Understanding the New Product Catalog Requirements for the LLMs With Lucas Tieleman

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Understanding the New Product Catalog Requirements for the LLMs With Lucas Tieleman

Lucas Tieleman

Lucas Tieleman is the Co-founder and CEO of Optiversal, an AI-powered eCommerce platform helping retailers improve product discoverability and conversion through richer product data and dynamically generated content. Previously Chief Product Officer at Bazaarvoice and a serial entrepreneur, Lucas brings deep expertise in eCommerce, AI search, product strategy, and digital shopping experiences. He also represented Optiversal in winning the Judges’ Choice award at Shoptalk 2024, which included an optional £100,000 investment from Commerce Ventures.


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Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

  • [1:33] Lucas Tieleman’s journey through eCommerce, entrepreneurship, Bazaarvoice, and building Optiversal
  • [2:40] How consumer search behavior is changing in the age of LLMs
  • [6:49] Lucas explains the growing disconnect between how shoppers search and how product catalogs are structured
  • [13:46] The role of AI in improving product data quality and filling catalog gaps
  • [15:30] Why structured product data and optimized feeds are crucial for visibility across Google and LLMs
  • [19:21] What the future of automated eCommerce experiences could look like
  • [24:28] How AI can help brands continuously maintain, optimize, and adapt digital shopping experiences

In this episode…

As consumers shift from short keyword searches to conversational queries, product catalogs need to evolve with them. Basic attributes and product descriptions often miss the context and language shoppers now bring to Google and LLM-powered search. So what does a product catalog need to look like to stay discoverable?

According to eCommerce and AI search expert Lucas Tieleman, brands need richer, more structured product data that reflects how consumers actually describe and search for products. That means filling catalog gaps, adding natural-language attributes, optimizing product feeds for Google and OpenAI, and creating relevant landing pages around specific shopper intent. Lucas also highlights how AI can analyze reviews, images, search trends, and catalog data to continuously improve product information at scale. The goal is not simply more content, but better signals that help search engines and LLMs connect the right products with the right queries.

In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant talks with Lucas Tieleman, Co-founder and CEO of Optiversal, about the new product catalog requirements for LLMs. Lucas explains how natural-language search is reshaping product data, why optimized feeds matter for AI visibility, and how automated landing pages can improve discoverability and conversion. He also touches on AI-driven catalog enrichment and self-maintaining eCommerce experiences.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

  • “We exist to bridge the gap between how consumers search for products and how retailers and brands talk about their products.”
  • “People are asking more complicated, nuanced, natural-language questions.”
  • “The beauty of all of this is that we use AI to automate it.”
  • “The most important thing is getting your data right and structured right.”
  • “Everybody sends a data feed in, but most of them aren't optimizing.”

Action Steps:

  1. Optimize product feeds for AI discovery: Sending high-quality, structured product data to Google and OpenAI helps LLMs understand products more accurately and surface them for relevant searches.
  2. Fill gaps in product attributes: Enriching incomplete catalogs with details from reviews, images, and existing product data gives search engines more context to match products with consumer intent.
  3. Build around natural-language search: Creating content for the longer, more nuanced questions shoppers now ask improves discoverability beyond traditional keyword-based searches.
  4. Create landing pages for specific use cases: Developing pages around occasions, needs, seasons, and shopper intent can make the experience more relevant and improve conversion.
  5. Continuously maintain and refine content: Using AI to remove underperforming pages, update seasonal information, and refresh product data helps keep the eCommerce experience accurate and useful over time.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

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jonny-waite

Jonny Waite is the Co-founder and CEO of RECHO, a full-service Reddit marketing agency helping brands grow through organic community management, paid advertising, and Reddit-native strategy. With 17 years of agency-side digital experience, Jonny built SEO, paid search, Amazon, and omnichannel programs for Fortune 500 companies and high-growth startups. He helps brands navigate Reddit authentically, manage reputation, and improve visibility across search and AI-driven discovery.


