In this engaging conversation, Thomas Obrey, Michael Janiak, and Rich Lyons discuss their experiences in the e-commerce and design industry, touching on collaboration, competition, and the evolution of design practices. They share insights on starting an agency, the impact of AI on design, and the importance of relationships in navigating challenges. The discussion highlights the changing landscape of e-commerce and the necessity of adapting to new technologies and concepts to address client needs.There is a ton of anecdotal story telling in here too - like the first time Mike and Tea met, in a nightclub, a true Digital Jesus moment. We also talk about Third and Grove snapping up Elva. Co-oppetition (?). And this idea of Experience Orchestration. Rich also goes into detail about his decision to sell Lyons, the process, and what was going through his head the entire time, pre-during-and-post Exit.Of course we talk Metallica, the first project Michael (Pattern) and Tea (PixelMEDIA) collaborated on. And how that collaboration put Metallica ahead of the content, commerce and LLM game. There’s dozens of stories in, on and around the serious topics. Too. This is def worth a full listen. -tChapters00:00 - Introduction and Personal Background02:56 - Collaboration with Competition within the Design Industry05:10 - Mike Reflects on his First Decade in the Agency Space 11:10 - Navigating the Early Days of Entrepreneurship14:32 - Building a Design-Driven Culture16:00 - Challenges of Bootstrapping a Business22:43 - Survivor Mentality in Business25:33 - Experience Design Opportunities in an AI World29:52 - Generative AI and Its Limitations from a ExD Perspective32:13 - AI as a the Ultimate Research Assistant and Pitch Partner37:23 - Navigating Industry Changes Post-COVID45:30 - Thoughts Around Entering the Third-era of eCommerce as a System48:20 - The Evolution of Product Pages and Everything being a Landing Page50:18 - The Idea of Real-time Experience and Intent Orchestration56:13 - The Race to LLMs - Content, Commerce, and Embracing Composable57:53 - Moving Toward Composable and Winning with Metallica01:01 - Hot Topic - Third and Grove Joins Forces with Elva01:04 - Do Acquisitions Creating Gaps or Opportunities in the Market01:07 - Rich Explains his Journey Through Growing, Selling, and Exiting 01:13 - The Struggles Behind Success That No One Talks About01:26 - Reflections on Life After a Successful Exit01:32 - Reflections on Success and Legacy
Peace. -t
...
Back from our Summer break, Rich hand I invite a close personal friend, Scott Stephens, to the Podcast. While currently an executive at Rate.com, his career spans a stint at the first SPAM agency (90’s), and as the former COO of Playboy (2000’s), leading their first foray into digital transformation.
In this conversation, we are completely unprofessional for most of the episode, with fits of seriousness as we talk about his role at Rate, and their goal of becoming a beacon for financial and health education. Before that however, we discuss his injuries from Pickleball, including knowing himself out and putting his head through a wall to win a point.
We also go deep into micro-dosing, our culinary adventures, sharing humorous anecdotes about a potential cooking challenge built around Penne Alla Vodka. They also explore the intersection of food and romance, recounting how cooking has played a significant role in their relationships. The discussion takes a turn towards the professional realm as they reflect on Scott's extensive career at Playboy and the impact of the digital revolution on the brand. The episode is filled with laughter, camaraderie, a shared passion for food, and a good deal of ribbing.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates
02:13 Celebrating Rich's Book Launch
05:16 Pickleball injuries
06:58 The Infamous Tattoo Story
10:16 Micro-dosing and Mental Health
13:04 Transitioning to Fintech at Rate.com
16:00 Financial Literacy and Youth Education
21:41 Understanding Financial Literacy and Cash Flow
24:12 The Mortgage Market and Its Complexities
25:52 Real Estate vs. Stock Market: A Long-Term Perspective
29:41 The Emotional Value of Home Ownership
31:10 Generational Wealth and Family Assets
32:26 Creating Memories vs. Financial Investments
35:26 Culinary Adventures and Personal Connections
42:50 Tattoo Memories and Culinary Adventures
45:13 Cooking Techniques and Personal Recipes
47:45 Food and Romance: A Culinary Love Story
51:27 The Playboy Experience: Insights and Anecdotes
55:44 The Evolution of Online Content and Business Strategies
Peace. -t
...
In this engaging conversation, Marko Bon shares his journey from the early days of e-commerce as a brand-side creative leader through to his transition to a leadership role in the agency world.
He discusses the impact of fatherhood on his personal growth, the importance of information architecture in design, and the challenges of transitioning from brand side to agency life. The discussion also delves into the role of data in design, the evolution of his roles at Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, Theory and all the spaces in-between, and the complexities of navigating being looked at as more than a designer.
We then move into the founding of Tomorrow, a Shopify Agency, now known as Domaine, taking Private Equity, merging with their number one competitor, and the challenges that come with leadership in a diverse and rapidly growing practice.
