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Join retail and consumer goods industry experts for these casual ”coffee shop” discussions where The Parker Avery Group team shares insights and realistic advice from past industry experiences and the firm’s many consulting projects. Our podcast features occasional guests from the firm’s roster of retail and CPG clients, along with partners and industry colleagues. Get to know the team’s unique culture and why we form long-term relationships with so many of our clients.
Episodes

Tuesday Aug 10, 2021
New Muscles for Effective Retailers
Tuesday Aug 10, 2021
Tuesday Aug 10, 2021
Organizational change management experts Kathi Toll, Deanna Emsley, and Marty Anderson talk about the new muscles retail and consumer brand companies must develop to be effective and competitive. In this episode of Parker Avery's "Talk Retail to Me" podcast, the team discusses:
- Tenets that must be true for an organization to be effective
- Their experiences of going "back" into the office and traveling
- How communication within an organization needs to change with such a different work environment
- What associates in the corporate buildings can learn from the retail staff "on the front lines"
- Why higher priority must be placed on empathy in a professional setting
- The importance of hind-sighting on a more frequent basis
We invite you to learn more about The Parker Avery Group's consulting services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/consulting-services/
You may also like this content:
The Expert Guide to Organizational Change Management for Retail: https://parkeravery.com/organizational-change-management/
Global Organizational Change Focus Energizes New ERP Solution Implementation: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/global-organizational-change-focus-energizes-new-erp-solution-implementation/
How to Stop Managing Change and Start Leading Successful Retail Transformation: https://parkeravery.com/start-leading-successful-retail-transformation/
Introduction music: On My Way by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

Monday Jul 26, 2021
Retail Inventory Management: Post-Pandemic Focus Areas
Monday Jul 26, 2021
Monday Jul 26, 2021
This week President and Managing Partner Clay Parnell, along with Partner Amanda Astrologo and Senior Director Rob Oglesby discuss key areas retailers are focusing on now and where they must focus in the near future for effective retail inventory management. This may come as a surprise, but it's less about technology and much more about core capabilities driven by business processes and a sizable shift in traditional organizational roles and responsibilities across the retail enterprise. Further, it's about a focus on foundational elements to ensure resiliency and agility throughout the supply chain to ensure retailers meet customer demand and expectations.
We invite you to learn more about The Parker Avery Group's consulting services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/services/
You may also like this content:
The Expert Guide to Omnichannel Order Management and Fulfillment: https://parkeravery.com/omnichannel-order-management-and-fulfillment/
Retail Store Inventory Assessment Exposes $65 Per Square Foot in Hidden Profit: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/retail-store-inventory-assessment-exposes-65-per-square-foot-in-hidden-profit/
Getting to Global: Managing Inventory in a Unified Commerce World: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/getting-to-global-managing-inventory-in-a-unified-commerce-world/
Introduction music: On My Way by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

Tuesday Jun 22, 2021
Master Data Management: The Backbone of Omnichannel Retail
Tuesday Jun 22, 2021
Tuesday Jun 22, 2021
This week, Senior Managers Heidi Csencsits and Mike Johnson talk about a recent client project, where The Parker Avery Group helped a home décor retailer define and standardize product attributes across 50,000 items to improve the omnichannel customer experience and merchandising effectiveness. The two retail experts also outline the importance of strong master data management and governance as the backbone of all retail omnichannel initiatives, as well as best practices and tips on getting started.
We invite you to learn more about The Parker Avery Group's consulting services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/services/
You may also like this content:
Retailer’s Master Data Management Improvements Drive Omnichannel Growth: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/retailers-master-data-management-improvements-drive-omnichannel-growth/
The Expert Guide to Data Governance in Retail: https://parkeravery.com/data-governance-in-retail/
Project Planning: Four Considerations for Data Readiness: https://parkeravery.com/four-considerations-for-data-readiness/
Introduction music: On My Way by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

Tuesday Jun 08, 2021
What You Need to Know About Retail Software Selection Projects
Tuesday Jun 08, 2021
Tuesday Jun 08, 2021
On this episode of the Talk Retail to Me podcast, Parker Avery Senior Partner Amanda Astrologo and Tricia Gustin interview retail expert Julie Cheney. Julie has over 25 years of experience as an executive and consultant in the retail and wholesale industries. She has held leadership positions in buying, merchandise planning & allocation, and program management within specialty apparel, footwear, outdoor equipment, and general merchandise retailers.
In addition to Julie's perspectives on consulting from within and outside the corporate halls, the trio of retail experts discusses how retail system selection projects have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as what elements necessitate more focus in a remote or hybrid environment.
We invite you to learn more about The Parker Avery Group's consulting services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/services/
You may also like this content:
The Expert Guide to Retail System Selection: https://parkeravery.com/retail-system-selection/
Five Key Tenets to Successful Retail Software Selection: https://parkeravery.com/five-key-tenets-to-successful-retail-software-selection/
Core Merchandising and Finance System Selection to Drive Visibility and Results: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/core-merchandising-and-finance-system-selection-to-drive-visibility-and-results/
Introduction music: On My Way by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

Friday May 21, 2021
Bridging the Gap Between Humans & Artificial Intelligence
Friday May 21, 2021
Friday May 21, 2021
The Parker Avery Group's analytics team gives their perspectives on finding the balance between artificial and emotional (human) intelligence. Led by Chief Analytics Officer, Sam Iosevich, this team of mathematics PhDs has been continuously enhancing the firm's advanced analytics offerings for Parker Avery's clients. In this episode, Scott Kirila, Evan Witz, and Luke Vaicunas discuss how intimately understanding each client's situation is key to providing the best solution--as well as the importance of helping the business understand and embrace artificial intelligence. They also provide insights into the differences and learnings of bringing deep science from academia into the retail and consumer goods business world.
We invite you to learn more about The Parker Avery Group's analytics consulting services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/enterprise-intelligence/
You may also like this content:
A Game-Changing Advanced Analytics Solution: https://parkeravery.com/retail-cpg-advanced-analytics-game-changer/
Annual Profit Improved Through AI-Driven Retail Warranty Price Optimization: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/annual-profit-improved-through-ai-driven-retail-warranty-price-optimization/
How to Transform Your Retail Enterprise with Advanced Analytics: https://parkeravery.com/how-to-transform-your-retail-enterprise-with-advanced-analytics/
Introduction music: On My Way by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

