Jay Rudman

Kohl’s represents classic American retail: a family-founded department store that rode the post-war suburban boom, built a massive footprint, and became the pragmatic, go-to place for middle-class families. Early wins relied on convenient locations, a broad but familiar assortment (apparel, basics, home), and a relentless promotional cadence that made shopping predictable and habitual. That formula scaled: Kohl’s became a comforting, low‑risk brand for shoppers who wanted value without the chaos of outlet hunting. Then the retail landscape changed. Fast fashion and off‑price competitors sharpened price and trend; e‑commerce rewired convenience and selection; and experiential stores redefined value. Kohl’s tried to respond. Smart moves included partnerships like bringing Sephora into hundreds of stores — injecting prestige beauty into the footprint — and pilot concepts to modernize formats. Yet, the company still struggled. They have now endured 14 consecutive quarters of falling revenue! Net/net: Kohl's is a hot mess. IMHO, here's the problem: Identity confusion. Kohl’s sits awkwardly between value and aspiration. Is it family basics or curated lifestyle? That indecision shows up in merchandising and marketing, and hinders the right type of customer from forming the right type of emotional relationship with the brand. Promotional reliance. Decades of coupons and markdowns trained shoppers to chase discounts, eroding full‑price sales and margins. Promotions drove transactions but not loyalty or higher lifetime value. JCPenney suffered the same fate, and they should not be anyone's role model to emulate. Execution gaps online. Omnichannel isn’t just buy‑online‑pick‑up; it’s a seamless, data‑driven experience. Kohl’s has had pockets of digital competence but uneven fulfillment, personalization, and checkout experiences versus peers. Real estate and scale drag. A large store base is an asset when optimized — a liability when many locations underperform. The fleet costs cash and managerial focus, and real‑estate distractions (high‑profile Amazon/Otis deals and activist attention) created strategic whiplash. Leadership churn and mixed signals. Frequent strategic pivots — partnership-first, asset‑monetization, and cost-cutting cycles — make it hard to execute a long, coherent plan. Investors reward clarity; shoppers reward consistency. Can Kohl's be saved? The stock is up at the moment, but investors are even more fickle than shoppers. It needs a revolution, not an evolution. Its Sephora partnership was a smart step toward desirability, but a few shop‑in‑shops don’t rebrand the entire customer proposition. Kohl’s needs a compelling narrative that gives shoppers a reason to choose it. I'm unsure its leaders and backers are prepared to be as bold as they need to be.

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Hy-Vee, Inc. First to Deploy Grocery TV’s Closed-Loop Retail Media Solution The partnership brings digital-style performance tracking to in-store campaigns across RedMedia.

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Chicago-based Kraft Heinz made an excellent choice in appointing one of the most experienced and successful global CPG leaders, Steve Cahillane, as its new CEO. Cahillane previously served as CEO of Chicago-based Kellanova and brings deep industry expertise and proven leadership to the role. In 2026, Kraft Heinz plans to split into two companies, temporarily named "Global Taste Elevation" and "North American Grocery". Global Taste Elevation, led then by Cahillane, will include the faster-growing sauces, spreads, and seasonings portfolio, featuring iconic brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia, and Kraft Mac & Cheese. North American Grocery will house legacy brands including Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles, and Lunchables. The objective of this strategic separation is to increase speed to market, reduce complexity, and strengthen proximity to customers. Cahillane is a longtime Chicago resident and advocate for the city, having graduated from Northwestern University. In his first remarks following the announcement, he reaffirmed Kraft Heinz’s commitment to Chicago. Congratulations, Steve! Please read here the Chicago Tribune coverage by Robert Channick here: https://lnkd.in/gUvbH7hc

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This morning, I asked ChatGPT to describe Retailbound in 3 emojis and why. Here is what ChatGPT wrote: Retailbound is a Chicago-based retail consulting agency that helps product startups transition into successful retail brands. Here's a description of Retailbound in three emojis:​ 🚀 – Launch & Acceleration Retailbound specializes in launching innovative product startups into the retail market. Their services, such as the Retailbound Launch and Accelerator programs, are designed to prepare brands for retail success.​ 🤝 – Partnership & Support Acting as an extension of a company's team, Retailbound offers comprehensive support in retail strategy development, buyer engagement, sales management, and channel marketing. They provide expert guidance to increase retail presence and drive sales growth. 📈 – Growth & Success With over 18 years in business, Retailbound has helped hundreds of product brands grow in the retail space. Their experience and extensive network have been instrumental in scaling brands and achieving long-term retail success. These emojis encapsulate Retailbound's mission to launch, support, and grow product startups into thriving retail brands. What are 3 emojis to describe your company, brand, or product? Looking to get your product launched at retail? Contact us today from the link below to get more information https://lnkd.in/g7V47A9B #retail #retailexpert #retailstrategy #newproductlaunch

