Happy to see Carol Schroeder as a speaker at this summer’s NY NOW. We’ve mentioned Carol’s book (in which we’re featured) many times. ...but this post comes with an asterisk. The retail industry is facing a huge cliff as Amazon bulldozes it. The NY NOW pamphlet doesn’t mention any amazon seminars. Amazon is the biggest threat to you and your business. Yet according to this slick marketing piece, stores should party like it’s 1999. It even suggests starting the day with mimosas. This show may be drunk with itself. The industry needs better leadership and it needs to be acting more quickly to fight Amazon.
We don’t need more trend speakers. We don’t need people suggesting more unique in-store experiences. NY NOW should cancel all speakers and give the entire stage to Scott Galloway. Galloway, author of The Four, can wake everyone up. The rest of these people are just distractions. Honestly, Carol should call Scott and offer her spot to him. Sometimes doing the right thing means being brutally honest and putting other people first. The traditional speakers and industry leaders need to step aside and give other voices the mic. Scott, please help us. We hope you like mimosas.