Marie Schwartz

Marie Schwartz

CEO RETHINK Retail
Marie Schwartz

Monday, August 10: Summit Day

12:50 PM Loyalty: Opening Remarks by Summit Chairperson

1:40 PM Loyalty: Panel: Building for Growth: Crafting Lifecycle Roadmaps and Evolving CRM Strategies to Retain Current Customers

Brands can no longer rely on one-size-fits-all blasts when customers expect timely, relevant touchpoints at every stage of their journey. As behaviors shift and channels multiply, growth teams need dynamic lifecycle roadmaps and adaptable CRM strategies that nurture, re-engage, and reward existing customers over time. In this panel, lifecycle and CRM experts share how to map key moments, orchestrate cross-channel messaging, and use data to turn today’s customers into tomorrow’s most valuable advocates.
  • Mapping customer journeys and segmenting audiences to tailor engagement at every stage
  • Automating onboarding, upsell, and loyalty programs for scalable retention
  • Personalizing communication, offers, and support based on individual behaviors and milestones
  • Aligning teams and metrics to ensure seamless experiences and ongoing value for existing customers

Wednesday, August 12

8:20 AM Main Stage: Keynote Fireside Chat: From Craft Store to Creative Destination: How Michaels Is Reimaging Customer Loyalty and the Retail Experience

In today’s retail landscape, customer loyalty is built through meaningful experiences that keep customers coming back. In this fireside chat, Heather Bennett, President & Chief Customer Officer at Michaels, explores how the brand is evolving from a traditional arts & crafts retailer into an omnichannel destination for creativity and celebration. From rethinking loyalty to reimagining the in-store experience, Michaels is redesigning the customer journey to drive deeper engagement and long-term connection across every touchpoint.

This session will explore how Michaels:
  • Refreshed its loyalty program to deliver meaningful value that drives repeat customers
  • Expanded product assortments and new store-in-store concepts to drive traffic and cater to both new and existing audiences
  • Unveiled a new modern and experiential store format that offers more reasons to visit, explore, and shop time and again 

Check out the incredible speaker line-up to see who will be joining Marie.

Download The Latest Agenda