Shows
Beyond The ShelfREWIND: Always Ask Why - with Ahold Delhaize USA's Joanna CrishockThis week we're re-airing our 10/21/25 episode featuring Joanna Crishock, VP of Digital Merchandising & Operations at Ahold Delhaize USA. She shares how she’s helping iconic brands like Food Lion, Stop & Shop, Giant Food, and The Giant Company stay agile, customer-focused, and digitally connected. From her early days in consumer insights to leading omnichannel strategy across merchandising, operations, and retail media, Joanna brings a powerful “why-first” mindset to every challenge.Dave and Joanna discuss:How to bridge retail media and merchandising teamsWhat true customer-centricity looks like in digital retailWhy asking why is the key to better strategy and col...
2025-11-2547 minBeyond The ShelfFrom Local Stores to National Impact – with Ace Hardware & RedVest Media's Molly HjelmThis week Dave is joined by Molly Hjelm, Corporate Vice President & Head of Retail Media at Ace Hardware's RedVest Media, . Molly shares what it takes to build a retail media network from scratch, while honoring the voice of thousands of independently owned stores.She breaks down what hyperlocal really means (it’s not just geography), how she applied learnings from grocery and dollar, and why in-store activation still matters in a digital-first world.Connect with Molly on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet th...
2025-11-1828 minBeyond The ShelfHow to Win College Consumers – with Snag’s Carter ZwickThis week on Beyond the Shelf, we’re joined by Carter Zwick, Partnerships and Insights Lead at Snag, a retail activation platform helping brands get in front of the Gen Z shopper with smarter sampling and real-world insights.College students are some of the most valuable—and most overlooked—shoppers in the market today. So how do you reach them early and build brand loyalty that lasts?Carter shares how his own caffeine habits were shaped in a college dorm room, why brands need to meet students where they are (physically and emotionally), and how to tur...
2025-11-1123 minBeyond The ShelfRedefining Skincare on the Digital Shelf – with Advantice Health's Ash McMullenThis week's guest is Ash McMullen, Head of E-Commerce at Advantice Health. At Advantice, Ash leads eCommerce and Amazon strategy for the brands Kerasal, AmLactin, Triple Paste, Dermoplast, New-Skin and Domeboro. Dave and Ash explore:How Ash helped scale her dad’s Amazon business before agencies were even a thingWhy audience and content come before product in today’s innovation cyclesWhat it takes to rebrand brick-and-mortar hero products for today’s digital-first worldWhy micro-influencers are gaining groundHow Ash builds teams that thrive through chaos (and Prime Day curveballs)Connect with Ash on LinkedInFollow B...
2025-11-0436 minBeyond The ShelfREWIND: The Science of Shopping - with Behavioral Researcher & Author Paco UnderhillThis week we're re-airing our episode from this past August with Paco Underhill, renowned behavioral researcher, retail anthropologist, and best-selling author of Why We Buy.Paco has spent decades studying how and why we shop—and what our behavior reveals about the changing nature of retail. In this episode, he and Dave dig into:How physical stores are evolving in a digital-first worldThe surprising shopper trend reshaping the beauty categoryWhat AI can’t replicate when it comes to in-store experiencesThe friction points modern brands must solve to win customer loyaltyWhether you're in eCommerce, store desi...
2025-10-2835 minBeyond The ShelfAlways Ask Why - with Ahold Delhaize USA's Joanna CrishockThis week Dave is joined by Joanna Crishock, VP of Digital Merchandising & Operations at Ahold Delhaize USA. She shares how she’s helping iconic brands like Food Lion, Stop & Shop, Giant Food, and The Giant Company stay agile, customer-focused, and digitally connected. From her early days in consumer insights to leading omnichannel strategy across merchandising, operations, and retail media, Joanna brings a powerful “why-first” mindset to every challenge.Dave and Joanna discuss:How to bridge retail media and merchandising teamsWhat true customer-centricity looks like in digital retailWhy asking why is the key to better strategy and collabo...
2025-10-2147 minBeyond The ShelfReimagining the Supply Chain – with McLane Company's Murat GencWhat does it take to digitally transform a $50 billion supply chain business?This week's guest, Murat Genc, President and Chief Information & Digital Officer at McLane Company, shares how he’s helping a 130-year-old company embrace the future of technology.From his early days building algorithms in college to leading transformations at P&G, Whirlpool, and now McLane, Murat brings a rare blend of technical depth, leadership savvy, and startup mentality to every challenge he faces.You'll learn about:The “always-on” mindset driving McLane’s modernizationBuilding AI assistants that work across every departmentHow emerging...
2025-10-1435 minBeyond The ShelfMaking the Creative Work Harder — with Retail Media Veteran Brian AnthonyThis week's guest is Brian Anthony. Brian was in retail media before it was even called retail media. From his early days at Triad, helping launch the first LeBron James campaigns on walmart.com, to his current work shaping strategy across RMNs and brands, Brian brings a wealth of perspective to the evolution of the space.In this episode, he and Dave talk about:The early days of retail media and how far it’s comeWhat makes great creative (hint: simplicity, alignment, and execution)How to bridge the gap between brand and retailer voiceWhy data is only...
2025-10-0725 minBeyond The ShelfThe Pivot or Die Mindset - with Pacvue's Melissa BurdickThis week we welcome Melissa Burdick, Co-Founder and President of Pacvue, the leading Commerce Operating System that unifies retail media, commerce management, and measurement. A former Amazon executive with nearly a decade of experience, Burdick helped launch Amazon’s CPG/Health & Beauty retail business and was an early leader in Amazon Advertising. In 2018, she co-founded and bootstrapped Pacvue, scaling it from a startup into a global company with over 700 employees, supporting more than 70,000 brands and agencies across 95+ retailers including Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Instacart. Under her leadership, Pacvue tripled its revenue annually, leading to a high-profile acquisition in 2021. Recognized as...
2025-09-3042 minBeyond The ShelfReaching Every Shopper, Everywhere – with Jeff CohenThis week we’re joined by returning guest Jeff Cohen. Jeff is a go-to voice in the world of retail media. You’ll hear Jeff’s take on signal-based media, AI-powered ad creation, and the biggest creative blockers that brands still face today. He also shares why strategy, content, and creative execution can no longer live in separate silosConnect with Jeff on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation PlaybookTake It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation wi...
2025-09-2334 minBeyond The ShelfSustainability That Sells: Turning Purpose into Action - with Marie-Agnés DaumasThis week we're joined by Marie-Agnès Daumas. With a background spanning TerraCycle and Colgate-Palmolive, Marie-Agnès brings a career's worth of insight into retail leadership, sustainability strategy, and how to connect with the modern consumer.In this episode, she shares lessons from the frontlines of purpose-driven commerce: How to make sustainability resonate at the shelfWhy simple creative matters more than ever The surprising power of a faucet (!) How her team at Terracycle turned a Colgate-Palmolive initiative into a global movementWhy the best shopper marketing blends data, design, and a clear call to actionConnect with...
2025-09-0925 minBeyond The ShelfHow to Launch (and Win) with Influencers and Algorithms - with ProductWind's Tim WilsonDave’s guest today is Tim Wilson, Chief Revenue Officer at ProductWind, a platform helping brands use influencer marketing to drive real results—especially in retail environments like Amazon and Walmart.Tim’s career has spanned eComm, tech, and analytics—with past roles at CommerceIQ, Pattern, and 1010data. In this episode, he shares what he’s learned about launching products, winning with algorithms, and why influencers aren’t just for top-of-funnel anymore.We dig into:How to “market to the algorithm” and why it matters for PDP visibilityThe rise of AI-driven search and the battle for the t...
