{"href":"https://api.simplecast.com/oembed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcommerce-famous.simplecast.com%2Fepisodes%2F016-mark-friedman-psVgSgA4","width":444,"version":"1.0","type":"rich","title":"016 | Mark Friedman | The journey of the mid-market merchant","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/7c32f0ca-bb5c-48bf-8234-a60640c527be/300915fa-f542-4fe1-9bce-e79c06a1b766/ba448acb-44ac-43aa-a490-6959277b59f0.jpg","thumbnail_height":300,"provider_url":"https://simplecast.com","provider_name":"Simplecast","html":"<iframe src=\"https://player.simplecast.com/f88eb802-4aa8-4961-9a9a-503b04c8c5eb\" height=\"200\" width=\"100%\" title=\"016 | Mark Friedman | The journey of the mid-market merchant\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>","height":200,"description":"\"Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: The Journey of the Mid-Market Merchant\" is the title of a ground-breaking report that Mark Friedman, today's podcast guest, has just co-authored with Rick Watson. (Free download: www.shopware.com/mid-market)\n\nMark joins Ben to talk about his findings as well as discuss how his long career in the retail industry has shaped his views on the mid-market. \n\nMark is a seasoned professional in the retail industry with a history of leading companies through periods of transformation. Having previously worked at Brooks Brothers, Mark was invited by the same CEO to join Warnaco, a once-bankrupt company now thriving with a $2 billion wholesale business. At Warnaco, he managed an extensive portfolio that included legacy brands and licenses for high-profile names like Calvin Klein underwear, Calvin Klein Jeans, and Speedo North America. While the company primarily operated through wholesale channels, selling to other retailers, Mark's domain also included nurturing a small but growing digital presence for these popular brands, positioning him as an innovator in the digital retail space."}