Explore every episode of the podcast Beyond The Shelf

This 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 world
• The surprising shopper trend reshaping the beauty category
• What AI can’t replicate when it comes to in-store experiences
• The friction points modern brands must solve to win customer loyalty

Whether you're in eCommerce, store design, or brand strategy, this conversation is packed with timeless insights from one of retail’s most influential thinkers.

Connect with Paco on LinkedIn

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Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

What 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 spirit alive in big companies)
• Building a center of excellence that still feels like part of the team
• The power of two-way door decisions—and knowing when to test, pivot, or go all-in
• Why AI will only work in CPG if it’s tailored to different stages of maturity

Connect with Mir on LinkedIn

Follow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedIn

Learn More about It'sRapid

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey

Email us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image Audit

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

This 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.

Episode highlights:

• Defining incrementality (without the jargon): Meghan breaks down why it’s not just a buzzword — and how true incrementality can drive smarter decisions.
• Why retail media measurement is still so messy — and how brands can start untangling it without blowing up their workflow.
• The reality of cross-functional data meetings: what works, what doesn’t, and how to avoid death by dashboard.
• The Amazon trap: Why brands often over-index on tried-and-true media investments (and what they’re overlooking).
• How Clerdata helps teams think more like scientists — challenging assumptions, testing tactics, and shifting from gut to growth.

Connect with Meghan on LinkedIn

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey

Email us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image Audit

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

What 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 purchase
• How expert-led videos improve conversion—and build trust
• What makes PDP video different from social or UGC
• How neuroscience and FTC compliance factor into Desire’s content process
• The ROI of going video-first—and how brands can scale without burning out

Connect with Eric on LinkedIn 

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey

Email us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image Audit

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud

Producer: Jake Musiker

This 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.
• Behind the scenes of speaker selection – From CEOs to challengers, hear how the team curates speakers who bring both credibility and fresh perspective.
• Why editorial integrity matters – Rocquan explains why Groceryshop avoids pay-to-play programming—and how that creates trust with both attendees and speakers.
• The trends shaping 2025 events – GenAI, retail media, and unified commerce are in—but so is creating content that resonates across functional silos.
• What makes a great on-stage moment – Practical advice for presenters: come prepared, have a point of view, and remember you’re there to connect—not recite.

Connect with Rocquan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rocquan/

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image Audit

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

This 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 change
• The difference between automation and AI strategy
• Why AI isn’t your strategy—it’s your foundation
• How to think about large language models (and when not to)
• The power of working yourself out of a job

Connect with Alicja: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicjaspaulding/

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image Audit

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

We'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 ROI
• How to balance scale and precision in media strategy
• The launch of Walmart Connect’s Display Advertising API—and how partners like It’sRapid are helping advertisers move faster
• What great creative looks like, and why it’s core to performance
• What Diana is focused on heading into Cannes 2025

We'll be back next with with a brand-new episode of Beyond the Shelf!

Connect with Diana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianabethge/ 

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image Audit

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

This 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 wins
• How to balance creative agility with brand guardrails
• Managing rights, risk, and nuance in global content workflows
• The vendor framework Julie uses (save money, make money, or mitigate risk)
• How her team is scaling content globally through partnerships—including their work with It’sRapid

Connect with Julie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-clifford-salesmarketing/ 

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image Audit

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

This 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 rethink
• The creative philosophy behind “ads that don’t feel like ads”
• How Thanks landed a game-changing deal with eBay
• Making room for better monetization without killing UX
• Why newsletters might be the next frontier

Rapid Rundown Questions

• Favorite brand using post-purchase media: Cashback platforms — “Free money after checkout. Customers love it.”
• Most effective creative format: Thanks Embed — “Invites users in instead of pushing. Big performance lift.”
• Tool you can’t live without: Superhuman or LinkedIn
• Book or thinker that shaped your approach: The Hard Thing About Hard Things — “Wartime vs. peacetime CEO mindset.”
• Hobbies and reset button:
• Kids and cooking with fire (pizza oven, BBQ, Big Green Egg

Connect with Doron: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doronostrin/

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutions

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

This 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 ROI
• How to balance scale and precision in media strategy
• The launch of Walmart Connect’s Display Advertising API—and how partners like It’sRapid are helping advertisers move faster
• What great creative looks like, and why it’s core to performance
• What Diana is focused on heading into Cannes 2025

Whether you’re a brand, agency, or platform, Diana’s perspective offers a rare look at where the future of retail media is headed.

