Skip to content
Sign in
Artwork for SHeCOMMERCE
BusinessCareersMarketingNewsBusiness News

SHeCOMMERCE

Cristina Marinucci & Jacqueline Dynowski

Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood.


SHeCommerce is more than just a podcast, it's a community. 


Hosted by Cristina and Jax, two seasoned CPG leaders with almost 50 years of combined international experience, SHeCommerce dives deep into the heart of the CPG revolution, tackling the issues that matter most to women in the industry.
Tired of surface-level business podcasts? We get it. That's why we're committed to providing real talk, real solutions, and a whole lot of heart. From decoding the latest retail media strategies and accelerating omni-commerce growth to navigating work-life imbalance, shattering stereotypes, and fighting for wage equality – nothing is off-limits.
With Cristina's unparalleled insights in consumer/shopper behavior, category management, and omni-channel strategy, combined with Jax's digital transformation prowess and global leadership experience, you're getting battle-tested strategies you can actually use.
But SHeCommerceis about more than just business. It's about building a supportive sisterhood where women (and women advocates) can connect, share their stories, and inspire each other to achieve their full potential.
Join us for smart, strategic, and unapologetically female conversations. We promise to be the happiest (and most insightful) 20 minutes of your week!
SHeCommerce: It's not just business, it's personal. It's time to power up your career, your brand, and your life!

Play
Open in
  • 35 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 42 min
  • English

Episodes 35

NewestOldestLongest
All20Unplayed20In progress0Played0
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • S1 · E48
    Yesterday · 13 min

    Episode 48: Commerce’s Biggest Conversations, Decoded - Recap from Digital Shelf Summit, London & Advertising Week, NYC.

    From London to Advertising Week: AI Hype, Human Connection & the Future of Commerce AI is everywhere. But are we losing sight of what actually drives growth? From the Digital Shelf Institute Summit in London to Advertising Week, SHeCOMMERCE is taking you straight to the heart of the conversations shaping the future of commerce. We're going beyond the buzzwords to explore what's really moving the industry forward: AI, retail media, omnichannel growth, smarter measurement, human creativity, and the power of genuine connection. And because this is SHeCOMMERCE, we're also shining a spotlight on the women who are challenging the status quo and building what's next. 🎤 Stop 1: Digital Shelf Institute Summit | London Jacqui Dynowski takes us onto the event floor to capture the energy, emerging priorities, and conversations driving digital commerce. Featured voices include: Jamie, from the Digital Show – Sets the scene with an inside look at the event atmosphere and excitement surrounding the day's speakers and sessions. George Morton, CommerceIQ – Shares his interest in the industry's hottest topics, particularly generative AI, how businesses are putting it to work, and what lies ahead. Magdalena, ChannelSight – Highlights the importance of partnerships, collaboration, and staying connected to new capabilities and innovations across the commerce ecosystem. Anne-Marie Burda, Nielsen Brandbank – Emphasizes the value of open dialogue, learning from industry perspectives, and engaging with the challenges brands are facing. Key takeaways: AI is moving from industry conversation to practical business application. Partnerships and collaboration remain essential to commerce innovation. Staying curious, connected, and open to new perspectives is critical in a rapidly evolving industry. 🎤 Stop 2: Advertising Week | Where AI Meets the Human Element Cristina Marinucci hits the floor at Advertising Week, asking industry leaders the questions that matter: What's overhyped? What's being overlooked? And what should brands actually be doing differently? Featured conversations include: Karen Robinovitz | Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Sloomoo Institute As digital experiences and AI accelerate, Karen makes the case for something refreshingly human: real-life connection. From sensory experiences to nostalgia and emotional engagement, she explains why the brands winning consumer hearts are creating experiences that can't be replicated through a screen. The takeaway: Growth isn't just about followers or impressions. Revenue, repeat visits, and meaningful experiences tell a much more powerful story. Will Cohen | Co-Founder & CEO, Downtime Is AI overhyped? Will thinks so. What's underhyped? Good old-fashioned human creativity. He explores how brands can make physical retail more engaging through interactive experiences, QR codes, in-store media, and technology that enhances creativity rather than replaces it. The takeaway: Technology should amplify human ingenuity, not become a substitute for it. Lauren Griewski | Commerce Media Expert Lauren challenges the industry to find the right balance between AI-driven efficiency and the authenticity consumers expect. She also reminds us that some of the most valuable outcomes from industry events aren't found in a presentation. They're found in the relationships that lead to future partnerships and growth. The takeaway: AI can improve efficiency, but authenticity and relationships build lasting brand value. Kait Stephens | Co-Founder & CEO, Bridge Kait breaks down the new era of signal-driven advertising and why marketers need to rethink how they measure performance across channels. Her framework is simple: Prove it. Improve it. From connecting advertising investments to retail and Amazon sales to understanding TikTok's impact beyond TikTok Shop, Kait explains why brands can miss major growth opportunities when they measure each channel in isolation. The takeaway: Stop optimizing for individual channels and start measuring what actually drives total business growth. 🔥 The Big Themes We're Taking Home 1. AI is powerful, but humanity is the differentiator. Automation can accelerate execution, but creativity, authenticity, and connection are what make brands memorable. 2. Omnichannel measurement needs a reality check. Consumers don't shop in silos, and brands shouldn't measure success that way either. 3. Experiences are becoming a competitive advantage. Physical engagement, emotional connection, and repeat interactions matter just as much as digital performance. 4. Relationships are still the ultimate growth engine. Behind every breakthrough partnership, innovative idea, and industry transformation are people investing in people. 5. Women are helping shape what's next. From bold founders to visionary marketing leaders, we celebrate the women challenging assumptions, creating new opportunities, and raising the bar for the industry. This episode is your front-row seat to the conversations that matter, the ideas worth challenging, and the voices worth amplifying. Because it's not just business. It's personal. Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E47
    October 29 · 1 hr 4 min

    Episode 47: $100 Million. No Playbook: Brendan Cawley on Building Righteous Felon, His Way

    What happens when a middle-school jerky hustle, a Kmart dehydrator, a few hundred bucks from friends and family, and a suspicious-looking baggie turn into a brand crossing $100 million in retail sales? You get Righteous Felon. In this episode of SHeCOMMERCE, Cristina and Jacqui sit down with Brendan Cawley, Founder & CEO of Righteous Felon, for a founder story that is equal parts accidental, audacious, scrappy—and refreshingly devoid of the usual startup theater. There was no giant funding round. No polished 50-page business plan. No army of employees. And definitely no traditional playbook. Instead, Brendan and a tight crew of childhood friends and family figured it out as they went—selling at farmers markets and beer festivals, hunting down manufacturers willing to take a chance on them, obsessing over flavor and storytelling, and turning a middle-school inside joke into one of the most distinctive brands in meat snacks. And then things got big. Really big. Today, Righteous Felon has crossed the $100 million retail sales mark while staying lean, founder-led, deeply personal and unapologetically weird. But this conversation isn't just about the number. It's about what happens after the scrappy brand starts winning. How do you evolve from founder to CEO without losing your edge? How do you bring new leaders into a company built by brothers and childhood friends? How do you professionalize the business without becoming painfully corporate? And how do you scale what consumers love without killing what made them love it? Brendan gets candid about all of it. About Brendan Cawley: Brendan Cawley is the Founder and CEO of Righteous Felon. His fascination with jerky started as a kid after watching his uncle turn raw ingredients into a product he could sell to coworkers at a Pittsburgh steel mill. That curiosity eventually became a childhood jerky operation of his own—and one memorable misunderstanding involving a teacher, a school bathroom and a hand-to-hand transaction. Years later, Brendan built his business chops working in aerospace, gaining exposure to finance, manufacturing, operations and supply chain. At the same time, he watched the craft beer movement explode—independent brands using better ingredients, bolder flavors, sharper branding and a hell of a lot more personality. That collision of craft, business and rebellious brand building ultimately became Righteous Felon. Today, Brendan is navigating the next evolution of the business as CEO, while also navigating an even bigger new title: Dad. About Righteous Felon: Righteous Felon is a founder-led, family- and employee-owned meat snack brand built around bold flavor, irreverent storytelling and an outlaw-with-a-code mentality. What began as a handful of friends making jerky has grown into a nationally scaled business that has surpassed $100 million in retail sales. The brand has never been interested in blending into the sea of functional protein claims. High protein? Great. Clean ingredients? Absolutely. But Righteous Felon believes healthy eating doesn't have to taste like punishment. Its next chapter is increasingly about rebelling against boring, bland and basic wellness culture—combining better-for-you credentials with flavor, humor, characters, storytelling and zero apology. Because sometimes the rule worth breaking is the one that says healthy food has to be miserable. What We Get Into 🔥 The felony that started it all. Yes, Brendan really was caught exchanging a baggie for cash in a middle-school bathroom. No, it wasn't drugs. It was jerky. And yes, that misunderstanding eventually helped inspire one of the best brand names in CPG. 🔥 The $100 million milestone nobody planned for. Righteous Felon didn't begin with a roadmap to $1 million, let alone $100 million. Brendan talks about reaching the milestone one stubborn step at a time—and why the celebration was meaningful but short-lived. 🔥 Bootstrapping before they knew it was called bootstrapping. There was no strategic declaration that RF would reject venture capital. They simply didn't know any other way. Make product. Sell product. Reinvest. Repeat. 🔥 Why you don't need a huge team to do huge things. One of Brendan's clearest beliefs: headcount isn't the same thing as capability. A small, adaptable team with ownership and trust can punch far above its weight. 🔥 Founder ≠ CEO. Brendan gets candid about moving from the guy touching everything to the leader responsible for communicating a clear vision, recruiting smarter people and repeating that vision until everyone can operate against it. 🔥 Transparency is a growth strategy. His leadership philosophy is simple: tell people the truth. When employees understand where the business stands, where they stand and what's at risk, you don't have to manage six different versions of reality. 🔥 Flavor beats function. As protein becomes mainstream, "high protein" and "clean ingredients" aren't differentiators anymore. Brendan believes the opportunity is to deliver health without sacrificing craveability—and personality without sacrificing credibility. 🔥 The rebellion against performative wellness. Wake up at 5 a.m. Run. Meditate. Cold plunge. Sauna. Work 12 hours. Be the perfect parent. Sleep eight hours. Sure. Brendan calls BS on a version of wellness that assumes everyone has to optimize every minute of their existence. Righteous Felon's counterpoint? Eat better. Live better. But maybe enjoy yourself too. 🔥 From snack brand to cultural brand. The bigger ambition isn't simply to sell more jerky. Brendan talks about storytelling, characters, nostalgia, rebellion and building a relationship with consumers that could transcend the meat-snack aisle. 🔥 When business gets very personal. Crossing $100 million was big. Becoming a dad was bigger. Brendan shares how fatherhood changed the way he thinks about time, health, responsibility, hiring and what all the work is ultimately supposed to make possible. 🔥 The founder myth we need to kill. "It must be nice being your own boss." According to Brendan? Try having a million bosses—employees, consumers, retailers, suppliers, partners and everyone counting on you to deliver what you said you would. That entrepreneurial freedom everyone romanticizes comes with a hell of a lot of responsibility. 🎤 MIC DROP MOMENTS “We were just trying to make some product…and see if people were interested in selling it.” No startup theater. No grandiose master plan. Just build something people want and keep going. “You need a big team to do big things.” The business rule Brendan would break? That one. “Flavor needs to reign supreme.” Because nobody wants to choke down joyless protein forever. On entrepreneurship: “You feel like you have a million bosses.” Employees. Consumers. Retailers. Partners. The idea itself. So much for "being your own boss." On leadership: Leading by working harder than everyone else isn't enough. At scale, leaders have to create clarity, communicate it relentlessly and give people the ability to act without them. On becoming a dad: Fatherhood changed Brendan's relationship with time almost instantly—and made building a stronger leadership team about more than scaling the company. It became about creating room to actually live his life. And perhaps the most Righteous Felon answer of the episode… Asked what the worst flavor idea they'd ever considered was? Possum jerky. Relax. It was going to be beef. Probably. This episode is for founders, operators, brand builders, CPG leaders—and anyone who has ever wondered whether there might be another way to build something big. No perfect roadmap. No startup cosplay. No boring, bland or basic. Just a group of people who kept figuring it out. $100 Million. No Playbook. That feels pretty damn Righteous Felon to us. Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E46
    October 22 · 21 min