Chapters
00:00 - Fatherhood Reflections: The Joys and Challenges
05:07 - Home Renovation: Crafting a Mid-Century Masterpiece
07:42 - Diving into Information Architecture: A Designer's Path
10:22 - The Role of Data in Design: A Turning Point
13:15 - Brand Side vs. Agency Side: Navigating the Landscape
18:50 - The Evolution of Retail: Challenges and Opportunities
25:01 - The Shift from Design to Leadership
27:35 - Finding Creative Outlets Beyond Design
28:59 - The Art of Storytelling in Presentations
31:10 - The Importance of Team Dynamics
34:11 - The Birth of the Tomorrow Agency
36:18 - From Product Concept to Agency Model
39:38 - Building a Successful Agency
41:36 - Leveraging Brand Experience in Agency Work
44:41 - Navigating the Private Equity Landscape
57:34 - Navigating Strategic Partnerships
01:00 - The Evolution of Leadership
01:03 - Cultivating Company Culture in a Remote World
01:04 - Transitioning from Expert to Manager
01:11 - Generational Perspectives in Leadership
Peace. -t
...
In this week’s episode of Tea with Rich, we are joined by Kim Georgeton, the CEO of Cloudality, where she shares her extensive career journey from her early days at Amazon to her leadership role at Cloudality.
A few fun facts here on Kim, I think…
(a) Kim was Amazon employee number 270-something, ish. Shhhh. I’m writing from memory. The facts are within the cast.
(b) Kim was brought in to Amazon to pilot their first 150 SKU’s of gifting ideas, or non-books as I like to say. You know, to see if people would buy something other than reading materials. I think we all know how that turned out.
(c) Faced with a possible layoff of 30+ people that reported into her, in a prior leadership role, she successfully negotiated a role for herself AND THE ENTIRE TEAM, at a new company, despite having other offers that would of benefited her more personally.
As a new CEO, I’ve had a front row seat to her exceptional thought process and leadership style. She’s definitely one to watch. Her style is both direct and collaborative, backed by an Advisory Group that is a who’s who of professional services success.
Chapters
00:00 - Personal Reflections on Family and Mother’s Day
03:21 - Early Days of E-commerce and Amazon's Growth
04:51 - Transitioning to Trade Global and Digital Marketing
07:57 - Leadership Dynamics and Business Evolution
11:17 - Career Transitions and Team Loyalty
16:21 - Leadership and Team Protection
19:31 - Navigating CEO Challenges
28:51 - Mentorship and Personal Inspiration
32:56 - Who Inspires You
34:53 - Leadership Lessons and Realizations
39:26 - The Emotional Burden of Leadership
48:51 - Navigating Capital and Growth Strategies
58:59 - Starting an Advisory Board Early in the Process
Peace. -t
...
On this weeks episode of Tea with Rich we welcome Ethan Zohn to the Podcast. Ethan is the winner of Survivor Africa, founder of Grassroots Soccer, a 2-time Cancer survivor, and motivational speaker.
We cover his personal and professional journey, including how we met, his role in public speaking, overcoming adversity, and key moments that forever changed his life.
We of course share insights from Ethan's experience as a Survivor winner and repeat contestant, his work with Grassroots Soccer, the emotional aspects of public speaking, and the evolution of reality TV.
The conversation highlights the importance of storytelling and connection in both personal and professional contexts. Ethan discusses his journey leading up to and getting on Survivor, the importance of using fame for good, and the challenges faced during and after the show.
We of course get personal, and share stories related to our travel adventures, the challenges of managing relationships and expectations, overcoming adversity and the lessons learned from difficult experiences.
We end with a few questions from Ethan around how Rich and I handle the idea of competition and building long-lasting alliances.
Chapters
00:00 - Introductions
03:00 - Friendship and Networking in the Industry
06:02 - Survivor Experience and Public Speaking
09:02 - Overcoming Adversity and Sharing Stories
11:58 - Emotional Aspects of Public Speaking
15:10 - The Evolution of Survivor
17:55 - From Professional Soccer to Survivor Contestant
25:07 - The Tryout Process for Survivor
29:14 - Grassroots Soccer and Making a Difference
35:08 - Health Challenges and Survivor's Impact
39:14 - Future Reality Shows and Personal Reflections
48:56 - Life Milestones, Family Connections and Safari Goals
54:55 - Surprise Vacations and Planning
56:49 - Food Obsessions and Weight Management
01:01 - Overcoming Adversity and Life Lessons
01:04 - Charity Events and Personal Connections
01:13 - Competitive Spirit and Game Dynamics
01:14 - The Impact of Cancer Research
01:17 - Leadership Retreats and Team Building
01:20 - Business and Survivor: Relationships Matter
01:29 - Business and Survivor: Creating Alliances
Peace. -t
...
