We're delighted to welcome for this week's episode GiGi Busch, who at the time of recording was a produce and floral analyst for Busch's Fresh Food Market. GiGi has since been promoted into a broader role of content creator, working with the marketing department. Prior to her role as a category analyst, she spent several years as a floral merchandiser. In this conversation with The Produce Retail Podcast host Ashley Nickle, GiGi talks about how she stays on top of what's trending; when to throw the rule book out the window; how she prepares to present ideas for new events; her favorite new "micro holidays" in floral; from which other retailers she draws inspiration; how to find and cultivate talent for the floral department; listening as the starting point for developing as a leader; the importance of learning from people across the industry; not making assumptions of what consumers will buy based on demographics; the grand reopening of the Novi location and what went into the design of the produce and floral department; how she, as a member of the ownership family, works to establish rapport with store-level personnel; what her pitch would be to younger people about the opportunities in grocery; and more. Enjoy!

<p>We're delighted to welcome for this week's episode GiGi Busch, who at the time of recording was a produce and floral analyst for Busch's Fresh Food Market. GiGi has since been promoted into a broader role of content creator, working with the marketing department. Prior to her role as a category analyst, she spent several years as a floral merchandiser. In this conversation with The Produce Retail Podcast host Ashley Nickle, GiGi talks about how she stays on top of what's trending; when to throw the rule book out the window; how she prepares to present ideas for new events; her favorite new "micro holidays" in floral; from which other retailers she draws inspiration; how to find and cultivate talent for the floral department; listening as the starting point for developing as a leader; the importance of learning from people across the industry; not making assumptions of what consumers will buy based on demographics; the grand reopening of the Novi location and what went into the design of the produce and floral department; how she, as a member of the ownership family, works to establish rapport with store-level personnel; what her pitch would be to younger people about the opportunities in grocery; and more. Enjoy!</p>

The Produce Retail Podcast is the place for thought leaders in the industry to talk shop. Join us for conversations on strategy, business partnerships, planning, training, leadership, communication, merchandising and much more. We'll have regular guests as well as more occasional visitors, and the goal is always to deliver conversations that inform, inspire and ultimately illuminate opportunities for growth. This podcast is hosted by Ashley Nickle, produce industry enthusiast and founder and CEO of Ashley Nickle Growth Strategies.  

<p>The Produce Retail Podcast is the place for thought leaders in the industry to talk shop. Join us for conversations on strategy, business partnerships, planning, training, leadership, communication, merchandising and much more. We'll have regular guests as well as more occasional visitors, and the goal is always to deliver conversations that inform, inspire and ultimately illuminate opportunities for growth. This podcast is hosted by Ashley Nickle, produce industry enthusiast and founder and CEO of Ashley Nickle Growth Strategies.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>