Beyond The Shelf

This week we’re joined by Alicja Spaulding, Founder of Status: Alpha, who helps marketing leaders operationalize AI, digital transformation, and creative agility. Alicja started her career in the music industry—cutting her teeth in the early days of digital disruption—and has since built brands in architecture, food, and now AI-enabled strategy. She’s worked with startups and mid-market manufactur...

We're off this week, so we're re-airing Dave's interview with Walmart Connect's Diana Finster from earlier this month. They discuss: Walmart’s approach to closed-loop measurement and omnichannel ROI How to balance scale and precision in media strategy The launch of Walmart Connect’s Display Advertising API—and how partners like It’sRapid are helping advertisers move faster What...

This week we’re joined by Julie Clifford, Global eCommerce Acceleration & Capabilities Senior Manager at Church & Dwight. Julie’s journey from art teacher to global ecommerce leader has one big throughline: helping others succeed. In this episode, she shares how that mindset fuels her work in marketing tech, content strategy, and digital transformation across markets worldwide. We cover: W...

This week we're joined by Doron Ostrin, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Thanks – the customer-first ad network that’s transforming how brands show up after checkout. Doron shares why the most underutilized moment in digital commerce might just be the one right after a purchase—and how Thanks is turning it into a high-performing, brand-building opportunity. We also dig into: Why interruptive advertis...

This week we’re joined by Diana Finster, Head of Agency, Media & Tech Partnerships at Walmart Connect. Diana’s team is leading the charge on what retail media can be—bridging physical and digital, performance and storytelling. With deep experience across brands, agencies, and platforms, she’s uniquely positioned to talk about the evolving relationship between content, commerce, and conversion....

It’s one thing to sell snacks or sneakers online. It’s another to sell dumpster lids and hydraulic cylinders. This week we’re joined by Kevin Creese, Director of Ecommerce at Wastequip, where he’s leading the charge to modernize how waste handling parts are discovered, bought, and supported online. Dave and Kevin dig into the heavy-duty realities of B2B ecommerce—where the SKU count is high, the d...

This week we’re joined by Nate Moran, Senior Director of Growth, Digital Strategy & Analytics at Edgewell Personal Care—the company behind brands like Schick, Banana Boat, Wet Ones, and more. With a career spanning Red Bull, Newell, Unilever, and now Edgewell, Nate brings a sharp perspective on what it takes to turn data into decisions and insights into impact. In this conversation, Nate and h...

What do hiring, podcasting, and great marketing all have in common? If you ask Daniel Torres Dwyer, the answer is the same: it’s about trust, not transactions. Daniel wears a few hats—he’s the Co-Host of The FMCG Guys podcast and Director of Executive Search at Dwyer Partners—and at the heart of both roles is one thing: helping people find the right fit. Whether that’s matching a candidate to a ro...

This week we’re joined by Celia Van Wickel, Director of Digital Commerce at Russell Stover Chocolates. With a background spanning media, data, neuroscience, and digital commerce, Celia brings a rare and well-rounded perspective to the fast-evolving world of retail media and e-commerce. She and Dave cover everything from aligning marketing and sales for seasonal campaigns to how neuroscience influe...

Dave sits down with Tina Mehta, former CMO at Chloe’s, to explore what it really takes to grow a challenger brand in today’s CPG landscape. With a background that also spans powerhouse companies like Mars Chocolate and Chobani, Tina brings deep experience across brand management, shopper marketing, and e-commerce. She shares how her team at Chloe’s redefined frozen treats, how to stretch every mar...

In this episode of Beyond the Shelf , host Dave Feinleib sits down with Manu Sareen, Founder & CEO of I2O Retail, to explore the evolving challenges of brand protection, unauthorized resellers, and AI’s role in retail transformation. With deep experience at Amazon and Best Buy, Manu brings a sharp lens to the nuts and bolts of e-commerce—from the basics of availability, pricing, and PDP optimi...

This week we're re-airing a fantastic discussion we had back in February with Media, Ads + Commerce's Andrew Lipsman. Andrew is an independent analyst and consultant with deep expertise in retail media, digital advertising, and consumer trends.  He authors the popular Substack newsletter Media, Ads + Commerce where he shares key insights and trends in retail media and the broader adverti...

