Infinite Shelf - An Omnichannel Podcast by Future Commerce – Details, episodes & analysis

From discussions on leadership, brand strategy, pop culture moments, and unique takes on how it’s all intertwined, Ingrid and Orchid brought a meaningful and fun season together. In this last episode of the season, Phillip and Brian join Ingrid to share their favorite moments and what made Season 3 so insightful. 

• {00:07:55} “Season 3 with Orchid came together in this way where we started talking about how everything is intertwined and everything is intermingled like subcultures and cultures and how commerce creates that, sustains that, kills that, like that whole life cycle. That is truly the core of retail planning, marketing, building a brand, and all of the things that we hope and wish to do through the analysis and the media and all the things that we're trying to learn.” - Ingrid
• {00:11:32} “Hearing your perspective on what not to do in an integration or what to buckle up for in an integration, I was able to bring my own perspective to it too. It's like, what are the four things that can ruin an integration with your brand? It felt very informative without being structured in a, "Okay, I'm going to tell you something. I'm going to give you a structure broken down and analyze this for you," which is something I'd never listened to, but instead it was people relating their actual life experience.” - Phillip
• {00:13:26} “You nailed it that fans have more power and more influence than ever before and those that ignore them are missing out on the largest opportunity that there is right now.” - Brian
• {00:24:28} “The whole idea is that the show talks about not just what we've been primarily focused on, which is consumers and brands and how do you grow and evolve and turn fans into customers. And all of that stuff is super relevant and I love talking about it, but that's 50% of what we talk about. The other 50% is how do we on the inside of organizations, how do we become good leaders.” - Ingrid
• {00:32:19} “A brand is not design and it's not a logo and it's not fonts and colors. A brand is something that has endured and stood the test of time, and that means many market cycles and that means longevity. And it's something that has, despite all the odds, somehow found a way to persist. I don't think you can do that without profitability.” - Phillip
• {00:46:36} “I'm the audience for this kind of conversational in the trenches, new insights, reframing things, highlighting things in a way that maybe I hadn't thought of myself. That is what I think I'm the most proud of with Season 3, all of our seasons, but particularly with this season, having weaved that in has been really great.” - Ingrid

• Follow Infinite Shelf on Instagram
• Want to hear more? Check out past episodes here
• Love your new co-host? Check her out on LinkedIn
• Check out other Future Commerce podcasts

Have any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on Futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!

Ingrid and Orchid sit down to dish out their hot takes on what is happening in the news. Does Threads have what it takes to survive? Did Instant Pot “sh*t the bed” when it came to customer retention and repeat sales? Did Vanmoof invest too much money into a niche market? Tune in to find out.

• {00:11:32} “Whether or not Threads is going to be a place where legitimate discourse happens, based on pieces written by career journalists, or if it's just going to be an echo chamber all over again of people who have limited experience but tend to amplify each other, that's still to be seen.” - Orchid
• {00:18:18} “You have to have an interesting relationship with the platform itself so that if users use it for something that is entirely different from what you intended or maybe envisioned for yourself, you have to be okay with that.” - Orchid
• {00:20:27} “When you think about the cult of personality or when you think about innovation, most of the time folks lean into, "Oh, this thing has never existed before and now it exists." And if you look at the entire model in China, it is to copy and improve and optimize. And that is a type of innovation as well, which is to take one idea and apply it into another vertical or another industry, or to launch something that's a better version of X.” - Orchid
• {00:24:58} “I really like the idea of the people who make that neighborhood Twitter what it is, if they're not treated with respect and understood that there's going to be another alternative that will allow them to have the platform that they want that they use.” - Ingrid
• {00:40:58} “Instapot had this ability to be this cult product and lead this whole band of fans that they earned and they just didn't. And that to me is like, sorry, but whoever's like running marketing or community management there, you shit the bed.” - Ingrid
• {00:41:42} “The takeaway is do not ignore your fans. Ignite that flame. Facilitate the conversations. They're going to buy the new version. They're going to buy the air fryer. They're going to buy all the other stuff if you're facilitating the larger conversation.” - Ingrid

• Follow Infinite Shelf on Instagram
• Want to hear more? Check out past episodes here
• Love your new co-host? Check her out on LinkedIn
• Check out other Future Commerce podcasts

Have any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on Futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!

