Explore every episode of the podcast ARCast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Why Curiosity Beats Career Planning | 21 Jan 2026 | 00:26:42 | |
Careers rarely go as planned, and that’s a good thing. Kate Foxbower of Welch’s joins ARCast to share how curiosity, mentorship, and asking “one more why” shaped her path across insights, category management, and beyond. A candid conversation on growth, learning, and building a meaningful career in today’s evolving retail landscape. | |||
| Let's Talk About Price | 06 Jan 2026 | 00:41:12 | |
Today’s episode is a test. We have had a tremendous amount of outreach to deliver deeper into the market (trends, behaviors, and solutions). Finn Hansen, CEO at PriceBeam, jumps into the hot seat as we work on a new series. Our conversation hits on the challenging topic of Pricing as Finn gives us his expert viewpoint on numerous questions you may have. Enjoy! | |||
| You're Still Superman | 05 Aug 2025 | 00:57:42 | |
Change happens, it's unavoidable. But decisions that can momentarily rock your world, shouldn't define you. Listen as Polly Rowland takes us down her career path, revealing how tough hurdles taught her lessons about business and life that she now shares with the world. | |||
| From the Mean Streets of Chicago | 15 Jul 2025 | 00:52:05 | |
Industry vet Bill Gillispie jumps into the hot seat to share his adventures from working in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Chicago to consulting some of the largest retailers in the world. In the midst of his journey, setbacks and health challenges test his spirit. Tune into another amazing episode of ARCAST to hear this riveting story that is certain to touch your soul. | |||
| Treat It Like Your Own | 01 Jul 2025 | 00:50:04 | |
Eric Nardulli has a prescription for how to be successful as a category manager. And, he took a huge dose to get him where he is today. Join in this conversation as Eric shares how this very approach led him throughout his career. | |||
| Down to the Napkins | 17 Jun 2025 | 00:43:58 | |
Alecia Reed has touched so many aspects of the industry as a space planner, it might make your head spin. From Lingerie to Tools to Pet to Food Service, she has seen and done it all. Learn more about the nuts and bolts of space, consulting and more in this fascinating episode of ARCast. | |||
| What Do I Want To Do Now? | 03 Jun 2025 | 00:54:25 | |
What happens when you secure a dream job only to find out you don't like it? Audrey Henson tells us as she shares how one pivots to find a new path to satisfaction and success. | |||
| I Want To Change The Game | 20 May 2025 | 00:48:05 | |
When you listen to Martha Vargas tell her story, you will soon discover when she isn't highly challenged, she quickly gets bored. In our latest episode of ARCast, learn how Martha's drive to make an impact lands her in fascinating roles at some of the biggest brands in the industry. | |||
| I Love What I Do | 06 May 2025 | 00:41:14 | |
Follow a whirlwind of a professional and career as Kaye takes us from earning a college degree in 2 years to where she is today at InContext. And along the way, you'll see how "she can't stop, won't stop" innovating including with her current vision of changing the way we shop. | |||
| Economic Update: Is There A Silver Lining? | 22 Apr 2025 | 00:39:12 | |
The current economic environment is on the minds of virtually everyone and we all have questions. So, why not ask an expert? We invited our friend Caleb Silver to provide his take on the general landscape, what might be coming and what it means to category managers and shopper insights. | |||
| Raise Your Hand | 01 Apr 2025 | 00:48:52 | |
Laura-Lynn Freck has spent her entire career tackling new adventures, taking risks, creating her own roles, and ultimately making significant contributions to each organization she has touched. You can do the same if you are willing to raise your hand. | |||
| Category Management On A Bike | 18 Mar 2025 | 00:45:11 | |
Lauren Bijur discovered the power of food in an attempt to heal herself from health ailments. 20 years later, she works with Bob Mariano to develop the hit grocer, Dom's Kitchen and Market. Listen in to a fascinating story about courage, creativity, and category management. | |||
| Just call her Meriyem the Builder | 23 Dec 2025 | 00:31:49 | |
Few people can say they have experience building category management programs in multiple continents - Meriyem can. Follow her journey as she takes on projects for some the most iconic retailers in the world including her most recent stop: RONA | |||
| I Like Chaos | 07 Mar 2025 | 00:47:16 | |
John Nathenson has been a literal zig-zag, so much so it even confused the Host! Buckle your seat belt and follow the winding path to destination Catalytics. | |||
| Not Just Data On A Page - Stories | 18 Feb 2025 | 00:52:22 | |
Are you ready for a wild ride? Follow Julie Craig as she shares fascinating stories spanning music, apparel, food, health, electronics, and more. During a truly winding path, she found her calling and has never looked back. | |||
| Putting All The Pieces Together | 04 Feb 2025 | 00:43:58 | |
From insights to sales to category management and beyond, Rachelle Moore has continuously sought opportunities to put her career puzzle together. Now she's encouraging you to do the same. Dive into our latest ARCast episode and listen as Rachelle walks us through the winding path of her career growth journey. | |||
