Ep. 13 - Global Retail Trends, Authenticity, and the Future of Brick-and-Mortar with Nick Harbaugh
In this episode of CRE Unplugged, we’re going retail and we’ve got the perfect guide. Nick Harbaugh, VP International at Flexecution and the creator of The Retail Nomad on YouTube, joins us to unpack the evolving world of brick-and-mortar across continents. With over 200,000 locations under his belt and more than 200 videos capturing retail trends worldwide, Nick blends hands-on expertise with an eye for storytelling. We dive into Nick’s unlikely origin story (spoiler: it started with getting kicked out of engineering school), his pivot to project management and entrepreneurship, and why he moved to Costa Rica to launch a global retail media brand before it was cool. From tech-enabled storefronts to cross-cultural insights, Nick breaks down what makes physical retail matter in a digital-first world and why “honoring your authenticity” might be the best strategy of all.
Show Notes:
0:10: Nadine is back in Boston and Ryan’s big move
3:31: Ryan recaps the IMN’s AI in Real Estate Event
7:09: Introducing Nick Harbaugh
9:20: Nick’s unconventional background in real estate
12:04: Learnings from real estate growth in the mid 90s/early 2000s
16:52: The launch of “The Retail Nomad”
18:50: What drives Nick to hit record?
21:38: Retail culture across borders
26:45: “Tech drives bricks”
31:00: Which video really struck a chord with viewers?
32:15: Building and trusting his retail community
34:30: The secrets to cost savings
39:06: Retail in Latin America and Europe
43:08: Innovations in retail
44:47: Why is Nick moving to Europe?
46:50: “Honoring your authenticity” and advice to young professionals
50:00: The future of retail
51:00: How does Nick unplug?
54:57: Nadine and Ryan’s takeaways
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This episode is sponsored by our awesome partner, HILO, making connectivity and engagement a breeze in commercial real estate.