The Retail Data Gap

In this episode, Neal sits down with Samantha Pantazopoulos, co-founder of Vizer, to unpack the company’s pivot from a consumer fitness rewards app to a B2B retail demand engine used by brands like Olipop and Health-Ade.What started as a mission-driven app tying workouts to food bank donations evolved - through COVID, retailer shutdowns, and customer pull - into a platform helping brands drive measurable retail velocity across Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons, and beyond.This conversation dives into what it really takes to pivot, how offers power demand generation, and why grocery may be one of the most complex - and fascinating - battlegrounds in tech today.Key Topics* How Vizer pivoted from consumer app to enterprise CPG platform* Why COVID forced a rethink of the original marketplace model* The fragmented world of grocery offers: paper, rebate, retailer apps, and beyond* Turning marketing impressions into measurable retail conversions* Compressing the funnel with QR codes, paid media, and off-site offers* The tension between DTC, Amazon, and in-store retail strategies* Why data in CPG has historically lagged behind DTC* How brands are thinking about AI in retail* What drives trial and long-term retention in grocery* Creative campaigns: sweepstakes, surprise-and-delight, and experiential activationsLinks & Resources* VizerConnect on LinkedIn* Samantha Pantazopoulos This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe