Up Next In Commerce: Recent Episodes
Mission
After more than two-and-a-half years and nearly 300 episodes of uninterrupted commerce content, we’re taking a brief pause. Stephanie and the team behind Up Next in Commerce is busy cooking up some fun and exciting ideas for our next season of the show, and while that’s happening, we’ll be pushing pause on releasing new episodes. But we’ll be back, and we want to hear from you about what you want to see and hear when we return! So get in touch by emailing info@mission.org. And in the meantime, you can keep up with Stephanie by listening to the Mission Daily podcast!Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
Sustainability and consciousness are often seen as buzzwords coming from ecommerce companies. But for those who build their businesses around doing right in the world, these terms are nothing short of foundational. In this episode, Jeff Scult, founder of sustainable retailer One Golden Thread, discusses how his company gives more back to nature then it takes to create products in the company’s wildly popular clothing line.Tune in to learn:* The rise of consciousness among consumers (5:30) * The origin of One Golden Thread (9:00) * The inspiration for the company’s process and design (13:10) * What it means to be truly sustainable (23:00)
About the Guest:Currently serves as creator & founder of One Golden Thread. Jeff is a first-time clothing designer at age 52 after a life spent amplifying other’s visions and creations. Jeff designs for life over seasons, gender-agnostic clothing that's unisexy. As a solution to the plastic pollution of clothing, Jeff believes that sustainability is actually not the answer, that good business can model itself as regeneration. His designs are inspired by his travels to more than 39 countriesUp Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
Although it may seem like Chomps has been an overnight success, behind the scenes there has been a lot of hard work, risky bets, and beneficial partnerships that has helped elevate the brand. On this episode, Pete Maldonado, the Co-founder and CEO of Chomps and Stacy Hartnett, the Vice President, E-Commerce & Marketing at Chomps, discuss how the company was bootstrapped, and how it has scaled through both retail and online platforms.Tune in to learn:* The beginnings of Chomps (2:00) * The timeline of success (5:45) * Lessons learned after getting into Trader Joe’s (13:30) * How and why Stacey came on board (15:00) * Creating an appetite for risky bets (21:20) * Identifying the right platforms (23:00) * Contrarian ideas or data to track (31:20)
Mentions:* Tim Ferris/Noah Kagan blog * Uncrate.com
About the Guest:Pete Maldonado:“Born and raised in Long Island, New York, Pete Maldonado traveled to Florida to attend school at Palm Beach Atlantic University, and later to St. Joseph’s College to pursue business management. A natural entrepreneur, Maldonado spent the majority of his twenties, during and after college, as a Personal Trainer carefully studying product labels, nutrition facts and ingredients lists to build custom meal plans for his clients. It was through this experience that he learned how to properly utilize food, with a focus on caloric intake and macronutrients, to create flexible, long-term lifestyle changes. He educated his clients on the importance of organic and non-GMO foods and the unnecessary chemicals that could and should be avoided in one’s diet. Busy with work and always on-the-go, Maldonado was on the hunt for healthy snacks that were truly “clean”, high in protein, low in calories, and didn’t sacrifice quality for taste. Upon realizing that options were limited and identifying a market need, Maldonado was determined to develop his own better-for-you meat snack alternative. Having met his business partner and fellow Co-founder, Rashid Ali, at a poker game in Chicago, Maldonado knew immediately that Ali’s critical thinking coupled with his knowledge in finance and operations would perfectly compliment his own creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. Through extensive research into the benefits of regenerative agriculture practices, trial and error in relation to which direction to take the brand’s new grass fed beef company, as well as finding a nearby co-manufacturer to help them develop the product, Chomps was born in 2012. Together, their two-man team kicked off selling meat sticks direct-to-consumer through Facebook ads out of Pete’s spare apartment bedroom. Chomps was profitable within the first 30 days and today, nearly 9 years later, Chomps is one of the fastest growing snack brands in the country, and the fastest growing natural meat stick brand on the market. Maldonado currently resides in Naples, Florida where he met his wife and had two children. At the Chomps Florida headquarters, Maldonado spearheads the sales and marketing divisions, assisting his team in trendspotting and scouring the market for future growth opportunities. Maldonado’s strengths include ingenuity, public speaking and big-picture thinking, among others.”Stacey Hartnett:“Born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Stacey Hartnett left her hometown to attend college at the University of Connecticut School of Business, majoring in Marketing and International Studies. Following graduation, Hartnett kicked off her career in New York where she forged a path for herself in sales and participated in an account management development track at News Corp. In this role, Hartnett acquired an understanding of traditional shopper marketing tactics in a rotational program by working with clients like Mars and Post, ultimately kickstarting her passion in the CPG space. After 2+ years in this position, Hartnett forecasted a shift in traditional marketing tactics and budgeting as companies slowly began to lean into the digital space. With this shift on the horizon, Hartnett joined Rise Interactive, a growing Chicago boutique digital agency. As Associate Director of E-Commerce and Retail, Hartnett gained expertise in all things digital media, analytics, and UX through a number of noteworthy clients including Ulta Beauty, Pandora Jewelry, Michael's, Follett and more. There, Hartnett developed a comprehensive understanding of digital channels including paid search, paid social, programmatic/display, affiliate, email, onsite UX and CRO. Hartnett eventually shifted her role within the agency to oversee the Paid Social function. Leading a team of 18 individuals, she developed and drove the company’s media buying strategy, building platform partnerships – which included a number of CPG accounts – across the entire agency book. After four and a half years at Rise, and with a desire to focus solely on CPG, Hartnett accepted a role with Chomps in 2019 as a digital media buyer. Her role quickly evolved, to Director of Ecommerce, in which Hartnett oversaw all E-Commerce and ROI strategy as it relates to digital marketing. Hartnett’s tenacity is demonstrated in numbers, as she helped drive a 291% increase in E-Commerce Sales (2019 v. 2021) and a 32% decrease in CAC from paid media (2019 v. 2021). Based in the Chicago office, Hartnett’s primary areas of focus at Chomps include a datadriven approach to testing, innovation, growth planning and channel development, with a passion for building strong teams and effective cross-functional collaboration.” Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
Before she became the VP of Ecommerce and Marketing at Pharmaca, Elizabeth Garry cut her teeth in the digital and marketing world at brands such as Wayfair, Walmart, and Camping World. In this episode, Liz shares with us the lessons she’s learned along the way, including how to vet a potential manager to see whether they have your best interests at heart, and what it looks like to create success as a team.Tune in to learn:* Liz’s background and her pivot to ecommerce (2:20) * Learning directly from the Wayfair founders (5:30) * How to vet a potential manager (12:25) * Creating success with your team (22:15) * What is Pharmica? (30:00) * Creating a digital journey that helps customers (34:45) * Predictions for 2023 (38:00)
About the Guest:Elizabeth Garry is the VP of Ecommerce and Marketing at Pharmaca. Prior to joining Pharmaca, she held marketing and ecommerce roles at Wayfair, Walmart, and Campaign World.Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
When a company is as large as AT&T and has a legacy that dates back nearly 150 years, you might think that it’s difficult for the brand to adapt and innovate. Maryanne Cheung, the VP of ecommerce at AT&T, is here to tell you you’re wrong. On this episode, she details all the ways that AT&T has been able to change with the times in order to serve today’s more digitally-focused customers. Tune in to learn:* How AT&T evaluates change (3:00) * Small bets that have made a big impact (5:00) * The omnichannel mix at AT&T (9:50) * Some predictions for the next five years (14:45) * Outside of customer service, how does AT&T separate itself from competitors? (19:45) * What is the future of call centers? (28:45) * What keeps work exciting? (38:45)
About the Guest:“Maryanne Cheung is the VP of ecommerce at AT&T. As the leader of e-commerce for AT&T Consumer, I am responsible for driving the strategy and continued growth of the online business across sales, service and support functions. This includes delivering the online channel goals, setting the vision and executing on the expansion of online distribution and product assortment beyond AT&T-owned entities, and establishing content and business strategies to drive demand generation and improve conversion. In my prior role as VP of Broadband Product Management, I led the $13B Broadband and Voice profit and loss portfolio, roadmap and lifecycle management for all broadband services and in-home connected experiences, as well as the oversight of fiber investment and penetration acceleration strategy. In 2020, I assumed sole responsibility for all of Broadband and Voice’s capital portfolio of $100M as well as end to end accountability for product software development. I have held various roles in strategy functions during my tenure at AT&T in technology, IT and transformation. Most notably, in 2018 I created, staffed and led the Technology Strategy organization. This team specialized in strategic projects including 5G investment, cloud consumption, AI, software development and network field workforce strategy with multibillion-dollar investment and savings impacts.”Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
The DTC world is forever shifting and evolving. Staying on top of changing trends and best practices takes work. We try to make that easier for you by sharing insights from experts throughout the industry. Today, we’re doubling our efforts by speaking with fellow podcast host Eric Dyck, who is the founder and CEO of DTC Newsletter and host of DTC Podcast. Eric shares his latest findings and gives some tips on how to win with newsletters and content marketing.Tune in to learn:* How Eric got into the DTC space (2:00) * Winning with your newsletters (6:20) * How to stand out when everyone is moving in the same direction (9:50) * The role AI will play for brands moving forward (15:20) * The challenges companies face in 2023 (26:00)
