In this interview, Benjamin Gershman, CMO at Exter Media, shares his perspective on why growth feels harder in 2026 (even when the numbers look stable) and what separates brands that continue to scale from those that stall. He discusses the increasing link between brand and performance, the role of first-party data, and why simplifying marketing stacks is becoming a strategic priority…
Tell us about your company, products and services.
Exter Media works with ecommerce and B2B brands to help them scale more predictably. We combine AI, data, and human creativity to understand what is actually holding growth back, not just to run more campaigns
What are you seeing as the biggest challenge for ecommerce brands right now?
The biggest challenge is clarity. Many brands are still growing, but they trust their numbers less than they used to. Attribution is noisier, customer behavior is more fragmented, and it is harder to explain why something worked or stopped working.
Why does growth feel harder now, even when performance metrics look stable?
Because complexity increases faster than understanding. Metrics can remain “acceptable” for a long time while the underlying economics quietly weaken. By the time the numbers clearly show it, the issue has usually been there for a while.
What separates brands that continue to scale from those that stall?
Focus. The brands that scale well are clear on what matters at their current stage and are disciplined about ignoring distractions. The ones that stall often try to optimize everything at once and end up spreading effort too thin.
What trends are you paying closest attention to this year?
We are seeing a stronger link between brand and performance, more emphasis on first-party data, and a move towards simplifying marketing stacks. Brands are becoming more selective about where they invest time and budget.
How do you see AI changing ecommerce marketing in the near term?
AI will be most impactful where it improves decision-making, not just speed. Automating tasks is useful, but the real value comes from helping teams prioritize what to test, what to scale, and what to stop doing.
What is something ecommerce brands often misunderstand about scaling?
They expect growth problems to show up clearly in the numbers. In reality, the first warning signs usually appear in how difficult it becomes to explain performance, not in performance itself.
What advice would you give to founders and growth leaders heading into 2026?
Do less, but understand it better. Growth becomes much easier when you are clear on which problem you are actually trying to solve.
If a growing ecommerce brand feels that growth has become harder to trust, where should they start?
The best place to start is not with another tactic, but with clarity. Understanding which part of growth is actually limiting progress right now often unlocks more impact than running more campaigns or adding more tools.
For brands who want to explore this further, Exter Media is offering a short 20-minute Growth Breakdown to help identify what to focus on next.