On this weeks drop of Tea with Rich we welcome Erik Huberman of Hawke Media to the Podcast, where we cover everything from personal updates to politics, origin stories, and the future of agencies.
Erik and the Hawke team continue to execute on an impressive acquisition strategy, so we delve into the importance of maintaining a positive company culture, his vision for the future of the agency - emphasizing growth and innovation, and looking for and grooming future leaders.
On the personal side Erik touches on the influences from his family that shaped his personal and professional growth, emphasizing the significance of mentorship and the lessons learned along the way, and his own journey of entrepreneurship prior to Hawke.
Chapters:
00:00 - Introductions, the Fallout from the LA Fires, and Catching Up
03:13 - Health and Wellness Journey
06:04 - Leadership and Business Growth
09:01 - Navigating Political and Economic Challenges
11:53 - Acquisition Strategy and Integration
15:09 - Vision for the Future
27:48 - Navigating Business Decisions and Market Changes
31:44 - Balancing Family Life and Entrepreneurship
37:10 - Raising Kids with Intentionality
40:43 - Lessons from Parenting and Personal Growth
48:01 - Influences from Family and Personal Development
55:04 - Mentorship and Professional Growth
56:53 - Building Relationships and Early Success
58:46 - Starting Over: Lessons from the Past
01:00 - Navigating the AI Landscape
01:02 - The Future of Agencies and Innovation
01:05 - Intent and Excellence in Business
01:10 - The Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
01:13 - Reflections on Selling a Business
You can find Erik on all the usual channels folks - LinkedIn, IG, the family of Hawke companies. He's one to watch.
Peace. -t
…
This weeks episode of Tea with Rich features Brian Walker, whom shares his extensive career in the commerce tech space, discussing current ventures, including his podcast 'Cocktails and Commerce'.
Our dialog delves into the evolution of the commerce industry, the MACH Alliance, and the future trends in commerce and technology, including order orchestration (possibly) about to take center stage, and the continued rise of (actual) composable. We also chatted up the importance of a proper strategy and strong leadership in navigating the current wave of “what’s next in commerce”.
Toward the back-half of this episode we discuss the importance of integrating customer experience, the role of AI, and the challenges of building effective partnerships. We or course, also, get into a dialogue that touches on personal experiences, including balancing career and family life, and providing a holistic view of the commerce industry, maybe, today.
Chapters, ish...
00:00 - Introduction and Shooting the Sh!t
06:29 - Brian's Career Journey and Current Venture
16:30 - Reflections on the Commerce Industry
27:56 - Insights from Brian's Experiences
37:58 - The Impact of COVID on Digital Investments
45:28 - The Rise of Shopify and Market Dynamics
49:34 - Future Trends in Commerce Technology
59:26 - Debating Composability and Headless Commerce
01:01 - The Shiny New Toy Syndrome
01:04 - Navigating Composability in Commerce
01:07 - The Evolution of Commerce Technology
01:13 - The Integrated Commerce Experience
01:15 - Balancing Career, Fatherhood and Emotional Growth
01:25 - Lessons from our Grandparents
01:28 - Advice for Tech Leaders on Partnerships
01:40 - Building Successful Partnerships
Peace. -t
...
In this weeks episode of Tea with Rich, we chat it up with Emily Heintz, founder of Sechey, a pioneer in the non-alcoholic movement.
We discuss the evolution of the non-alcoholic beverage movement, our personal journeys with alcohol, and the importance of wellness.
Moving on from there, we explore the challenges and successes of running a business in this emerging market, I learn some new words, and their significance, like adaptogens, and the impact on personal relationships with alcohol on health and socialization.
This conversation highlights the importance of community, self-care, and the lessons learned in entrepreneurship.
Chapters
00:00 - Introductions
02:05 - Secheys Growth and the Non-Alcoholic Movement
04:26 - Understanding Functional Beverages
06:41 - Rich's Relationship with Alcohol in his 20's
09:54 - The Last Time Rich Drank
16:28 - Teas Relationship with Alcohol
24:07 - Looking for that Drinking Feel Without Drinking
26:56 - Emily's Journey and the Birth of Sechey
28:57 - The Impact of COVID on Alcohol Consumption
31:56 - Challenges in the Non-Alcoholic Beverage Market
35:10 - The Future of Non-Alcoholic Beverages
40:24 - The Evolution of Retail and E-Commerce
41:30 - Emily Talks on How all Roads Lead to This Moment
45:53 - Wellness and Health Trends in Beverage Choices
49:54 - The Importance of Sleep and Its Connection to Alcohol
55:50 - Navigating the Entrepreneurial Journey
01:00 - Emotional Rollercoaster of Business
01:03 - Emily Asks "What got you through the early days of grinding?"
01:15 - Reflections on Growth and Future Aspirations
Peace. -t
...
This weeks episode hits on part two of our dialog with Erik Dodier, where he continues to reflect on his first 90 days of retirement, and we get into some deep topics related to the intermingling of our personal and professional journeys.
