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NXTLVL Experience Design: Daily Summaries Delivered
by David Kepron
NXTLVL Experience Design brings daring and different dialogues about “DATA: Design, Architecture, Technology and the Arts.” You’ll hear from provocateurs for whom disruption and transformation are a way of engaging in work and play every day. Guests include thought leaders driven by a passion to create the ‘new possible’ and promote new paradigms of experience into the mainstream. Designers from all disciplines. Architects who are changing the landscape of the built world. Techno-philes – visionaries who make deeply sensory-based but digitally-mediated experiences. And explorations of the transformative process of creativity with artists of all sorts.
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- Sep 11, 20261h 18m
EP.92 COFFEE, CULTURE, CUSTOMERS AND CAPSULES" with Anatoliy Korolenko, Sr. Manager of Store Development, Nespresso USA
ABOUT ANATOLIY KOROLENKOAnatoliy’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anatoliykorolenko/BIO:Anatoliy Korolenko is a retail real estate and development executive with more than a decade of experience leading growth, portfolio strategy, construction, and facilities for some of the world’s most recognized consumer brands.Currently leading Real Estate and Development for Nespresso USA, Anatoliy is responsible for shaping the brand’s U.S. retail footprint—from market strategy and site selection through lease negotiations, design, construction, and ongoing portfolio optimization. His work combines consumer and market analytics with real estate economics to identify growth opportunities and translate brand strategy into high-performing physical retail environments.Prior to Nespresso, Anatoliy held a senior development and facilities leadership role with EssilorLuxottica, supporting a large multi-brand retail portfolio that included Lens Crafters, Sunglass Hut, and Ray-Ban.Throughout his career, he has focused on the intersection of real estate, customer experience, and business performance—building strategies that treat physical retail not simply as a distribution channel, but as an important driver of customer acquisition, brand engagement, and long-term growth.* * * *SHOW INTRO:Welcome to Episode 92 of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast and my conversation with Anatoliy Korolenko – who leads the Real Estate and Development for Nespresso USA.In every episode we follow our catch phrase about having “Dynamic Dialogues About DATA: Design, Architecture, Technology and the Arts.”And as we continue on this journey, we’ll continue to invite guests on our journey that are thought provoking futuris ts, AI technology mavens, retailers, international hotel design executives as well as designers and architects of brand experience places.We’ll talk with authors and people focused on wellness and sustainable design practices as well as neuroscientists who will continue to help us look at the built environment and the connections between our mind-body and the built world around us.If you like what you hear on the NXTLVL Experience Design show, make sure to subscribe, like, comment and share with colleagues, friends and family.The NXTLVL Experience Design podcast is always grateful for the support of VMSD magazine.VMSD brings us, in the brand experience world, the International Retail Design Conference. I think the IRDC is one of the best retail design conferences that there is bringing together the world of retailers, brands and experience place makers every year for two days of engaging conversations and pushing us to keep on talking about what makes retailing relevant.You will find the archive of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast on VMSD.com.Thanks also goes to Shop Association the only global retail trade association dedicated to elevating the in-store experience.SHOP Association represents companies and affiliates from 25 countries and brings value to their members through research, networking, education, events and awards. Check then out on SHOPAssociation.orgToday, EPISODE 92… I talk with Anatoliy Korolenko who leads Real Estate and Development for Nespresso USA … This conversation is effectively based on a tour that we took of the Nespresso flagship store on 5th Ave. at the corner of 16th St. in New York. We cover a lot of ground about how a store is laid out how elements of storytelling merchandising experience and design and construction all come together to make memorable moments of relevant engagement.We’ll get into all of that in a minute but first a few thoughts…I've been working in the world of retail design for more than 30 years and there are subjects that have been foundational to my early learning from my first employer Joe Weishar at New Vision Studios, which I've talked about before in previous episodes.Not often do you find most of them beautifully executed in one store. But that was exactly my impression when getting a tour of the Nespresso store on 5th Ave. Corner of 16th St. in New York.Nespresso was founded in 1986 as a Nestlé subsidiary after employee Eric Favre invented a single-serve pressurized coffee system inspired by a popular Roman espresso bar.Favre visited Rome's Sant'Eustachio café and observed how intermittent water pumping created superior aeration and crema, l
