Retail Media Networks Grow in Predictable Stages — and Each One Has a Trap

The Yield Doctor with James Deaker · Jan 6, 2026 · 16m · transcript

Retail Media Networks (RMNs) don’t grow in a straight line.

In this video, I break down the predictable stages of growth that every Retail Media Network goes through — from early launch momentum to scaled, complex operations — and, more importantly, the challenges and traps that tend to appear at each stage.

My focus here is on Retail Media Networks because they’re the fastest-growing part of our industry right now. But if you’re working at any publisher or platform experiencing rapid growth, you’ll recognize many of these same patterns.

I’ve seen these stages play out repeatedly across…