From Click to Agent: The Future of Brand Strategy

How do you actually build a brand in the age of AI? It's not about adopting the technology fastest—it's about knowing why you're adopting it. Caroline Rothwell Gerstein has shaped strategy for some of the world's most discerning brands, from Von Dutch in the early 2000s to building owned brands inside factories today. In this episode, she breaks down the transformation paradox CEOs are facing, why most pilots never go to production, and the unglamorous truth about AI: fix your data first. We dive into how to think about strategy in 90-day cycles instead of 5-year plans, why trust is becoming the commercial architecture, and what happens when humans stop clicking and agents start shopping. If you're building a company, leading a team, or trying to figure out where AI actually fits into your business, this one's for you.