BRAVE COMMERCE

In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter speak with Bianca Bolouri, Vice President of Global eCommerce at Wella Company. Bianca shares how her experience at L’Oréal and her work at Wella have shaped her approach to leading teams, building culture, and driving growth in a rapidly changing beauty and professional care landscape.She discusses how a mix of global beauty expertise and startup energy enables Wella to balance speed and discipline across its consumer and professional businesses. Bianca also shares her perspective on the evolving role of DTC, the emergence of pro-grade products for home use, and how global trends in beauty are shaping consumer expectations in other categories.Key takeawaysL’Oréal’s culture creates leaders who thrive under high expectations, adaptability, and ownershipDTC is not dead, but serves a different role today as a brand-building and loyalty engineGlobal beauty trends, like pro-grade at-home care and compressed innovation cycles, are redefining consumer expectations across categories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter speak with Rick LaBerge, Chief Commercial Officer of HARIBO of America. Rick shares how HARIBO has grown household penetration in the U.S. from 10 to 28 percent in the last decade while staying focused on its founding values of quality, trust, and childlike happiness.He discusses the unique challenges and advantages of working for a century-old, family-run company with deep roots in care, as well as the importance of manufacturing locally and understanding the American shopper. Rick also highlights how HARIBO is translating the joyful, colorful in-store candy experience to digital commerce, and what it takes to build lasting retailer relationships.Key takeawaysLong-term thinking drives growth. HARIBO’s U.S. success stems from investing in local manufacturing, understanding seasonal rituals, and making product decisions with generational goals in mindBrand values create differentiation. Staying focused on joy, quality, and trust has helped HARIBO outperform competitors in a crowded candy categoryDigital experience matters. Translating HARIBO’s visual, sensory brand into eCommerce environments has been key to driving conversion online Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter speak with Andrea Zahumensky, President of North America Baby and Child Care Transformation and Canada at Kimberly-Clark. Andrea shares how the company’s long-standing commitment to solving consumer problems through science and innovation continues to guide its growth.She discusses how leading with care, both internally and externally, becomes more powerful when backed by results, and how challenger brands have helped sharpen Kimberly-Clark’s go-to-market strategies. Andrea also reflects on the importance of authenticity in leadership and the culture shifts required to move with speed at scale.Key takeawaysPerformance enables care. Delivering results creates the resources to reinvest in solving real consumer problemsChallenger brands can expose blind spots. Kimberly-Clark’s response in diapers reshaped its innovation strategyAuthenticity builds trust. Leading with emotion has become Andrea’s superpower as an executive Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter speak with Arthur Sylvestre, VP of Digital Commerce at Danone North America. Arthur shares how the company’s mission and strategic renewal have positioned it for outsized growth, especially in a category as complex as perishables.He reflects on Danone’s culture of digital enthusiasm, its collective approach to retail media, and the mindset needed to build long-term, sustainable growth. Arthur also outlines how digital teams can elevate their impact by influencing both online and offline sales and keeping organizations focused on what drives meaningful results.Key takeawaysPerishables can succeed in digital. Danone’s double-digit eCommerce growth shows the opportunity is realRetail media should be approached as a collective effort across sales, media, and brand teamsThe most effective teams stay focused on the fundamentals, not the noise Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter speak with Megan Lindstrand, Vice President of Marketing and Consumer Experience at Combe. Megan shares how the company’s founding principles of empathy, quality, and discretion continue to shape its portfolio strategy for brands like Just For Men, Vagisil, and Astroglide.With over two decades of experience across various agencies, PE-backed businesses, and family-owned brands, Megan discusses how ownership structure influences marketing, culture, and decision-making. She also explains how her team connects media, insights, and analytics into a unified growth engine that accelerates speed to market and drives real business outcomes.Key takeawaysConsumer trust is built through empathy, transparency, and a commitment to product qualityOwnership models shape how marketing can operate, from budget and risk to brand buildingReal-time data and integrated teams are essential for turning insights into action Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter sit down with Erin Price, General Manager of Consumer Products at Sargento. Erin shares how Sargento’s identity as a family-owned business has shaped its category leadership, commitment to long-term value, and approach to consumer-driven innovation.Erin discusses how the company’s newest brand platform, “The Sargento Family Promise,” is rooted in transparency and trust, and how deep consumer insights, rather than fleeting trends, guide the development of new products. She also offers her perspective on recruiting top CPG talent to Wisconsin, managing through change, and developing the next generation of business leaders.Key takeawaysA long-term mindset enables more meaningful innovation and stronger retailer relationshipsConsumer trust is earned through consistency, transparency, and product qualityData is only powerful when paired with focus, agility, and real-time consumer understanding Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter speak with Kathleen Braine, Chief Marketing Officer at 818 Tequila. Kathleen shares what it’s like to work side by side with founder Kendall Jenner to shape 818 into one of the fastest-growing tequila brands in the U.S.She discusses the importance of honoring Jenner’s creative vision while scaling a business that balances brand storytelling, retail relationships, and digital commerce. From NASCAR partnerships to platform-native content, Kathleen reveals how 818 is growing both brand love and business outcomes simultaneously.Key takeawaysBuilding a lifestyle brand requires close creative alignment between founder and CMOYounger consumers want versatility and intentionality in what they drink and how they shopDigitally native strategies are essential in regulated industries like alcohol, where compliance and shoppability must go hand in hand Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Colleen Orani, the Vice President of Global Marketing at Energizer Holdings, shares insights on merging retail and national media to enhance consumer engagement. She discusses how Energizer unified its media strategy for diverse brands, from impulse purchases to more considered buys. The conversation highlights the importance of tailored marketing strategies and the need for adaptability in a fluctuating market. Colleen also emphasizes the value of team collaboration and accountability across marketing and sales to drive effective consumer-centric growth.

In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter sit down with Alison Levin, President of Advertising and Partnerships at NBCUniversal. With more than a decade of experience shaping the connected TV landscape, Alison shares how NBCUniversal is combining premium content, retail data partnerships, and shoppable formats to deliver results for today’s commerce-driven marketers.Alison discusses what advertisers should expect from their CTV investments, how NBCUniversal is partnering with platforms like Instacart and Walmart Connect to prove incrementality, and why streaming environments must be evaluated beyond reach alone.Key takeaways:Not all streaming is created equal – evaluating content environments is critical for effective media planningCommerce activations tied to premium content are already driving seven-figure product salesReal-time attribution and optimization are reshaping how TV advertising is bought, measured, and scaled Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter sit down with Randi Jachino, Vice President of Marketing (US & Canada) at Prestige Consumer Healthcare. With a portfolio spanning over 25 brands across categories like oral care, motion sickness, and women’s health, Randi shares how she applies both analytical and creative thinking to manage diverse consumer needs and business goals.From starting her career as a CPA to leading marketing for powerhouse brands like Dramamine, DenTek, and Summer’s Eve, Randi discusses how to build brand equity without losing sight of immediate performance. She unpacks how Prestige strategically prioritizes brands within the portfolio, adapts to the realities of tariffs, retail pressure, and social virality, and ensures that upper-funnel and lower-funnel tactics work hand in hand.Key takeaways:There is no one-size-fits-all marketing strategy across a portfolio – each brand requires a tailored approach based on its role, category, and consumer mindsetBrand equity and short-term sales are not mutually exclusive – strong awareness drives stronger conversionRetail search and social content must align with the shopper’s intent and category behavior, from product education to conversion readiness Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.