Claim OwnershipBeyond The Shelf
Subscribed: 1Played: 16
Subscribe
© 2026 Beyond The Shelf
Description
This show is an open exploration of the people and process behind E-Commerce. Through conversations with innovators in the space, we learn the stories of these leaders and their strategies for E-Commerce success. You can join our mailing list and access more content at itsrapid.ai.
David's past guests have included: Bryan Gildenberg from the CPG Guys, Todd Hassenfelt from Colgate-Palmolive, Anne Zybowski from Circana, Randy Mercer from 1WorldSync, Jared Taitel from PepsiCo, David Novak from Salsify, Harvey Ma from Albertsons Media Collective, Carter Jensen from General Mills, Pam Perino from Ghirardelli Chocolate, and many more.
112 Episodes
Reverse
Dave’s guest this week is Ben Narasin, Founder and General Partner of Tenacity Venture Capital. Ben is a venture capitalist and longtime entrepreneur who invests at the intersection of technology, commerce, and consumer behavior — with a career spent backing (and building) companies that shape how brands sell and operate in a digital-first world. In this episode, Dave and Ben talk about how the VC lens on commerce has evolved, why “AI strategy” is quickly moving from curiosity to ROI scrutiny...
Dave’s guest this week is Chris Riedy, CRO at Ibotta, where he’s helping evolve promotions and offers into a true performance marketing engine for CPG brands. In this episode, Chris breaks down why great sales is really about problem-solving, trust, and empathy - not transactions. He shares how Ibotta has evolved from a consumer app into a platform that connects manufacturers, retailers, and shoppers in moments that change behavior. Dave and Chris also dig into what makes promotions increment...
Dave’s guest this week is Matt Gehring, a returning guest on Beyond the Shelf and a seasoned growth advisor, independent brand strategist, and Fractional CMO. Since first appearing on the show in 2024, Matt has stepped into a new chapter of his career — advising startups and early-stage companies on how to build momentum from the ground up. He brings deep experience from senior marketing and growth roles at brands including Rothy’s, Everlane, Dutch, and Lifeforce, where he’s helped teams navi...
Dave’s guest this week is Scott Benedict, retail strategist, longtime merchant leader, and former Walmart and Sam’s Club executive with 35+ years across brick-and-mortar, eCommerce, and global retail. Today he runs Benedict Enterprises and serves as part of RETHINK Retail’s advisory group, helping brands and retailers navigate the rapidly evolving commerce landscape. In this episode, Scott and Dave dive into: How a “digital-first” assortment strategy is transforming retailWhy leading retailer...
Dave’s guest this week is Gloria DeCoste, Director of eCommerce & Digital Shelf Capabilities at Nestlé. In this episode, Gloria and Dave explore what it means for brands to be present in an AI-driven commerce environment - not just visible, but structured, accurate, and ready for how discovery is changing. Gloria shares how large organizations like Nestlé are thinking about the content supply chain, why foundational data and consistency matter more than ever, and how AI is reshaping...
Dave’s guest this week is Dave Glaza, Founder & CEO of DIGITS Agency and a retail media pioneer who helped launch Target’s original Cartwheel loyalty app. In this episode, Dave and Dave discuss why most retail media budgets fall short, how shopper data can be turned into real commercial outcomes, and what it takes to build a competitive retail media network in fragmented, mid-market environments. They also explore testing versus “tried and true” tactics, the role of CTV and influencers, a...
Dave’s guest this week is Niccolò Gloazzo, Senior Director of Media & Omnichannel at Kettle & Fire, the brand that helped pioneer shelf-stable bone broth and functional soups. Niccolò shares how Kettle & Fire grew from a digitally native brand into a national retail presence, and what it takes to manage DTC, Amazon, retail media, and in-store growth as a single, connected system. The conversation covers why starting in DTC can create leverage across other channels, how reviews and...
Dave’s guest this week is Jordan Witmer, Managing Director of Retail Media & Consulting at Salt Media, where he helps brands unify creative, data, and performance across today’s fragmented retail media landscape. Jordan’s journey spans Black & Decker, Hershey, and Johnson & Johnson (now Kenvue), giving him a rare, full-funnel view of how commerce, media, and measurement intersect. In this episode, he and Dave unpack: Why ROAS isn’t dead — it’s just misunderstoodHow to balance bran...
This episode originally aired on October 31, 2023. We'll be back with a brand-new episode of Beyond the Shelf on 1/7/26. Happy Holidays! Dave sits down with Jared Taitel, Director, eCommerce Marketing at PepsiCo, for a wide-ranging conversation on scaling creativity in one of the world’s most complex digital commerce environments. Jared shares how PepsiCo approached creative automation early - and how the partnership with It’sRapid helped his team move away from one-off asset crea...
