C25 - With Mike Hogenmiller (Ex-The Home Depot): Preparing for Major Retail Conversations: A European vs. U.S. Perspective

When a retailer launches a marketplace, suppliers often see a threat: lost control over pricing, channel conflict, and the risk of becoming just another product among thousands. But what if they’re looking at it the wrong way? In this episode of The Retail Revolution Diary, I explain why marketplaces can be much more than another sales channel. They can become your strongest tool to build demand, prove your product’s potential, and make your next retail negotiation easier. We explore how to build a focused hero range, create content that sells without a salesperson, work with content creators, and avoid the traps of margins, algorithms, and channel conflict. The real opportunity? Walking into a buyer meeting with sales data, customer reviews, and proof that people already want your products. Because the marketplace isn’t the destination. It’s your proof. The real question is: Does your brand exist without the buyer?

What really changes when you move from the European DIY market to Australia? In this episode of The Retail Revolution Diary, I’m joined by Tony Walker from Bunnings to explore the differences he observed through his experience in competitor insight at the Australia’s leading home improvement retailers. We talk about what European suppliers should consider before entering the Australian market, from market dynamics and price competitiveness to the role of brands and private label. A fascinating conversation about what looks similar on the surface, but works very differently once you get closer to the retail reality! If you’re a supplier thinking about Australia, or simply curious about how DIY retail strategies differ across markets, this episode is for you.

Believing your retail buyer will reply to your first email with “Yep Michel, this offer is perfect, let’s crack on and implement it next month” is madness. A great product doesn’t automatically make a great retail offer. In this episode, I share practical tips to help you build offers that actually resonate with retail buyers: speak their vocabulary, build around their needs, give them options, make the commercial logic clear, and make it easier for them to say yes. Because your offer shouldn’t be built around what you want to sell. It should be built around what the retailer needs to buy. www.la-revolution.fr

In this episode, I’m opening the door to my next big project: my new book. I’m sharing the first concept of the book as a first glimpse into the thinking behind it, starting with a simple idea: our world is more open than ever. Markets, relationships, marketplaces, information, suppliers, customers… geographical and traditional boundaries are disappearing. And yet, many suppliers still operate as if their world were limited to the customers, markets and relationships they already know. Why? If you want to discover where this book is heading, you can read the Introduction and Echelon 1 through the link below. https://1f12-fiorella.systeme.io/newbook-fiorellaoriglia Welcome to the beginning of the journey.

Negotiation season always feels heavy. The same pressure. The same questions. The same battle over price, timing and competitiveness. But what if the real problem starts before the meeting? In this episode, we look at how suppliers can move from defending a position to actively shaping the negotiation. We explore: Why preparing around one number puts you on the defensive How two scenarios can change the buyer conversation Where hidden negotiation leverage sits inside your organisation Why the best negotiations start with questions, not pitches And why creating value is not enough if that value is not visible to the retailer The goal isn't to “win” the negotiation. It’s to arrive with enough options, internal flexibility and clarity to build a better outcome for both sides. www.la-revolution.fr