Mentions:* DTC Events * Midday Squares episode of Up Next in Commerce
About the Guest:Eric Dyck is the founder and CEO of DTC Newsletter and DTC Podcast. He creates content that helps brands and marketers rapidly improve their marketing strategies and social advertising tactics.Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
Shinola is a lifestyle brand that partners with family businesses and iconic brands to showcase a wide range of American-designed products. Which means the company has to know how (and where) to continually reach all segments of an ever-growing audience. Joel Layton, the VP, Head of Ecommerce, Digital & Marketing for Shinola discusses what that looks like.Tune in to learn:* Are we in a DTC vs retail world? (6:30) * Enacting a test and learn strategy (9:35) * Going all-in on TikTok (12:55) * Thinking ahead for the coming year (19:00)
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.About the Guest:“Joel Layton is the Vice President/Head of e-commerce, Digital, & Marketing at Shinola. Using all the wonders of digital, I stitch together technology, strategy, and teams to build wonderful experiences that drive customer engagement and awareness.”Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
In an innovative move, Scott Lynn, CEO and Founder of Masterworks, democratized art investing by registering art pieces with the SEC and selling shares to investors. The first company of its kind, Masterworks is now a major art dealer with more than 600,000 investors on its platform. Scott dives into the future of art investing, the historical data the company analyzes, and how to determine which art pieces will perform. Tune in to learn:* Historical data in the art industry (7:00) * Art investing over the next couple of years (10:46) * The role of alternative asset classes in coming decades (20:55) * How do you determine which art will perform financially? (25:40) * Evolutions and trends in art valuation (27:20)
Mentions:* Sotheby’s * Basquiat * Paul Allen’s $1.5 billion collection sale * Banksy * Joan Mitchell * Sam Gilliam
About the Guest:Bio: “Early Internet entrepreneur with a focus on online advertising, martech, and fintech. Over the past 15+ years, I've founded, acquired, sold, or remain a controlling shareholder in over a dozen tech companies.Outside of online advertising, I actively invest in contemporary art and serve on boards of different organizations, including the Brooklyn Rail (current), International Foundation for Art Research (current), and the Lynn Foundation (past).I spend time between New York City and Aspen.”Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
In an effort to fight off a debilitating autoimmune disorder that struck him years ago, Kevin McCray turned to a strict Paleo diet free of gluten, refined sugars, and soy. It was a decision that would spark a truly inspirational and wildly successful entrepreneurial journey. The President and Co-founder of the healthy prepackaged meal company Kevin’s Natural Foods joins us to talk about how his clean-eating lifestyle took him from the hospital bed to spearheading a brand that can now be found in some of the largest retail stores across the country.Tune in to learn:* The origins of Kevin’s Natural Foods (2:06) * How Kevin negotiates prices with suppliers (14:40) * Advice on getting a product into major retail stores (24:00) * The importance of fortifying a brand position (30:55)
Mentions:* Dr. Mark Hyman * Dan Costa * 23andMe: DNA Genetic Testing For Health, Ancestry And More * Chief Health Hacker * Cookout With Kev
About the Guest:BiO: “I believe food can help us feel good. It gives us the fuel we need to do the things we want with the people we love. Food can also help you feel good when you’re feeling less than average. That’s how I discovered my joy for food.When I was in my 20's I got sick. Really sick. An autoimmune disorder threw my life off balance. I went from happy and healthy to in-and-out of the hospital struggling with conventional medicine. Nothing helped consistently until I discovered the power of a clean diet that is rich in whole foods and avoids refined sugar. It helped me reclaim my energy and return to good health.Clean eating is what our bodies were designed to thrive on. But clean eating has had a bad rap. It seems you have to pay for guilt-free meals with boring cuisine and a lack of flavor. I made it my mission to change this.I want you to discover the same joy I found for food. I’ve made it easy with a range of quick to prepare entrées and sauces so that you can create meals at home that help you eat clean and live happy.”Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
What do Apple Pay, WhatsApp, and Crypto have in common? They are all preferred channels of payments and messaging that customers may prefer to use. Michael Affronti, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Payments and Messaging at Salesforce, shares his perspective on how companies should evolve their options for communication and payments to build better, more personalized relationships with their customers. Tune in to learn:* About Michael’s patents (05:15) * What international payments trends will be emerging in the US (14:30) * Why Michael is keeping a close eye on cryptocurrency (24:00) * How brands should reevaluate their messaging systems (29:00)
Mentions:* Stat for preferred payment method * “Innovation Stack: Building Unbeatable Business One Crazy Idea at a Time” by Jim McKelvey * “The Innovation Stack: How Square Co-Founder Jim McKelvey Thinks About Disruption” - James’ Episode on Up Next In Commerce * Character.AI - Character bot * WhatsApp - Free, world-wide messaging and calling app * Michael Affronti’s LinkedIn
About the Guest:LinkedIn Bio: “Member with more than 18 years of success building and leading high-performing organizations across the entire product life cycle from incubation to $1B+ in revenue. His areas of passion include product strategy, enterprise SaaS platform design, telecommunications, and payments technologies. He specializes in the critical interlock between sales, marketing, and product development to generate aligned and effective GTM strategies, and is an expert in bring product strategy to life through transformative business models.Michael is currently the SVP & General Manager of the Payments & Messaging businesses at Salesforce. He is responsible for the product development, strategy, and GTM for a suite of services that allow customers to process, manage, and grow payments as a part of their businesses, and use Salesforce’s omni-channel communications capabilities to engage with their customers.Prior, Michael was the SVP of Product at Dataminr, recognized as one of the world’s leading businesses in AI and Machine Learning innovation. Dataminr is pioneering groundbreaking technology for detecting, classifying, and determining the significance of public information in real time.Before that he was the SVP of Product at Fuze, a leading enterprise collaboration platform, where he ran the product and design organization while being a member of Fuze’s Executive Leadership Team. He joined Fuze (formerly ThinkingPhones) via the acquisition of AI startup Contactive, where he was a founding member and VP of Product. Contactive was a mobile sales productivity platform that used machine learning and big data to show a detailed dossier of any customer calling your phone across hundreds of data sources.Michael also spent 10 years at Microsoft, working in Product & Design building collaboration experiences in Lync, Office365, Outlook, and Exchange that were used by over 500 million customers.He enjoys rolling up his sleeves to help advise and mentor startups in product design and strategy. He has previously written a monthly column on Inc.com, and taught a course at General Assembly on Entrepreneurship. He holds four U.S. patents and has 11 pending for innovation in the enterprise productivity space.In past lives Michael was a DJ and a personal trainer, and still enjoys infusing his love of music and well being into his leadership style and organizations. He lives in Brooklyn, NY, with his wife and is still in the same neighborhood as his family’s 60-year-old Italian butcher shop.” Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
How do successful CPG companies build a following? Nick Saltarelli, Co-founder of Mid-Day Squares, shares how he and his partners “celebritized” themselves through an Instagram reality show to break into the chocolate industry. He dives into social media strategy, building a fanbase that asks grocery stores to stock their products, and fighting back against attacks. Tune in to learn:* Fighting cyberattacks and legal battles against Mid-Day Squares (01:45) * Launching without support from grocery stores (14:55) * Why you should remove yourself from the data tracking obsession (24:40) * “Cracking” TikTok (31:15)
Mentions:* Pepsi, Where is My Jet? * Liquid Death, CEO and Cofounder, Mike Cessario + Up Next In Commerce Interview with Hamid Saify, SVP of Digital Retail at Liquid Death * Mid-Day Squares Uncensored Podcast * Loverboy and Summer House + Up Next in Commerce Interview with Nick Califano, COO, Loverboy
About the Guest:BiO: ““Experienced early stage Entrepreneur with a success record of scaling companies past 8-Figure revenues. I love to help and add value if and only if I feel I can actually add value. Currently helping build www.MidDaySquares.com or on my twitter @nicksalto :)” Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
On this special end-of-year crossover episode, the hosts from Up Next in Commerce, Marketing Trends, and IT Visionaries meet up again to discuss their biggest takeaways from their guests over the past year, and to make some predictions for what should be an exciting 2023 in marketing, tech, and ecommerce.Tune in to learn:* Why your employees are your greatest customers (7:50) * Why good business instincts can help overcome a lack of data (13:55) * Why intuition matters, even in data-driven industries (22:00)
Mentions:* David Ting, Zenni * David Heinemeier Hansson, 37signals * Stephanie Dobbs Brown, CMO, Intercontinental Exchange * Lil’ Wayne * Kevin Warren, UPS * Eric Toda, Meta
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerceMission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
How do you make a popular Asian product thrive in the U.S. market? Irvin Gunawan, Founder and CEO of Irvins, shares his experience building a snack food brand out of their restaurant in Singapore and later bringing these products to the U.S, introducing Americans to a new snacking sensation. Tune in to hear about the company’s backstory and what Irvin learned from this unique expansion.
Tune in to learn: * Irvin’s journey from a Singaporean restaurant into a viral snack product (1:50) * Building relationships with major U.S. retailers (11:00) * What changes are needed to bring a product from Asia to the U.S. (16:30)
Mentions: * Cardi B
About the Guest: * LinkedIn
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Irvin is the Founder and CEO of Irvins. He leads the company with his brothers.
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Irvins started as a restaurant in Singapore, later moving into packaged snacks and expanding into other countries.
