Melissa Gonzalez

Award winning retail strategist Melissa Gonzalez is a Principal at the global design and architecture firm MG2 and Founder of MG2 Advisory, now part of Colliers Engineering and Design. Drawing from her success as a Wall Street executive and a seasoned entrepreneur who has worked side-by-side with some of the fastest-growing direct-to-consumer companies, she advises brands and retailers on how to leverage forward-thinking consumer insights with innovative strategy from concept through implementation and has advanced the industry through her work in experiential design. 

Continually pushing the boundaries of experiential retail, she has pioneered the integration of physical environments and cutting-edge technologies, helping companies including established brands such as Nordstrom and Victoria's Secret, and digital-first natives such as Good American and Kizik. 

Gonzalez authored the Pop-up Paradigm: How Brands Build Human Connections in a Digital Age, heralding a wave of pop-ups for luxury and specialty, long-lease and weekend drops. New York Business Journal named her one of “10 New York Executives to Watch in 2023,” Path to Purchase Institute included her among their 2023 Women of Excellence Winners, and Women's Wear Daily (WWD) called her one of "25 Most Influential Women Leaders.

Gonzalez is also the creator and host of the podcast Retail Refined, which explores the future of retail and in-store technology. She has interviewed some of the most prominent leaders in retail, including the CEO of Toys R Us, the Chief Digital Officer of Ikea, and the CMO of American Eagle. Her first-to-market research is published in quarterly consumer reports that are anticipated by retail leaders and offer insights into a variety of markets such as footwear, beauty, and outdoor gear among others.

Gonzalez has been quoted in WWD, Business of Fashion, Retail Brew, Glossy, Forbes, Frame, and The New York Times.