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Sharing a conversation that gets right to the heart of what founders face as they look to scale. In this interview on StreetTalk Terri Eagle elevates her passion to articulate one of the hardest transitions founders face: evolving the business and themselves at the same time. Terri knows this firsthand as a 5 x CEO who herself moved to found her business to help and advise founders and so it’s worth a listen for anyone building for what comes next. Thank you Arthur Zaczkiewicz and Cassian Spencer for a thoughtful discussion!

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Interested in how AI is taking over phone calls? Andrea and I dive in on this weeks episode of Schaumburg Speaks, from the Schaumburg Business Association and Ian Ryan Interactive.

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Path to Purchase Institute recently wrote about Roundel, the Retail Media arm of Target and their approach to new targeting as well as technology in search of continued growth. I think we've embarked on a trend that should feel very familiar to everyone who knows anything about online advertising in general. I've written about this before but its worth repeating. In the early days of a gold rush (much like there has been with brand advertising budgets shifting to retail media), everyone wins. If you have traffic and consumer attention, you will benefit from the shift in brand dollar allocation. But the pie doesn't grow forever. Sooner rather than later, having consumer attention isnt enough, specifically when attention on the shopping journey is being eroded by ChatGPT and other LLMs resulting in decreased (albeit probably higher quality) traffic. We've reached a point when retailers (and their retail media partners) need to think strategically about where growth comes from. Its about time retailers think about segments, targeting as well as re-think what their ad formats and inventory looks like that they are offering to brands. In the beauty space we're already seeing several retailers take advantage of the Revieve platform to provide brands with interactive AI-powered experiences as advertisement formats, creating a fundamental step change in their retail media offerings. Now I see Target is purposefully moving into that direction. I expect this trend to continue and others to follow, as retailers need to look at ways beyond a volume of traffic to differentiate their media offerings towards brands. #AI #AR #beautytech #customerexperience #retailmedia

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Today, I read an article in Crain's Chicago Business about a Chicago toy store, Timeless Toys, that took a big chance back in Jan/Feb. After the tariff talk started, the owner used a line of credit to buy $700,000 worth of toys. Basically, a year's supply in advance. Now, the bet is paying off. The store is able to market the fact that they have ample supplies and low prices, and so their sales are up 18.4%, year to year. This is an example of taking strategic advantage of change, and taking prudent business risks. #tariffs #business #risktaking

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A DTC brand recently came to us for a retail strategy assessment. They were excited about expanding into stores, but unsure if they were truly retail ready. We ran our full assessment: 🔍 Strategic pricing review 🏪 In-store comp shopping 📲 Social + content presence 🛒 Amazon + TikTok Shop audits 📦 Channel + margin analysis Here’s what we found: They wanted to price their product in-store at $14.99. But that same product was already selling online at $13.99, $14.99, and on a few random sites for $9.99. That’s a nonstarter. A retail buyer sees this and instantly questions the strategy. A shopper compares prices and feels slighted. Either way: no sale, no trust, no chance. Retail isn’t just about having great packaging or TikTok buzz. It’s about channel alignment. Clarity. Consistency. That’s what we help brands fix before they hit the shelf. I can talk for days about our experience with MAP pricing, enforcement / cleanup, and channel strategy. This pre-work is essential to omnichannel success. BTW, this photo is NOT the brand..it's just one of my favorite examples of good merchandising from a store visit at Whole Foods Market recently. How cool is this! #RetailReady #RetailStrategy #PricingAlignment #ChannelConflict #CPG #DTC #Amazon #TikTokShop #BrandBuilding #MAPpricing

