Behind The Click Podcast | E-commerce and Leadership

Welcome to Behind the Click, powered by the ⁠⁠E-commerce Berlin Expo.⁠Are we entering the era of autonomous shopping? In this episode, host Janine Vanessa Heinrich sits down with Felix Hoffmann, Founder & CEO at 7Learnings, to unpack how AI shopping agents and decision automation will reshape retail in Europe, and why most retailers aren’t ready yet.Felix breaks down the future of commerce using a powerful analogy: autonomous driving to autonomous shopping. Europe is currently at “level 1–2” (chatbots, recommendations, early orchestration), but the real disruption isn’t instant checkout - it’s decision optimization: when AI starts making purchase decisions and retailers must adapt from selling to humans to selling to agents.From OpenAI, Google, Amazon, and the race to own the shopping layer, to what retailers need to build (APIs, data readiness, cost attribution) to stay discoverable, this episode is a wake-up call for anyone working in e-commerce, pricing, or retail strategy.🟠 Interested in being a guest on our podcast? Reach out to us at [email protected] for more: ■ ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ ■ ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ ■ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ■ ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ ■ ⁠⁠Twitter⁠

Welcome to Behind the Click, powered by the ⁠E-commerce Berlin Expo.Payments look simple on the surface - a checkout button, a confirmation screen, done. But behind the scenes, payments are one of the most underestimated growth levers in e-commerce.In this episode, host Janine Vanessa Heinrich sits down with Charly De Backer, Head of Business Development at SysPay, to unpack what merchants often overlook when it comes to payment performance, and how the right setup can directly impact revenue, risk, and scalability.From acceptance rates and smart routing to payment orchestration and multi-acquirer strategies, Charly explains why payments are no longer just infrastructure, but a strategic business advantage.They explore why relying on a single acquirer can quietly limit growth, how payment performance is shaped by decisions merchants never see, and why human expertise still plays a critical role in an increasingly automated payments landscape.🟠 Interested in being a guest on our podcast? Reach out to us at [email protected] for more: ■ ⁠YouTube⁠ ■ ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ■ ⁠Instagram⁠ ■ ⁠Facebook⁠ ■ ⁠Twitter⁠

Welcome to Behind the Click, powered by the ⁠E-commerce Berlin Expo.In this episode, host Janine Vanessa Heinrich is joined by Dara Kossok Spieß, Head of Digitalization and Network Policy at German Retail Federation (HDE), to dive into the impact of AI on the future of retail. Dara unpacks how AI is transforming the retail landscape, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and why embracing AI is no longer optional for survival.AI usage in retail has more than doubled in just two years, but while big retailers are racing ahead, many smaller businesses risk being left behind. Dara shares why AI adoption must be a priority for SMEs and what steps they can take to close the growing gap.In this episode, Dara discusses:- Why AI is a game-changer for retail businesses of all sizes.- The key drivers of successful AI implementation and the dangers of being left behind.- Overcoming fear of AI and embracing it as a tool for efficiency and growth.- The need for better regulation to ensure a fair playing field for SMEs and large enterprises alike.- The future of AI agents and the impact they will have on consumer experiences and market dynamics.- How businesses and policymakers can work together to create a more innovation-friendly environment.This conversation is a must-listen for business owners, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in the future of AI in retail.🟠 Interested in being a guest on our podcast? Reach out to us at [email protected] for more: ■ ⁠YouTube⁠ ■ ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ■ ⁠Instagram⁠ ■ ⁠Facebook⁠ ■ ⁠Twitter⁠

Welcome to Behind the Click, powered by the ⁠E-commerce Berlin Expo.⁠How do you rebuild a company from the inside out, without cutting people, killing culture, or losing momentum? In this episode, host Janine Vanessa Heinrich sits down with Alexandra Szarmach, CHRO & Managing Director of flaconi, to unpack how she helped lead one of Germany’s biggest beauty retailers through a full cultural and operational turnaround.When Alexandra joined in 2023, flaconi was facing tough times: low morale, high turnover, unclear identity, and no profitability in sight. Today, the company is thriving, growing, united, and celebrated for a people-first culture built on transparency, trust, and real leadership alignment.Alexandra shares how flaconi rebuilt leadership foundations, redefined its values, brought teams back together after years of remote fragmentation, and launched a gamified culture program inspired by Harry Potter that employees genuinely love.From honest communication to data-driven HR, from regaining profitability to embracing AI to kill repetitive work, this is a masterclass in modern leadership.🟠 Interested in being a guest on our podcast? Reach out to us at [email protected] for more:■ ⁠YouTube⁠■ ⁠LinkedIn⁠■ ⁠Instagram⁠■ ⁠Facebook⁠■ ⁠Twitter⁠

Welcome to Behind the Click, powered by the E-commerce Berlin Expo.How do you lead a legacy brand through real transformation, without burning out your team? In this episode, host Janine Vanessa Heinrich sits down with Christina Skoeries, Director E-Commerce at camel active, to unpack how the company is evolving from wholesale heritage to a modern D2C engine, by centering people, culture, and clear decision-making.From vulnerable leadership and “make yourself redundant” management, to building D2C infrastructure, marketplaces-first expansion, and weekly KPI transparency (plus walk-and-talk standups!), Christina shares practical ways to keep teams motivated, creative, and accountable. We also dig into community-building, quality vs. sustainability signals, and why customer service is a strategic asset, not an afterthought.You’ll learn how to:- Lead through change with clarity, ownership, and psychological safety.- Stand up D2C: marketplaces-first, then scale your own shop & stack.- Balance high standards with autonomy (and ship without perfectionism).- Use transparent KPIs to create real team ownership of outcomes.- Build community: discovery + togetherness as emotional brand drivers.- Turn customer service into product input and loyalty fuel.- Stay energized: rituals, walk-and-talks, and external inspiration (e.g., OMR).- Empower others: giving stage time to new female voices in e-commerce.🟠 Want to be a guest on our podcast? Reach out to us at [email protected] for more:■ YouTube■ LinkedIn■ Instagram■ Facebook■ Twitter