The FODcast

Hosted by Tim Roedel and James Hodges

BusinessInterviews guests

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Episodes

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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EN-GB

About the show

In the FODcast (The Future of #DigitalCommerce) we explore the real career stories of the people who have made it to the very top of the sector and those who are working at the cutting edge of innovation and change right now. Listeners to the podcast gain insight into the journeys industry leaders have taken to be where they are today, the challenges they are facing now and their aims for the future.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

November 4, 2026Episode 1358 min

Why Retailers Need Simplicity, Not More Technology, with Chris Fletcher, Visualsoft

AI might be the biggest topic in digital commerce right now, but are retailers focusing on the right challenge? On the latest episode of The FODcast , Tim sits down with Chris Fletcher , CEO of Visualsoft , to discuss AI, unified retail, platform strategy and what the next phase of commerce could look like. One theme comes through clearly throughout the conversation: technology is becoming more powerful, but retail is also becoming more complex. Topics include: Why AI is creating new opportunities and new challenges The importance of data and technology foundations Why unified retail remains unfinished for many brands The shift towards simpler, more connected technology ecosystems How customer expectations continue to evolve across channels Why agility may become one of the biggest competitive advantages in retail There are also some interesting perspectives on platform strategy, innovation and how retailers should prepare for what's coming next. A great listen for anyone involved in ecommerce, digital transformation or retail technology. Listen | Share | Comment #FODcast #DigitalCommerce #RetailTech #Ecommerce #AI #UnifiedRetail #Retail Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

October 21, 2026Episode 1255 min

Search Everywhere: How Brands Market to Humans and Agents at the Same Time with Megan Conahan

What happens when customers discover your brand in one place, research it somewhere else and then buy somewhere completely different? On the latest episode of The FODcast , Tim sits down with Megan Conahan , EVP at Direct Agents , to explore just how fragmented the commerce journey has become. Having spent more than 20 years in digital marketing, Megan has seen ecommerce evolve considerably. Today, customers might discover through social, research through AI or Reddit, compare across different platforms and ultimately choose to buy through Amazon, a retailer or directly from the brand. That creates some big questions for the teams trying to reach them. Tim and Megan cover a LOT of ground, including: Why product discovery is becoming increasingly platform agnostic The continued growth of retail media Why discovery and purchase don't necessarily happen in the same place Whether ROAS is still the right way to measure individual channels How AI is becoming another part of product discovery Why product information needs to work for humans and AI How automation is changing the skills digital teams need Why brands may need to break down the silos between Amazon, D2C and other channels A really interesting conversation about what happens when customer behaviour stops fitting neatly into the channels and structures businesses have traditionally built around it. Listen | Share | Comment #FODcast #DigitalCommerce #Ecommerce #RetailMedia #CommerceStrategy #DirectAgents Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

October 6, 2026Episode 1147 min

Why Ecommerce Teams Need to Prepare for AI Shopping Now with Alex Melen, SmartSites

Are we moving from search… to conversation? On this episode of The FODcast , Tim sits down with Alex Melen , Co-Founder at SmartSites , one of the world’s largest independently owned digital marketing agencies. With more than 400 employees and over 15 years of growth behind the business, Alex has spent decades at the forefront of digital marketing and ecommerce, making this a really insightful conversation around where AI, search and digital commerce are heading next. Alex shares why he believes the next 12 months could bring more transformation than the last 12 years. We cover a LOT of ground in the chat with Alex, including: Why search behaviour is shifting so quickly How conversational AI is changing discovery What agentic shopping could mean for ecommerce brands Why retailers need to think about visibility beyond Google How Shopify is positioning itself for this next phase What teams need to understand as AI becomes part of the buying journey A really interesting episode for anyone thinking about where digital commerce, search and AI-enabled shopping could be heading next. Listen | Share | Comment #FODcast #DigitalCommerce #Ecommerce #AISearch #AgenticCommerce #SmartSites Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

September 23, 2026Episode 101 hr 6 min

Building Puresport: Community, Brand & Consumer Connection with Daniel Temm

“Safe, connected and capable.” On this week’s episode of The FODcast , Daniel Temm , CEO of Puresport explains the three feelings the brand wants customers to experience when they engage with the business. It’s a fascinating discussion around what modern consumer brands need to become beyond simply “selling products”. Tim and Daniel discuss: Building a brand in one of the world’s most crowded categories Why community became a growth engine for Puresport The move from startup experimentation to scale-up execution The realities of Amazon growth and omnichannel retail Why many founders struggle with prioritisation The importance of simplicity, storytelling and emotional connection There’s also an honest conversation around leadership pressure, mentorship and how rapidly growing businesses force founders to constantly evolve. A really strong episode for anyone interested in modern ecommerce, brand building and scaling consumer businesses. Listen | Share | Comment Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

September 9, 2026Episode 956 min

Is CRO Really About Conversion Rate? with Adam Pearce, Blend Commerce

Is CRO really about conversion rate, or are too many brands looking at the wrong thing? On the latest episode of The FODcast , James sits down with Adam Pearce , Co-founder of Blend Commerce , to unpack what CRO actually means in ecommerce. Adam breaks it down through three simple levers: buy now, buy more and buy again. The conversation covers: Why CRO is often misunderstood Why data needs to challenge opinion, not just support it The role of customer behaviour in shaping better buying journeys Why site search is still massively underutilised The difference between improving conversion and improving profitability Why founders sometimes need to step back and let the data lead There are also some really practical insights around upselling, product discovery, customer retention and how brands should think about CRO at different stages of growth. A really useful listen for ecommerce teams thinking about revenue, profitability and customer experience. Listen | Share | Comment #FODcast #CRO #Ecommerce #ConversionRateOptimisation #DigitalCommerce #CustomerExperience #Retail Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