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
Michael Ibrahim, Senior Vice President of Digital Product at Fox Corporation, has several patents under his belt, has a skill for building successful teams and has contributed to major success at Fox Corporation. He shares his insights into the world of digital, diving into the most important metrics for Fox and how they make themselves available to consumers wherever they want to access their media.
Tune in to learn: * What it takes to earn patents (1:45) * How to make media available to consumers across platforms (9:10) * The metrics that matter for Fox (16:20) * Sparking consumer interest in watching content (19:30) * How to manage teams and get people working well together (28:40)
About the Guest:
Bio:
“Digital product executive and innovator with experience in building and leading global digital teams. Develops industry-first technology products across all mediums for the biggest media companies in the world, including being awarded US and international patents.
- Successfully launched EPIX NOW Direct to consumer product suite.
- Specialties:
- Product management: product vision, strategy, data-driven roadmaps, user experience, building effective product teams, customer and stakeholder management, software feature design, mobile, web, and TV application development, product lifecycle management.
- Product development: program management, project management, agile product development lifecycle, working with remote teams, improving product development process, release management, support management.
- Product sales marketing: go-to-market strategy, running alpha, beta programs, partner relationship management, product positioning, packaging and pricing, data-driven successful rollouts, contract negotiations, customer segmentation, pricing strategy.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
With the holiday shopping season in full swing, how are businesses handling the busiest commerce period of the year? On this special crossover episode, the hosts from Mission.org podcasts, Up Next in Commerce, Marketing Trends and IT Visionaries join forces for the first time ever to discuss all things retail. Tune in to hear Stephanie, Jeremy, and Albert share their thoughts and expertise about the latest shopping technology, holiday cyber threats, and whether shifting consumer attitudes will make Black Friday a thing of the past.
Tune in to Learn: * Themes surrounding Black Friday and Cyber Monday (2:10) * Cybersecurity’s role in Black Friday and Cyber Monday (11:55) * Is there consumer optimism in today’s uncertain market? (16:45) * End capping and its evolution into ad-buying (25:30)
Mentions: * + “Bringing Build-A-Bear Alive in New Ways With Jenn Kretchmar, Chief Digital and Merchandising Officer of Build-A-Bear Workshop” (Marketing Trends podcast; Episode 359) + “How The Simple P&L Statement Can Be Key To Long-Term Success” (Up Next In Commerce podcast; Episode 33) + “Not Dumbing It Down: DECIEM and the Art of Straightforward Marketing with Jordanne Dyck” (Up Next In Commerce podcast; Episode 197)
- “Flipping Ecommerce on its Head” (Up Next In Commerce podcast; Episode 90)
- Common Thread Collective
- “Where ‘Credit’ Is Due with Randy Kern, CTO, Marqeta” (IT Visionaries podcast; Episode 417)
- Stephan Pretorius - Chief Technology Officer - WPP
- “Smart TV and Smarter TV Marketing With Jordan Rost, Head of Ad Marketing, Roku, Inc.” (Marketing Trends podcast; Episode 341)
- American Giant: American Made Clothing & Activewear
- Danny Fields - EVP Engineering and Chief Technology Officer - Avalara
- “Why Liquid Death Didn’t Water Down Its Marketing Strategy” (Up Next In Commerce podcast; Episode 262)
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
How should companies think about AI? When should it be used? Should it be regulated? Dr. Athina Kanioura, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer of PepsiCo, shares her expert insights and explains how AI increases efficiency at PepsiCo. She also dives into their cross-functional “digital hubs” and the bias problem with hiring algorithms.
Tune in to learn: * Athina’s most contrarian thought about AI (2:08) * How AI makes PepsiCo more efficient (15:15) * Addressing the bias issues and creating ethical AI (19:45) * The purpose of PepsiCo’s digital hubs (29:50) * Measuring KPIs (32:30) * How to upskill talent (34:30)
Mentions: * Wuthering Heights (novel by Emily Brontë)
About the Guest:
Bio:
“As the Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer for PepsiCo, I oversee PepsiCo’s end-to-end digitization to become a Faster, Stronger and Better company. As an accomplished innovator, I bring extensive experience in transformation business with an emphasis on artificial intelligence and analytics. I love working in technology because I’m always learning and looking for new ways to bring digital solutions to real world problems. I believe that the human experience should be at the core of every digital practice.
I’m extremely fortunate to have a career that has taken me across the globe, but my favorite destination will always be my hometown of Athens, Greece. Those picturesque sunsets bring me a lot of joy, but nothing makes me smile more than being with my family.
Proud #boymom #womanintech, leading the charge for the next generation of female innovators.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
What are the benefits of having a passion project for a career? Rob Bossen, CEO of Grey Duck, shares that his passion for stand-up paddleboarding allows him to innovate within the niche spaces of outdoor water activities to bring solutions to consumers. Tune in to hear more about Rob’s transition from finance to outdoor water activities and what his experiences have taught him throughout his journey.
Tune in to learn: * About Grey Duck’s stand-up paddle board innovation (08:40) * How Grey Duck sells direct to consumers (13:25) * About the growing trend for inflatable products (16:00) * Why the used product market is on the rise (28:00)
About the Guest:
Bio: “Experienced professional with demonstrated business development success in the outdoor industry. Strong sales professional skilled in Sales, Strategic Planning, Business Process Improvement, and Training.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
How does e-commerce completely alter the way alcohol businesses reach consumers? Derek Correia, President of ReserveBar, knows that B2C can widen the horizon for beverage sales across the country and provide curated, personalized experiences for customers. Tune in to hear how ReserveBar is changing the market through partnerships and a vision to optimize how people explore, learn about, and purchase premium wines, champagnes, and spirits.
Tune in to learn: * The behind-the-scenes of building a B2B and B2C company (5:55) * Why one-to-one relationships with the customer are valuable (13:00) * How the ecommerce everywhere vision originated at ReserveBar (29:40) * How to avoid cannibalizing your sales (23:20)
Mentions: * Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company
About the Guest:
LinkedIn Bi0: “30+ years spanning Fortune 500, private equity and start-up companies. Strong brand marketing and product innovation roots via Pepsico, Diageo and Yum Brands. Agency roles including strategic planning, account management, and business development. CMO/CEO level experience. Lifelong entrepreneur (started my first business at age 16). Strong leader and operator with a passion for people, innovation, driving growth and having a blast along the way!”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
How do you find white space in your market? And when you do, how should you time your product release? Ken Wegner, President of Jel Sert, and his son Gavin, Senior Brand Manager of subsidiary SLIQ Spirited Ice, share their approach at Jel Sert. They discuss their experience at this nearly 100-year-old family business, and how the company successfully transitioned into the competitive alcoholic beverage industry.
Tune in to learn: * Lessons from Jel Sert’s history that resonate today (8:46) * How to grow and innovate responsibly (13:50) * How to find white space and time your entry into the market (22:57)
About the Guest: * Ken: + “Ken Wegner is the President of The Jel Sert Company and its wholly owned subsidiary, 21 Holdings LLC. Wegner’s grandparents founded the company in 1926 and he started as the Director of Purchasing in 1985 and became President in 1997. Guided by the legacy of his grandparents and his father, Wegner has continued their mission of making high-quality, high-value food and beverage products that help families and friends create lasting memories.
Wegner received his BA in Economics and Spanish from Denison University. He is based at Jel Sert’s and 21 Holdings’ headquarters in West Chicago, IL. Outside of work, he is Chairman of the Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Foundation Board and American Childhood Cancer Organization Board, a board member at the Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation, a member of the Board of Trustees at Denison University, and a member of YPO Gold.” * Gavin: + “Gavin Wegner, who serves as the Senior Brand Manager of SLIQ Spirited Ice at 21 Holdings LLC, received his BS in Business Administration from the Marshall School of Business at The University of Southern California.
He began his career at The Jel Sert Company and has held roles in finance, brand management, and licensing. Most of his professional experience is in marketing iconic freezer bar brands such as Fla-Vor-Ice and Otter Pops.
Gavin is turning SLIQ into a disruptive newcomer in the alcoholic freezer bar category. He develops and implements brand strategies and creates the roadmap for short and long-term growth and expansion. His passion for brand storytelling is apparent via SLIQ’s multi-faceted and layered marketing initiatives that resonate with the brand’s 21+ consumers.
Gavin began working at Jel Sert in 2015 as a Financial Analyst before becoming Associate Brand Manager, then a Brand Manager, then a Licensing Manager, and finally the Senior Licensing Manager.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
How can companies capture customer attention and spark interest in their brand? Hamid Saify, SVP of Digital Retail at Liquid Death Mountain Water, discusses the brand’s “tongue-in-cheek” approach and its “connection-first” marketing strategy. Tune in to learn about the company’s success stories and how to drive loyalty through merchandise.
Tune in to learn: * Which metrics matter and why you should not be hyper-reactive (7:20) * How to use merchandise to actually build brand loyalty (12:55) * Coming up with design ideas for merchandise (19:04)
Mentions: * Austin City Limits Music Festival * Mike Cessario (CEO and Co-Founder of Liquid Death)
About the Guest: * LinkedIn * Hamid is the SVP of Digital Retail at Liquid Death Mountain Water. He has been in the role for six months and has been at Liquid Death Mountain Water for three years, first serving as Vice President, Marketing (just over one year), then Vice President, E-commerce DTC & Digital (just under two years), before stepping into his current role. * Prior to his time at Liquid Death Mountain Water he served in a variety of marketing roles, mostly at the VP level. * He also was the Founder and CEO of Paradigm Gallery, an “online retailer for modern furniture” from February 2005 to April 2008. * “Digital native with over 20 years experience in digital marketing, growth & acquisition, advertising in agency and client side roles. Currently murdering thirsts at Liquid Death Mountain Water.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
How can a company stand out in an overpopulated market? Jasper Falluca, Director of Business Development at Palermo’s Pizza, shares innovation through eCommerce to create a new platform for DTC frozen pizzas. Tune in to learn more about Palermo’s Pizza and its accomplishments in the pizza business by building meaningful connections with customers and using data to create successful products.
