"Nobody knows how to make 100 million view videos until they just start posting."

In this episode of Retail War Games, Jeremy sits down with Isaac Cook, former Lead Producer at MrBeast, former producer for the massive Beast Games production and now founder of White Rock Media and Farther Media.

Isaac shares the high-stakes tactical lessons learned while managing $2.5 million production budgets per video and leading teams of over 1,000 people on set. We dive into the granular "science of the click"—from why the shape of a smile on a thumbnail can drive millions in revenue to why the CEO of McDonald's recently went viral using nothing but an iPhone. Isaac breaks down the strategic void many retail brands face: spending millions on massive sponsorships while neglecting the authentic, raw content on their own digital channels that actually builds long-term consumer trust.

Whether you are a founder scaling a $5M brand or an executive at a billion-dollar enterprise, this conversation pulls back the curtain on the world's most successful content engine to show you how to turn digital attention into a measurable retail advantage.

In this strategic panel from the Retail Collective Summit in January 2026, we bring together the visionaries behind some of the most disruptive brands in retail to discuss the brutal reality of competition. These leaders share how to handle the moment your "moat" is breached by industry giants and fast followers. We move past the spreadsheets to explore the "Blue Sky" mindset, the danger of resting on a healthy P&L, and the tactical maneuvers required to launch a brand in Target and Walmart while staying under the radar of multi-billion dollar competitors.

If you are a founder or executive navigating a crowded market, this conversation is your playbook for constant reinvention and long-term dominance.

In this episode of Retail War Games, Jeremy sits down with Jason and Meradith Christensen, the husband-and-wife duo behind Blue Unicorn Bar.

After building Northstar into one of the largest home security companies in the nation and exiting to private equity, Jason "disrupted himself" to enter the brutal world of CPG.

We dive into the "Willy Wonka" chemistry behind their proprietary manufacturing, the logistical nightmare of shipping real chocolate in the summer, and how they landed major retailers like Harmon's and Associated Food Stores in record time. From the high-stakes pivot of a tech founder to the molecular science required to create a "fluffy" protein bar without additives, this conversation reveals what it truly takes to scale a premium brand while maintaining total control over production.

"Not every dollar is a dollar. Smart money is king."

In this session from the Retail Collective Summit, we bring together a powerhouse panel of financial and legal experts to deconstruct the current state of retail funding. Featuring Michael Bennett (Crew Capital), Derek Brown (Attorney General of Utah), and leaders in investment banking, we dive into the mechanics of over 500 M&A transactions and $3B in managed assets.

We move past the basics to discuss the "Deep Tier Supply Chain Finance," the reality of the 2026 legislative budget impacts, and why your choice of investment partner is more critical than the valuation itself.

In this episode of Retail War Games, we sit down with Atul Vir, the Founder and CEO of Equator Advanced Appliances and author of Underdog Thinking. With a career spanning 35 years and multiple continents, Atul shares how he built a retail powerhouse by identifying the "problems that don't exist" according to industry giants. From surviving economic coups and currency devaluations in Africa to launching the first combo washer-dryer in the United States, Atul discusses the DNA of an entrepreneur who refuses to stop being the underdog. We dive into the complexities of global supply chains, the "Trust Test" in customer service, and why the future of retail appliances belongs to those who prioritize intuitive innovation over massive marketing budgets.

This is Panel 4 of Retail Collective Summit of Winter 2026, CEOs from Backcountry, Borboleta Beauty, Teton Sports, ARI Bikes, Cariloha, and Mission Belt strip away the AI hype to discuss the cold, hard reality of retail innovation in 2026.

For the C-suite, technology is no longer just a shiny new tool—it's an "Ironman Suit" designed to give your workforce more leverage. But there is a catch: as AI lowers the barrier to entry for "slop" content and low-cost competitors, the ultimate competitive advantage has shifted back to authenticity and In-Real-Life relationships.

In this episode, we tackle:

• The Trust Mandate: Why every tech implementation must pass the "Trust Test"—does it build or erode the relationship with your customer?.

• The Era of AI Search: Preparing for the shift from SEO to AI-driven shopping patterns and the upcoming Shopify-ChatGPT integration.

• Operational Unlocks: How to use AI to automate administrative "busy work," from interpreting handwritten orders to accelerating curriculum development.

• The Omnichannel Resurgence: Why digitally native brands are returning to physical showrooms and "air-conditioned curtains" to win the customer's heart.

• High-Stakes Forecasting: The reality of demand planning across 1,200+ SKUs and why "two sources of truth" (Human + AI) are better than one.

Cristóbal Murillo left Chile with two suitcases, a bold idea, and a dream: to turn Selk'bag into a global outdoor brand. Today, his wearable sleeping bag is sold across the U.S. and Europe, with collaborations that include Marvel, Star Wars, and some of the biggest entertainment franchises in the world.

In this episode, Cristóbal shares how a quirky idea born in Santiago became a worldwide success, what it took to break into the U.S. retail ecosystem, and how he navigated licensing deals, distribution challenges, and the shift from wholesale to D2C.

We also dive into his first-ever trip to Patagonia, the decline of iconic trade shows like Outdoor Retailer, and how TikTok and social commerce have reshaped Selk'bag's growth.

This is not a regular episode. It's Panel 3 of the Retail Collective Winter 2026 Summit, a live session featuring CEOs, founders, and leaders who are actively shaping the future of retail.

In this conversation, executives from Demer Box, Nature's Fusions, Rhone, Stance, Mixhers, Lion Energy, Nielsen, and Spreetail unpack one of the most defining tensions for emerging brands today: Should you chase the low‑hanging fruit that keeps the business alive, or invest in true omnichannel mastery that builds long‑term advantage?

Panel 3 delivers a candid, tactical, and deeply grounded look at how CEOs and founders grow without breaking—and how they choose what matters right now versus what builds the brand they want to become.

AI is reshaping every part of sales, marketing, and revenue operations—and few leaders understand that transformation better than Amy Cook, Co‑Founder and CMO of Fullcast. In this conversation, Amy breaks down how AI is redefining go‑to‑market strategy, why authenticity matters more than ever, and what modern revenue teams must do to stay competitive.

From her journey as a single mom rebuilding her career, to leading multiple companies through acquisition, to now architecting AI‑powered GTM systems, Amy brings a rare blend of heart, experience, and strategic clarity.

We dive into the future of commissions, territory planning, deal intelligence, lead quality, and the new rules of sales + marketing alignment.

In this second panel from the January 2026 Retail Collective Summit, industry leaders break down the realities of today's global supply chains—from escalating tariffs and shifting labor markets to the long-term demographic pressures reshaping where and how products can be made. Through candid insights and real-world examples, the panel explores what true supply‑chain resiliency looks like in an era defined by uncertainty, disruption, and constant change.