In this episode of EVOLVE Voices, ⁠⁠Jade Maravillas⁠⁠ hosts Brendan Walsh.

In this episode, Jade sits down with Brendan Walsh, General Manager for EMEA at Netlify, to talk about what it takes to win in Europe, scale high-growth SaaS companies, and build high-performing teams across multiple markets.

Brendan isn’t just a GTM and sales execution expert—he’s helped define entirely new categories, something most companies only dream of. At Zuora, he played a key role in pioneering the subscription economy, scaling the company from $13M to $250M ARR and through a successful IPO. Later, at Mirakl, he led the charge in the marketplace revolution, helping retailers and brands fight back against Amazon while growing the company to a $3.5B valuation.

Now at Netlify, Brendan is helping shape the future of web development, automation, and digital commerce. In this conversation, we cover:

✅ How to build and scale high-performing teams across Europe

✅ The playbook for winning in European markets—navigating different cultures, languages & buying behaviors

✅ The power of storytelling in sales and how it drives revenue growth

✅ The evolution of digital commerce and what’s next for SaaS, marketplaces & AI

✅ What the rise of composable and headless tech means for businesses

✅ Why the best strategies are often the simplest ones

If you’re in SaaS, digital commerce, or thinking about expanding into Europe, this episode is packed with valuable insights.

EVOLVE Voices is a flagship initiative within the EVOLVE ecosystem, dedicated to amplifying the stories, experiences, and insights of extraordinary commerce leaders and ambassadors from the EVOLVE Commerce Club. Through a dynamic blend of interviews and live events, EVOLVE Voices unites diverse perspectives, while showcasing local experts who bring unique insights from their home markets to enrich our international community.

Want to join the #01 community of senior commerce leaders spanning 41 markets?

Request your application today: ⁠⁠https://www.evolve-community.com/⁠

In this episode of EVOLVE Voices,⁠⁠⁠ Mayssa Nasr hosts ⁠Nayla el Khoury.

When we think of commerce, we often picture big companies, tech startups, and entrepreneurs launching MVPs—but the world of commerce extends far beyond that. Theater production is a massive industry that blends creativity with business, requiring strategic planning, negotiation, and market insight to succeed.

In this episode, we step into the world of entertainment commerce, exploring how top producers bring Broadway-level musicals to the Middle East. Nayla shares her journey from marketing to producing, the challenges of securing global productions, and what it really takes to build a thriving theater scene in the region.

EVOLVE Voices is a flagship initiative within the EVOLVE ecosystem, dedicated to amplifying the stories, experiences, and insights of extraordinary commerce leaders and ambassadors from the EVOLVE Commerce Club. Through a dynamic blend of interviews and live events, EVOLVE Voices unites diverse perspectives, while showcasing local experts who bring unique insights from their home markets to enrich our international community.

Want to join the #01 community of senior commerce leaders spanning 41 markets?

Request your application today: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.evolve-community.com/⁠

In this episode of EVOLVE Voices,⁠⁠ Edilsa Bueno hosts Kevin Ertell.

Retail is a world of constant reinvention, and Kevin Ertell has navigated its twists and turns using lessons learned from one constant: adaptability. From building one of the first e-commerce sites at Tower Records to leading innovation at Nike, Kevin’s career has been shaped by embracing change and staying ahead of retail’s rapid evolution. He shares how pivotal moments—like navigating layoffs and championing omnichannel strategies—have strengthened his ability to lead digital transformations and foster customer-centric growth.

Kevin Ertell is the Founder and CEO of Mistere Advisory, where he helps businesses bridge the gap between strategy and execution in digital transformation. Previously, he served as Vice President of Global Retail Operations at Nike, where he revolutionized labor models, training programs, and sustainability initiatives. Kevin has also held leadership roles at Sur La Table, Borders, and ForeSee Results. Kevin is also a long-time rock bass player who can be seen rocking the stages at the occasional industry event.

EVOLVE Voices is a flagship initiative within the EVOLVE ecosystem, dedicated to amplifying the stories, experiences, and insights of extraordinary commerce leaders and ambassadors from the EVOLVE Commerce Club. Through a dynamic blend of interviews and live events, EVOLVE Voices unites diverse perspectives, while showcasing local experts who bring unique insights from their home markets to enrich our international community.

Want to join the #01 community of senior commerce leaders spanning 41 markets?

