Nicole Lesinski, e-commerce strategy lead for Nestlé's frozen division, shares how a global pandemic forced a full reset of shopper marketing plans and accelerated the shift to retail media in ways no one had anticipated.

From building internal education programs to failing forward with agency partners, Nicole brings her honest perspective on what it really takes to grow a retail media capability inside a highly matrixed organization. She also covers where CPG investment strategy is heading in 2026, why consumer insight must lead every campaign brief, and how the lessons she has learned on and off the career ladder continue to shape the leader she is today.

Tune in to this episode as we explore:

(00:00) Introducing Nicole Lesinski, Nestlé e-commerce leader

(02:26) Building a 15-year career across Nestlé's divisions

(04:39) Why lateral moves matter more than promotions

(05:47) The COVID moment that made retail media real

(09:17) Failing forward with agencies and retail partners

(13:02) Clean rooms, consumer insight, and smarter briefs

(16:02) Prioritizing investment as CPG budgets tighten

(19:12) Servant leadership, mentorship, and walking the talk

(25:48) Nicole's executive survival kit for staying grounded

What does it actually take to build a retail media business from the ground up, not once, but across some of the biggest names in the industry? Master Orator Stephen Howard-Sarin has done it at eBay, Walmart, Instacart, and Criteo, and he joins Austin and Elizabeth to share what he has learned along the way.

From dirty product catalogs hiding in plain sight to the buy-side's trade spend hangover slowing down scale, Stephen pulls no punches on where retail media still gets it wrong. He also makes the case for why fragmentation is a mental limit more than a real one, and why an ounce of patience might be worth more than all the AI in the room.

Tune in to this episode as we explore:

(04:23) Stephen's early commerce media days at eBay

(06:00) How eBay's data exhaust became an ad business

(08:27) Building Walmart Connect from the ground up

(09:41) Launching Carrot Ads at Instacart from scratch

(15:00) Why retail media data sets are often a mess

(18:11) Fragmentation is a mindset problem, not a math problem

(19:33) The buy-side's trade spend hangover slowing scale

(25:19) Why the customer purchase moment is zero-sum

(28:08) Career lessons, bombs, and leading through failure

(31:04) Stephen's retail commerce executive survival kit

What happens when a decade of digital-first thinking has led retail media networks to measure only 10% of where sales actually happen? Michelle Dooley, founder of Catalyst Media Consulting and former Target and LiveRamp executive, joins Paul Brenner for a conversation that challenges how the industry thinks about in-store measurement from the ground up.

Drawing on fresh research and years of in-house experience, Michelle and Paul introduce Shopper Purchase Rate, a framework designed to bridge the gap between merchant priorities and media metrics. From direct mail tracking in the hearing aid industry to building audience strategy at Roundel, Michelle brings a perspective that is equal parts data nerd and marketing strategist.

Read the full report on Shopper Purchase Rate here:

http://instoremarketplace.com/spr

Tune in to this episode as we explore:

(02:22) How Michelle's career led her to retail media

(05:11) The moment retail media's scale became clear

(09:12) Why Michelle launched Catalyst Media Consulting

(13:20) What the in-store research set out to uncover

(15:34) Why in-store means more than screens and audio

(18:05) Introducing the Shopper Purchase Rate framework

(21:23) How merchant relationships drive in-store success

(26:55) Why 97% of retail still happens in physical stores

(28:00) The one thing every RMN exec needs in their survival kit

Drawing from proprietary research and real-world client stories, this conversation explores why he thinks that measurement matters less than you think, how one retailer achieved 10x growth through process changes alone, and what it takes to bridge the gap between digital innovation and in-store reality.

See the full report here.

Tune in to this episode as we explore:

(00:00) Why attribution made in-store more compelling than radio

(04:09) How COVID accelerated in-store retail media adoption

(08:27) The organizational challenge between merchants and RMNs

(12:20) Why in-store measurement differs from digital targeting

(15:13) Consistent metrics matter more than perfect measurement

(17:08) How omnichannel studies drive 10x revenue growth

(19:57) Behind the scenes organizational feuds at major retailers

(22:22) Moving from 1% to 3% contribution margin expectations

(24:01) Why patience beats technology in two-year sales cycles

(25:29) The survival kit essential for retail media executives

This conversation delves into the importance of trust, personalization, and first-party data in enhancing consumer engagement and driving value. As the industry continues to evolve, Lauren shares insights on the future of retail and commerce media, emphasizing collaboration and innovation.

Sarah Hofstetter, co-founder of 37Arc, host of Brave Commerce, & Board Member of both the Campbell Soup Company & Kenvue reveals how she spotted the e-commerce revolution before COVID hit and why she believes AI will transform work more dramatically than search, social, or even e-commerce ever did.

From predicting Walmart's dominance through parking spot analysis to launching an AI-powered solution for marketing operations, Sarah shares candid insights about navigating non-linear careers, the myth of demographic-limited online shopping, and why being exceptionally honest has been both her superpower and kryptonite throughout three decades of riding consumer behavior waves.

Tune in to this episode as Austin & Elizabeth explore:

(00:00) Sarah's career philosophy on filling your cup

(04:57) The Walmart parking lot revelation that predicted e-commerce

(08:43) How learning through podcasting became public service

(11:37) The 92-year-old grandfather who broke shopping stereotypes

(16:08) Introducing 37Arc's AI-powered marketing workflow solution

(19:46) Why AI adoption requires overcoming the fear factor

(24:05) Career navigation advice for non-linear professional paths

(28:04) MMA training as the ultimate workplace survival kit

How do you build a community that transforms careers while shaping an entire industry? Susan MacDermid, founder of Ascendant Network, reveals the strategic decisions behind creating the retail media industry's most influential professional community and shares hard-won lessons from her journey through digital transformation.

From her academic roots studying mass media evolution to launching Digital Ascendant in 2014, Susan discusses spotting the retail media wave early, the art of asking for what you're worth, and why doing work that drives real shareholder value matters more than flashy presentations.

On a personal note, Susan continues to fight her personal battle with cancer, and we'd like to share a few notes about this:

She is a FIGHTER and loves to hear from the community as we all send love and good energy her way. She is doing as well as can be expected, but wants to remind everyone to take the time to check in on their own health, as well. Her personal message to everyone is this:

The American Cancer Society (ACS) research announced colorectal cancer as the top cancer killer of adults under 50 and said people should screen for colorectal cancer from 45. Recent ACS research revealed a 50% relative increase in diagnoses in adults aged 45 to 49. This surge in early-stage detection is largely attributed to the lowering of the recommended colorectal screening age from 50 to 45.

So pls, pls, pls don’t wait until 45, get screened from 40 even if you need to pay for it yourself. ACS research is years behind. 

Expert tip: do the pills vs Gatorade for your colonoscopy, it is way better. 

Cancer is a bitch so fight.

Learn more at Cancer.org!

Now tune in to this episode as we explore:

(00:00) Susan's health update and resilient mindset

(04:04) Academic foundation studying mass media evolution  

(05:24) Digital Ascendant origins and leadership development focus

(08:08) Early retail media signals from Walmart trials

(09:37) How COVID accelerated commerce media adoption

(12:30) Building business within business intrapreneurship challenges

(17:42) Commerce upfronts event creation and market demand

(20:06) Diverse sponsor lineup and buyer requirements

(23:45) Driving shareholder value beyond gross margins

(25:37) The 100% salary raise negotiation story

From navigating organizational complexity to scaling growth and innovation, Mark shares leadership insights, strategic frameworks, and lessons from the field. Austin and Elizabeth know these challenges firsthand, bringing their own perspective to the conversation as experienced operators in the space. Plus, don’t miss Mark’s exciting new career announcement.

Tune in for a sharp look at the evolving role of GMs in the retail media commerce space.

From navigating an ever-evolving landscape to the role of operational efficiency in modern marketing teams, this episode covers the challenges, triumphs, and real talk that define the space today. Whether you're brand-side, agency-side, or somewhere in between, this is a must-listen on what it really takes to succeed.