| I Was Made For This | 21 Jan 2025 | 00:45:56 | |
Upon arriving in the U.S., Shivani worked at a Starbucks in Hollywood. Her ultimate goal was to get back into brand management - category and insights weren't even on the radar. But, once she had a taste, she found her calling. | |||
| A True Space Pioneer | 07 Jan 2025 | 00:50:58 | |
In the 80’s and early 90’s, if anyone mentioned working in space planning, you might be mistaken for working at NASA. But, with contributions from Flora Delaney and others, the discipline is not only grew throughout retail and CPG, it became essential. Tune in as Flora shares how she helped establish the field. | |||
| ARCast Anniversary! | 17 Dec 2024 | 00:54:59 | |
On Nov 30, 2022, ARCast was born. Since then, it's been a wild and crazy ride. 52 fantastic career stories as we put the spotlight on colleagues doing compelling work "in the trenches". Thanks to all our listeners and we look forward to 26 more awesome interviews in 2025. Happy Holidays! | |||
| The Price Is Right | 03 Dec 2024 | 00:40:42 | |
You may want to be the manager who handles all 4 P's and makes decisions across the entire scope of an individual category. Or possibly you are Slava Gendlin. Meet the man who chose to be laser focused on only one: Price. | |||
| Billions of Butts | 19 Nov 2024 | 00:33:45 | |
If you have never heard of DUDE Wipes, you soon will - they are everywhere! Follow Susanna as she lands at the doorstep of a supernova, charged with building out their category management practice. | |||
| A Winning Combination At Wells | 06 Nov 2024 | 00:51:54 | |
Renee Balliet is a passionate insights leader for over fifteen years, having worked on brands, innovation, product development, and retail. She has made her mark at Wells by building a team of Consumer, Sensory, and Shopper Insights from the ground up. Melanie Saffell spent her career in data and CPG in various roles including Channel Marketing, Client Facing Analysis, Brand Management, and Category Development. Her favorite part of Category Development is the “wins” that come with a strong analytical story. | |||
| Meet the Mindful Innovator | 22 Oct 2024 | 00:52:56 | |
Listen to the unlikely story of a former Deli Manager whose life turns upside when he meets a monk on the streets of New York. This chance connection (or maybe it was destined) guides Matt Mueller into discovering mindfulness can unlock the doors to unparalleled levels of innovation. | |||
| Be On The Court, Not Just In The Stands | 09 Dec 2025 | 00:28:01 | |
One year ago, Brian was searching for a new home. Never letting go of core principles that propelled his career, he’s now activating them in a huge way at Built Brands. Learn about how Brian has left no doubt that he’s in this game to win. | |||
| Consumers Are Shoppers First | 08 Oct 2024 | 00:38:13 | |
In a seemingly serious contradiction, Luke Cahill is a self proclaimed introvert who has spoken to thousands of complete strangers. Listen to Real Insight CEO & Chief Nerd as he explains why real conversations with shoppers still matter. | |||
| Your BFF Behind The Scenes | 24 Sep 2024 | 00:54:17 | |
Why would becoming a "bestie" make a difference? Discover why Chris chose this route as a means to help organizations find their path forward in omnichannel retail. | |||
| Insight Opens Doors | 11 Sep 2024 | 00:44:21 | |
No team can truly be effective until it understands who they serve. Follow Lawrence as he takes us on a journey to learn why it takes real empathy to deliver value for his customers. | |||
| No More Broad Strokes | 28 Aug 2024 | 00:41:56 | |
We have moved beyond the era of pulling one lever and solving all your problems. The business is more challenging and the shopper landscape is exponentially complex, so we need to think and act differently. Shiraz helps us uncover some current and future solutions to start our journey. | |||
| Everything Ends on a Shelf | 21 Aug 2024 | 00:28:25 | |
Frank Castaneda has that classic story of moving from a grocery store clerk to director of category management. Learn how throughout the journey, he always remembered the basics while becoming a leading trusted advisor. | |||
| Riding the White Claw Rocketship | 07 Aug 2024 | 00:30:04 | |
Life can be hard when you’re a David among Goliaths. Find out how Justin used critical insights to identify an emerging segment of an age-old category. | |||
| Buyers Don't Care About Brands | 24 Jul 2024 | 00:41:40 | |
Early in his career, Simon Dunn worked on a myriad of interesting businesses from Liquor to Produce to Household Cleaners. He learned what drives success between category partners and now wants to share that knowledge with brands from around the world. | |||
| Ask The Question Beyond The Data | 10 Jul 2024 | 00:41:35 | |
With endless streams of data at our disposal, it is easy to spend your time justifying ways to use it. But Ella's career was cut from a different cloth, shaped by what she lacked. In this episode, discover how starting with a question can lead to a better solution. | |||
| In Transition? Be Encouraged | 26 Jun 2024 | 00:35:03 | |
From the likes of Pepsico, Dr. Pepper, Kantar and more, Lindsey Gladden has had a major impact across the globe through her expertise in shopper insights. Now we get insights from her about looking for her next role, the state of the market in downturn and why she remains positive. | |||
| Give Them The Respect They Deserve | 12 Jun 2024 | 00:45:26 | |
