Marketing

Delivering Ecommerce Podcast: Episode 03 with Johnny Russo

May 10, 2021 by Johnny Russo Leave a Comment

I was supremely honoured to be on Episode No.3 of Chris Parsons’ new podcast, Delivering Ecommerce, where he and his guests will discuss all things Ecommerce and Digital.

On this episode, we talk about Ecommerce, Leadership, Digital Transformation, The Cozy Shop, Retail, my new book launching in 2021, and my favourite musical (spoiler alter: it’s Frozen II).

You can view or listen to the podcast on various channels linked below:

YouTube: Delivering eCommerce Episode 03 with Johnny Russo VP, Marketing & Ecommerce at The Kersheh Group

Spotify: Delivering eCommerce Episode 03 with Johnny Russo VP, Marketing & Ecommerce at The Kersheh Group

Rangle Podcast: Explosive Ecommerce Growth During The Pandemic

May 10, 2021 by Johnny Russo Leave a Comment

In February 2021, Rangle asked me to be on their very first podcast. The fantastic Rebecca Holland is the host, and I met Rebecca at a Digital Marketing and Ecommerce event years back, and we kept in touch.

I was honoured to be chosen to kick this off for Rangle, a company that partners with organizations to build high-quality, customer-centric software experiences.

Rangle’s newest podcast series explores the intersection of people and technology.

People-Centered Innovation puts the spotlight on leaders in digital to share their perspectives, their innovative work, and their advice.

We chatted about a range of topics, including:

Explosive Ecommerce growth during the pandemic
Framework for Digital Transformation
Investing in your team
Partnership ecosystem and philosophy
My leadership book coming out in 2022

You can view or listen to the podcast on various channels linked below:

YouTube: People-Centered Innovation. Episode 1: Johnny Russo

Spotify: People-Centered Innovation. Episode 1: Johnny Russo

Apple: People-Centered Innovation. Episode 1: Johnny Russo

The Cast of Ecommerce, Now and Always

March 13, 2021 by Johnny Russo Leave a Comment

On March 2, 2021, I was asked to sit on a panel for one of the best Retail and Technology events on the planet – DX3. In light of the global COVID pandemic, it was their first virtual edition. The panel’s topic was Ecommerce, Now and Always, which discussed how the pandemic has changed the Ecommerce, Digital, and Retail landscape. Below is a transcribed version of my answers to some of the moderator’s questions.

How has e-commerce changed over the past year?

Well, everyone is talking about it. Those who didn’t believe in it are now leading the charge. Less selling is needed when talking about Digital. Investments are being made. Talent is being brought in. For those leaders and companies who were trying to delay their entrance or launch into Digital, they are now trying to figure out a way to leapfrog their competitors. I’ve been in Retail for almost 12 years. I’ve always been in a Digital capacity. And I remember the discussions about social media’s impact, the importance of reviews, and email as the best Marketing channel. And it was always like “Johnny, we know…. But we’re going to keep investing in TV, flyers, and billboards, all the things that got us here in the past.” And I kept thinking 5% market share today is going to be 15% next year, and 50% in a few years. And that’s exactly what was going to happen. But COVID made us all fast forward at least 3 years in our planning. I truly believe those that are the most nimble and best at adapting to this wave, will be the ones to win. Not necessarily the biggest or ones with the most cash.

What are we expecting in the future?

A built-in excuse many companies had for not embracing Digital sooner, was legacy ERP systems, or just legacy technology in general. Well, those same leaders of those same companies now have to step up to the plate and swing for the fences. They need to build a future proof tech stack as much as possible, or at least ones that are adaptable. I once had a large email provider quote for $30k implementation fee for an abandoned cart program. We obviously changed providers after that insane quote. But today, especially if you are using Shopify, you can turn on cart emails instantly, with a number of providers of your choosing. Technology today is setup to help the users and business leaders drive business, rather than constantly worrying about things breaking, or trouble implementing different technologies together.

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DX3 Retail Event: The Cast of Ecommerce, Now and Always

February 15, 2021 by Johnny Russo Leave a Comment

From March 2-5, 2021 DX3 Canada will be hosting its first virtual event in its 10th season of hosting live conferences. Usually, this is one of the best in-person events of the year for anyone in retail, digital, or tech. In light of COVID-19, this one will look a little different.

I will be speaking on a panel about the major trends in Ecommerce, Digital, and how COVID-19 has impacted all retail businesses, and its everlasting impact on the Ecommerce landscape.

Please join me and others at this fantastic event. See you there.

What’s Wrong With Being an Intrapreneur?

August 11, 2019 by Johnny Russo Leave a Comment

I have started one business in my career. It was a writing, editing, and translation services company I started with my wife. So it wasn’t a tech product or anything fancy. We both did this while working full time. And I did enjoy it: trying to get new business, looking after customers, creating a business plan, drafting a sales plan, dealing with invoices and making sure we got paid – I learned a lot. It lasted about 4 years. I preface that because I am going to write about intrapreneurship.

But first let me say something. There is a certain sexiness about entrepreneurship, and it’s been happening for the last 30 years or so. And I get it: developing a product, working for yourself, driving change, working at one pace – fast. And everyone seems to want to be one today. And that’s fine. But I want to defend “the traditional” enterprise, the everyday company.

I am an intrapreneur. And I’m proud of it!

Definitions of Being an Intrapreneur

There are various definitions of what being an intrapreneur means. Any search for it brings up a number of variations, including:

A manager within a company who promotes innovative product development and marketing. (Note: I don’t believe you have to be a Manager, but you get the point.)
Intrapreneurship is the act of behaving like an entrepreneur while working within an organization or company.
Intrapreneurship is known as the practice of a corporate management style that integrates risk-taking and innovation approaches, as well as the reward and motivational techniques, that are more traditionally thought of as being the province of entrepreneurship.

The main difference between entrepreneur and intrapreneur is that an Intrapreneur is an employee, and an entrepreneur is free and the leader of the operation. That’s a loose definition, but you get my point.