Brave Commerce Podcast Summary
Episode Title: Mondelez’s Andrew Lederman on Bringing Startup Agility to Global Digital Commerce
Release Date: August 5, 2025
Hosts: Rachel Tipograph (Founder & CEO, MikMak) and Sarah Hofstetter (President, Profitero)
Guest: Andrew Letterman (VP of Global Digital Commerce, Mondelez)
Introduction
In this insightful episode of Brave Commerce, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter engage in a compelling conversation with Andrew Letterman, the Vice President of Global Digital Commerce at Mondelez. Andrew brings a wealth of entrepreneurial experience and a dynamic approach to integrating startup agility within a large, global organization.
Executive Transition and Mindset
Rachel and Sarah begin by discussing the challenges executives face when transitioning from small, entrepreneurial environments to large corporate settings.
-
Rachel emphasizes the importance of mindset in maintaining an entrepreneurial spirit within a conglomerate:
“...reminding myself that my little corner of the woods can be as entrepreneurial as I want it to be. It starts with mindset.”
(02:18) -
Andrew echoes this sentiment, highlighting ownership and passion as key drivers:
“Ownership and passion... sometimes that passion borders and a little bit of obsession, but that's okay.”
(06:43)
Bringing Startup Agility to Mondelez
Rachel probes into how Andrew balances the massive scale of Mondelez with his innate startup mentality.
-
Andrew responds by focusing on consumer-centricity and operational excellence:
“We have amazing iconic brands... brings me the passion and the ownership that I need to apply the kind of startup mentality that I've always utilized into my job today.”
(07:08) -
He further explains Mondelez's structure that allows local teams the authority to act swiftly:
“Mondelez is set up in a kind of global, local type fashion that works really well for us... we are a local first organization.”
(07:43)
Balancing Global Scale with Entrepreneurial Spirit
The conversation delves into the delicate balance between maintaining a startup’s agility and operating within a large corporate framework.
-
Sarah shares her experience at Gap, highlighting the importance of leadership that fosters an entrepreneurial environment:
“My boss gave me air cover and created an environment where I was allowed to break the rules.”
(04:53) -
Rachel praises leaders like Jonathan Halverson for supporting entrepreneurial initiatives within large companies:
“...balancing an entrepreneurial spirit in a large organization... that's a very difficult balance.”
(03:37)
Leadership and Inspiring Teams
Sarah inquires about Andrew's approach to motivating diverse teams to embrace a fast-paced, startup-like culture.
-
Andrew emphasizes empathy and inspiration:
“You have to make sure that you have everybody else on the bus with you when you're driving quickly... It starts from a place of empathy.”
(10:25) -
He underscores the importance of sharing a compelling vision to align and energize the team:
“...inspiration. Get people onto the same page and make them see the vision of the future that you see.”
(10:45)
Entrepreneurial Journey of Andrew Letterman
Rachel requests Andrew to outline his entrepreneurial background, setting the stage for his insights.
- Andrew outlines his career in three segments:
-
OpenSky B2C Marketplace:
“Founding team... selling that business to Alibaba.”
(13:03) -
AB InBev's BE Marketplace:
“We were able to take it to $1.4 billion in four years from zero.”
(13:30) -
Mondelez Digital Commerce:
“Taking on a $3 billion digital commerce business and bringing it into the future.”
(13:40)
-
Strategic Prioritization of Markets and Brands
The discussion shifts to how Andrew prioritizes markets and brands to drive significant business impact.
-
Andrew highlights revenue-driven prioritization:
“...spend your time and attention on the views that are driving the largest amount of revenue into your business.”
(19:41) -
He also discusses strategic bets on emerging trends like social commerce:
“Social commerce in the West... I think that's a huge opportunity.”
(19:50)
Partner Ecosystem and Filtering Innovations
Sarah inquires about managing an ecosystem of partners amidst the influx of AI innovations.
-
Andrew stresses the importance of listening and business impact:
“The most important lesson you'll ever learn in sales is listening and listening.”
(16:58) -
He explains his criteria for selecting partners based on their ability to drive business forward:
“I look for partners that understand that kind of business impact and understand how to help me move the business forward in a real way.”
(17:30)
Final Thoughts and Brave Moments
As the podcast nears its conclusion, Sarah poses a reflective question about bravery.
-
Andrew shares that becoming a father stands as his bravest act:
“Becoming a father... is truly the most brave thing anybody can ever do.”
(21:23) -
He relates this personal bravery to his professional life, emphasizing dedication and resilience.
Conclusion
The episode wraps up with heartfelt thanks and anticipation for Mondelez's future endeavors under Andrew's leadership. Listeners gain valuable insights into integrating an entrepreneurial mindset within large organizations, prioritizing strategic initiatives, and fostering a culture of innovation and agility.
Notable Quotes:
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Andrew Letterman [01:05]:
“I think there's something amazing about going for the big opportunity... pushing away the fear of failure and going for it is definitely more interesting.” -
Rachel Tipograph [02:18]:
“...reminding myself that my little corner of the woods can be as entrepreneurial as I want it to be. It starts with mindset.” -
Andrew Letterman [10:25]:
“You have to make sure that you have everybody else on the bus with you when you're driving quickly.” -
Andrew Letterman [21:23]:
“Becoming a father... is truly the most brave thing anybody can ever do.”
For More Insights:
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our previous conversation with John Halverson from Mondelez in the Brave Commerce archives. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review!