Tune in to learn: * The story behind founding the family business (02:05) * More on the driving force behind growth (07:00) * How to build lasting relationships with customers (16:10) * The tech stack behind the expansion to DTC (23:30)
Mentions:
About the Guest:
LinkedIn bio: “I am tasked with managing our various investments, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships across our family of brands.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
How do startups aim to disrupt the current market? Gabe Coyne, CEO of Stix Golf, explains that businesses need to create affordable options in the middle ground between bargain and luxury. Tune in to learn more about Gabe’s process for finding the right channels to showcase quality products for affordable prices.
Tune in to learn: * Behind the scenes of designing the Stix clubs (8:45)
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How Stix built awareness during a second launch effort (15:40)
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Thoughts on retail for DTC companies in today’s market (17:20)
About the Guest:
“Gabe Coyne is CEO and co-founder of Stix Golf, a Chicago-based company offering modern, high-performance golf clubs at a fair price. Gabe co-founded Stix based on his personal frustration that golf is fundamentally a simple game that has become far too complex. Coyne and the team built Stix focused on design and quality, never being convinced by the hype that this year’s technology will be a game changer. Before founding Stix, Coyne co-founded a mobile tech startup and was a Partner at Venture studio, which validates innovative products and companies; there he learned how to build brands, products and product-market fit. Coyne is bullish on the future of golf trending casual, more diverse and less elitist with Stix becoming a go-to brand for the next generation of golfers.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
Unconventional health treatments like cryotherapy and infrared sauna baths are not exactly known for their affordability. One rapidly growing company, however, is transforming the wellness landscape by democratizing access to such cutting-edge health services. With over 175 locations across the country, Restore Hyper Wellness is quickly bringing its holistic healthcare approach to the mainstream. Tune in to hear Restore CEO and Founder Jim Donnelly and CMO David Fossas discuss the joys and challenges of operating within a franchise model, and why they are committed to making health and wellness treatments safe, fun, and affordable.
Tune in to learn: * An overview of Restore and its services (00:25)
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Why Restore uses a franchise model (17:05)
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The marketing approach at Restore (22:54)
- How Restore avoids the pitfalls of the biohacking frontier (37:19)
Mentions: * Steven Welch, Founder and Executive Chairman, Restore Hyper Wellness * STEMREGEN® - Stem Cell Supplements - Kalyagen
About the Guests:
BIOS:
Jim Donnelly:
“Making wellness affordable and accessible to everyone has become my life mission and is the driving mindset behind everything we are doing at Restore Hyper Wellness (Restore).
Too often, we think about our wellness retroactively, after something has gone wrong that we need to fix. What we are doing at Restore is providing a resource for people to start on a proactive journey towards wellness so that they can feel better for longer in life and be able to Do More of what they love.”
David Fossas:
“Growth stage leader with a record of driving revenue and maturity of companies from startup to exit. Currently leading marketing for Restore Hyper Wellness.
Prior to Restore, David led global brand for WP Engine, a growth-stage platform for building websites and digital experiences, from 2016 - 2020. He helped define its corporate, product and brand strategy, repositioning the business, launching the brand, and helping it grow from 55,000 customers to 100,000+ customers globally in three years. WP Engine closed a $250 million investment from Silver Lake Partners in 2018.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
How should ecommerce brands be thinking about advertising strategy? What will work now and into 2023? Alexa Kilroy, Head of Brand at Triple Whale, shares her “hot takes” based on the data and her industry experience. Tune in to hear her thoughts on the ad platforms that you should pay attention to and the return to some old school ad strategies.
Tune in to learn: * Triple Whale’s DTC reality TV show “DTC After Dark” (2:30) * Dissecting inaccuracies in platform advertising data (18:30) * Recent shifts in “behind the scenes” data (24:20) * Interesting and lesser known data metrics (38:48) * A “hot take” on the advertising industry (32:30)
Mentions: * DTC After Dark, Presented by Triple Whale * Huron + Up Next in Commerce Episode * Jambys + Up Next in Commerce Episode * Eastern Standard Provisions * Olli Pop * Flying Embers Hard Kombucha * Hop Lark * Winc * Dara Denny * Kristin Jones * Sonya Robinson * Ryan Malone * Reed Smith * Liam Cass * Zachary Murray * Obvi Collagen * Barry Hott
About the Guest:
“Alexa is Head of Brand at Triple Whale. She started in May 2022, so has been in the role for about four months. Prior to that, she worked at several companies in Creative Strategy, Operations, and Advertising. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education and Instruction, English, from Boston College in 2018.
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
What is the recipe for exceptional customer experiences? Michael Bair, SVP of Customer Experience at FIGS, thinks the ingredients to create the best experiences is by listening to the customer, speaking the customer’s language, and asking for opinions. Listen in to hear more about Michael’s strategy for building the right team to ensure customer experience success.
Tune in to learn: * How do you know if you have a good customer experience? (2:15) * Optimizing your team in an uncertain time (7:30) * The north star metrics Michael pays attention to (12:30) * Why using customer language is important (18:30) * Why personalization is about being a product expert (24:25) * What to pay attention to moving forward (38:00)
About the Guest:
LinkedIn Bio: “I am a customer success executive who cares deeply about wowing customers, exceeding goals, and developing future leaders. I have worked at diverse organizations from startups to Fortune 50 companies, including B2B SaaS, B2C subscription, and DTC e-commerce. I've been a senior leader on 3 exits including a 2021 IPO. I’ve managed customer success, inside sales, customer support/service, and quality assurance teams. I’ve built teams from scratch to 80 plus people. I love leading organizations with a customer-centric mentality and have been consistently recognized as a leader of people, culture, and values. In 2017, I completed Seth Godin’s AltMBA focused on strategic leadership.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
What is the recipe for exceptional customer experiences? Michael Bair, SVP of Customer Experience at FIGS, thinks the ingredients to create the best experiences is by listening to the customer, speaking the customer’s language, and asking for opinions. Listen in to hear more about Michael’s strategy for building the right team to ensure customer experience success.
Tune in to learn: * How do you know if you have a good customer experience? (2:15) * Optimizing your team in an uncertain time (7:30) * The north star metrics Michael pays attention to (12:30) * Why using customer language is important (18:30) * Why personalization is about being a product expert (24:25) * What to pay attention to moving forward (38:00)
About the Guest:
LinkedIn Bio: “I am a customer success executive who cares deeply about wowing customers, exceeding goals, and developing future leaders. I have worked at diverse organizations from startups to Fortune 50 companies, including B2B SaaS, B2C subscription, and DTC e-commerce. I've been a senior leader on 3 exits including a 2021 IPO. I’ve managed customer success, inside sales, customer support/service, and quality assurance teams. I’ve built teams from scratch to 80 plus people. I love leading organizations with a customer-centric mentality and have been consistently recognized as a leader of people, culture, and values. In 2017, I completed Seth Godin’s AltMBA focused on strategic leadership.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
What strategies should retail steal from the tech startup world? David Ting, CTO of Zenni Optical, shares his experience moving from tech startups into DTC retail, outlining the big impact his team was able to make in their first two months and the details of how they did it. Tune in to hear his insights on building a best-in-class engineering team, a highly ranked mobile app, and more.
Tune in to learn: * The day-to-day life of a CTO (6:40) * How to increase the success of a mobile app (13:30) * How to build a best-in-class engineering team (21:12) * The best tech tools for DTC companies (34:30)
Mentions: * celential.ai
About the Guest:
Pasted from an email from PR:
About David Ting, Chief Technology Officer at Zenni
David Ting joined Zenni in June 2022 as the company’s first Chief Technology Officer. He is eager to put his skills across Artificial Intelligence (AI) · Big Data · E-Commerce · Business-to-Business (B2B) · Digital Transformation · and Cloud Computing to work to help Zenni continue to disrupt an industry that is largely dominated by a monopoly through competitive moves in product innovation and technology.
You can read more about why David joined Zenni in the recent blog post he penned: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-i-joined-zenni-david-ting
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
What strategies should retail steal from the tech startup world? David Ting, CTO of Zenni Optical, shares his experience moving from tech startups into DTC retail, outlining the big impact his team was able to make in their first two months and the details of how they did it. Tune in to hear his insights on building a best-in-class engineering team, a highly ranked mobile app, and more.
Tune in to learn: * The day-to-day life of a CTO (6:40) * How to increase the success of a mobile app (13:30) * How to build a best-in-class engineering team (21:12) * The best tech tools for DTC companies (34:30)
Mentions: * celential.ai
About the Guest:
Pasted from an email from PR:
About David Ting, Chief Technology Officer at Zenni
David Ting joined Zenni in June 2022 as the company’s first Chief Technology Officer. He is eager to put his skills across Artificial Intelligence (AI) · Big Data · E-Commerce · Business-to-Business (B2B) · Digital Transformation · and Cloud Computing to work to help Zenni continue to disrupt an industry that is largely dominated by a monopoly through competitive moves in product innovation and technology.