August 13, 2026Episode 748 min

The Balancing Act Behind Food Waste, Availability and Smarter Stores with Alex Considine Tong, Retail Insight

Food waste is not just a sustainability issue. It is an operational one too. In this latest episode of The FODcast , James sits down with Alex Considine Tong , Chief Product Officer at Retail Insight , to discuss how retailers are tackling food waste, on-shelf availability and smarter store operations. It’s an insightful chat that covers a lot of ground, including: Why food waste remains such a significant issue for grocery retailers The balance between availability, abundance and waste reduction How better data can help retailers make more precise decisions Why in-store operations are now a major area of opportunity The role of AI, electronic shelf labels and emerging retail technology How retailers can reduce waste while protecting margin and customer experience There is also a really interesting discussion around donation, store colleague productivity and how technology can free people up to focus on higher-value customer interactions. A great listen for anyone interested in grocery, retail operations, sustainability, data or the future of smarter stores. Listen | Share | Comment #FODcast #Retail #FoodWaste #RetailTechnology #Sustainability #GroceryRetail #DigitalCommerce Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

July 28, 2026Episode 648 min

Why Storytelling Is Becoming a Go-To-Market Advantage with Angeley Mullins, Aetheris Ventures

Are product features enough to stand out anymore? On this week’s episode of The FODcast , Tim is joined by Angeley Mullins , Founder & CEO of Aetheris Ventures , to explore how founder-led branding, storytelling and AI are reshaping go-to-market strategy. From the rise of AI-generated content, through to changing buyer expectations and the growing demand for authenticity, this is a really interesting conversation about how businesses build trust in an increasingly noisy market. We also discuss: Why founder-led branding is becoming more important How storytelling is shifting from “nice to have” to strategic advantage Why audiences are tired of purely feature-led messaging How AI is changing sales, marketing and customer success roles Why creativity, critical thinking and prompting are becoming key skills A really useful listen for founders, CEOs, marketers and growth leaders thinking about how to differentiate in a market where products and content can be replicated faster than ever. Listen | Share | Comment Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

July 14, 2026Episode 552 min

Retail Media, In-Store Screens and the Fight for Attention - with Dean Harris, Co-op and Anders Henricson, Grassfish

There’s a fine line between smart retail media and too much noise. On this episode of The FODcast , Tim is joined by Dean Harris , from Co-op Media Network , and Anders Henricson , from Grassfish , to unpack what that balance looks like in practice. The conversation gets into the commercial opportunity behind retail media, but also the customer experience risk if retailers allow short-term revenue to override shopper needs. From in-store screens and attention metrics, through to data, customer journeys and commercial layout, this is a really interesting conversation about how retailers can unlock new media revenue without compromising the shopping experience. We cover a whole host of topics including: Why retail media has become such an important growth opportunity The risk of communication overload in-store How Co-op approaches campaign governance and customer experience Why attention may matter more than impressions How connected screens can support, rather than disrupt, the customer journey A strong listen for retailers, brands and anyone thinking about the future of in-store media, customer attention and connected retail experiences. Listen | Share | Comment Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

June 23, 2026Episode 41 hr 4 min

Is Delivery Ecommerce’s Most Overlooked Growth Lever? with André Sikborn Erixon, Ingrid

Is delivery still being treated too much like logistics, and not enough like customer experience? On the latest episode of The FODcast , James sits down with André Sikborn Erixon , VP of Growth at Ingrid , to explore why delivery has become one of the most important and misunderstood parts of modern commerce. From checkout accuracy and customer preference, through to lockers, omnichannel fulfilment and agentic commerce, this is a really interesting conversation about how delivery now shapes trust, loyalty and repeat purchase. We discuss: Why delivery experience starts long before the parcel arrives How customer expectations vary depending on context Why speed and price are not the only delivery variables that matter The role of lockers, pickup points and sustainable delivery options How shipping can become a revenue opportunity, not just a cost centre Why delivery accuracy will matter even more in an AI-led commerce journey A strong listen for anyone thinking about customer experience, fulfilment, ecommerce strategy or the future of delivery. Listen | Share | Comment #FODcast #DeliveryExperience #DigitalCommerce #eCommerce #CustomerExperience #RetailTech #Omnichannel Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

June 16, 2026Episode 31 hr 0 min

Why Product Data Is the New AI Battleground with Romain Fouache, Akeneo

Most businesses know AI is changing commerce. The bigger question is whether their product data is actually ready for it. In this episode of The FODcast , Tim speaks with Romain Fouache , CEO at Akeneo , about conversational AI, agentic commerce and why structured product information is becoming such an important topic for brands and retailers. The conversation covers: Why AI changes how products are discovered The growing importance of attributes and enrichment Why “good enough” product data may no longer be enough How marketplaces and ecommerce journeys could evolve from here One line from Romain that really stuck with us: “Your product data strategy is your go-to-market strategy.” It’s a great listen...enjoy. Listen | Share | Comment #AI #DigitalCommerce #RetailTech #ProductData #ConversationalAI #Akeneo Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/