Future of Consumer Marketing

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Roman Kirsch interviews Jacob Westerberg, Co-Founder of JUNIPER, a Swedish direct-to-consumer bedding and home goods brand. Jacob and his wife built JUNIPER from a honeymoon hotel experience into a profitable business that's expanded from bed linens into towels, soaps, and consumables. Their journey reveals crucial insights about working capital management, founder-led marketing, and the evolution from single-product focus to category expansion. Through strategic product development and performance marketing optimization, they've maintained profitability while building a premium brand that commands €200+ average order values in a commoditized market.
Topics Discussed:
Working capital challenges in inventory-heavy D2C businesses
Founder-led marketing and authentic brand storytelling
Performance marketing evolution through iOS changes and platform shifts
Product expansion strategy for improving customer lifetime value
Premium positioning in commoditized categories
International expansion considerations for product-specific sizing
Marketing measurement and attribution in the post-iOS 14 era

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Andres Figueira interviews Nick Brackenbury, Co-founder and CEO of NearSt. NearSt is revolutionizing the retail landscape by connecting the world's local inventory to the web, bridging the critical gap between online discovery and offline purchasing. With over a billion stock updates flowing through their platform daily, NearSt is tackling one of retail's biggest challenges: making 95% of products currently invisible to online consumers discoverable through digital channels. Through partnerships with Google, Facebook, and last-mile delivery providers, they're helping mid-market and small retailers compete in an increasingly digital world while preserving the value of physical retail spaces.
Topics Discussed:
Bridging the online-to-offline commerce gap with real-time inventory data
Overcoming measurement and attribution challenges in physical retail
Leveraging inspirational search behaviors to drive local store visits
Building technical solutions for antiquated retail inventory systems
Scaling local inventory visibility across global markets
Managing relationships between big tech platforms and small retailers
Understanding cultural differences in shopping behaviors across markets

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Brett Stapper interviews Deeannah Seymour, CEO and Co-Founder of pH-D Feminine Health. After 20 years in pharma, Seymour launched pH-D in 2014 to commercialize boric acid vaginal suppositories - a product that existed only through compounding pharmacies despite being frequently recommended by OB-GYNs. Within six months of launching on Amazon, the product became the bestseller in its category, driven by evangelical customer reviews and a healthcare professional marketing strategy that established pH-D as the #1 doctor-recommended brand. Today, pH-D operates across 55,000+ retail locations while maintaining its woman-owned certification and bootstrapped status.
Topics Discussed:
Transitioning from healthcare professional marketing to mainstream retail expansion
Navigating regulatory restrictions and advertising censorship in feminine health
Building a problem-solution brand in an underfunded category
Scaling from Amazon to 55,000+ retail locations without outside funding
Creating safe spaces for stigmatized health conversations
Maintaining woman-owned certification as a competitive advantage
Developing clinical studies and IP acquisition strategy

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Andres Figueira interviews Ferran Belmonte, VP of Growth Marketing at June. June is revolutionizing the rental market in major US metros by creating a flexible, technology-driven platform that serves students and young professionals seeking mid-to-long-term housing solutions. Through innovative approaches to automation, data-driven testing, and strategic partnerships, Ferran has built a marketing machine that addresses the complex needs of international students and young professionals navigating America's rigid rental market. His journey from hotel operations to retail marketing to prop tech showcases how cross-industry experience can drive breakthrough marketing strategies in traditionally stagnant sectors.
Topics Discussed:
Building automated marketing systems with limited startup resources
Leveraging A/B testing to validate sales team insights and optimize conversion funnels
Creating human-centered communication in an increasingly automated world
Developing strategic partnerships that evolve from transactional to collaborative relationships
Managing remote marketing teams across multiple time zones and cultures
Using AI and virtual rendering technology to scale visual content cost-effectively
Implementing pixel discovery tools for high-intent user retargeting

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Brett Stapper interviews Daricus Releford, CEO and Co-Founder of StoreCash. StoreCash is disrupting the cashback space by maximizing customer returns through a subscription model that delivers 7-15% savings across 400+ major retailers. Unlike traditional cashback platforms that keep a portion of merchant commissions, StoreCash passes maximum value to customers for a $24 annual fee. The company has reached nearly $1M ARR by targeting budget-conscious consumers, primarily women aged 30-36, many of whom are mothers. Through strategic paid acquisition and market education, Daricus has built a sustainable consumer fintech business while navigating the unique challenges of mobile app monetization.
Topics Discussed:
Transitioning from B2B big tech roles to consumer app entrepreneurship
Discovering and pivoting to the right ICP through data-driven insights
Building a subscription model that maximizes customer value over platform profits
Navigating Facebook advertising limitations and scaling challenges
Working with performance marketing agencies vs. in-house teams
Balancing customer feedback with forward-thinking product decisions
Market education strategies for disrupting established cashback platforms

