Barbara Thau

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, FEATURES

About Barbara

Barbara is a longtime business reporter and editor specializing in the retail and consumer sectors, whose coverage includes fashion, food, beauty, technology and more. Her coverage at consumer publications like Forbes, CNBC and AOL.com and trade outlets such as Home Furnishings News ranges from market trend analysis features to CEO profiles of the nation’s biggest public companies, as well as buzzy new disruptors. Thau aims for CO—'s features to demystify the business landscape for the business community, with exclusive stories that keep readers ahead of the trends, identify emerging opportunities and offer actionable insights for growth.

Latest—
GOOD COMPANY » THE LEAP

How FIT:MATCH Built a Multimillion-Dollar Business in Four Years

The founder of the apparel-tech startup broke into malls and scored a major partnership with Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty brand to fuel growth by serving consumers’ — and retailers’ — unmet needs.

GOOD COMPANY » THE LEAP

Checkin.com CEO on Reaching Profitability Its First Year in Business

The CEO of Checkin.com shares what it took to turn a profit — an elusive-yet-coveted milestone for a nascent business.

GOOD COMPANY » THE LEAP

Startup Something Better Foods Brings Plant-Based Soul Food to Whole Foods

The founder of startup manufacturer Something Better Foods shares how he broke into big retail with a plant-based soul food line that’s a 20-year-long labor of love born from loss.

GOOD COMPANY » THE LEAP

Interview With Uber's Global Head of Grocery and New Verticals

Uber's Raj Beri shares how the app is building on the pandemic-driven success of its grocery delivery business with a bold retail expansion worldwide via mega merchants and 10,000 SMBs.

GOOD COMPANY » THE LEAP

How Care+Wear Reached Business Profitability

The founder and CEO of healthcare clothing company Care+Wear unpacks what it took to turn a profit — an elusive-yet-seminal goal for a growing business.

GOOD COMPANY » THE LEAP

Why Talkspace Is One of the Fastest Growing Telehealth Startups

President Mark Hirschhorn on how the pandemic and the rise of telemedicine have helped fuel the digital disruptor’s mission to democratize access to affordable mental health care.

GOOD COMPANY » LAUNCH PAD

3 Pandemic-Fueled Commerce Trends

Brands tapped text-based shopping, experiential loyalty programs and online marketplaces to drive newfound sales amid the crisis — strategies that look to stick.

GOOD COMPANY » LAUNCH PAD

Scaling Startups Share Their Winning Customer Retention Strategies

Growing brands Stojo drinkware, State Bags and Yasso frozen treats reveal insider, best practices that drive repeat business and breed shopper loyalty.

GOOD COMPANY » LAUNCH PAD

How a New Wave of DTC Startups Are Tapping Big Retail to Scale Growth

As customer acquisition costs surge for online-only businesses, brands from Caraway cookware to Jinx pet food are turning to brick-and-mortar chains like Target to drive sales.

GOOD COMPANY » THE LEAP

Interview With Celebrity Hairstylist Ted Gibson on the Highs and Lows of Growing a Multimillion-Dollar Beauty Business

The beauty insider shares key takeaways from the game-changing moments that both catapulted and challenged his business, with actionable insights for small businesses to legacy brands.