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Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

  • [1:27] Jonny Waite’s background and RECHO’s approach to helping brands grow authentically on Reddit                                                                    
  • [4:03] Why Reddit is becoming more influential in search, AI discovery, and consumer decision-making          
  • [9:58] How Jonny sees community-driven conversations shaping trust and brand credibility      
  • [14:24] What brands need to understand before building a presence and engaging on Reddit          
  • [20:58] Jonny’s take on Reddit advertising, audience targeting, and opportunities for incremental growth                    
  • [25:17] Why long-term community engagement can create lasting value for brands
  • [30:00] Jonny’s outlook on Reddit’s growing importance and the advantage of investing in the platform early         

In this episode…

As AI-driven search changes how consumers discover products, brand-owned content is no longer the only influence on buying decisions. More people are turning to online communities for candid perspectives that validate what they find elsewhere. How can brands build trust when those conversations are already happening beyond their control?

Reddit marketing and digital search expert Jonny Waite explains that brands can earn credibility by participating in communities authentically instead of relying on overt promotion. Success starts with listening to how users communicate, respecting community norms, and contributing expertise where it genuinely adds value. Jonny emphasizes the benefit of pairing organic engagement with targeted advertising while recognizing Reddit’s long-term search impact, since indexed conversations can influence discovery and purchase decisions for years. A thoughtful Reddit strategy can strengthen trust, improve visibility, and create a lasting advantage across both search and AI-driven discovery.

In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant welcomes back Jonny Waite, Co-founder and CEO of RECHO, to build on an earlier discussion about Reddit’s rising importance and examine why every brand needs a Reddit strategy. Jonny covers AI search, community trust, and advertising opportunities. He also shares how authentic participation can create long-term brand value.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

  • “You have the crocodile effect of impressions going up, clicks going down.”
  • “People are giving their unfettered opinion on this, and they say this brand's good.”
  • “People are looking for, okay, are you going to be a brand that actually helps me solve my problem?”                                                                                                              
  • “It can be the thing that builds the biggest ROI, but it's going to take a little bit of time.”
  • “You can't just close your eyes and hope that things stay the same forever.”                 

Action Steps:

  1. Treat Reddit as a long-term brand channel: Building a consistent presence helps brands shape trust, influence buying decisions, and create content that can remain discoverable for years.
  2. Listen before joining community conversations: Understanding each community’s tone, rules, and expectations helps brands contribute authentically without coming across as promotional or intrusive.
  3. Use Reddit to strengthen brand credibility: Providing useful, well-informed answers gives consumers another source of validation when they research products through search engines and AI tools.
  4. Combine organic engagement with paid advertising: Using both approaches helps brands build community trust while reaching new audiences and testing Reddit as an incremental acquisition channel.
  5. Invest before competitors catch up: Establishing an authentic Reddit presence now can create a durable advantage as the platform becomes more influential in search, AI discovery, and purchasing decisions.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

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Rohan Philip

Rohan Philip is the Product and Strategy Lead at MetricsCart, a digital commerce intelligence platform that helps brands monitor and improve performance across online retailers and marketplaces. In his role, he shapes product strategy around pricing, availability, content health, search visibility, ratings, and reviews, translating complex shelf data into practical actions for brands. Rohan specializes in holistic digital shelf management, review intelligence, automation, and the emerging impact of AI-powered shopping.


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Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

  • [1:22] Rohan Philip’s role at MetricsCart and the company’s approach to improving digital shelf performance
  • [3:11] What brands should monitor across the digital shelf
  • [8:05] How Rohan views ratings and reviews as a source of business insights
  • [12:45] Why digital shelf management requires greater coordination across teams
  • [16:17] Rohan’s perspective on AI-powered shopping and changing consumer behavior
  • [19:31] Using customer feedback to identify product issues and market opportunities
  • [28:49] Rohan’s key recommendations for prioritization, automation, and long-term growth

In this episode…

The digital shelf is shaped by far more than product titles and images. Pricing, availability, reviews, search visibility, and advertising all affect conversion. How can brands manage these interconnected signals without overextending their teams?

Rohan Philip, an expert in product strategy and digital shelf intelligence, recommends treating every performance signal as part of one system. Brands should prioritize the retailers driving the most revenue, automate monitoring across secondary channels, and use reviews to uncover product issues, improve marketing language, and guide development. Rohan stresses that pricing, content health, ratings, availability, and search performance must be evaluated together, especially as AI agents reshape discovery and purchasing. A coordinated, insight-led approach helps teams protect profitability while preparing for a more automated shopping journey.

