Retail is changing. In the past five years alone, the sector has been forced to adapt to seismic shifts in consumer expectations, the rise of digitalisation, and the aftermath of a global pandemic – and its future remains unclear. In order to make some sense of where retail is heading, and how furniture businesses might keep pace, Furniture News has again enlisted the expertise of The Customer Whisperer, Kate Hardcastle MBE …
From her furniture industry origins to mainstream media stardom, Kate has long been a transformative force in the retail and consumer sectors, her career spanning two decades of shaping brands, steering them towards growth, and advocating for the consumer.
From leading groundbreaking projects (with the likes of Silentnight and Jay-Be), to global collaborations (Disney among them) and overseeing transformative strategic rebrands (Hermes’ transformation into Evri a recent example), Kate has consistently proven that the heart of any successful business lies in understanding its customers.
Since her last interview with Furniture News in 2019, the world has seen extraordinary changes, and Kate has become a leading voice in helping to shape what’s next, both in retail strategy and consumer advocacy. With over 1000 media appearances, including documentaries that bring consumer insights to life, she brings her wealth of experience to bear in every discussion, championing retail transformation with purpose and precision.
In January's issue, Kate reflects on retail’s past, present and future, and offers some actionable advice for furniture businesses navigating the sector’s choppy waters – read it here.