This weeks conversations touch upon topics like:
We, of course, continue to shoot the sh!t a bit too, per usual.
Peace. -t
...
On this episode Erik Dodier updates us on life 90-days into his retirement from PixelMEDIA/RafterOne, and we explore Erik's transition from a structured work life to a more flexible yet structured personal schedule, where he continues to focus on health, wellness, personal growth and what's next. The trio discusses hobbies, family time, and travel adventures, while also reflecting on the challenges and opportunities that come with retirement.
Erik emphasizes the importance of staying engaged and finding new ways to contribute to the community, including potential teaching opportunities and personal projects.
Peace. -t
In this episode we welcome Harvey to the pulpit, where we discuss the evolution of the e-commerce landscape, particularly focusing on some deep Demandware history and stories, and the emergence of (and move to support) Shopify in the Enterprise space.
With a combined 60+ years of eCommerce experience between the three of us, there's no shortage of stories.
We reflect on our experiences in the industry, the impact of the post-COVID slowdown on agencies, and the importance of customer-centricity and trust in leadership.
Harvey shares insights from his journey transitioning from brand-side roles to agency leadership, emphasizing the need for empathy and understanding in the agency-client relationship.
The conversation also touches on cultural shifts within organizations and the future of partnerships in the e-commerce space. In this conversation, we delve into various themes surrounding networking, business relationships, and personal growth. We reflect on our experiences in B2B and D2C commerce, the impact of loss on their lives, and the importance of community.
The discussion also touches on career journeys, unexpected paths, and future aspirations, culminating in a rich dialogue about lessons learned and the significance of relationships in both personal and professional contexts.
We'll skip the Chapter listing here as we whipsawed through dozens of topics and reflections on our paths.
About Harvey:
Find him on on LinkedIn folks. His history is to rich to summarize, and too amazing for me to simplify into a few choice sentences. He's a true OG in the total-commerce landscape.
Peace. -t
In this episode of Tea with Rich, we welcome Dylan Runne to share his journey from starting a Business Analyst (ish) at Sapient and Accenture to founding Fenom Digital and eventually selling it to WPP.
He discusses the challenges and successes he faced in the commerce industry, his transition into venture capital with Bambu Ventures, and his current role as CEO of Billfold.
Dylan also opens up about his personal passions, including powerboat racing and cooking, and emphasizes the importance of health and wellness in maintaining a successful career.
In this engaging conversation, the speakers delve into the profound impact of leadership presence on team dynamics, the importance of networking and relationship building in business (even at those late late events), and the critical role of mentorship in personal growth.
They share personal anecdotes about their experiences in leadership roles, the lessons learned from mistakes, and the significance of being aware and empathetic in professional settings.
The discussion emphasizes the value of surrounding oneself with capable individuals and the necessity of being real and authentic in interactions, especially in the age of social media.
Chapters
00:00 - Introductions
02:35 - The Decision to Start an Agency
08:45 - Landing That First Major Client
09:49 - The Birth of Fenom Digital
11:56 - Sometimes You Have to Live On-site
13:06 - When Global Agencies Doubled Down on Commerce
17:39 - New Beginnings in Venture Capital and Investing
21:02 - Being The New Guy In a New Venture
25:17 - Innovations in Customer Engagement with BambuMeta
30:50 - Staying in Shape with Personal Passions
36:56 - Knowing When to Slow Down and Reset
45:20 - Late Nights as Strategic Networking for High Performers
49:57 - Controlled Chaos at 200MPH
52:19 - Advice for New Entrepreneurs: Surround Yourself with Talent
54:36 - Advice for that Next Big Talent Looking for a Break
59:58 - Get Someone to Believe in You and Start Saying Yes
01:06 - Rich on the Reason He Started Teaching and Mentoring
01:11 - Paying it Forward and Always Being There for Others
01:13 - Closing Comments and Some Shooting the Sh!t
About Dylan Runne:
Dylan is the Founder and former CEO of Fenom Digital, an agency focused on creating and managing enterprise class Commerce sites on the Demandware platform, also formerly known as Salesforce Commerce Cloud.
Fenom Digital was purchased by WPP in 2023, where Dylan eventually took over all North American Commerce operations for their VML group.
Dylan also founded Fenom Ventures, a privately held investment group, and is currently a general partner at BambuVentures, an investor and board member at BambuMeta, and the acting CEO at Billfold, a POS company based in Brooklyn, NY.
Prior to this he was just a regular dude with a dream to be an entrepreneur, with stints at MediaHive and Accenture as a Solution Strategist, and a BA at Sapient Razorfish. Ish.
You can find him on LinkedIn of course. For the full CV.
Peace. -t
...
In this episode of Tea with Rich, we welcome Erik Dodier, my business partner of 3 decades, who is two days from his retirement after 30 years at the helm of PixelMEDIA (aka RafterOne).