In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant talks with Rohan Philip, Product and Strategy Lead at MetricsCart, about taking a holistic view of the digital shelf. Rohan explains how to prioritize top retailers, connect pricing and content signals, and turn reviews into actionable insights. He also examines automation, AI shopping agents, and the future of product discovery.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

  • “We don't see a lot of brands… extracting the potential out of reviews.”
  • “We do see brands adjusting, doing regular analysis on this and adjusting their product strategies accordingly.”
  • “They're trying to grow as much as possible, sell on as many channels as possible.”
  • “I would say ruthlessly prioritize, focus on the ones that bring about 80% of the revenue.”
  • “There has to be a… digital shelf team that sort of monitors everything together.”

Action Steps:

  1. Prioritize the retailers driving the most revenue: Concentrating people and resources on the channels responsible for the majority of sales helps teams improve performance where it matters most.
  2. Automate monitoring across lower-priority channels: Using technology to track pricing, availability, and compliance reduces manual work while maintaining visibility across the broader digital shelf.
  3. Evaluate digital shelf metrics together: Reviewing pricing, content health, ratings, reviews, availability, and search visibility as one system helps brands identify problems affecting conversion and profitability.
  4. Turn reviews into actionable insights: Analyzing customer feedback can reveal product issues, strengthen marketing copy, guide development, and uncover opportunities competitors may be missing.
  5. Create stronger coordination across teams: Connecting marketing, pricing, product, sales, and consumer insights helps brands respond faster and deliver a more consistent experience across every touchpoint.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

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Lauren Livak Gilbert

Lauren Livak Gilbert is the Executive Director of the Digital Shelf Institute, a community of more than 11,000 brands and retailers navigating eCommerce and the digital shelf. She leads research, education, and industry collaboration on emerging commerce trends. Lauren specializes in agentic commerce, product content, citations, measurement, and helping brands turn complex digital shifts into practical strategies that drive customer acquisition and growth.

Max Sinclair

 Max Sinclair is the Founder and CEO of Azoma (formerly Ecomtent), an agentic commerce platform helping brands improve visibility and performance across AI-powered shopping. He leads company strategy, growth, and enterprise partnerships while advising brands on product discovery, content, and conversion across ChatGPT, Amazon Rufus, Walmart Sparky, and Google Gemini. Max also co-hosts The New Frontier: The Agentic Commerce & Answer Engine Optimization podcast.

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Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

  • [1:30] Lauren Livak Gilbert introduces the Digital Shelf Institute and its collaboration with Azoma on agentic commerce research
  • [2:05] Max Sinclair outlines agentic commerce as a growing leadership and board-level priority
  • [4:36] What the five C’s framework covers for brands navigating AI-powered shopping
  • [8:22] How existing digital shelf foundations support the shift toward agentic commerce
  • [11:13] Lauren explains the need for richer product context and deeper shopper understanding
  • [17:04] Why citations, trusted sources, and external content influence product recommendations
  • [24:01] Max and Lauren examine accuracy, misinformation, and brand control across AI platforms
  • [31:12] Max connects agentic commerce efforts to customer acquisition, conversion, and measurable growth

In this episode…

Agentic commerce is becoming a priority for brands, but many teams are still defining how it fits into their eCommerce strategies. Rather than replacing the digital shelf, it expands how AI systems discover, evaluate, and recommend products. How can brands turn this shift into measurable growth?

Digital shelf strategist Lauren Livak Gilbert and agentic commerce entrepreneur Max Sinclair answer by organizing the challenge around five C’s: completeness, context, citations, correctness, and customer acquisition. Their framework shows brands how to strengthen product data, answer detailed shopper questions, build trust through credible sources, and correct inaccurate information across AI platforms. Lauren recommends treating agentic commerce as an extension of existing digital shelf work while developing a deeper understanding of shopper needs. Max emphasizes monitoring the entire category, identifying the sources AI tools rely on, and connecting visibility efforts to conversion and incremental revenue. Together, their guidance offers a practical way to prepare internal teams, prioritize investments, and measure meaningful business impact.