You can read more about why David joined Zenni in the recent blog post he penned: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-i-joined-zenni-david-ting
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
It’s fair to say that Crocs has had its share of highs and lows. People have loved them and hated them, but there is no disputing that the shoes have become ubiquitous whether you like them or not. But what has it been like to be inside the Crocs car on this roller coaster ride and how has the company found ways to win over and over? Feliz Papich, VP of Digital Product and Consumer Experience at Crocs, discusses that and more on this episode.
Tune in to learn: * When did digital become a priority for Crocs and how is it going? (7:20) * The Crocs comeback story and how Crocs listens to customers (13:33) * Thoughts on globalization (20:28)
About the Guest:
“Feliz Papich is an eCommerce marketing leader with years of applied and strategic experience managing eCommerce channels to implement leading-edge digital marketing strategies. She has mastered the ability to translate technical requirements, build strong internal and external partnerships, and develop creative and effective solutions. She is entrepreneurial, results driven, and strategic in decision-making.
Currently, Feliz serves as a Digital Vice President at Crocs, Inc., overseeing the Global Digital Product Management and Consumer Experience for the Brand. Feliz has over 15 years of experience in the e-Commerce space including leadership roles at Deckers Brands, where she led the e-Commerce channel, and Merkle (a dentsu company), where she developed and led the Digital Content Department. During her Career Feliz received her MBA from Northern Arizona University.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
It’s fair to say that Crocs has had its share of highs and lows. People have loved them and hated them, but there is no disputing that the shoes have become ubiquitous whether you like them or not. But what has it been like to be inside the Crocs car on this roller coaster ride and how has the company found ways to win over and over? Feliz Papich, VP of Digital Product and Consumer Experience at Crocs, discusses that and more on this episode.
Tune in to learn: * When did digital become a priority for Crocs and how is it going? (7:20) * The Crocs comeback story and how Crocs listens to customers (13:33) * Thoughts on globalization (20:28)
About the Guest:
“Feliz Papich is an eCommerce marketing leader with years of applied and strategic experience managing eCommerce channels to implement leading-edge digital marketing strategies. She has mastered the ability to translate technical requirements, build strong internal and external partnerships, and develop creative and effective solutions. She is entrepreneurial, results driven, and strategic in decision-making.
Currently, Feliz serves as a Digital Vice President at Crocs, Inc., overseeing the Global Digital Product Management and Consumer Experience for the Brand. Feliz has over 15 years of experience in the e-Commerce space including leadership roles at Deckers Brands, where she led the e-Commerce channel, and Merkle (a dentsu company), where she developed and led the Digital Content Department. During her Career Feliz received her MBA from Northern Arizona University.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
Meta has gone all-in on the metaverse but how do users and shoppers feel about this virtual future? Martin Gilliard, the Director and Head of Meta Store and Reality Labs at Meta, is helping to make sure that those who step into the metaverse are leaving with a positive experience, and he’s got advice for brands on how to start experimenting and building for more virtual experiences in the future.
Tune in to learn: * Martin’s contrarian belief about the Metaverse (2:00) * What is Martin betting on for the future? (6:00) * What is Meta learning from how customers interact with products (11:20) * What is Meta experimenting with now? (17:10) * When will we see virtual shopping as part of our daily lives? (23:30)
Mentions:
CityDAO
About the Guest:
Martin Gilliard is the Director and Head of Meta Store and Reality Labs at Meta. He previously worked at Barneys New York, Experian, and Microsoft. He was also the founder and CEO of DATAMYZE, a Software-as-a-Service platform utilizes proprietary algorithms and workflow to align data insights to business objectives, turning disparate datasets into actionable contextual recommendations.
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
How do you learn from your successes and failures to inform future innovation? Mark Edmonson, Chief Marketing Officer at GoGo squeeZ, gets honest and specific about what is going well, what could have gone better, and what he and his team are learning at GoGo squeeZ. Tune in to hear how he is navigating his new role as CMO, his thoughts on building great culture, and more.
Tune in to learn: * What is working well at GoGo squeeZ (13:30) * What marketing campaigns could have gone better at GoGo squeeZ (15:10) * Current thinking about retail media (25:20) * Building a great culture (29:00)
About the Guest: * LinkedIn * Mark is the Chief Marketing Officer of Materne North America - GoGo squeeZ (November 2021-Present). * Prior to that, he spent over 10 years at Proctor and Gamble, over four years at Campbell Soup Company and around three years at Henkel. His background is in brand management, marketing, and ecommerce. * From his LinkedIn bio: “An experienced Marketing professional with solid expertise in holistic marketing and advance digital marketing experiences determined to transform brand’s way of marketing to its consumers. Managing a multi functional team consisting of agencies, branding consultant, product developers, and product supply to create and execute holistic designed campaigns and brands. Optimizing budget spends to maximize reach and marketing efficiencies to obtain the best Return On Investments (ROI)
Specialties: Digital Advertising & Strategy Development, Project Management Agency management, Team Collaboration, Communication Skills, Business Writing, Prioritizing & Organizing Multiple Tasks, Problem Solving, and Project Presentation Experience” * Mark graduated from Grambling State University with a B.S. in Mathematics and Computer Science. * His bio is not listed on the company website.
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
There are lots of conflicting views on NFTs and Web3, as well as an onslaught of mixed messaging on the topic from the mainstream media. Avery Akkineni, President of Vayner3, shares her perspective on the NFT market today and how enterprises can navigate the complexities of this new frontier to build brand value.
Tune in to learn: * Some perspective on the NFT market right now and where the space is going (6:25) * Better understanding your customer with the right data (13:40) * An example of a larger enterprise that is exploring NFTs (17:15) * Building community in the Web3 world (21:10)
Mentions: * Gary Vaynerchuck (“GaryV”) * Kevin Rose * VeeFriends * Bobby Hundreds * BFF (Cofounders Jamie Schmdit and Brit Morin) * Ledger Market Pass * “The Network State” (Book by Balaji Srinivasan)
About the Guest: LinkedIn Bio:
President of Vayner3, Avery Akkineni, is leading the mission to guide the world's largest enterprises in navigating the next iteration of consumer behavior, Web3.
In July 2021, Akkineni launched the VaynerX consultancy, Vayner3 (previously known as VaynerNFT), alongside serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk. Partnering with dozens of Fortune 500 corporations across industries, Vayner3 has successfully advised organizations on strategic Web3 initiatives across cryptocurrency applications, NFT program development, and immersive digital experiences.
A leader, mentor, and investor in pioneering Web3 projects and communities, Akkineni is also an active advisor for several tech platforms; serving on the Board of Advisors of OneOf and Tracer, on the Web3 Advisory Board for Salesforce, Meta Creative X, and Facebook's Metaverse Council, in addition to being a founding BFF and PTTOW! member.
Before the launch of Vayner3, Avery spearheaded VaynerMedia's expansion into the Asia-Pacific region, building a team of 150 people and opening VaynerMedia offices in Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo, and Sydney, while securing 2021 Independent Agency of the Year (Gold) within two years. Avery spent her early career at Google, working across Search, YouTube, and DoubleClick.
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
How do you overcome resistance when launching a company? Caleb Ulffers, Co-Founder and CEO of Haven Athletic, set out to design, manufacture, and sell “organized gym bags” after experiencing frustrations with his own outdated duffel. Tune in to hear how his team persevered to successfully pre-launch their product.
Tune in to learn: * Caleb’s background (2:00) * The story of Haven Athletic (11:30) * How Caleb and his team overcame resistance while building the company (18:40) * What the Haven launch looked like and where the company is today (24:30) * What Caleb would do differently if he were launching the brand today (34:40)
Mentions: * Peak Design (Peter Dering, Founder and CEO) * "Knocking Out Knock-Offs: A Look at Crowdfunding and Copycats" (Previous Up Next in Commerce episode featuring Peak Design) * Outdoor Retailer Event
About the Guest:
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
Because technology, platforms, and even customer expectations are changing so quickly, brands are in need of service and IT consulting firms like SoftServe. SoftServe has more than 450 clients around the world and across industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, software and more. Adam Gabrault is the President of Strategic Verticals & Industry Solutions, North America and on this episode, he details some of the challenges SoftServe’s clients are facing, and what kinds of solutions are on the table. Enjoy!
Tune in to learn: * The challenges Adam has faced (2:10) * SoftServe’s roots in Ukraine (7:00) * Adam’s thoughts on A.I. (21:55) * Can we start putting health data on the blockchain? (32:10)
About the Guest:
“Adam leads sales and delivery for SoftServe’s Healthcare & Life Science, Retail, and Financial Services verticals in North America. Adam is passionate about building teams that enable enterprise & ISV clients to accelerate digital and business transformation that drive measurable business & client value.
Adam is an IT services veteran with a proven track record leading and growing world class teams that deliver enterprise-grade solutions for F500 clients in the US, Europe and Australia. He joined SoftServe from Virtusa where he was SVP & CTO of the global healthcare, insurance and life science verticals and built the firm’s Connected Experience business covering mobile, IoT and micro-services. In addition to his time at Virtusa, Adam has held leadership roles with State Street Global Advisors, Mobiquity, Experian Data Quality, Micros-Retail and APN Outdoor.
