Agenda

Kick off Total Retail Tech by meeting fellow attendees and peers. This is your first opportunity to network and create meaningful connections from across the retail industry.

Learn all about the engaging and informative content, valuable networking opportunities, educational one-to-one meetings, fun and exciting activations, and more that will take place over the next two days!

Retail is entering an AI-native era where agility and scale define success. In this partner keynote session, Prashant Kumar, founder and CEO of TechBlocks, explores the shift from monolithic systems to dynamic marketplaces, revealing how “software factories” can keep pace with evolving customer demands. Learn how leading retailers are rethinking technology to drive innovation, personalization, and growth.

What started as a backyard side hustle during the pandemic has exploded into one of the fastest-growing, most buzzed-about franchise brands in America. In this session, Tory Bartlett, CEO of PopUp Bagels, will discuss how the brand went from local cult favorite to national phenomenon — scaling to 300 franchise locations with just a handful of elite operators. From ditching traditional formats (no toasters, no sandwiches, no apologies) to building a digital-savvy, experience-first model that’s winning over Gen Z and Gen Alpha, this session will unpack the rituals, strategies and operational choices that have made PopUp Bagels not just famous, but known. Attendees will gain insights on building brand loyalty, scaling with intention, and staying true to your purpose while thinking big.

Wrap up day one by enjoying food and drinks along with live entertainment. This is another chance to network and get to know peers from across the retail industry.

The winners in e-commerce aren’t just optimizing individual tactics — they’re building flywheels where every element accelerates the next. Join Nicole Tiberia, vice president of sales at Mirakl, and Jennifer DiPasquale, president of Total Retail, as they reveal how marketplaces and retail media are reshaping customer engagement, boosting conversions, and opening new revenue streams. Learn how top retailers create self-reinforcing cycles: better marketplace experiences fuel engagement, faster conversions draw more sellers, expanded assortments unlock new ad opportunities, and retail media revenue drives continuous platform innovation.

In today’s tech-driven retail landscape, speed and innovation are essential, but without accountability, execution falls short. In this engaging and pragmatic keynote, Dr. Quendrida Whitmore (aka Coach Quen) shares actionable insights to help you build a culture of accountability.

This session reframes accountability from something leaders fear into something teams embrace. Coach Quen offers a blueprint for how martech and retail leaders can foster high-performing cultures rooted in clarity, trust and consistent follow-through, without resorting to micromanagement. Through real-world examples and practical strategies, she explores how to:

• Set clear expectations.
• Turn difficult conversations into development opportunities.
• Model the behaviors you want to see.
• Empower your teams to take ownership and drive results.

Whether you oversee national or global teams or drive enterprise-wide transformation, you’ll walk away with tools to lead with confidence and cultivate a culture where accountability is not only expected, but energized.

In today’s fast-paced retail environment, digital solutions are redefining how supply chains operate — driving greater agility, transparency and efficiency. This session will explore how three leading retailers are leveraging technologies such as AI, IoT, automation, and advanced analytics to transform their supply chain operations from end to end. Attendees will gain insights into real-world strategies for improving demand forecasting, inventory management, and fulfillment, while also navigating disruptions such as tariffs with greater resilience. Through a series of brief fireside chats, our speakers will explore the digital innovations shaping the future of retail supply chains and offer actionable approaches to staying competitive in a tech-driven market.

As retail organizations evolve to meet new customer expectations and digital demands, the structure and dynamics of teams must evolve with them. This session explores how modern organizational design can unlock higher performance, foster innovation, and drive cross-functional alignment. The discussion will cover strategies for breaking down silos, building agile teams, and aligning talent with business priorities. Learn how leading retailers are rethinking roles, leadership models, and collaboration frameworks to create high-impact teams that are equipped to navigate constant change and deliver meaningful results.

In this retailer-only session, attendees will be grouped by job function for engaging, insightful conversations with peers who are facing similar challenges within their roles. Share real-world experiences, tips and tools during this problem-solving session.

This sponsor-only session offers a unique opportunity to hear directly from a retail veteran and a retail industry expert as they share candid insights and actionable strategies for building more effective vendor-retailer partnerships. Designed as an intimate, solution-focused conversation, the session will delve into real-world examples, emerging best practices, and what retailers truly value from their vendor relationships. Created to help vendors better understand and meet the evolving needs of their retail partners, this gathering is all about strengthening collaboration and driving mutual success across the retail ecosystem.

As AI search platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity transform how consumers and bots discover products online, some foundational search strategies still work but others have already evolved. This session breaks down what’s changing and what’s not, how these AI platforms differ from traditional search engines, and why they’re quickly becoming the new front door to e-commerce. You’ll walk away with a clear understanding of how your brand can be included in the answers AI platforms and traditional search engines deliver in time for Black Friday. Plus, you’ll get a practical set of actions you can put in place today to stay visible and competitive.

Over the past five years, Levi Strauss & Co. has doubled its e-commerce business, growing from 5 percent to 10 percent of total net revenue and achieving 12 consecutive quarters of global double-digit online growth. At the heart of this transformation is a clear, focused digital strategy.

