This episode features Matt Doka, co-founder of FiveStars, for a discussion on retail loyalty. From his early days in consulting to building a loyalty management powerhouse now part of SumUp, Matt’s journey is a testament to innovation and perseverance. In this episode, we explore the inspiration and mission behind founding FiveStars, the principles of successful retail loyalty programs, effective personalization techniques, and emerging trends in the loyalty space. Matt also shares his experiences scaling from a startup to a global company, offering insights into transforming customer transactions into meaningful relationships and the future of retail loyalty.

In this episode of 'What's in Store?' hosted by Sanad Yaghi, co-founder of DTEK.ai, Stephen Howard-Sarin, Managing Director of Retail Media Americas at Criteo, discusses the intricacies of retail media advertising. Stephen shares his experiences from his ten-year journey in the industry, including his time at Walmart and Instacart and his current role at Criteo. The conversation delves into the dual motives of retail media: generating new revenue streams and increasing sales through effective advertising. Stephen explains the technological, organizational, and market challenges retailers face while building retail media networks and highlights the importance of balancing monetization metrics such as ROAS with merchandising metrics. The episode examines the future role of in-store media and emphasizes the importance of local execution and cultural alignment within retail companies. Stephen also offers critical advice to new entrants in the retail media landscape, stressing the need for clean data and local market knowledge.