There have been many noticeable changes in the workplace over the past few years. How does your brand authentically align with your values? How do you build that in a way that is authentic and meaningful while still being professionals? How do you use how you show up to work and the norms of that as a way to create less distraction from the meaningful work that's done, but not in a way that is gatekeeping access to everyone? Listen now and join the discussion!

• {00:02:22} “There's a lot of conversation out there about artificial intelligence and what it's going to replace and what it's not. And the reality is that marketing is human-centric. Marketing is empathy. And so I think there are a lot of things about marketing strategy that will never be replaced.” - Orchid
• {00:09:09} “We were able to fail in a very private or limited way in which this generation cannot because everything is public. Think about how many parents created a special hashtag for their kid or created social media accounts for their kid. And so this failure becomes permanent because everything on the Internet lives forever.” - Orchid
• {00:20:16} “There is a lot of nuance that is lost in this really valuable and lived advice that we are giving to the next generation.” - Orchid
• {00:22:54} “If we work together, we can build this beautiful environment where, yes, we have boundaries, but we are also committed to doing the work until it's done because we take pride in our work as well.” - Orchid
• {00:24:30} “As now rising leaders within our organization, we have the power and are gaining more and more power to influence the cultures around us to find that balance between hustle culture and not having work define who you are. “ - Ingrid
• {00:28:18} “The workplace has changed fundamentally the same way that the retail environment has changed fundamentally due to eCommerce coming out, social media coming out, and COVID happening.” - Ingrid

• Follow Infinite Shelf on Instagram
• Want to hear more? Check out past episodes here
• Love your new co-host? Check her out on LinkedIn
• Check out other Future Commerce podcasts

Have any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on Futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!

Welcome to Season 3! Infinite Shelf is back and Orchid Bertelsen, Chief Operating Officer at Common Thread Collective, is joining Ingrid as co-host this season, and there is much to discuss this season. What do we do with DTC next? What is that balance between making it feel like you have a dialog with your consumers and you're connected to your consumers, but ultimately, as the brand, being the expert and the one making the curated decisions? How do we go forward from here? Listen now!

• {00:08:22} “There is no DTC without social media, and there would never have been. They complement each other. They enable each other to exist.” - Ingrid
• {00:012:06} “The combination of social media and DTC really inherently sparked the change in power dynamics between brand and consumer.” - Orchid
• {00:019:21} “One of the biggest threats to DTC is private label.” - Orchid
• {00:023:10} “In terms of power dynamics in this new world where we don't have this laser focus on DTC, DTC does not equal eCommerce. DTC is a subset of that.” - Orchid
• {00:025:08} “DTC graduated to not just being a sales channel, but being a brand ethos or a marketing strategy. And I'll be the first person to admit how important that is while at the same time, out of the other end of my mouth, I'm going to say not every brand needs to touch your heart.” - Ingrid
• {00:029:42} “The people that are going to have these more successful businesses, omnichannel going forward, are the ones that just are constantly innovating. They're making their in-store experience better. They're making their online presence better. They're improving their products. And I think that's a beautiful thing.” - Ingrid
• {00:031:30} “The tide has receded. What you're seeing now is that the strongest, most holistic thinking brands will win when they view every channel as a lever that they can pull. The smartest business people who balance business and experience will win.” - Orchid

• Follow Infinite Shelf on Instagram
• Want to hear more? Check out past episodes here
• Love your new co-host? Check her out on LinkedIn
• Check out other Future Commerce podcasts

Have any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on Futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!

Looking back over the scope of Season 2 of Infinite Shelf, starting with some real problem-solving situations with great guests who shared willingly about their experiences and moving into the second part of the season about how we connect as humans and how that relates to the brand, Philip and Brian from Future Commerce join Ingrid to recap Season 2 and offer a sneak peek into what is ahead in Season 3. Listen now!

