How AI Is Changing Retail, Style, and the Future of Shopping | Anya Cheng

<p class="text-node">Ryan Alford sits down with Anya Cheng, founder and CEO of Taelor, for a conversation about AI, commerce, branding, and why data is becoming the defining advantage in the next generation of startups. Anya shares how she identified a real customer problem inside fashion and style, why most men do not actually want to shop, and how Taelor was built to remove friction through a mix of AI, logistics, and human styling support.</p><p class="text-node">Ryan and Anya also dig into the balance between brand and performance marketing, the changing role of SEO in a ChatGPT world, and why founders should be thinking less about building models and more about owning differentiated data. The episode becomes a bigger discussion about business moats, customer behavior, and how the most valuable AI companies may come from industries that do not look flashy at first glance.</p><p class="text-node">They close with a sharp look at live shopping, social commerce, and where Anya believes U.S. consumer behavior is headed next. It is a useful listen for entrepreneurs trying to separate what is durable in AI from what is just noise.</p><p class="text-node"><strong>Topics Covered</strong></p><ul class="list-node"><li class="list-item-node"><p class="text-node">How Anya Cheng went from major tech companies to founding Taelor</p></li><li class="list-item-node"><p class="text-node">Why solving the right problem is more important than building the right feature</p></li><li class="list-item-node"><p class="text-node">The role of AI and human stylists in modern commerce</p></li><li class="list-item-node"><p class="text-node">Why unique data is more valuable than generic model access</p></li><li class="list-item-node"><p class="text-node">Branding, performance marketing, and the purchase funnel</p></li><li class="list-item-node"><p class="text-node">ChatGPT SEO and the rise of answer-based discovery</p></li><li class="list-item-node"><p class="text-node">Live shopping and why U.S. commerce behavior still lags Asia</p></li><li class="list-item-node"><p class="text-node">Ryan Alford and Anya Cheng on defensible AI business strategy</p></li></ul><p class="text-node"><strong>Links<br></strong> Right About Now<br><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="link" href="https://www.ryanisright.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com"> https://www.ryanisright.com/<br></a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="link" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/right-about-now-legendary-business-advice/id1346054199?utm_source=chatgpt.com"> https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/right-about-now-legendary-business-advice/id1346054199<br></a> https://www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford</p><p class="text-node">Ryan Alford<br><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="link" href="https://www.ryanalford.com/"> https://www.ryanalford.com/<br></a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="link" href="https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/?utm_source=chatgpt.com"> https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/</a></p><p class="text-node">Anya Cheng / Taelor<br><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="link" href="https://taelor.style/"> https://taelor.style/<br></a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/anyacheng/?utm_source=chatgpt.com"> https://www.linkedin.com/in/anyacheng/</a></p><p class="text-node"><br></p>