EVOLVE Podcasts | Global Commerce Insights

Voices 48 - “I Blew Apart the Outline Multiple Times” Ex-Nike Exec Kevin Ertell on How to Write a Business Book, Publishing & Finding Time

Join our newsletter! Our community insights, global commerce perspectives, sent to your inbox every Weekend: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://evolvecommunity.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://evolvecommunity.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠] Want to join the #01 community of senior commerce leaders spanning 48 markets? Request your application today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https:⁠//www.evolve-community.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https:⁠//www.evolve-community.com] In this episode our host ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edilsa Bueno⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/edilsabueno/], talks with Kevin Ertell. Kevin Ertell has spent over 30 years turning ideas into results at brands like Nike, Sur La Table, Tower Records, and Borders. In this episode, he pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to write a book that delivers value. He shares how he carved out focused writing time amid a packed schedule, structured chapters to make frameworks easy to apply, prioritized which lessons and stories made the cut, and turned interviews with 60+ operators into actionable guidance. He also dives into the behind-the-scenes decisions most people don’t hear about—whether to work with a traditional publisher or go it alone, designing the interior and layout for clarity, and how to maintain quality under tight deadlines. As founder and CEO of Mistere Advisory, Kevin helps teams clarify, align, and act on their strategies. Before founding Mistere Advisory, he led multibillion-dollar retail and digital operations at Nike, tripled e-commerce revenue at Sur La Table, and built the first TowerRecords.com, giving him decades of insight into execution, strategy, and storytelling. When he’s not helping organizations execute, you might find him playing bass, cooking for family, or cheering on Cleveland sports with stubborn optimism. If you’re interested in reading the book that came out of this process, you can pick it up here: https://www.amazon.com/Strategy-Trap-Companies-Execution-Right/dp/1646872320 [https://www.amazon.com/Strategy-Trap-Companies-Execution-Right/dp/1646872320] 👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode!

Voices 47 - "I Had a Total Psychological Break": Ex-BCG on Workplace Mental Health, Overachievers & Redefining Success

Join our newsletter! Our community insights, global commerce perspectives, sent to your inbox every Weekend: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://evolvecommunity.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://evolvecommunity.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠] Want to join the #01 community of senior commerce leaders spanning 48 markets? Request your application today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https:⁠//www.evolve-community.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https:⁠//www.evolve-community.com] In this episode our host ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edilsa Bueno⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/edilsabueno/], talks with Michael Stutts. Michael Stutts built a career most would envy, rising through Boston Consulting Group to senior executive roles in consumer brands. Behind the accolades, though, was a private struggle: overachievement, imposter syndrome, and the relentless pressure to prove his worth. Now a mental health advocate, he opens up in this episode about the moments that almost broke him, the coping mechanisms he relied on, and how he ultimately rebuilt his life and career by embracing authenticity and self-validation. He is a senior client service leader and corporate executive with deep experience across consumer industries. He has served as Chief Brand Officer at Dollar Shave Club, Chief Customer Officer at Bloomin’ Brands, and Chief Marketing Officer at Azamara Cruises, after becoming partner at Boston Consulting Group. He has led brand strategy, organizational transformation, and large-scale growth initiatives for over 30 consumer brands. For a deeper look at his journey—from boardroom to breakdown and back—pick up his book "There’s No Room Service at the Psych Ward: From Boardroom to Breakdown and Back" on Amazon. 👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode!

Voices 46 - The Creator-Led Commerce Revolution

Join our newsletter! Our community insights, global commerce perspectives, sent to your inbox every Weekend: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://evolvecommunity.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://evolvecommunity.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠] Want to join the #01 community of senior commerce leaders spanning 48 markets? Request your application today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https:⁠//www.evolve-community.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https:⁠//www.evolve-community.com] In this episode ,⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mayssa Nasr⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nasrmayssa/]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ hosts Arthur Bizdikian. n this episode, Mayssa Nasr sits down with Arthur, Co-founder & CEO of Pipp, to explore how he is building the next generation of commerce — one that empowers creators, supports conscious brands, and brings sustainability, ethics, and values to the center of fashion, beauty, and luxury. Arthur is not only an entrepreneur but also an early-stage startup investor, mentor, and the host of the Innovation Park Show on Virgin Radio. He plays an active role in shaping Lebanon’s startup ecosystem through his work as an entrepreneur-in-residence and mentor at AUB. Together, they dive into: • The creator economy and what most brands still get wrong • How Pipp is reimagining commerce with transparency and ethics • Why sustainability should be more than a marketing buzzword • What it means to build in Lebanon amid uncertainty • The challenges and opportunities of mentoring the next generation of founders • His journey as a builder, communicator, and ecosystem connector This is a conversation about vision, leadership, innovation — and the power of turning purpose into impact. 👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode!

Voices 45 - “You Gotta Have Thick Skin” Beauty Founder Arthur Gardner Smith on Haircare, Entrepreneurship & Leaving the 9-to-5

Join our newsletter! Our community insights, global commerce perspectives, sent to your inbox every Weekend: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://evolvecommunity.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://evolvecommunity.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠] Want to join the #01 community of senior commerce leaders spanning 43 markets? Request your application today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https:⁠//www.evolve-community.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https:⁠//www.evolve-community.com] In this episode our host ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edilsa Bueno⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/edilsabueno/], talks with Arthur Gardner Smith. Hair is in his blood. Growing up watching his mom and aunts care for their hair, Arthur Gardner Smith learned early on how hair shapes identity, confidence, and self-expression. From corporate life to founding [re]formation hair, he shares the challenges of leaving the 9-to-5, navigating the chaos of the first six months, and building a business driven by passion, purpose, and relationships. In this episode, Arthur opens up about making every decision—from brand colors to workflow—the people who supported him when the dream felt heavy, and how embracing your true self can start with something as simple as hair. Arthur Gardner Smith is the CEO & Founder of [re]formation hair, a beauty-biotech startup reinventing hair straighteners without harmful chemicals. A former Fortune 500 executive and Danaher leader, he has held senior roles across Operations, M&A, Sales & Marketing, and Product in beauty and life sciences. Arthur holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BSc. in Economics from The Wharton School. For more on his founder journey, follow along on tiktok @ceo_reformationhair. 👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode!

Voices 44 - “Nobody wants to be working 12 hours a day.” Ex-ASICS’ Abha Gallewale on Middle Management, Burnout, and Paris Olympics

Join our newsletter! Our community insights, global commerce perspectives, sent to your inbox every Weekend: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://evolvecommunity.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://evolvecommunity.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠] Want to join the #01 community of senior commerce leaders spanning 43 markets? Request your application today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https:⁠//www.evolve-community.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https:⁠//www.evolve-community.com] In this episode our host ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edilsa Bueno⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/edilsabueno/], talks with Abha Gallewale. Middle management can feel like the ultimate squeeze zone: balancing people, process, and pressure without always having full authority. From leading global digital marketing campaigns for ASICS to managing athlete endorsements at events like the Olympics, Abha has spent her career balancing vision, execution, and people under high-stakes conditions. In this episode, she opens up about what it’s really like to be in the middle: logging long hours, managing expectations from both senior leadership and direct reports, building teams for success, and adapting to strict advertising rules. She also explores how digital metrics transform athletes from faces on billboards into measurable marketing partners, and why the middle is where leadership muscle is built. Abha Gallewale spent 7 years leading ASICS’ global digital marketing strategy for sponsored athletes and events, from the Olympics in Paris to World Athletics Championships and Grand Slams. Prior to moving in-house, she began her career on the advertising and PR agency side, working for Digitas and Weber Shandwick. For more on her work, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/abha-gallewale [https://www.linkedin.com/in/abha-galewale] http://instagram.com/agallewale 👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode!