Beyond The Shelf

Dave’s guest this week is Matt Gehring, a returning guest on Beyond the Shelf and a seasoned growth advisor, independent brand strategist, and Fractional CMO.

Since first appearing on the show in 2024, Matt has stepped into a new chapter of his career — advising startups and early-stage companies on how to build momentum from the ground up. He brings deep experience from senior marketing and growth roles at brands including Rothy’s, Everlane, Dutch, and Lifeforce, where he’s helped teams navigate the critical 0-to-1 phase.

Dave and Matt dig into what actually drives early growth: building strong customer insight loops, prioritizing focus over channel sprawl, and launching campaigns that balance speed with strategic clarity. Matt also shares why creative strategy often breaks down before creative execution ever begins, and how AI can support ideation and acceleration when paired with clear direction.

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Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Dave’s guest this week is Scott Benedict, retail strategist, longtime merchant leader, and former Walmart and Sam’s Club executive with 35+ years across brick-and-mortar, eCommerce, and global retail. Today he runs Benedict Enterprises and serves as part of RETHINK Retail’s advisory group, helping brands and retailers navigate the rapidly evolving commerce landscape.

In this episode, Scott and Dave dive into:

• How a “digital-first” assortment strategy is transforming retail
• Why leading retailers now build online → store, not store → online
• The emerging connection between digital retail media and in-store media
• Walmart vs. Amazon’s differing approaches to AI — and why that matters
• What solution selling looks like in an AI future
• Why foundational data and system integration must come before innovation
• The biggest opportunities for brands in 2026 and beyond

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Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Dave’s guest this week is Gloria DeCoste, Director of eCommerce & Digital Shelf Capabilities at Nestlé.

In this episode, Gloria and Dave explore what it  means for brands to be present in an AI-driven commerce environment - not just visible, but structured, accurate, and ready for how discovery is changing.

Gloria shares how large organizations like Nestlé are thinking about the content supply chain, why foundational data and consistency matter more than ever, and how AI is reshaping the way products are found, evaluated, and purchased. They also discuss the shift from traditional search to AI-assisted discovery, and why brands that prepare now will have a meaningful advantage as these tools mature.

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Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Dave’s guest this week is Dave Glaza, Founder & CEO of DIGITS Agency and a retail media pioneer who helped launch Target’s original Cartwheel loyalty app.

In this episode, Dave and Dave discuss why most retail media budgets fall short, how shopper data can be turned into real commercial outcomes, and what it takes to build a competitive retail media network in fragmented, mid-market environments. They also explore testing versus “tried and true” tactics, the role of CTV and influencers, and how AI-driven product discovery may reshape retail media over the next few years.

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Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Dave’s guest this week is Niccolò Gloazzo, Senior Director of Media & Omnichannel at Kettle & Fire, the brand that helped pioneer shelf-stable bone broth and functional soups.

Niccolò shares how Kettle & Fire grew from a digitally native brand into a national retail presence, and what it takes to manage DTC, Amazon, retail media, and in-store growth as a single, connected system.

The conversation covers why starting in DTC can create leverage across other channels, how reviews and content portability drive performance, and how retail media has evolved into a full-funnel growth engine. Niccolò also shares how seasonal moments, creative testing, and AI-driven planning are shaping the brand’s approach to modern commerce.

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Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Dave’s guest this week is Jordan Witmer, Managing Director of Retail Media & Consulting at Salt Media, where he helps brands unify creative, data, and performance across today’s fragmented retail media landscape.

Jordan’s journey spans Black & Decker, Hershey, and Johnson & Johnson (now Kenvue), giving him a rare, full-funnel view of how commerce, media, and measurement intersect.

In this episode, he and Dave unpack:

• Why ROAS isn’t dead — it’s just misunderstood
• How to balance brand goals and item-level data for smarter optimization
• The shift toward campaign-first creative that adapts across every platform
• Why physical retail is making a comeback in an AI-saturated world

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Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

This episode originally aired on October 31, 2023.  We'll be back with a brand-new episode of Beyond the Shelf on 1/7/26.  Happy Holidays!

Dave sits down with Jared Taitel, Director, eCommerce Marketing at PepsiCo, for a wide-ranging conversation on scaling creativity in one of the world’s most complex digital commerce environments.

Jared shares how PepsiCo approached creative automation early - and how the partnership with It’sRapid helped his team move away from one-off asset creation toward a more scalable, repeatable model across thousands of SKUs. The conversation explores what it takes to operationalize creative at enterprise scale, without sacrificing quality or brand standards.

Dave and Jared also discuss Jared’s unconventional path from the music industry into marketing leadership, the mindset shifts required to navigate constant change, and how emerging technologies, including generative AI, are reshaping retail media, content production, and team workflows.

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Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

This episode originally aired on April 1, 2025. We'll be back with a brand-new episode of Beyond the Shelf on 1/6/26.  Happy Holidays!

Dave sits down with Eric Altschul, Director of Digital Commerce Content at Mondelēz International, to discuss how one of the world’s largest CPG companies approaches digital content, automation, and the digital shelf.

Eric shares how eCommerce evolved from a secondary priority into a core function at Mondelēz, the role content plays in shaping shopper experiences across retailers, and why mobile-first visuals and PDP optimization are critical to winning online. He also discusses how partnerships - including Mondelēz’s work with It’sRapid - help teams automate and standardize content creation across thousands of SKUs while meeting retailer-specific requirements.

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Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Dave’s guest this week is Matt Krueger, SVP of Digital Commerce & Marketplaces at Buffalo Games, home to some of the most beloved puzzles and games in North America.

Matt shares how he’s helping bring a modern, data-driven approach to a classic category — from keeping content fresh across thousands of SKUs to using AI and creative experimentation to stay ahead of platform changes.

He and Dave dig into how Buffalo Games balances storytelling with analytics, why creative inspiration sometimes comes from outside your own category, and what it takes to keep a “low-velocity” product exciting on the digital shelf.

Listen for an inside look at how digital strategy, content innovation, and AI are reshaping the puzzle aisle.

Connect with Matt on LinkedIn

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Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker

Dave’s guest this week is Richard Gilbert, Head of Retail Partnerships at Worldpay. With more than a decade shaping the future of payments - from SaaS platforms to PayPal and now Worldpay - Richard has a front-row seat to how the checkout experience is evolving.

He and Dave discuss how payment technology is becoming a brand moment, not just a transaction - from instant checkout and tokenization to BOPIS workflows and the rise of AI in commerce. Richard also shares what makes a truly great retail partnership and why he believes we’re just scratching the surface of B2B payment innovation.

Connect with Richard on LinkedIn

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Learn More about It'sRapid

Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook

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Theme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Producer: Jake Musiker