    Ep 46:m Sparkling Sips: The Signal Era — Kait Stephens, Brij; Why Smarter Advertising Starts with Better Data

    AI may be getting smarter. But are we giving it the full picture? Live from Advertising Week New York, where everyone is talking AI, algorithms, attribution, and measurement, SHeCOMMERCE sits down with Kait Stephens, CEO and Co-Founder of Brij, to challenge one of advertising's biggest blind spots: Brands are spending billions to reach consumers they don't fully understand. Welcome to the Signal Era, where the quality of the data feeding advertising algorithms may matter more than the sophistication of the technology itself. For CPG brands, the challenge is especially real. Consumers discover products on TikTok, engage with ads on Meta, and ultimately purchase at Walmart, Target, or Amazon. Yet much of that purchasing behavior remains disconnected from the advertising platforms trying to optimize performance. Kait breaks down how connecting retail and marketplace purchases back to digital advertising can transform measurement, improve customer acquisition, and help brands make smarter investments across the entire commerce ecosystem. But this conversation goes beyond algorithms. Kait shares her journey from private equity investor to technology founder, the realities of fundraising as a woman, and how embracing authenticity, empathy, and her public voice has become a leadership advantage. The big message? Smarter algorithms alone won't win the next era of advertising. Better signals, connected thinking, and leaders willing to challenge the status quo will. 🔥 Key Takeaways 1. We've entered the Signal Era. AI-powered advertising platforms are increasingly making targeting and optimization decisions automatically. That makes the quality and completeness of the data brands feed those algorithms a critical competitive advantage. 2. Your DTC customer isn't necessarily your retail customer. For a brand generating 80% of sales outside its DTC channel, algorithms trained only on website purchasers may be learning from just 20% of its actual customer base. And those customers may behave very differently from shoppers at Walmart, Target, or Amazon. 3. Prove It. Then Improve It. Kait simplifies Brij's value proposition into two powerful ideas: Prove It: Connect retail and marketplace sales back to advertising campaigns to better understand what's actually driving purchases. Improve It: Use those insights and customer signals to optimize media spend, build stronger audiences, and reduce customer acquisition costs. Kait shares an example of a Brij customer seeing a 50% reduction in customer acquisition cost, demonstrating the potential impact of better signals. 4. Siloed organizations are leaving money on the table. When DTC, retail, and marketplace teams optimize against separate goals, brands risk making decisions that benefit individual channels instead of the total business. Kait challenges leaders to align incentives around profitable omnichannel growth. 5. Stop measuring TikTok only by TikTok Shop sales. Kait calls TikTok one of the biggest channel opportunities in advertising. Her argument? TikTok creates demand that may ultimately convert on Amazon or in physical retail. Marketers focusing solely on TikTok Shop conversions risk significantly underestimating its impact. 6. Being a female founder can be a competitive advantage. Kait openly discusses overcoming imposter syndrome while fundraising, leaning into her strengths, and discovering that authentic leadership and content creation can attract talent who believe in her vision. 👩‍💼 Speaker Bio: Kait Stephens CEO & Co-Founder, Brij | RETHINK Retail Expert | Host, The Omnichannel Marketer Kait Stephens is the CEO and Co-Founder of Brij, where she's helping omnichannel brands transform retail and marketplace purchases into actionable, owned customer data that drives smarter advertising, lowers customer acquisition costs (CAC), and increases customer lifetime value (LTV). With more than 12 years of experience in retail and commerce, Kait brings a unique perspective shaped by her background as an investor focused on omnichannel strategies and the evolving future of retail. Working with brands including Chobani, Gozney, Sapporo, Skullcandy, and Feastables, she's at the forefront of solving one of commerce's biggest challenges: connecting the dots between where consumers discover brands and where they actually buy. A recognized RETHINK Retail Expert and industry thought leader, Kait also hosts The Omnichannel Marketer podcast. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BSBA from Georgetown University. Beyond the technology, Kait is a passionate advocate for authentic leadership, sharing candid insights about entrepreneurship, fundraising, and navigating the realities of being a female founder. 🏢 Company Bio: Brij Closing the Gap Between Retail Sales and Digital Customer Intelligence Brij helps omnichannel brands turn retail and marketplace purchases into owned, deterministic customer signals that fuel more effective advertising and sustainable growth. Trusted by brands including Chobani, Gozney, Sapporo, Skullcandy, and Feastables, Brij connects previously disconnected customer purchase data to digital marketing platforms, helping brands better understand who their customers are, measure advertising effectiveness across channels, lower customer acquisition costs, and grow lifetime value. By connecting what happens at the shelf, on marketplaces, and across digital media, Brij helps brands move beyond fragmented measurement toward a more complete view of the customer journey. The philosophy? Prove it. Improve it. Grow smarter. The future of advertising isn't just smarter AI. It's smarter inputs. And the future of commerce isn't about winning in DTC, retail, or marketplaces independently. It's about understanding the consumer across all of them. Because consumers don't shop according to your org chart. And your advertising strategy shouldn't either. Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. #SHeCOMMERCE #SparklingSips #OmnichannelCommerce #RetailMedia #WomenInLeadership SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E45
    October 14 · 9 min

    Ep 45 - Sparkling Sips - Jessica Batty, Your Impressions Don't Impress Us Much

    ATTENTION DIDN'T DISAPPEAR. IT MOVED. 💥 And if your marketing strategy hasn't moved with it, we need to talk. In this second pour of Sparkling Sips, Cristina and Jacqui welcome back Jessica Batty, SVP of Marketing at Fluent, for another sharp, unfiltered conversation about the future of commerce media, consumer intent, and the uncomfortable truth about how brands measure attention. Last time, Jessica called it: social media has gone from discovery to obligation. This time, she's taking us one step further. If consumers are tuning out the noise, where is the attention that actually converts? From Jessica's real-life adventures renovating a beach house (and becoming a self-proclaimed Lowe's superfan!) to the resurgence of nostalgia, community recommendations, and trusted voices, we unpack why the next era of marketing isn't just about reaching consumers. It's about reaching them when they're ready to care. 🔥 What we're spilling: Attention isn't created equal. There's a world of difference between interrupting someone who's doom-scrolling and showing up when they're actively looking for something. Trust is the new competitive advantage. Community, authenticity, nostalgia, and recommendations from people we actually trust are reshaping how brands earn engagement. Reach without relevance? What's the point? Jessica challenges marketers to look beyond impressions and rethink where they're investing their media dollars. The store is still a major opportunity. Jessica shares how Fluent is extending its post-transaction offering from online to in-store, creating new opportunities to connect with consumers. Your Monday-morning CMO wake-up call. Go back to the data. Understand your consumer cohorts. Find out where they spend time, who they trust, and whether your media investments are delivering actual outcomes. 🎤 Mic-drop moments "Attention didn't disappear. It just moved." — Jessica Batty A simple statement with massive implications for how brands plan, measure, and invest. "One is interruption and the other is intent." — Jacqui Dynowski Because being seen isn't the same as being wanted. "Stop asking, did they see me? And start asking, what were they there to do?" — Cristina Marinucci THAT is the question every marketer should be asking. The bottom line? The future of commerce media isn't about winning the battle for more eyeballs. It's about earning the right attention, in the right context, from consumers who actually want to engage. And if your media strategy is still rewarding impressions over intention, maybe it's time to rethink the playbook. Grab your favorite sip and join us for a conversation that challenges the metrics, questions the assumptions, and reminds us that behind every impression is an actual human being. Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. 💜 #SHeCOMMERCE #SparklingSips #CommerceMedia #MarketingStrategy #ConsumerBehavior SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E44
    October 6 · 17 min

    Episode 44: The Cornell 7 - More Than Tea. It's Accountability.

