Keeping it Real with Retail Leadership: A Chat with Bill Thorne

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, host Scott Luton welcomes Bill Thorne, Senior Vice President of Communications, Research, and Marketing at the National Retail Federation (NRF) and host of the Retail Gets Real podcast. Together, they explore the evolving landscape of retail, from how customer insights drive innovation to the power of storytelling in shaping brand loyalty.This engaging conversation covers the impact of COVID-19 on retail operations, how agility and speed became key to survival, and why retailers must embrace change to stay competitive. Bill also shares insights from his time at Walmart, lessons from Savannah’s booming port economy, and why successful retailers prioritize community and connection.Jump into the conversation:(00:00) The pace of change in retail(01:22) The power of customer insights(05:15) Retail storytelling and brand loyalty(10:05) Savannah’s role in global supply chains(14:26) The future of retail logistics(18:03) Walmart’s digital transformation(22:50) Retail’s pandemic response and lessons learned(27:36) The importance of personalization in shopping(31:11) Why agility is key in modern retail(38:29) How data drives retail successAdditional Links & Resources:Connect with Bill Thorne: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-thorne-b82a146/Learn more about the National Retail Federation: https://nrf.com/Check out Retail Gets Real: https://open.spotify.com/show/7mpqKwH4QSDwFS8ukDbSIe?si=cdc84c550d034763Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVkWEBINAR- Bridging the Gap: Investigating the Disconnect Between Supply Chains and the People Who Run Them: https://bit.ly/3F1iZr2WEBINAR- Unpacking the Latest Tariff Updates, Best Practices & What to Expect Next: https://bit.ly/4ikvdcSWEBINAR- Lessons Learned from the Trenches: How AI Will Impact the Future of Work: https://bit.ly/3DUnROxWEBINAR: Adapting to Volatility: Navigating Trade Wars, Supply Chain Disruptions & AI: https://bit.ly/4kqSv2DThis episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Joshua Miranda. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/keeping-real-retail-leadership-1407 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at [email protected]© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.