- Aug 10, 20261h 7m
EP.91 360 POINT OF SALE DOCTOR FOR RETAIL AND HOSPITALITY With Heidimarie Kriz, Founder-Owner KRIZH
ABOUT HEIDIMARIE KRIZ Heidemarie’s profile: linkedin.com/in/heidemarie-kriz-0772177 Websites: positiveaffairs.com (Company) krizh.com (Company) pointofsale.doctor (Company) Phone: +43 676 3026618 (Work) Address: Kohlmarkt 8-101010 Vienna I Austria Email: office@krizh.com AKTUELLER RETAIL NEWSFLASH PODCAST >>> https://fanlink.tv/rnfp13022026 Latest Press releases KRIZH in Forbes Magazine Slovakia : https://www.forbes.sk/super-retail-club-prichadza-na-slovensko-prvykrat-nan-zavita-expertka-heidemarie-kriz/ BIO: Heidemarie Kriz is among the pioneers who recognized the multi-sensory dimension of retail long before it became a trend. With almost 30 years of international experience, she merges with architecture, design, and commerce to create environments that are both emotionally engaging and commercially effective. She has directed more than 200 retail projects across Europe and the MENA region for global brands such as Nike, Apple, and Levi’s. Her Vienna-based studio KRIZH® stands for brand-focused spatial design and holistic retail strategy — from concept development and customer journey mapping to sensory engagement and visual merchandising. Acting as a one-stop shop for retail innovation, her work transforms spaces into immersive brand experiences that engage all five senses and build lasting customer relationships. Before founding her studio, Heidemarie held senior roles at international retail brands, where she developed store concepts rolled out across Europe. (more than 200) Her portfolio extends beyond retail to hospitality and office design — experience that enables her to identify synergies and develop solutions that transcend industry boundaries. In 2020, she founded Point of Sale Doctor®, a hybrid consulting platform optimizing retail spaces both in-store and online. With her rapid analysis method, she provides precise, actionable input-from layout to product presentation- achieving measurable sales growth for her clients. Recognized as a Top Retail Expert 2025 & 2026 by RETHINK Retail in New York City, Heidi is a published author (Stores + Shops, Across Magazine, Deutscher Laden-bauverband, Instore Slovakia, retailmagazin.sk..), speaker at conferences, universities and brands, and since 2021 co-host of the Retail News Flash Podcast. Since 2012, she has curated immersive retail trend tours in cities such as Vienna, Venice, Nice, and New York. Holding a Master of Science in Architecture from Graz University of Technology (she is also Civil engineer in architecture) and additional certifications in Marketing & Sales as well as International Project Management, she continues to shape the future of retail as a holistic sensory experience — seamlessly connecting the analog and digital worlds. Her unique approach with Point of Sale Doctor® combines speed, intuition, a
- Jul 19, 20261h 17m
EP.90 "THE ANTI-ARCHITECT'S ARCHITECT" With Christian Giordano President and Co-Owner of Mancini
About Christian Giordano: Christian's LinkedIn profile: linkedin.com/in/cdgiordano Website manciniduffy.com (Company) theantiarchitect.com (Personal) Christian's Bio: Christian Giordano is President and Co-Owner of Mancini, a110-year-old national design firm, and the host of The Anti-Architect Podcast. A trailblazer in the architecture and design space, Christian is redefining the industry by integrating cutting-edge technology and entrepreneurial thinking into a traditionally slow-to-evolve field. Christian’s journey includes studying under the iconic Frank Gehry at UCLA, an experience that profoundly influenced his groundbreaking approach to design and leadership. As a visionary in the field, Christian treats his century-old firm like a startup, drawing inspiration from the forward-thinking companies Mancini works with, such as Google, Peloton, Disney, and Netflix. His work explores how emerging technologies - AI, automation, and immersive digital tools - are transforming the built world. Beyond pioneering innovation in design, Christian is dedicated to mentoring the next generation, inspiring them to push the boundaries of what’s possible in architecture and technology. SHOW INTRO: "...Today, EPISODE 90… I talk with Christian Giordano President and Co-Owner of Mancini who is also the host of The Anti-Architect Podcast – an intriguing name for a pod especially one hosted by an architect and leader of an architecture firm. The interesting thing about the podcast title, is that I think it aptly describes