Share this Post

“From Lettuce to Apple Tree: Retail in the Digital Era” tells the story of the transformation of a small traditional shop inherited by Andrés, the thirdgeneration in a family of merchants, who must reinvent the business to survive in today’s market. Through his journey, the book weaves realexperiences with practical strategies in digital marketing, customer relationship management (CRM), digitalization, and the building of commercialpartnerships.
Aimed at marketing students, small and medium-sized business owners, marketing professionals, agencies, consultants, executives, andspecialists in retail and innovation, it offers a strategic perspective that combines business storytelling with concrete operational tools. Readers will findkey insights on managing change, overcoming the challenges of the digital environment, leveraging new technologies and social media, and buildingauthentic relationships with customers.
More than a technical manual, this book is an invitation to rethink retail through authenticity and empathy. Itshows that traditional businesses can compete with digital giants without losing their essence, transforming their model from “lettuce” —fragile andstatic— to “apple tree” —solid, fruitful, and enduring— through constant adaptation and human connection

.

Cristina Elson brings 27 years of experience in Marketing and Business Development, having collaborated with leading companies such as UnitedDistillers-Diageo, Bacardi, Gallina Blanca, Revlon, and Natura Bissé. She has managed global brands, launched innovative products, and ledintercontinental initiatives in coordination with R&D&I and production teams across the United States, Mexico, South Africa, and Europe. Herexperience spans sectors including spirits, food, fashion, beauty, and cosmetics, providing her with a strategic global perspective on brand building andbusiness growth.
In 2008, she founded her own Strategic Consulting firm, offering expertise in entrepreneurship, strategic marketing, distribution, andcustomer experience.
Her insights have been featured in digital media and specialized magazines, and she has delivered keynote speeches atnumerous events. On behalf of IE, she has led Master Classes on “Marketing Today: From Product to Customer Experience” in Japan, Korea, and China.Her first book, “Nuevos modelos de negocio. Emprendimiento en la era de la tecnología” (2022), published by Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, hasbeen widely acclaimed, leading to frequent invitations to forums and interviews.
She is a professor at prestigious business schools and universities inBarcelona and Madrid. She has taught “Marketing Management” in IE’s Executive and Global MBA programs for over 15 years. She also teaches”Business & Entrepreneurship” at UOC and is a lead professor in the Bachelor’s and Master’s programs at EU Business School (Barcelona campus).
Sheholds a degree in Business Communication and Public Relations from the University of Barcelona, an International Marketing degree from the LondonChamber of Commerce, and an MBA from Ramon Llull University and Manhattan College (New York). In 2025, she expanded her AI expertise throughIE’s ‘Generative AI for Business Professionals’ program.

Cristina Elson