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Why are so many Minnesota corporate giants such a hot mess right now? Target announced a CEO transition yesterday. Shares opened -8% on the news.  Over the past 5 years, TGT stock is down almost 37%, while the S&P 500 is up 87%. But Target’s underperformance isn’t unique – it’s a trend across big Minnesota companies. The Twin Cities metro is home to 17 Fortune 500 companies – more per capita than any other U.S. metro, and among the top globally.  That includes well-known names like UnitedHealth Group, Target, US Bank, Best Buy, CHS, 3M, and General Mills.  (And that’s not even counting privately held Cargill or Medtronic, which is Irish-incorporated.) These companies span sectors from healthcare to retail, finance, manufacturing, food, and logistics.  But they all share one thing lately: underperformance. Here’s the 5-year share price scoreboard (S&P 500: +87%): ·       UNH -5% ·       TGT -37% ·       USB +31% ·       BBY -36% ·       CHSCP -1% ·       MMM +14% ·       GIS -22% Even the best performer in the bunch hasn’t delivered half the market’s return. Each company has its unique problems – brand erosion and consumer backlash depressing traffic at Target, excessive pricing dragging volume recovery at General Mills, consumer caution driving longer replacement cycles at Best Buy, rising medical costs squeezing margins at UnitedHealth.  But there is a common thread: the struggle to adapt in a high-change environment. I’m not in these boardrooms.  But from the outside looking in, one thing is clear: whatever strategy they’re running, it’s not keeping up. In times of uncertainty and disruption, a good strategic plan isn’t optional – it’s the difference between leading the market and losing ground. If your team is rethinking its strategy playbook – that’s exactly what we do at Refraim. Let’s talk. David Clark | www.refraim.net https://lnkd.in/gjqXZrvn

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BATTLES OF THE TITANS ILLINOIS VERSION: BREAKTHRU vs. SGWS As we navigate through this challenging time, we’ve received many requests to evaluate the brand’s menu performance across top critical markets. Today we evaluated the “Total Cocktail Share” analysis in the Illinois Market. Methodology:  We compared the brand’s performance on menu YTD in 2025, assessing the - -- Top 5 Categories: Vodka, Tequila, Rum, Gin, and American Whiskey.  - Branded Cocktail Menus Only - About 50% of Cocktail Menus - Limited to brands with +0.5% share or More Here are some highlights: Total # of Brands on menu (0.5% Share or more) - Breakthru: 31 - SGWS: SGWS: 50 Overall Average Brand Cocktail Performance - Breakthru: 2.9% - SGWS: 1.8% Total Cocktail Share by Spirits Category - Vodka: Breakthru - Tequila: SGWS - Rum: SGWS - American Whiskey: Tied - Gin: Breakthru - Overall: Tied YTD Total Cocktail Share Performance:  by Spirits Category - Vodka: Breakthru - Tequila: Breakthru - Rum: SGWS - American Whiskey: Breakthru - Gin: Tied - Overall: Breakthru Based on the above data, brands distributed through SGWS in total have a higher menu share in Illinois than brands distributed through Breakthru. At the same time, the total cocktail share is similar between the two distributors is equal amount at 15% (31% Estimated), so both distributors have nearly equal shares in the 5 Spirits Category cocktail menu shares. However, the growth performance showed that Breakthru suppliers are performing better on cocktail menu share because they gained by +4.4% YTD, while SGWS brands have gained +1.7%. This is not a significant difference and is likely due to having fewer brands on the cocktail menu. If you have any questions about the data, please feel free to send me an email directly at melki@groundsignal.ai. We also have other various resources on our website, so please visit us and download away!

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Three very different retailers just made the same bet... Bloomingdale's invested in in-store storytelling and vendor relationships, best holiday on record, comps up 10%. Target is dropping $2 billion on store experience, floor plan redesigns, and an immersive beauty destination. Dollar General is rebuilding their layout specifically to encourage browsing and drive bigger transaction sizes. These brands understand that foot traffic is not the problem. What happens once someone walks through the door is. Three takeaways: -Discovery drives AOV. When customers can actually navigate and understand what they're looking at, they spend more. Every one of these retailers is redesigning around that truth. -Experience is now a competitive moat. Forrester is predicting three major specialty chain bankruptcies this year. The ones surviving are the ones that give customers a reason to show up in person. -The in-store moment is the highest-intent moment you have. Someone walked in. They chose you. What you do with that is everything. The brands losing are still treating their stores like warehouses and hoping the product sells itself. The ones winning are reshaping what in-store shopping actually is.

