Spark Plug

Paul do Forno is a Managing Director for Commerce & Content at Deloitte, a leading consultancy specializing in audit & assurance, consulting, risk and financial advisory, risk management, tax, and much more. He’s been named one of the Top 100 E-commerce Influencers in the world by Retail Technology Innovation Hub. In this episode, Paul discusses the rise of livestream shopping, how e-commerce and physical retail are merging, virtual shopping, AI in retail and why loyalty matters in retail.Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

Ashley Kosak is the co-founder and CEO of Green Aero, an organization dedicated to infusing sustainability into the future of space travel through producing green energy. In December 2021, Ashley published an article on Lioness sharing her story of experiencing sexual harassment while working at SpaceX. Her article went viral, prompting new conversations around sexism in STEM industries.Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

Mariam Reza is the Senior Vice President of Enterprise Solutions at LivePerson, which aims to make life easier for people and brands everywhere through trusted conversational AI. She is an expert in cross-functional collaborations, customer retention, global leadership, and customer success management. Mariam holds a Diploma of Customer Contact Leadership focused in Contact Centre Management from Customer Contact Solutions. Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

Simeon Siegel is a Managing Director and Senior Retail and eCommerce Analyst at BMO Capital Markets, a full-service North American financial services provider. Simeon has been named a Rising Star of Wall Street by Institutional Investor and a Rising Star of Equity Research by Business Insider. He has been a guest lecturer at Harvard Business School and is a regular guest on CNBC. Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

Anne Mezzenga is an entrepreneurial Retail Executive with over 15 years in the retail, marketing, experience design, and technology industries. She is one of the founders of UrbanRoosterShop.com and Third Haus, the lab joint venture with Xenia Retail built to develop next-generation retail and mall experiences. She is also Co-CEO of Omni Talk, one of the fastest-growing content platforms in retail. Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

Creamistry is a U.S. based nitrogen ice cream chain with many locations in California, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada. The company uses all-natural and organic ingredients with more than 60-plus flavors and toppings. Creamistry has been using SnowShoe’s Spark Loyalty solution for customer loyalty for some time, and we’re excited to have Kenny Cho here as a special guest to talk about Creamistry’s success in the retail market. Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

Chris Walton is co-CEO of Omnitalk, the leading retail podcast and blog. Previously, Chris was Vice President of Target’s Store of the Future project and also the Vice President of Merchandising for Home Furnishings on Target.com. Chris wraps up 2021 for Spark Plug with an overview of how the pandemic affected retail this past year, predictions for growth and future technology adoption, and a wealth of insights into how the National Retail Federation is shaping up for the annual NRF Conference in New York in January 2022.  Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

Ebere Anokute is a writer and retail researcher based in New York. Ebere is Manager of Retail Research at JLL, a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. His breadth of experience and expertise ranges from luxury retail and commercial real estate to entertainment and media. He is a regular guest and contributor on JLL's  YouTube series, Everything We Know About Retail.  Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

Ben Parr is the President and Co-Founder of Octane AI, the zero-party data marketing platform for Shopify and Shopify Plus merchants. He is an award-winning entrepreneur, investor, journalist, and the author of the best-selling book Captivology: The Science of Capturing People's Attention. Previously, Ben was the Co-Editor and Editor-at-Large of Mashable, where he wrote more than 2,400 articles on technology, media, and startups. Ben is also a member of Forbes 30 Under 30.Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

Daniel Aizenman is a Senior Principal at Stantec, where his team envisions and creates delightful retail and commerce spaces through architectural design. His team focuses on connection and community as they build out the future of the retail experience. Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

A special (short and sweet) holiday edition of Spark Plug -- from your retail loyalty leader. Ned Hayes, CEO of SnowShoe talks with Dheeraj Sanka of Loyalti to announce the merger and acquisition between these two leading retail technology providers. The duo keeps the focus on the retail customer experience and how to make shopping better with SnowShoe expanded loyalty offerings this holiday season, and always. (special episode hosted by Ashley Coates)Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

Zabe Agha is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Metrical, the leading provider of predictive shopper engagement solutions that increase online cart creation and conversion rates, improve customer loyalty and drive increased revenue. Their AI-based software enables retailers to optimize their digital funnel by predicting customer behavior, engaging customers in real-time, and enhancing their overall experience.Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

Bobby Marhamat is the CEO of Raydiant, an innovative platform that delivers a personalized and unique in-store experience for retail customers. He is a Forbes Development Contributor writer on topics around sales strategy and management, operations management, and sales and marketing. Bobby discusses Raydiant's new State of Consumer Behavior Report 2021 with Spark Plug. Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

James Cook is the Americas Director of Retail Research for international real estate firm JLL. His research focuses on the retail real estate industry and delivers broad sector analyses for retail property markets in the Americas. With this intelligence, he produces industry-leading retail research. James also hosts the Where We Buy podcast where he discusses two of his favorite topics: retail and real estate. Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

Trevor Sumner is the CEO of Perch, a recognized leader in in-store product engagement marketing, interactive retail displays and augmented reality. Perch was named a Top Tech Company to Watch by Forbes and has won numerous Clio, Fast Company, Edison, Bloomberg and Digi awards. Trevor is regularly cited in industry media such as Mashable, TechCrunch, Inc, Forbes, Business Insider, and VentureBeat.  (Part 2 of 2)Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

Trevor Sumner is the CEO of Perch, a recognized leader in in-store product engagement marketing, interactive retail displays and augmented reality. Perch was named a Top Tech Company to Watch by Forbes and has won numerous Clio, Fast Company, Edison, Bloomberg, and Digi awards. Trevor is regularly cited in industry media such as Mashable, TechCrunch, Inc, Forbes, Business Insider, and VentureBeat.  (Part 1 of 2)Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

Carl Boutet is the author of The Great Acceleration: The Race to Resilience. He is an executive advisor to retailers, global brands and leading businesses worldwide who want to leverage their use of technology, analytics and design to improve their business outcomes. Carl was recently named one of the Top 100 Global Rethink Retail most influential retail thinkers in 2021. Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

David Adelman, CEO and Founder of The Adelman Group, has over 30 years of experience in retail store development, sales, marketing, and operations. He is also a prominent strategist, blogger and thought leader in the retail space. His organization, T.A.G.,  has a mission to help brick and mortar businesses adapt to today’s rapidly changing consumer demands by identifying pain points through a customer experience audit to help improve stores’ customer experience platform.Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

Paula Thomas is the creator of the popular "Let's Talk Loyalty" podcast and the author of a variety of articles on global best practices in convenience retail. With over twenty years of experience delivering tangible results for some of the world's top brands, her clients have included Telefonica O2 Ireland, Electric Ireland, AIB, Avios, and The Entertainer Group. Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.

Rick Turoczy is the co-founder and general manager of the Portland Incubator Experiment (PIE), a well-known startup accelerator, as well as the editor and creator of Silicon Florist, Portland's original tech blog. Rick has contributed heavily to the tech scene in the Pacific Northwest and beyond, and joins Spark Plug to talk about startup formation, diversity in startups, startup heartaches, startup triumphs, and startup successes. Thanks for listening to Spark Plug -- find all our episodes at Sparkplug.audioSpark Plug is brought to you by SnowShoe.io, the leading provider of SparkLoyalty -- the leading retail loyalty and customer engagement system. 3 million happy shoppers around the world use Spark systems today.