    This is not Spill the Tea. This is accountability. In this special SHeCOMMERCE episode, Cristina and Jacqui step away from the usual banter to discuss the disturbing allegations surrounding the “Cornell 7” and the broader questions the case raises about consent, institutional responsibility, leadership, and what happens when systems designed to protect people appear to fail. As the investigation continues, Cristina and Jacqui unpack why this story has resonated so deeply with women, why due process and taking allegations seriously can and must coexist, and why organizations cannot hide behind policies, procedures, or technical compliance when trust and safety are at stake. They also examine the burden placed on women from an early age to protect themselves, from watching their drinks to sharing their locations, and ask a harder question: Why is so much of the conversation about teaching women how not to become victims instead of teaching men not to become perpetrators, enablers, or silent bystanders? In this episode: • The allegations and developments surrounding the Cornell case • Why institutional process is not the same thing as institutional accountability • The difference between compliance and leadership • Consent, intoxication, and the dangerous assumptions that still persist • Why women are responding so strongly to the story • The role men must play in preventing sexual violence and challenging harmful behavior • Why “believe women” and due process are not mutually exclusive • What leaders should ask when their systems fail the people they are supposed to protect When something goes wrong inside your organization, are you trying to understand what happened, or are you trying to understand your exposure? Because culture is not what an organization says when everything is going well. Culture is what it does when doing the right thing becomes uncomfortable. This episode discusses allegations of sexual assault and may be difficult for some listeners. Please take care while listening. These are options for you if you've been affected in the UK: Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line: Call 0808 500 2222 (open 24/7) or visit Rape Crisis England & Wales. Victim Support: Call 0808 16 89 111 or use their online chat at Victim Support. The Survivors Trust: Call 08088 010818 for specialist network support. Galop (LGBT+ Support): Call 0800 999 5428. These are options for you if you've been affected in the US: Immediate 24/7 National Hotlines National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): Call 800-656-HOPE (4673) or chat online at rainn.org. You can also text "HOPE" to 64673. Americans Overseas / Sexual Assault Support for Americans Abroad: Call 866-USWOMEN (toll-free). [1, 2, 3, 4] Local and Specialized Resources RAINN Local Help Locator: Search by your state or ZIP code on the RAINN Local Provider Directory to find community-based rape crisis centers, counseling, and hospital accompaniment. National Sexual Assault Legal Hotline: Call 567-SHATTER (567-742-8837) for free legal information and options from victim-focused attorneys. National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC): Browse state coalitions and local support directories at nsvrc.org. SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E43
    September 30 · 1 hr 8 min

    Ep 44: Lauren Bolles, Tesco Media - How Great Businesses Scale; Leadership, Customer Obsession & Building Retail Media

    SCALE ISN’T A STRATEGY. IT’S AN OPERATING SYSTEM. 🔥 Everybody loves talking about growth. The revenue. The shiny new products. The AI. The partnerships. The big freaking number on the slide. But here’s the question nobody puts on the keynote stage: What happens underneath the business when all that growth actually shows up? This week on SHeCOMMERCE, we’re going behind the strategy deck with Lauren Bolles, Chief Operating Officer of Tesco Media, to talk about the unsexy, absolutely essential machinery that turns ambition into execution. And Lauren knows a thing or two about building the machine. Her career has been anything but a neat little corporate ladder: Cartier → performance marketing → Bain → Walmart Connect → Tesco Media. At Walmart Connect, she spent five years helping build the strategy and operating infrastructure behind one of retail media’s biggest growth stories. Then she did what any sensible person would do next: changed companies, changed countries, moved her family across the Atlantic and stepped into a newly created COO role at Tesco Media. Incremental, apparently, is not Lauren’s thing. 🎯 THE BIG CONVERSATION Lauren gives us the operator’s view of growth: what breaks when companies scale, why heroic leadership eventually becomes a liability, which metrics actually tell you whether a business is healthy, and why a playbook that crushed it in America may absolutely NOT be the playbook you need in another market. Her definition of BizOps might be the best we’ve heard: “Strategy and operations sit in the gap between the ambition and the reality.” That gap? That’s where businesses either learn how to scale… or start creating chaos with really impressive revenue numbers. 💥 KEY LEARNINGS Scaling is an organizational challenge, not just a revenue opportunity. What works when five people can jump on a call and solve every problem does not work when you’re operating across hundreds—or thousands—of people. Leaders have to evolve at the speed of the business. Heroics don’t scale. Clarity does. Early-stage businesses often thrive on brilliant people rolling up their sleeves and doing whatever it takes. Eventually, leadership has to shift from doing to creating clear accountability, decision rights, operating models and outcomes—and then giving people room to deliver. Stop confusing more KPIs with better insight. Revenue matters. Profit matters. Product metrics matter. But Lauren argues there’s an overlooked layer between selling something and delivering it: Can your organization actually deliver what it sold—and how hard is it to do? You can’t copy-and-paste a playbook across markets. Moving from the U.S. to the U.K. reinforced a critical lesson: take the principles and pattern recognition with you, not necessarily the answers. Customer behavior, retailer engagement and market dynamics change. Curiosity travels better than certainty. AI’s biggest wins may be decidedly unsexy. Forget the conference-panel answer. Lauren sees real opportunity in AI improving everyday work—sales coaching, synthesizing data into insights, getting ideas out of leaders’ heads and helping people operate at a higher level. But there’s a catch: AI may change where we spend our time more than simply giving all that time back. And your career does NOT need to make sense on paper. Lauren’s path is proof that curiosity, pattern recognition and the willingness to step into something uncomfortable can build a far more interesting career than following somebody else’s ladder. 🎤 MIC-DROP MOMENTS “Sometimes the biggest opportunities for AI to come into the business are not sexy.” Translation: stop chasing AI theater and start finding where it creates actual value. “Listen to the voice in your head, but don’t always believe it.” That one is going straight on the SHeCOMMERCE wall. And when we asked Lauren to finish the sentence “Retail media in five years will…”? Her answer: “Be media.” 🎤⬇️ But perhaps the biggest takeaway came at the end: “At the end of a job or of our career… it’s the people that matter the most.” The decks disappear. The spreadsheets get replaced. The organizations change. The people who tell you thank you for mentoring me, believing in me, opening a door for me? That’s the legacy. ☕ SPILL THE TEA Oh, we had RANGE this week. We unpack an eMarketer forecast pointing to AI-driven commerce becoming a dramatically bigger piece of U.S. e-commerce—and ask the question brands should probably be obsessing over now: When AI becomes another interface between the shopper and the shelf, who owns discovery, the customer relationship…and the money? We somehow turn a viral HYROX gastrointestinal incident into a lesson on operational excellence—because apparently “performance does not replace process” applies even when the process in question involves bodily functions. 💩 We also raise our tea to Dolly Parton and reflect on a woman who showed generations that power never required becoming less feminine, less funny or less unmistakably yourself. And there’s one very special people move: our own Cristina stepping into the Chief Commercial Officer seat at Righteous Felon. A challenger brand. Hyper-growth. C-suite. Or, as Jacqui puts it: “Hold my jerky, baby.” Yes. That happened. 👀 THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU IF… You’re scaling a business and wondering why everything suddenly feels harder. You’re leading a team that has outgrown the way it used to operate. You work in retail media, commerce, strategy or transformation and want to know what’s happening behind the growth numbers. You’re trying to separate actual AI value from AI theater. Or your career path looks more like a bowl of spaghetti than a ladder—and you need the reminder that the straight line was never the only route to the top. This one is about building businesses that can handle their own ambition—and careers big enough to keep challenging the women building them. 🎧 Come for retail media. Stay for the leadership lessons, career pivots, AI reality check, Dolly, jerky…and yes, poop. Because it’s not just business. It’s personal. Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E42
    September 24 · 22 min

    Ep 43: Sparkling Sips, Lydia Thacher - Access & Convenience, Delivered

    🥂 This Sparkling Sips comes with bubbles, bite…and a few serious mic drops. We’re pouring one with Lydia Thacher, Vice President of Digital Commerce at Dollar General, for a conversation that goes way beyond “eCommerce strategy.” Because digital commerce isn’t about chasing the shiniest tech. It’s about solving real problems for real customers. Lydia takes us inside the thinking behind Dollar General’s evolving digital commerce experience—and why convenience, accessibility and understanding the customer you actually serve matter more than copying somebody else’s playbook. 💥 MIC DROP MOMENTS: 🎤 Digital isn’t just another channel. It’s another way to remove friction and serve the customer. 🎤 Innovation doesn’t only happen in big cities. Bringing digital convenience to rural communities can help close a very real access gap. 🎤 Your physical footprint can become a digital advantage. Stores, proximity and convenience hit differently when you connect them intentionally. 🎤 And maybe the biggest one: Stop building commerce for the customer you imagine. Build it for the customer standing right in front of you. We talk digital transformation without the buzzword bingo. Customer obsession without the corporate fluff. And what happens when a massive brick-and-mortar footprint meets an increasingly digital shopper. It’s smart. It’s practical. And yes—we brought the bubbles. 🥂 The COMMERCE in SHeCOMMERCE is showing up BIG in this one. 🎧 Grab your sparkling sip and hit play. Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E41
    September 17 · 1 hr 14 min

    Ep 42: Jane Hanson - Camera Ready, Career Ready: Finding Your Voice and Owning the Room