2025-09-0234 minBeyond The ShelfThe Science of Shopping - with Behavioral Researcher & Author Paco UnderhillThis week’s guest is Paco Underhill, renowned behavioral researcher, retail anthropologist, and best-selling author of Why We Buy.Paco has spent decades studying how and why we shop—and what our behavior reveals about the changing nature of retail. In this episode, he and Dave dig into:How physical stores are evolving in a digital-first worldThe surprising shopper trend reshaping the beauty categoryWhat AI can’t replicate when it comes to in-store experiencesThe friction points modern brands must solve to win customer loyaltyWhether you're in eCommerce, store design, or brand strategy, this conversation is pac...
2025-08-1235 minBeyond The ShelfHow to Drive Smarter Retail Execution – with Spectrum Brands’ Mir ZamanWhat do rocket science and commercial operations have in common? More than you think!In this episode, Mir Zaman, Vice President of Commercial Operations at Spectrum Brands, shares what he brought with him from the aeropsace industry to Amazon—and now to one of the most diverse brand portfolios in consumer goods. From challenging legacy systems to scaling creative content across categories like pet care, home improvement, and garden, Mir offers a clear blueprint for modern growth.We also dive into:Lessons from nearly a decade at Amazon (and how to keep that entrepreneurial sp...
2025-08-0532 minBeyond The ShelfSmarter Media Measurement and Incrementality – with Clerdata’s Meghan CorroonThis week we’re joined by Meghan Corroon, Co-Founder and CEO of Clerdata. In a world full of spend reports, inflated ROAS claims, and buzzwords like "directional" or "efficiency," Clerdata helps brands see clearly which investments are moving the needle - and which are just noise.Meghan brings a deeply analytical mindset (honed through time at the Gates Foundation and beyond) and mixes it with real-world brand empathy. The result? A grounded, accessible conversation on what it takes to really measure media impact, make smarter cross-channel decisions, and bring teams together around the data that matters....
2025-07-2928 minBeyond The ShelfHow Expert-Led Content Is Rebuilding Brand Trust - with The Desire Company's Eric SheinkopWhat if you could swap out your influencer campaign…for a NASA astronaut?This week on Beyond the Shelf, Eric Sheinkop, CEO of The Desire Company, breaks down why expert-led content is outperforming traditional UGC and influencer videos—and how his team built a community of world-class experts to power high-converting content across Target, Sam’s Club, Best Buy, Amazon, and more.We get into:Why shoppers are craving real expertise at the point of purchaseHow expert-led videos improve conversion—and build trustWhat makes PDP video different from social or UGCHow neuroscience and FTC complian...
2025-07-2230 minBeyond The ShelfHow Great Retail Events Come Together – with Groceryshop & Shoptalk's Rocquan LucasThis week we’re joined by Rocquan Lucas, VP of Content at Groceryshop and Shoptalk, where he leads speaker recruitment, agenda development, and content strategy for two of the most influential retail events in the world.Rocquan shares his journey from interning at Internet Week NY to curating high-impact events attended by thousands of the biggest names in CPG, grocery, and tech.In this episode, we talk about:How to design content for 5,000+ attendees – Rocquan shares the mix of research, instinct, and collaboration that goes into building a world-class agenda for Groceryshop and Shoptalk.Behi...
2025-07-1534 minBeyond The ShelfEmbracing Change: How to Be Agile in the Age of AI – with Status: Alpha’s Alicja SpauldingThis week we’re joined by Alicja Spaulding, Founder of Status: Alpha, who helps marketing leaders operationalize AI, digital transformation, and creative agility.Alicja started her career in the music industry—cutting her teeth in the early days of digital disruption—and has since built brands in architecture, food, and now AI-enabled strategy. She’s worked with startups and mid-market manufacturers alike, helping them become more nimble, less siloed, and more prepared for what’s next.In this episode, we talk about:How to build marketing teams that are ready for rapid changeThe difference between au...
2025-07-0830 minBeyond The ShelfREWIND: What’s Next in Retail Media Tech – with Walmart Connect's Diana FinsterWe're off this week, so we're re-airing Dave's interview with Walmart Connect's Diana Finster from earlier this month. They discuss:Walmart’s approach to closed-loop measurement and omnichannel ROIHow to balance scale and precision in media strategyThe launch of Walmart Connect’s Display Advertising API—and how partners like It’sRapid are helping advertisers move fasterWhat great creative looks like, and why it’s core to performanceWhat Diana is focused on heading into Cannes 2025We'll be back next with with a brand-new episode of Beyond the Shelf!Connect with Diana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianabethg...
2025-07-0120 minBeyond The ShelfBuilding Global Content Infrastructure – with Church & Dwight's Julie CliffordThis week we’re joined by Julie Clifford, Global eCommerce Acceleration & Capabilities Senior Manager at Church & Dwight.Julie’s journey from art teacher to global ecommerce leader has one big throughline: helping others succeed. In this episode, she shares how that mindset fuels her work in marketing tech, content strategy, and digital transformation across markets worldwide.We cover:Why global consistency matters—and where localization still winsHow to balance creative agility with brand guardrailsManaging rights, risk, and nuance in global content workflowsThe vendor framework Julie uses (save money, make money, or mitigate risk)How her te...
2025-06-2430 minBeyond The ShelfHow to Turn Post-Purchase Moments into Ad Revenue – with Thanks’ Doron OstrinThis week we're joined by Doron Ostrin, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Thanks – the customer-first ad network that’s transforming how brands show up after checkout.Doron shares why the most underutilized moment in digital commerce might just be the one right after a purchase—and how Thanks is turning it into a high-performing, brand-building opportunity.We also dig into:Why interruptive advertising needs a rethinkThe creative philosophy behind “ads that don’t feel like ads”How Thanks landed a game-changing deal with eBayMaking room for better monetization without killing UXWhy newsletters might be the next frontie...
2025-06-1728 minBeyond The ShelfWhat’s Next in Retail Media Tech – with Walmart Connect's Diana FinsterThis week we’re joined by Diana Finster, Head of Agency, Media & Tech Partnerships at Walmart Connect.Diana’s team is leading the charge on what retail media can be—bridging physical and digital, performance and storytelling. With deep experience across brands, agencies, and platforms, she’s uniquely positioned to talk about the evolving relationship between content, commerce, and conversion.In this episode, we talk about:Walmart’s approach to closed-loop measurement and omnichannel ROIHow to balance scale and precision in media strategyThe launch of Walmart Connect’s Display Advertising API—and how partners like It’sRapid...
2025-06-1020 minBeyond The ShelfHow to Bring B2B Online (Without Losing Your Mind) – with Wastequip’s Kevin CreeseIt’s one thing to sell snacks or sneakers online. It’s another to sell dumpster lids and hydraulic cylinders.This week we’re joined by Kevin Creese, Director of Ecommerce at Wastequip, where he’s leading the charge to modernize how waste handling parts are discovered, bought, and supported online.Dave and Kevin dig into the heavy-duty realities of B2B ecommerce—where the SKU count is high, the data is messy, and the buying process is anything but simple. They cover how to make ecommerce work in a category where most customers don’t even know...
2025-06-0328 minBeyond The ShelfHow to Spend the Next Dollar – with Edgewell’s Nate MoranThis week we’re joined by Nate Moran, Senior Director of Growth, Digital Strategy & Analytics at Edgewell Personal Care—the company behind brands like Schick, Banana Boat, Wet Ones, and more. With a career spanning Red Bull, Newell, Unilever, and now Edgewell, Nate brings a sharp perspective on what it takes to turn data into decisions and insights into impact.In this conversation, Nate and host Dave Feinleib explore the evolving relationship between analytics, creative, performance marketing, and AI. They dig into how Nate and his team think about data strategy, omnichannel planning, and the question on ever...
2025-05-2733 minBeyond The ShelfHow to Hire, Connect, and Lead with Trust – with The FMCG Guys' Daniel Torres DwyerWhat do hiring, podcasting, and great marketing all have in common? If you ask Daniel Torres Dwyer, the answer is the same: it’s about trust, not transactions.Daniel wears a few hats—he’s the Co-Host of The FMCG Guys podcast and Director of Executive Search at Dwyer Partners—and at the heart of both roles is one thing: helping people find the right fit. Whether that’s matching a candidate to a role, a guest to a show, or a brand to its story.In this episode, Daniel and Dave dig into:- What mak...
