In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter sit down with Wendell Venerable, Vice President of eCommerce at Congo Brands. With experience at Nestlé, Reckitt, and Red Bull, Wendell shares how he has built a career by staying focused on the fundamentals, regardless of shifting trends in the commerce landscape.

Wendell explains why executional excellence still drives the most meaningful results, how to build influence across functions regardless of org structure, and what future leaders need to prioritize to stay relevant in a constantly evolving industry. He also weighs in on generative engine optimization (GEO), agentic shopping, and why not every new buzzword deserves a strategy.

Key takeaways:

• Execution over buzzwords: Wendell shares why staying grounded in fundamentals is more impactful than chasing trends like GEO or agentic shopping.
• Ownership over org charts: The effectiveness of an eCommerce team depends less on structure and more on clear strategy, alignment, and influence across the business.
• Curiosity and consistency win: A career grounded in learning, humility, and cross-functional leadership is what has enabled Wendell to succeed across companies of every size and stage.

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