    Camera Ready, Career Ready: Jane Hanson on Finding Your Voice and Owning the Room AI can give you the words. It cannot outsource your credibility. And in a world of AI-generated everything, that may be your biggest competitive advantage. This week, Cristina and Jacqui sit down with Jane Hanson—nine-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, longtime NBC New York anchor and host, and now executive communications coach—to talk about what it really takes to command a room, survive the unexpected, and make people actually listen when you speak. And yes, this particular SHeCOMMERCE friendship started exactly as all great professional relationships do: at Cannes, bonding over a questionable “Bates Motel,” a commandeered shuttle, and pink toilet paper. 😂 But Jane’s career was forged in considerably higher-pressure situations. She spent decades in live television, interviewing presidents, executives, celebrities and newsmakers—and shares what it was like to be the first person on air at NBC on 9/11, with almost no confirmed information and no script to hide behind. Her lesson? When everything goes sideways, clarity, judgment and adaptability matter more than polished talking points. That lesson feels even more urgent today. Jane gets real about why confidence isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you build. Why accomplished women routinely undervalue themselves. Why becoming “Formal Jane” the second you walk onstage actually works against you. And why vulnerability, authenticity and listening can be far more powerful than trying to look perfectly buttoned-up. We also dig into the communication double standards women still navigate: be confident, but not intimidating. Assertive, but not aggressive. Warm, but authoritative. Speak up—but apparently not too much. Jane’s answer? Stop contorting yourself into someone else’s definition of leadership. Because communication isn’t a “soft skill.” In an AI-driven business world, Jane argues it’s a hard skill—and an increasingly essential one. She shares practical advice you can use immediately: know exactly what you want your audience to remember; use “bridging” to acknowledge a question, transition and return to your message; prepare for the questions you don’t expect; write down your core competencies when confidence wobbles; and remember that a job interview is a two-way street—you’re choosing them, too. 🎤 MIC-DROP MOMENTS ⚡ “Confidence can absolutely be trained.” ⚡ “You’re there for a reason… Own it. Believe in it. Believe in yourself.” ⚡ “All of life is just a conversation.” ⚡ Communication isn’t a soft skill anymore. It’s a hard skill. ⚡ And our SHeCOMMERCE takeaway: AI can generate the presentation. You still have to stand up there and make someone care. ☕ BUT FIRST… WE SPILL THE TEA We celebrate women making moves, including Anne Hallock’s new role as Senior Director of Ad Marketing at Roku and SHeCOMMERCE alum Lauren Griewski’s latest leadership move at Chase Media Solutions. Then we go beyond the basket with Coca-Cola’s “The World Will Wait” campaign, which is essentially staging an intervention for our collective screen addiction and reminding consumers to put down the devices and share an actual meal. And EY puts $100 million behind the human skills that matter in a tech-led world—judgment, critical thinking, adaptability, leadership, collaboration and innovation. Which raises the question at the heart of this entire episode: As machines get better at communicating, do humans need to get better at being human? Our answer after this conversation with Jane? Hell yes. 🎧 Listen if you’ve ever walked into a boardroom, interview, presentation, Zoom call—or just a meeting where someone stole the idea you said five minutes earlier—and wished you knew how to own your voice a little more. Because being visible isn’t the same as being heard. And having something valuable to say is only half the battle. Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E40
    September 15 · 19 min

    Ep 40: Sparkling Sips - Retail Media, Rewarded with Ariel Bishop, Downtime

    What if the future of retail media isn’t about getting people to click more — but making their attention worth something? In this Sparkling Sips episode, Cristina and Jacqui sit down with Ariel Bishop, Co-Founder of Downtime, to talk retail media, AI, loyalty, in-store engagement, and what happens when brands actually reward consumers for their attention. Downtime is building a rewarded media model designed to help retailers, publishers, brands, and agencies turn customer attention into measurable growth and new revenue. Through interactive engagement, rewards, zero-party data, retail media strategy, and measurement, the company is rethinking the traditional ad model: instead of simply buying impressions, brands can give shoppers something meaningful in return for engaging. Ariel also shares the personal story behind the business. Her career has moved through traditional ad sales, measurement, analytics, publishing, technology, and now entrepreneurship. She opens up about trusting herself enough to make the founder leap, navigating male-dominated rooms, building a company while raising twins, and discovering an unexpected — and powerful — sisterhood of women founders, investors, leaders, and advocates along the way. Key Takeaways: • Attention has value. Retail media shouldn’t just sell impressions; rewarding shoppers for genuine engagement can create stronger connections for brands, retailers, and consumers. • Loyalty needs a new reason to matter. As AI and LLMs make it easier for shoppers to ask what to buy and where to buy it, retailers have to work harder to give consumers a reason to come back. • Digital can drive physical behavior. Rewards, coupons, and loyalty incentives can connect media exposure to real-world store visits and product trial. • AI should accelerate the work — not replace the thinking. Ariel’s approach is to use AI to move faster through segmentation, execution, and platform workflows while keeping human judgment and authentic creative at the center. • Trust yourself before you feel completely ready. Ariel’s founder story is a reminder that experience compounds — and sometimes the biggest career move comes when you finally decide you’ve earned the right to bet on yourself. • Sisterhood is a business advantage. One of Ariel’s biggest surprises in entrepreneurship has been finding women who actively want other women to win, learn, grow, and lead. Smart commerce strategy, founder real talk, and a powerful reminder that the future of business still comes down to people. Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E38
    September 10 · 1 hr

    Ep 39: Erin Lovingfoss, Loving Your Pause: Menopause, Medicine & Making Yourself Heard

    Loving Your Pause: Menopause, Medicine & Making Yourself Heard What happens when you know something is wrong with your body…but no one can—or will—tell you why? This week, we’re firmly on the SHe side of SHeCOMMERCE with a conversation women should be having long before menopause actually arrives. Our guest Erin Lovingfoss spent more than 20 years building her career in the beverage industry. After a hysterectomy in 2019, she began experiencing symptoms she had never dealt with before: insomnia, anxiety, mood changes, heart palpitations, brain fog, loss of confidence, and an overwhelming feeling that she simply wasn’t herself. She sought answers. She was offered antidepressants. She was told it was menopause and essentially something she would have to live with. Then she found a nurse practitioner who did something surprisingly simple: She listened. That experience ultimately led Erin to become a certified menopause coach and launch Loving Your Pause, where she now helps other women understand what may be happening in their bodies, advocate for themselves, and build their own toolbox for this stage of life. And this conversation goes well beyond hot flashes. We talk about the symptoms nobody warned us about, Erin’s personal experience with HRT, sexual wellness, sleep, strength training, pelvic-floor health, medical self-advocacy, and why perimenopause can hit women at exactly the same time they are juggling peak career years, children, aging parents, and everything else life throws at them. We also take menopause into the workplace. Erin shares why women don’t necessarily have to disclose menopause to ask for support, what reasonable accommodations can look like, and why employers risk losing incredible experienced talent when women feel they have to quietly “power through.” Because bringing your whole self to work also means supporting the parts of being a woman that may make people uncomfortable. 🎤 Mic Drop Moments “Consistency over perfection.” Your body may change from day to day. The goal isn’t doing everything perfectly—it’s learning to listen, adjust, and keep moving forward. “This is biology. This is not a problem.” Menopause isn’t something women should be embarrassed to discuss, hide at work, or suffer through silently. “We are not just put on this earth to bear children. We are allowed to talk about what comes after that.” Enough said. And when we asked Erin to finish the sentence “My body is not betraying me. It is…” her answer stopped us in our tracks: “Asking for a new way to thrive.” Yep. Put that one on a T-shirt. 💥 Key Takeaways Know your symptoms—and prioritize them. Erin recommends writing down everything you’re experiencing, then identifying the three to five symptoms affecting your life most. A short doctor’s appointment becomes much more productive when you arrive prepared. If you feel dismissed, get another opinion. Second opinions—and third opinions—are allowed. Erin’s experience changed when she sought out a practitioner with menopause-specific education who actually listened and asked follow-up questions. Every body is different. There is no universal menopause experience and no single magic solution. Erin describes treatment and wellbeing as an evolving toolbox that may include medical care, nutrition, movement, strength training, sleep, social connection, journaling, and other supports. Sleep matters. A lot. For Erin, insomnia became one of the biggest signals that something deeper was happening—and poor sleep affected everything from energy and concentration to exercise and work performance. Strength over shrinking. Erin encourages women to think less about punishing cardio and calorie restriction and more about fueling their bodies, maintaining muscle, supporting bone health, and staying strong for the decades ahead. Sexual wellness is wellness. Pain, changes in desire, and other sexual-health concerns should not simply be dismissed as an inevitable consequence of aging. And if saying it out loud feels uncomfortable? Erin’s advice is beautifully practical: write it down and hand the note to your doctor. Menopause belongs in the workplace conversation. Flexibility, temperature control, remote work after a sleepless night, and greater awareness from managers are not about lowering expectations—they can help talented women continue performing at their best. And perhaps the biggest message of the episode? You are not alone—and this stage does not have to be the beginning of becoming less. As Erin puts it, this can be the moment you decide: How do I want to live the next 40 or 50 years of my life? ☕ Spill the Tea: Drones, AI & the Women Behind the Headlines Before diving into menopause, we head straight into the future of commerce. First up: DoorDash Air. DoorDash has received FAA Part 135 certification for its in-house drone delivery program, opening the door to a fulfillment ecosystem that could include Dashers, autonomous vehicles, robots, and drones. Our commerce takeaway? This isn’t really about drones. It’s about the network. The future question may no longer be “How fast can we deliver?” but rather “What is the smartest fulfillment method for this particular order?” And when cold medicine, the missing dinner ingredient, coffee—or that forgotten birthday candle—can potentially arrive from the sky? As Jacqui put it: “Impulse buying is literally arriving from the sky.” Then we turn to Anthropic, the company behind Claude, and speculation surrounding what could eventually become a massive public-market valuation. But the number wasn’t the part of the story we cared about most. We cared about another question: Where are the women? Inspired by Jennifer Stojkovic’s spotlight on the women helping build Anthropic, we look beyond the standard founder/CEO/valuation headlines to the women shaping product, ethics, communications, technology, strategy, and culture. Because companies aren’t built by one person. And we need to stop waiting until women become CEOs before deciding their leadership stories are worth telling. Influence does not only live at the top of the org chart. Tea. Spilled. ☕ About Erin Lovingfoss Erin Lovingfoss is a longtime beverage-industry professional, certified menopause coach, fitness advocate, and founder of Loving Your Pause. What began as a personal search for answers became a mission to help other women feel informed, supported, and less alone through perimenopause and menopause. Her work combines education, movement, wellness, community, and practical self-advocacy—while Erin continues to build her corporate career alongside her growing business. Her word for this chapter? Unstoppable. And her current hype song? “Just a Girl.” Naturally. 🔥 Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E38
    September 2 · 1 hr 1 min

    Ep 38: Kirsten Stendevad - Don't Upgrade Your Technology, Upgrade Yourself!