In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant talks with Lauren Livak Gilbert, Executive Director of the Digital Shelf Institute, and Max Sinclair, Founder and CEO of Azoma, about decoding agentic commerce through the five C’s. Lauren and Max show how brands can improve data completeness, add richer context, strengthen citations, ensure correctness, and drive customer acquisition. They also discuss AI shopping behavior, brand accuracy, and practical measurement.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

  • “When you're thinking about agentic commerce, you need to have the right answers to the questions that your shoppers are asking.”
  • “So context is providing additional information about your product that someone might be searching for.”
  • “You have to play by the rules, and I think you can.”
  • “And within five days, the LLMs were surfacing their brand.com versus the influencer content.”
  • “You need to be able to understand you've made this change in content, and it's impacted your sales.”

Action Steps:

  1. Strengthen product data completeness: Keeping attributes, feeds, metadata, and product details accurate across channels gives AI shopping tools the foundation they need to recommend products correctly.
  2. Add richer context to product content: Answering the longer, more specific questions shoppers ask helps AI systems connect products to real use cases, needs, and environments.
  3. Monitor and improve citation sources: Understanding which retailer pages, brand sites, media outlets, and communities influence AI results helps brands build trust and improve visibility.
  4. Correct misinformation quickly: Publishing clear, authoritative information on owned channels can reduce inaccurate claims and improve how AI platforms represent the brand.
  5. Connect agentic commerce to business outcomes: Measuring changes in traffic, conversion, revenue, and customer acquisition helps teams prove value and prioritize future investment.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

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Christian Rich

Christian Rich is the Founding US Sales Lead at Azoma, an agentic commerce optimization platform that helps brands improve visibility across AI-powered search and shopping experiences. Working with consumer brands, he focuses on how product content is discovered, interpreted, and recommended by ChatGPT, Amazon Alexa, Walmart Sparky, and other AI assistants. Christian specializes in digital shelf strategy, conversational search, content structuring, and LLM-driven product discovery and conversion.

 

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Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

  • [2:41] Why Christian Rich sees mobile shopping and Alexa adoption driving Amazon’s new 75-character title limit
  • [6:44] Christian’s phone-charger example and the growing role of AI-generated product questions
  • [8:36] What happens when brands let Amazon’s AI rewrite product titles automatically
  • [10:18] Christian’s approach to moving keyword-heavy copy into structured item highlights
  • [15:51] How cleaner titles could support frictionless, voice-enabled, agentic shopping
  • [20:36] Category questions, prompt-based discovery, and the new rules of Amazon search
  • [24:31] Christian’s take on rising consumer trust in highly specific AI-generated recommendations
  • [29:12] Retailer content, ChatGPT citations, and Christian’s case for a connected omnichannel strategy

In this episode…

Amazon’s shorter title limit reflects a broader change in how consumers discover and evaluate products online. As mobile shopping, conversational prompts, and AI assistants reshape search, brands must create content that works for both people and algorithms. How can they adapt without sacrificing visibility or conversion?

The answer is to treat concise titles as part of a wider shift toward prompt-based, agent-assisted shopping, according to Christian Rich, an expert in agentic commerce and digital shelf strategy. Brands should write clear, human-friendly titles, move valuable keywords and product details into structured content, and identify the category questions AI tools are prompting shoppers to ask. Christian also recommends making product pages specific enough for assistants to confidently match products with detailed consumer requests. By connecting marketplace content with broader AI-discovery strategies, brands can improve their chances of being surfaced, recommended, and selected.

In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant talks with Christian Rich, Founding US Sales Lead at Azoma, about Amazon’s new 75-character title limit and the rise of AI-assisted shopping. Christian explores cleaner titles, structured item highlights, and prompt-ready product content. He also examines Alexa-driven discovery and the connection between retailer pages and ChatGPT visibility.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

  • “Most of the people that are shopping on Amazon have shifted to their mobile phone to shop.”
  • “Amazon is basically going to change your titles for you if you don't change them yourself.”
  • “Just make it something that actually is human appealing.”
  • “Well, if it's not on your content page, it's on somebody else's product page.”
  • “Your content on places like Walmart or Target actually matters for ChatGPT.”

