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

August 14, 2026

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.

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Written by:

Tim Roedel

CEO

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

July 28, 2026

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.

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Written by:

Tim Roedel

CEO

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

July 15, 2026

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.

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Written by:

James Hodges

Director of Client Engagement

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

June 24, 2026

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.

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Written by:

Tim Roedel

CEO

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Shopify, Headless & The Real Cost of Ecommerce Growth – with Marina Milojkovic, Grebban

June 17, 2026

Are brands looking far enough ahead when evaluating ecommerce platforms?

On the latest episode of The FODcast, James sits down with Marina Milojkovic, VP UK at Grebban, to unpack why total cost of ownership in ecommerce is often far more complex than brands initially expect.

From app sprawl and operational complexity, through to team structure, ownership and long-term scalability, the conversation explores why platform decisions cannot just be evaluated on implementation cost alone.

We cover a whole host of topics including:

  • Why Shopify doesn’t always mean lower TCO long term
  • The hidden cost of apps, integrations and operational complexity
  • Why brands need to look at years three and four, not just implementation
  • How regular TCO audits can help keep tech stacks lean
  • Why TCO, AI, brand experience and UX are increasingly part of the same ecommerce investment conversation

A really practical discussion for brands reviewing their ecommerce setup, planning a replatform, or simply trying to understand where complexity and cost actually come from.

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Written by:

James Hodges

Director of Client Engagement

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Pricing Isn’t Broken – it’s Blind, with Meghan Stabler

May 21, 2026

Pricing in retail still isn’t where it needs to be.

In this episode of The FODcast (and the launch of Season 8), we sit down with Meghan Stabler (Co-Founder and CMO at AI-driven, contextual pricing platform alentr) to explore why pricing remains one of the most complex and underdeveloped areas in digital commerce.

Drawing on her experience as former SVP of Global Marketing at BigCommerce where she helped scale the business through to IPO, Meghan shares a clear and practical perspective on the gap between performance metrics and pricing strategy – and what businesses need to rethink.

We cover:

  •  Margin vs conversion – why strong performance doesn’t always mean pricing is right
  •  The reality of discounting – easy to implement, harder to sustain
  •  AI in pricing – where it adds value and where it still falls short
  •  Static vs dynamic models – why many businesses remain reactive
  •  Pricing guardrails – protecting margin while staying competitive

If pricing is still being treated as a periodic review rather than an active, strategic lever, this is a conversation worth your time.

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Written by:

James Hodges

Director of Client Engagement

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B2B Commerce Isn’t Broken – It’s Complicated with Tom Williams, UNRVLD

May 1, 2026

B2B commerce complexity isn’t just technical. It’s organisational, behavioural and cultural.

On this week’s episode of The FODcast, James sits down with Tom Williams, Managing Partner at UNRVLD to unpack why B2B transformations stall…and what actually gets them moving.

We cover a whole host of topics including:

  • Complex pricing + org structures: different users, permissions and hierarchies; and why it needs uncovering early
  • Legacy order channels (email, punchout, OCR and more): you often can’t “switch it off” even if it’s inefficient
  • Customer-first vs tech-first: most businesses start with a feature tick list, not customer behaviour
  • Digital maturity reality checks: why teams think they’re further along than they are
  • Integration first: a robust middleware approach that lets you change systems without breaking everything else

If you’re modernising B2B, this is a practical conversation: start with the “as is”, map the “to be”, then make progress iteratively – without forcing a big bang.

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Written by:

James Hodges

Director of Client Engagement

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Your Cart Is Fine; Your Duties Are Not: Why US Shoppers Panic At Checkout with Jamie Vaughan

January 7, 2026

Confused about what’s actually working in digital commerce right now?

You’re not alone. Between US conversion chaos, rising costs, and AI hype, it’s hard to tell what moves the needle and what’s just noise.

On this week’s episode of The FODcast, host Tim Roedel sits down with Jamie Vaughan, ex MD at Signifly, to cut through the chatter and get practical about what to fix first.

Here’s what we cover:

  • The “Donald effect” impacting US growth – and how to rebuild confidence through landed cost clarity and reassurance
  • Conversion that counts: prioritising high-impact experiments using RICE (Reach, Impact, Cost, Effort)
  • Life after cookies: why attribution and cohort analysis (with tools like Triple Whale) are now essentials
    Turning first-party data into your growth engine – not a last-ditch paid ads replacement
  • Plus, real examples, clear takeaways, and no fluff.

If you’re scaling, re-platforming, or rethinking your funnel for 2025, you’ll want to hear this one.

🎧 Listen now

 

Written by:

Tim Roedel

CEO

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Compliance Is the Floor; Inclusion Is the Strategy with Hilary Stephenson

December 20, 2025

Accessibility isn’t a niche feature set; it’s the operating system of a fair and profitable digital world.

On this week’s episode of The FODcast, James sits down with Hilary Stephenson, Managing Director at Nexer Digital, to unpack how inclusive design drives growth, reduces risk, and builds trust across every customer journey.