2025-05-2027 minBeyond The ShelfThe Infinite Loop of E-Commerce – with Russell Stover's Celia Van WickelThis week we’re joined by Celia Van Wickel, Director of Digital Commerce at Russell Stover Chocolates. With a background spanning media, data, neuroscience, and digital commerce, Celia brings a rare and well-rounded perspective to the fast-evolving world of retail media and e-commerce.She and Dave cover everything from aligning marketing and sales for seasonal campaigns to how neuroscience influences creative performance. Celia shares how Russell Stover is modernizing a 100-year-old brand across Amazon, Instacart, and other digital platforms, while also offering a thought-provoking look at the future of AI-powered discovery and what she calls “the infinite loop...
2025-05-1326 minBeyond The ShelfCutting Through the Clutter in Modern CPG – with Tina Mehta (Chloe's, Chobani, Mars)Dave sits down with Tina Mehta, former CMO at Chloe’s, to explore what it really takes to grow a challenger brand in today’s CPG landscape. With a background that also spans powerhouse companies like Mars Chocolate and Chobani, Tina brings deep experience across brand management, shopper marketing, and e-commerce.She shares how her team at Chloe’s redefined frozen treats, how to stretch every marketing dollar, and why creativity, cross-functional collaboration, and retail partnerships are key to driving results. Plus, Tina talks AI, brand authenticity, and what it means to move fast in a modern market...
2025-05-0635 minBeyond The ShelfHow Brands Can Regain Control in Online Retail – with i2o Retail's Manu SareenIn this episode of Beyond the Shelf, host Dave Feinleib sits down with Manu Sareen, Founder & CEO of I2O Retail, to explore the evolving challenges of brand protection, unauthorized resellers, and AI’s role in retail transformation.With deep experience at Amazon and Best Buy, Manu brings a sharp lens to the nuts and bolts of e-commerce—from the basics of availability, pricing, and PDP optimization to the power of automation and the realities of AI at scale.You’ll hear how I2O Retail was born from real pain points in agency life, and ho...
2025-04-2930 minBeyond The ShelfREWIND: The Future of Retail Media with Media, Ads + Commerce's Andrew Lipsman (originally aired 2/4/25)This week we're re-airing a fantastic discussion we had back in February with Media, Ads + Commerce's Andrew Lipsman. Andrew is an independent analyst and consultant with deep expertise in retail media, digital advertising, and consumer trends. He authors the popular Substack newsletter Media, Ads + Commerce where he shares key insights and trends in retail media and the broader advertising and e-commerce universe. Andrew is a predictions guru, and he unpacks his various methodologies with Dave. He also shares what he got right and wrong about 2024, where retail media is headed , and his trends and business predictions for 2025.
2025-04-2239 minBeyond The ShelfHow AI & Data Are Transforming Sports E-Commerce – with Franklin Sports' Scott KennedyFrom unpaid intern to VP of Digital Strategy & Analytics, Scott Kennedy has had a wild ride in the sports and e-commerce world! In this episode of Beyond the Shelf, host Dave Feinleib sits down with Scott to unpack his journey, the meteoric rise of pickleball, and how AI and data are transforming e-commerce.Scott shares how Franklin Sports—the official batting glove of Major League Baseball—stayed ahead of the curve by jumping into new markets, leveraging analytics, and using AI to optimize everything from product listings to demand forecasting.Plus, we dive into the futu...
2025-04-1531 minBeyond The ShelfThe Future of AI in E-Commerce and Retail Media with Two Isaacs' Matthew Adam SmithHow is AI reshaping e-commerce, retail media, and business transformation? In this episode of Beyond the Shelf, Matthew Adam Smith, Founder & CEO of Two Isaacs, shares how brands and retailers can leverage AI and automation to drive business growth, creative strategy, and better consumer experiences.With a background in retail transformation, including the launch of Walmart Connect, Matthew brings unique insights into how AI and automation are shaping the next generation of retail. In this episode, we discuss:The role of storytelling in r...
2025-04-0837 minBeyond The ShelfElevating Digital Commerce Content at Scale with Mondelēz’s Eric AltschulHow do you manage digital content at scale for some of the world’s most iconic snack brands? In this episode of Beyond the Shelf, Eric Altschul, Director of Digital Commerce Content at Mondelēz International, shares how content, digital shelf strategy, and automation play a critical role in winning in eCommerce.With over 10 years at Mondelēz, Eric has helped drive content innovation across brands like Oreo, Chips Ahoy, and BelVita. He walks us through the evolution of eCommerce within CPG, the growing role of retail media, and how AI and automation are shaping content development at s...
2025-04-0128 minBeyond The ShelfOptimizing Amazon & Marketplace Growth with Jungle Scout’s Chris BarnesFor a limited time, Jungle Scout customers can get their first Product Detail Page Image or Banner Ad created free by It'sRapid! Reach out to sales@itsrapid.io with code "JS2025" to find out more!Expanding on Amazon and beyond requires a deep understanding of marketplace trends, retail media investments, and digital shelf strategies. In this episode, Chris Barnes, GM, Retail and Alternative Channels at Jungle Scout, shares how brands can optimize their Amazon strategy, expand into new marketplaces, and navigate the evolving eCommerce landscape.With over a decade...
2025-03-2530 minBeyond The ShelfE-Commerce, AI & Big Brand Strategy with Mike Geller (Amazon, PepsiCo, Newell)This week, we welcome Mike Geller to the show! Mike has built a career at the intersection of technology and retail, working with some of the world’s biggest brands, including PepsiCo, Newell Brands, and Amazon. He started as a founder, selling one of his first startups to John Sculley (former CEO of Apple & PepsiCo), and later helped shape e-commerce strategies at Fortune 500 companies. He is currently a Non-Executive Director at Brimar Industries.Mike shares how he built and sold a startup right out of college (2:15), the unexpected path that led him to PepsiCo (5:42), and what it to...
2025-03-1823 minBeyond The ShelfMastering Automation & Optimization: Insights from Belkin’s Jyoti MalikThis week, Dave welcomes Jyoti Malik, Senior Director of eCommerce at Belkin, to discuss how brands can leverage data & automation to stay competitive. With over 15 years in eCommerce and omni-channel strategy, Malik shares insights on the evolution of eCommerce, retail media, and AI-driven optimization, what has changed and what remains constant. She begins by reflecting on the early days of eCommerce, when it was more of an experiment than a necessity (4:28). As the landscape has evolved, automation has become a key optimization tool (6:19), helping brands expand their reach. Jyoti dives into the impact of AI on search (11:45) a...
2025-03-1129 minBeyond The ShelfDefining Your eCommerce Playbook with Royal Canin’s Elise BarryDave’s guest this week is Elise Barry, Digital Communications Manager at Royal Canin, one of the world’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of dog and cat food. An eCommerce and Digital Marketing specialist with more than 10 years of experience in diverse marketspaces, Barry understands the importance of defining and maintaining a strong digital presence that is specific to your company’s goals. She explains how the pet food industry has seen a post-pandemic shift from brick-and-mortar to eCommerce (2:34). She goes on to explain the importance of deciphering and prioritizing data (8:18), paying attention to keywords (13:22) and creating a compan...
2025-03-0429 minBeyond The ShelfDigital Shelf Dominance: Understanding CPGs with Hayden Consultancy's Eleanor HaydenDave’s guest this week is Hayden Consultancy Founder, Eleanor Hayden. Hayden Consultancy works with food and beverage brands to help them increase their digital footprints and and improve their eCommerce strategies. Having worked in the industry for more than 10 years, both as an entrepreneur and as a Shopper Marketing expert, Eleanor understands that every brand needs to find their own unique approach when it comes to getting in front of the consumer. Eleanor talks about how COVID expedited the push into Retail Media (04:42), how brands can assess their in-store marketing spends (07:43), how starting a business of her...