Connect with Diana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianabethge/ 

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutions

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

It’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 the part numbers they need—and why success here requires patience, creativity, and a solid plan (plus a few incentives for your warehouse team).

Whether you’re wrestling with your own product data, or just curious how industrial brands are tackling digital transformation, this one’s worth a listen.

Key Takeaways & Episode Highlights

• Why “starting with the part number” won’t work—and how Wastequip built a taxonomy based on what customers are actually searching for
• How to collect product data and images at scale (including the creative incentive program they used with their team)
• The reality of managing 60,000 SKUs and why you can only eat the elephant one bite at a time
• How AI is helping Wastequip tag images, generate marketing copy, and structure product data
• The critical role of iteration and continuous improvement in B2B ecommerce—because the data is never really “done”

Rapid Rundown Questions

• Favorite digital project: The rebuild of wastebuilt.com, and the partnership with AmericanEagle.com
• Most surprising fact about the waste industry: There’s very little good product data behind most parts
• B2B brand that nails the digital experience: JetWind
• Trivia: How many pounds of waste does the average American generate per day? Nearly 5lbs!
• Hobbies and reset button: Golf, walking the dog, time with the granddaughter, and family adventures in the Northwest

Connect with Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevincreese/

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutions

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

This 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 every marketer’s mind: where should we spend the next dollar?

If you’re navigating retail media, e-commerce, or digital growth today, this episode offers a smart, candid look at the challenges—and opportunities—of scaling modern brand performance.

Key Takeaways & Episode Highlights

• Why profitability, performance, and category management need to work together in an omnichannel world—and how Edgewell ties these functions across the business.
• What “the next best dollar” means at Edgewell, and how the team balances incrementality, ROAS, and long-term brand health.
• Lessons from managing 30,000+ SKUs at Amazon (before APIs made it easy) and how those scrappy skills still apply today.
• The role of a clear, focused data strategy—and why owning your data is critical for AI readiness and true self-serve analytics.
• How AI and generative tools like ChatGPT and Snowflake are reshaping workflows, and why agentic AI might be the real unlock for the future.
• Why creative still matters: performance spend alone won’t build trust or brand love—and how to balance emotional storytelling with analytics-driven media.

Rapid Rundown Questions

• Favorite Edgewell product: Jack Black Dual Defense SPF Moisturizer
• Brand that’s nailing it creatively: Liquid Death
• Go-to tech tools: ChatGPT and Snowflake
• Favorite read/listen: The Long and the Short of It by Les Binet and Peter Field
• Favorite way to recharge: Mountain biking and snowboarding in Bend, Oregon

Connect with Nate: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanmoran/

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutions

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

What 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 makes an executive search successful (and why it’s not just about resumes)
- How to build long-term relationships that outlast any one transaction
- Why marketing—and creative storytelling—are regaining the spotlight in CPG
- What AI can and can’t do for recruiting and talent strategy
- Lessons from running 200+ podcast episodes and how that experience shapes Daniel’s approach to people and partnerships

Oh—and if you’re heading to ShopTalk Europe, stay tuned for Daniel’s local tips on where not to stay in Barcelona.

This one’s part career advice, part creative strategy, and all about how to connect like a human.

Connect with Daniel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danieltorresdwyer

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutions

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

This 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” of commerce.

This episode is packed with strategic and tactical insights for marketers navigating today’s fragmented, fast-moving digital landscape.

Episode Highlights

• How Russell Stover aligns retail media strategy across departments to drive consistency and performance during key seasonal moments like Valentine’s Day and Christmas.
• What it takes to modernize creative while staying true to brand identity—and why being product-focused still wins in retail media.
• Why AI will reshape the entire path to purchase, creating a more immersive and seamless shopping experience that blends discovery, content, and commerce.
• How neuroscience and shopper behavior inform Celia’s approach to content design, ad testing, and retail media optimization.
• The origin of Russell Stover’s partnership with It’s Rapid, and how a need for faster retail media asset development turned into a streamlined creative production workflow.