In our chat, we cover a whole host of things, including:

  • The European Accessibility Act – what’s in scope, what deadlines matter, and why compliance is only the floor, not the ceiling
  • The biggest friction points in retail journeys – and how to turn them into wins through clear content, contrast, and keyboard-friendly design
  • What government digital services get right: co-design, testing with assistive tech, and radical transparency
  • How inclusive design and immersive commerce can coexist, and why heavy scripts, pop-ups, and “dark patterns” are just bad UX
  • The practical sequence to start today: set a baseline, “fix the six,” publish an honest accessibility statement, and keep testing

With more than 25 years in content, UX and inclusive service design, Hilary brings the experience of someone who’s helped make accessibility business-critical for leading brands and public sector organisations alike.

Written by:

James Hodges

Director of Client Engagement

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2025: The Year Digital Commerce Got Louder

December 20, 2025

As we head towards the end of the year, we’ve been reflecting on what has been a truly standout chapter for our podcast – The FODcast – The Future of Digital Commerce.

We’re now firmly into our 7th season, and 2025 has been a record-breaking year for the podcast – more listeners, more downloads, and more brilliant conversations than ever before. What started as a niche commerce podcast has grown into a genuinely global platform for digital, B2B, retail and transformation leaders. So, in the spirit of the season, we’re delighted to present…

The 12 Days of FODmas

Our Top 12 FODcast episodes of 2025, counting you down to Christmas, one standout conversation at a time.

Here are this year’s must-listen episodes:

  1. Revolutionising B2B E-Commerce – David Höck
    David, co-founder of Vendure, discusses how innovative composable commerce solutions and practical strategies are transforming B2B digital commerce. LISTEN HERE

  2. Platforming the Future: B2B’s Digital Commerce Revolution – Jochen Binder
     In this episode Jochen, Head of Backend and Data Solutions at diva-e, explores the evolving digital commerce platform landscape and how pragmatic, AI-influenced approaches are reshaping both B2B and B2C LISTEN HERE

  3. The Art of Haggling Meets AI – Rosie Bailey
    CEO of Nibble, Rosie, breaks down how AI-augmented negotiation and customer experience strategies are changing modern e-commerce LISTEN HERE

  4. Crafting Community in a Digital Age – Steve Irwin
    Steven Irwin of Vivobarefoot shares how purpose-driven community building and brand values can drive loyalty and sustainable growth in digital commerce LISTEN HERE

  5. When AGI Lands, Your Business Model Might Vanish – Daniel Hinderink
    We chat with Daniel about how AI, data sovereignty, and external forces are reshaping digital transformation strategies across sector LISTEN HERE

  6. The Future of Composable Commerce – SCAYLE
    We were joined by Craig Smith and Rico Adler for this great discussion on composable commerce platforms, scalability, and the practical benefits for growing digital businesses LISTEN HERE

  7. Why eCommerce Success Isn’t About Platform Choice – Matt Parkinson
    In this throwback from back in May, Matt debunks platform myths and focuses on practical, future-ready approaches that matter more than simply picking tech LISTEN HERE

  8. Physical Retail’s Vital Pulse: Why In-Store Still Matters – James O’Hare
    A topic that’s still as relevant today as it was in the early Summer, James O’Hare highlights how in-store experiences, unified commerce, and smarter tech are keeping physical retail relevant and impactful LISTEN HERE

  9. Prompts, Products, and Profits: The AI Revolution Nobody Saw Coming – Sander Berlinski Sander cuts through AI hype to explain how data foundations and intelligent automation are delivering real value today LISTEN HERE

  10. Turning Intuition into Growth – Martijn WijsmullerMartijn shares his journey from corporate to entrepreneurship and how entrepreneurial mindset and practical insights fuel e-commerce succes LISTEN HERE

  11. Pioneering New Paths in Digital B2B – David WilliamsDavid discusses how AI and emerging technologies are helping B2B organisations innovate and adapt in a shifting digital landscape LISTEN HERE

  12. The Future of E-Commerce: Gen Z, AI & Unified Retail – James Brooke
    James explores how Gen Z behaviours, AI-driven personalisation and unified retail thinking are shaping the future of commerce LISTEN HERE

Whether you’ve tuned in every week or missed a few along the way, this is the perfect opportunity to catch up on the conversations that defined digital commerce in 2025.

Did you know?

In 2025 alone, The FODcast has been streamed thousands of times this year across six continents and dozens of countries worldwide.

Alongside strong audiences across the UK, Europe and North America, we’ve also seen listeners tuning in from Angola, Nepal and Kazakhstan – proof that the conversation around digital commerce really is a global one!

Be Our Guest in 2026?

We’re already planning next year’s lineup and would love to hear from:

  •  Founders
  •  CTOs, CDOs & Product Leaders
  •  Commerce, B2B & AI innovators

If you’ve got a story to tell or insight to share, get in touch to join us on The FODcast. Thank you for listening, sharing, and supporting our podcast this last year. We’ll be back in 2026 with even more insight, challenge and conversation around the future of digital commerce.

In the meantime, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a successful New Year!

Written by:

James Hodges

Director of Client Engagement

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