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Wednesday 9th September 2026 | NEC Birmingham

 

Join the conversation with a community of founders, retailers and industry experts coming together for a day of honest discussions, shared experiences and real practical takeaways.

 

What to expect: Real conversations. Shared experiences. Golden nuggets. Light-bulb moments. And the kind of straight-talking retail insight you only get when the right people are in the same room.

Pull up a chair. Join the discussion. Be part of the community that's shaping the future of retail -  one conversation at a time.

Your hosts for the day

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10:30
  1. AI in Action: Practical Digital Skills for Your Business
    Retail Huddle @ Counter Talks Stage
    60 mins
    • Customer Experience
    • AI & Data
    • Transformation
    • Opportunities
    An accessible, hands-on conversation exploring how small and medium-sized businesses can start using AI tools to improve discoverability and sharpen their marketing. From content creation and customer ...
  2. Building a Seasonal Plan to Drive Profit
    Retail Huddle @ Counter Talks Stage
    60 mins
    • Customer Experience
    • New Products
    • Opportunities
    • Profit
    More stock doesn't mean more profit. Join Laura for an honest conversation about how independent retailers can plan smarter, buy better and build a seasonal range that genuinely drives bottom line gro ...
  3. Engaging Your Customer in Sustainable Futures
    Retail Huddle @ Counter Talks Stage
    60 mins
    • Transformation
    • Leadership
    • Community
    Sustainability isn't just about what you make it's about how you bring your customer along for the journey. In this session Rachel explores how to communicate your sustainability story in a way that r ...
  4. Scale with Retailers: Win more retail listings
    Retail Huddle @ Counter Talks Stage
    60 mins
    • Resilience
    • New Products
    • Opportunities
    In this session, Ami draws on 20 years as a retail buyer to show you exactly what it takes to land more listings, from how buyers think to what makes a pitch impossible to ignore. Great conversation f ...
  5. WORKSHOP: Unlocking Growth by Obsessing Over the 1%
    Retail Huddle @ Counter Talks Stage
    60 mins
    • Customer Experience
    • AI & Data
    • Community
    • Digital Growth
    How small, strategic improvements across conversion, retention and customer journey tracking can transform periods of flat or declining sales into scalable growth. 
  6. WORKSHOP: Visual Merchandising Tactics to Boost Your Sales
    Retail Huddle @ Counter Talks Stage
    60 mins
    • Customer Experience
    • Transformation
    • Trends
    During this workshop I will be sharing my Visual Merchandising expertise to support you with effective product placement and merchandising in-store. Showing you how to maximise your link selling possi ...
14:00
  1. Building a Seasonal Plan to Drive Profit
    Retail Huddle @ Counter Talks Stage
    60 mins
    • Transformation
    • Trends
    • Profit
    More stock doesn't mean more profit. Join Laura for an honest conversation about how independent retailers can plan smarter, buy better and build a seasonal range that genuinely drives bottom line gro ...
  2. Cracking the US Market: Growing Your Online Export Sales
    Retail Huddle @ Counter Talks Stage
    60 mins
    • Digital Growth
    • Opportunities
    • Profit
    The removal of the $800 de minimis threshold has created new challenges for small businesses that have relied on duty-free shipping to sell affordably in the American market. This roundtable is design ...
  3. Scale with Retailers: You Got Stocked. Now What?
    Retail Huddle @ Counter Talks Stage
    60 mins
    • Resilience
    • New Products
    • Opportunities
    Getting listed is just the beginning. The brands that last on shelf are the ones that know how to manage the relationship, drive sell-through and turn one listing into many. Join Ami for an honest con ...
  4. The Rise of Creator Brands Discussion
    Retail Huddle @ Counter Talks Stage
    60 mins
    • Trends
    • Community
    • Digital Growth
    • Opportunities
    • Profit
    Drawing on her experience launching multiple creator-led products and ventures generating millions in sales, Natasha will share how audience-first brands are building loyal communities, creating deman ...
  5. Turning Sustainability into a Competitive Advantage
    Retail Huddle @ Counter Talks Stage
    60 mins
    • Transformation
    • Resilience
    • Opportunities
    • Profit
    Sustainability done right isn't a cost - it's a competitive edge. Join Rachel for a practical conversation about how to move beyond good intentions and turn your commitment to circularity and sustaina ...

Ready to join the conversation?

 

Spaces are limited. Register now to secure your spot and tell us which sessions you'd like to join.

 

Retail Huddle Live x Autumn Fair is a free event open to all Autumn Fair attendees.

 

Wednesday 9th September 2026, NEC Birmingham.

 

We look forward to meeting you.

 

 

Claim your FREE Digital SWAG Bag

 

Claim your free Digital Swag Bag and take home a curated collection of resources and guides from Retail Huddle and all six of your hosts - practical tools you can put to work in your business straight away.


 

About Retail Huddle

Founded by former retail buyer Ami Rabheru, Retail Huddle is a trusted business platform supporting emerging and scaling product founders through practical training, bootcamps, networking and industry events. With 20 years of experience buying for M&S, Next and Tesco, Ami's mission is simple: break down the strategies used by big retail businesses and put them in the hands of the brands that need them most.

 

Where creativity meets retail strategy, success is a collaborative journey.

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