S1E4 - From Pilot to Scale: How Anna Farberov Drives Innovation at PepsiCo Labs
 
In this episode of the Retail Transformers Podcast, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden talk with Anna Farberov, GM of PepsiCo Labs, about how one of the world’s largest CPG companies scales startup innovation from pilot to enterprise-wide transformation.

Anna shares her journey from finance and strategy into corporate innovation leadership, revealing how PepsiCo Labs built a structured playbook for startup partnerships that achieves a remarkable 50% success rate. She explains how to avoid innovation theater, define clear KPIs for pilots, and separate AI hype from real agentic AI solutions that deliver measurable ROI.
 
You’ll learn:

• How PepsiCo Labs partners with startups to solve real-world challenges
• Why KPIs and clear business cases are critical for scaling innovation
• Navigating the dynamics of corporate vs. startup innovation cultures
• How to identify AI hype vs. real solutions in startup pitches
• Why integrating multiple startups is often key to solving complex problems like digital twins
• What makes a startup pitch stand out—and what founders should avoid

 
Whether you’re a startup founder, a corporate innovator, or curious about retail and CPG innovation, this episode offers actionable insights from one of the industry’s leading voices.

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes featuring leaders transforming retail, technology, and innovation.

Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://bit.ly/RRPNweb

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/RRShowYouTube

Guest info:
Anna Farberov, GM, PepsiCo Labs. https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-farberov/
Anna leads PepsiCo’s global engagement with technology companies - from emerging disruptors to the world’s largest enterprises. She partners with senior executives to identify, test, and scale solutions that are reshaping how PepsiCo operates across data, AI, manufacturing, supply chain, and logistics. Her work accelerates growth and drives transformation across one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies.

Anna brings a unique blend of expertise in strategy, finance, commercial execution, and venturing. Earlier in her career, she led commercial initiatives across consumer, customer, and marketing functions, including new product launches, go-to-market design, and demand creation. She also built a foundation in finance at Procter & Gamble, holding roles in operations, commerce, and strategic planning.

Prior to PepsiCo, Anna was a senior executive at Israel’s largest holdings company, where she led corporate strategy, investments, and the development of new growth platforms. This background in strategy and venturing now informs her work at PepsiCo Labs, where she builds models that connect corporate scale with technological disruption.

A frequent speaker at global conferences, Anna shares perspectives on how leaders can harness technology ecosystems, bridge business and innovation, and lead organizations with clarity and impact in times of rapid change.

Chapters:

(00:00) Previews

(01:03) Show Intro

(05:06) Welcome Anna Farberov

(07:02) Challenges and Risks in Innovation

(09:27) Building a Systematic Playbook

(11:41) The Importance of Clear KPIs

(13:04) Navigating Corporate and Startup Dynamics

(17:50) Secrets to Successful Innovation

(20:46) What Makes a Startup Stand Out

(25:17) Avoid Insulting Your Audience

(26:19) Relevance of AI in Startups

(27:18) Identifying Real AI Solutions

(29:52) Integrating Multiple Startups

(31:45) Future of Innovation and Technology

(33:35) Balancing Innovation and Business Operations

(36:46) Avoiding Innovation Theater

(41:10) Advice for Future Innovators

(44:45) Show Close

Meet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail & retail tech:

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2025. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Retail, Top 50 Management, & Top 100 Digital Transformation Thought Leader, and a Top Digital Voice for 2024. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and most recently was the  partner marketing leader for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is the CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2025, and Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer. Once immersed in fashion & supply chain tech, now slaying Franken-stacks & building retail tech! Currently, Casey is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T.

Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tropikool, from the album Future Beats 2, plus Virtual Apology and New Styles, from the album Shimmer Pop, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

S1E3- Why Compliance Isn’t Enough: Matt Marcotte on Fostering True Commitment
 
In this episode of the Retail Transformers podcast, part of the Retail Razor Podcast Network, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden sit down with retail legend Matt Marcotte — founder of M2 Collaborative, former COO of Bergdorf Goodman, retail executive at Apple, Tory Burch, and The Gap, and former Global Industry Advisor at Salesforce. Matt shares insights from his new book, Built On Belief: Why Cultures of Commitment Are The Competitive Advantage, exploring why commitment-driven cultures outperform compliance-driven organizations. You'll learn how belief can transform both customer experience and employee experience.