Adam holds a Bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University.”
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
Can a tech career lead to success in retail? Jenna Flateman Posner, a former professional rugby athlete, is a tech expert turned retailer who is now the Chief Digital Officer of SNIPES, a successful sneaker and streetwear company. Tune in to hear her unique perspective on how to win by utilizing technology in retail.
Tune in to learn about: * Jenna’s experience as a rugby player (2:15) * What Jenna describes as SNIPES’ “hype selling” model (11:30) * About Jenna’s journey from tech to retail (15:00) * How tech investments add incremental value to SNIPES (27:48)
Mentions: * Brigitte Cooperman, COO of Snipes * Jimmy Jazz * “Five Dysfunctions of a Team” (Book by Patrick Lencioni) * "My Life in Full: Work, Family, and Our Future" (Book by Indra Nooyi)
About the Guest:
Jenna Posner is the Chief Digital Officer for SNIPES. Previously, she was a Senior Account Executive for the New York Press, an Interactive Developmental Executive at Getty Images, a professional Rugby Athlete for the USA Rugby Team, a Business Development Director for Pushkart, and a Manager and a Mid-Atlantic Director of Sales for LevelUp. She then was the VP of Strategy for Curalate, the VP of Strategic Partnership and SVP of Strategy at Clutch, a Board Member of the Partner Advisory Board for Salesforce, and Chief Growth Officer for Radius8.
Jenna has a Bachelor’s Degree from Wesleyan University, an Executive MBA from the Quantic School of Business and Technology, a certificate from the Wharton School, and she studied abroad at The University of Western Australia.
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
GOOD PLANeT Foods was established with a mission in mind, but how did that mission land in the hands of consumers? On part two of this two-part episode, we welcome back David Israel, Founder and co-CEO at GOOD PLANeT Foods, who is joined by his co-CEO, Bart Adlam, to fill us in on how they built the business and a partnership. Enjoy!
Tune in to learn: * How to walk the fine line when working with a co-CEO (10:50) * What’s the balance between getting the product to market and educating the consumer (12:15) * How GOOD PLANeT Foods is competing against a glut of lower quality products from competitors (15:50) * How, according to Bart, GOOD PLANeT Foods is becoming “a market of one” (27:30)
Mentions: * Malcolm Gladwell
- They Can Kill You… but They Can’t Eat You
About the Guest:
“David Israel is Founder and CEO at GOOD PLANeT Foods. He is a serial entrepreneur who started his first business when he was 19 years old. He founded POP! Gourmet Foods in 2011 where he created award-winning products. Under his leadership, POP! Gourmet formed strategic partnerships nationally and internationally, launching the products at globally recognized retailers including Costco, WalMart, Kroger, Safeway and Starbucks. David leveraged his passion and know-how to create Good PLANeT Foods, makers of the best plant-based cheese on the market to meet a growing demand for people who want to eat better products for their health while also doing good for the planet.”
Bart Adlam is the co-CEO of GOOD PLANeT Foods. He has extensive experience in the food industry, including serving as CEO of Chef's Cut Real Jerky Co., CEO/President of siggi’s, and President of Post Foods.
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
David Israel has had an incredible journey to where he is now, serving as the Founder and CEO at GOOD PLANeT Foods. In part one of this special two-part episode of Up Next in Commerce, hear David’s backstory, including a long, drawn-out legal battle and creating a business from behind bars and growing it into a leader in the snack category. And tune into the next episode to hear more about GOOD PLANeT Foods.
Tune in to learn: * David’s journey through legal battles (6:30) * Running a business while in legal limbo (9:20) * How David found the idea for POP! Gourmet Foods in prison (23:00)
About the Guest:
“David Israel is Founder and CEO at GOOD PLANeT Foods. He is a serial entrepreneur who started his first business when he was 19 years old. He founded POP! Gourmet Foods in 2011 where he created award-winning products. Under his leadership, POP! Gourmet formed strategic partnerships nationally and internationally, launching the products at globally recognized retailers including Costco, WalMart, Kroger, Safeway and Starbucks. David leveraged his passion and know-how to create Good PLANeT Foods, makers of the best plant-based cheese on the market to meet a growing demand for people who want to eat better products for their health while also doing good for the planet.”
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
In the ever-evolving world of ecommerce, brands are constantly looking for data and resources to help them carve out a path forward. Salesforce wants to be that font of information for brands, and it’s delivering valuable insights via the Second Edition State of Commerce Report. On this episode, Caila Schwartz, the Director of Industry Insights at Salesforce, digs into some of the report’s findings and provides some tips and predictions for how brands should handle the holiday season.
Tune In To Learn: * What has been most surprising when compiling the report (2:20)
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Brands and trends to watch in the automation space (12:06)
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How to think about the holiday season (16:33)
Mentions: * Second Edition State of Commerce Report * Salesforce Holiday Report
About the Guest:
Caila Schwartz is a Senior Manager, Strategy and Insights, Retail and Consumer Goods at Salesforce. Prior to this role, Caila served as a Senior Strategic Marketing Data Analyst for Demandware. She has a Bachelor’s from Wellesley College and is based in Charleston, South Carolina.
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
Finding passionate customers and engaging with them regularly is like the quest for the holy grail for most brands. Soylent has been successful in its efforts, but it hasn’t always been easy. On this episode, Demir Vangelov, the CEO of Soylent, recalls the complete rebranding process the company went through and how it’s evolved since. Enjoy!
Tune in to learn: * Acquisition tactics to consider (9:13)
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How to think about your brand to become more approachable (11:55)
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Some intriguing platforms and areas of engagement (14:50)
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The Soylent retail strategy (20:20)
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What does Soylent do to delight retailers it works with? (23:45)
About the Guest:
“Demir Vangelov is an operationally-focused executive with extensive experience holding full corporate P&L responsibility. He has a demonstrated ability to build outstanding relationships with investors, boards, operational partners, lenders and other corporate stakeholder groups. Demir holds dual MBA and CPA credentials, along with a Masters Degree in International Economics.
He has been recognized throughout career as a versatile leader who excels at developing and leading outstanding teams that make smart decisions, devise winning strategies and are able to drive significant revenue growth and operational efficiency. In 2017, Demir was nominated by the Los Angeles Business Journal for CFO of the Year Award.”
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
Replatforming to increase ROI and the customer experience is often an essential task for an ecommerce business. Rob Johnson, Principal E-Commerce Technical Program Leader at Wyze, describes implementing this change at a business with a long history and a younger company. Also, tune in to learn about how Wyze is integrating software and hardware solutions with its products.
Tune in to learn: * How the media landscape has evolved (5:50) * What the replatforming process was like for Rob (13:30) * What mindset shift was necessary for Rob when moving to a young company (24:20) * What projects Rob is working on (31:10)
About the Guest:
“Rob is a lifelong learner driven by curiosity who sees situations through multiple lenses. Currently a solutions architect and digital strategist with 16+ years of professional experience highly focused on application/services development, E-commerce, data science, analytics, product management, UX design and search engine marketing.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
After building brands, teams, and customer bases at companies like Ticketmaster and Saatchi Art, Sean Moriarty was the perfect person to lead Leaf Group as it amassed its portfolio of leading digital brands. On this episode, Sean discusses some of the lessons he’s learned and divulges how he’s helping Leaf Group’s brands experiment in an evolving digital world.
Tune in to learn: * Building the Ticketmaster platform (7:00)
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Lessons learned from earlier times about team building (8:30)
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What kind of opportunities are available for brands today within holding groups? (25:00)
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What commonalities exist across brands? (28:30)
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How to encourage experimentation while also providing proven best practices (30:00)
About the Guest:
“Sean serves as Chief Executive Officer of Leaf Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Graham Holdings. Sean was previously the CEO of Saatchi Art which Leaf Group acquired in August 2014. Sean is also the former CEO and member of the board of directors of Ticketmaster. Sean has also served as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Mayfield Fund and he began his executive experience as EVP, Technology at Citysearch.
Sean currently sits on the board of directors of Eventbrite, a publicly traded company, and has also served on many public and private boards over his career. Sean is actively involved in non-profit work as a board member at CoachArt and is a former member and co chairman of the board of directors of the Pat Tillman Foundation. Sean received his bachelor's degree from the University of South Carolina and attended graduate school at Boston University and the University of South Carolina.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
As the CEO of Wine Access, Joe Fisch is constantly trying to solve hard problems… like predicting the weather? On this episode, Joe explains how he and his team have worked to address all kinds of issues, from customer retention to access to exclusive supply, to, yes, forecasting the weather to optimize the supply chain. Enjoy!
Tune in to learn: * How to overcome apprehension when moving up the corporate ladder (11:30) * Figuring out the components behind losing customers (15:15) * Content strategy for educating consumers (22:50) * Behind-the-scenes stories about finding great wine (25:25) * Supply chain and the weather (32:00)
About the Guest: Joe Fisch is the CEO of Win Access. Prior to joining, Joe worked as a manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). He also worked for Ghirardelli Chocolate Company as the Senior Manager of FP&A and then as the Director of Finance. Joe initial joined Wine Access as the VP of Finance and Administration before becoming the CEO in 2018.