Christian’s personal take on the practice of architecture and leading a group of creative souls into a new future paradigm one and where technology and social media is reshaping engagement in a corporate workplace and the output of their creative endeavors in the built environment. We’ll get into all of that in a minute but first a few thoughts…" * * * * ABOUT DAVID KEPRON: LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/david-kepron-9a1582b Websites: https://www.davidkepron.com (personal website) vmsd.com/taxonomy/term/8645 (Blog) Email: david.kepron@NXTLVLexperiencedesign.com Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidkepron/ NXTLVL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtlvl_experience_design/ Bio: David Kepron is a multifaceted creative professional with a deep curiosity to understand ‘why’, ‘what’s now’ and ‘what’s next’. He brings together his background as an architect, artist, educator, author, podcast host and builder to the making of meaningful and empathically-focused, community-centric customer connections at brand experience places around the globe. David is the Retail Studio Principle at Little Diversified Architectural Consulting (Little) and a former VP - Global Design Strategies at Marriott International. While at Marriott, his focus was on the creation of compelling customer experiences within Marriott’s “Premium Distinctive” segment which included: Westin, Renaissance, Le Meridien, Autograph Collection, Tribute Portfolio, Design Hotels and Gaylord hotels. In 2020 Kepron founded NXTLVL Experience Design, a strategy and design consultancy, where he combines his multidisciplinary approach to the creation of relevant brand engagements with his passion for social and cultural anthropology, neuroscience and emerging digital technologies. As a frequently requested international speaker at corporate events and international conferences focusing on CX, digital transformation, retail, hospitality, emerging technology, David shares his expertise on subjects ranging from consumer behaviors and trends, brain science and buying behavior, store design and visual merchandising, hotel design and strategy a
- Jun 20, 20261h 7m
EP. 89 Unlocking Gen Alpha: Insights Into Next Gen Global Consumers with Thomas Dijkman, Sr. Retail Consultant, Q&A Retail
About Thomas: Thomas’ LinkedIn profile: linkedin.com/in/thomas-dijkman Website: qanda.nl (Company), https://www.ebeltoftgroup.com Phone: +31652656347 (Work) Email: tdijkman@qanda.nl Thomas' Bio: Thomas Dijkman is a Senior Retail Consultant at Q&A Retail, a Netherlands-based retail consultancy. He is Co-chair of the “Young Ebeltoft” initiative, a global collective of next-generation retail thinkers within the Ebeltoft Group. Thomas specializes in translating insights, market expertise, and creativity into practical solutions that help leading retailers adapt and thrive in a fast-changing retail environment. He has worked with retailers such as SPAR, Action, Nexeye, and A.S. Watson, advising on strategy, positioning, consumer engagement, and store and format optimization. With a no-nonsense, data-driven approach, he supports retailers in strengthening their concepts and improving performance across channels. Through his focus on generational insights, Thomas helps retailers better understand what young consumers want and how to turn those insights into action. SHOW INTRO: Today, EPISODE 89… I talk with Thomas Dijkman a Gen Z researcher, which is to say that he is part of Gen Z at 28 years old, who was a speaker at Euroshop 2026. Thomas and the company he work with called Q&A Retail, had just published research on Gen Alpha, which was chock full of insights on this emerging generation of global consumers. We’ll get into all of that in a minute but first a few thoughts… * * * * ABOUT DAVID KEPRON: LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/david-kepron-9a1582b Websites: https://www.davidkepron.com (personal website) vmsd.com/taxonomy/term/8645 (Blog) Email: david.kepron@NXTLVLexperiencedesign.com Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidkepron/ NXTLVL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtlvl_experience_design/ Bio: David Kepron is a multifaceted creative professional with a deep curiosity to understand ‘why’, ‘what’s now’ and ‘what’s next’. He brings together his background as an architect, artist, educator, author, podcast host and builder to the making of meaningful and empathically-focused, community-centric customer connections at brand experience places around the globe. David is a former VP - Global Design Strategies at Marriott International. While at Marriott, his focus was on the creation of compelling customer experiences within Marriott’s “Premium Distinctive” segment which included: Westin, Renaissance, Le Meridien, Autograph Collection, Tribute Portfolio, Design Hotels and Gaylord hotels. In 2020 Kepron founded NXTLVL Experience Design, a strategy and design consultancy, where