Seven years ago, I was just a kid with a hunch.

Brands didn't understand Gen Z. 

I saw the gap and knew it had to be fixed.

But the thing about being an 18 y/o dropout with no experience, clients, or money?

No one gives a shit.

I had to go prove it.

I scratched. Clawed. Worked like hell to just get a chance.

I got a shot and took it.

Trndsttrs was born. 

The idea became a team.

A team that would prove our thesis brick by brick. 

The stakes grew and so did the team.

We helped McDonald's navigate COVID. 

We launched your favorite brands on TikTok and hacked the algorithm.

We changed the vertical content game forever. 

We helped brands break through the noise. Built creator partnerships that mattered. And ran campaigns that didn't sell into culture, but shaped it.

We built, pound for pound, the best Gen Z team in the world.

But here's what they don't tell you about building something from scratch:

You don't just learn how to solve problems. 

You learn to spot the ones that keep coming back.

For years, we solved the same problem over and over again.

Every campaign, every deal, every strategy—it all pointed to the same gap.

The brand <> creator ecosystem is broken.

We worked around it. We filled the gaps ourselves.

Until one day, we realized we weren’t just filling the gaps.

We were building the solution.

Now I find myself building RoC (return on creators).

Not a new idea—it’s the culmination of everything we’ve built, everything we’ve learned, and every challenge we’ve solved along the way.

This is our moonshot. Beaten and battered grapes forming our magnum opus.

I'll continue to operate with Trndsttrs as the premier social commerce agency—partnering with a select group of brands to drive results on the fastest-growing commerce platforms in the world.

Jake Bjorseth

2018 - toured penthouse apartment downtown while just a college student with no money. 

2020 - moved in

2019 - visited LA and checked out Zillow listings in Venice beach

2021 - moved into one of the same listings right off the beach

2023 - family vacation in 30A, Florida. Fell in love with the beach town vibe.

2025 - moved into house there .5 miles off the beach

Kicking off 2026 staying at a farmstead with chickens, goats, pigs, sheep, ducks, turkeys… 

and our two German shepherds herding it all. 

The 2028 vision has already come to life…

The only thing between now and then:

- some hard work
- some smart decisions 
- Father Time

Thoughts ➡️ Reality

Social Commerce + Creator Marketing | Mom's Favorite Son

The incentive will determine the outcome.

If your team isn't directly incentivized to work harder, why will they?

If your agency partner has no upside, why will they create it?

Call me cynical but everything in life is quid pro quo.

And the "quo" of not getting fired is not proportional to what it once was.

I took the holiday break to design this for our business.

Three rules for incentives across org:

1. Incentivize day-day role

As your capacity and bandwidth grows, so should your earnings. Do more, earn more.

2. Incentive on department success

Training + collaborating team members can be negative to existing workload. 

Put incentives to department team success collectively.

3. Incentive on company value creation (market cap, earnings)

Equity shares for leadership, rev-shares for everyone else.

AI generative content is going to sky rocket 500+ brands this year.

Then it will destroy the brand reputation of the 1,000+ brands that copy the formula right as the consumer pendulum swings back around. 

I hope I'm wrong

Walmart🛒Sam's Club |📦Merchandising Displays & Packaging📦|❤️Sales & Marketing |🌄Outdoor Enthusiast & Endurance Everything🏃| Employee Owner❤️EBITA | #TheRetailDude

With over a decade of experience in retail merchandising and execution, I help CPG brands make an impact at Walmart, Sam’s Club, Costco, and beyond. From endcaps to pallet programs, I work closely with brand CEOs, Founders, and Marketing/Sales executives to execute in-store merchandising strategies that drive velocity, impulse purchases, and brand awareness.

I’m passionate about sharing insights on how brands can maximize their retail presence, whether through strategic packaging, off-shelf displays, or shopper marketing activations. My approach is rooted in innovation, data-driven decision-making, and a relentless pursuit of "What if?" thinking to bring ideas to life.

👟 Outside of retail, I’m an ultra trail runner, constantly pushing limits and testing endurance, just like in business. Success in both comes down to strategy, consistency, and execution.

Let’s connect and talk about winning at retail.