2025-02-2532 minBeyond The ShelfStarting with Search Before Anything Else with VML’s Kristy MeinzerDave’s guest this week is Kristy Meinzer, Discoverability Director for Performance Content at VML, a creative agency that helps brands grow by combining brand experience, customer experience and eCommerce insights. With expertise in search capabilities, content strategy and brand awareness, Kristy provides insights into the ever-changing world of eCommerce and discoverability, weighing in on how brands are shifting focus, incorporating new technologies and finding new ways to bring awareness to companies and products. Kristy talks about the difference between organic and paid discoverability (8:28), why you should always start with search before anything else (13:50), how the industry as...
2025-02-1825 minBeyond The ShelfAI Is No Longer a Trend - It's Fundamental with Retail Media Breakfast Club’s Kiri MastersDave’s guest this week is Kiri Masters, who hosts and writes Retail Media Breakfast Club, a daily podcast and newsletter summarizing the latest trends in retail media. She’s also a regular contributor to Forbes’ Retail section. Previously she founded Bobsled Marketing, which was acquired by Acadia in 2022. Kiri shares why it’s so difficult to find a true definition of “retail media” (3:28), why specific RMNs need to be treated as their own channels (13:48), her POV on the incredible success of Beast Games on Prime Video (21:38) and why data people also need to learn how to tell a story (3...
2025-02-1135 minBeyond The ShelfThe Future of Retail Media with Media, Ads + Commerce's Andrew LipsmanThis week we welcome Andrew Lipsman back to the show! Andrew is an independent analyst and consultant with deep expertise in retail media, digital advertising, and consumer trends. He authors the popular Substack newsletter Media, Ads + Commerce where he shares key insights and trends in retail media and the broader advertising and e-commerce universe. Andrew is a predictions guru, and he unpacks his various methodologies with Dave (4:42). He also shares what he got right (7:54) and wrong (9:58) about 2024, where retail media is headed (16:13), and his trends (22:36) and business (26:15) predictions for 2025.Subscribe to Media, Ads + Commerce: https://medi...
2025-02-0437 minBeyond The ShelfIt’s All Commerce with Sam GagliardiDave’s guest this week is one of the most sought-after leaders in the E-Commerce and Retail Media spaces: Sam Gagliardi. Sam’s 20-plus year career has included senior roles with both leading brands including Colgate-Palmolive, J&J and Barilla, as well as with SaaS enterprises Reckitt and, most recently, Circana - making him a veteran on both sides of the aisle. Sam shares what originally got him excited about e-commerce (3:49), the power of having effective PDPs (10:00), why it’s more important than ever to connect with shoppers as early as possible (16:20), how both brands and service provider...
2025-01-2840 minBeyond The ShelfThe Next $10 Trillion of Retail Growth with Retail Cities & Confluencer Commerce’s Bryan GildenbergWe’re thrilled to welcome Bryan Gildenberg back to the show. Bryan was the very first guest on Beyond the Shelf, back in August 2023. It’s amazing how much the retail landscape has changed in such a short period of time!Bryan is currently keeping busy as Managing Director of Retail Cities, a global retail data and insights firm, primarily focused on fast growth industries and markets. He balances this with his continuing role as Founder and CEO of Confluencer Commerce, helping retailers and their partners navigate the intersection of retail, media and content. Bryan shares h...
2025-01-2137 minBeyond The ShelfAI is Everywhere with IntentWise’s Sreenath ReddyDave’s guest this week is Sreenath Reddy, Founder of Intentwise. Intentwise provides unified, comprehensive, and reliable analytics and advertising applications for Amazon and Walmart.Sreenath provides overviews of machine learning (8:32) and Intentwise (11:21), and how they’re solving the problem of connecting scattered sources of data to help customers reach profitability faster (14:52). He also shares his journey as an entrepreneur (22:01). Connect with Sreenath: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sreenathkreddy/ Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/ Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker
2025-01-1432 minBeyond The ShelfLeadership through Listening & Learning with The Campbell's Company's Neha ShahHappy New Year! We kick off 2025 with Neha Shah, Senior Manager, Digital Commerce and Omnichannel Shopper Marketing at The Campbell’s Company. Neha’s nearly two-decade career has included senior eCommerce positions at Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue. In her new role, she is spearheading omnichannel efforts across the Campbell’s portfolio of brands. Neha shares her experiences in the early days of eCommerce (7:47), the evolution of the consumer journey in recent years (10:58), navigating Amazon AVN negotiations (13:12), how Campbell’s is pioneering the next wave of what’s happening in the omni and retail media spaces (19:36), and her favorite books o...
2025-01-0729 minBeyond The ShelfSaving 50,000 Hours by Automating Sell Sheets with Kids2’s Dawn PowellWe’re closing out 2024 with a bang! This week’s guest is Dawn Powell, Manager of Ecommerce at Kids2. Kids2 is a leading manufacturer of products and solutions for early stage parents. Baby Einstein, Brightstarts and SwaddleMe are but a few of brands under the Kids2 umbrella that are household names for parents.Recently, Dawn has spearheaded the successful automation of Kids2’s sell sheet processes, which she estimates has saved up to 50,000 hours of manual labor among her team. She’s achieved this by working closely with partners like It’sRapid and Salsify. Details of these partne...
2024-12-1722 minBeyond The ShelfThe Connected Commerce Rocket Ship with Danone’s Jennifer AngelusDave catches up with Jennifer Angelus, Director, Digital Shelf + Capabilities at Danone. Jennifer has been with Danone for nearly a decade across a multitude of roles, including Brand Strategy, Trade Marketing and Category Insights, before shifting to the Digital Shelf side of the business in 2021, where she leads her “E-MAZING” team of ecommerce experts. Topics discussed include: Jennifer’s advice for other leaders looking to change from one specialty to another (5:46), the role that content plays in a digital strategy (11:27), balancing strategy between innovation and evergreen products (13:50), the importance of forming meaningful connections with your team (17:29) and an overv...
2024-12-1028 minBeyond The ShelfHow AI Can Improve Operational Efficiencies with Salsify’s Piyush ChaudhariDave’s guest this week is Piyush Chaudhari, Chief Executive Officer at Salsify. Piyush joined Salsify this past June after an illustrious career in leadership at prestigious firms including SRS & Co, where was CEO, and IRI, where he was President, Americas and Global Strategy. Piyush shares the three things changing the retail landscape today (8:02), his experience at Salsify so far (10:03), an overview of the Salsify/It’sRapid partnership (14:42), his POV on retail media (19:58), thoughts on how the new administration will impact Saas and Tech, and how AI will impact content creation (26:22). Connect with Piyush: https://www.linke...
2024-12-0334 minBeyond The ShelfHow Self-Service Platforms Can Enhance Customer Interactions with Dawn Foods Global's Gireesh SahukarDave speaks with Gireesh Sahukar, Vice President - Digital at Dawn Foods Global, a global leader in manufacturing and distributing finished baked goods and ingredients. Gireesh is a founding member of Dawn’s Digital Innovation Hub, transforming the business’s digital strategy and capabilities. Gireesh shares what it’s like to wear many hats in a startup environment (5:32), an overview of Dawn Foods (9:14), the company processes that used to be manual but are now self-service (15:28), the insights they wouldn’t be able to uncover without a tech stack (22:28), and why crop yields are so important to their bottom lin...
2024-11-1939 minBeyond The ShelfScaling Creative Quickly and Efficiently with The Wine Group's Andrew Groom & Jack SlatteryBeyond the Shelf proudly introduces the first episode in our “Client Spotlight” series. In these episodes, we’ll speak with prominent ItsRapid clients about our partnerships - what are their needs, how can ItsRapid fill in the gaps, and what are their specific use cases? These conversations will peel back the curtain for our listeners, and give you more detail into what a partnership with ItsRapid could mean for your business.This week, Dave speaks with The Wine Group’s Andrew Groom and Jack Slattery. Andrew serves as TWG’s Sr. Director of Digital Marketing and Ecommerce, while Andrew...