he combines his multidisciplinary approach to the creation of relevant brand engagements with his passion for social and cultural anthropology, neuroscience and emerging digital technologies. As a frequently requested international speaker at corporate events and international conferences focusing on CX, digital transformation, retail, hospitality, emerging technology, David shares his expertise on subjects ranging from consumer behaviors and trends, brain science and buying behavior, store design and visual merchandising, hotel design and strategy as well as creativity and innovation. In his talks, David shares visionary ideas on how brand strategy, brain science and emerging technologies are changing guest expectations about relationships they want to have with brands and how companies can remain relevant in a digitally enabled marketplace. David currently shares his experience and insight on various industry boards including: VMSD magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board, the Interactive Customer Experience Association, Sign Research Foundation’s Program Committee as well as the Center For Retail Transformation at George Mason Univers
- May 23, 202656 min
Ep.88 FIFTY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE DESIGN THAT MOVES PEOPLE with Simon Ong, Deputy Chairman & Co-Founder, Kingsmen Creatives Ltd.
About Simon Ong: LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-ong-89095b12/ Website: https://kingsmen-int.com email: simonong@kingsmen-int.com Bio: Kingsmen Creatives / Singapore / Deputy Chairman / Co-founder Simon Ong oversees the strategic planning and development, as well as the creative and brand standards, of Kingsmen, a leading communication design and production group with 18 offices spanning the Asia Pacific region and North America. One of the Group’s two founders, he has significantly contributed to its growth. Simon is actively serving in the creative industry and is currently an honorary advisor to the Society of Interior Designers Singapore and a member of Singapore Interior Design Accreditation Council. He served as the Chairman of the design sector of Singapore Workforce Development Agency, and a board member of SHOP!, a leading Association of Retail Environments in USA. In 2019, he was inducted into the SHOP! Hall of Fame in recognition of his significant contributions to the industry. Most recently, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Interior Designers Singapore for his substantial contributions to the design industry. An ardent advocate of education, Simon currently serves as a board director of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. He served as a member of the Advisory Board to the School of Design & Environment at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Temasek Polytechnic School of Design, and a member of the Design Education Review Committee, Singapore (DERC). He was the former Chairman of the School Advisory Board of Cedar Girls’ Secondary School, and Vice-Chairman of the Potong-Pasir CC Management Committee. Simon graduated with a Master’s Degree in Design from the University of New South Wales, Australia, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Australia. SHOW INTRO: Welcome to Episode 88! of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast and my conversation with Simon Ong the Deputy Chairman & Co-founder of Kingsmen Creatives in Singapore.. * * * * As we come to a different phase of our professional life you get to thinking back over the years that you invested in growing something that it was hard but it was also fun it was challenging and it was sometimes desperate sometimes you felt elation sometimes you worried about how we're going to pay the next bill there's a cycle of experience in 50 years of growing a company like that is worth reflecting on and saying ‘you know we have had big wins and we’ve made mistakes we've learned a lot about ourselves and how to grow a business - how to remain relevant. I think the relevancy issue means having a sense of empathy tapping into the zeitgeist around you and saying i need to relate to that because if i don't I’ll become irrelevant and i can't i can't communicate The challenge is put to new leaders and old to listen, be introspective, be flexible to adjust to the sometimes overwhelming sea of change between now and next. You hopefully get better at saying both been there done that and been there not doing that anymore period. When early in my retail design career I had, I guess I would call her a mentor, Jackie Glanz the president of a store fixture manufacturing company called MG Concepts and I recall her drilling into me some core lessons about business and marketing, namely respond to the e-mail or phone call - immediately don't wait because everybody's time is valuable not just yours and it's a sign of respect of the other individual to get back to them right away never burn a bridge especially in the context