    Don’t Upgrade Your Technology. Upgrade Yourself. AI is moving fast. Consumer behavior is shifting. Business models are being rewritten in real time. But Kirsten Stendevad believes the biggest upgrade leaders need to make right now isn’t technological. It’s human. In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode of SHeCOMMERCE, Cristina and Jacqui sit down with Kirsten Stendevad, Founder of the Illumina International Future Leadership Academy, author, speaker and leadership advisor, to explore what it really means to become a future-fit leader. Kirsten challenges the idea that we can solve tomorrow’s problems using yesterday’s thinking. Her argument? Our internal “source code” — the beliefs, fears and assumptions shaping how we lead — matters just as much as the technology we adopt. If leaders don’t evolve their thinking, even the best tools in the world won’t create meaningful transformation. The conversation becomes profoundly personal when Kirsten shares the loss of her six-year-old son to complications following cancer treatment. In the darkest moment of her life, she remembers confronting a choice: allow grief to pull her down, or consciously look for a way forward. The phrase that changed her trajectory was simple: “Why go down when you can go up?” That experience became foundational to her philosophy of leadership: we cannot always control what happens, but there is power in the space between what happens to us and how we choose to respond. The conversation also turns to feminine leadership — and why Kirsten believes the capabilities historically dismissed as “soft” may become some of our greatest advantages in the AI era. She describes feminine leadership as extending beyond purely head-led thinking into intuition, connection, sensitivity, embodiment and purpose. Her challenge to women is particularly provocative: after decades of learning how to succeed inside traditionally masculine systems, perhaps the next evolution requires some unlearning and relearning. And her message isn’t about women replacing men. It’s about balance. Kirsten uses the image of humanity as a bird that has spent generations flying predominantly with one — masculine — wing. To rise higher, she argues, we need to extend both. Ultimately, Kirsten leaves us with a radically accessible definition of leadership: Leadership isn’t something printed on your business card. It’s something you take when you see an unmet need and decide to step forward. Because the future isn’t simply something we predict. It’s something we help create. ☕ Spill the Tea Before Kirsten joins the conversation, Cristina and Jacqui look at four stories showing just how quickly the definitions of commerce, technology and leadership are changing. First, they celebrate a serious SHeCOMMERCE Power Move: Disney Cruise Line naming Captain Maria Gotor its first-ever female ship captain. Gotor began her career as a lawyer in Spain before returning to school to study nautical engineering and maritime navigation — eventually taking command of the Disney Wish. It’s a powerful reminder that the career you started with doesn’t have to define the leader you become. Then it’s onto commerce, where TikTok Shop is coming for the whole funnel. Cristina and Jacqui unpack data showing TikTok Shop’s growing share of U.S. online spending and its push into Prime-style membership benefits. Their takeaway: TikTok is no longer simply a discovery or marketing platform. The lines between media, community, discovery and transaction are disappearing, meaning tomorrow’s competitor may look nothing like today’s. Next: Are companies adopting AI faster than their leaders are learning to lead with it? The pair dig into Microsoft research showing only 26% of surveyed AI users believe their leadership is clearly and consistently aligned around AI. If technology becomes increasingly accessible to everyone, the competitive advantage may shift toward judgment, curiosity, adaptability and knowing which questions to ask. And finally, the SHe: empathy may be becoming a leadership superpower — but are women paying the bill? Cristina and Jacqui discuss research into the workplace “empathy tax,” including findings that many women managers spend a significant portion of their working week on largely invisible caring and emotional-support tasks. If these deeply human skills are becoming more valuable, organizations need to figure out how to value them without simply assigning women even more unpaid emotional labor. Which leads perfectly into Kirsten’s central question: As technology becomes more powerful, could becoming more human actually be our greatest competitive advantage? Key Takeaways Upgrade the human operating system. New technology layered onto old assumptions won’t create true transformation. Leaders need to examine the internal beliefs and “source code” shaping how they see possibilities and problems. Your old success formula can become your biggest risk. Kirsten warns leaders against assuming that the strategies that created yesterday’s success will survive tomorrow’s disruption. Reflection isn’t wasted time. Leaders who insist they’re “too busy” to stop, challenge assumptions and broaden their perspective risk continuing quickly in the wrong direction. Fear consumes bandwidth. When fear becomes part of our internal operating system, it can keep leaders looping through the same behaviors and outcomes. The power is in the decision. Kirsten’s deeply personal experience taught her that even when circumstances cannot be changed, we retain agency over how we respond. Feminine leadership is not weakness. Kirsten connects sensitivity with resilience and argues that intuition, connection, embodiment and purpose become increasingly valuable in an AI-powered world. Women may need to unlearn in order to relearn. Many women became highly skilled at operating inside systems designed around traditionally masculine norms. The next evolution may involve reconnecting with capabilities those systems encouraged them to suppress. Leadership isn’t a title. It begins when someone recognizes an unmet need, decides to take responsibility and steps forward. Humanity needs both wings. Kirsten’s vision isn’t feminine versus masculine leadership. It’s restoring balance so both can contribute to the future we create. Quotable Moments “Do not just upgrade technology. Upgrade your human operating system.” — “Why go down when you can go up?” “Fear occupies a lot of the bandwidth.” “We have to unlearn and relearn.” “Leadership is something you take. It’s not something you’re given.” “With our leadership, we shape.” “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” “The more technologically advanced our world becomes, the more valuable our distinctly human capabilities may become.” SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E37
    August 26 · 1 hr 4 min

