Hi, I'm Jake.

I'm a New York City-based advertising professional, avid traveler, and lifelong learner.

I live in the East Village and spend my days navigating the world of retail media, and my off hours chasing my curiosity.

I've spent the last 8+ years in commerce media. First, building a retail media practice at an independent agency, where I scaled the client base from zero to 200+: working to write the playbook, hire and train the team of 20, and turn it into a core agency offering. I eventually made my way to Publicis, then VaynerMedia, managing $100M+ budgets across 25+ retail partners for some of the largest CPG brands in the world, including Colgate Palmolive and Mondelez.

Me, Professionally

My cross-retailer experience is something I've had to deliberately build, and I think still rare in 2026. I've run campaigns simultaneously across Amazon, Walmart Connect, Target/Roundel, Instacart, Kroger, DoorDash, and many more - which means I understand not just how each platform works, but how they compete, how the capabilities differ, and where the real gaps in their value propositions are. When a brand asks me why their Instacart investment isn't performing the same way their Amazon investment is, I can answer that question with specificity from hands-on-keys experience, not just theory.

My through line and biggest strength has always been relationship building. I care about earning real trust and authority with my clients and peers, giving what I can to develop the people around me, and being the kind of leader people actually want to work with. I am the person who plans the team's secret santa, keeps track of everyone's birthday, and invests in the growth of each individual.

Right now I'm focused on how retail media platforms can better serve the brands and agencies investing in them - closing the gap between what platforms offer and what sophisticated practitioners actually need to drive business outcomes. I'm also paying close attention to how AI is reshaping media workflows, and investing significant time into understanding where the leverage points are. If you're curious what I'm using most, you can see my latest productivity stack here.

Beyond the Desk

I grew up near Portland, Oregon, and still travel back home frequently. I love spending time outdoors in Bend during the summer, and try to make at least one trip to Eugene in the fall to watch my Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium.

One of my most defining moments was doing a Semester at Sea in college - a full academic semester aboard a ship, circling the globe, while taking courses catered to the itinerary. It permanently rewired how I see the world, and helped shape me during a formative time. That curiosity hasn't gone anywhere: I've now been to 33 countries, hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, road tripped through Switzerland and Italy, and volunteered in remote villages of Sri Lanka.

When I'm not traveling, I'm usually still exploring - both literally and mentally. I love a great story in any format - a Brandon Sanderson epic novel, a Knowledge Project episode, or a story-driven video game like The Last of Us or God of War Ragnarok. You can review a full list of my favorite content here.

I stay active with regular HIIT and strength work, and love to hop on a CitiBike. I've had a couple really fun "restoration" projects: my first car (a 1969 Volkswagen Squareback) and my first house. Both became father/son projects where we strengthened our bond while tackling something new with our hands - LOTS of youtube and winging it was involved!

Let's Talk

I'm always interested in connecting with people working on common problems within retail media, commerce technology, AI workflows, and brand strategy - whether you're building something, researching something, or just thinking through where this industry is headed. If any of this resonates, feel free to reach out.