Black Friday Gigastream with Shopify | Harley Finkelstein, Noel Mack, Sara Foster, Sean Frank, Kat Cole, Peter Rahal, Farhan Thawar, Torin Herndon, Kevin Harwood, Nish Samantray, Bené Eaton, Brian Keller
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Shift from big-box to entrepreneurial Black Friday
Harley explains how direct-to-consumer brands and creators transformed BFCM into an entrepreneurial showcase.
Play episode from 08:50
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- (06:32) - Harley Finkelstein is the President of Shopify, helping lead the company’s global commerce strategy and long-term vision. He works closely with founders, brands, and entrepreneurs building businesses on the platform. Harley is also a prominent voice on entrepreneurship and the future of retail.
- (36:06) - Noel Mack is the Chief Brand Officer (CBO) of Gymshark, responsible for the company’s global brand, creative, and community strategy. He has helped shape Gymshark into a culturally resonant fitness and lifestyle brand. Noel is known for his focus on creators, storytelling, and social-first marketing.
- (47:34) - 𝕏 Timeline Reactions
- (59:35) - Sara Foster is the Co-Founder of Favorite Daughter, a women’s apparel brand she built with her sister Erin. At Favorite Daughter, she focuses on brand, creative direction, and product vision. Sara also brings a background in entertainment and media to her work as a founder.
- (01:12:38) - Peter Rahal is the CEO of David, where he is focused on building new products and brands in consumer and food. As a founder-operator, he brings deep experience in scaling packaged goods and modern CPG playbooks. At David, Peter is focused on long-term, disciplined company building.
- (01:35:36) - Farhan Thawar is VP & Head of Engineering at Shopify, where he leads large engineering teams building the company’s core products and infrastructure. He focuses on scaling systems, improving developer experience, and shipping fast at massive scale. Farhan is known for his practical, high-velocity approach to engineering leadership.
- (01:41:26) - Torin Herndon is the CEO of ModRetro, a company focused on nostalgic, design-forward consumer products. He oversees product, brand, and overall company strategy. Torin blends design, storytelling, and physical product development to build memorable experiences.
- (01:53:19) - Kevin Harwood is the CTO of Tecovas, leading technology, data, and digital product for the modern western wear brand. He focuses on building and integrating systems that support ecommerce, retail, and operations at scale. Kevin works at the intersection of engineering, customer experience, and brand.
- (02:11:51) - 𝕏 Timeline Reactions
- (02:19:57) - Nish Samantray is the Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Arrae, a wellness brand focused on targeted supplements and high-intent communities. He leads company strategy, growth, and operations alongside his co-founder. Nish is focused on building a customer-obsessed, education-driven wellness company.
- (02:29:45) - Bené Eaton is the CMO of FIGS, overseeing marketing, brand, and storytelling for the healthcare apparel company. He focuses on connecting with FIGS’ community of healthcare professionals through content, campaigns, and product launches. Bené blends performance marketing with brand-building and culture.
- (02:37:33) - Brian Keller is the Co-Founder & CEO of Rorra, a modern water-filtration company focused on designing high-performance, beautifully engineered home water systems. He oversees product development, brand, and long-term company strategy. Brian brings a background in engineering and consumer product leadership to building Rorra’s next generation of water technology.
- (02:46:20) - Kat Cole is the CEO of AG1 and a member of its Board of Directors, leading the company’s global strategy and operations. She brings decades of experience scaling consumer and franchise brands to the health and wellness space. Kat is known for her operator’s mindset, people-first leadership, and board experience across multiple companies.
- (02:56:09) - Sean Frank is the CEO of Ridge, the company behind the Ridge Wallet and a broader line of everyday carry products. He leads the company’s growth, product expansion, and brand strategy. Sean is known for his operator-focused approach to ecommerce, performance marketing, and content-driven brand building.
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