Levi’s vice president, U.S. e-commerce, Priya Buening, will break down the brand’s three-pillar approach to sustained e-commerce success. From improving site reliability and mobile UX to expanding into lifestyle categories beyond denim and delivering greater personalization at every touchpoint, she will share how Levi’s is blending heritage with innovation to win over today’s digital shoppers.

Attendees will gain practical insights into how a legacy brand can drive modern growth through disciplined execution, cross-functional collaboration, and a relentless focus on the customer. Whether you’re scaling a digital platform or revitalizing your brand online, this session offers a compelling road map for sustainable e-commerce momentum.

Connect with fellow retail attendees for candid peer-to-peer meetings. In curated one-to-one conversations, retail attendees can share insights and compare notes on what’s working, what isn’t, and why. No pitches, just practical advice from executives solving for the same challenges you are.

Accomplish valuable intel gathering on how leading technology solution providers can help your business. These brief one-to-one meetings are intended to foster beneficial long-term relationships for both attendees and sponsor partners.

Kansas City Cattle Company didn’t start with a marketing blueprint — it started with a mission. After serving with the 1st Ranger Battalion, Patrick Montgomery returned home and founded a cattle company to honor his fallen brother-in-law and fellow Ranger, Jeremy Katzenberger. What began with no land, no cattle, and no industry experience has grown into one of the most respected premium Wagyu brands in the U.S. — powered by authenticity, resilience, and values forged on the battlefield.

In this inspiring session, Patrick shares how KC Cattle Company built a brand that breaks through in a crowded market by focusing not on flashy campaigns, but on purpose, quality and integrity. Learn how storytelling, value-driven leadership, and an unwavering commitment to excellence created a loyal customer base, elevated the e-commerce experience, and turned a veteran-owned startup into a movement.

Carla Giovannetti Dodds, chief marketing officer of The Aaron’s Company, shares her perspective on what it means to build brand affinity and trust with customers, particularly in a changing economy. From shifting channels and signal loss to the evolving expectations of the American shopper, Carla offers pragmatic insights for marketers navigating today’s complex retail landscape. This candid conversation covers everything from loyalty to legacy, with a few power moves and playlists along the way.

Retail tech leaders are facing shared challenges — from centralizing customer data to integrating omnichannel systems and scaling localized tech stacks. In this highly collaborative session, attendees will be grouped by functional area to workshop solutions to the most pressing issues. Each group will explore one key challenge, discuss what’s worked (and what hasn’t), and co-create a practical solution or idea to share with the room. The session wraps with quick insights from each group.

The perfect way to close day two of the event is by enjoying delicious food and a night out on the town with your fellow attendees!

As technology rapidly evolves, so do consumer behaviors — and the implications for retail are profound. In this data-centric session, Kelly Pedersen, partner and global retail leader at PwC, shares the latest research on how consumers are interacting with technology and what it means for the future of retail. From mobile shopping habits and digital wallets to AI-powered personalization and real-time fulfillment expectations, learn how tech-savvy consumers are redefining what it means to shop, engage, and stay loyal.

This session will also examine how these external shifts are pushing retailers to transform their internal operations, from supply chain agility and workforce enablement to data architecture and customer analytics. Attendees will walk away with a clearer view of emerging consumer patterns and actionable strategies — including investment plans — to stay ahead in an increasingly tech-integrated retail landscape.

Retail media is rapidly emerging as a core driver of growth, brand engagement, and customer loyalty in the modern commerce landscape. This session explores how leading retailers are building and scaling retail media networks to unlock new revenue streams, deepen supplier partnerships, and deliver more personalized customer experiences. Learn how data, technology, and organizational alignment are fueling success in this space — and what it takes to stay competitive. This discussion will offer strategic insights and practical approaches to harnessing retail media as a powerful engine for long-term growth and differentiation.

Accomplish valuable intel gathering on how leading technology solution providers can help your business. These brief one-to-one meetings are intended to foster beneficial long-term relationships for both attendees and sponsor partners.

This session is designed to inspire insightful conversations about the technology pain points (e.g., integration, legacy systems, talent, etc.) that are most pressing for attendees’ organizations. Share real-world experiences, tips and tools during this problem-solving session.

Michaels Stores has leveraged global capability centers (GCCs, “not outsourcing”) to drive market-leading digital innovation, rapid experimentation with AI, scalable tech delivery, and next-gen talent sourcing. How has Michaels built an “innovation engine” that transcends cost savings to directly impact customer experience, speed to market, product evolution, and resilience during times of volatility?

Drawing on more than 30 years at the intersection of technology and business, Scott Waid shares how the Atlanta Braves are leveraging enterprise-scale innovation to transform both game day and everyday experiences at Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta. From cutting-edge infrastructure and data platforms to immersive fan-facing technology, Scott explores what it takes to modernize a legacy brand, build a future-ready venue, and deliver personalized, seamless and secure experiences — all while driving operational excellence, revenue growth, and long-term team loyalty.