When was the last time you shopped online? You don't have to admit it – especially if it was during your last snoozer of a meeting. But online retail and e-commerce is everywhere; you might even be one who considers it the future of the shopping industry, if you're comfortable in picking out your size and color online. Regardless, the world of online shopping and e-commerce has arrived, and during BostInno's upcoming State of Innovation event, we're going to discuss the future of these business platforms with the who's who of the industry. On Thursday, June 12, more than 1,000 of Boston's top pacemakers, industry leaders and entrepreneurs will gather at the Westin Waterfront for State of Innovation, which will center around four key fields: education, marketing, mobile and retail/e-commerce. Guests will be in the room to hear experts on four different panels speak to the up and coming trends and future of innovation for each industry, and answer questions surrounding their fields while defending their beliefs and practices, and engaging in discussion. In addition to the panelists, Governor Deval Patrick and Mayor Marty Walsh will be in the room to deliver an opening address on the state of innovation, and to discuss technology's role in governance and the city's startup community, respectively. So, are you ready to face the future of innovation in Boston? To prepare you, we've got the scoop on the four different retail and e-commerce panelists who you can hear speak at this year's event, which will be even bigger and better than last year. Meet our retail and e-commerce panelists below, and snag your tickets to the 2014 State of Innovation here.
Greg Selkoe, CEO and Founder at Karmaloop
Here in Boston, Greg Selkoe's company, Karmaloop, has become synonymous with the e-commerce platform. The owner of the streetwear retail company graduated with a masters in public policy at Harvard University, and got his start as an urban planner for the city with the Boston Redevelopment Authority. Selkoe went on to launch the streetwear company in his parents' basement, and Karmaloop now hosts 200 brands and caters to 35 different countries all over the world. If you attended Boston Upfront back in April, you know that Selkoe always has something scandalous to say. Don't miss out on his turn at the retail and e-commerce panel at State of Innovation.
Susan Standiford, Chief Technology Officer at Rue La La
Susan Standiford helps Rue La La, the Boston-based e-commerce site for designer deals and home goods, drive forward in the frontier where fashion and technology meet. Previously holding positions at Disney Interactive and Travelocity, Standiford is no stranger to the power of the web, and now that she's CTO of Rue La La, Boston is not only that much more fashionable, but that much more tech-savvy.
Larry Meyer, CEO at Uniqlo
The popular Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo made quite a stir in the Hub when the company announced they'd be opening not one, but six storefronts in Boston and surrounding areas. The brand, which currently has 17 US locations in markets like New York and San Francisco, has already garnered a following for itself in the Boston area simply by online presence alone. Now, when Uniqlo stores begin to open this year, shoppers will be able to turn their virtual shopping experience into retail reality. Meyer, who previously served as Executive Vice President at Forever 21, will speak on the relationship between online and brick and mortar shopping and what a brand like Uniqlo can bring to Boston.
Mark Bollman, President and Founder at Ball and Buck
If you're a man living in Boston, chances are you've at least heard of Ball and Buck, the Back Bay retailer that sells not only men's clothing and accessories but promotes a rough-and-rustic lifestyle. Shoppers can even get a good old fashioned shave from the barber shop set up in the back of the store. The brand, which promotes not only men's lifestyle but made-in-America goods, follows in suit with Bollman's own lifestyle and leadership. In the years since it's been founded, the brand has grown by 100 percent year over year, and shows no signs of stopping as it garners attention from national and local media. Learn more about BostInno's State of Innovation here and grab your tickets below.
Image via Shutterstock; BostInno
Online Ticketing for BostInno's State of Innovation powered by Eventbrite