Tuesday May 04, 2021
Key Considerations of Remote System Implementations
Tuesday May 04, 2021
Tuesday May 04, 2021
Retail experts Marty Anderson and Russ Smith discuss how system implementation projects have fundamentally changed during the pandemic. Based on their experience of halting solution implementation projects mid-stream when the pandemic first hit and then ramping back up months later, Marty and Russ highlight key considerations for implementation success, including:
- How the overall structure of implementation teams changed.
- What activities are better conducted in person vs. remotely.
- How communication, change management, and engagement tactics need to adapt to accommodate a remote environment.
We invite you to learn more about The Parker Avery Group's implementation consulting services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/solution-evaluation-selection-implementation/
Introduction music: On My Way by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

Tuesday Mar 23, 2021
Chasing Challenges: Parker Avery's Analytics SWAT Team Leaders
Tuesday Mar 23, 2021
Tuesday Mar 23, 2021
In this episode, Parker Avery's Chief Analytics Officer and Managing Partner Sam Iosevich sits down with Senior Director of Analytics, George Arutyunyants to talk about George's lifelong journey into and through analytics, his development philosophies, and his passion for chasing challenges in his eternal pursuit of gaining more knowledge. Discover how the saying, "We are born with two ears and one mouth" and partnerships with academia, coupled with deep analytical, retail, and consumer goods expertise translate to better solutions for Parker Avery's clients.
We invite you to learn more about The Parker Avery Group's analytics services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/enterprise-intelligence/
You may also like this content:
One Demand Signal, Endless Growth: EI Hypercube Redefines Retail Success: https://parkeravery.com/ei-hypercube-redefines-retail-success/
Enterprise-wide Planning Solution Drives Global Retailer’s Agility: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/enterprise-wide-planning-solution-drives-global-retailers-agility/
A Demand Analytics Time Machine: https://parkeravery.com/podcast-a-demand-analytics-time-machine/
Introduction music: On My Way by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

Wednesday Feb 17, 2021
How to Approach Merchandise Financial Planning for 2021
Wednesday Feb 17, 2021
Wednesday Feb 17, 2021
Parker Avery retail planning experts, LouAnn Villasor and Lee Whitaker, discuss how merchandise financial planning (MFP) has changed over the course of 2020. Based on their deep experience implementing MFP solutions, you will get their perspectives on how retailers need to think differently in approaching MFP going forward into 2021 and beyond.
Learn more about The Parker Avery Group's services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/services/
You may also like this content:
The Expert Guide to Merchandise Financial Planning: https://parkeravery.com/retail-merchandise-financial-planning/
New Merchandise Financial Planning Solution Drives Retail Results: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/new-merchandise-financial-planning-solution-drives-retail-results/
Retailer’s Planning System Implementation Expected to Drive Growth and Success: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/retailers-planning-system-implementation-expected-to-drive-growth-and-success/
Introduction music: On My Way by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

Wednesday Feb 03, 2021
Training Strategies and Tactics for a Virtual World
Wednesday Feb 03, 2021
Wednesday Feb 03, 2021
This week, retail expert Heidi Csencsits and Parker Avery's change management and training experts, Kathi Toll, LouAnn Villasor, and Carrie Habel discuss training training strategies and tactics for a virtual world. As with many corporate initiatives, training needs have fundamentally changed. These four retail experts provide insights about how companies must adopt new remote training strategies and tactics to ensure sustainable learning and better adoption of new business processes, roles, and supporting technologies.
Learn more about The Parker Avery Group's change management and training services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/consulting-services/organizational-change-services-retail/
You may also like this content:
The Expert Guide to Organizational Change Management for Retail: https://parkeravery.com/organizational-change-management/
Empowering Brand Excellence With a New Merchandising Academy: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/empowering-brand-excellence-with-a-new-merchandising-academy/
Advancing Proficiency Through Sustainable Learning: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/advancing-proficiency-through-sustainable-learning/
Introduction music: On My Way by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay

Wednesday Jan 20, 2021
Meet Parker Avery Change Management Expert Carrie Habel
Wednesday Jan 20, 2021
Wednesday Jan 20, 2021
This week, Parker Avery's Change Management leaders, Kathi Toll and Carrie Habel talk about Carrie's incredible career-long experience helping retailers navigate and manage change. Discover how and why Carrie made the decision to join The Parker Avery Group. Also, Kathi and Carrie provide their insights into how leaders should recognize their own feelings as well as their teams' to make sure they're working together to bring about positive, effective change, despite the entire world facing continual "FFT's."
Learn more about The Parker Avery Group's change management services by visiting: https://parkeravery.com/change-management-leadership/
You may also like this content:
The Expert Guide to Organizational Change Management for Retail: https://parkeravery.com/organizational-change-management/
Organizational Change Strategy Brings Efficiency and Growth to Mattress Manufacturer: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/organizational-change-strategy-brings-efficiency-and-growth-to-mattress-manufacturer/
Enhancing System Implementation Value with Executive Change Leadership: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/enhancing-system-implementation-value-with-executive-change-leadership/
Introduction music: On My Way by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay
