Beyond The Shelf

Dave’s guest this week is Ben Narasin, Founder and General Partner of Tenacity Venture Capital. Ben is a venture capitalist and longtime entrepreneur who invests at the intersection of technology, commerce, and consumer behavior — with a career spent backing (and building) companies that shape how brands sell and operate in a digital-first world.In this episode, Dave and Ben talk about how the VC lens on commerce has evolved, why “AI strategy” is quickly moving from curiosity to ROI scrutiny, and what founders and operators should do as the pace of change accelerates. Ben shares a pragmatic framework: empower teams to test, pilot, and measure quickly — because you can’t research your way into winning with emerging technology.Connect with Ben on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation PlaybookTake It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI surveyEmail us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image AuditTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker

Dave’s guest this week is Chris Riedy, CRO at Ibotta, where he’s helping evolve promotions and offers into a true performance marketing engine for CPG brands.In this episode, Chris breaks down why great sales is really about problem-solving, trust, and empathy - not transactions. He shares how Ibotta has evolved from a consumer app into a platform that connects manufacturers, retailers, and shoppers in moments that change behavior.Dave and Chris also dig into what makes promotions incremental instead of subsidized, how creative and offers can travel across retail media and even into CTV, and why AI and machine learning are most powerful when they help marketers learn faster, not guess better.Connect with Chris on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation PlaybookTake It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI surveyEmail us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image AuditTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker

Dave’s guest this week is Matt Gehring, a returning guest on Beyond the Shelf and a seasoned growth advisor, independent brand strategist, and Fractional CMO.Since first appearing on the show in 2024, Matt has stepped into a new chapter of his career — advising startups and early-stage companies on how to build momentum from the ground up. He brings deep experience from senior marketing and growth roles at brands including Rothy’s, Everlane, Dutch, and Lifeforce, where he’s helped teams navigate the critical 0-to-1 phase.Dave and Matt dig into what actually drives early growth: building strong customer insight loops, prioritizing focus over channel sprawl, and launching campaigns that balance speed with strategic clarity. Matt also shares why creative strategy often breaks down before creative execution ever begins, and how AI can support ideation and acceleration when paired with clear direction.Connect with Matt on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation PlaybookTake It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI surveyEmail us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image AuditTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker

Dave’s guest this week is Scott Benedict, retail strategist, longtime merchant leader, and former Walmart and Sam’s Club executive with 35+ years across brick-and-mortar, eCommerce, and global retail. Today he runs Benedict Enterprises and serves as part of RETHINK Retail’s advisory group, helping brands and retailers navigate the rapidly evolving commerce landscape.In this episode, Scott and Dave dive into:How a “digital-first” assortment strategy is transforming retailWhy leading retailers now build online → store, not store → onlineThe emerging connection between digital retail media and in-store mediaWalmart vs. Amazon’s differing approaches to AI — and why that mattersWhat solution selling looks like in an AI futureWhy foundational data and system integration must come before innovationThe biggest opportunities for brands in 2026 and beyondConnect with Scott on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation PlaybookTake It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI surveyEmail us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image AuditTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker

Dave’s guest this week is Gloria DeCoste, Director of eCommerce & Digital Shelf Capabilities at Nestlé.In this episode, Gloria and Dave explore what it  means for brands to be present in an AI-driven commerce environment - not just visible, but structured, accurate, and ready for how discovery is changing.Gloria shares how large organizations like Nestlé are thinking about the content supply chain, why foundational data and consistency matter more than ever, and how AI is reshaping the way products are found, evaluated, and purchased. They also discuss the shift from traditional search to AI-assisted discovery, and why brands that prepare now will have a meaningful advantage as these tools mature.Connect with Gloria on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation PlaybookTake It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI surveyEmail us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image AuditTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker

In this engaging conversation, Dave Glaza, Founder and CEO of DIGITS Agency and a pioneer in retail media, shares his insights from launching Target’s original Cartwheel app. He discusses why many retail media budgets fail and the importance of using shopper data for real outcomes. Glaza emphasizes the need for brands to balance innovative tactics with proven methods while focusing on regional grocers to maximize impact. He also forecasts how AI-driven product discovery will transform retail media in the coming years, making it essential for retailers to adapt.

Dave’s guest this week is Niccolò Gloazzo, Senior Director of Media & Omnichannel at Kettle & Fire, the brand that helped pioneer shelf-stable bone broth and functional soups.Niccolò shares how Kettle & Fire grew from a digitally native brand into a national retail presence, and what it takes to manage DTC, Amazon, retail media, and in-store growth as a single, connected system.The conversation covers why starting in DTC can create leverage across other channels, how reviews and content portability drive performance, and how retail media has evolved into a full-funnel growth engine. Niccolò also shares how seasonal moments, creative testing, and AI-driven planning are shaping the brand’s approach to modern commerce.Connect with Niccolò on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation PlaybookTake It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI surveyEmail us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image AuditTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker

In this conversation, Jordan Witmer, Managing Director at Salt Media, shares his extensive background in CPG with brands like Black & Decker and Hershey. He dispels myths around ROAS, emphasizing its strategic importance when applied correctly. Jordan advocates for campaign-first creative that adapts across platforms, and highlights the resurgence of physical retail amidst AI innovations. He emphasizes the need to align inventory data with media activation for optimal results, all while balancing brand goals with actionable insights.

This episode originally aired on October 31, 2023.  We'll be back with a brand-new episode of Beyond the Shelf on 1/7/26.  Happy Holidays!Dave sits down with Jared Taitel, Director, eCommerce Marketing at PepsiCo, for a wide-ranging conversation on scaling creativity in one of the world’s most complex digital commerce environments.Jared shares how PepsiCo approached creative automation early - and how the partnership with It’sRapid helped his team move away from one-off asset creation toward a more scalable, repeatable model across thousands of SKUs. The conversation explores what it takes to operationalize creative at enterprise scale, without sacrificing quality or brand standards.Dave and Jared also discuss Jared’s unconventional path from the music industry into marketing leadership, the mindset shifts required to navigate constant change, and how emerging technologies, including generative AI, are reshaping retail media, content production, and team workflows.Connect with Jared on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation PlaybookTake It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI surveyEmail us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image AuditTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker

This episode originally aired on April 1, 2025. We'll be back with a brand-new episode of Beyond the Shelf on 1/6/26.  Happy Holidays!Dave sits down with Eric Altschul, Director of Digital Commerce Content at Mondelēz International, to discuss how one of the world’s largest CPG companies approaches digital content, automation, and the digital shelf.Eric shares how eCommerce evolved from a secondary priority into a core function at Mondelēz, the role content plays in shaping shopper experiences across retailers, and why mobile-first visuals and PDP optimization are critical to winning online. He also discusses how partnerships - including Mondelēz’s work with It’sRapid - help teams automate and standardize content creation across thousands of SKUs while meeting retailer-specific requirements.Connect with Eric on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation PlaybookTake It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI surveyEmail us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image AuditTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker