Craig and Bob Arora, President of The Reset Team Corp., discuss how the company evolved from a traditional merchandising operation into a national partner specializing in fixture installations, store resets, and large-scale retail execution. After noticing a major industry gap — work that had to be completed before merchandising could even begin — Arora launched The Reset Team in 2009 to handle specialized tasks like fixture moves, layout changes, and signage installation. The business quickly grew into a coast-to-coast execution partner supporting major retailers including Home Depot, Walmart, Pet Valu, and PetSmart.

Arora outlines how The Reset Team now leads complex remodels, relocations, and nationwide rollouts with precision and speed. Their specialized crews manage every step from pre-merchandising setup to final execution, supported by real-time reporting and consistent communication. He highlights why national retailers increasingly avoid patchwork regional contractors: inconsistency, uneven quality, and unnecessary management headaches. A recent high-stakes smartphone display rollout, completed across 100+ stores with zero deviation, illustrates how precision execution protects brand standards.

Training, specialization, and technology form the backbone of The Reset Team’s consistency. Arora explains how distributed teams are unified through detailed handbooks, video training, field mentorship, and digital tools like photo verification and automated scheduling. He also discusses broader retail trends, noting that merchandising has shifted from basic shelf-stocking to a dynamic strategy driven by brand experience, flexible fixtures, and rapid campaign alignment. Looking ahead, Arora expects The Reset Team to keep expanding as retailers embrace faster rollouts, evolving store formats, and more experiential environments—and he aims for the company to remain the first choice when execution needs to be done right, and at scale.

Interviewed this episode:

• Bob Arora, President of The Reset Team Corp.
• The Reset Team Corp.

This podcast is the audio version of the The Interview Series video podcasts by Retail Insider Canada are available through our Retail Insider YouTube Channel where you can subscribe and be notified when new video episodes are available.

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LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/CraigPattersonToronto
Instagram: @craig_patterson_toronto
Twitter: @RI_EIC

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Background Music Credit: Hard Boiled Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Craig Patterson and Kris Zanuldin, head of KONEK at Interac Corp. (Interac), discuss how the new Canadian e-commerce payment solution was developed to address key gaps in online checkout experiences. KONEK focuses on accessibility, trust, and convenience—factors Zanuldin says are essential for driving adoption in payments. Built to give Canadians more choice, the system aims to solve pain points around rising payment costs, fraud, and increasingly demanding customer expectations.

Zanuldin outlines how KONEK benefits merchants by improving conversion rates while also reducing payment-processing expenses. By working collaboratively with major financial institutions, KONEK enables features like bank-grade fraud protection, liability shift, and a streamlined checkout flow. The platform also tackles cart abandonment by offering customers more payment options, particularly pay-by-bank methods that resonate strongly with Gen Z and trust-conscious shoppers.

He also highlights the advantage of a made-in-Canada solution built for Canadian regulations, consumer behavior, and security expectations. With Staples as the first national launch partner, KONEK is set to showcase a smoother checkout and improved customer experience. Looking ahead, Zanuldin expects KONEK to play a major role in Canada’s shift from offline to digital commerce, providing a trusted, lower-cost payment alternative as digital wallets and online retail continue to accelerate.

Merchants who are interested in learning more about KONEK can visit KONEK.ca.

Interviewed this episode:

• Kris Zanuldin, head of KONEK at Interac Corp. (Interac),
• KONEK
• Interac Corp. (Interac),

This podcast is the audio version of the The Interview Series video podcasts by Retail Insider Canada are available through our Retail Insider YouTube Channel where you can subscribe and be notified when new video episodes are available.

Subscribe, Rate, and Review our Retail Insider Podcast!

Follow Craig:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/CraigPattersonToronto
Instagram: @craig_patterson_toronto
Twitter: @RI_EIC

Follow Retail Insider:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/Retail-Insider
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RetailInsider/
Twitter: @RetailInsider_
Instagram: @Retail_Insider_Canada

Share your thoughts!

Drop us a line at Craig@Retail-Insider.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

Background Music Credit: Hard Boiled Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Craig Patterson and Albert Chow, co-founder & CEO at Silk & Snow, discussed the company’s origins and growth trajectory. Launched in 2017 as a mattress-in-a-box brand, Silk & Snow quickly distinguished itself by leveraging Toronto’s local manufacturing ecosystem. From the beginning, the brand emphasized thoughtful design, supply chain transparency, and strong relationships with family-owned manufacturers, eventually expanding into bedding, bedroom furniture, and living room essentials.

Chow highlighted the pivotal role of Silk & Snow’s 2023 acquisition by Sleep Country Canada in accelerating the company’s expansion. While the brand began with mattresses, its timely pivot during the pandemic into bedding and furniture positioned it for long-term growth. Today, Silk & Snow complements Sleep Country’s digital and retail presence, with showrooms and shop-in-shop concepts across Canada. The company currently operates seven standalone stores, aiming to reach 10 by year’s end, with further plans to grow to 15 locations.

Looking ahead, Silk & Snow remains focused on refreshing its product lines with new bed frames, sofa colors, and evolving designs while staying true to its Canadian identity. Chow noted shifting consumer behavior, with shoppers blending online research and physical store visits, especially in categories like mattresses and furniture where tactile experience matters. He also pointed to broader retail trends, including the decline of department stores, the rise of specialty retailers, and growing consumer interest in supporting Canadian-made products.

Interviewed this episode:

• Albert Chow, co-founder & CEO at Silk & Snow
• Silk & Snow

This podcast is the audio version of the The Interview Series video podcasts by Retail Insider Canada are available through our Retail Insider YouTube Channel where you can subscribe and be notified when new video episodes are available.

Subscribe, Rate, and Review our Retail Insider Podcast!

Follow Craig:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/CraigPattersonToronto
Instagram: @craig_patterson_toronto
Twitter: @RI_EIC

Follow Retail Insider:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/Retail-Insider
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RetailInsider/
Twitter: @RetailInsider_
Instagram: @Retail_Insider_Canada

Share your thoughts!

Drop us a line at Craig@Retail-Insider.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

Background Music Credit: Hard Boiled Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/