Rapid Rundown Answers

• Which ancient civilization first used cacao beans? The Olmecs
• Which country consumes the most chocolate per capita? Switzerland
• Who invented milk chocolate in 1875? Daniel Peter
• What was the first mass-produced chocolate bar? Fry’s Chocolate Cream
• What birthday did Russell Stover celebrate in 2023? 100!
• Celia’s favorite ways to decompress: long walks, brunch, and industry podcasts

Connect with Celia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/celiavanwickel

Follow Beyond the Shelf: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/beyond-the-shelf-podcast 

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutions

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

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 marketing environment.

Key Takeaways & Episode Highlights

• Career evolution from Mars to Chobani to Chloe’s – Tina walks through her path from global brands to challenger brand leadership, and how each stop shaped her approach to building high-impact marketing teams.
• Lessons from big-brand e-commerce – At Chobani, Tina helped reposition Instacart as a strategic priority, turning it into a top 10 channel and proving the power of data-driven retail media.
• How challenger brands stretch budgets – Tina shares the high-ROI tactics that work for mid-size brands, including tightly focused shopper marketing, retail media partnerships, and creative cost-sharing strategies.
• The role of AI in modern marketing – From ChatGPT to image generation, Tina discusses where AI can unlock speed and efficiency—and where human creativity is still essential for authentic brand storytelling.
• Building brands through unexpected partnerships – A standout co-branded campaign with Mixto and Instacart shows how creativity, timing, and collaboration can deliver outsize results.

Connect with Tina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinabmehta/

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutions

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

In 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 how Manu’s team is helping some of the world’s biggest brands take back control of their online presence—boosting profitability and protecting brand integrity across marketplaces.

If you’ve ever struggled with rogue sellers, messy data, or disjointed teams, this episode is a must-listen.

Key Takeaways & Episode Highlights

• From Best Buy to Amazon to I2O Retail – Manu shares his winding journey through global sourcing, pricing analytics, and retail leadership—and how risk-taking led to building his own company.
• Why Most Marketplace Tools Fall Short – The story behind I2O’s launch: how solving internal agency frustrations sparked a broader platform to help other brands fight unauthorized sellers.
• The 4 Amazon Fundamentals Every Brand Must Nail – Availability, pricing, content, and discoverability—Manu breaks down the "retail basics" that brands often overlook in favor of flashy tactics.
• What Unauthorized Resellers Really Cost You – A brand protection masterclass, from image misuse to pricing violations—and how automation, enforcement, and policy alignment can clean it up.
• The Truth About AI in Retail – It’s not about pressing a button. Manu shares how I2O is using AI for scale and efficiency—not magic—and why clean data is the real foundation for success.

Rapid Rundown Questions

• Strangest e-commerce trend: The rise of TikTok Shops and influencer-driven buying
• Movie title that sums up e-commerce today: Inception – ever-evolving, hard to follow, but always moving
• Most impactful retail tech: Self-checkout and digital payments, streamlining the physical retail experience
• Book recommendation: Atomic Habits – small changes, big results
• Best career advice: Present multiple solutions—but always have a strong recommendation

Connect with Manu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manusareen/

Follow Beyond the Shelf: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/beyond-the-shelf-podcast

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutions

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

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.

Subscribe to Media, Ads + Commerce: https://mediaadsandcommerce.substack.com/

Connect with Andrew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-lipsman-10b2162/

Follow Beyond the Shelf: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/beyond-the-shelf-podcast

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutions

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

From 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 future of AI in e-commerce, the challenges of scaling data-driven decisions, and why pickleball is taking over America (seriously, try finding an empty court). If you're into sports, e-commerce, or just love a great business strategy story, this one's for you!

Tune in for insights on:
 - Breaking into the sports & e-commerce industry
 - The explosion of pickleball and Franklin Sports' growth strategy
 - AI’s impact on e-commerce analytics, content, and forecasting
 - How to make data approachable for non-technical teams
 - The future of AI adoption in large organizations

Connect with Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-kennedy-ecommerce-analytics

Follow Beyond the Shelf: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/beyond-the-shelf-podcast

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutions

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

How 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 retail & advertising—why great storytelling is at the heart of e-commerce success (08:00)
• AI as a business accelerator—how brands can integrate AI into retail, marketing, and customer engagement (18:00)
• Build vs. partner for AI solutions—when businesses should invest in in-house AI capabilities vs. leverage external expertise (26:00)
• Why creative strategy is critical in retail media—how AI and automation are helping brands scale content while keeping it personalized (28:00)

Connect with Matthew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matasmit/ 

