Beyond the Store: Building IRL Community Through Experience
Join Kendra Scott, WVN, The Retail Muse, Inc. Magazine and Fast Company as we discuss how experiential retail and IRL moments create deeper emotional connection, brand loyalty, and long-term growth.
The panel will explore how modern brands are transforming physical retail into community-driven destinations, spotlight how brands design experiences that resonate beyond transactions, and why community is becoming the most valuable form of brand equity.
Complimentary sips and sweets will be provided. This event will also include a giveback shopping portion with 20% of proceeds benefiting GlamourGals, a foundation that's empowering intergenerational IRL connections.
Featuring:
Matt Stanzione - Regional Marketing Manager, Kendra Scott
James Chester - CEO and Founder, WVN
Sandy Hernandez - CEO and Founder, The Retail Muse
Moderated by Morgan Brady - Executive Director of Community and Membership, Inc. and Fast Company
Attendees:
Retailers expanding their third spaces
Decision makers overseeing operations and business intelligence
Brand leaders exploring retail tech that helps unlock the full revenue potential of their stores
Investors and media interested in retail innovation and IRL trends
Event Program:
6:00pm - 6:30pm: Doors Open, Mingling
6:30pm - 7:00pm: Panel Discussion
7:00pm - 8:00pm: Networking and Shopping
Meet the Panel:
Matt Stanzione is the Regional Marketing Manager in New York/New Jersey for Kendra Scott. He incorporates Brand Identity and the company's Philanthropy Pillar to bring engaging events and activations to the market, while giving back to the community through nonprofit givebacks and philanthropic initiatives. Based in Astoria, Queens, Matt has worked in retail in New York City for the last 18 years with national brands and flagship locations, including Michael Kors and The North Face. He is dedicated to a career focused on elevating customer experience and impacting the customer community.
James Chester is the CEO and Founder of WVN, a real-world intelligence platform that tells brands how to make more money in their physical spaces. He previously launched Gumband within WPP, a cloud-based platform that powered experiential technology for brands like Nike, Meta, and Google. With a background in structural engineering and a decade in media and analytics, James brings a systems-level perspective to how humans engage with space, story, and commerce. He contributes to Inc. and Fast Company, has spoken at SXSW, and is based in Nashville.
Sandy Hernandez is the creator of Store Wars, A Store Is Born and Founder of The Retail Muse, a strategy consultancy and media platform helping brands transform how they approach physical retail. Her retail safaris and workshops take teams out of their offices and into the wild, observing real consumer behavior to see beyond their industry bubbles and redesign experiences that convert. Sandy has been recognized as one of RETHINK Retail’s Top Experts (2024-2026) and a Retail Voice by NRF (2025). Her work is known for blending strategic clarity with creative spark, helping brands make smarter decisions about how they show up offline.
Morgan Brady is the Executive Director of Community and Membership at Inc. & Fast Company, where she oversees the strategy, growth, and experience of all community and membership programs across both iconic brands. In this expanded leadership role, she leads initiatives including Inc. Leadership Forum, Fast Company Impact Council, and Fast Company Executive Board—designing high-impact programming and fostering meaningful connections across virtual and in-person experiences.