2024-11-1241 minBeyond The ShelfMedia Planning 101 with Skai’s Claudia VirgilioDave kicks off November with Claudia Virgilio, Global Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Growth at Skai (formerly Kenshoo), a leading omnichannel platform for marketing intelligence and activation. Claudia has been at Skai for over 15 years, initially heading up sales efforts to partner with clients including Expedia, Hilton, Walmart, Shutterfly, HP and more. She also led the agency team globally, and was instrumental in developing Skai’s agency solutions and partnerships. You’ll learn what it’s like to partner with major retailers (4:09) takeaways from Grocery Shop 2024 (7:22), Media Planning 101 from a paid perspective (10:16), why online brand discovery is so difficu...
2024-11-0526 minBeyond The ShelfBuilding a Business as a Couple with Thread Wallets’ McKenzie BauerDave’s guest on today’s show is McKenzie Bauer, Co-Founder of Thread Wallets, an e-commerce company redefining everyday carry items. McKenzie and her team are on a mission to create products that not only look great, but also support their customer’s active lifestyles. Join them as they dive into her journey in building a brand from scratch. You’ll learn the origins of Thread Wallets (1:27), their early experiences with influencer marketing (6:49), what it’s like to build a business as a couple (13:36), the “palm up” marketing philosophy (20:52), and why free giveaways are key to building word...
2024-10-2931 minBeyond The ShelfRetail Media 101 with Publicis Commerce’s Margaux LoganWe take a trip to the agency side of things this week, as Dave interviews Margaux Logan, SVP, Head of Omnichannel and Emerging Marketplaces at Publicis Commerce. Publicis Commerce is a “center of excellence” responsible for developing the commerce practices of client teams across the Publicis Groupe umbrella. Prior to joining Publicis, Margaux held senior brand management and marketing positions at Unilever and Amazon. Margaux shares how her Theater degree helped to position her for a marketing career (4:43), reflections on her time at Unilever (7:16), an overview of Publicis Commerce (12:46), the major differences between RMNs (19:30), and why content is sti...
2024-10-2231 minBeyond The ShelfFinding a Single Source of Truth for Your Data with Matt GehringIt’s a DTC-themed week on the show, as Dave speaks with Matt Gehring. Matt has held leading marketing positions at several DTC brands that have become household names, including Dutch, Hims, Rothy's and Everlane.Matt provides an overview of his career DTC experiences (2:10), shares some analytics rules of the road (7:19), highlights the importance of channel diversification (16:22), provides 3 key content creation tips (22:22), and shares the people who have influenced his professional life the most (29:31).Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gehring/Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and...
2024-10-1533 minBeyond The ShelfPrioritizing "Good" Over "Great" Content with T. Marzetti Company's Michael RedaThis week's guest is Michael Reda, VP of Omni-Channel Marketing & Insights at T. Marzetti Company. Michael has transformed the company's digital and eCommerce strategy since joining in 2021. His previous brand management experience includes Conagra and Kraft Heinz.Michael shares the things he can take risks on with smaller brands that aren't possible with larger ones (5:58), how analytics and creative are intertwined (12:27), the transformation of T. Marzetti's digital presence since 2021 (13:58), why retail media is an important part of their strategy (18:53), and what you need in order to switch from a few "great" pieces of creative to many "good"...
2024-10-0833 min
My Blog » lowe15Download or Read PDF Why Startups Fail By David Feinleib OnlineLink To Download : https://recomendedbook.com/?book=1430241403 To Download or Read Why Startups Fail by David Feinleib Available versions: EPUB, PDF, MOBI, DOC, Kindle, Audiobook, etc. Reading Why Startups Fail Download Why Startups Fail PDF/EBooks Why Startups Fail
2024-10-0400 minBeyond The ShelfRetail Media Joint Business Planning with The Digital Shelf Institute's Lauren Livak Gilbert & Microsoft's Nate PinkstonDave welcomes two luminaries on this week's episode: returning guest Lauren Livak Gilbert, Executive Director at The Digital Shelf Institute, and Nate Pinkston, Head of Growth, Retail Media at Microsoft. The two recently authored a DSI & Microsoft advertising report, "Joint Business Planning (JPB) Between Retailers and Brands: Effective Optimization Strategies for Collaborative Growth."They discuss why retail media is still "a reasonably immature medium and space" (5:56), how the tech stack varies across all the different retail media networks (10:37), the most important things to keep in mind for your retail media strategy (13:25), and highlights of the DSI/Microsoft J...
2024-10-0139 minBeyond The ShelfSeeking Inspiration Through Data with 1WorldSync's Gabe WightDave closes out September with Gabe Wight, General Manager at 1WorldSync. Gabe's illustrious marketing career has taken him to several major agencies and organizations, and in 2019 he founded Webata, a software and analytics firm, which was acquired by 1WorldSync in 2023.They discuss the story of Webata's founding (6:13), why you don't need an eComm degree to excel in the space (10:07), the amazing story of how Gabe got into marketing (16:08), the 3 things to keep in mind about content (20:13), and how 1WorldSync's algorithm helps clients optimize their SEO results within e-retailer platforms (22:56).Connect with Gabe on LinkedIn: https...
2024-09-2433 minBeyond The ShelfDriving Household Penetration with The Hershey Company’s Brad SantannaDave speaks with Brad Santanna, Head of Omnichannel Marketing, Strategic Customers, Insights & Analytics at The Hershey Company. Brad has been at The Hershey Company for his entire career - over 20 years! - a rarity in this day and age.Dave and Brad discuss the disconnect in KPIs between online and in-store (10:02), the importance of targeting occasions and not just audiences (13:07), an overview of the successful Shaq=A-Licious Gummies launch (16:42), what the Hershey team is looking at over the next 12-24 months (21:36), and how the shopper journey is no longer linear (25:35).Connect with Brad on LinkedIn...
2024-09-1735 minBeyond The ShelfSweating the Assets with Bazaarvoice's Jo CallahanThis week we're joined by Jo Callahan, Vice President, Strategy and Insights at Bazaarvoice. Jo's previous experience incudes Citi, Pinterest and Unilever, where she was Director of U-Studio, Unilever's storied in-house creative agency.They discuss the creation of U-Studio (4:55), the definition of "fit for platform" (7:39), Bazaarvoice's evolution from a ratings and reviews organization to now offering many tools for creatives, influencers and marketers (13:19), creative best practices (20:35), and why the PDP should be considered a media asset (25:20).Connect with Jo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocolv/Take advantage of a special offer f...
2024-09-1034 minBeyond The ShelfRules of the Road for Adopting New Technology with The Partnering Group's Matt PierreDave catches up with another luminary from The Partnering Group (TPG) - this time, it's Partner Matt Pierre. Matt has over 30 years of experience in the CPG space, most of it spent at General Mills, where he built and grew the organization's US eCommerce operations.They discuss Matt's knack for predicting eCommerce trends before they happen (3:42), the challenges facing CPGs right now (7:39), an overview of his current role at TPG (11:28), why sales, marketing and ecomm need to constantly be working together (14:59), needing to understand the differences between the "spearfishing" and "full basket" eCommerce models (19:58), and the amazing w...
2024-09-0332 minBeyond The ShelfThe 4 Pillars of Retail Media with Think Blue's Manish Sharma and Parag ShahThis week's guests are industry veterans Manish Sharma and Parag Shah, Co-Founders of Think Blue. Their combined experience includes global leaders such as Kellogg, Wakefern Food Corp and The GIANT Company.They discuss why the customer should always be at the center of your lens (4:45), their belief in the concept of joint value creation (12:11), the meaning behind the name Think Blue (12:51), why the term "Omnichannel" is misleading (23:40), and the 4 pillars of retail media (28:54),Follow Think Blue: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thinkbluesolutions/Connect with Manish: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manishsharm/Co...
