Leading in Ecommerce

In this conversation with Chris Georgeson, SVP of Global Sales at Blendtec, he talks about innovation, growth, and eCommerce. Hear about the value of demonstrations, the viral “Will it blend?” videos, the importance of controlling their supply chain, the process of gaining brand control with eCommerce, and the future of Blendtec.

[01:03] About Chris and Blendtec

[03:13] Blendtec’s journey

[08:36] Demonstrating innovation

[11:57] “Will it blend?” and its effects on eCommerce

[19:07] Maintaining control of the brand with eCommerce

[21:21] The Amazon strategy

[24:17] Controlling the supply chain

[26:34] Looking to the future

[30:06] International news

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In this conversation with Kris Malkoski, CEO of Home Solutions at Newell Brands, she talks about creative innovation. Learn about the importance of building good relationships, and hear about Kris's private investigator moments.

[00:46] About Kris and Newell Brands

[02:07] Kris’s background

[03:54] Private investigator moments

[08:28] Customer insights

[10:22] The process of innovation

[12:34] Fascinating stories

[14:51] Consumer interaction

[21:12] Think outside of the box

[24:32] What fosters creativity?

[27:23] Kris’s advice

[30:40] Networking and relationships

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In this conversation, Ian Stewart, CMO at TOMS Shoes, talks about innovation throughout his career and the evolution of TOMS Shoes. Hear about his early career living on the move, fostering a culture of innovation working at iconic brands, the CMO puzzle, implementing changes at TOMS, and staying ahead in an ever-changing environment.

Ian is a marketing leader with global and regional experience at TOMS, UGG, Converse, MTV and Coca-Cola. He’s a Board member of Surfrider Foundation, and supporter of Food Bank of Santa Barbara.

[00:48] About Ian

[01:52] Living on the move, problem solving, and career development

[04:51] The culture of innovation at iconic brands

[07:14] When companies lose the discipline to say ‘no’

[09:59] The Ian Stewart DNA

[13:10] The CMO puzzle

[19:56] TOMS

[22:50] Making changes at TOMS

[25:29] Implementation and the evolution of the impact model

[32:07] The customer lifeline and staying ahead

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In this conversation, Wylie Robinson, CEO and Co-Founder of Rumpl, talks about growth and innovation. Hear about Rumpl’s evolution since its Kickstarter campaign, digital strategies, diversifying the product, some of Rumpl’s challenges, brand collaborations, and valuable advice on starting a new company.

[00:44] About Rumpl

[02:46] Wylie’s background

[04:03] Rumpl’s Kickstarter

[05:10] Early feedback

[05:42] Evolving Rumpl

[10:05] Digital strategies

[13:18] Keeping ahead of the curve

[17:41] Product diversification

[22:04] Breakthroughs and obstacles

[27:00] Amazon strategies

[28:37] Amazon reviews

[31:53] Collaborations

[34:31] Wylie’s advice

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In this conversation with John Wessel, CTO and SVP of Product & Digital at Fresh Water Systems, he talks about digital transformation, innovation, and growth. Hear about John’s many hats, how the company has transformed digitally since the 90s, the pharmacy part of the business, aligning and prioritizing different channels, and competing with Amazon.

[00:42] About Fresh Water Systems

[01:35] John’s many hats

[03:18] The company’s digital transformations

[04:38] The pharmacy angle

[06:11] Aligning different channels

[08:01] Own products versus others’ products

[09:54] eCommerce strengths

[12:54] The evolution of content

[13:58] Innovation challenges

[14:52] Pricing messiness

[17:14] Amazon and fulfilment

[20:22] The 2-day shipping radius

[21:45] eCommerce trends

[23:18] Can you beat Amazon?

[26:51] Investing in customer engagement

[29:53] John’s recommendations

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In this conversation Laura Cusson, Senior Account and Program Manager at Walmart Fulfillment Services, talks about growth and innovation at WFS. Hear about the competencies WFS has developed, the WFS differentiators, some of the misconceptions around WFS and Walmart, the culture of innovation, how Covid has impacted their services, and the future of WFS.

[00:49] Walmart Fulfillment Services

[03:25] Laura’s background

[07:19] Successes and mistakes

[09:39] Developing competencies

[12:10] WFS differentiators

[14:55] Misconceptions

[17:30] Innovation at Walmart

[21:19] Covid’s effects on Walmart

[22:58] WFS looking ahead

[24:31] The long-term viability of the WFS model

[28:01] Laura’s advice

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In this conversation, Nancy Eichler, VP of Ecommerce and International at MegaFood, talks about pivoting to an ecommerce strategy during the pandemic and staying on top of its ever-changing landscape. You’ll also hear about how MegaFood is educating consumers, maintaining an edge, the role of strong data, and having an international presence.

[01:18] About MegaFood

[02:58] Transitioning to ecommerce

[04:54] MegaFood’s key differentiators

[07:59] Brand authenticity and consumer education

[12:15] The international side of MegaFood

[14:45] Nancy’s background

[21:18] The role of data at MegaFood

[25:30] Nancy’s experience with different models

[31:13] Maintaining a competitive edge

[38:08] Nancy’s advice

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In this conversation, Charlie Ninegar, VP of Sales at Nixon, talks about his downfalls and successes, how Nixon maintains an edge over competitors, and the many benefits of taking control of your marketplace presence. Hear about Charlie’s involvement with innovative startups, the importance of distribution and brand control, what new brands should prioritize, and some of the misconceptions about ecommerce.

[01:02] Charlie’s background

[02:34] Nixon

[04:22] Startups and innovation

[10:54] Charlie’s career: lessons learned and successes

[15:26] The importance of distribution and brand control

[19:05] The benefits of taking control

[23:48] Maintaining an edge

[29:53] Important considerations for new brands

[34:46] Ecommerce misconceptions

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In this conversation Goose Kearse, President of Misty Mountain Threadworks, and Operations Manager, San Te, talk about keeping their business at the forefront of climbing harness innovation. They also share about the passion behind their product. Hear some of Misty Mountain’s track switching moments, the ecommerce challenges they face, and the ways they stand out from the crowd with versatility.

[00:57] Goose’s Background

[07:00] San’s Background

[10:35] Misty Mountain

[13:50] The culture of innovation

[18:27] Manifesting innovation in the company

[25:39] Track switchers

[31:08] Ecommerce at Misty Mountain

[35:09] Customer experience and versatility

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In this conversation, Brian Gill, SVP of Marketing at 4Life Research, and John LeBaron talk about balancing the direct selling model with selling on marketplaces, 4Life’s transition into ecommerce, and the importance of considering the buyer’s journey. Hear about how Brian builds and encourages a culture of innovation, the challenges that he has faced, and the future growth of ecommerce.

[01:15] Brian’s commitment to the listeners

[02:01] Brian’s background

[04:46] 4Life Research

[08:00] Direct sales and product innovation

[12:25] Building a culture of innovation

[17:59] Transitioning to ecommerce

[23:43] 4Life’s challenges

[27:47] The future of ecommerce

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