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutions

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

How 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 scale.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• The evolution of digital commerce in CPG—how eCommerce went from an afterthought to a core business function (3:00)
• How Mondelēz structures its eCommerce and digital content teams—the roles of brand teams, shopper marketing, and retail media (5:00)
• The power of content in shaping consumer experiences—what makes a winning PDP (Product Detail Page) (6:20)
• Mobile Ready Hero Images (MRHI)—why they matter and how Mondelēz uses them to optimize product discoverability (7:03)
• How Mondelēz leverages its partnership with It’sRapid to scale content creation efficiently across thousands of SKUs (8:38)
  • Meeting retailer-specific content demands quickly and efficiently
  • Automating the creation of Mobile Ready Hero Images
  • Integrating PIM data to dynamically generate optimized visuals
• The impact of PIM (Product Information Management) on content automation—how data flows from marketing briefs to fully optimized digital content (9:44)
• The constant innovation cycle in CPG—how new flavors and product launches impact content strategy (11:39)
• The future of digital commerce—why efficiency and automation will be key to managing retailer-specific content at scale (18:32)

Connect with Eric: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-altschul-b0189a9/ 

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutions

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

For 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 of experience in eCommerce, content syndication, and retail analytics, Chris has helped brands refine their digital strategies through roles at Numerator, Cyndigo, and Gladson. Now at Jungle Scout, he focuses on helping brands of all sizes make data-driven decisions to succeed in Amazon’s competitive marketplace and emerging retail channels.

Chris and Dave discuss:

• The state of Amazon today—how brands should approach 1P vs. 3P sales models (02:57)
• The intersection of in-store and digital retail media—how brands can optimize for both (08:04)
• The rise of marketplaces—why Best Buy, Lowe’s, and Walmart are doubling down on the marketplace model (09:47)
• Key strategies for brands expanding beyond Amazon—what to know before entering new online channels (16:52)
• How AI and automation are transforming keyword strategy and retail media spend (18:26)
• How content automation is helping brands scale—Chris shares how It'sRapid supports brands with faster content creation and syndication (23:38)

Connect with Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-barnes-a0a7022/ 

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutions

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

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 took to build a digital commerce strategy at a global brand (9:36). He also discusses the transition from tech companies to brand-side roles (12:54), the evolving omnichannel shopping experience (21:32), and how companies decide whether to build in-house or partner with vendors (27:18).

Connect with Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgeller/ 

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutions

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

This 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) and how brands need to think about incorporating AI capabilities. 

Later, she and Dave discuss the trajectory of retail media (16:45) and its growing influence across industries. Throughout the conversation, one theme remains paramount: the customer. Malik emphasizes that the most effective way to grow a business is to work backward from the customer, understanding how they shop and what drives their decisions (23:57).

Catch Dave at Bazaarvoice Summit 2025! He’ll be there this Thursday, March 13 at 11:20AM CDT / 4:20PM GMT, for the panel “Retail Media Networks Reimagined: The Power of a Full-Funnel Content Strategy.”  He’ll be joined by Bazaarvoice’s Jo Callahan and Mindshare’s Jeff Malmad.

Don’t miss this discussion on how brands can integrate content and retail media into a full-funnel strategy. Save your spot here: https://www.bazaarvoice.com/summit-2025/ 

Connect with Jyoti: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jyotimalik/ 

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd

Email us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutions

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producers: Sean Leviashvili, Jake Musiker

Dave’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 company playbook that helps freelancers and AI models alike understand content goals (21:55). Finally, we cap this episode with a hilarious and entertaining “Pup Quiz” (26:28), where Dave tests Elise's knowledge on trends in the pet and pet food industry. 

From shifts in eCommerce to PDPs and even dog food influencers, no topic is left off the table. 

PUP QUIZ ANSWERS: 

Question #1: French Bulldog
Question #2: Between $434-684 per year

Question #3: Luna

Question #4: Cooper
Question #5: No more than 10%!

Connect with Elise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisebarry-ecomm/

Get the ItsRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producers: Sean Leviashvili, Jake Musiker

Dave’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 own provided her with invaluable insights that help her guide brands both big and small (09:14). She also shares how Hayden Consultancy helps clients boost their sales (16:19), and her thoughts on the future of Retail Media (24:37).   

Connect with Eleanor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanorhayden/

Learn more about It’sRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/

Get the It'sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producers: Sean Leviashvili, Jake Musiker

Dave’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 evolved over time (17:40), where new brands should start (18:48), and thoughts on newer e-commerce players like Temu (20:02).

