Leadership looks polished from the outside—but the real lessons come from the unfiltered, in-the-trenches experiences of those who’ve lived it. This episode brings you those lessons directly. Jenn Hahn brings together the most valuable, most practical, and most resonant leadership moments from six distinguished executives across retail, CPG, e-commerce, merchandising, operations, and retail media.

This episode features perspectives from:

• Rebecca Lupfer, Chief Merchant, The Giant Company
• Pat Mooney, VP of HBC & Non-Foods, Wakefern
• Gabe Disbrow, President & CEO, Leevers
• Sheila Ebanks, Head of Retail, North America, Coca-Cola
• Brooke Chambers, E-Commerce Leader, Kroger
• Claire Wyatt, Retail Media Executive, The Trade Desk

Each leader offers candid, experience-backed advice on what leadership requires today—from presence and communication to hiring, accountability, culture, and energy management. These are the lessons rarely shared publicly, but crucial for anyone looking to advance, influence, or elevate their leadership impact.

Whether you are preparing for a leadership role, already managing teams, or refining how you lead at scale, this episode brings together the insights that matter most. Season two is on the horizon—this is the perfect moment to strengthen your leadership foundation.

Guest Links:

Connect with Claire Wyatt

Connect with Sheila Muniz Ebanks

Connect with Rebecca Lupfer

Connect with Pat Mooney

Connect with Brooke Chambers

Connect with Gabe Disbrow

Listen to their full episodes:

Gabe Disbrow - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-military-background-to-president-ceo-gabe-disbrow/id1814044313?i=1000710995094

Pat Mooney - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/energy-management-as-a-key-leadership-principle-with/id1814044313?i=1000728020135

Sheila Ebanks - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-sheila-ebanks-leads-coca-colas-large-store-division/id1814044313?i=1000732791442

Rebecca Lupfer - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-chat-with-chief-merchant-rebecca-lupfer-on-taking/id1814044313?i=1000730589885

Brooke Chambers - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-banking-to-ecomm-boss-roadmapping-real-leadership/id1814044313?i=1000713223752

and Claire Wyatt - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-retail-media-rapid-growth-building-calm-in-chaos/id1814044313?i=1000735190794

Next Steps:
Enjoyed the episode? Please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone building their career in retail.

For more behind-the-scenes stories and career advice follow Jenn on LinkedIn

Season one delivered more insight, practical advice, and behind-the-scenes truth than we could possibly contain in individual episodes. So in this special mash-up episode, we pulled together the most valuable, most actionable, and most candid moments from four standout leaders across the retail, CPG, supply chain, and marketing sectors.

These are the insights leaders rarely get to say out loud in a formal interview setting—but absolutely wish candidates knew.

This episode features advice from:

• Julian Semer, Director of In-Store Retail Media at Albertsons
  
  
• Parag Shah, Co-Founder of Think Blue and former merchant-side executive at Wakefern and Giant
  
  
• Jackie Doyle, VP of Supply Chain Transformation at fairlife
  
  
• Candace Pappas, SVP of Marketing at Blake’s Beverage Co.
  
  

Across backgrounds and industries, all four leaders share the candid truths that help candidates stand out, grow their careers, and make a meaningful impact once they’re in the role.

What You’ll Learn

• How to stand out by using curiosity to show how you think and what you notice.
• How to accelerate your career by taking action before you're asked.
• How to demonstrate leadership by making complex ideas simple.
• The relationships you build will shape more opportunities than any résumé line.
• How to thrive in high-growth environments by embracing ambiguity and fast-paced change.
• How to prove your value by sharing clear, measurable results.
• How to tell your story by highlighting experiences that reveal adaptability and problem-solving.

Whether you're preparing for your next interview, navigating a career pivot, or developing as a leader, this episode is for you. Season two is right around the corner—stay curious and stay connected.

Guest Links:

Connect with Julian Semer on LinkedIn

Explore Albertsons Companies: albertsonscompanies.com/

Connect with Parag Shah on LinkedIn
Explore Think Blue: Think Blue

Connect with Jackie Doyle on LinkedIn
Explore fairlife, LLC: https://fairlife.com/

Connect with Candace Pappas on LinkedIn

Learn more about Blake's Beverage Company

Listen to their full episodes:

Julian Semer –https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-julian-semer-went-from-finance-to-shaping-the/id1814044313?i=1000717321902

Parag Shah – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/embracing-tech-in-retail-parag-shah-of-think-blue-on/id1814044313?i=1000723588668

Jackie Doyle – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-finance-aspirations-to-supply-chain-transformation/id1814044313?i=1000725681703

Candace Pappas – https://podcasts.appl

Next Steps:
Enjoyed the episode? Please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone building their career in retail.

For more behind-the-scenes stories and career advice follow Jenn on LinkedIn

In this episode of Candid with Candidates, Jennifer Hahn speaks with Sheila Muniz Ebanks, Head of the Large Store Division for Coca-Cola North America, about her leadership journey from driving truck in the industry to reporting directly to the Chief Customer Officer in all of North America.

Sheila reflects on the pivotal career transitions that shaped her path—from her early days at Frito-Lay, to leadership roles at Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, and now driving national retail partnerships at The Coca-Cola Company. She outlines how her leadership philosophy has evolved from tactical, to strategic, to inspirational, and why creating a strong culture is the foundation for lasting performance.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How Sheila believes her role is all about stretching her team to do more than they believe they’re capable of.
• How Sheila’s leadership encourages the team to approach partnerships with major retailers as more than sales relationships
• The importance of owning your career and building a challenge network to accelerate growth
• Why culture, people, and performance (in that order) drives sustainable leadership impact
• How calculated risk, resilience, and curiosity have guided her career decisions
• How she manages to show up for her family at home AND in her career through infrastructure on both sides
• Practical advice for candidates on telling their professional story and standing out in interviews
  
  
  

With over 15 years of leadership experience across the CPG industry, Sheila offers clear and actionable insights for anyone aspiring to grow their career, lead with purpose, and inspire teams at scale.

👉 Listen now to learn how to own your career, lead with intention, and create meaningful partnerships in today’s retail environment.

Guest Links:

Connect with Sheila Muniz Ebanks : https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheila-muniz-ebanks-mba-ma-41523a63/
Explore Coca-Cola Company: https://www.coca-colacompany.com/

Next Steps:
Enjoyed the episode? Please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone building their career in retail.

For more behind-the-scenes stories and career advice follow Jenn on LinkedIn