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Joan Verdon

CONTRIBUTOR

About Joan

Joan Verdon has been covering business and retail news for the past 25 years. She has covered trends in tech, manufacturing, real estate and retail, first for The Record of North Jersey and USA Today, and now for CO—. She is a senior contributor, retail, for Forbes.com. Her passion is reporting on how Americans buy and sell. She has covered the birth of billion-dollar companies and the evolution of 100-year-old brands. Previously, she has been an education, general assignment and investigative reporter for The Grand Rapids Press and Buffalo Courier-Express. She spent a year working on Capitol Hill as an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow.

Latest—

How Ty Inc. Is Taking Its Beanie Babies Brand to New Heights Amid the Appeal of (Low-Tech) Nostalgia
The plush toy manufacturer has put a new spin on a previous hit and is using its signature growth strategies to promote and sell it.
READ

Key Solutions Retailers Are Focusing on to Drive Growth This Year
Brands and merchants are heading into the new year worried about prices and making the right decisions about AI adoption.
READ

How 1-800-Flowers Is Reinventing and Revitalizing the Things Remembered Brand
General Manager ReShon Anderson talks about her plans to transform the former mall mainstay into a personalized gifting powerhouse.
READ

What Amazon is Doing To Help Small Business Sellers During the Holiday Season
The online giant’s new AI-powered tools produce marketing content and analyze sales data, enabling SMBs to use its supply chain and e-commerce tools anywhere they sell products.
READ

Lovesac’s Founder on How Its ‘Designed for Life’ Philosophy Will Fuel Growth
The furniture company that won big with its ‘Sactional’ couches is betting its ‘buy better, buy less’ message will make it a billion-dollar brand.
READ

Back-To-School: 5 Key Lessons for Businesses Based on Shopping Trends
Consumers are more value- and cost-conscious than ever, but they still have enough spending power to reward businesses that know how to reach them.
READ

LinkedIn Exec on New Tools Designed to Fuel Growth for SMBs and Entrepreneurs
The professional networking platform unveils new ways to both connect with prospective customers and showcase small businesses’ achievements, says Ora Levit, Vice President, Product Management.
READ

How Google Is Expanding Its AI Tools to Help Small Businesses Connect With More Customers
Brands now can add images, videos, and reviews to their profile pages, and boost customer engagement with AI-generated immersive ads.
READ

How Bugaboo North America Created a Parent-Friendly Culture That Yields High Worker Satisfaction
Expanded paid maternity leave and remote-work flexibility has resulted in improved employee engagement and happiness.
READ

Founder of Menswear Brand UNTUCKit on Taking an Innovative Idea to Profitability and Plans for Future Growth
The 13-year-old company is growing its store footprint and expanding into wholesale.
READ