Request your application today: ⁠⁠https://www.evolve-community.com/⁠

In this episode of EVOLVE Voices,⁠Jade Maravillas⁠ hosts Prakash Gurumoorthy.

Prakash Gurumoorthy's impressive career spans several decades and continents and hundreds of award-winning digital commerce transformation projects. 

He was previously the Managing Director and one of the co-founders of Born Group, a global digital agency which pioneered connecting commerce, creative and content for some of the world’s leading brands. 

He is now the General Manager of EMEA and APAC for VTEX, a publicly-listed digital commerce platform for enterprise retailers, where he is tasked to lead the business in its new growth markets.

In this episode, Prakash shares stories, insights and learnings from over 600 digital transformation projects and scaling businesses from 0 to unicorn status. 

He also talks about why effective marketing is about how it makes you feel, and that storytelling in commerce is shaped by three critical experiences: brand experience, behavioral experience, and book-of-record experience. 

www.vtex.com

EVOLVE Voices is a flagship initiative within the EVOLVE ecosystem, dedicated to amplifying the stories, experiences, and insights of extraordinary commerce leaders and ambassadors from the EVOLVE Commerce Club. Through a dynamic blend of interviews and live events, EVOLVE Voices unites diverse perspectives, while showcasing local experts who bring unique insights from their home markets to enrich our international community.

Want to join the #01 community of senior commerce leaders spanning 41 markets?

Request your application today: ⁠https://www.evolve-community.com/

What does it take to be an exceptional leader in today’s fast-changing business world? In this episode of Voices, Mayssa Nasr sits down with Chantal Abboud, a seasoned executive and leadership coach, to explore the challenges leaders face and the strategies that drive long-term success.

From navigating resistance to change and improving decision-making to achieving work-life balance, Chantal shares valuable insights from years of coaching top executives. We also discuss leadership styles in the Middle East vs. other regions and offer practical advice for aspiring leaders.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation on the habits and mindsets that set great leaders apart!

EVOLVE Voices is a flagship initiative within the EVOLVE ecosystem, dedicated to amplifying the stories, experiences, and insights of extraordinary commerce leaders and ambassadors from the EVOLVE Commerce Club. Through a dynamic blend of interviews and live events, EVOLVE Voices unites diverse perspectives, while showcasing local experts who bring unique insights from their home markets to enrich our international community.

Want to join the #01 community of senior commerce leaders spanning 41 markets?Request your application today: https://www.evolve-community.com/

In this episode of EVOLVE Voices,⁠Edilsa Bueno⁠ hostsNatalie Gill and Meg Blancato.

Floral design is both an art and a business, and Natalie Gill and Meg Blancato have mastered both with Native Poppy, their San Diego-based flower company. What started as Natalie’s backyard hobby has flourished into a multi-location business known for its artistry, sustainability, and commitment to joy. Together, Natalie and Meg have navigated challenges like floods and big-box competition, all while staying focused on creating meaningful experiences for their customers.

Natalie Gill and Meg Blancato are the co-founders of Native Poppy, a women-owned flower shop delivering across San Diego and creating stunning arrangements for events nationwide. Committed to sustainability, they operate a pesticide-free farm, support local growers, and reduce waste through thoughtful practices. Their passion extends beyond blooms with e-courses in floral design and a collection of gifts shipped nationwide.

Visit Native Poppy website:https://www.nativepoppy.com/

Natalie Gill Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/hey.nataliegill

Meg Blancato Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/megblancato

Native Poppy Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/native_poppy

EVOLVE Voices is a flagship initiative within the EVOLVE ecosystem, dedicated to amplifying the stories, experiences, and insights of extraordinary commerce leaders and ambassadors from the EVOLVE Commerce Club. Through a dynamic blend of interviews and live events, EVOLVE Voices unites diverse perspectives, while showcasing local experts who bring unique insights from their home markets to enrich our international community.

⁠Request your invitation to be part of EVOLVE here.⁠

⁠⁠EVOLVE Linkedin page⁠⁠

⁠⁠Edilsa Bueno Linkedin

In this episode of EVOLVE Voices,Jade Maravillas hostsPatrick Deloy.

Patrick Deloy is a true pioneer of the Asian ecommerce industry. With over 15 years experience in IT and ecommerce, he has developed and deployed multi-country ecommerce & omnichannel solutions in APAC & globally. He founded Bluecom, a leading system integrator, growing the business to 350 employees across four offices when it was acquired by Dentsu in 2016.

