We’re all going to die!
Hopefully that’s not news to you. As the late, great metaphysician Jim Morrison reminds us: no one here gets out alive. In fact—and bear with me for a moment as I do some math–if you managed to wake up this morning, you are now one day closer to death.
Of course, there is the small matter of exactly when and precisely how that will occur. But here’s the thing: we all have a lot less control over those outcomes than we think. We can, in fact, do all the right things and encounter massively bad luck.
Today, as we encounter the harsh realities of an emergent pandemic, cratering financial markets and incompetent leadership, we can buy into the chaos, embrace the panic at the disco (and elsewhere) and do our best Chicken Little impression. We can add fuel to the little fires that are everywhere. We can spread ignorance, amplify fear, let our dis-ease rob us (and those around us) of our serenity.
Or not.
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.
My Bold Retail Predictions for 2023
As I share my annual retail predictions I’m reminded of a joke a colleague of mine recently shared with me: Q. What’s the difference between God and a retail futurist? A. God doesn’t think he’s a retail futurist. So damn the humility and full speed ahead as I bring...

Too Much Of A Goods Thing: Retailers Are Drowning In Inventory
Target is the latest retailer to reveal that it bought too much stuff and will need to take aggressive action to get its inventory levels back in line. These moves will include cancelling orders and hitting a lot of products with the old markdown gun. CEO Brian...

Store Expansion May Not Be A Slam Dunk For Struggling Digitally Native Brands
Warby Parker’s disappointing earnings report is just more evidence of what I call the profitless prosperity of disruptor brands. They join a growing list of retail innovators that are posting strongly growing revenues while their profits continue to worsen. Given that...