Action Steps:

  1. Write titles for shoppers, not algorithms: Keeping product titles clear, concise, and human-friendly improves mobile readability while supporting cleaner AI-driven shopping experiences.
  2. Move valuable keywords into structured content: Using item highlights and detailed product-page fields preserves search relevance without overcrowding titles.
  3. Answer the questions shoppers are likely to ask: Building content around category-specific prompts helps AI assistants understand products and recommend them more accurately.
  4. Make product details explicit and easy to parse: Clearly stating dimensions, compatibility, features, and use cases gives shopping agents the information they need to match products with specific requests.
  5. Align retailer content with broader AI discovery: Strengthening product pages across Amazon, Walmart, Target, and other channels can improve visibility in ChatGPT and other conversational search tools.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

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Kevin Williams

Kevin Williams is the Founder and CEO of Ascend AI Labs, an AI enablement firm that helps organizations build AI literacy, governance, and implementation strategies. A serial entrepreneur with roots in DTC brand building and digital marketing, Kevin helps companies align leadership, improve workflows, and implement practical AI strategies. His expertise spans enterprise AI adoption, governance, agentic workflows, and transformation for brands. Kevin is also the President of KDF Aegis LLC, a consulting and private equity firm.

 

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Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

  • [1:28] Kevin Williams’ path from DTC brand ownership and digital marketing to launching Ascend AI
  • [5:25] Why leadership maturity separates brands already advancing with AI from those still flailing
  • [8:02] The AI manifesto as a roadmap for reducing employee anxiety and aligning expectations
  • [13:58] What brands get wrong when over-indexing on perfect data before AI adoption
  • [16:00] How Kevin recommends moving beyond “sidecar” AI use into connected agentic harnesses
  • [19:55] Embedding engineers within teams to identify workflow friction and build more effective AI solutions
  • [23:31] Why leaders need to understand the cost, complexity, and limits of agentic automation before scaling AI
  • [36:20] How connected AI context will make tools like ChatGPT and Claude significantly more useful

In this episode…

Many brands are racing to adopt AI, but the biggest barrier may not be the technology itself. Before teams can improve workflows or build automation, leaders need to define what AI means for the organization. So where should companies begin when the pressure to move fast collides with uncertainty and unclear direction?

As an AI adoption and digital transformation expert, Kevin Williams argues that AI strategy has to start with leadership before data, tools, or technical infrastructure. His approach is to create alignment at the top through a clear AI manifesto, practical governance, and a shared roadmap that helps teams understand how AI will support the business. Rather than waiting for perfect data, Kevin recommends building literacy, giving employees the right connected tools, and identifying high-value workflows where AI can reduce friction. The strongest AI strategies come from the leaders who combine vision, communication, and practical execution.

In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant talks with Kevin Williams, Founder and CEO of Ascend AI Labs, about why AI strategy starts in the C-suite, not in the cloud. Kevin shares how leadership maturity, AI manifestos, and connected workflows shape adoption. He also touches on agentic automation, implementation costs, cybersecurity risks, and why context makes AI tools more valuable.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

  • “If you're someone who is just sort of waking up to it now, you're kind of flailing around a little bit in the dark.”
  • “I don't want to miss data, but I also don't want to overindex on it.”
  • “AI is really good about taking ponds and puddles and being able to pull data from different places.”
  • “Building something is the best way to learn how to do things right.”
  • “The line is always the AI that you see today is the worst AI you will ever see.”

Action Steps:

  1. Align AI strategy at the leadership level: Setting direction from the C-suite helps teams understand how AI fits the business, reduces uncertainty, and creates stronger adoption across the organization.
  2. Create an AI manifesto: Defining expectations, guardrails, and goals gives employees a clearer roadmap for using AI responsibly and confidently in their daily work.
  3. Build AI literacy before chasing tools: Training teams on practical use cases helps them move beyond experimentation and apply AI in ways that improve workflows and decision-making.
  4. Connect AI to real business processes: Integrating AI with existing tools, data sources, and workflows creates better context and helps teams reduce friction instead of adding another disconnected platform.
  5. Evaluate automation before scaling it: Assessing costs, complexity, security risks, and workflow fit helps leaders avoid overbuilding and focus on AI investments that deliver measurable value.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

Powered by Rise25 Podcast Production Company

Megan Harmon

Megan Harmon is the Co-founder and Managing Partner of ThornCrest, a brand protection firm that helps brands recover revenue, enforce IP, grow sales, and expand across retail and eCommerce channels. In her role, Megan advises emerging and enterprise brands on channel control, MAP policies, authorized reseller agreements, warranty strategy, counterfeit takedowns, and supply chain leaks. She brings sales, legal, and marketplace expertise to help brands protect profitability and build stronger retail partnerships.

