Live at Atlassian Team ’26 | May 5-7, 2026

Why Email Still Wins Marketing in 2026 | Marissa Vessels-Barnes, Sephora

In this episode of Back Up to Level Up, recorded live at ShopTalk 2026 in Las Vegas, Janet Khoshaba sits down with Marissa Vessels-Barnes, Director of Mobile Marketing at Sephora.
Rewind
Duration: 6:32 min

Marissa shares her journey from nonprofit marketing to leading SMS and app messaging at one of the world’s most recognized beauty brands. She breaks down why email remains one of the most powerful (and underrated) channels in eCommerce—and how modern marketers can level up by becoming more analytical. Key takeaways:

  • Why email is still a top-performing channel in eCommerce
  • How Marissa transitioned from nonprofit to Amazon to Sephora
  • The evolution from email to SMS and app messaging
  • Why analytical thinking is the biggest unlock for marketers today
  • Career advice: “Everything is figureoutable”

Whether you’re an eCommerce founder or a marketing operator, this episode offers practical insights on building high-impact messaging strategies.

More episodes to watch

5:19 min

The Subscription Bet That Changed Everything | Benjamin Elmalek, Stone Street Coffee

In this episode of Back Up to Level Up, recorded live at ShopTalk 2026 in Las Vegas, Janet Khoshaba sits down with Benjamin Elmalek, Chief Digital Officer at Stone Street Coffee.
7:19 min

Why Most Ecomm Brands Get Inventory Wrong | Rachel Dauchy, NetDeposited

In this episode of Back Up to Level Up, recorded live at ShopTalk 2026 in Las Vegas, Janet Khoshaba sits down with Rachel Dauchy, Ownde and Founder of NetDeposited, an eCommerce accounting firm specializing in inventory-heavy businesses.
8:43 min

They Said No One Would Pay for This…They Were Wrong | Mike Potter, Rewind

In this episode of Back Up to Level Up, recorded live at ShopTalk 2026 in Las Vegas, Janet Khoshaba sits down with Mike Potter, Co-Founder and CEO of Rewind.

Apply now

Got a story? Tell it here.

We’re booking guests for upcoming events. If you’ve been through a business journey and came out with a lesson, we want to hear it.

5–10 minute episodes, filmed live at industry events, professionally produced, and published on YouTube and social. You walk away with polished content you can keep and share.