of a retail community that once you reach a certain level everybody knows everybody else and word travels fast. Maintain your industry friendships even when they are halfway around the world. Because you just never know when you're going to come into a situation where reaching out will make the difference between growth and stagnation, or success and failure or a door opening up or door being closed. It could be with some of those relationships that you never actually do business with them with the mutual support and the benefit of connection extends beyond a project or profit in the physical sense but sometimes is more valuable in a sense of community already perhaps spiritual way the people along your path make a difference. I have often shared with people that I certainly like working on projects but in the end it's relationships that I value most. I'm sure
- Apr 5, 20261h 28m
EP.87 STORYTELLING THAT BUILDS BELONGING with Naomi Crellin, CEO Storycraft Lab
ABOUT NAOMI CLARE CRELLIN:Naomi Clare’s LinkedIn profile: linkedin.com/in/naomi-clare-crellin Websites: storycraft.education (Company) belongingplaybook.com (Company) storycraftlab.com (Company) Email: naomi.clare@storycraftlab.com BIO: Naomi Clare Crellin is a visionary leader who excels in transforming intent and insights into actionable, accessible strategies. As the Founder and CEO of Storycraft Lab, she specializes in refining big ideas and concepts into meaningful and measurable experiences. Naomi is adept at mapping strategic processes that guide both teams and clients from development through delivery, helping to define goals, refine messages, and measure the impact of the stories crafted. Her expertise lies at the intersection of spatial experience and messaging, having collaborated with a diverse range of organizations including Microsoft, Motorola, Bloomberg, the IFC, the Smithsonian, the Human Rights Campaign, and many more. Beyond her work at Storycraft Lab, Naomi has served as an adjunct faculty member, bringing her passion for education into the classroom. She partners with organizations dedicated to making the world a better place, inspiring students to harness their creativity and curiosity. As an empowering educator and experience strategist, Naomi is committed to helping others succeed. She finds immense joy in co-creating with teams, generating engagement, and telling stories through interactions. Her dedication to collaboration and innovation is at the heart of her work, and she loves the impact she and her teams create together. Naomi Clare Crellin is not just a leader but a catalyst for change, fostering an environment where ideas flourish, and meaningful experiences are crafted.' SHOW INTRO: Welcome to Episode 87! of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast… In every episode we follow our catch phrase of having “Dynamic Dialogues About DATA: Design, Architecture, Technology and the Arts.” And as we continue on this journey, we’ll continue to invite guests on our journey that are thought provoking futurists, AI technology mavens, retailers, international hotel design executives as well as designers and architects of brand experience places. We’ll talk with authors and people focused on wellness and sustainable design practices as well as neuroscientists who will continue to help us look at the built environment and the connections between our mind-body and the built world around us. If you like what you hear on the NXTLVL Experience Design show, make sure to subscribe, like, comment and share with colleagues, friends and family. The NXTLVL Experience Design podcast is always grateful for the support of VMSD magazine. VMSD brings us, in the brand experience world, the International Retail Design Conference. I think the IRDC is one of the best retail design conferences that there is bringing together the world of retailers, brands and experience place makers every year for two days of engaging conversations and pushing us to keep on talking about what makes retailing relevant. You will find the archive of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast on VMSD.com. Thanks also goes to Shop Association the only global retail trade association dedicated to elevating the in-store experience. SHOP Association represents companies and affiliates from 25 countries and brings value to their members through research, networking, education, events and awards. Check then out on SHOPAssociation.org Today, EPISODE 87… I talk with Naomi Claire Crellin is a visionary leader who excels in transforming intent and insights into actionable, accessible strategies. Her work uses story as a vector towards belonging. Naomi believes that a well-told story builds trust and genuine peer-to-peer connection in audience advocacy. This in turn bolsters personal growth and psychological safety; encouraging participants to take calculated risks towards innovation. We’ll get into all of that in a minute but first a few thoughts...