 

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Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

  • [1:29] Megan Harmon’s path from consumer electronics sales to co-founding ThornCrest
  • [3:23] How ThornCrest turns brand protection data into strategy, execution, and channel support
  • [6:54] What brands miss when relying on software without updated policies or compliance tracking
  • [9:59] Megan explains why channel control often prevents litigation and repeat unauthorized sellers
  • [13:16] How TikTok, Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and Alibaba are all connected in brand protection
  • [18:23] Warranty policies, MAP rules, reseller agreements, and IP as the foundation for enforcement
  • [28:25] Megan’s perspective on profitability, M&A valuation, and revenue recovery through stronger governance

In this episode…

Brand protection has moved beyond chasing unauthorized sellers after the damage is done. With TikTok, marketplaces, and retail channels increasingly connected, brands need stronger systems for controlling where products appear, how they are represented, and how policies are enforced. How can brands stop playing whack-a-mole in a social commerce-driven environment?

The answer starts with treating brand protection as a channel strategy, not just a takedown process. Megan Harmon, an expert in brand protection, channel control, and marketplace enforcement, explains that brands need to strengthen the fundamentals: warranty policies, MAP or UPP structures, authorized reseller agreements, and IP protections. Without those pieces in place, software can surface problems but cannot solve the root causes. Megan also emphasizes the importance of tracking compliance, creating clear repercussions for violations, and recognizing how TikTok, Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and other platforms are connected. Strong governance gives teams a practical way to protect profit, preserve retail relationships, and reduce recurring enforcement problems.

In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant talks with Megan Harmon, Co-founder and Managing Partner of ThornCrest, about brand protection in the age of TikTok. Megan shares how brands can update warranty policies, track MAP compliance, and strengthen reseller agreements. She also touches on social commerce, counterfeits, stolen shipments, and profitability.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

  • “Most of this is channel control.”
  • “Amazon is only a problem because everything else is broken underneath.”
  • “The first sale doctrine is not relevant if the warranty is void.”
  • “Do you know where your product is going and to whom it's going?”
  • “We actually see sales climb when governance is put into place.”

Action Steps:

  1. Update warranty policies: Clear warranty conditions help brands distinguish authorized products from unauthorized or mishandled goods and create stronger grounds for enforcement.
  2. Track MAP and policy compliance: Monitoring violations and following a clear escalation process makes policies actionable instead of symbolic.
  3. Strengthen authorized reseller agreements: Defining who can sell, where they can sell, and what standards they must meet helps brands regain control of their channels.
  4. Connect marketplace and social commerce monitoring: Looking across Amazon, Walmart, TikTok, eBay, and other platforms helps brands identify how problems spread instead of treating each channel separately.
  5. Address supply chain leaks at the source: Finding where unauthorized or stolen products enter the market helps brands reduce repeat takedowns and protect long-term profitability.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

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Nicole Reich

Nicole Reich is the Chief Growth Officer at Blue Wheel, an omnichannel digital commerce agency that helps brands grow across Amazon, Walmart, DTC, social commerce, and retail media through connected strategy, performance marketing, and data-driven execution. In her role, Nicole leads growth strategy across sales and marketing, helping unify channels and reduce fragmentation across the eCommerce ecosystem to improve brand performance. She focuses on bringing together systems, teams, and insights to help enterprise brands scale more efficiently.

 

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Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

  • [03:21] Nicole Reich talks about growing fragmentation across eCommerce channels and increasing pressure on brands
  • [04:41] Why clear KPIs help reduce AI overload and simplify decision-making in modern commerce
  • [07:19] How internal team silos are reflecting broader fragmentation across digital commerce channels
  • [10:10] Nicole discusses how shifts in search behavior are changing product discovery and content strategy
  • [15:04] Approaches to content strategy and how brands improve performance across retail channels
  • [19:25] The changes in paid media, visibility across channels, and evolving performance measurement
  • [22:24] Nicole’s view on how AI and automation are changing the way teams execute and prioritize work
  • [26:30] Why AI is speeding up research and decision-making for brands and agencies

In this episode…

Brands today are operating in an environment where channels, platforms, and tools are multiplying faster than most teams can keep up with. This growing complexity is creating fragmentation across data, content, and execution, making it harder to maintain clarity and alignment. As expectations rise across every part of eCommerce, how do teams stay focused on what actually matters?