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
Finding the best visual companion to your content is often a tough task. Getty Images has been making it easier for brands and individuals for decades. On this episode, Grant Farhall, Chief Product Officer at Getty Images, dives into the predictive trends that can be found within its search tool, plus he answers questions about how the backend search engine actually works (without giving away too much of the secret sauce of course) and how Getty is prepping for a future that’s going all-in on video and the metaverse.
Tune in to learn: * Trends in the visual and image search realm (11:00) * How to present the best visual options to customers (7:55) * Best practices with visuals and data (17:40) * Why video and the metaverse are channels to keep your eye on (29:36)
About the Guest:
“As Chief Product Officer, Grant Farhall is responsible for Getty Images’ overall product strategy and vision. In his role, Grant oversees the company’s e-commerce platform and websites, user experiences, customer research and SEO strategy, with the aim of making it easier for Getty Images’ customers to discover, license and share powerful content to connect with their audiences, and ultimately drive impact for the business.
His career at Getty Images spans a decade, including his most recent role as Vice President of E-Commerce. In addition, Grant has held several positions with iStock, including as General Manager where he helped develop and execute a turnaround strategy for the business by simplifying the product and better aligning to customer needs.
Prior to joining Getty Images, Grant worked in broadcast journalism and as a Studio Manager for several advertising and web development agencies. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from University of Calgary and Broadcasting Diploma from Mount Royal University. Grant spends his time playing with his eight-year-old-daughter, calling play by play for the Calgary Roughnecks of the National Lacrosse League and driving the back roads of Western Canada to photograph abandoned buildings.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
SMS messaging is a valuable channel for brands that know how to use it. Attentive is helping them figure it out. Brian Long, the CEO and co-founder of Attentive, joins this episode to discuss some of the metrics that matter, best practices, and more that brands should know when going down the SMS road.
Tune in to learn: * The latest in the world of branded text messaging (6:25)
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How Attentive is bringing a personal touch to texting (12:40)
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How brands are innovating with their text tactics (15:10)
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Which metrics should brands focus on when it comes to SMS (16:10)
Mentions: * Andrew Grove * Only The Paranoid Survive
About the Guest:
“Brian is the CEO and Co-Founder of Attentive, a personalized mobile messaging platform. Previously, Brian has co-founded, helped build, and sold a venture-backed technology startup called TapCommerce to Twitter. He has served in a variety of executive, product, business development, and sales roles at tech companies large and small including: Twitter, CNET.com / CBS Interactive, CrossBoard Mobile, and TapCommerce. Brian has spoken at a number of technology conferences and been named one of the Top 10 in New York City technology by Business Insider. He has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, and half an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business (he dropped out of business school to do a tech startup).”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
Is your business operating at its full potential? Pete Gibson, the former CIO of Friendly's and Johnny Rocket’s restaurants has built a reputation going from company to company improving overall functionality and increasing revenue. Learn how he uses technology and team-building strategies to maximize IT output and why his nearly 15-year military background has proven useful in his professional career.
Tune in to learn: * Pete’s military background (2:40) * Some case studies from Pete’s private sector experience (11:50) * Pete’s approach to a company audit (18:05) * Peter’s take on today’s IT environment (34:00)
About the Guest:
“Pete Gibson is the former CIO of Friendly’s and Johnny Rockets. As Chief Information Officer (CIO) / Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Johnny Rockets quick serve brand (QSR) and Friendly’s Restaurant, dine in, Pete was/is responsible for all aspects of technology program and IT organization, including application development, technology operations and restaurant technology supporting the global organization.”
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
With so much flux in the world, how can we guide workers and businesses through the chaos? Mary Lou Gardner, Associate Partner at Infosys Consulting, helps workers and companies see their way to desired outcomes. Tune in to hear more from Mary Lou on how businesses can think outside the box, shore up their supply chains, and succeed with nimble strategies.
Tune in to learn: * + How to make meaningful career changes (6:55) + The importance of visual display and assortment optimization strategies (26:50) + How companies are working with competitors? (33:00) + Trends in the retail industry (35:30)
About the Guest:
BiO: “Strategic Merchandising Executive with significant experience and success leading complex, cross-functional company initiatives to deliver innovative, market leading strategies. Expertise spans across Merchandising, Supply Chain, Marketing, Pricing, Promotional Planning, Customer Loyalty and Strategic Planning. Focus on efforts that drive top line sales, improve profitability and deliver a best-in-class customer shopping experience.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at http://www.salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
Sure, Mint Mobile benefits from having the star power of part-owner Ryan Reynolds in its back pocket, but Kenny Smithnanic, AVP, e-Commerce at Mint Mobile, explains that the brand’s success goes far beyond just that element. Tune in to find out how Mint is acquiring customers, and what role consumer psychology plays in Kenny’s methods and strategies.
Tune in to learn: * Ryan Reynolds’ role at Mint Mobile (2:10) * How Kenny became interested in the psychology behind marketing (14:45) * Helpful resources on human psychology (22:00) * What does it look like to be a good manager? (25:10) * Why Kenny is paying attention to quizzes (27:25)
About the Guest:
Kenny Smithnanic currently serves as AVP, e-Commerce at Mint Mobile/Ultra Mobile. Previously, Kenny served as Director of Marketing and Business Intelligence for Mobovida and had various other marketing roles.
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
Gushers in the metaverse and Dunkaroo NFTs? When it comes to DTC experiences, General Mills is not playing it safe. On this episode, Carter Jensen, the Senior Manager of Global eCommerce at General Mills, discusses how his small but mighty team is creating DTC experiences that go beyond simple transactions on a website.
Tune in to learn: * The future of DTC for brands within General Mills (5:45)
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What General Mills is investing in now (21:05)
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How to create a good Tik Tok experience for customers (24:35)
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The General Mills brands exploring NFTs and the metaverse (28:28)
Mentions: * Scott Galloway
About the Guest:
Carter Jensen is the Senior Manager of Global eCommerce at General Mills. Prior to General Mills, Carter worked at Latitude and served as a DTC and Omnichannel Consultant. Carter also spent some time as the co-host of the podcast Omni Talk.
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
“You’re seeing widespread desire to have more control over your digital footprint.”
Big tech platforms like Amazon have been dominating the industry for a while, but what will the future hold? How can smaller B2B platforms and brands win and compete when monopolies are controlling the game? Alex Moazed, Founder & CEO of Applico and the co-author of the book, Modern Monopolies, breaks it down on this episode.
Tune in to learn: * How business models have evolved over the last 25 years (2:10) * What is the future business model for platforms? (8:40) * Platform opportunities for founders to take advantage of (17:00) * How can B2B marketplaces disrupt distributors? (28:40)
Mentions: * Modern Monopolies
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Zero To One
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Atlas Shrugged
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1984
About the Guest:
"Alex Moazed is the CEO of Applico, a marketplace advisory company that he founded with credit cards in college. Moazed advises companies such as Google and those in venture capital firm Highland Capital's portfolio on platform innovation and has developed more than 300 apps."
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
Is a good idea or useful product enough to launch a company? Not according to David Rabie, the Founder and CEO of Tovala. He learned that lesson the hard way. From its humble beginnings to a top-ranked home-cooked meal delivery service, Tovala now ships more than 100,000 meals every month and is finding success on multiple platforms. What has David learned along the way? Find out on this episode! Tune in to learn: * What is Tovala? (6:55) * How did Tovala crack the code for growth? (13:00) * What is it like to be featured on Oprah’s favorite things list? (21:00) * Where to find new customers (22:55)
Mentions: * What a CEO Does, by Fred Wilson
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Shoe Dog
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Bad Blood
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The Hard Thing About Hard Things
About the Guest:
“David is the co-founder and CEO of Tovala. He's a self-professed food nut with an MBA from Chicago Booth. Before starting Tovala, he worked for the co-founder and CEO of Veggie Grill and ran Groovy Spoon – a bi-coastal chain of frozen yogurt stores. He also spent time working at Google and Foundation Capital. His favorite ingredient is avocado.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
Amazon has been a giant in the ecommerce retail media world for years. Ideoclick is guiding brands through that landscape and Anne Zymbowski, Vice President of Strategy and Client Development at Ideoclick, is helping lead the way. She explains it all on this episode.
Tune in to learn: * A high-level look at the world of retail media (13:18) * How to invest in foundational aspects that are important now versus building for and betting on the future (21:15) * What impact will the metaverse have on brands? (24:00)
About the Guest:
Anne Zymbowski is Vice President of Strategy and Client Development at Ideoclick, an e-commerce optimization platform that helps brands sell on Amazon and beyond. Anne recently joined the company and is responsible for leading the development of holistic e-commerce and omnichannel strategies for clients. She previously spent over five years at Clorox, helping build the brand’s omnichannel and digital shelf capabilities. Prior to joining Clorox, she spent more than 11 years at Kantar Retail working retail insights, strategic planning, and design.
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
“I had to go against the grain in order to survive.”