From unpaid intern to VP of Digital Strategy & Analytics, Scott Kennedy has had a wild ride in the sports and e-commerce world! In this episode of Beyond the Shelf , host Dave Feinleib sits down with Scott to unpack his journey, the meteoric rise of pickleball, and how AI and data are transforming e-commerce. Scott shares how Franklin Sports—the official batting glove of Major League Baseball—...

How is AI reshaping e-commerce, retail media, and business transformation? In this episode of Beyond the Shelf , Matthew Adam Smith, Founder & CEO of Two Isaacs, shares how brands and retailers can leverage AI and automation to drive business growth, creative strategy, and better consumer experiences. With a background in retail transformation, including the launch of Walmart Connect, Matthew...

How do you manage digital content at scale for some of the world’s most iconic snack brands? In this episode of Beyond the Shelf , Eric Altschul, Director of Digital Commerce Content at Mondelēz International, shares how content, digital shelf strategy, and automation play a critical role in winning in eCommerce. With over 10 years at Mondelēz, Eric has helped drive content innovation across brand...

For a limited time, Jungle Scout customers can get their first Product Detail Page Image or Banner Ad created free by It'sRapid! Reach out to sales@itsrapid.io with code "JS2025" to find out more! Expanding on Amazon and beyond requires a deep understanding of marketplace trends, retail media investments, and digital shelf strategies. In this episode, Chris Barnes, GM, Retail and Al...

This week, we welcome Mike Geller to the show! Mike has built a career at the intersection of technology and retail, working with some of the world’s biggest brands, including PepsiCo, Newell Brands, and Amazon. He started as a founder, selling one of his first startups to John Sculley (former CEO of Apple & PepsiCo), and later helped shape e-commerce strategies at Fortune 500 companies. He is...

This week, Dave welcomes Jyoti Malik, Senior Director of eCommerce at Belkin, to discuss how brands can leverage data & automation to stay competitive. With over 15 years in eCommerce and omni-channel strategy, Malik shares insights on the evolution of eCommerce, retail media, and AI-driven optimization, what has changed and what remains constant.  She begins by reflecting on the early days of...

Dave’s guest this week is Elise Barry, Digital Communications Manager at Royal Canin, one of the world’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of dog and cat food.  An eCommerce and Digital Marketing specialist with more than 10 years of experience in diverse marketspaces, Barry understands the importance of defining and maintaining a strong digital presence that is specific to your company’s goals....

Dave’s guest this week is Hayden Consultancy Founder, Eleanor Hayden.  Hayden Consultancy works with food and beverage brands to help them increase their digital footprints and and improve their eCommerce strategies. Having worked in the industry for more than 10 years, both as an entrepreneur and as a Shopper Marketing expert, Eleanor understands that every brand needs to find their own unique ap...

Dave’s guest this week is Kristy Meinzer, Discoverability Director for Performance Content at VML, a creative agency that helps brands grow by combining brand experience, customer experience and eCommerce insights. With expertise in search capabilities, content strategy and brand awareness, Kristy provides insights into the ever-changing world of eCommerce and discoverability, weighing in on how b...

Dave’s guest this week is Kiri Masters, who hosts and writes Retail Media Breakfast Club , a daily podcast and newsletter summarizing the latest trends in retail media.  She’s also a regular contributor to Forbes’ Retail section.  Previously she founded Bobsled Marketing, which was acquired by Acadia in 2022.  Kiri shares why it’s so difficult to find a true definition of “retail media” (3:28), wh...

This week we welcome Andrew Lipsman back to the show!  Andrew is an independent analyst and consultant with deep expertise in retail media, digital advertising, and consumer trends.  He authors the popular Substack newsletter Media, Ads + Commerce where he shares key insights and trends in retail media and the broader advertising and e-commerce universe.   Andrew is a predictions guru, and he unpa...

Dave’s guest this week is one of the most sought-after leaders in the E-Commerce and Retail Media spaces: Sam Gagliardi.  Sam’s 20-plus year career has included senior roles with both leading brands including Colgate-Palmolive, J&J and Barilla, as well as with SaaS enterprises Reckitt and, most recently, Circana - making him a veteran on both sides of the aisle.   Sam shares what originally go...

We’re thrilled to welcome Bryan Gildenberg back to the show.  Bryan was the very first guest on Beyond the Shelf , back in August 2023.  It’s amazing how much the retail landscape has changed in such a short period of time! Bryan is currently keeping busy as Managing Director of Retail Cities, a global retail data and insights firm, primarily focused on fast growth industries and markets.  He bala...