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Three key takeaways from my recent conversation on the NRF’s Retail Gets Real Podcast: 1. Continuous learning is essential — staying static isn’t an option in retail. 2. Your first job matters — it’s the foundation for everything that follows. 3. Innovation creates healthy pressure — new advancements push us toward better, smarter ways of working. Retail is an industry that never stands still. Success comes from adaptability and the courage to step outside your comfort zone. Exposure to new ideas brings fresh best practices that move businesses forward — something I’ve seen firsthand. At Old Navy, we’re passionate about creating those first opportunities through our This Way ONward program, helping young people build confidence and skills that set the stage for lifelong careers. Thank you to National Retail Federation and Bill Thorne for having me on the show! 🎧 Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/dG52wfUR #Retail #Leadership #Innovation #CareerGrowth #NRF 

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When a brand and mission aren’t aligned, even great organizations can feel out of sync. That’s what we saw with ISM Twin Cities. Their work was high impact but their brand wasn’t reflecting it. That’s a disconnect that marketing can’t fix on its own. Once we clarified the strategy and aligned voice, design, and communications, the impact was immediate, and recognized by members, sponsors, and the board alike. Strategy sets the foundation. Design brings it to life. And marketing communicates the value. This is what alignment looks like. #AssociationMarketing #BrandAlignment #MarketingLeadership #StrategyFirst

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Thank you Scott Benedict & Deanah Baker for a great convesation about the Retail Trends, (Part 1) Doing Business in Bentonville podcast.

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Is Amazon attempting to rewrite the rules for big-box retail in the suburbs of Chicago? Amazon is about to park a 230k‑square‑foot question mark in Orland Park. This reported “first‑of‑its‑kind” Amazon concept may look less like a traditional grocery and more like a hybrid: think Costco‑scale value box meets IKEA‑style front‑of‑house/back‑of‑house, with a modern twist on the old Service Merchandise showroom model. Half the building is expected to focus on retail: groceries, household essentials, and general merchandise, while the other half quietly operates as a same‑day and last‑mile engine for the surrounding trade area. If that’s directionally right, this isn’t just another store; it’s a dual‑purpose node that serves walk‑in shoppers, click‑and‑collect missions, and ultra‑fast delivery from the same footprint. The front of the box becomes about curation, experience, and attachment; the back of the box becomes about speed, density, and promise‑keeping. Put differently: the real P&L may be driven as much by what customers don’t see...local fulfillment, returns, marketplace integration, as by the visible sales floor. For leaders running stores and centers in the surrounding area, now is the time to get intentional. How defensible is your value proposition when a player like Amazon can blend big‑box price perception with near‑frictionless convenience? Where can you double down on what they can’t easily copy: service, local relevance, expertise, community, differentiated experiences? If you’re within that trade area, this isn’t a “wait and see” moment, it’s a “re‑think and act” moment. #RetailStrategy #Omnichannel #StoreOfTheFuture #LastMile #RetailLeadership

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Bright Future for Bricks & Mortar Stores. Great piece covering Advise by John Walshe @ Retail Media Group, and highlighting: ·      Vast Majority of Grocery Sales still happen in Brick & Mortar Stores (80% plus) ·      CPG/ FMCG manufacturers are drowning in data and leaving enormous volumes and value on the shop floor, on the shelf, in the storeroom, with the competition, wasted… take your pick! ·      When manufacturers don’t engage with data they already have access to, they can’t automate processes, increase margins, increase efficiencies, reduce costs & retail talent. ·      Almost forgot… Manufacturers have to embrace AI, where it makes sense, like everyone else… 😊 See full article here: https://lnkd.in/erNY7bnH #cpganalytics #drowningindata #ecrireland #catmanglobal

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Governance lessons to take from this one: 🕵️‍♀️ carry out appropriate due diligence on directors before you appoint them. In this case it appears that the CEO’s relationship was an open secret but was a surprise to the board 💎have a crystal clear policy on conflicts of interest setting out expectations not just on disclosures but also on how situations of potential conflict should be managed ✍️authorities to sign off on contracts should include appropriate checks and balances. Power should not be concentrated in the hands of a single individual, with processes set up such that there should be different people involved in negotiation and approval for significant commitments 👂create the right conditions where whistleblowers will have the confidence to speak up and know they will be listened to, their allegations will be taken seriously, properly investigated and acted upon. Whistleblowers are the eyes and ears of the board 🕰️when things go wrong, as they inevitably will from time to time, act swiftly (not hastily) and decisively, demonstrating your commitment to uphold appropriate behaviours. It sends a strong message 📢it can be tempting, and sometimes necessary, to be vague in communications but transparency can bring both internal and external benefits 💷as appears to have been the case here, have robust malus and clawback rights in place to enable the business to obtain repayment or cancellation of benefits when wrongdoing is found What have I missed? Please add your thoughts in the comments 👇 #GoodGovernance #InternalControls #ConflictsOfInterest

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