Macaggi revisits her conversation with Andrew Laudato, Chief Operating Officer of The Vitamin Shoppe and author of Fostering Innovation . Andrew explains why companies do not need a separate AI strategy, but a strong business strategy that uses AI and other technologies to solve real problems and better serve customers. The conversation explores AI agents, composable commerce, technology leadership, and how retailers can build high-performing teams prepared for constant change. Andrew also shares why curiosity is becoming one of the most valuable skills for the next generation of leaders. Recorded before many of today’s AI conversations became mainstream, this episode feels less like a prediction and more like a practical roadmap for the future of commerce.

August 11, 2026Episode 12933 min

129. ☀️[Rewind] How Tony’s Chocolonely Scaled Purpose Without Compromise

Can a purpose-driven brand scale without compromising its mission? In this OFFBounds Summer Rewind, Paula Macaggi revisits her conversation with Dusan Vujovic, President of North America at Tony’s Chocolonely, to explore how the company entered one of the world’s most competitive consumer categories and built a loyal following around its mission to make chocolate 100% exploitation-free. Dusan shares how Tony’s expanded into major retailers including Walmart, Target, Costco, Whole Foods, and Kroger while using bold branding, supply chain transparency, and purpose as engines for growth. Now the subject of a Columbia Business School case study published through Harvard Business Publishing, Tony’s story offers a powerful lesson in brand building and proves that doing the right thing can also be good business.

August 3, 2026Episode 12837 min

128. ☀️[Rewind] How Mecca Brands Scales Human Connection in Retail

This week on our Summer Rewind series, we're revisiting one of our favorite conversations from Singapore at NRF APAC with Ian Burl, Chief Retail Officer at Mecca, Australia's leading prestige beauty retailer. Long before "experiential retail" became an industry buzzword, Mecca was building stores centered on human connection, empathy, and memorable customer experiences. In this episode, Ian shares how the company has created a culture where customer stories matter more than short-term metrics, why investing deeply in frontline education pays dividends, and how emotion has become one of the retailer's greatest competitive advantages. As AI reshapes commerce, Ian makes a compelling case that emotional intelligence will become even more valuable than technical intelligence. From designing stores that foster genuine human connection to using technology only when it enhances, rather than replaces, the customer experience, he offers a refreshing perspective on the future of retail leadership. Whether you're building stores, digital experiences, or leading teams, this conversation is a powerful reminder that in an increasingly automated world, the most meaningful competitive advantage is still profoundly human.

July 28, 2026Episode 12741 min

127. Randa Apparel and Accessories' EVP and CMO, David Katz: “Signal is the thing that challenges what you believe.”

Retail leaders have access to more information than ever, but knowing what actually matters is a different challenge. In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi sits down with David Katz, EVP & Chief Marketing Officer of Randa Apparel & Accessories, to explore how leaders can separate signal from noise and identify the shifts that could fundamentally change their businesses. Drawing from Randa’s unique position across manufacturing, wholesale, brands and retail, David looks beyond the obvious implications of major forces shaping the market today. From GLP-1 adoption and America’s aging population to climate change, geopolitical instability and evolving consumer behavior, David reveals the secondary effects that businesses may be overlooking. He also shares how Randa uses scenario planning, behavioral economics and early indicators to challenge assumptions and prepare for changes before they fully appear in the data. At the heart of the conversation is a powerful idea: we don’t have a shortage of information, we have a shortage of interpretation.

July 21, 2026Episode 12627 min

126. Veronica Beard's CEO, Stephanie Unwin: "The strongest brands are built one customer at a time."

This episode was brought to you by Rayon. As retail brands open stores across new markets, from New York to Paris, keeping design consistent while moving fast gets harder. Rayon is a collaborative, browser-based platform built for people who design spaces, helping retail teams create layouts, documentation, and standards in one place, so every new location stays on-brand without slowing the rollout. Visit rayon.design and sign up for free today. ---- Veronica Beard has become one of fashion's most admired brands by taking a very different path to growth. In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi sits down with CEO Stephanie Unwin to explore how the company built a loyal community before opening stores, expanded thoughtfully from New York to London and Paris, and created a brand that women genuinely connect with. From retail strategy to international expansion, Stephanie shares the decisions that shaped Veronica Beard's remarkable journey. The conversation also dives into leadership, entrepreneurship, and the future of retail. Stephanie explains why profitable, long-term growth beats chasing rapid scale, how AI should enhance—not replace—human connection, and why understanding your customer remains the foundation of every successful brand. This episode offers timeless lessons on building a brand that lasts.