Founder/Author
On Your Feet, Monster Transformation
Gary Hirsch is the founder of On Your Feet (oyf.com), a pioneer in the field of Applied Improvisation and experiential facilitation. For the past 28 years, his organization has been working with Apple, Expedia, Google, Nike, VF, Disney, Mars and others to help them communicate, innovate, and collaborate.
Gary is also a renowned author, visual artist and illustrator, exploring how art can connect people worldwide. He recently authored and illustrated Monster Transformation from Wiley publishing. He exhibits his art work frequently from his home in Portland, Oregon. His public art commissions can be seen in Madrid, New Orleans, Boulder, Pheonix, Dallas, Melbourne, and in Portland, Oregon.
Thursday Jul 23
8:30am - 9:15am
Retail’s biggest transformation barriers aren’t technical – they’re organizational. In Monster Transformation, authors Rafeh Masood, Ari Lightman, and Gary Hirsch identify the hidden “monsters” – misaligned incentives, cultural resistance, legacy processes, and leadership blind spots – that quietly derail digital and AI initiatives. For senior retail leaders, these monsters are the real reason promising AI pilots fail to scale, transformation stalls, and ROI remains elusive. This session introduces a practical framework to identify, confront, and dismantle these blockers, enabling organizations to move beyond experimentation to sustained, profitable change. Attendees will gain tools to align teams, redesign decision-making, and build transformation-ready organizations, turning AI and digital investments into measurable business advantage rather than isolated innovation.