There has been buzz around web 3 and NFTs for a while, but are they useful for your brand? ? Roger Beaman of Novel, is the man with the answers! Novel is making web 3 accessible for brands everywhere. So if you’ve been waiting for a web 3 and NFT explainer, the wait is over, everything you need to know is right here Tune in to learn: * The difference between Web 1, Web 2, and Web 3 (20:10) * How can brands utilize Web 3? (25:00) * Breaking down the ways brands can utilize Web 3 and NFTs (31:20) * How much of what’s happening now will endure long term? (45:40)
About the Guest:
Roger is the Co-Founder and CEO of Novel. Prior to Novel, Roger was the Founder and CEO of Smartrr, a subscription enablement platform for direct to consumer brands. Roger has also held senior engineering positions at Reonomy, Goldman Sachs and Shutterstock and he was an instructor at Velocity360, an academy for software engineering. Before shifting into entrepreneurship and engineering, Roger was an economist with roles at Cornerstone Research and the US Treasury Department. Roger holds a masters degree in finance from the University of Virginia and a BA in economics and psychology from the College of William and Mary and has earned three patents related to his engineering work in the domains of image editing and machine learning. Roger thrives on collaboration with great teams to bring a vision to life and is thrilled to be bringing Web3 to DTC.
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
Marc Mathieu, the Co-Founder of Web3 Studio at Salesforce, discusses how web3 will change how brands acquire and interact with consumers. Plus, he explains the hype around NFTs and digital goods – whether they are trends to watch or fads that will fade – and the mindset shifts that need to happen to get the most out of them.
Tune in to learn: * Key moments in internet history: from the invention of the cookie to the shift toward first-party data (6:00)
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How to find customers in a new digital world (8:45)
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Why your brand is your community and how to keep your community the right size (11:00)
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What commerce companies should be most excited about when it comes to web3 (23:15)
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Digital goods — Are they a fad, trend, or long-term opportunity? (27:25)
About the Guest:
“Marc Mathieu leads Strategic Customer Transformation and Innovation at Salesforce. Previously, he was the Chief Marketing Officer of SAMSUNG Electronics USA. He has held various leadership roles in Marketing divisions of Fortune 100 & Global companies such as Coca-Cola, Unilever, and now, Samsung.
Marc is veteran in the Marketing world with a proven track record of success. Named CMO of Samsung Electronics America in 2015, he leads not only the marketing efforts of Samsung brands in the US, but also the company’s Global Marketing Center for Excellence.
Prior to joining Samsung, Marc was Senior Vice President of Global Marketing at Unilever. There he was responsible for the development of Unilever’s global marketing strategy ‘Crafting Brands for Life’, an initiative to build brands with purpose that improve the lives of the people they serve. Marc also oversaw the implementation of pivotal programs such as Project Sunlight, the first Unilever brand consumer initiative to motivate millions of people to adopt more sustainable lifestyles, and The Unilever Foundry, a platform that provides a single entry-point for innovative start-ups seeking to partner with Unilever.
Before Unilever, Marc was Senior Vice President Global Brand Marketing at Coca-Cola, where he was credited with Coke’s turnaround with the ‘Open Happiness’ strategy and the 'Coke Side of Life' global campaign. He also launched Coke Zero into 50 markets and developed the Company sustainability platform "Live Positively".
Marc left Coca-Cola in 2008 and founded the strategic brand consultancy, BeDo, which worked to build brands with purpose and fuse marketing and sustainability agendas. He sits on the Advisory Panel of the Guardian Digital and Media network and writes for Marketing Week magazine. He is a regular conference and keynote speaker on themes such as the Future of Marketing. Citizen of the world, Marc was born and raised in France and has variously lived across Asia, Europe and America. He now divides his time between London and Los Angeles.”
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Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
“There is no one size fits all recommendation that you could give all ecommerce companies around shipping. It really depends on what are they selling? Who are they? Who are they selling it to? And then it's a more nuanced answer.”
There are many shipping solutions available to brands today, but are any of them truly easy to use, transparent, and scalable? Laura Behrens Wu couldn’t find one, so she and he business partner built it themselves. Now, their company, Shippo, is valued at more than $1 billion, has thousands of customers, and is making shipping easier for all kinds of brands. How? Find out on this episode.
Key Insights
Is free two-day shipping necessary? It’s nice to have but it’s not something that every brand needs, which is good because many brands can’t afford to make that kind of guarantee. Instead, brands need to focus on what Behrens Wu says consumers care about more: having expectations set and then met. Brands need to provide clear and transparent information about shipping costs and timelines, otherwise, their conversion rates will suffer.
“There is a common misconception that consumers need shipping to be two-day free shipping. The bar that Amazon set, is not necessary. I think what consumers really care about is having the expectations set correctly.” How are new entrants in the last-mile market staying competitive? With major shipping companies available, many people wonder how smaller players are surviving, let alone having any major impact. The answer is that many of the new companies entering into the last-mile space are carving out space for themselves in certain regions, and setting themselves apart with ease of use. When a company can nail one major aspect of shipping — like one-day shipping or localized shipping — they can find more success than if they try to overreach and compete with companies with more resources.
“Because specialization, these shipping providers are competing, but they're competing on certain dimensions, not across the board.”
Mentions: * Shoe Dog
About the Guest:
“Laura Behrens Wu is the Co-Founder and CEO of Shippo. Shippo simplifies shipping for eCommerce companies by offering discounted shipping rates and a streamlined solution across all different shipping providers. It’s Amazon-level shipping for all e-commerce stores. Laura runs a 65 people team based in San Francisco and is most interested in the data component that comes with shipping.”
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
“When I think about retail, where retail is going, it's, it's very fascinating to me.”
Retail is not dead, in fact, all signs point to the fact that retail is on the rise. But the retail experience isn’t going to be what it has always been in the past. The world of retail is evolving, and brands of all kinds are trying to find the best ways to give their customers what they want and need across channels, including in stores. Anjee Solanki, the National Retail Director for the USA at Colliers, has an inside look at what this next evolution will look like, and she shared her insights on this episode.
Key Insights
What is the state of retail today? If you look at some of the stats that tell the story of retail, you’ll see that the industry is making its way back to where it was during its peak in 2019. Solanki shares that foot traffic, store openings, and retail sales are all on the rise, and she notes that the general atmosphere and feeling of consumers is one of excitement to get back out in the world. So, in short, retail is far from dead. How should retail evolve to meet consumer expectations? According to Solanki, consumers are looking for convenience and transparency, so brands of all kinds need to find more ways to offer both. Whether it’s through your ecommerce offerings, with curbside pickup, or a memorable and seamless in-store experience, brands need to be putting convenience and transparency on the top of their priority list.
About the Guest:
In Anjee’s current role, as National Retail Director for the USA, she has developed strong relationships and strategic leadership to over 550 retail professionals nationally across 140 markets within Colliers for Investment Sales, Agency, Retailer Rep, and Retail Asset & Property Management. Anjee Solanki brings more than 30 years of focused retail real estate experience to Colliers. She provides strategic retail advisory services to enhance value for her clients with her expertise in lifestyle, community, power center, neighborhood, mixed-use retail/residential, and resort retail. Anjee has worked with institutional and private clients such as State of Florida, State of Michigan, Heitman, Invesco, Grosvenor Americas, American Realty Advisors, TH Realty, PNC, and Zurich to name a few.
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.
“Throughout my career, I've been told, ‘Here's a million or billion dollar brand. Don't break it.’ And this gave me the opportunity of, ‘Hey, let's build something here. Let's do it from the ground up and see where it goes.”
The phrase “supply chain issues” has become a bit of a punchline, but very few people seem to know the real story of what’s going on behind the scenes. Anthony LaGrasso is one of them. As a veteran in the world of supply chain and in his current role as VP of Supply Chain at Levain Bakery, Anthony has had an insiders view of what’s going on… and what innovations are needed to get ahead. Hear all about it on this episode.
Key Insights
Creating backup plans In the world of supply chain, you need to be prepared. But you never know exactly what you have to prepare for, so you have to be thinking about all scenarios, plan ahead, and try to future-proof your supply chain in any way you can. This starts at a broad level, but can get more and more granular.
“The one thing that we do and what my team does constantly, is we have resiliency plans for everything. So we have a backup to the backup, to the backup,” How to find the right supplier partners. Finding the right suppliers is all about finding a partner with the same values. You need to connect on the highest level otherwise the partnership is built on an unsteady foundation.
“We always value values as number one. How do we connect with them? What are they doing from a sustainability standpoint? What are they doing from a labor standpoint?… So making sure that the supplier we're working with doesn't utilize child labor. making sure that we go through and review all of their practices, making sure that they have a path for non GMO, making sure that they have a robust pipeline.Those are really the keys and then we'll work out costs later. And as we grow and we scale, inherently we’ll get some better costs, but making sure that we have that connection and we can grow responsibly is key.” Can you innovate within the supply chain? There are always opportunities to innovate and experiment, or to make bold moves to try to sure up your supply chain. But according to LaGrasso, most of the innovation that happens is all about finding ways to simply make your labor and processes more efficient.
“The culture at Levain is, ‘Hey, let's figure out how we can do something greatthat we can bring to our customers.’ So I always think about it that way and I'm like, ‘Okay, how can I make our experience even better? How can I make us as efficient as possible?’ Especially in the crunch with inflation, you need to be as efficient as possible with labor that sometimes doesn't come to the office or with just the amount of manual touches that you have with something. We try to innovate as much as possible. We try to get as much machinery as possible to help our teams — not to eliminate labor, but to help them do their jobs more efficiently.”
About the Guest:
Anthony LaGrasso is the VP of Supply Chain at Levain Bakery. He previously spent more than seven years working in supply chain for Unilever, and also held roles with Estee Lauder and L’Oreal.
Up Next in Commerce is brought to you by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Learn more at salesforce.com/commerce
Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mision.org.