Why Brands Are Fragile, Agencies Are Squeezed & Culture Still Wins – Harvey Bierman

MONDAY 22ND: HARVEY BIERMAN TAKES THE WHEEL ON THE STRUGGLE BUS 🚍 We’ve had founders, operators, and brand builders from Dublin to Denver riding the Bus, but this Monday we’re handing the mic to a man who’s done all of it, Demandware pioneer, CDO at Christy Sports, CEO of Red Van, boardrooms from Boston to Breckenridge and now back to his roots on black-diamond slopes: Harvey Bierman.

Why you should listen:
🔥 Harvey was in the room when SaaS ecommerce went from “we’re not sure” to “we can’t live without it.” He’s seen Crocs, Inc. go from sub-$1B to juggernaut and UGG / Deckers Brands morph into a powerhouse.
🔥 He unpacks the myth of “Total Cost of Ownership” and how that mantra is quietly starving innovation and agencies.
🔥 He explains how Shopify’s low barrier to entry has created the most democratic – and most fragile – era of commerce yet.
🔥 He talks about the real cost of culture: why authentic brand roots matter more than ever in a world of white-label everything.
🔥 And around the 22-minute mark, he names the song that sums up his career right now: “XXXXX” – because “you’re never gonna survive unless you get a little XXXX.” Guessed it yet? (We dropped it straight onto the Struggle Bus playlist.)

We also bring back some of our earlier learnings:

✅ From Episode 1 with the 130-year-old Irish heritage brand – why long-term responsibility still matters.
✅ From our agency roundtable – why going upstream in the value chain is survival, not luxury.
✅ From our Shopify episodes – how “utility commerce” has changed what founders even worry about day-to-day.

💡 Big shout-out to our partners who keep this bus rolling and the conversation free for the community: Omnisend for powering smarter email journeys,
Eurobase ⁠ - Ireland's best kept ecomm secret. Perfecting Global shipping for over 30 years. Making complex look simple. Stupid look good.⁠ De Minimis problems? Contact Julie Colclough

Strike Digital⁠ Up for medium agency of the year tomorrow - Good luck guys !!
and the EVOLVE Commerce Club for connecting the sharpest minds in retail and marketplaces. Our community partner.

This is one of the most open, human conversations we’ve had on the show. Harvey’s story moves from Burlington to Portland, Flagstaff to Boulder, and right into the heart of how brands, platforms, and agencies really work. It’s nostalgic, it’s provocative, and it’s got practical takeaways for anyone trying to build a career – or a company – that actually lasts.

🎙️ Episode drops Monday 22nd. Buckle up, plug in your headphones, and get a little crazy with us.