What I Learned Building Retail Media Breakfast Club in One Year (50,000 Downloads Later)

This is the final episode of the year, and honestly, I can’t quite believe how far Retail Media Breakfast Club has come since launching back in January. From passing 50,000 downloads, to realizing just how many smart, thoughtful people are paying attention, this episode is a moment to pause, reflect, and share what I’ve learned along the way.I unpack some very personal lessons from running a near-daily newsletter/podcast in an industry that’s still very much being invented in real time. From embracing beginner’s mindsets and navigating burnout, to understanding why drama drives engagement (and when it’s not worth it), this is a behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to show up consistently.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] – Reflecting on launching Retail Media Breakfast Club and hitting 50,000 downloads[01:00] – What Vampire Weekend taught me about building a career in retail media[02:25] – Why we’re all beginners in retail media (even the so-called experts)[04:15] – My biggest blind spot: ad tech, and how I had to relearn the fundamentals[06:45] – The reality of publishing content four days a week and managing burnout[09:00] – Why “quantity is quality” and how consistency creates real momentum[11:45] – Drama, debate, and drawing personal boundaries in public industry discourseLinks & ResourcesMy tech stack flow diagram - How an RMN's tech stack impacts your advertising resultsBreakfast for Dinner with Retail Media Breakfast Club & Mirakl Ads in NYC. I am co-hosting a dinner for RMN leaders with the sponsor of this newsletter & Podcast, Mirakl Ads. Join me, Mirakl’s Chief AI officer Anne Baschet, and RMN leaders from Costco & CVS for Breakfast for Dinner on Saturday Jan 10, 2026. Senior leaders at RMNs may register their interest here.Retail Media Therapy Celebrity Death Match in NYC. I’m doing another debate, this time going to head-to-head with my frenemies-slash-industry legends Colin Lewis, Sarah Marzano (EMARKETER), and Claire Wyatt (The Trade Desk). Hosted by Zitcha, QSIC and Grace & Co. Monday Jan 12 - arrive at 5 for a 5:30 kickoff. Register your interestSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri on LinkedIn