Listeners will learn:

• Why retail culture is the ultimate competitive advantage
• How to move from compliance to commitment in leadership
• Lessons from Matt’s career at Bergdorf Goodman, Apple, Tory Burch, and Salesforce
• Why clarity, communication, and belief are essential for retail transformation
• How retailers can embrace AI and technology without losing the human connection
• The North Star leadership principle and how it drives brand alignment
• Practical frameworks like Connect, Assess, Deliver, Exceed, Transform for building lasting customer relationships

 
Whether you’re a retail executive, brand strategist, or future leader, this episode delivers actionable insights on retail leadership, innovation, and culture that will help you transform your organization from the inside out.
 
Don’t miss this conversation with Matt Marcotte, a true retail transformer and author of one of the most important new books in retail leadership.

Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://bit.ly/RRPNweb

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/RRShowYouTube

Guest info:
Matt Marcotte, Author, “Built On Belief: Why Cultures of Commitment Are The Competitive Advantage”
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mamarcotte/
“Built On Belief: Why Cultures of Commitment Are The Competitive Advantage” available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/4qiw4SB

Matt Marcotte is the founder and principal of M2 Collaborative, an executive leadership and high-performance consultancy. Matt brings more than 35 years of experience building, scaling, reinventing, and advising some of the most valuable brands in the world to help leaders lead better through meaningful, relevant connection and relationship with employees and consumers.

Before launching his own practice, Matt was Senior Vice President and Head of Global Industry Advisors at Salesforce. He also served as Chief Operating Officer at Bergdorf Goodman, and as Global Executive Vice President of Direct-to-Consumer at Tory Burch. Earlier, Matt led Apple’s North America retail organization and at The Gap, he spearheaded a complete reinvention of the brand’s retail presence. His career began as a merchant at May Co.

Matt holds a BA in Economics from Boston College, where he now teaches an MBA course on Consumer and Brand Relationships. He is a Columbia-trained executive coach, named one of RETHINK Retail’s 100 Most Influential People and a Thinkers360 Top 100 Thought Leader.
Most recently, Matt released his first book, Built on Belief - Why Cultures of Commitment are THE Competitive Advantage.

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Opening tease: beliefs, inspiration, and the lost magic

(00:01:15) Show intro and hosts set the stage

(00:08:14) Retail Transformer - Matt Marcotte

(00:08:49) Career Transition: From Retail to Tech

(00:12:24) The Importance of Clarity and Communication

(00:13:13) Why Write Built on Belief: Culture, Commitment, Leadership

(00:14:51) Tech Insights and Retail Experience

(00:20:16) Brand North Star: Do You Know What Your Brand Believes?

(00:37:11) The Friendship Factor in Sales

(00:38:19) The Connect, Assess, Deliver, Exceed, Transform Framework

(00:40:42) Exceeding Customer Expectations

(00:43:19) Practices to ditch: checklists, email, and real personalization

(00:47:58) The Role of AI in Retail

(00:54:00) Final Thoughts and Takeaways

(00:59:12) Show Close

Meet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail & retail tech:

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2025. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Retail, Top 50 Management, & Top 100 Digital Transformation Thought Leader, and a Top Digital Voice for 2024. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and most recently was the  partner marketing leader for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is the CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2025, and Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer. Once immersed in fashion & supply chain tech, now slaying Franken-stacks & building retail tech! Currently, Casey is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T.

Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tropikool, from the album Future Beats 2, plus Virtual Apology and New Styles, from the album Shimmer Pop, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

S1E2 - Transforming Retail: Vicki Cantrell on Building Community, AI, and Human Connections

In this episode of The Retail Razor: Retail Transformers, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden sit down with Vicki Cantrell — retail executive, technology leader, and CEO & Co‑Founder of Vendors in Partnership (VIP) — to explore her extraordinary journey from wrapping gifts in a small shop to leading technology and operations at luxury brands like Tory Burch, Giorgio Armani, and Gucci Group, and shaping the future of retail communities as SVP of Community at the National Retail Federation.

Known across the industry as “The Fairy Godmother of Retail”, Vicki has spent her career building bridges between retailers and technology suppliers, fostering authentic community connections between brands and consumers, and championing loyalty through empathy, trust, and collaboration.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• A retail career blueprint — how Vicki navigated roles from buyer to CIO to community builder, and the lessons any retail leader can apply to their own journey
• The art of building partnerships that last — why “investigative empathy” is the key to breaking down barriers between retailers and vendors
• How Vendors in Partnership and the VIP Awards are redefining collaboration in the retail industry
• Strategies for retail transformation that start with people, not just technology
• Why change management is the most critical leadership skill in retail today
• Insights on AI, personalization, and the future of retail relationships

 
Whether you’re a retail executive seeking to strengthen vendor relationships, a technology supplier aiming to better serve your retail partners, or a leader mapping your retail career growth, Vicki’s insights will inspire you to think differently about community building, customer loyalty, and the partnerships that drive innovation.
 
Listen now to learn how to transform your approach to retail relationships — and your career.
 

Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://bit.ly/RRPNweb

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/RRShowYouTube

Guest info:
Vicki Cantrell, https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickicantrell/
CEO & Co-founder, Vendors in Partnership
Vendors in Partnership - https://vendorsinpartnership.com

Vicki is a retail strategist and community builder, recognized for relationship building and accelerated growth. She founded Vendors in Partnership and the Vendors in Partnership (VIP) Awards, celebrating partnerships between retailers and solution providers and creating a joint community of these industry experts to advance retail innovation and partnerships.

Her career includes Retail Transformation Officer for Aptos, NRF’s SVP Communities and Shop.org, COO of Tory Burch, CIO of Giorgio Armani and Gucci Group. Cantrell is a Vice President for the Retail Orphan Initiative (RetailROI), a non-executive director of Tandy Leather Company, and on the Executive Leadership Committee of the Retail AI Council.

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Preview

(00:01:26) Show Intro

(00:05:50) Retail Transformer - Vicki Cantrell

(00:12:34) The Importance of Building Community in Retail

(00:16:36) Vendors in Partnership: Bridging the Gap

(00:26:35) The VIP Awards and VIP Connect

(00:36:53) Breaking Down Barriers in Retail Collaboration

(00:37:46) Universal Lessons in Leadership and Customer Connection

(00:39:22) The Importance of Change Management in Retail

(00:43:24) Insights from Leading Shop.org and NRF Communities

(00:51:08) The Role of Mentorship in Retail

(00:58:26) Opportunities and Pitfalls in AI for Retail

(01:05:24) Conclusion and Final Thoughts

(01:06:25) Show Close

 
Meet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail & retail tech:

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2025. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Retail, Top 50 Management, & Top 100 Digital Transformation Thought Leader, and a Top Digital Voice for 2024. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and most recently was the  partner marketing leader for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is the CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2025, and Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer. Once immersed in fashion & supply chain tech, now slaying Franken-stacks & building retail tech! Currently, Casey is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T.

Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tropikool, from the album Future Beats 2, plus Virtual Apology and New Styles, from the album Shimmer Pop, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

 

S1E1- Transforming Retail: April Sabral on Mindset and AI
 
Welcome to the first episode of The Retail Razor: Retail Transformers podcast! Hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden dive into candid conversations with top innovators, change-makers, and disruptors in the retail industry. In this episode, they welcome April Sabral, a renowned leadership and mindset expert, who shares insights on the power of purpose-driven leadership, building deeper connections, and fostering a positive mindset within teams. The conversation dives deep into embracing AI in retail, building emotional resilience, and fostering a positive workplace culture. April shares insights from her upcoming book, 'Positive Accountability,' and her latest venture, Ask April AI, a coaching and training platform aimed at transforming leadership in retail, hospitality, and service industries.