• {00:05:45} “There's a lot of existentialism in the purpose. What is my purpose? Why do I exist? And I think the greatest of leaders and the brands that endure have to go through that.” - Phillip
• {00:012:46} “Some of the best brands are the brands that are run by people who are the consumers of the brand or are solving the problem that they themselves ran into and are now realizing how many more millions of people have that same problem that needed to be solved.” - Ingrid
• {00:024:17} “The world is constantly changing and there are going to be things that are introduced that are going to necessitate me changing along with them. And I always want to be on the side of adapting to those things or trying them out and being open to them.” - Ingrid
• {00:028:11} “Some people are tearing down other people's channels so that they can prop up their own because they don't like change. And that traditional retail mindset has been afraid of digital transformation for the longest time.” - Phillip
• {00:032:53} “I'm going to hire the person who got really into the metaverse, not because they got it right or wrong, but because I now know how their mind adapts to new information and how growth-oriented their mindset is.” - Ingrid
• {00:040:47} Season 3 will be a deep dive into the DTC industry, what’s changing, what the landscape looks like now, and whether or not it matter anymore. You won’t want to miss it!

• Follow Infinite Shelf on Instagram!
• Learn more about Ingrid Milman Cordy
• Check out other Future Commerce podcasts

Have any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on Futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!

Why is it that memories of your grandma’s cereal offerings can be such a powerful and nostalgic memory? Ingrid and Kiri talk about the power of memory when it comes to content and commerce and how this element of our human experience can be such a beautiful way for brands to build a legacy that lasts to future generations. 

• There has been a big flight back to legacy brands and national brands that has escalated during times of uncertainty and turmoil, for that sense of comfort and security
• In a world of so many copycat brands that have saturated a market that used to be full of only legacy brands that were familiar and comfortable, no one wants to think too hard about what cereal they are going to buy
• It’s been hard to watch new luxury brands have the same longevity as heritage brands because memory and nostalgia compel consumers to go back to the old luxury brands again and again
• This memory concept is our brain's receptacle of the past, the means of passing our life stories to the next generation for continuity
• Food, for example, is so connected to our memories and remains a part of our lives in many meaningful ways
• If you work for a brand or have some influence with a brand that has a little bit of legacy, I think it can be a really, really powerful thing to tap into
• A lot of small brands that have successfully solved problems in their niche, but relatively few get to that level of scale
• Even if the product is wildly better than the brand there is much power and resilience that a brand allows you to have that is so much more powerful than just being a product

• Check out our other episodes of Infinite Shelf
• Get ready for Archetypes, our soon to be published 240-page journal! Check it out at ArchetypesJournal.com
• Get your tickets to our Archetypes Event December 1 in Miami, FL
• Subscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more of what we are witnessing in the commerce world! 
• Download VISIONS 2022 NOW! 

Have any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on Futurecommerce.fm, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!

There has never been a time like now where customers expect such a relationship and purpose from brands. How are brands to think about this and handle this well while staying true to who they are? And how many consumers are actually driven to purpose-focused brands?

• We each have a reason and a purpose we are striving for, and it’s part of what drives us as humans
• Purpose should be high priority for brands, and that includes their purpose in the world and consumers and also their purpose internally 
• After being in the beauty and fashion industries for so long where building connections and relationships with customers is so vital, Ingrid finds that her experience there adds to her work now in the health and wellness space
• Even though a lot of people understand that unsustainable practices aren’t good for the planet, do they also feel badly enough to make a change in behavior to do something about it?
• Companies like PepsiCo have changed their messaging to relate to the more prevalent conversation of health and wellness in the marketplace and also have added healthier products to their offering
• Having a sense of understanding that what you’re doing matters, that your company matters, that your manager/leaders care about you, and that you are making an impact, is very important in getting the most of our a person in a workplace
• Every level in a company needs to be treated as just as important to the purpose as any other level
• “Everyone wants to matter. Everyone wants to have a job to do and contribute to something.” - Kiri

• Check out our other episodes of Infinite Shelf
• Get ready for Archetypes, our soon to be published 240-page journal! Check it out at ArchetypesJournal.com
• Get your tickets to our Archetypes Event December 1 in Miami, FL
• Subscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more of what we are witnessing in the commerce world! 
• Download VISIONS 2022 NOW! 

Have any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on Futurecommerce.fm, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!

Continuing on our journey through the ten key human experiences that make us who we are and how that relates to content and commerce and brands that we are a part of and that we love to consume, today's episode is all about the human characteristic of curiosity. How can curiosity be understood and better used within the world of content and commerce?