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Brett Stapper interviews Hannah Keyser, Vice President of Marketing at Scenthound. Scenthound is disrupting the pet care industry by creating a membership-based model focused on routine hygiene and wellness care for dogs - addressing a gap between traditional grooming (focused on aesthetics) and basic health maintenance that every dog needs. Through their innovative franchise model and community-driven marketing approach, they've built a scalable business that transforms how pet parents think about dog care while creating viral sharing opportunities around pet health "report cards."
Topics Discussed:
Building a test-and-learn marketing philosophy across multiple channels
Creating viral sharing mechanisms through pet health report cards
Balancing national brand marketing with local franchise support
Developing community-based marketing strategies for pet care services
Managing marketing for both corporate locations and franchise partners
Leveraging the emotional connection between pet parents and their dogs
Scaling authentic community engagement across diverse franchise locations
 

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Roman Kirsch interviews Julia Lirio, Marketing Director at roadsurfer. roadsurfer is transforming the camping and van life experience across 14 countries by positioning camping as a hip, young lifestyle choice rather than a niche hobby for retirees. Operating in the fast-growing outdoor recreation market, roadsurfer offers camper rentals, camping spots, long-term rentals, and van sales through a brand that makes outdoor adventures accessible and Instagram-worthy. Julia shares how her team navigates the challenge of matching elevated consumer expectations with the reality of van life, while scaling marketing operations across diverse international markets with a centralized approach.
Topics Discussed:
Repositioning camping from niche hobby to mainstream lifestyle brand
Building marketing operations across 14 international markets
Balancing brand storytelling with performance marketing measurement
Managing consumer expectations vs. reality in experience-based products
Scaling creative content production through influencer partnerships
Implementing AI for content localization and customer segmentation
Transitioning from CEO to GEO optimization strategies
Building centralized marketing teams for international operations
 

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Roman Kirsch interviews Mat Megens, Founder of HyperJar. HyperJar is transforming how consumers manage their spending through behavioral psychology and gamified saving mechanics. Starting from a supply chain financing concept, the company evolved into a consumer spending app that helps people avoid debt and spend more intentionally. With nearly 700,000 customers, HyperJar has achieved remarkable organic growth primarily through word-of-mouth and credible influencer endorsements, while building sticky retention through shared money features that create network effects.
Topics Discussed:
Evolving from B2B supply chain financing to consumer spending management
Building the first 100,000 users through retail partnerships and organic PR
Applying behavioral psychology to make saving feel rewarding
Creating viral growth through credible influencer endorsements versus paid advertising
Developing shared money features that create network effects and retention
Monetizing through merchant partnerships and B2B licensing
Leveraging economic downturns as tailwinds for financial wellness products
 

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Roman Kirsch interviews Nelly Voukaki, Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer at Looper Insights. Looper Insights revolutionized how major entertainment studios track and optimize their content placement across streaming platforms, connected devices, and digital storefronts. Starting from a compliance problem in transactional stores, Nelly and her team built a platform that monitors pricing, availability, and merchandising placement for thousands of titles across 30+ countries and multiple platforms. Through innovative hardware solutions that mimic human behavior to track connected TV interfaces, they provided studios with unprecedented visibility into how their content competes for attention in the streaming ecosystem.
Topics Discussed:
Building a technical solution to solve content compliance and placement tracking across streaming platforms
Creating hardware solutions that mimic human behavior to monitor connected TV interfaces
Developing weighted share of voice metrics to assign dollar values to editorial placements
Correlating content placement data with performance metrics to optimize marketing spend
Navigating the shift from editorial to algorithmic content placement on streaming platforms
Understanding the competitive landscape of content merchandising across different streaming services
Leveraging AI and data analytics to optimize content marketing strategies

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Brett Stapper interviews Steven Sashen, founder and Chief Barefoot Officer of Xero Shoes. Steven built a multi-million dollar footwear company from a simple DIY sandal kit after discovering barefoot running transformed his athletic performance. Starting with basic SEO tactics in 2009, Xero Shoes has grown into a 60-product line worn by everyone from casual walkers to NBA and WNBA players. Steven's journey from Internet marketing veteran to footwear entrepreneur showcases how authentic product experiences, contrarian marketing tactics, and specialized talent acquisition can build a category-defining brand in a crowded market.
Topics Discussed:
Building a brand around authentic product experiences and word-of-mouth growth
Leveraging early SEO mastery to dominate niche keywords before competition arrived
Creating guerrilla marketing campaigns that break conventional "best practices"
Developing product lines through direct customer feedback and demand signals
Assembling high-performing marketing teams through specialized freelancers vs agencies
Using content marketing to educate consumers on barefoot running benefits
Converting book publicity into brand awareness through strategic partnerships