Melissa Daniels is a senior reporter and podcast host at Modern Retail, where she covers the intersection of retail, technology and changing consumer behavior. She has more than a decade of experience reporting on business, technology and regulatory policy. Previously, she’s worked across legacy and digital media as a writer, editor and creative consultant, with a focus on translating complex stories into conversational pieces.
Tuesday, February 24
10:25 AM Main Stage: Keynote Fireside Chat: The Digital Experience & Technology Model Everyone Else Is Chasing
J.Crew Group's SVP of Digital Experience & Technology shares how we built a customer-first retail engine that connects personalization, omnichannel fluidity, and real-time intelligence—turning technology into seamless experiences and insights into action across three brands.
Thursday, February 26
8:40 AM Main Stage: Keynote Fireside Chat: Content that Converts: How Storytelling Drives BÉIS’s $200M Growth
BEIS has taken the luggage category by storm – driving remarkable growth by combining authentic storytelling with relatable content and strategic social engagement. By turning real customer experiences and founder Shay Mitchell’s narratives into brand stories, BÉIS transformed travel products into a lifestyle movement that resonates with a broad audience. CEO Adeela Johnson, named a Glossy 50 Changemaker, will talk about the brand’s approach of turning everyday moments and real voices into powerful marketing content that fuels revenue growth and passionate brand loyalty.
- Humanizing the brand and fostering personal connections with the customer
- Real-time storytelling on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, engaging audiences authentically and encouraging user-generated content
- Positioning the brand as both accessible and aspirational in the travel space
10:30 AM Main Stage: Fireside Chat: How to Go Viral & Transform Buzz Into a Sustainable Brand-Building Engine
In just three years, CAKES body scaled from a $10,000 investment with no outside capital to a $100M consumer brand — all by staying true to their values and a radically human approach to brand-building. As sisters and co-founders, Casey and Taylor will share how they’ve built one of the fastest-growing social commerce brands, selling over 1M units and earning top 1% status on TikTok Shop. From weaving authenticity and simplicity into the full product lifecycle to creating meaningful, value-driven connections with customers, they’ll unpack the playbook behind building community at scale.
What You’ll Learn:
- Embed values at every touchpoint to cultivate a loyal community and customer base that grows with your brand.
- Craft meaningful, value-driven messages that resonate with modern consumers and deepen long-term connections.
- Embrace authenticity and simplicity across the product lifecycle to drive efficiency, trust, and sustainable scale.
- Harness content, social commerce, and an ad engine built for speed to fuel rapid growth and dominate new retail channels.
Check out the incredible speaker line-up to see who will be joining Melissa.
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