This episode is a doozy, as I surprise Rich with our guest, and we get into a number of way way back stories about Erik and I as collaborators, business partners, and learning to trust and work with each other.
We start, ish, with a discussion on Erik's upcoming transition from an ultra-structured work-life to the unknowns of retirement, and he shares some his early thoughts on how he may spend his first few weeks and months, and the emotional challenges of stepping away from a long career. The group of us reflect on our personal experiences with retirement, and the anxiety that can accompany significant life changes.
We then, sort of, let Rich take over the Podcast, and ask questions of Erik and I around our personal and working relationship together over three decades, how we got through the hard times, and our thoughts on culture.
Erik Dodier and Rich Lyons reflect on how they met, their journey together in the business world, and the importance of building relationships. We then dive into the dynamics of our partnership, Erik and I, and the magic that was Pixel.
We share insights on overcoming challenges, the evolution of company culture, and personal growth, including the significance of tattoos as a form of self-expression. The discussion continues with an emphasis on the value of trust, communication, and the realities of entrepreneurship, providing listeners with a candid look at our experiences and lessons learned over the years.
Chapters
00:00 - Introductions and Shooting the Sh!t
01:38 - Erik on “Stepping Away" and Transition Plans
04:21 - Potential Hobbies Post-Retirement
09:55 - Eriks Health Gadgets and Wellness Routines
11:09 - After 30 years of work - How do you Make the Transition Out
20:35 - Erik's Discusses his Background and Decision to Step Away from Pixel/RafterOne
31:37 - Navigating Life After Retirement
34:52 - Erik Recalls the First Time He Met Rich Lyons
36:25 - Erik Talks About the Art of Transitioning Clients Between the Two of Us
38:00 - Erik on the First Time TJ/Thomas Swore in Front of Clients
40:27 - The Hidden Magic of Being 50-50 Partners from the Start
43:08 - The Dynamics of Friendship and Business
47:30 - (Q) How Did You Guys Get Through the Hard Times?
54:52 - Perspectives on the Evolution of Company Culture
01:00 - Erik's Talks About His Desire for a Tattoo. Maybe.
01:02 - We Are Constantly Evolving and Maturing. Embrace it.
01:06 - Erik Summarizes His 30 Years in the Entrepreneurial Arc.
01:09 - Closing comments.
Peace. -t
...
In this episode we welcome Mallory Rosen, a long-time friend we met through our Strategic Alliance and Partnership collaborations.
After a good deal of opening banter, our conversation explores themes of partnerships, self-advocacy, and the balance between work and family life.
Mallory discusses her experiences with chronic illness, the importance of mental health, and how her career in partnerships has shaped her perspective on business and relationships.
This episode emphasizes the value of good partnerships and the need for open communication in both personal and professional settings. We each provide a perspectives on the critical role of partnerships in business, emphasizing the importance of communication, enablement, and building trust.
During the Q&A dialogs, Rich and I share personal stories and reflections on our careers, highlighting life lessons and mantras that guide us. The discussion also touches on the challenges of navigating the always pesky work-life balance, especially for working parents, and concludes with book recommendations that have influenced our perspectives.
Chapters
00:00 - Opening Chit-chat and personal anecdotes
01:57 - Babies. Time shifts. Travel packing. And Crosswords.
07:54 - Mallory Shares Her Story
13:05 - Transitioning to Partnerships and Consulting
17:57 - The Importance of Relationships and Trust
20:58 - Finding Downtime and Recharging as a Working Mom
26:48 - Supporting Each Other and Building Strong Partnerships, at Work and at Home
29:11 - Mallory on "I'm only allowed to be messy in my closet."
33:11 - Sidebar - The Great Underwear and Socks Debate
34:14 - Cleanliness Habits and Relationship Compatibility
38:25 - The Importance of Partnerships and Alliances
42:31 - The Three Legs of a Great Partnership Program
46:58 - The Critical Role of Partner Enablement
Q&A Time. Mallory Gets to Probe Rich and Tea
52:47 - What is a Job You Did That is Not on Your Resume
01:02 - What are Some of Your Personal Mantra's
01:14 - Pivoting from Career-focused to a Mom with a Job
01:19 - Making Your Relationship as Parents, Priority #1
01:23 - Final question. What's One Book you Should Read?
01:26 - Closing Comments
A bit about Mallory..
Mallory Rosen,
Director of Strategic Alliances, Hero Digital
Mallory is focused on the company's Salesforce Alliance and GTM Strategy. With a diverse background on the Client, ISV Partner, GSI and Growth Consulting Partner sides of business, Mallory brings a diverse lense to her thinking, collaboration, and overall partnership management approach. Mallory prides herself on being a trusting, loyal and appassional collector of good people, with a track record of success in strategic partnerships. Her number one job is being a mom, a wife and a friend.