He is passionate about entrepreneurship, new technologies, innovations, fitness, health, and longevity. focusing his investments and ventures to help people lead better and healthier lives and create better business outcomes. He is also an active EXCO member and network champion of YPO.

Current ventures and projects include multiple gyms, a health/wellness super-app, CommConsult, a commerce & AI consulting agency (https://commconsult.pro/) a social commerce app for Shopify, and a global endurance & OCR race calendar app.

EVOLVE Voices is a flagship initiative within the EVOLVE ecosystem, dedicated to amplifying the stories, experiences, and insights of extraordinary commerce leaders and ambassadors from the EVOLVE Commerce Club. Through a dynamic blend of interviews and live events, EVOLVE Voices unites diverse perspectives, while showcasing local experts who bring unique insights from their home markets to enrich our international community.

Request your invitation to be part of EVOLVE here.

⁠EVOLVE Linkedin page⁠

⁠Jade Maravillas Linkedin

In this episode of EVOLVE Voices, Mayssa Nasr hosts Andre Abi-Awad.

"Those who cannot do, teach". Andre already worked with 3,200 entrepreneurs, helping them scale their products and companies, always with the work-life balance mindset.

"We always forget to take our vitamins, but no one forgets their pain killers. So the lesson is to identify your target by identifying who are the ones who are feeling the pain so you can help them with your product".

Always try to find a strategic investor rather than a financial investor.

Every entrepreneur needs to make sure to have the 3 MS: Market, Margin & Me.

Recommended book:

"Think & Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill

EVOLVE Voices is a flagship initiative within the EVOLVE ecosystem, dedicated to amplifying the stories, experiences, and insights of extraordinary commerce leaders and ambassadors from the EVOLVE Commerce Club. Through a dynamic blend of interviews and live events, EVOLVE Voices unites diverse perspectives, while showcasing local experts who bring unique insights from their home markets to enrich our international community.

⁠⁠EVOLVE Linkedin page⁠

Mayssa Nasr Linkedin

In this episode of EVOLVE Voices, Edilsa Bueno hosts Scott Lux.

E-commerce is one of the fastest-changing industries, but Scott Lux has navigated its challenges using lessons learned from an unlikely source—running. From his start in finance to leading digital transformation at Diesel, Scott shares how pacing, adaptability, and focus have shaped his career. Reflecting on his most recent role at Esprit, he discusses the rise of DTC brands, the evolution of marketplaces, and why understanding customers is the ultimate driver of e-commerce success.

Scott Lux most recently served as the Global Head of E-Commerce and Technology for Esprit. With experience at brands like Converse, Nordstrom, and American Express, Scott brings deep expertise in e-commerce, digital transformation, and customer experience. An avid runner, he balances personal growth with professional innovation.

EVOLVE Voices is a flagship initiative within the EVOLVE ecosystem, dedicated to amplifying the stories, experiences, and insights of extraordinary commerce leaders and ambassadors from the EVOLVE Commerce Club. Through a dynamic blend of interviews and live events, EVOLVE Voices unites diverse perspectives, while showcasing local experts who bring unique insights from their home markets to enrich our international community.

⁠EVOLVE Linkedin page

Edilsa Bueno Linkedin

Bueno&Co Linkedin page

In this episode of EVOLVE Voices, Jade Maravillas hosts Tracey Delaney.

Tracey Delaney is a global brand marketing leader with over 20 years of experience driving brand equity across premium financial services companies such as Natwest and AMEX, where she spent over 15 years in global leadership roles. She has a deep connection to Japan, living there for many years since the mid-90s and speaking fluent Japanese. In 2020 she launched The Sparkling Sake Brewery with Naoki Toyota, marrying her love for Japanese culture, beverages and brand building, and is building another exciting venture in this space, which we’ll be talking about in this episode.

A true citizen of the world, Tracey is trilingual in English, Japanese and French, and is a citizen of the US, UK and France, where she now lives.

Visit The Sparkling Sake Brewery website: https://thesparklingsakebrewery.com/

EVOLVE Voices is a flagship initiative within the EVOLVE ecosystem, dedicated to amplifying the stories, experiences, and insights of extraordinary commerce leaders and ambassadors from the EVOLVE Commerce Club. Through a dynamic blend of interviews and live events, EVOLVE Voices unites diverse perspectives, while showcasing local experts who bring unique insights from their home markets to enrich our international community.

EVOLVE Linkedin page

Jade Maravillas Linkedin