2024-08-2041 minBeyond The ShelfLessons from Prime Day with Amazon's Jeff CohenComing off of another wildly successful Prime Day, Dave spends this episode with Jeff Cohen, Principal Evangelist at Amazon Ads. Jeff has nearly 20 years in the eCommerce space, cutting his teeth with Texbooks.com and CampusBooks.com before launching his own initiative, Seller Labs. At Amazon, he is tasked with developing a best-in-class developer community for Amazon advertising APIs.Jeff shares how his minors in Consumer Behavior and Sociology informed his professional marketing development (5:01), his experience in the eCommerce textbooks world (6:27), why it's important not to fear failure (17:08), what a day in the life at Amazon is li...
2024-08-1341 minBeyond The ShelfNew Product Launches, Off-Site Media and the Importance of Kindness with L'Oreal's Aisha KhanDave speaks with Aisha Khan from L'Oreal. Aisha's previous experience includes J&J and Publicis Media. They discuss why disappointing results are a "Who?" problem and not a "What?" problem (5:19), the continuing importance of off-site marketing (7:26), learnings from working at a big agency (12:04), how brands can keep up their momentum between now and the fall and holiday seasons (19:20), and their thoughts on creative testing (23:36).Connect with Aisha on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ecommercequeen/Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@it...
2024-08-0637 minBeyond The ShelfWhy eCommerce Needs to Have a Seat at the Table with Tyson Foods' Wendy Jean BennettDave speaks with Wendy Jean Bennett, Vice President of Retail Commerce Leadership at Tyson Foods. Wendy Jean's storied career at Tyson has also included stints as VP of Retail - Case Ready Division and VP of Sales - Consumer Products.Wendy shares insights on how she manages shifting roles within same organization (2:35), the 3 things she wants to be known for (8:50), the importance of utilizing your data for cross-team collaboration (15:19), strategies for bringing large teams together (21:06), and tactics for reaching consumers on their phones while they're in-store (25:01).Connect with Wendy Jean on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.c...
2024-07-3034 minBeyond The ShelfSetting Goals Before Spending Dollars with Allume Group’s Andrea LeighToday Dave is joined by Andrea Leigh, Founder & CEO of Allume Group. Allume Group is an eCommerce knowledge hub helping professionals learn the information and skills they need to be successful online. Andrea is a founding member of The Digital Shelf Institute and a co-host of the "Fresh Four" podcast from The CPG Guys.They discuss how Andrea got her start in the space (1:30), what it was like working at Amazon during its rapid expansion (2:57), an overview of Allume Group (10:58), why goal setting is so important (20:34), and predictions for the future when it comes to search and re...
2024-07-2336 minBeyond The ShelfFocusing on Marketing Efficiencies with Daasity's Dan LeBlancWe're back from a brief summer hiatus with Dan LeBlanc, CEO and Co-Founder at Daasity. Daasity provides the experience and tools to help clients transform into data-driven organizations. Dan founded Daasity after an illustrious career with Capital One, ProFlowers and other brands and firms.They discuss how the flower industry taught Dan about LTV (6:11), why he decided to become an entrepreneur (10:10), the best parts about growing your own business (12:55), why D2C brands are realizing they need to be in retail (16:57), and where brands are spending most of their acquisition dollars these days (24:47).Learn more a...
2024-07-1632 minBeyond The ShelfDefining Value Engineering with Lettuce Commerce’s Joe GaudreauDave sits down with Joe Gaudreau, Co-Founder and CEO of Lettuce Commerce. Joe founded Lettuce Commerce last month, after nearly a decade at Salsify, where he was VP of Corporate Development.Dave and Joe discuss the secret to forecasting upcoming trends (4:45), Joe's journey at Salsify (9:58), an overview of "Value Engineering" (11:56), what Lettuce Commerce is trying to accomplish (22:26), and what Joe foresees over the next few years of PIM (28:16).Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joegaudreau/Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and get a free image, video o...
2024-05-2835 minBeyond The ShelfThe Intersection of Gaming and Commerce with Hashku’s Joel PonceThis week, Dave speaks with Joel Ponce, Co-Founder and CEO of Hashku. Hashku is a leader in the gaming marketing and advertising space. Joel offers his expertise and perspective on the fast-growing but often-misunderstood world of gaming.They discuss how the evolution of gaming over the last decade inspired Joel to start his own company (6:46), how brands are working with Hashku (9:55) (the latest stats on the size and scale of the gaming industry (12:34), leveraging in-game items to influence commerce behavior (18:41), and how the next 12 months and beyond will push gaming from emerging channel to an established one, si...
2024-05-2127 minBeyond The ShelfThinking of Omnichannel as Part of the Greater Whole with The Partnering Group's Danny SilvermanDave's guest this week is Danny Silverman, Partner - Digital Commerce Practice at The Partnering Group (TPG). Danny helped build Johnson & Johnson's eComm presence before pivoting to leading digital consultancies including Catapult Ecommerce and Flywheel. At TPG, he helps drive omnichannel ROI for leading retail and CPG companies.They discuss how Danny became passionate about marketing (3:58), learnings from his time at J&J (6:00) and why he pivoted to smaller companies (13:16), how marketing fills the gap between a perfect product and the reality of said product (17:02), how to properly advise decision-makers on their marketing budgets (24:08), and his predictions fo...
2024-05-1433 minBeyond The ShelfBringing Joy to Your Business with CVS Media Exchange's Parbinder DhariwalDave has an illuminating conversation with Parbinder Dhariwal, VP and General Manager at CVS Media Exchange (CMX). For over 20 years Parbinder has had a successful career driving performance at multiple industry-leading global organizations, including Walmart Connect and Spotify, among many others.Parbinder shares the incredible story of his family's business (6:44), an overview of his previous experience working for big brands (11:34), what makes CMX stand out from other retail media networks (15:25), the transition from "trade dollars" to "brand dollars" driving retail media business, and what "Retail Media 3.0" looks like in the aftermath of cookie deprecation (29:09).Connect w...
2024-05-0739 minBeyond The ShelfWhat a Great In-Store Experience Looks Like with Grocery TV's Marlow NickellDave sits down with Marlow Nickell, Founder of Grocery TV, the largest digital advertising network in US grocery. With over 21,000 displays in grocery stores across the US, and over 200 retail partners, brands leverage Grocery TV to reach over 70 million shoppers in brick-and-mortar stores.They discuss Grocery TV's journey since its founding in 2016 (3:17), how in-store ties into overall retail media strategy (11:15), the growth of grocery in-store advertising in particular (17:43), and how the in-store space is evolving (22:30).Connect with Marlow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marlow-nickell/Learn more about Grocery TV: https://grocerytv.c...
2024-04-3030 minBeyond The ShelfCommerce, Omni and Why with firstmovr's Chris PerryDave connects with Chris Perry, Co-Founder and Chief Learning Officer at firstmovr. firstmovr is an Omni Education and Change Management organization for CPGs, retailers and agencies. They host many industry events throughout the year and publish a number of free resources, including the recently-released ebook, "Omnigeddon: 2024 Commerce Expectations for Boomsday Preppers."Chris shares an overview of firstmovr (7:57), an outline of their "Smarter Growth" concept (13:21), some recent client creative examples he's a fan of (16:57), his hopes and concerns about AI (26:48), and his predictions for the next 12 months and beyond (34:02).Download "Omnigeddon" for free here: https://firstmovr.co...
2024-04-2342 minBeyond The ShelfWhy Being the Voice of the Customer is So Important with Inmar Intelligence's Leah LoganDave's guest on today's show is Leah Logan, General Manager, Retail Media at Inmar Intelligence. Leah has been working within the retail media space for over 15 years. They discuss why you don't need to have all of the answers all of the time (10:39), an overview of Inmar Intelligence (11:39), why VoC is so important (16:20), 3 areas that brands are placing a big focus on (23:34), and how to tailor campaigns to reach "dual decision-makers" (28:53).Connect with Leah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-logan-a595668/Contact Inmar Solutions: solutions@inmar.comTake advantage of a special off...