You can find her on LinkedIn obvs...
Peace. -t
...
In this episode we welcome back Rob Garf, and get into questions from Rob that we each send time pondering. Like, how we view our purpose in life, and how we stay motivated to succeed.
We start with the usual - shooting the shit, including Rich’s Iceland trip, Tea getting bored on sabbatical, and Rob discussing his dream to live on the Cape. I open up about having never visited the Cape, despite spending may entire life an hour away.
We then shift the more serious topic of our purpose and how to stay motivated after achieving ‘success’.
Thomas expresses his desire to be one less worry in peoples day, while Rich talks about the importance of maximizing potential and serving others. We also discuss the idea of living well and making a positive impact on others. Tea reflects on his current state of zen and contemplates next steps in terms of where to apply his energy to make a difference.
Rob Garf reflects on the importance of work-life balance and being present in all aspects of life, and we spin up a dialog on the myth of what balance really is.
Rob shares a story about meeting the founder of Life is Good for a mentoring moment, and learning about prioritizing family, friends, work, and charity. Rich and Thomas answer a question from Rob on pivotal moments in our careers - where we discuss key turning points with Demandware, and growing through the experience.
Chapters
00:00 - Catching Up and Rich’s Iceland Excursion
05:29 - Signs That I Might be Getting Bored
06:25 - Check-in with Rob Garf, and his Dream To Live on the Cape
07:28 - Rob's Discusses "No Airplane August"
08:55 - Rob Educates Tea on What “The Cape"
12:16 - The Boys Pressuring me to go do Dreamforce
16:16 - Storytime. The Nudist Chased by a Homeless Guy with a Blowtorch in San Francisco
17:32 - Q&A Time - Rob Asks How We View and Define Our Purpose, and Plans for the Future
20:54 - Rich on Purpose, Staying Motivate, Serving Others and Paying It Forward
28:00 - Sidebar - The “I don't know how much time I have left” topic
29:39 - Living Long vs. Living Well
30:48 - Tea Rambles on How He Views His Purpose and Staying Motivated
37:20 - Contemplating Next Steps, and Focusing on Helping Non-profits
43:08 - Using LinkedIn for good, and why we publish there.
44:28 - Rob on Contemplating His Own Values, and Serving Others
47:11 - Mentorship and Work-Life Balance
52:20 - Q&A - Rob Asks About Key Inflection Points to Success That Stand Out
55:27 - Tea Tells a Series of Early DWRE Days Inflection Point Stories
01:02 - Rich Tells a Few Amazing Inflection Point Stories
01:08 - Rich on early PAB's and a proper Partner and Customer Success Program
01:11 - Closing out and a bit (more) of shooting the shit
Peace. -t
---
In this episode of Tea with Rich, we welcome guest Rob Garf, a retail and digital insights legend. This is part one of a two part dialog, and is 100% focus on Rob, his history in commerce, and his current role at Salesforce.
Rob is currently the VP & GM of Retail and Consumer Goods at Salesforce.
We begin with the usual shooting the shit, and then move into the more serious topics where Rob shares his background in retail and digital, starting from collaborating with his dad, his early digital days at LIDS (1999, ish) and as an analyst at AMR Research and IBM. Rob also talks about his journey at Demandware (2011) and the challenges they faced before becoming a successful company. The conversation drifts between personal and professional quite a bit, and wraps-up with a discussion about the first we met and plans to record a Part 2 of with Rob.
The conversation between Rich Lyons, Rob Garf, and Thomas covers various topics, including their experiences with different platforms and services, the importance of building trust and relationships in business, the balance between work and personal life, and the significance of community and authenticity.
We also touch on the creation of the Garfie and the phenomenon it has become, and the impact of finding your purpose in life. The conversation is filled with personal anecdotes, insights, and a sense of camaraderie.
We end with a promise to shoot a Part 2, soon, and give Rob a chance to ask questions of Rich and Tea.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and Welcoming the Guest
09:02 - Rich gets food poisoning at Taylor Swift in Paris
09:50 - Rob Garf Introduces Himself
10:23 - Rob's Background in Retail and Technology
18:02 - How Rob and Tea Met
19:59 - Rob swears for the first time, I'm pretty sure...
20:34 - How Rich and Rob Met
24:01 - Rob on his current role at Salesforce - GM for Retail and Consumer Goods
25:43 - Rob on Industry Insights and Building Trust and Relationships
27:56 - Rob talks about a proud parenting and travel moment
33:36 - Rob explains the Garfie, and finding his persona online
40:06 - Closing chatter and PSA - there will be another Garfie episode
Peace. -t
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In this episode of Tea with Rich, we are joined by Frank De Maria, the Vice President of Digital Engineering and Platforms at Miller Knoll. Frank is a brand-side legend, and one of the most experienced, kind, and bright leaders in the technology and e-commerce field.
