Consumer-first is a long-gone buzzword. It is the baseline for brand survival in 2026.

This week on the Digital Shelf Insider, Shreshta Joy is in conversation with Jermina Menon, Founder & Chief Strategy Officer at Knowetic, to break down what being truly consumer-first looks like today and where most brands get it wrong. Her framework is simple but sharp. Know your customer. Know your core. Know your competition.

She explains why consistency beats volume, why founder and creator brands feel more authentic, and what legacy brands often miss when they try to move faster online.

They also get into early signals of real brand value beyond revenue, how loyalty is actually earned today, and why community should be built around customer problems, not products.

Episode Index:

(00:00) Trailer

(00:56) Intro

(01:29) Guest Intro & Greetings (Jermina Menon)

(2:18) What does "Consumer First" mean in 2026?

(03:50) Common mistakes in adopting this mindset

(05:47) Perspective on founder-led and creator brands

(10:13) Early signals that consumers value your brand

(11:54) D2C vs. Legacy: who has the 2026 advantage?

(14:29) Rethinking customer loyalty for the modern age

(16:41) Building communities around customer pain points

(20:08) Evolution of Mall Culture: utility vs. experience

(26:16) Consistency, Distinctiveness, or Cultural Relevance?

(28:31) The KYC Formula (Know Your Customer/Core/Competition)

(30:04) Outro

If you are building, scaling, or fixing a consumer brand in 2026, this episode gives you a clear lens to think with.