Modern Retail Podcast

Hosted ByCale Weissman & Gabi Barkho

The Modern Retail Podcast is a podcast about the retail space, from legacy companies to the buzzy world of DTC startups. Every Thursday, Cale Weissman, editor of Modern Retail, interviews executives about their growth and marketing strategies. And every Saturday Gabi Barkho, senior reporter, sits down with the Modern Retail staff to chat about the latest headlines in the retail world.


All Episodes

The Modern Retail Podcast | Marketing is experiencing an AI reckoning

On this week’s episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels are joined by executive editor Anna Hensel to unpack how AI is reshaping marketing...

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Modern Retail Podcast
Modern Retail Podcast
The Modern Retail Podcast | Marketing is experiencing an AI reckoning
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The Modern Retail Podcast | An emergency tariffs episode

In a blow for President Donald Trump’s tariff agenda, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Feb. 20 that the Trump administration exceeded its authority under the International Emergency Economic...

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Modern Retail Podcast
Modern Retail Podcast
The Modern Retail Podcast | An emergency tariffs episode
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The Modern Retail Podcast | The dawn of DTC 3.0

In 2026, the term direct-to-consumer, or DTC, has become somewhat of a pejorative within the retail startups ecosystem. Enter: “DTC 3.0,” or what’s dubbed as the most sustainable and...

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Modern Retail Podcast
Modern Retail Podcast
The Modern Retail Podcast | The dawn of DTC 3.0
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The Modern Retail Podcast | Inside the Super Bowl activation boom

This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, special projects editor Melissa Daniels is joined by senior reporter Julia Waldow to dive deep into the world of brand activations happening...

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Modern Retail Podcast
Modern Retail Podcast
The Modern Retail Podcast | Inside the Super Bowl activation boom
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The Modern Retail Podcast | How ICE activity became an issue retailers big and small can no longer ignore

On this week’s Modern Retail Podcast, the staff discusses how the growing presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in cities like Minneapolis is impacting retail. Senior reporter Gabriela...

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Modern Retail Podcast
Modern Retail Podcast
The Modern Retail Podcast | How ICE activity became an issue retailers big and small can no longer ignore
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The Modern Retail Podcast | The high cost of free returns

On this week’s episode, special projects editor Melissa Daniels takes a deep dive into how brands are shaking up their returns playbook. As many as 72% of brands are...

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Modern Retail Podcast
Modern Retail Podcast
The Modern Retail Podcast | The high cost of free returns
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The Modern Retail Podcast | Cautious optimism at NRF around AI and shopper sentiment in 2026

This week, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels are joined by senior reporter Julia Waldow to dive into takeaways from the National Retail Federation’s 2026 conference; it’s the retail...

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Modern Retail Podcast
Modern Retail Podcast
The Modern Retail Podcast | Cautious optimism at NRF around AI and shopper sentiment in 2026
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The Modern Retail Podcast | What is in and out for wellness in 2026

Kicking off the new year, the Modern Retail Podcast is delving into all things wellness. This week, senior reporter Gabi Barkho is joined by Rachel Hirsch, founder and managing...

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Modern Retail Podcast
Modern Retail Podcast
The Modern Retail Podcast | What is in and out for wellness in 2026
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The Modern Retail Podcast | The Modern Retail Podcast’s 2026 predictions

On this week’s Modern Retail Podcast, the editorial team dives into what’s to come in 2026. Senior reporters Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels are joined by executive editor Anna...

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Modern Retail Podcast
Modern Retail Podcast
The Modern Retail Podcast | The Modern Retail Podcast's 2026 predictions
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The Modern Retail Podcast | A look back at 2025, from tariffs to Target to Labubus

On this week’s Modern Retail Podcast, hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels are joined by reporter Mitchell Parton to discuss the themes and trends that dominated retail in 2025....

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Modern Retail Podcast
Modern Retail Podcast
The Modern Retail Podcast | A look back at 2025, from tariffs to Target to Labubus
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The Modern Retail Podcast | PepsiCo thins portfolio and bets on better-for-you products

This week’s episode of the Modern Retail Podcast kicks off with a discussion between co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels about PepsiCo’s announcement that it will be trimming its...

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Modern Retail Podcast
Modern Retail Podcast
The Modern Retail Podcast | PepsiCo thins portfolio and bets on better-for-you products
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The Modern Retail Podcast | How startups get on the shelves of Whole Foods

On this week’s Modern Retail Podcast, senior reporters Melissa Daniels and Gabriela Barkho kick things off with a look at the record-setting use of buy now, pay later payments...

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Modern Retail Podcast
Modern Retail Podcast
The Modern Retail Podcast | How startups get on the shelves of Whole Foods
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The Modern Retail Podcast | The trends that will dominate Black Friday and Cyber Monday, from AI search to experiential pop-ups

Cyber Week is here and the Modern Retail Podcast is breaking down the biggest shopping and trends to watch during this all-important shopping period. This week, Modern Retail senior...

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Modern Retail Podcast
Modern Retail Podcast
The Modern Retail Podcast | The trends that will dominate Black Friday and Cyber Monday, from AI search to experiential pop-ups
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The Modern Retail Podcast | How Gen Z builds brands, with CharCharms’ Charlotte Trecartin

This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels dive into all the brand moments Barkho saw on a recent trip to BravoCon in Las...

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Modern Retail Podcast
Modern Retail Podcast
The Modern Retail Podcast | How Gen Z builds brands, with CharCharms' Charlotte Trecartin
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The Modern Retail Podcast | How ButcherBox uses a loyalty program to drive more meat sales

This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Julia Waldow kicked things off by discussing Amazon’s plan for a new Whole Foods store concept. The new...

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Modern Retail Podcast
Modern Retail Podcast
The Modern Retail Podcast | How ButcherBox uses a loyalty program to drive more meat sales
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