We of course being by - you know it - shooting the shit and catching up before Frank shares his story and background in the industry, where he started as a developer and eventually moved into a number of senior leadership roles. Frank touches on the importance of having in-house expertise and control over his technology stack, as well as the challenges of standardizing design systems across multiple brands.
We then get into a dialog on the role of a leader (e.g. blocker and tackle for your team), the most productive hours of our days, and the constant challenge of balancing work and family, with an emphasis on the the importance of loyalty, hard work, and building strong relationships.
We get into a some gnarly questions (see Chapters below), including franks perspective on maturing the tech stack, how we deal with failure and what’s next for me (Tea) - which is a challenge to answer so I basically ramble on the reality of my head space right now, how we handle failure, and what we do to reset/recharge - and how we manage the short, mid and long resets.
We end with Franks final question for us - our perspective on the state of the Digital Agency/SI (and ISV) industry and the what opportunities might lie ahead for them.
Chapters
00:00 - Welcome and Shooting the Sh!t
07:00 - The time Tea tried to steal Frank from Rich’s
08:00 - Frank De Maria Introduction
09:16 - Rich and Franks first meeting - 25 brands launched in a year
11:41 - Frank on how his journey started with late 90’s web production work
16:29 - Frank tells the story of meeting Tea (aka TJ, Thomas, etc.)
20:03 - That one time Tea talked Rich out of a Vegas Tattoo
23:37 - Frank talks about his team at Miller-Knoll, and Experience Design Collaboration
30:09 - A day in the life of Frank
32:17 - Open dialog - our thoughts on the most productive hours of the day
33:31 -(Q) Tea asks Franks advice for the next generation of leaders in our space?
35:00 - Imposter syndrome, just wanting to do a good job, having an impact and helping others
40:38 - (Q) Teas asks Franks perspective on tech stack maturation (e.g. moving toward composable)
47:40 - Commercial break, ish - Rich and Tea talk about their Herman Miller chairs
51:05 - Rich and Frank talk the importance of strong relationships
54:14 - The sacrifices we have made to be successful - and the urban myth of balance
57:02 - (Q) Frank asks Rich about ‘the late 90's bankruptcy story’
01:06 - (Q) Frank asks Tea - what's next for you? Everyone wants to know.
01:10 - Everyones superpower should be networking (and the power of making introductions)
01:14 - (Q) Frank asks us how we reset and recharge, and how we handle failure at this stage of our careers?
01:15 - Tea goes first and answers the reset and failure-handling questions
01:21 - How Rich resets, and deals with failure
01:30 - The BEST way to disarm a leader when you need help...
01:32 - (Q) Frank asks us what we think about the current state of the Agency industry
About Frank
Frank is the Vice President of Digital Engineering and Platforms at MillerKnoll (NASDAQ: MLKN, https://www.millerknoll.com/) supporting its collective of dynamic brands. In this role, Frank oversees the technologies responsible for driving the global digital and retail business, including systems such as ERP, WMS, POS, OMS, CRM, and various web, commerce, content, marketing, and integration technologies supporting both B2B and B2C businesses. Prior to joining MillerKnoll, Frank spent over sixteen years in progressively more senior technical roles at consumer goods giants Newell Brands (NASDAQ:NWL) and Jarden Corporation (NYSE:JAH) transitioning from hands-on engineering roles and into leadership roles.
Peace. -t
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In this not-so-short Rich and I catch up on our recent activities, including my evolving golf game. Rich decides to inject a PSA slash commercial break on skincare, where we comically get into our routines, including beard and hair. Us talking about skincare is probably worth the listen, as I butcher a few words and make up some news ones.
We then get into a dialog around our recent trips, like Rich in Paris, Ireland and Malta, and my recent trip to Stagecoach and The Robb Report Culinary Masters event in Cali, where our team won the cooking completion under the tutelage of Chef Jamal James Kent, a Michelin starred legend, whom sadly passed away unexpectedly the day before Fathers Day.
This. Like most of our shorts. Is Rich and I just shooting the shit and catching up with each other, talking past guests, and a bit on our industry, a few of my recent LinkedIn posts, and our love of the SFCC platform. We end the freestyle session with me admitting I joined a proper Country Club. Like. Super proper.
We then get into our favorite part of these gatherings. Random questions for each other. If you only listen to a small part of the show, head down to the 29th minute - where Rich and I get real with each other.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and Catching Up
01:02 - Commercial Break. Sunscreen. PCP's and Skincare freestyle.
03:15 - More Skincare chatter. BBL. Moxy. And Cryofacials.
08:05 - Forehead real estate. And Beard care.
11:50 - We will not be talking about my doctors appt.
13:50 - Taylor Swift and Jelly Roll // aka vacation updates.
16:13 - Tea talks about his trip to the Robb Report Culinary Masters Event
21:50 - Music Festivals and Appreciating Performances
24:28 - The Impact (good and bad) of recent Social Media Posts
29:02 - (Q) What's one thing you wish people would stop doing?