Whether you're passionate about innovation, leadership, or the future of commerce, this episode offers insights into leading with positivity, mindset, and AI to transform retail. Don't miss out on learning actionable strategies to enhance your leadership skills from one of the industry's most inspiring and transformational leaders!

Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://bit.ly/RRPNweb

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/RRShowYouTube

Guest info: April Sabral - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilsabral/

April Sabral is a leadership and mindset expert, bestselling author, and founder of Ask April AI, an AI-powered coaching and training platform designed to support retail, hospitality, and service-based business owners. With over 30 years of experience leading teams at iconic global brands such as Starbucks, Gap, Banana Republic, and DAVIDsTEA, April has trained thousands of managers to become confident, people-focused leaders.

Her proven leadership system, The Positive Effect, has been embraced by top brands including Jimmy Choo, Tory Burch, Sunglass Hut, Victoria’s Secret, and Psycho Bunny. Her bestselling book by the same name was named a Top Global Retail Book by the National Retail Federation in 2025 and is featured in the Forbes Leadership Library.

April has the only coaching certification in the retail industry that certifies leaders and coaches to train and license her proven methods, which is launching this fall.

April is also the Executive Director of the Design District Chamber of Commerce in Miami, where she combines her passion for retail with community leadership. She has been named a Rethink Retail Top Global Retail Expert for three consecutive years (2022–2025) and is on a mission to positively impact one million leaders worldwide through practical business tools and mindset transformation.

Learn more at www.AskApril.ai. & www.aprilsabral.com

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Preview

(00:00:53) Show Intro

(00:09:12) Retail Transformer - April Sabral

(00:10:41) Shifts in Retail Leadership

(00:12:12) Importance of Positive Mindset

(00:14:38) Training and Development Strategies

(00:23:54) AI in Retail: Embracing the Future

(00:37:23) Ask April AI: Revolutionizing Leadership Development

(00:41:41) The Role of AI in Retail Training

(00:46:40) Building Technology as a Non-Tech Founder

(00:53:30) Mindset Training in Leadership Development

(00:58:32) Positive Accountability Framework

(01:02:29) Final Thoughts and Upcoming Projects

(01:04:02) Show Close

Meet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail & retail tech:

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2025. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Retail, Top 50 Management, & Top 100 Digital Transformation Thought Leader, and a Top Digital Voice for 2024. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and most recently was the  partner marketing leader for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is the CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2025, and Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer. Once immersed in fashion & supply chain tech, now slaying Franken-stacks & building retail tech! Currently, Casey is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T.

Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tropikool, from the album Future Beats 2, plus Virtual Apology and New Styles, from the album Shimmer Pop, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

 

S1 Trailer - Insider’s Guide to the Visionaries Shaping the Future of Retail
 
In this trailer for The Retail Razor: Retail Transformers, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden introduce our new podcast series, part of The Retail Razor Podcast Network, focused on the individuals driving real transformation in the retail industry. Highlighting the importance of bold leadership, cutting-edge technology, and innovative strategies including AI-driven personalization, next-gen in-store experiences, and reimagined supply chains.

Plus, we'll revisit past Retail Transformers guests from The Retail Razor Show for updates on their latest innovations and insights, in addition to brand new visionary retailers and change makers, offering listeners inspiration and practical advice to apply to your own work. Available on multiple platforms, this show aims to be a valuable resource for anyone passionate about retail, technology, and leadership!
 

Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://bit.ly/RRPNweb

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/RRShowYouTube

About your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter with the people driving real transformation in retail::

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2025. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Retail, Top 50 Management, & Top 100 Digital Transformation Thought Leader, and a Top Digital Voice for 2024. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and most recently was the  partner marketing leader for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is the CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2025, and Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer. Once immersed in fashion & supply chain tech, now slaying Franken-stacks & building retail tech! Currently, Casey is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T.

Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tropikool, from the album Future Beats 2, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.