hear me out

mornin merry makers 🎙️🎧📻📢🔊.

after all the love for my retail reading list, i had a lightbulb moment:

some of the sharpest minds in retail haven’t written books…
but they have spilled their best insights
on podcasts.

so i went down a deep rabbit hole & curated 150+ podcast episodes featuring retail legends. many of whom have never put pen to paper but have dropped absolute gold in conversation.

these aren’t just any episodes.

they’re packed with actual wisdom. stories about stores that stick with you. advice you can actually use. the kind of conversations that make you want to send a voice memo to your smartest friend immediately after.

quick favor: help me help you!

before we get into today’s goodies, can i steal 60 seconds of your time?

i made a quick lil’ multiple choice survey to get inside your brilliant brain. i want to get to know you better so i can make this newsletter (& everything else i create) even more valuable for you 🫶 

as a thank you, if you answer the survye, you will get your first month of merry membership FREE when it launches on april 1st.

you answer, i improve. everybody wins! let’s do this ↓

now, back to our programming…

podcast series #1: the founders

the vibe: retail biography breakdowns

why it's golden: david senra reads founder biographies for you. then extracts key lessons. he connects past retail innovations to today's opportunities. like time travel to learn from industry legends. bonus: limited ads.

what i’ve learned from listening:

• what actually made ralph lauren really really rich

• the very unglamorous childhood & beginnings of coco chanel

• how much joe regrets selling trader joe’s

podcast series #2: acquired

the vibe: deep retail business analysis

why it's golden: ben gilbert & david rosenthal break down retail history with incredible detail. they nerd out on finances. fun facts. strategic moves. bull & bear cases. no fluff, just substance for those that want to go deep. also minimal ads.

what i’ve learned from listening:

• how hermes doesn’t even have a marketing department

• that all of costco’s c-suite started working as baggers & clerks

• the ikea product naming system (hint: it’s by place)

podcast series #3: how i built this with guy raz

the vibe: intimate chats with vulnerable founders

why it's golden: guy raz gets retail legends to share their lowest moments. you'll hear about near-bankruptcies. failed stores. pivot decisions that saved everything. something about listening to his voice makes me very nostalgic & takes me back to 2017 when i was an avid listener.

what i’ve learned from listening:

• that safer way was the precursor to whole foods

• that the founder of banana republic also founded the republic of tea!

• how vuori was profitable within 2 years of launch (founder was previously an auditor)

podcast series #4: wisdom from the top with guy raz

the vibe: leadership deep-dives beyond founding stories

why it's golden: a lesser known guy raz series that focuses on leadership philosophy, not just origin stories. learn decision frameworks. management styles. corporate values that built retail empires.

what i’ve learned from listening:

• dunkin donuts was a franchising pioneer

• lego was on the verge of financial collapse

• the former ceo of walgreens started as an intern

podcast series #5: the nordy pod

the vibe: inside nordstrom hq (& family)

why it's golden: a company podcast with actual value beyond pr. told by pete nordstrom, the great-grandson of nordstrom co-founder & a fourth-generation leader of the company. shares real merchandising insights. customer experience tactics. how a century-old retailer stays relevant.

what i’ve learned from listening:

• that the ceo of burberry wrote a note to mr. nordstorm at age 13 with critiques

• how much the ceos of le bon marche & selfridges still value direct experiences with customers on the salesfloor

podcast series #6: the knowledge project with shane parrish

the vibe: decision-making & mental models

why it's golden: not only retail, but features key retail minds. explores decision frameworks. elevates retail from tactical to philosophical. examines principles behind great retail strategy. only a few episodes on retail.

what i’ve learned from listening:

• founder of davidstea also founded firebelly tea

• how mickey drexler knows what customers want before they know it

• that danny meyer believes the location should dictate what a restaurant becomes, not vice versa.

podcast series #7: the business of fashion podcast

the vibe: sophistication meets insider knowledge

why it's golden: fashion retail gets serious analysis here. imran amed blends financial expertise with fashion sense. he makes complex industry shifts digestible. features exclusive interviews with press-shy executives & frequent charming foreign accents.

what i’ve learned from listening:

• how jens grede (cofounder of the skims) is a firm believer that a great product idea should precede developing a brand concept

• how jacquemus approaches integrating online fun with offline experience

podcast series #8: masters of scale with reid hoffman

the vibe: growth theories tested against retail success stories

why it's golden: reid starts with a scaling theory. then tests it with legends. it finds patterns across different categories. brief in retail specific mentions. listed last bc i don’t love his story-telling style.

what i’ve learned from listening:

• how nike has practiced selling without selling

• that spanx had a brand mission before it has a product

ready to listen?

i've done the digging, filtering, & endless scrolling so you don’t have to. these retail gems are now ready to stream in two curated spotify playlists:

playlist #1: the full collection of 150+ episodes on brick & mortar brands.

playlist #2: the best of the best. 20 episodes that i truly loved & learned from.

why this matters for you:

• ✅ learn from the best

• ✅ cut through the noise

• ✅ save time, gain wisdom

• ✅ get smarter on demand

i’ll keep adding episodes as i find them (bc our girl retail is always evolving & so should our sources of inspiration!).

so do yourself a favor & save it on spotify!

got a go-to retail episode i need to add? hit reply & let me know! the best lists are always a group effort 🫶 

more merry incoming

as i shared recently, merry makery is transforming into a retail resource hub. a place where retail operators can find actionable frameworks, battle-tested templates, & insights that actually drive results.

this means that starting april 1st, premium resources will be available exclusively to paying merry members.

but here's the good news: as an early subscriber, you'll be getting access to special founder member pricing (for a limited time only!). so be sure to check your inbox next monday for more juicy details!

i hope you know that i'm so grateful for your support on this journey.

it makes me tear up just thinking about it. the fact that you’re here, reading, engaging, & hyping up this lil merry making thing means the world to me. so excited for what’s next!

april is about to pop off.

merry membership is launching (!!) & you’ll be seeing me in your inbox a bit more because i have so much retail intel brewing that i physically cannot gatekeep any longer.

be merry,

MacK

p.s. please tell me what you want, what you really really want (by taking this survey).

p.p.s. then if you’re feeling chatty, check out this guide 👇️