Coworking with Erik Wander

On Wednesdays, we wear pink spotlight Retail Brew’s readers. Want to be featured in an upcoming edition? Click here to introduce yourself.

Today we’re highlighting one of our own: Meet Retail Brew’s new editor, Erik Wander! Erik joins us from Adweek, where he served in multiple roles—including, most recently, features editor—for the past seven years. Get to know him more below.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? I help reporters tell the best stories they can possibly tell to keep an audience of retail industry professionals informed, engaged, inspired, and hopefully entertained in the process.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? It involves a tremendous amount of discussion. I suspect a lot of people picture an editor as someone with their head down reading copy much of the time. And while that’s true of my job to an extent, I come at it from the perspective that every good story is a collaboration from start to finish, and communication, mutual trust, and rapport are essential.

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? At Retail Brew? Yesterday’s newsletter. :) It was my first one! Although, I had a lot of help. I always try to focus on the next project. So, while I’ve worked on plenty I’m proud of, I strive to make whatever I’m working on now my favorite.

Which emerging retail trend are you most excited about this year, and why? Sustainability efforts across all aspects of the industry. It’s plain that without significant, meaningful action right now, the climate crisis will devastate us. Retail is already at an inflection point, but how retailers respond to this increasingly urgent call to action is a huge, ongoing story that couldn’t be more important.

What’s your go-to coffee order? Large iced with almond milk, even in the dead of winter.

Worst piece of advice you’ve received? Don’t sweat the small stuff (or words to that effect from multiple well-meaning people). At least for an editor, attention to detail is every bit as important as big-picture thinking. So, yeah, I sweat absolutely everything. If I didn’t, I’d be terrible at my job.

What was your favorite retail product when you were 15, and what’s your favorite retail product now? When I was 15, it might have been my first base glove (but definitely something sports-related). Now? Probably my guitar, a Stratocaster I don’t play well, but do play loud to make up for it.