This week special guests Anne Mezzinga and Neil Saunders help us deliver a MasterClass in driving retail sales through better store execution. Retailers need a remarkable business design, but while they mount their transformation they also need to convert more traffic, drive average basket size and create more loyalty. In this episode we learn what retailers are getting wrong--and right--in addressing the fault in our stores.Special thanks to Neil for the wonderful picture used for our episode - be sure and follow him on Twitter for more retail wonderful-ness!!  https://twitter.com/NeilRetailBut first we open up the episode with our quick takes on recent retail news that caught our attention, including the latest US sales reports (and what the media always seems to get wrong), the #GreatResignation, Netflix's new product partnership with Walmart (https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2021/10/11/walmart-and-netflix-team-up-for-exclusive-new-retail-hub-that-will-bring-popular-stories-to-life) , Vuori's big capital raise and why Amazon's 4-star stores are both terrible and interesting.Anne Mezzenga is the Co-CEO of Omni Talk, one of the fastest-growing podcasts in retail. She and her Co-CEO, Chris Walton, provide expert commentary on the future of the retail industry and current trends. As extensions of Omni Talk, Anne founded Urban Rooster Shop, a localized e-commerce marketplace where customers can shop dozens of local Twin Cities businesses on one site, and Third Haus, a retail lab in Minneapolis. Prior to starting Omni Talk, Anne and Chris led Target Corp.'s Store of the Future project, where Anne served as Director of Marketing and Partnerships for the endeavor. In addition, Anne and her husband own and operate two boutique fitness facilities in the Twin Cities.Neil SaundersNeil is Managing Director of GlobalData’s retail and consumer division.In this role he oversees the development of the company’s proposition and its research output. He also works with major clients to help them understand the retail, shopper and market landscape – advising them on how best to develop, evolve and implement business strategies.Prior to GlobalData, Neil worked at retail research firm Verdict. Before Verdict, Neil worked for the John Lewis Partnership where he was involved, among other things, in the planning and relocation of new stores, the development of the ecommerce business, and the creation of technical and information systems.Steve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his       website.    The expanded and revised edition of his bestselling book  Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is now available at  Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a      Forbes senior contributor and on       Twitter and       LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel      here.Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus        Global E-Commerce Tech Talks  and       The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.  You can learn more about Michael       here  or on       LinkedIn.