2024-04-1642 minBeyond The ShelfOperating in a Test-and-Learn Environment with Dexcom's Wayne BlumDave speaks with Wayne Blum, Director of Ecommerce & Distribution at Dexcom. Wayne's career experience has included managing digital marketing and ecommerce for a number of big brands including American Express, Nestle and Diageo. They talk about finding new ways to bring different categories and brands online (7:55), how alcohol ecommerce management really isn't all that different than other categories (13:57), why companies need to always be operating in a test-and-learn environment (18:16), the importance of sell sheets (26:51) and an overview of Dexcom and its mission (27:52). Connect with Wayne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wayne-blum-6128293/Take a...
2024-04-0934 minBeyond The ShelfReflecting on the Early Days of eCommerce with Deloitte Digital's Paul do FornoDave welcomes Paul do Forno, Partner / Managing Director - Commerce Practice at Deloitte Digital, to the show. Paul's career stretches back over 30 years, to the nascent years of the web, and his insights are rooted in that experience. Paul's shares his time as a digital consultant in the early web days (3:02), an overview of Deloitte Digital (10:44), his explanation of "B2B Commerce" (13:51), why retail isn't dead (17:08), his two main takeaways from 2023 (24:03) and how he thinks AI could enable the full supply chain to be dynamically mobilized (27:18). Connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.li...
2024-04-0234 minBeyond The ShelfThe Growth of Commerce Content from Afterthought to Pre-Thought with Digital Shelf Institute's Lauren Livak Gilbert and Profitero's Mike BlackThis week Dave speaks with Lauren Livak Gilbert, Director of the Digital Shelf Institute (DSI), and Mike Black, CMO at Profitero. Lauren and Mike recently collaborated on the DSI/Profitero report, "Defining Content Effectiveness: How Content Maturity Can Help Brands Better Meet Shopper Needs."They discuss why Mike is such a prolific poster on LinkedIn (6:33), Lauren's experience managing the digital shelf for J&J brands during the pre-COVID era (8:49), takeaways from the "Defining Content Effectiveness" report (18:19), the importance of AI usage complying with a brand's legal requirements, brand guidelines and workflows (27:51), and the narrowing...
2024-03-2639 minBeyond The ShelfA Day in the Life of E-Commerce Innovator and Entrepreneur Rob Gonzalez, CMO of SalsifyDave's guest on today's show is Rob Gonzalez, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Salsify and Founding Member of The Digital Shelf Institute. They discuss how Rob made the switch from engineering to marketing (4:30), details of Rob's daily routine (8:41), the story behind the creation of the Digital Shelf Summit (10:11), details of the Salsify/ItsRapid partnership (18:36), how the advertising center of gravity has shifted in the last decade (27:35), and the two people who have influenced Rob's professional life the most (34:05).Register for Salsify's 2024 Digital Shelf Partner Summit: https://www.salsify.com/partner-summit-2024
2024-03-1937 minBeyond The ShelfBreaking Down Brand Silos with PriceSpider's Rae Marie Guimond and Brett BannerIt's a triple threat conversation this week, as Dave sits down with Rae Marie Guimond and Brett Banner of Price Spider. Rae is Director, Strategy, SaaS Sales and Revenue Growth, while Brett is Senior Vice President of Strategy. Highlights include Brett's words of wisdom for working with customers (4:18), Rae's examples of how brands leverage PriceSpider to leverage basket-level shopper data (13:12), the challenge of brands pushing through their own organizational silos (16:07), an overview of the just-announced strategic partnership between PriceSpider and ItsRapid (25:08), and Brett (35:56) and Rae's (38:09) predictions for the next 12 months. Connect with Rae on...
2024-03-1250 minBeyond The ShelfAn Investor's POV on the Future of eCommerce with First Analysis Securities Corporation's Matt NicklinThis week Dave takes a detour and speaks with a guest whose insights on eCommerce come not from within the industry itself, but from the world of finance. Matt Nicklin is a Managing Director and Co-President of First Analysis Securities Corporation, where he specializes in tech and healthcare investments, including eCommerce transactions.Matt gives a quick overview of the numerous markets within the financial system (3:49), what his day-to-day looks like (9:47), what he's been seeing in the eComm world recently (15:30), as well as the challenges (22:06) and opportunities (27:55) facing the space today.
2024-03-0539 minBeyond The ShelfDissecting the Retail Media Flywheel with Media, Ads + Commerce's Andrew LipsmanDavid closes out February with an illuminating conversation with Andrew Lipsman, Independent Analyst and Consultant, and the author of the popular "Media, Ads + Commerce" newsletter on Substack. Andrew struck out on his own in late 2023 after a fruitful career at industry analytics stalwarts NPD Group, comScore and Insider Intelligence (formerly eMarketer).They discuss how Andrew's obsession with Michael Jordan as a Chicago Bulls fan in the 90s sparked his interest in analytics (3:22), his insights on Walmart's acquisition of Vizio (7:30), a brief overview of ROAS and how it's measured (16:42), and the tension between the shopper...
2024-02-2734 minBeyond The ShelfREWIND: Best Practices for Building Creative that Converts, with Market Performance Group's Jenny Baker (originally aired 10/24/23)We're off this week, so we're re-airing our interview with Market Performance Group's Jenny Baker from last October. They discuss being 100% retail-ready for a brand launch (4:05), the "See, Scroll, Click" concept (9:16), what to keep in mind when working with an agency on UGC (15:11), and the importance of keeping it simple with video (27:25).We'll be back next Tuesday with a brand-new episode of Beyond The Shelf!Connect with Jenny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-baker-613984238/Learn more: https://itsrapid.ai/
2024-02-2040 minBeyond The ShelfFrom E-Commerce at Nestle and Coca Cola to Founding RichContext and Being Acquired by Accenture, with Billy CourtneyOn this week's show, Dave chats with Billy Courtney, Commerce Innovation Lead at Accenture. Billy arrived at Accenture via two acquisitions in a two-year period - the first one being of his own company, RichContext, by The Stable in 2020, which was itself acquired by Accenture in 2022.Billy discusses his decision to start his own company (7:44), what it's like to be acquired twice in such a short span of time (14:05), why he thinks Product Detail Pages (PDPs) are experiencing a renaissance (19:55), and how brands have been using automation for things like content scores and page...
2024-02-1335 minBeyond The ShelfOmni is the New eComm + Real-World Use Cases of AI with Newell Brands' Nicolai SoendergaardThis week, David speaks with Nicolai Soendergaard, Director of Omni Enablement at Newell Brands. Nicolai has had an illustrious career in the space, with previous stints at LEGO and Kellogg. They discuss Nicolai's decision to move to the US (3:19), his advice for smaller brands looking to emulate big brand strategy on Amazon (7:41), why the concept of the "endless aisle" is a myth (18:57), and how AI is already making people more productive and efficient in their day-to-day work (29:26).Connect with Nicolai on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolaiksoendergaard/Find...
2024-02-0634 minBeyond The ShelfOptimizing Media Strategy for "Retailers 4-100" with Turbyne's Greg StevensDavid's guest this week is Greg Stevens, CEO of Turbyne. Previously Greg was Executive Vice President at Advantage Solutions, where he led the creation, development and spinout of Turbyne. They discuss why having a proprietary tech stack in your agency/business is the best defense against your competitors (6:19), how in-store retail media needs to come from a place of strength (19:22), what Greg saw at NRF 2024 (19:51), and why sailing is a good metaphor for business (30:32).Learn more about Turbyne: https://www.turbyne.com/Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www...