34:36 - (Q) What's one of your worst fears?
41:30 - The burden and gift of accountability - to our Customers and our Staff
45:06 - The Power and Responsibility of Entrepreneurship
Peace. -t
...
On this episode we talk with long-time friend Adam Grohs. A man with as much if not more experience in the eCommerce and Agency lead space than Rich and I. Adam is also the cofounder of agnoStack, which provides seamless, commerce-platform agnostic, customer support for orders across all channels.
Today. We get deep, quick, on a number of topics related to commerce and tech, and of course the the occasional question for Rich and I, and some drift topics that creep in - like how Rich manages his email - and Adam and I don’t.
With Adam having 20+ years in the Agency space, specifically leading and managing Commerce engagements, we jump into the deep end to discuss his take on some of the confusion surrounding headless and composable commerce, and the potential for a new platform in the market. Including a dialog around the commoditization of commerce and the need for agencies to provide valuable services on top of the “new basics” and foundational tools.
We hit the platforms, mentioning Magento, Shop, BigCommerce, Salesforce, etc. - and Adams appreciation for how Commerce Tools has approached things. We also touch on some of the true newcomers, like Vue, and some of the more modern architectural approaches and needs for the emerging brand, while also waxing poetic on the challenge for the Enterprise to pick-up new school ideas and tools before their moment passes.
We then dig a bit deeper, and discuss the importance of creating differentiated experiences and focusing on post-purchase customer support and loyalty (a relatively new and uncharted area IMO), and go as far as highlighting the need for modernizing organizational structures and strategies to adapt to the changing landscape.
After a LOT of that talk Adam gets to probe Rich and I a bit, and we share our personal experiences and some regrets as young leaders, highlighting the importance of accountability, empathy, and wanting everyone to succeed in our businesses. This leads to a dialog about our friendship and the camaraderie within the industry.
Bottom line, we go deep on tech and the challenges and misconceptions, while also making some predictions of our own on how the Agency of the future can flourish in this new world of service opportunities.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and Background
02:18 - Fathers Day and College Orientation Updates
06:02 - Tea’s Birthday in Miami Adam
07:38 - Adam Grohs Introduces Himself
14:51 - How Adam and Rich Met
17:11 - Adam on (re)Becoming a Developer and Entrepreneur.
19:14 - Adam on being Commerce vs. Digital focused.
20:36 - Exploring Buzzword Bingo and Commerce Industry Confusion
23:50 - Adam on the Shift to Serverless and Microservices Architectures
28:02 - The Need for New Platforms in the Commerce Space
31:50 - The Real Shift in Customer Touchpoints
33:24 - Has Commerce Been Commoditized?
41:07 - Has Tech Become Overly Romanced?
43:18 - What is the New Battleground?
45:00 - Post-Purchase Experiences and Loyalty
49:04 - The Ability to Drop in Anywhere Along the Experience Chain
53:05 - Adam on Being Humbled by Modern Tech and New Experiences
53:34 - The Need to Modernize Organizational Structures
55:03 - Macro trends and Generational Preferences on an Experience or Brand
58:45 - The Opportunities Within the Commoditization of Technology
Adam Gets to Ask Some Questions
01:02 - (Q) What Are Your Essential Day-to-Day Tools That You Wish Existed When You Were Starting Out?
01:06 - Drift Topic - We give Rich Anxiety as we Talk Email Management and our 50K+ Unread Inboxes
01:12 - (Q) What Are Some of Your Regrets and Lessons Learned Looking Back, That You Would of Done Differently With What You Know Now?
01:20 - Adam Expresses Appreciation for how Rich and Tea Operated
1:25 - The Power of Friendship, The Idea of Working Together, and Closing Comments
Peace. -t
In this half-episode, Rich and I get real with each other, slow things down a bit, and just shoot the shit.
We cover topics like my evolving golf game (in the cold), some of our favorite wins as agency leads, and our favorite movies (we have zero in common). Rich talks about a recent speaking engagement on best practices for selling and the importance of knowing your customer. I reflect on the importance of celebrating milestones in business and we both share a 'favorite project' win.
We drift off into the challenges of working with RFP's, poor expectations, and outside creative collabs. I ask Rich about his favorite movies (one of his picks is Warrior).
We wrap up with a chat on the importance of living well, staying functionally healthy as we age and our goals to live to 100.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and Golfing in Cold Weather
06:30 - If you could relive one biz moment - what would it be, and why?
13:30 - Moments, looking back. I wish we celebrated more often
15:28 ish - Rarely shared facts about responding to RFP’s, and deciding who not to work with
19:36 - Favorite movies
27:32 - Aspiring to Live to 100
31:53 - Reading to my kids - shutdown
32:51 - The Importance of Exercise and being Health focused
Peace. -t