Zel Bianco has focused over 30 years on CPG, honing his software company to make the lives of category managers easier. Now he asks leaders to think differently and join him in this mission. Listen to another compelling episode as Zel tells them how. | |||
| Purina LAB9: Unlike Anything in the World | 26 Nov 2025 | 00:46:56 | |
Stephen Wurth is a self-described change agent, someone who relentlessly puts the consumer at the center. In a career where he literally never backfilled anyone, Stephen is the innovator behind LAB9, a place to Learn, Activate, and Build. With a background in Industrial Design, Stephen takes category management / shopper insights to a whole new level – this is a MUST listen to find out how. | |||
| The Day My World Changed | 29 May 2024 | 00:48:31 | |
You just celebrated your 30th birthday when suddenly you find yourself leading the Center of Excellence at one of the largest CPG companies in the world. What do you do? Let Alex take you on a ride as he shares this unbelievable story along with other fascinating steps along his career arc. | |||
| It's OK To Be Afraid | 15 May 2024 | 00:46:28 | |
Follow the story of Brandon Warshaw as he goes from The White House all the way to where he is now at Harmonya. Learn how Brandon used a "does it freak me out" metric to assess opportunities along his journey. | |||
| Relationships Matter | 01 May 2024 | 00:40:30 | |
Nobody values people more than Brian Rutherford. He treasures a career that was "gifted" to him by mentors and looks to pass it along through interactions with customers, shoppers, and teammates. Understand why Brian truly believes relationships matter in this captivating episode of ARCast. | |||
| The 1P Entrepreneur | 17 Apr 2024 | 01:02:21 | |
Seeing a planogram as a summer intern was all it took for Dan Desmarais to be captivated by category management. Over the next 30 years, learning about the data and how it could influence supply chain shaped his career from sales to entrepreneur. Tune into this fascinating episode of ARCast. | |||
| From Cashier to Category Manager | 03 Apr 2024 | 00:34:57 | |
Initially unsure of her career aspirations, Nina Palazzolo placed herself on the front lines of retail. And fell in love. Learn how Nina navigated through her fascinating journey to where she is today at Kodiak Cakes. | |||
| Category Management and the Art of Telling Stories | 20 Mar 2024 | 00:27:45 | |
There is so much value in this interview, we decided to run it again! Take a listen to ARCast's most popular episode. | |||
| The Chairwoman | 06 Mar 2024 | 00:35:36 | |
Stacey Ring-Sanders has been an integral part of pivotal moments in our industry including the meteoric rise of Kashi, the recent transformation of Kellogg's, the turbulent days of COVID, and the expansion of the CMA. Take time to listen as she shares learnings about professional development, team building, and dealing with conflict. | |||
| From Buyer to Business Maven | 21 Feb 2024 | 00:40:18 | |
Michelle Ojulah orchestrated a decorated career in the UK retail scene, making her mark with founder-led companies such as Cath Kidston, Boden, George and Monsoon. But, entrepreneurism was calling so she decided to make a change. Join us as Michelle shares how she navigated her journey to where she is today. | |||
| Faith To Keep Trying | 07 Feb 2024 | 00:43:55 | |
After coming to the US from Nigeria at age 18, Modupe Ladeji has spent a career continuously growing, with a mindset to never give up and take calculated risks. From his start in gas stations to the largest retailer in the world and now at a startup, listen as Mo walks us through the steps in his journey. | |||
| All Sides Of The Table | 24 Jan 2024 | 00:40:42 | |
It is rare to find a person who has sat on all sides of the desk until you meet Mark Samuels. As a manufacturer, retailer, solution provider and consultant, Mark helps us learn a tremendous amount about the industry in this fascinating ARCast episode. | |||
| From ARCast Guest to Media Maven | 28 Oct 2025 | 00:23:48 | |
Soon after appearing on ARCast, Yanira Albarran acknowledge she was experiencing health issues but couldn't identify the cause. So she went social. 18 months later, she is a rising star after GLP-1s changed her life. Check in and learn about her origins in category management before she went viral. Then find her blossoming story on your favorite social. https://www.instagram.com/latinapcoscyster/ | |||
| A Tribute To Her Parents | 10 Jan 2024 | 00:23:48 | |
Her parents immigrated to the U.S. to find opportunities for themselves and their future family. Learn how Yanira brings their dreams to reality in this heartwarming episode of a category management professional just starting her career. | |||
| No Boundaries - Category Management in the EU | 27 Dec 2023 | 00:32:31 | |
Could you do category management in the European Union? Listen to Robert Skowron from Hasbro as he shares the category management landscape in locations such as Warsaw. | |||
| A Man Of The People | 13 Dec 2023 | 00:31:06 | |
Have you ever experienced a terrible boss? This is a must listen especially for leaders (or potentials) on how to be truly effective. | |||
| The Road Less Traveled | 29 Nov 2023 | 00:34:39 | |
Have you experienced a left turn along your career? Hear how Trey’s unconventional path gave him the fuel needed to build the Category Management function at Talking Rain Beverage Company. | |||