2024-01-3033 minBeyond The ShelfSales, Sell Sheets and Solutions with Salsify’s David NovakDavid catches up with David Novak, Chief Revenue Officer at Salsify and board member for numerous SaaS organizations. They discuss David's career journey from coding and engineering to sales (3:24), his experiences farming and how it relates to his professional work (10:39), and how brands can leverage AI in useful ways (24:47).Register for the 2024 Salsify Summit: https://www.digitalshelfsummit.com/event/63127807-e648-419c-9180-31ebe128f77e/summaryConnect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidnovak/Find out more about ItsRapid's new Sellsheet Builder! Send an email...
2024-01-2334 minBeyond The ShelfBridging the Gap Between US and Latin American Retail Media with Colgate-Palmolive's Paulo BacarinDavid speaks with Paulo Bacarin, Customer Development Team Manager for Clubs at Colgate-Palmolive. Paulo has nearly 15 years of experience at Colgate-Palmolive, including stints in his native Brazil and in the US. David and Paulo cover the three takeaways from managing Amazon-specific eCommerce (6:30), Paulo's learnings from time spent in Brazil and Latin America (13:47), what the "right to play" means in the retail media space (27:08), and why Paulo's parents are the two people he's been inspired by the most (32:34).Beyond The Shelf is brought to you by itsrapid.ai, the leading Creative Management Platform for E-Commerce. Learn more at...
2024-01-1637 minBeyond The ShelfExecuting the Brilliant Basics with Albertsons Media Collective's Harvey MaHappy New Year! This week Dave catches up with Harvey Ma, Vice President at Albertsons Media Collective. Harvey has 20 years of experience leading international teams across business in retail, manufacturing, engineering and telecommunications. They discuss how Harvey got his start in the industry (2:44), Albertsons Media Collective's growth during the last year (16:39), the third wave of Retail Media (28:05) and the two experiences that have inspired Harvey most in his career (30:25).Follow Albertsons Media Collective on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/albertsons-media-collective/Learn more: https://itsrapid.ai/
2024-01-0835 minBeyond The ShelfPlanning for Pivots, Not Perfection with Colgate-Palmolive's Todd HassenfeltDavid's guest this week is Todd Hassenfelt, Global Digital Commerce Senior Director, Strategy and Execution at Colgate-Palmolive. Todd has worked with many of the world's leading brands including Hill's, Tom's, Irish Spring and many others. They discuss Todd's start in the space (2:00), how a global organization like Colgate-Palmolive collaborates across teams (7:42), best practices for using generative AI for images (14:41), takeaways from the Amazon Black Friday NFL game (28:24), and much more.Connect with Todd on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-hassenfelt/Learn more: https://itsrapid.ai/
2023-12-1240 minBeyond The ShelfStrategizing Seasonality and Unpacking "Seamless Commerce" with Russell Stover's Josh ClarksonDavid's guest for this episode is Josh Clarkson, Director of Digital at Russell Stover Chocolates, where he's building a brand-new digital team from scratch. Josh shares his learnings from various leadership roles over the years (3:56), the idea for and execution of the world's largest box of chocolate to celebrate Russell Stover's 100th anniversary (10:23), his differing approaches to seasonality (21:57) and the meaning behind the phrase "seamless commerce" (25:32).Enter Russell Stover's 100 Year Giveaway here: http://russellstover.com/100kConnect with Josh on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/joshuaclarkson
2023-12-0530 minBeyond The ShelfUtilizing AI to Automate Back Office Tasks and Improve E-Commerce Performance with 1WorldSync's Randy MercerThis week David's guest is Randy Mercer, Chief Product Officer at 1WorldSync, where he leads the Global Product Management and Solutions Architecture teams. They talk about Randy's beginnings in the space (1:51), how 1WorldSync utilizes AI to improve e-commerce performance (11:09), and the ever-increasing importance of mobile imagery to entice consumers on their path to purchase (23:42).Connect with Randy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randalmercer/Learn more: https://itsrapid.ai/Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com
2023-11-2831 minBeyond The ShelfOptimizing Retail Media Performance with Criteo's Alex CroweToday's guest is Alex Crowe, Global Vice President of Omnichannel Strategy at Criteo. Criteo helps advertisers, retailers and publishers activate and monetize audiences everywhere shoppable moments happen. They discuss the cost pressures facing retail media on both the consumer and marketing sides (3:23), what Alex thinks the main purpose of retail media is and how Criteo stands out in terms of measuring retail media performance (11:16), and the importance of media having a view of all media touchpoints to better inform how to split up media budgets (17:03).Connect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-crowe-b71b5840
2023-11-1428 minBeyond The ShelfHow AI Will Transform E-Commerce Over The Next Five Years with General Mills' Carter JensenToday David speaks with Carter Jensen, Senior Manager of Global Digital Strategy at General Mills. Carter has three areas of focus: Leading the acceleration of AI; heading up consumer-first digital strategy; and an international focus on digital learning and development. They discuss the differences between agency life vs working in-house for a big brand (4:41), Carter's experience at General Mills (6:57), how to balance an international team's needs when they're different than North America (22:54), and how transformative Carter thinks AI will be in the next five years (26:03).Connect with Carter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in...
2023-11-0733 minBeyond The ShelfBuilding Creative For E-Commerce and Retail Media in Minutes Instead of Months with PepsiCo's Jared TaitelDavid speaks with Jared Taitel, Director of eCommerce Marketing Merchandising and Design at PepsiCo. Jared and David discuss the It'sRapid/PepsiCo partnership at length - how it started and how It'sRapid's creative automation capabilities have saved Jared's team countless hours on what would otherwise be crafting individual creatives across thousands of individual SKUs. They also dive into Jared's journey from the music business to the marketing business, as well as his thoughts on emerging technologies in the retail media space such as generative AI.Connect with Jared on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in...
2023-10-3141 minBeyond The ShelfBest Practices for Building Creative That Converts with Market Performance Group's Jenny BakerToday's guest is Jenny Baker, Director of E-Commerce Digital Content at Market Performance Group. David and Jenny discuss Jenny's background, including having run her own e-commerce company for many years; the "See, Scroll, Click" concept; how keeping content authentic and real is more important than being glamorous; and much more.Connect with Jenny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-baker-613984238/Learn more: https://itsrapid.ai/Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker
2023-10-2440 minBeyond The ShelfHow to Turn Your UGC Into Shoppable Videos, Images and Ads with Bazaarvoice's Doug StratonDave's guest this week is Doug Straton, Chief Customer Evangelist at Bazaarvoice. Previously he's served in roles at The Hershey Company and Unilever. Relevant topics include the "Content Supply Chain" (a phrase Doug coined), as well as Doug's POV on the future of user-generated content. Connect with Doug on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-c-straton-7a59a34/Learn more: https://itsrapid.ai/Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker
2023-10-1743 minBeyond The ShelfDeveloping a Market Leading E-Commerce Strategy with Circana's Anne ZybowskiToday David speaks with Anne Zybowski, VP of E-Commerce and Digital Shelf at Circana (formerly known as IRI and NPD). Anne's is a pioneer in the e-commerce and digital space, with an illustrious career that's included senior leadership positions at Kantar, Clorox and Ideoclick prior to joining Circana. Dave and Anne discuss her experience as subject matter expert for Target, Walmart and Amazon at Kantar, her work at Clorox and her learnings at Circana.Connect with Anne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-zybowski/ Learn more: https://itsrapid.ai/
2023-10-1042 minBeyond The ShelfGlobal Strategies and Seasonal Opportunities in E-Commerce with BIC's Adrienne Prast and firstmovr's Chris PerryThis week, Beyond The Shelf presents an audio broadcast of our Fresh Content Fridays series, where we discuss content best practices with leaders in the space. David's guests are Adrienne Prast, Manager of Digital Content at BIC, and Chris Perry, Chief Learning Officer at firstmovr. They discuss strategies related to global opportunities, seasonal content and more.Video podcast: https://youtu.be/3eawnIVtFkc Adrienne Prast: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrienne-prast/Chris Perry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisaperry/Learn more: https://itsrapid.ai/Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://m...
2023-10-0327 min