Nicole Reich, a digital commerce strategy expert, unpacks why fragmentation has become one of the biggest challenges for modern brands. The issue isn’t just more channels, but the compounding effect of new tools and workflows layered on top of existing systems. Clear KPIs and simplified decision-making frameworks are positioned as essential tools for cutting through the noise and refocusing teams on outcomes that drive performance. Nicole also highlights the importance of aligning teams and structuring content approaches so efforts across channels reinforce one another rather than compete or operate in isolation. These insights point toward bringing structure and clarity back into an increasingly complex ecosystem.

In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant and Nicole Reich, Chief Growth Officer at Blue Wheel, discuss why fragmentation is reshaping digital commerce. Nicole addresses rising channel complexity and brand pressure, explains how clear KPIs reduce AI overload and improve decision-making, and shares how shifting search behavior is changing discovery and content strategy. She also touches on internal silos and AI-driven workflow changes across teams.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

  • “And I think in general, within eComm, things always change.”
  • “I don't think it's just a media fragmentation.”
  • “You pause so that you can get really intentional about what you want to accomplish.”
  • “Over the last 6-12 months, it's kind of turned up all over again with different tech, with different AI, with different channels coming out into the market.”
  • “What we're thinking about is like, how do we chip away at that?”

Action Steps:

  1. Define clear KPIs early: Aligning teams around measurable outcomes reduces confusion and keeps execution focused as channels multiply.
  2. Centralize channel strategy: Bringing Amazon, DTC, social, and retail media planning together helps reduce silos and improves consistency across touchpoints.
  3. Prioritize content consistency: Maintaining aligned messaging across platforms improves discoverability and strengthens performance in both search and commerce environments.
  4. Use AI to support, not replace, decision-making: Leveraging tools for speed and analysis helps teams scale work without losing strategic control.
  5. Focus on simplification over expansion: Reducing unnecessary complexity allows teams to execute faster and concentrate on what drives real impact.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

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Jonny Waite

Jonny Waite is the Co-founder and CEO of RECHO, a full-service Reddit marketing agency helping brands grow through organic community management, paid advertising, and Reddit-native strategy. With 17 years of agency-side digital experience, Jonny built SEO, paid search, Amazon, and omnichannel programs for Fortune 500 companies and high-growth startups. He helps brands navigate Reddit authentically, manage reputation, and improve visibility across search and AI-driven discovery.

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Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

  • [1:13] Jonny Waite’s 17-year agency background and the launch of RECHO as a full-service Reddit agency
  • [3:57] Why LLMs, Google, and OpenAI licensing deals are fueling Reddit’s rapid rise in brand discoverability
  • [5:33] How Jonny sees brands misreading Reddit sentiment, competitor share of voice, and audience presence
  • [10:18] Reddit ad spend growth, test budgets, and where paid media dollars are shifting from
  • [13:49] What brands can use first to assess their Reddit footprint, target subreddits, and AI visibility
  • [24:37] Jonny’s take on future-proofing AI visibility through Reddit, SEO, PR, and long-term authority-building

In this episode…

Reddit has become a critical place where consumers discover, debate, and validate brands. As AI tools increasingly pull from Reddit conversations, brands can no longer afford to ignore what is being said there. What does it take to show up the right way before competitors, customers, and AI models define the narrative?

According to Jonny Waite, a Reddit and SEO expert, the answer starts with listening before engaging. Brands should first understand where they are being mentioned, how competitors are showing up, and which subreddits matter most before jumping into the conversation. Jonny explains that Reddit rewards authentic, consistent participation, not brand-driven responses that only appear when reputation is at risk. For brands thinking about AI visibility, Reddit is becoming a long-term authority channel where early, thoughtful engagement can shape discoverability and trust.

In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant chats with Jonny Waite, Co-founder and CEO of RECHO, about why Reddit has become essential for brand visibility. Jonny shares how LLMs are accelerating Reddit’s influence, why brands should assess sentiment before acting, and how paid and organic Reddit strategies differ. He also touches on budget ownership, PR, SEO, and future-proofing AI visibility.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

  • “So everything is done the right way, not introducing more brand risk.”
  • “It's a homegrown, self-governed platform where people are having authentic conversations.”
  • “In almost every single instance I look at, the audience is there.”
  • “You don't have to run paid for organic to work.”
  • “So you need to build authority.”

