In this Shoptalk 2025 episode, recorded live from the Meta Podcast Studio,, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga chat with Jessica Lachs, Chief Analytics Officer at DoorDash, about her remarkable rise from startup GM to data leader. Jessica unveils DoorDash’s newest partnerships with DSW and Klarna, discusses the role of AI in grocery substitutions and targeted retail media, and explains why data is the foundation of customer-centric innovation.

Key Moments:

0:20 – Jessica Lachs joins Omni Talk from Shoptalk 2025

1:20 – Her startup journey: from GM to CAO at DoorDash

3:00 – Learning SQL and Python from scratch

4:10 – Launching new partnerships: Klarna and DSW

5:45 – DoorDash’s evolving verticals beyond restaurants

7:00 – Retail media and new DoubleDash ad platform

8:20 – Role of AI in customer personalization and targeting

9:45 – AI-powered grocery substitutions and smarter alternatives

11:40 – Creating seamless omnichannel experiences

12:55 – Solving the first-time search and personalization challenge

14:30 – Advice for brands: invest in analytics before tech

15:45 – Building an intentional data strategy and empowering analysts

16:30 – Wrap-up with “Life Hacks with Lachs” podcast teaser

#doordash #shoptalk #retailinnovation

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