• by Ray Schultz , Yesterday

Forbes has debuted a series called "Forbes Talks Shop" part of an ongoing effort to broaden its content and business offerings. To get a handle on this new project and its place in the larger Forbes strategy, Publishers Daily caught up with Cory Baldwin, general manager of Forbes Vetted, in an email Q&A. 

Publishers Daily: What is "Forbes Talks Shop" and how did it evolve?

Cory Baldwin: "Forbes Talks Shop" is a new podcast and video series from Forbes Vetted. Each week our hosts sit down with a different inspiring entrepreneur, innovator or creator to uncover the products, tools and rituals that power their success. Early guests have included Peloton instructor Becs Gentry, reality TV star and podcast host Paige DeSorbo, and up next week, hip-hop legend and entrepreneur Earl “E-40” Stevens. 

The series is one of many strategies to extend the success of Forbes Vetted, our trusted product review and recommendation platform, into new formats and audiences. We see it as connecting our authority in commerce journalism with people-centered storytelling, which is one of the things Forbes does best.  

Publishers Daily: What is Forbes Vetted, and how does it fit into Forbes’ overall content strategy? 

Cory Baldwin: Forbes Vetted is Forbes’ product review and recommendation destination, designed to help readers make smarter purchasing decisions backed by rigorous testing, topic expertise, and journalistic integrity. It’s a key part of Forbes’ diversified content strategy, expanding our reach into lifestyle and consumer decision-making while maintaining the authority and credibility our brand is known for.

"Forbes Talks Shop" complements this by focusing on audience diversification. It helps us build communities on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram—while strengthening the Forbes ecosystem overall. Each episode will have a companion article and related affiliate-supported product content highlighting some of the items recommended by our guests. In the future these product picks will power additional content aligning with our goal of inspiring our readers to live their most successful lives. 

Publishers Daily: Will "Forbes Talks Shop" feature staff editors and journalists, or freelance creators?

Cory Baldwin: The series is hosted by the Forbes Vetted editorial team, with Forbes editors Kim Peiffer and Spencer Dukoff leading interviews and shaping content. In each episode, our staff hosts will be in conversation with inspiring external talent, particularly creators and entrepreneurs who bring strong followings or highly engaged communities. Some of the voices you can expect to hear from are: Megan Roup, Jenni Kayne, Lilli Reinhart, Hannah Bronfman and more. 

Publishers Daily: We noticed a reference to “product journalism.” Does that mean you will act as influencers?

Cory Baldwin: “Product journalism” refers to Forbes’ editorial approach to e-commerce content, which is grounded in research, expertise, firsthand testing and transparency. In creating our shopping guides and supporting commerce content, our focus is on storytelling and service—helping readers, listeners and viewers make informed purchasing decisions, as well as discover new products and services they may be interested in. 

With "Forbes Talks Shop," we hope to inspire listeners by giving them a peek into the lives of fascinating people and the products they use every day. When we feature products or tools mentioned by guests, they’re in there organically and editorially. 

Publishers Daily: Is this designed to reach any audience or demographic in particular?

Cory Baldwin: Our goal is to meet new audiences where they are, particularly younger, digitally native consumers who engage with content through podcasts, social platforms, and video. We’re also targeting entrepreneurial and aspirational audiences who are already drawn to Forbes’ ethos of providing knowledge and inspiration that they need to achieve success, but may not yet be familiar with Forbes Vetted.

Publishers Daily: How will the content in "Forbes Talks Shop" be delivered? Will the podcasts be accompanied by content in any other channel? 

Cory Baldwin: Yes. In addition to audio platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify, each "Forbes Talks Shop" episode lives as a longform video podcast on YouTube, supported by shorter clips on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts. Every episode also has a companion article on Forbes.com that features the full video, key takeaways, and product picks. Over time, these onsite articles will form a valuable content library, helping us test performance in areas like Google Discover and Apple News.

Publishers Daily: What’s the start date?

Cory Baldwin: The first episodes of "Forbes Talks Shop" just debuted on YouTube and audio platforms, and will run on a weekly cadence on Wednesdays thereafter. The goal is to train audiences to return each week to their preferred platform for new conversations. 

Publishers Daily: Who's in charge of "Forbes Talks Shop" and can you tell me anything about their background? 

Cory Baldwin: The initiative is overseen by the Forbes Vetted leadership team, with editorial direction from Brinda Ayer and creative collaboration across Forbes’ video and social teams. The idea for the series came from host Spencer Dukoff, director of off-platform content & strategy for Forbes Vetted, and co-host Kim Peiffer, director of features & special projects for Forbes Vetted. Spencer joined the Vetted team in 2023 and has previously held audience development director and social media reporting roles at outlets like Mic, NY Daily News and Men’s Health. Kim has been a part of the Forbes Vetted team since 2020, and has deep experience in luxury product-focused journalism, including as executive director at Vogue, executive editor at InStyle, and editor-in-chief at DuJour. 

The project sits under the broader commerce strategy led by Emily Jackson, SVP, consumer revenue & growth, who launched and grew Forbes’ affiliate and product journalism offering.  

Publishers Daily: Are there any expansions being discussed?

Cory Baldwin: As the series develops, we may explore opportunities to evolve "Forbes Talks Shop" into a broader franchise, but it’s a bit early to share additional details. For now we are focused on finishing up our first season and planning out guests for next year.