- Mar 15, 20261h 17m
EP.86 THE TRANSFORMATION ECONOMY with Joe Pine, Author, Founder of Strategic Horizons, LLP
ABOUT JOE PINE: Joe’s LinkedIn profile; linkedin.com/in/joepine Websites: strategichorizons.com (Blog) StrategicHorizons.com (Company) strategichorizons.com (Personal) SHOW INTRO: Today, EPISODE 86… I talk with Joe Pine Joe Pine, an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and management advisor to Fortune 500 companies and entrepreneurial start-ups alike... * * * * I’ve been in the world of retail place-making for a few decades. 3 would qualify as ‘a few’ I guess. I took a detour for a few years in the late 20-teens, shifting from retail design into the play space of hospitality – a wonderful diversion. The transition was transformative to be sure. I got to re-imagine what I knew about customer experience place making in terms of retail stores and turn my lens towards another fascination – hotels. The interesting thing that emerged was the recognition that in the world of retail everyone, brands, and retail designers and architects alike, were all going on about experience. Now this in and of itself was curious because I’d been designing stores for a couple decades, and I couldn’t recall one client who had ever come to the game and said – ‘hey lets create a really miserable experience for our customers…’ ‘…Let’s make it hard to understand the assortment, hard to read the labels, bathe the product in bad lighting, have people walk the store not being able to find the thing they came in for, etc…’ Not one. Ironically though, while many clients never asked for that, we have all had the experience of that exactly being the case in many stores we go to. So no,… creating a bad experience was never the strategy. We retail designers always sought to create places where positive experience was key. The stuff was important to be sure, but the experience - the emotional residue of the retail interaction - was what was critically important. The stuff was supposed to deliver on what it purported to do, fit well, wear well, not break down, taste good, make you feel better, whatever… it was supposed to work. Otherwise why buy it? In some cases, the stuff just had to deliver on its practical, functional level, it didn’t need to give you more than that. It was a commodity that lived up to its promise. In other cases the stuff delivered on function but gave you oh so much more on an emotional, socio-cultural, psychological, spiritual, level… and all of that is about brand relevance and emotional impact of owning the thing – what it says about you. It’s like looking at the difference between a paper bag which you could get for about 5 cents and a Birkin bag for which you’d drop $50,000. They both provide the same functional use – they carry other stuff – I think we could make a pretty sound argument that that is true. But now the Birkin bag, well… it is supposed to offer you so much more about who you are, and what tribe you run with and a host of other non-tangibles that deeply connect us to a brand. Things way beyond function. And if the paper bag got wet and fell apart, well… you could be confident that for the price of the Birkin bag you could literally get a million replacements. The interesting thing about the stuff, or services, in retail places whether a commodity or something altogether magnificent and magical was that in either case we had to wrap it in positive experience. Mess up the experience and you’ve damaged the relationship. And repairing that rupture can take some time. So, experience matters because the overt and subtle messaging that accompanies a shopping trip is important in fostering the long-term connection between a customer, product (or service) and the brand. The value proposition that determines my choice of one brand or retailer over another can’t just be they have lots of whatever it is at low prices. Price point and SKU count are not differentiat
- Feb 6, 20261h 37m
EP. 85 THE ART AND ZENGENIUS OF VISUAL MERCHANDISING with Joe Baer, CEO / Creative Director, ZenGenius Inc.