    Ep 37: Shelley Zalis, Rewriting the Rules - Why Access Changes Everything

    Shelley Zalis: Make Good Trouble. Build New Rooms. Fix the System. There are women who get invited into powerful rooms. Shelley Zalis builds new ones. Then she holds the door open. This episode of SHeCOMMERCE was a full-circle moment for us. Shelley Zalis — Founder and CEO of The Female Quotient, entrepreneur, movement maker, co-creator of #SeeHer and proudly self-appointed Chief Troublemaker — has spent decades challenging something many of us have been conditioned to accept: The rules. Who wrote them? Who do they work for? Who gets access? Who gets seen? And why are we still following rules that were never designed for the way women actually live, work and lead? Shelley’s philosophy cuts straight through the noise: Stop fixing the women. Fix the system. That became the thread running through our conversation — access, ambition, caregiving, AI, representation, leadership and the power of women moving together. 🔥 SPILL THE TEA: WOMEN REFUSING TO ACCEPT THE RULES THEY WERE HANDED First up: Paris Hilton — from survivor to system changer. Paris has spent years speaking publicly about the abuse she says she experienced as a teenager in residential youth treatment programs. She testified, went to lawmakers and Congress, and kept showing up. In December 2024, after years of advocacy from Paris, other survivors and lawmakers, the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act became federal law. Our takeaway? Influence isn’t about how many followers you have. It’s about using whatever platform you have to move something that wasn’t moving before. Voice → access → action. Then we talked about Chinese elite runner Li Mizhen, whose footage from the 2024 Hengshui Lake Marathon resurfaced after she unexpectedly got her period during the race. She kept running. What fascinated us was the reaction. Why are we still treating periods, pregnancy, menopause, motherhood, caregiving and the realities of the female body as things women are supposed to hide? Women aren’t succeeding despite being women. We are succeeding while being fully human. 💥 CHIEF TROUBLEMAKER: PERMISSION TO BREAK THE RULES Shelley took us back to a defining career moment: a performance review at 25. She was criticized for spending too much time with clients. Listening too much. Customizing too much. Pushing people outside their comfort zones. Her head told her to sign it. Her gut told her they were wrong. She refused — and was demoted. Looking back, the very behaviors she was criticized for became some of her greatest strengths. Eventually, she gave herself the title Chief Troublemaker. Not trouble for trouble’s sake. Good trouble. The kind that asks why. The kind that challenges “this is how we’ve always done it.” The kind that creates a new pattern when the old one no longer works. 👊 THE POWER OF THE PACK One of Shelley’s most powerful ideas feels deeply SHeCOMMERCE: A woman can be powerful alone. But collectively, women create impact. Years ago at CES, Shelley found herself in an overwhelmingly male environment. She invited five women to walk the show floor together and told them to invite others. Within 24 hours, 50 women showed up. That moment helped spark what became the Girls’ Lounge and ultimately The Female Quotient. Women gathered to talk openly about work-life balance, imposter syndrome, money, ambition and perfection. But they also did something else: They did business together. Shelley didn’t simply fight for a seat in the existing room. She moved the power into a new one. 🚪 IT’S NOT AN AMBITION GAP. IT’S AN ACCESS GAP. This may have been one of the biggest mic drops of the episode. When headlines suggest women are becoming less ambitious, Shelley challenges the premise. Perhaps the problem isn’t ambition at all. Perhaps it’s access. Access to opportunity. Decision-makers. Sponsorship. Visibility. The rooms where careers are shaped. Talent can’t be recognized if the people making decisions never get the chance to see it. Shelley’s challenge to organizations is to stop admiring the pipeline problem and start examining the access points. Where do women disappear? At first promotion? After parental leave? During caregiving years? When networking happens somewhere they can’t be? And sometimes changing the system is practical. At Cannes, Shelley saw women struggling with the logistics of leaving their families for an important industry event. So The Female Quotient created childcare. Not another panel about working parents. Actual childcare. That is the difference between talking about inclusion and designing for it. 🤖 AI IS AN INGREDIENT — AND WOMEN NEED TO HELP SHAPE THE RECIPE Shelley is optimistic about AI, but she isn’t blindly evangelical about it. Her framing is simple: AI is an ingredient for growth and amplification. It is not the solution. AI learns from historical data — and historical data contains historical blind spots. That’s why women need more than access to AI tools. We need access to the people and rooms shaping them. Representation changes what gets noticed. ❤️ IT’S NOT WORK OR LIFE. IT’S LIFE. And because this is SHeCOMMERCE, we got personal too. What fills Shelley’s cup? Literally: coffee with her beloved no-sugar vanilla Coffee-mate powder. Figuratively: her children and grandchildren. She shared the story of getting ready to walk onstage at Davos with Cisco’s CEO when her grandson called. She answered. Because family doesn’t stop existing when the meeting starts. Why have we decided that talking about children, caregiving or the people we love somehow makes us less professional? Shelley’s point: someone has to start the new pattern. When one leader behaves differently, everyone around them gets permission to imagine something different too. 🎤 MIC DROP MOMENTS 🔥 “We have to stop fixing the women. We have to fix the system.” 🔥 “It’s not an ambition gap. It’s an access gap.” 🔥 “Someone at some point has to create a new pattern.” 🔥 “Possibility becomes probability much quicker when you go together.” 🔥 “AI is an ingredient. It is not a solution.” 🔥 “Make the invisible visible.” And perhaps the most unapologetically Shelley mic drop of all: 🔥 “Shut that bitch up in your head and be you.” 🎤💥 Because that voice telling you that you’re not ready, don’t have every qualification or should wait until you’re invited? It doesn’t get to write your next chapter. You do. ⚡ OUR BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS Stop treating women as the problem to solve. Confidence training won’t fix systems that restrict access. Access changes everything. Talent matters — but visibility, proximity and opportunity matter too. Collective action accelerates change. Power multiplies when women move together. Language matters. Before accepting labels like “ambition gap,” question the narrative they create about what women supposedly lack. Design for real lives. Childcare, caregiving, parental leave and flexibility aren’t side issues. They shape who gets to participate and progress. Women need to help shape AI, not simply use it. Lived experience needs to be represented in the systems being built. And finally: You do not need permission to rewrite a bad rule. Shelley Zalis has built companies, movements and communities. But what makes her work especially powerful is how many other people she has pulled into the room with her. That’s the power of the pack. That’s good trouble. And that’s exactly the kind of sisterhood we’re building at SHeCOMMERCE — one conversation, one connection and one newly opened door at a time. 🎧 Tune in for a conversation about rewriting outdated rules, redefining ambition, creating real access, shaping AI, leading as your whole self and finding the power of the pack. Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E36
    August 19 · 54 min

    Ep 36: Women, Power & a Little Chaos: The Always Off Brand Crossover

    What happens when SHeCOMMERCE goes Always Off Brand? Apparently… absolutely nothing is off limits. 🔥 In this special crossover episode, Cristina Marinucci and Jacqui Dynowski join Scott, Haley and Summer from the Always Off Brand podcast for a conversation that starts with commerce, takes a detour through Cannes, AI and retail media, goes deep on women and power—and eventually gets delightfully, spectacularly off brand. In other words: exactly our kind of episode. We kick things off with the story behind SHeCOMMERCE—from a Cornell introduction and an instant Cristina-and-Jacqui friendship to a few glasses of Prosecco in London and the realization that maybe the conversations we were already having were the conversations more people needed to hear. Fast-forward to today, and that little idea has become a growing community of leaders and advocates willing to talk about all of it: business transformation, confidence, motherhood, being underestimated, leadership, sacrifice, careers, commerce and what success actually costs. Because the best business conversations rarely stay just about business. 🎧 In this episode, we get into: 🤖 AI is everywhere—but humans still matter. A lot. Coming out of Cannes, one thing was impossible to ignore: AI is officially the salted caramel of business. It's in everything. But amid all the technology, automation and agentic everything, people were craving something decidedly old-school: other people. We talk about where AI creates value, where human connection becomes the differentiator, and why brands need to understand when technology should enable a relationship—not replace it. 🛒 Great commerce partnerships aren't transactions. They're relationships. We revisit the Dollar General + Milo's Tea conversation and what it showed about real joint value creation: test, learn, share, adapt and build together. Retail media works better when retailers, brands and partners aren't operating through a black box—but acting like one team with a shared consumer at the center. The technology matters. The data matters. But at the end of the day? People vibe best with people. 💥 A seat at the table is NOT the same thing as power at the table. This one gets real. Women may be better represented in business than they once were—but are they equally influential? Who actually makes the decisions? Who controls the capital? Who gets sponsored, not just mentored? Whose name gets said when she isn't in the room? And who's sitting at the table…but still fighting to get a word in? Representation matters. Authority matters more. And if someone repeats your brilliant idea two minutes later? Jacqui has your new favorite response: “Thank you for elaborating on my point.” 😏 You're welcome. 👊 Sisterhood requires action, not slogans. We get candid about the complicated history of women supporting—or competing with—other women at work. Progress isn't simply having more women in the room. It's widening the path behind you. Make the introduction. Recommend her. Share the salary information. Put her on the succession slate. Say her name when she isn't in the room. Because another woman's rise does not require your fall. 🪑 And then there are the boardrooms… If we want women to have real influence over companies, industries and capital, we have to talk about boards. One line from our previous conversation with the Women on Boards Project comes roaring back: There isn't a supply problem. There's a demand problem. Women with decades of operating, commercial and leadership experience don't need endless permission slips and “readiness” programs before they're deemed qualified to contribute. They need access to the opportunities they've already spent their careers preparing for. And yes—we call BS on that one too. Of course, it wouldn't be an Always Off Brand x SHeCOMMERCE crossover without things eventually going completely off the rails. There are debates about golf as a business-development strategy. Jacqui reveals why she has never gotten a driver's license. Cannes mopeds are discussed. And the crew ropes us into “What's That Keyword?” We will simply say this: What happens in the keyword game…probably should have stayed in the keyword game. 😂 This episode is smart, messy, funny, personal and very, very real—because commerce isn't built by algorithms, org charts or buzzwords. It's built by people. And if we're going to build the future of commerce, let's make damn sure more women have not just a seat in the room—but the influence, authority and power to shape what happens next. 🎧 Hit play and join the crossover we didn't know we needed. Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. Because it's not just business. It's personal. SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E35
    August 12 · 1 hr 2 min

    Ep 35: Laura Thompson - Trust Never Gets Old, Reinventing Canada's Most Trusted Health Brands

    Reinventing Iconic Brands, Women’s Health & the Power of Getting Your Hands Dirty with Laura Thompson of Bayer Canada How do you reinvent an iconic brand without losing the trust that made it iconic in the first place? In this episode of SHeCOMMERCE, Cristina and Jacqui sit down with Laura Thompson, Country Division Head of Consumer Health at Bayer Canada, for a conversation that moves from data, brand building and consumer trust to women’s health, leadership and why sometimes the best leaders are still willing to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. Laura reminds us that building brands today looks dramatically different than it did even two years ago. Consumers have more information, more choices, more influence—and increasingly, more control. The answer isn’t changing who your brand is. It’s reinventing how consumers experience it. 🍵 Spill the Tea Before Laura joins the conversation, Cristina and Jacqui spill this week’s tea on the shifts reshaping consumer health and commerce: • Bayer’s leadership evolution: Samantha Avivi’s appointment as Global Chief Marketing Officer for Bayer Consumer Health—and why the integration of marketing, commercial leadership, data and analytics matters. • The convergence of beauty, wellness and health: Former Glossier CEO Kyle Leahy’s move to WHOOP sparks a bigger conversation about consumers no longer thinking in neat category silos. • AI is changing how people shop: Shopify data pointing to the power of AI-referred shoppers leads to one big question for healthcare brands: when consumers stop searching and start asking, how do you earn the recommendation? 💥 Inside the Conversation with Laura Building brands today is different. Data underlines nearly everything. Brands once controlled much of the information consumers received. Today, ratings, reviews, digital platforms and AI have shifted more of that control to the consumer. Reinvention doesn’t mean abandoning what made you iconic. For Bayer’s consumer health brands, Laura says science, efficacy and trust remain foundational. The opportunity is to rethink how those brands show up—from packaging and claims to channels, platforms and personalized messaging. Access is bigger than price. Laura shares Bayer’s Road to Billions mission and its focus on expanding access to consumer health. That means considering price points, pack sizes, channels, information and whether consumers can actually find and understand what they need. Science is the backbone. As consumers face an overwhelming amount of health information, Laura believes credible, science-backed information becomes even more important—not less. 🔥 And Then We Talk About Women’s Health… This is where the episode gets personal. Laura shares eye-opening insights on perimenopause and menopause and the very real impact these life stages can have on women, their careers and the economy. Among the statistics discussed: • 1 in 2 women are embarrassed to ask for help. • A massive cohort of women is entering the perimenopause and menopause stage of life. • 1 in 10 may leave the workforce because of menopause symptoms. • 1 in 5 believe their symptoms could hold them back from progressing at work. And perhaps one of the most sobering reminders of the episode: women only began being meaningfully included in medical research in the 1980s. Meanwhile, women are often managing not only their own health but the health of children, partners, parents and entire households. That makes access to credible, easy-to-understand health information more than a marketing opportunity. It’s a responsibility. Laura challenges brands and retailers to think beyond selling products and instead understand the transitions and pivotal moments in women’s lives—and what women actually need during those moments. 💪 Leadership, Hustle & Saying Yes Laura’s leadership story starts somewhere refreshingly unglamorous: in sales. Building displays. Ordering product. Working store backrooms. Owning a territory. Seeing immediately what worked—and what didn’t. And she loved it. That early experience shaped the leader she is today: someone who loves the hustle, isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty, learns by watching great leaders and not-so-great ones, and has built a career by saying yes to opportunities other people sometimes didn’t want. 🎙️ Quotable Moments “Building brands today is very different than it was even two years ago.” “It’s not like changing who we are, but it’s just reinventing how consumers experience us.” “Our science is the backbone of our organization.” “We owe easy access to information—to credible information.” “I love the hustle.” “Being able to hustle, get my hands dirty, roll up my sleeves—I’m still that way today.” This episode sits right at the intersection of the SHe and the COMMERCE in SHeCOMMERCE: how brands earn trust in a radically changing marketplace, how companies can better serve women throughout their lives, and how leaders stay grounded while navigating change. Because building better brands and building better workplaces aren’t separate conversations. It’s not just business. It’s personal. 🎧 Tune in and join the conversation. Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E34
    August 5 · 1 hr 14 min