Check out VML's "2025 Predictions for Search" report here: https://www.vml.com/insight/2025-predictions-for-search 

Connect with Kristy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kskristy/ 

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/

Get the ItsRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producers: Sean Leviashvili, Jake Musiker

Dave’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 (32:40). 

Subscribe to the Retail Media Breakfast Club podcast: https://www.retailmediabreakfastclub.com/

Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/retail-media-breakfast-club-7261657654001909760/

Connect with Kiri: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiri-masters/

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producers: Sean Leviashvili, Jake Musiker

This 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://mediaadsandcommerce.substack.com/

Connect with Andrew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-lipsman-10b2162/

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producers: Sean Leviashvili, Jake Musiker

Dave’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 providers should navigate the process of selecting new partners (28:32) and how coaching hockey bears a lot in common with doing business (35:52).

Connect with Sam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samgagliardi/

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/ 

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producers: Sean Leviashvili, Jake Musiker

We’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 his thoughts on achieving $10T of retail growth in the coming years (4:02), how to put the “retail” back in retail media (8:53), why big retailers will have a major advantage over smaller competitors for the foreseeable future (10:31), why AI is already overpromising and underdelivering (21:59), and why the definition of “omnichannel” will change in 2025 (31:55).

Connect with Bryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-gildenberg-56a6b0/
Follow Retail Cities: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retailcities/ 

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/ 

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Dave’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.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Happy 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 on personal and professional development (22:41). 

Note: all views expressed in this episode are Neha's personal POV.

Connect with Neha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnehashah/

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/ 

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

We’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 partnerships, such as Kids2’s use cases for sell sheets (5:39), why they chose to work with It’sRapid (7:44), how Dawn was able to secure buy-in across the organization (10:27), and how It’sRapid is implemented across the Kids2 portfolio (15:40) are all discussed here.

Connect with Dawn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnppowell/ 

Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/ 

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Dave 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 overview of the Danone portfolio (19:22).

Connect with Jennifer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferangelus/ 

Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/ 

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Dave’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.linkedin.com/in/piyush-chaudhari-62b29a13/ 

Follow Salsify: https://www.linkedin.com/company/salsify 

Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/ 

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Dave 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 line (27:26)

Connect with Gireesh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahukar/ 

Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/ 

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Beyond 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 is Director, Ecommerce and Digital Marketing.

They share an overview of the wine ecommerce market (3:45) and The Wine Group’s success in the space (11:23), before diving deep into their partnership with ItsRapid: specific use cases (19:02), ease of adoption (22:45) the wins they’ve already had and how they plan to utilize ItsRapid moving forward (27:41). 

Connect with Andrew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewgroom/ 

Connect with Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackslattery1/

Follow The Wine Group: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thewinegroup 

Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/ 

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Dave 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 difficult (17:28), and what’s on the horizon for the space going forward (19:33). 

Connect with Claudia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiavirgilio/ 

Learn more about Skai: https://skai.io/ 

Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Dave’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 of mouth (24:28). 

Connect with McKenzie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckenzie-bauer-b436647a/  Learn more about Thread Wallets: https://www.threadwallets.com/ 

Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

We 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 still king, especially with the ways AI can now inform and enhance it (23:51). 

Follow Publicis Commerce: https://www.linkedin.com/company/publiciscommerce/

Connect with Margaux: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaux-logan/

Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

It’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 get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

This 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" ones (26:04).

Connect with Michael on LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelreda/

Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Dave 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 JBP report (18:44).

Download the free report here: https://www.digitalshelfinstitute.org/report-dsi-microsoft-advertising-joint-business-planning

Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenlivak/
Connect with Nate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natepinkston/

Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Dave 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://www.linkedin.com/in/gabe-wight-23711038/

Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Dave 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: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-santanna-mba-4a32b411/

Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

This 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 from It'sRapid and get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Dave 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 work he does leading the Board of Directors for the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (28:46).

Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-pierre/

Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker 

This 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/

Connect with Parag: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omnigrowthparag/

Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Coming 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 like (22:19), and how Amazon has become much more than a conversion-focused platform (30:33).

Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreycohen/

Take advantage of a special offer from It'sRapid and get a free image, video or banner ad by emailing sales@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker 

Dave 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@itsrapid.io with code "BEYOND2024"

Learn more about ItsRapid: https://itsrapid.ai/

Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker