The simple reason is that I have more to say than my current media channels - primarily my website, LinkedIn, and email newsletter – allow. A podcast  enables me to deliver an expert take on the pulse of eCommerce straight to my industry peers, clients and retailers seeking advice.  It allows me to establish a better relationship with those who want to learn more about this exciting sector.

Social media often limits what an audience can hear. You might think that because you follow someone on LinkedIn, you get all of their updates and this is simply not the case. Linkedin has a strict character limit.  My podcast allows me to devote more space to topics I find interesting..

If you subscribe to my podcast, you are sure to get my news and analysis in your podcast app each week.

What Took Me So Long to Create a Podcast?

Here are some questions I needed to answer for myself:

1. Do I have enough time to do this?  I did not want to launch something I could not sustain indefinitely. I finally found the proper format and partners (I see you, Citizen Racecar!) to launch this in a scalable way.

2. Why does the world need another podcast? I didn’t want to launch a “me too” offering with an endless stream of guests. I wanted to carry the show myself because I didn’t see this happening out there much and am confident that I can deliver a unique offering.  This also meant that it took longer to hit on a format that would be most valuable for the audience.

3. Who would like this?  There is always a fear of failure. Who wants to host a party that no one comes to?

I hope that you can take 15 minutes of your week and enjoy the hours I spend preparing bite-sized content to help you make progress, no matter where you are in the industry.

Who is this Podcast For?

1. eCommerce investors –  I use the term “investors” loosely here. This could include actual investors (meaning those putting financial capital into companies as a primary job), or brand/retail executives investing their team’s time, energy and talent into expanding their digital presence. I am not a stock or financial analyst. A company’s strategy and execution over the long-term is the best barometer of a company’s performance. That’s where I spend my time.

2. Software and service providers – The eCommerce ecosystem is complex and interrelated. It pays to stay on top of trends so that you can make better decisions about how to serve customers, build better products, and offer better services. I’ve been on all sides of eCommerce – at a retailer, at a software and service providers and now as a consultant; very few people have this kind of perspective. I don’t care where you are in the chain – advertising, payments, supply chain, platforms; you should be able to find value in my efforts.

3. Those new to eCommerce – I have had countless people tell me that they refer my LinkedIn commentary to those new to the space. While I do try to present elevated analysis relative to other outlets out there, I will explain terms that are not obvious as I recognize that my podcast may be the first time a listener is encountering a particular concept.  

How Will it Work?

Each Monday morning I will release a new episode that provides commentary on recent news and trends happening in the industry. I will present the facts of any particular issue and then offer candid analysis on why it’s happening and what it actually means.

While I may sometimes be wrong, at least you will know how I feel at any given moment. Often I am doing nothing more than making informed guesses based on my experience in the industry. Sometimes my opinion shifts and changes over time based on new information.

How Do You  Subscribe to the Podcast?

Visit any podcast application you have and search for The Watson Weekly – Your Essential eCommerce Digest. I have set up a new page to provide a home for the podcast which captures all the recent episodes, links to major podcast providers, and provides transcripts of each episode.

Thanks for listening!