    Ep 34: Colette Laxton, Knowledge is the Moat - Building the INKEY List

    Skincare should not require a chemistry degree, a 12-step routine, or a luxury-sized budget. In this episode of SHeCOMMERCE, Cristina and Jacqui sit down with Colette Laxton, co-founder of The INKEY List, to explore how consumer obsession, founder resilience, and ruthless commercial discipline helped build one of beauty’s most disruptive brands. Colette shares how the rise of Reddit became an early aha moment. Consumers were turning to one another for answers because brands were not giving them the clarity they needed. That insight became the foundation of The INKEY List: better knowledge powers better decisions. But this is not just a story about skincare. It is a candid conversation about failure, ego, imposter syndrome, financial discipline, and learning how to sell yourself, your ideas, and your products. Colette explains why founders must stay curious, understand the P&L deeply, and approach opportunities by “starting at yes.” She also reveals how The INKEY List reverse engineers affordability in a way inspired by IKEA—first understanding what the consumer wants and what they are willing to pay, then building the business model around it. Because every penny counts. And every marketing dollar needs to pay back. The conversation also goes inside The INKEY Lab, a community-driven product development model launched nine months ago. Colette joined a call with more than 500 consumers to listen directly to their needs, helping inspire the development of the brand’s Milky Toner. Today, The INKEY Insider community has already grown to one million members. Cristina, Jacqui, and Colette also dig into: • Why clarity is part of the product—not just the marketing • The difference between founder conviction and founder ego • Why social commerce must be visual and built around storytelling • How community feedback can shape real product innovation • Why healthy skin starts with hydration • Why hyaluronic acid remains the gold standard for hydration • How curiosity creates better leaders and stronger brands • Why even highly successful founders still struggle with imposter syndrome • The importance of having friends and cheerleaders outside your own industry • And, naturally, the confidence-boosting power of a red lipstick Colette’s story is a reminder that building a bold brand requires more than a great idea. It takes humility, financial fluency, relentless listening, and the courage to keep showing up—even when imposter syndrome comes along for the ride. Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E33
    July 29 · 47 min

    Ep 33: Dollar General & Milo's Tea - Rooted in Purpose, Scaling & Precision

    Rooted in Purpose, Scaling with Precision: How Milo’s Tea and Dollar General Are Building a Modern Growth Story What happens when an 80-year-old beverage company with startup energy partners with a nearly 90-year-old retailer that is still finding new ways to innovate? You get a growth story built on shared values, customer obsession, disciplined experimentation—and proof that retail media can influence far more than clicks. In this SHeCOMMERCE Partner Spotlight episode, Cristina and Jacqui sit down with Mihira Rami, Vice President of Marketing at Milo’s Tea Company, and Natalie Ong, Head of Operations for the Dollar General Media Network, to explore how two deeply rooted Southern brands are working together to connect media, merchandising, customer insights, and leadership. The episode also marks an exciting SHeCOMMERCE milestone: more than 50,000 podcast downloads, over 1,000 LinkedIn followers, and a growing global community of women and allies helping shape the future of commerce. Two Heritage Brands with Startup Energy Milo’s Tea and Dollar General may have been founded generations ago, but neither company is operating with an old-world mindset. Milo’s began when Milo Carlton returned from World War II and opened a small Birmingham, Alabama, restaurant with his wife, Bea. Customers quickly fell in love with the restaurant’s freshly brewed sweet tea, creating the foundation for what would become a nationally distributed beverage brand. Today, Milo’s is available in approximately 62,000 retail locations across all 50 states. The company has grown from selling 6.4 million cases annually a decade ago to approximately 61 million cases—while remaining committed to the same principles that shaped the original product: listening to customers, using high-quality natural ingredients, and never sacrificing taste. Mihira describes Milo’s as an “80-year-old startup”: a third-generation, family- and woman-owned business that is scaling quickly without losing the authenticity that made consumers love it in the first place. Dollar General brings a similarly powerful origin story. Founded with a mission to make shopping simple and affordable, the retailer has evolved from its early single-price concept into a network of approximately 21,000 stores. For many customers—particularly those in rural and small-town communities—Dollar General is the closest, most convenient, and sometimes only nearby destination for everyday essentials. That commitment to accessibility continues through the Dollar General Media Network, where Natalie and her team focus on helping brands reach customers in relevant, useful ways that add to the shopping experience rather than disrupt it. When Media Moves Beyond Marketing One of the biggest lessons from this conversation is simple: Retail media should not exist in a silo. The Milo’s and Dollar General partnership demonstrates what becomes possible when media performance is connected to broader commercial decisions. Together, the teams used Dollar General Media Network campaigns to introduce Milo’s products to high-intent shoppers during meaningful seasonal occasions, including Easter, summer grilling, tailgating, and the holidays. Promotions, coupons, onsite media, and other formats helped drive product discovery, trial, and repeat purchase. But the campaigns did more than generate short-term engagement. They created measurable proof of customer demand. In 2025, programming supporting a new Milo’s item delivered the strongest incremental return the team had seen. That performance gave Dollar General’s merchandising team greater confidence in expanding the assortment and helped Milo’s secure additional listings, including its flavored lemonades. The result was not simply a successful campaign. It was a repeatable growth playbook: Test. Measure. Validate. Expand. Media insights informed merchandising decisions. Merchandising expansion created new opportunities for customer discovery. And stronger distribution created a foundation for continued media investment. That is true omnichannel growth—not simply using “omnichannel” as another word for online. From Media to Shelf Natalie explains that retail media networks have a unique opportunity to connect customer purchase behavior, media exposure, sales outcomes, and category insights. When brands can understand whether campaigns are driving incremental sales, attracting new-to-brand customers, or re-engaging lapsed buyers, those insights become valuable far beyond the marketing department. They can help identify where demand is growing, which products deserve further investment, and where distribution or shelf presence should expand. For a growing company like Milo’s, this creates the opportunity to have an outsized impact. Dollar General’s first-party data and extensive presence across rural, small-town, and suburban America allow Milo’s to reach customers who can be difficult to engage through broader geographic targeting alone. At the same time, the partnership gives both organizations a clearer view of where customer demand exists and how to serve it more effectively. It is stronger commercial decision-making. It is expanded distribution. It is growth that moves from media to shelf. Leadership Without a Perfect Playbook Behind every growth strategy are the leaders creating the conditions for it to work. Mihira shares that her leadership style has become increasingly grounded in curiosity, empathy, and meeting people where they are. She also emphasizes the importance of giving yourself time to develop an authentic leadership style rather than trying to imitate what leadership is “supposed” to look like. Her advice: try things on. Learn what works. Let go of what does not feel like you. And recognize when you need to scale yourself by surrounding yourself with the right people and resources. Natalie reflects on beginning her career as the only woman on a Wall Street trading team and hearing that, between equally qualified male and female candidates, a colleague would choose the man because he would fit the culture better. That experience stayed with her. Today, she is intentional about building cultures where different perspectives are welcomed, questions are encouraged, and people feel empowered to speak up. While rigor, routines, and KPIs remain essential, she believes strong leadership also means valuing thoughtful effort, experimentation, and learning—not only celebrating outcomes. Both leaders agree that the future of commerce will not come with a perfect playbook. Retail media sits at the intersection of marketing, merchandising, data, technology, customer behavior, and operations. No one can be an expert in all of it. The leaders who thrive will be those who can ask better questions, build teams with complementary strengths, create clear decision-making frameworks, and give people room to experiment, fail forward, and step into opportunities before they feel completely ready. The Bigger Takeaway Modern growth is not about abandoning your heritage in pursuit of scale. It is about knowing which values must remain non-negotiable—and building the partnerships, capabilities, and leadership required to carry those values forward. Milo’s and Dollar General show us what can happen when two organizations share a commitment to the customer, use data to create accountability, and treat retail media as a strategic business engine rather than an isolated marketing channel. This is a story about growing distribution. It is a story about connecting media and merchandising. It is a story about women leading through change. And above all, it is a reminder that sustainable growth is built by staying rooted in purpose, scaling with precision, investing in innovation, and bringing people along with you. Mihira and Natalie close the conversation by taking the SHeCOMMERCE Pledge: to pay it forward, amplify women’s voices, champion allies, and help build a stronger, more inclusive future for commerce. 🎧 Tune in for an honest, strategic, and deeply human conversation about building brands, partnerships, careers, and the next generation of commerce leaders. Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E32
    July 22 · 49 min

    Ep 32: Alicja Spaulding - Disrupting Everything: From Artificial Intelligence to Authentic Intimacy.

    AI. Innovation. Female pleasure. Career pivots. Yep…we’re going there. This week’s episode of SHeCOMMERCE doesn’t just push boundaries—it asks why they existed in the first place. Fractional CMO, Marketing AI Strategist and educator Alicja Spaulding joins Cristina and Jax for one of our boldest conversations yet. From surviving the music industry’s Napster disruption to helping launch products like the Starbucks Cake Pop and Domino’s Brookie, Alicja has built a career by spotting change before everyone else. But this conversation doesn’t stop at AI. We tackle why curiosity may become the most valuable skill of the next decade, why leaders need a return on imagination—not just return on investment, and why the future belongs to people brave enough to build careers that don’t fit neatly into one job title. Then…we shift gears. Because innovation isn’t just about technology. It’s also about finally having the conversations women have been told to whisper about. We dive into the stigma surrounding women’s sexual wellness, intimacy, menopause, body literacy and the uncomfortable reality that many women know more about preventing pregnancy than understanding their own health. Why are men encouraged to openly discuss their wellness while women are still expected to stay quiet? We call BS. Because when we stop talking about women’s health, we stop making progress. This isn’t about being provocative for the sake of it. It’s about giving women permission to ask questions, advocate for themselves, and normalize conversations that have been considered “too uncomfortable” for far too long. Mic-drop moments: “Who’s telling me I can’t do more than one thing?” “Curiosity and learning get you halfway there.” “Think about what’s impossible—and how AI can make it possible.” “Don’t think about AI as a return on investment. Think about it as a return on imagination.” “You are enough.” “Trust your body.” This episode is equal parts AI masterclass, career blueprint and rallying cry for women who are done asking permission. Because sometimes the biggest disruption isn’t technology. It’s telling the truth. And our ☕ Spill the Tea: This week, we’re talking about one uncomfortable truth: Being nice doesn’t always get you promoted. Inspired by Danny Goldberg’s A Little Bit A$$hole for C-Suite Wins, Cristina and Jax unpack why boundaries, confidence, visibility, and owning your expertise matter more than people-pleasing. Because leadership isn’t about being liked by everyone. It’s about creating clarity, building trust, having courage, and helping other people grow. 📖 Grab your copy at: https://littlebitahole.com/ 💥 Use code SHECOMMERCE for an exclusive discount. Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E31
    July 15 · 28 min

    Episode 31: Cannes Confidential with Liz Roche - Rosé, AI & Retail Media

    Episode 31: Cannes Confidential with Liz Roche — AI, iROAS and the Future of Retail Media AI may be the loudest conversation at Cannes—but practical application is where the real retail media transformation begins. In this Cannes Confidential episode of SHeCOMMERCE, Cristina Marinucci and Jacqui Dynowski sit down with Liz Roche, VP of Media at Albertsons Media Collective, to explore how artificial intelligence, first-party data and retail media measurement are reshaping grocery commerce. Liz explains how Albertsons is moving AI beyond experimentation and into real shopper experiences. Its conversational AI search capability helps customers discover products, plan purchases and break out of habitual shopping patterns—and, according to Liz, is already delivering upwards of 10% basket growth. But better technology does not automatically mean better business outcomes. The conversation digs into one of retail media’s most urgent challenges: turning an overwhelming amount of data into clear insights and measurable action. Liz discusses why brands must move beyond vanity metrics and individual campaign reports toward incrementality, category growth, longitudinal measurement and sustainable partnership value. She also reveals just how much methodology matters. Research referenced during the episode found that measured incremental return on ad spend—iROAS—could vary by as much as 6.5 times, while more than 80% of campaigns could shift from positive to negative results depending on factors such as control-group construction and measurement methodology. From closed-loop attribution and clean rooms to AI-powered analytics and in-store shopping behavior, Liz offers a clear view of what is working, what remains imperfect and why human judgment still matters. The conversation then turns to leadership, representation and the women helping build the infrastructure behind the future of commerce. Liz shares her high-accountability, high-autonomy leadership philosophy—and the quality she values most when building a team: Curiosity. Because there may be no established playbook for the future of retail media. The leaders who succeed will be the ones willing to ask better questions, challenge existing assumptions and follow their curiosity into what comes next. Key Takeaways and Episode Highlights AI in grocery is becoming practical. Conversational search can help shoppers plan meals, navigate dietary needs, manage budgets and discover new products. Retail media must deliver measurable growth. Impressions, clicks and attractive campaign reports are not enough without incrementality and business impact. Measurement methodology can dramatically change results. Brands need transparency around control groups, attribution models and iROAS calculations. There is no shortage of data—there is a shortage of action. The competitive advantage comes from translating data into insight and insight into the next best decision. Closed-loop measurement still requires triangulation. Incrementality testing, media mix modeling, loyalty data and matched-market experiments each contribute part of the answer. AI should increase strategic altitude. Automating repetitive media workflows gives teams more time to solve difficult business problems and create client value. Humans remain essential. AI can accelerate analysis and personalization, but interpretation, oversight, creativity and real-world experiences still require people. Representation shapes scalable technology. Diverse perspectives are critical because the assumptions, prompts and problems fed into AI can influence solutions at scale. Curiosity is a career advantage. In a fast-changing industry without a fixed playbook, adaptability and the desire to keep learning matter more than one narrowly defined background. Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E30
    July 14 · 27 min

    Episode 30: Max Sinclair - The AI Visibility Revolution & Why Women Need To Shape It

    AI isn’t coming for commerce—it’s already deciding what gets discovered, recommended, and purchased. In this special episode created in partnership with WIAB—Women in Amazon Business, Cristina and Jacqui sit down with Max Sinclair, founder and CEO of Azoma, to unpack the AI visibility revolution and what it means for brands, retailers, founders, and women shaping the future of commerce. Max spent six years at Amazon, including helping establish its search operations in Singapore. Now, he’s helping brands understand a very different kind of discovery landscape—one where shoppers may no longer scroll through pages of products because AI assistants are narrowing the options for them. Think fewer search results. More personalized recommendations. And eventually? An AI agent choosing the product before the shopper ever sees the alternatives. Convenient? Absolutely. A little terrifying for brands still relying on yesterday’s SEO playbook? Also yes. Max introduces Azoma’s Five C’s of agentic commerce optimization—completeness, context, citations, correctness, and customer acquisition—and explains why brands need to start thinking beyond keywords and product-page rankings. The conversation also gets into the “SHe” in SHeCOMMERCE: why women cannot afford to sit politely on the sidelines while AI systems are being built, trained, and deployed. Women influence enormous portions of household and consumer spending. They understand the customers, categories, and real-life decisions these systems will shape. Their voices, experiences, and leadership need to be embedded in the technology—not added as an afterthought. Inside the episode: • Why traditional search strategies are no longer enough • How AI shopping agents are changing product discovery • What brands need to know about AI visibility and accuracy • Why curiosity—not technical expertise—is the first step into AI • Max’s framework for finding your founder edge and spotting the next inflection point • Why more women need to test, challenge, build, and lead in this space The message? You don’t need to become an AI engineer overnight. But you do need to lean in. Because when algorithms influence what the world buys, representation isn’t a nice-to-have—it shapes who gets discovered, which products get recommended, and whose needs become the default. 🎧 Press play and join the AI visibility revolution. Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. And a few very evolved men helping us build it. SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E29
    July 9 · 48 min

    Episode 29: NIQ's Liz Buchanan & Emilie Darolles - The Commerce Revolution

    Episode 29: Cannes Confidential with NIQ's Liz Buchanan & Emilie Darolles The Commerce Revolution: AI, Agentic Shopping & the Future of Global Retail The future of commerce isn't coming—it's already here. Recorded live from Cannes Lions as part of our Cannes Confidential series, Cristina and Jacqui sit down with two of the industry's most influential leaders: Liz Buchanan, President of North America at NIQ, and Emilie Darolles, President of Western Europe at NIQ. Together, they unpack the biggest transformation commerce has seen in decades—and why AI isn't simply changing marketing, it's redefining how consumers discover, decide, and buy. From the rise of agentic commerce and AI-powered shopping assistants to collapsing purchase funnels, retail media evolution, and the collision of East and West commerce models, Liz and Emilie offer an insider's view of where the industry is heading—and what leaders need to do now to stay ahead. But this conversation goes beyond technology. They explore why strong data governance—not shiny AI tools—will separate winners from followers, why authentic brands will outperform algorithmically optimized ones, and why the smartest companies are investing in their data foundations before chasing the next innovation. As two women leading NIQ's largest global regions, Liz and Emilie also share powerful leadership lessons on clarity, transparency, empowerment, and creating opportunities for the next generation of female leaders. In this episode, we explore: Why AI is collapsing the traditional consumer journey What agentic commerce really means—and why every brand should be paying attention The critical role of data quality in an AI-first world How Asia is reshaping the future of global commerce What's next for retail media and measurement Why brand authenticity matters more than ever in an algorithm-driven marketplace Leadership lessons from two women shaping the future of global commerce If you've been wondering how AI will transform commerce beyond the hype, this is the conversation you don't want to miss. Because the future won't belong to the companies experimenting with the most AI. It will belong to the ones that know their consumers best. Bold Brands. Fierce Women. One Sisterhood. SHeCOMMERCE: Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecommercepodcast/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SHeCOMMERCEPodcast DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from SHeCOMMERCE Podcast or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SHeCOMMERCE Podcast. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SHeCOMMERCE Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

    • Transcript
Showing 1–20 of 35 episodes