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The FODcast

The FODcast

By: Tim Roedel and James Hodges
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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.

© 2026 The FODcast
Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Search Everywhere: How Brands Market to Humans and Agents at the Same Time with Megan Conahan
    21 Oct 2026

    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.



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    #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/




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    55 min
  • Why Ecommerce Teams Need to Prepare for AI Shopping Now with Alex Melen, SmartSites
    6 Oct 2026

    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/




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    47 min
  • Building Puresport: Community, Brand & Consumer Connection with Daniel Temm
    23 Sep 2026

    “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/




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    1 hr and 6 min
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