Action Steps:

  1. Listen before engaging: Understanding Reddit sentiment, competitor mentions, and relevant subreddits helps brands enter conversations with context instead of reacting only when issues arise.
  2. Participate authentically in communities: Contributing useful, non-promotional insights helps brands build trust and avoid being dismissed as opportunistic or self-serving.
  3. Balance paid and organic Reddit strategies: Treating ads and community engagement as separate but complementary efforts helps brands drive visibility while building long-term credibility.
  4. Track AI visibility through Reddit: Monitoring how Reddit content influences LLMs and search results helps brands understand where their authority and reputation are being shaped.
  5. Build authority before driving conversions: Establishing credibility first makes it easier for brands to earn attention, share links appropriately, and create meaningful long-term impact.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

Powered by Rise25 Podcast Production Company

Aaron Conant

Aaron Conant is the Co-founder and Chief Digital Strategist at BWG Connect, a leading platform for executive strategy and networking sessions. He is an eCommerce expert with over a decade of experience in digital commerce, providing advisory services to brands on Amazon sales strategies, retail media, DTC platform selection, and SEO. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Global, has built an exclusive network of over 125,000 senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events annually. 

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Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

  • [1:37] Aaron Conant breaks down agentic commerce and why brands need to adapt to AI-driven shopping
  • [2:42] How Amazon content is shifting from keyword stuffing to image-focused conversion
  • [5:33] Optimizing content for AI recommendations and visuals for consumer conversion
  • [7:47] What brands should prioritize in product bullet points for AI and marketplaces
  • [9:39] Why AI platforms like Rufus and Gemini are rapidly changing digital commerce 
  • [13:02] How AI tools can accelerate content creation — and why human oversight remains critical
  • [27:03] Aaron emphasizes TikTok, Reddit, and strategic networking as essential tools for modern brands

In this episode…

The digital commerce landscape is evolving faster than ever, with AI and automated shopping systems transforming the way consumers discover and buy products. Traditional strategies like keyword stuffing and static product descriptions no longer guarantee success. How can brands stay ahead in a space where AI drives both discovery and conversion?

Aaron Conant, an expert in digital commerce and eCommerce strategy, explains that adapting to agentic commerce is essential for brands aiming to thrive in this AI-driven environment. He highlights the shift on platforms like Amazon, where product images now play a bigger role in conversion, and AI systems analyze textual content to generate recommendations. Aaron suggests prioritizing bullet points that answer AI queries, leveraging TikTok and Reddit for traffic, and maintaining human oversight in AI-assisted content creation. By focusing on these strategies, brands can future-proof their online presence and optimize both discoverability and engagement.

In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Chad Franzen of Rise25 sits down with Aaron Conant, Co-founder and Chief Digital Strategist at BWG Connect, to discuss why brands must adapt to AI-driven shopping. Aaron covers agentic commerce, optimizing product content for AI, and leveraging emerging platforms like TikTok and Reddit. He also touches on human oversight in AI content creation and strategic networking for modern brand success.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

  • "It is the agentic commerce piece and being ready for it."
  • "You want to reserve in the title and the product description — you want to reserve for what the LM is looking for."
  • "Where people are stuck right now is they're being told by executive teams to use AI."
  • "You have to have a human in the loop at this point in time."
  • "I think it is, if you're on Amazon, like it's just a product discovery engine."

Action Steps:

  1. Update product content for AI-driven platforms: Ensuring content aligns with AI prompts helps improve discoverability and conversion across marketplaces.
  2. Leverage emerging social platforms like TikTok and Reddit: Engaging audiences where they actively search and interact drives traffic and boosts relevance.
  3. Maintain human oversight in AI content creation: Reviewing AI outputs prevents errors and ensures brand messaging stays accurate and on point.
  4. Invest in networking and industry connections: Building relationships with peers and experts accelerates knowledge-sharing and helps vet new tools effectively.
  5. Continuously test and optimize across channels: Iterating on content, landing pages, and ads maximizes performance and ensures marketing adapts to evolving consumer behavior.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

Powered by Rise25 Podcast Production Company

BRINGING TOGETHER INFLUENTIAL EXECUTIVES AND SENIOR PROFESSIONALS

What is BWG Connect?

BWG Connect provides executive strategy & networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. BWG has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.
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