The Retail Perch

Hosted by Shekar Raman Gary Hawkins

Episodes

Language

EN-US

About the show

The Retail Perch podcast is hosted by the powerful duo Shekar Raman, CEO of Birdzi and Gary Hawkins, CEO of Center for Advancing Retail & Technology (CART). We are happy to report that we have made the "Top 15 Grocery Industry Podcasts to Follow in 2021" by Feedspot. The list can be found here: https://blog.feedspot.com/grocery_industry_podcasts/ This podcast aims to provide a fresh perspective and framework for how you view your everyday grocery trips. Whether you're a retailer, entrepreneur, or a curious mind tuning in, there is something in store for everyone. Each Monday, your hosts will share supermarket analysis, personal stories about the industry, along with their views to provide you with further insight into everything retail grocery and AI. Don't forget to tune in! Lean more about Birdzi at Birdzi.com

Listen to episodes

60 recent

29 min

132. Beyond AI Buzzwords : What Retailers Should Focus On

In this episode of Retail Perch, Birdzi's Joseph Dahari, VP of Sales, and Kate McCormick, Director of Solution Engineering, discuss their career journeys and the experiences that led them to Birdzi. They explore the challenge of "dashboard dizziness," the realities behind today's AI buzzwords, and what true innovation looks like in retail. The conversation also examines how siloed data impacts decision-making, the importance of connecting systems across the enterprise, and how retailers can leverage technology to create better shopper experiences, drive growth, and attract more customers.

38 min

131. AskKea in Action with Birdzi’s Client Success Team

In this episode of Retail Perch, Birdzi’s Client Success team showcases AskKea, Birdzi’s new AI-powered platform that helps retailers turn questions that once took days to answer into insights in seconds.The team steps into different retail roles, including marketer, analyst, merchandiser, and CEO, and shares examples of the types of questions each role can ask to uncover insights, reduce operational lift, power stronger offers, and make faster, data-driven decisions. Listeners will also get to know the Client Success team, a crucial part of what makes Birdzi so special.Video is recommended for this episode, as the team walks through the platform and shows AskKea in action. Available on Youtube

23 min

130. What Does Retail 5.0 Really Mean?

In this episode of Retail Perch, Gary and Shekar reunite to discuss Gary’s new paper, Retail 5.0: The Age of Bionic Orchestration. They explore how AI and retail innovation mirror human anatomy, the shift from making decisions to designing decision systems, and the difference between human-speed and machine-speed retail. The conversation looks at how orchestrating both human and machine intelligence can create smarter, faster, and more adaptive retail experiences.

26 min

129. Tackling Operational Inefficiency in Retail

In this episode of The Retail Perch, Courtney Adams, VP of Marketing, and Kate McCormick, Director of Solution Engineering at Birdzi, discuss why retail operations need to move beyond “that’s how we’ve always done it.” As shopper behavior shifts quickly, processes that take weeks can lose relevance just as fast, making it even more important for retailers to reduce operational time, lower stress, and work more efficiently. They also discuss Birdzi’s newest capabilities and how they help tackle operational inefficiencies at scale.

26 min

128. Demystifying Artificial Intelligence

Gary and Shekar return to The Retail Perch to dive into all things AI and introduce a new format for the series. Future episodes will feature more voices and perspectives, exploring a wider range of topics around Birdzi, innovation, and emerging technology. In this conversation, they break down the three main types of AI, discuss how the AI landscape is changing, and share how people can better understand and embrace AI as a tool for growth rather than fear.

36 min

127. Defining Reality for Your Team with Steve Worthy

In this episode of The Retail Perch, Shekar Raman sits down with Steve Worthy, Managing Director and North America Head of Growth at Competitor IQ, and CEO of Worthy Retail Global. With more than 27 years in retail, Steve brings a deep leadership perspective shaped by decades of industry experience.They discuss the importance of clear communication, defining reality for your team, and how retail leaders can navigate the ongoing AI shift. Steve shares practical guidance on leading through change and supporting teams during periods of uncertainty.The conversation also explores competitor analysis, how to use it effectively to create meaningful differentiation, and why psychological safety plays a critical role in building strong, high performing teams, along with much more.

45 min

126. Where Data Meets Retail Innovation with Zoher Karu

In this episode of The Retail Perch, Shekar Raman is joined by Zoher Karu to discuss data, analytics, and what it takes to make information truly actionable. Zoher shares his journey from earning a PhD in Electrical Engineering at MIT to building a career focused on customer data and enterprise wide analytics, including his role as VP and Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Blue Shield of California. They explore how companies with growing data sets can approach leveraging them effectively, and Zoher also highlights his current work with Taelor.Style, an AI powered menswear rental platform.

26 min

125. Behind Today’s Retail Shift: SNAP, Marketing, and the RMN Landscape

In this episode of The Retail Perch, hosts Shekar Raman and Gary Hawkins take a closer look at some of the shifts shaping today’s retail environment. They talk about SNAP funding changes and what they could mean for retailers, how marketing can move beyond coupons and traditional loyalty programs, how merchandising and marketing can work more closely together, and the future of retail media networks. Together they offer a grounded look at where retail is now and where it may be headed next.

56 min

124. Peter Bond: The Power of Connection in Retail

In this episode of The Retail Perch, Shekar Raman and Gary Hawkins are joined by Peter Bond, Co-Host of The CPG Guys and Head of Industry and Client Engagement at Flywheel. Peter discusses the role of the podcast community in building meaningful connections across retail and CPG, how shopper expectations have evolved and what that means for brands and retailers today, and his work with co-host Sri Rajagopalan contributing to Cornell Tech’s Retail Media Strategy program. The conversation blends industry insight with a bit of baseball for good measure.

52 min

123. The Human Journey of Retail and AI with Dave Finnegan

In this episode of Retail Perch, Dave Finnegan, Chief Connection Officer at Black Finn and Ambassador to the CMO and Digital Councils at the National Retail Federation, joins Shekar Raman and Gary Hawkins to discuss how AI and anthropology come together to shape the future of retail through empathy, innovation, and human connection.