Join us as we dive into candid conversations with the people reshaping the future of commerce - the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the change makers, innovators, disruptors, and bold thinkers. If you’re passionate about innovation and leadership, Retail Transformers is for you! Stay Sharp. Be Bold. Transform Retail.
Missed our previous edition? Find it here → From Chaos to Confidence: Why Clarity Is the #1 Retail Leadership Skill
In today’s fast-moving retail world, confusion doesn’t just slow progress, it creates chaos. And chaos erodes confidence. That’s why in the latest episode of The Retail Razor: Blade to Greatness podcast, we sat down with bestselling author and retail thought leader Ron Thurston to explore one of the most overlooked but vital leadership skills: clarity.
EXCITING NEWS!!! We’re honored to announce that The Retail Razor Podcast Network has been nominated for a 2026 Vendors in Partnership VIP Award in the Communications category for The Retail Voice Award!
The VIP Awards celebrate the partnerships and innovation that move retail forward and we’re proud to be recognized among this year’s nominees.
NOW WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT! Voting closes today, November 21, 2025!
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From Pilot to Scale: How Anna Farberov Drives Innovation at PepsiCo Labs
When you think about innovation inside a Fortune 50 company, the first image that comes to mind might be glossy presentations, endless pilots, and a graveyard of projects that never scale.
That’s not the story at PepsiCo Labs.
In our latest episode of the Retail Transformers podcast, Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden sat down with Anna Farberov, GM of PepsiCo Labs, to uncover how she’s built a playbook for scaling startup innovation that actually delivers measurable impact.
A Leap from Finance to Innovation
Anna’s career began in the structured world of finance and strategy, where playbooks are clear, KPIs are defined, and the path forward is predictable. But she chose to leap into the unknown: corporate innovation.
“I thrive at discomfort and ambiguity. Innovation is where I feel at home.” – Anna Farberov
That mindset, embracing discomfort, has become her superpower. It’s what allows her to lead PepsiCo Labs with both discipline and creativity.
Turning Chaos into a Playbook
When PepsiCo Labs launched, Anna recalls it was “80% art and 20% process.” Hustle, instinct, and trial-and-error ruled the day. Over time, that flipped: 80% process, 20% art.
“To scale something in a big company, it has to be structured. Once we had the playbook, everything flipped.” – Anna Farberov
That playbook is what allows PepsiCo Labs to move fast, avoid innovation theater, and achieve a 50% success rate in moving pilots into transformation - a number that beats most VC portfolios.
Separating AI Hype from Reality
With nearly every startup now pitching AI, Anna shared how PepsiCo Labs vets solutions to separate hype from reality:
“By day three, when we look at architecture, we’ll know if you’re just renaming Excel formulas as AI - or if this is true AI.” – Anna Farberov
She reminded us that agentic AI may be the latest buzzword, but without measurable ROI, it’s just noise.
What Makes a Startup Stand Out
Anna also revealed what she looks for in startup pitches:
“Nothing generic works. If we hear a pitch from an expert, not a salesperson, that gives so much more credibility.” – Anna Farberov
Founders who listen, adapt, and co-create with PepsiCo’s teams are the ones who succeed.
Solving Complex Problems with Multiple Startups
Real-world challenges rarely exist in silos. Anna explained how PepsiCo Labs often integrates multiple startups to solve connected problems - like digital twins:
One startup scans assets and creates digital versions
Another runs simulations
A third provides visualization
A fourth optimizes performance
All orchestrated on platforms from partners like NVIDIA, AWS, and Siemens.
Why This Episode Matters
This conversation is a masterclass in scaling startup innovation inside a Fortune 50 company.
Whether you’re a startup founder, a corporate innovator, or simply curious about how PepsiCo Labs drives transformation, you’ll walk away with actionable insights.
Join the Transformation…
Anna reminded us that innovation isn’t about chasing every shiny new technology.
It’s about building a disciplined playbook that balances creativity with structure.
And that’s how PepsiCo Labs turns pilots into transformation.
Tune in and subscribe to the full season 1 episode 4 now. As always, we welcome your feedback on our social channels and if you like the show, rate us, review us, and let us know what you think! Visit our website at retailrazor.com for transcripts and detailed info about each episode and our amazing guests.
Don’t miss it!
Stay tuned for more amazing retail transformers in future episodes.
Until next time! Stay sharp. Be Bold. Transform Retail!
Sincerely,
Ricardo Belmar & Casey Golden
Co-hosts of The Retail Razor Show
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