This episode originally aired on April 1, 2025. We'll be back with a brand-new episode of Beyond the Shelf on 1/6/26. Happy Holidays! Dave sits down with Eric Altschul, Director of Digital Commerce Content at Mondelēz International, to discuss how one of the world’s largest CPG companies approaches digital content, automation, and the digital shelf. Eric shares how eCommerce evolved from a secondary priority into a core function at Mondelēz, the role content plays in shaping shopper exp...
Dave’s guest this week is Matt Krueger, SVP of Digital Commerce & Marketplaces at Buffalo Games, home to some of the most beloved puzzles and games in North America. Matt shares how he’s helping bring a modern, data-driven approach to a classic category — from keeping content fresh across thousands of SKUs to using AI and creative experimentation to stay ahead of platform changes. He and Dave dig into how Buffalo Games balances storytelling with analytics, why creative inspiration sometim...
Dave’s guest this week is Richard Gilbert, Head of Retail Partnerships at Worldpay. With more than a decade shaping the future of payments - from SaaS platforms to PayPal and now Worldpay - Richard has a front-row seat to how the checkout experience is evolving. He and Dave discuss how payment technology is becoming a brand moment, not just a transaction - from instant checkout and tokenization to BOPIS workflows and the rise of AI in commerce. Richard also shares what makes a truly great ret...
Dave’s guest this week is Carly McMillen, Director of Marketing at AdLabs. Carly shares how she’s flipping the traditional PPC playbook—focusing on contribution margin instead of ROAS—and what that means for smarter, more sustainable growth. She and Dave also dive into how brands can stand out on Amazon, the creative strategies that still make a difference, and the new AI tools changing the way advertisers test and optimize campaigns. Plus, Carly breaks down what’s next for Amazon Marketing C...
This week we're re-airing our 10/21/25 episode featuring Joanna Crishock, VP of Digital Merchandising & Operations at Ahold Delhaize USA. She shares how she’s helping iconic brands like Food Lion, Stop & Shop, Giant Food, and The Giant Company stay agile, customer-focused, and digitally connected. From her early days in consumer insights to leading omnichannel strategy across merchandising, operations, and retail media, Joanna brings a powerful “why-first” mindset to every chall...
This week Dave is joined by Molly Hjelm, Corporate Vice President & Head of Retail Media at Ace Hardware's RedVest Media, . Molly shares what it takes to build a retail media network from scratch, while honoring the voice of thousands of independently owned stores. She breaks down what hyperlocal really means (it’s not just geography), how she applied learnings from grocery and dollar, and why in-store activation still matters in a digital-first world. Connect with Molly on LinkedIn Foll...
This week on Beyond the Shelf, we’re joined by Carter Zwick, Partnerships and Insights Lead at Snag, a retail activation platform helping brands get in front of the Gen Z shopper with smarter sampling and real-world insights. College students are some of the most valuable—and most overlooked—shoppers in the market today. So how do you reach them early and build brand loyalty that lasts? Carter shares how his own caffeine habits were shaped in a college dorm room, why brands need to meet stude...
This week's guest is Ash McMullen, Head of E-Commerce at Advantice Health. At Advantice, Ash leads eCommerce and Amazon strategy for the brands Kerasal, AmLactin, Triple Paste, Dermoplast, New-Skin and Domeboro. Dave and Ash explore: How Ash helped scale her dad’s Amazon business before agencies were even a thingWhy audience and content come before product in today’s innovation cyclesWhat it takes to rebrand brick-and-mortar hero products for today’s digital-first worldWhy micro-...
This week we're re-airing our episode from this past August with Paco Underhill, renowned behavioral researcher, retail anthropologist, and best-selling author of Why We Buy. Paco has spent decades studying how and why we shop—and what our behavior reveals about the changing nature of retail. In this episode, he and Dave dig into: How physical stores are evolving in a digital-first worldThe surprising shopper trend reshaping the beauty categoryWhat AI can’t replicate when it comes to in-store...
This week Dave is joined by Joanna Crishock, VP of Digital Merchandising & Operations at Ahold Delhaize USA. She shares how she’s helping iconic brands like Food Lion, Stop & Shop, Giant Food, and The Giant Company stay agile, customer-focused, and digitally connected. From her early days in consumer insights to leading omnichannel strategy across merchandising, operations, and retail media, Joanna brings a powerful “why-first” mindset to every challenge. Dave and Joanna discuss...
What does it take to digitally transform a $50 billion supply chain business? This week's guest, Murat Genc, President and Chief Information & Digital Officer at McLane Company, shares how he’s helping a 130-year-old company embrace the future of technology. From his early days building algorithms in college to leading transformations at P&G, Whirlpool, and now McLane, Murat brings a rare blend of technical depth, leadership savvy, and startup mentality to every challenge he faces. Yo...
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States