ABOUT JOE BAER:Joe’s LinkedIn profile: linkedin.com/in/joe-baer-4479385Websites:zengenius.com visual911.com Email: jbaer@zengenius.comBIO:Joe is the Co-Founder, Creative Director, and CEO of ZenGenius, Inc., an experiential design firm specializing in visual merchandising and event design. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Joe brings over three decades of mastery in innovative leadership and creative direction to the design, visual merchandising and special events industries. He has extensive knowledge of the customer journey from working in stores for decades and is a seasoned public speaker who has traveled the world to inspire and educate others through the art of visual merchandising, design and special events.Additionally, Joe has contributed his retail know-how to multiple publications, authored The Art of Visual Merchandising: Short North, and created one of my favorite events in the retail industry the Iron Merchant Challenge, a popular interactive visual merchandising competition held annually at the International Retail Design Conference. Joe’s passion for the world of design is evident in his role as President of the PAVE Global leadership board - a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation with the mission to support, connect, and inspire the next generation of professionals in the retail design, visual merchandising, and consumer environments industry. He also holds Advisory Board roles at Columbus College of Art and Design and VMSD Magazine. SHOW INTROWelcome to Episode 85! of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast…In every episode we follow our catch phrase of having “Dynamic Dialogues About DATA: Design, Architecture, Technology and the Arts.” And as we continue on this journey, we’ll have guests that are thought provoking futurists, AI technology mavens, retailers, international hotel design executives as well as designers and architects of brand experience places.We’ll talk with authors and people focused on wellness and sustainable design practices as well as neuroscientists who will continue to help us look at the built environment and the connections between our mind-body and the built world around us.If you like what you hear on the NXTLVL Experience Design show, make sure to subscribe, like, comment and share with colleagues, friends and family.The NXTLVL Experience Design podcast is always grateful for the support of VMSD magazine.VMSD brings us, in the brand experience world, the International Retail Design Conference. I think the IRDC is one of the best retail design conferences that there is bringing together the world of retailers, brands and experience place makers every year for two days of engaging conversations and pushing us to keep on talking about what makes retailing relevant. You will find the archive of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast on VMSD.com.Thanks also goes to Shop Association the only global retail trade association dedicated to elevating the in-store experience. SHOP Association represents companies and affiliates from 25 countries and brings value to their members through research, networking, education, events and awards. Check then out on SHOPAssociation.org Today, EPISODE 85… I talk with Joe Baer of Zen Genius an experiential design firm specializing in visual merchandising and event design. Joe had spent more than 3 decades working the in the retail industry bringing visual merchandising know-how to the creation of emotionally resonant branded places. Visual merchandising is allot more than simply making things look good in a store. It’s very much about 3D storytelling, sensory experiences, emotions and making places sing as Joe explains.We’ll get there in a minute but... first a few thoughts…* * * *Monique worked in the visual merchandising departmentshe was the director there and I was the director in the interior design department our two programs ran concurrently we shared some students across our programs but we seldom actually shared lunchAnd so it was slightly strange but intriguing that she invited me to have lunch with her across the street from the college at a little Thai placeWe sat down, talked about students and then - more as a throw away - she said “th
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About NXTLVL Experience Design
NXTLVL Experience Design brings daring and different dialogues about “DATA: Design, Architecture, Technology and the Arts.” You’ll hear from provocateurs for whom disruption and transformation are a way of engaging in work and play every day. Guests include thought leaders driven by a passion to create the ‘new possible’ and promote new paradigms of experience into the mainstream. Designers from all disciplines. Architects who are changing the landscape of the built world. Techno-philes – visionaries who make deeply sensory-based but digitally-mediated experiences. And explorations of the transformative process of creativity with artists of all sorts.
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