• We are inquisitive creatures, and there is a powerful connection between our curiosity and commerce
• Free gifts with purchase is a brilliant way drive curiosity and it is a seriously underutilized tool these days
• Estée Lauder is credited with this brilliant idea of gift with purchase that would become an element of surprise and delight moving the experience from a transactional mentality to a relationship mentality
• At the end of the day, McDonald’s sells food, but with the Happy Meal toy, they’ve introduced whimsy and fun into the experience
• “Because we've become concerned about margins and concerned about profitability, we've forgotten all of these other levers that we have that inspire connectivity and loyalty and human connection to our brands.” - Ingrid
• People too often get caught up in advocating for always and only pursuing either growth or profitability but it’s actually more of a pendulum
• Amazon & Apple have been free to innovate because they’re playing the long game and have communicated where they are on the growth cycle
• eCommerce professionals are in a very fast-paced environment that requires curiosity and not everything in our industry is a hit
• Having a Test and Learn budget, a known vs unknown framework, in your strategy is helpful in keeping you from getting stuck in what you’ve always done and also holding you back from investing too much in something that may not work out

• Check out our other episodes of Infinite Shelf
• Get ready for Archetypes, our soon to be published 240-page journal! Check it out at ArchetypesJournal.com
• Get your tickets to our Archetypes Event December 1 in Miami, FL
• Subscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more of what we are witnessing in the commerce world! 
• Download VISIONS 2022 NOW! 

Have any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on Futurecommerce.fm, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!

Although the audience may change, storytelling is a human trait that is underestimated and very powerful for brands. BUT, how does a brand stay within the proper boundaries of who they are and who their audience is without overstepping into cringe-ville?

• The need for creativity and storytelling has exploded in the last few years and has shifted from idealism to realism
• We still need a brand team to work on vision and cohesiveness but we’re adding on every day content creators to put a more accessible spin on stories
• Consumers have gotten a lot more savvy and desire creators who can connect to their circumstances and lifestyle
• What does Gen Alpha want to be when they grow up? Influencers and content creators. This is reminiscent of kids wanting to be actors except content creation as a profession is a lot more accessible.
• In our consumption culture (or late-stage capitalism), the job of being the one to sell things is glorified and influencer culture breeds an unapologetic nature of identifying themselves as a brand or lifestyle
• How much intimacy is too much intimacy? Peloton got into trouble for getting too intimate with their customers and overreaching on how they should interact with their customers
• The human trait of storytelling is underestimated and very powerful across all platforms and within each role in any organization 
• “Who are you and who is your audience is going to really drive what kind of stories to tell and how to tell them.” - Kiri
• “Determine the boundaries for yourself and for your company and for your brands about how much creativity and storytelling and dialog is enough for your brand to remain relevant, feel connected, but not have to overstep that boundary.” - Ingrid

• Check out our previous episode, Community Building & Belonging
• FC podcast - The Algorithm Made Him Do It: Vibes Over Data
• Peloton ad - A Peloton Ad Sparked Huge Controversy…
• ViralPostGenerator.com
• Broetry

Have any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on Futurecommerce.fm, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!

We are social beings who need community and long to create meaning through the relationships in our life. How do we interact with brands, consumers, and the products surrounding us to really engage with each other? Listen as Kiri and Ingrid dive into the human need for community and belonging.

• We use brands and social signals as a way to make decisions about what we’re going to do with/put in our bodies
• Minecraft is a platform that has generated a community and has become not just a game, but actually an identity and an activity in which families are involved and together in it
• Glossier was brilliant in creating a gated Slack channel for top 100 fans which helped them build community and also have access to valuable market research
• “When you think about these if-you-know-you-know business models, luxury has created that, but the Internet has created that if-you-know-you-know for everyone. It's democratized these niche, little communities.” - Ingrid
• You go to amazon for specific things, not for inspiration, and it serves a specific purpose
• There's some weirdness where we are social beings and we want to be in a social community, we’ve shifted from one person in a clan to Kim K with millions of followers
• “One of the challenges that we have in our digitally-connected community is that it is our community. This is where we go for belonging. But there are not always the best or clearest intentions among all the people in the community.” - Kiri
• There is a way for brands to handle reviews in a really transparent way that still drives more review volume and a feeling of community without being shady
• “There's always going to be a need and a place and a way to differentiate yourself as a brand by understanding the fundamental human need for community and belonging.” - Ingrid

Have any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on Futurecommerce.fm, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!