Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) had a whirlwind week in New York City, bringing connection, inspiration and community-building to the heart of retail. We kicked things off at the National Retail Federation’s 2026 Big Show, held Jan. 11-13 at the Jacob Javits Center, where we hosted our second annual Women in Retail Oasis. Amid...
For female leaders, the fear of missing out (FOMO) often disguises itself as ambition. The constant yeses, the nonstop travel, the jammed calendars, the feeling that if you’re not everywhere, you’re falling behind. But as Melissa Gonzalez, principal at MG2 and author of “The Purpose Pivot: How Dynamic Leaders Put Vulnerability and Intuition into Action,”...
Last holiday season, one of a brand’s most loyal customers ordered three party dresses, intending to keep the one that fit best. What should have been a routine return turned into a viral disaster: confusing instructions, a missing confirmation email, and a delayed refund pushed her frustration onto social media. The brand scrambled to respond,...
Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) is proud to partner with CommerceNext for one of the most influential events in retail and e-commerce — the 2026 CommerceNext Growth Show, taking place June 23-24 in New York City. The CommerceNext Growth Show will bring together more than 2,700 senior-level attendees, 150-plus industry-leading speakers, and more than...
Retail is on the cusp of the most profound shift we’ve seen since the rise of e-commerce. Throughout the past year, one theme dominated my conversations with technologists, payment network providers, retailers and more: agentic commerce. This isn’t a futuristic concept. It’s already emerging. Shoppers are already using artificial intelligence agents to research, compare and...
Did anyone else experience the scariest of the Sunday Scaries this week after the holiday break? Sunday night, I wrote a list of all the things that fell under the category of “Sunday Scaries,” including work projects I hadn’t touched since before Christmas, phone calls I was dreading making, and expenses I had failed to...
As 2025 winds down, Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) would like to take this opportunity to thank our subscribers, members, sponsors and speakers for your continued support throughout this year. We’re so appreciative of each and every one of you. As we close in on the end of the year, we’re going through all...
Happy holidays from the Women in Retail Leadership Circle team! As we close out another transformative year, it’s with immense gratitude and pride that we celebrate the contributions of our 2025 advisory board. These visionary leaders have not only completed a remarkable term but have also left an indelible mark on the trajectory of our...
Artificial intelligence has moved beyond the pilot phase in retail. Most major retailers now use AI across their operations, with 92 percent of retail marketers reporting active AI adoption this year alone — and more than half planning to increase their investment. The global AI retail market is projected to reach over $160 billion by...
When was the last time you did something creative? In the world of business and retail, “creative” isn’t necessarily the first word that comes to mind when describing what makes a successful leader. Oftentimes we assume there isn’t room for creativity when there are so many other demands put on our plate. Victoria Lozano, chief...