𝙏𝙤𝙥 𝙍𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙨: 
Walmart, Sam's Club, Costco, Kroger, Walgreens, Home Depot, Lowes, and more

𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙨 𝙀𝙭𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙮𝙥𝙚𝙨:
Direct Import(DI), Multi-Vendor, Pass-Through, DSDC, Single Supplier, Feature Trains, Signage Kits, Collect/Prepaid, Cross-Dock, Materials Only

𝘾𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚:
Toys, Electronics, Stationery/Craft, Apparel, OTC, H&W, Grocery, Consumables, Lawn & Garden, Entertainment, Beauty, Baby, Craft, Seasonal (Annual Event, BTS, Holiday, Easter)

𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙨:
★ Custom Point of Sale Displays: Pallets, Floorstands/FSDU's, Trays, Endcaps, Trendpods, In-store Signage
★ Protective Industrial Packaging: Retail Ready, Subscription Boxes, Trays, RSC Boxes Influencer Kits
★ Specialty Items: Set-up Boxes, Slide Boxes, Trade Show Booths
★ Retail Product Packaging: Baypack, Folding Carton, Gift Sets
★ Augmented Reality/AssemblAR
★ Digital Printing: Variable Data, Customized, Personalized

𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨:
★ Concept Design
★ Material Manufacturing
★ Retail Planning & Strategy
★ Project Management
★ Supply Chain Logistics
★ Packout & Fulfillment

Contact me at joshual@bay-cities.com

Joshua Linden

First Walmart store walk of the year is always telling.

Q1 brings new ideas and eye-catching merchandising, but it still runs on fundamentals.

What you can expect to see in stores right now:

• Clean, easy-to-shop shelves.
• Seasonal and need-state merchandising for Valentine’s Day, Flu/Cold, Wellness & Fitness, and everyday staples.
• Merchandising that looks great at the store level and works for the supply chain.
• Product either directly on shelf or supported by clear, branded merchandising vehicles.
• Fewer surprises. Fewer excuses.

The brands that win are blending strong execution with omnichannel marketing to drive traffic back into stores or Walmart dot-com for additional assortments.

The reality is simple. Strong execution earns trust. Trust earns opportunity. Sell-through earns more space.

If 2026 is a growth year for your brand, this is where it starts. On the floor, not just in a deck.

I share what I see across Walmart and other retail channels. What’s working, what’s not, and why it matters.

Follow along and share what you’re seeing in stores in the comments.

#TheRetailDude #Walmart #RetailExecution #CPG #StoreWalk #RetailReady

Having a strong, supportive, and loving wife makes life easier.

The quiet encouragement.

The belief on the hard days.

The reminder to keep going when quitting would be easier.

That kind of support doesn’t just show up at home. It shows up in how you lead, how you show up for others, and how hard you’re willing to push to become a better version of yourself.

Grateful for a partner who motivates me to keep growing. Always.

Who agrees with me?

P.S. Devon Linden my wife makes the best homemade cookies around. I love these little notes.

Just dropped the first edition of Selling Retail.

This one is a recap of what actually worked in 2025 and the best practices brands should carry into 2026. It’s built from real store walks, real execution, and lessons learned at Walmart and across retail.

Endcaps, sidekicks, packaging efficiency, digital + physical, and why execution still matters more than anything else.

Would love to hear what you’re seeing in stores and what you think brands should double down on this year.

Link to the article 👇
 
#SellingRetail #Walmart #RetailExecution #CPG #Merchandising #StoreWalks

What “great” looks like heading into 2026 Selling Retail focuses on what actually moves product at Walmart and across retail. Each month, I share stor

Open article: Selling Retail - Walmart & Retail insights from the store floor by Joshua Linden • 4 min read

Selling Retail - Walmart & Retail insights from the store floor

Retail moves fast. That’s not the problem.

The challenge shows up when urgency replaces clarity. When everything feels important at once, priorities blur, teams hesitate, and execution starts to slow instead of accelerate. Speed without alignment rarely delivers the results people expect.

Strong leadership in retail isn’t about pushing harder or asking for more. It’s about creating clarity so teams can move with confidence. Clear goals, defined ownership, and realistic timelines are what allow fast-moving organizations to execute without breaking things along the way.

That principle holds true on the sales floor, in operations, and across leadership teams. When clarity is present, momentum follows. When it’s missing, even the best teams struggle.

I share lessons from retail execution and leadership in fast-moving environments. What’s working, what’s not, and why it matters.

Follow along and share what’s helped you create clarity on your teams.

Let me know what you think in the comments. 

#Leadership #RetailLife #Execution #TheRetailDude #CPG

***photo from recent store walk

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The Battle

Jake Bjorseth

Joshua Linden

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Jake Bjorseth's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreJake Bjorseth's LinkedIn Performance