In 2016, Curt Nichols started Glade Optics as a side project while working at a market research firm. As he helped consumer-facing companies navigate the shift from physical to digital stores, he saw brands unlock massive returns by applying DTC principles to highly commoditized product categories. In this episode, we're chatting with Curt to learn how he launched Glade and grew it from a seasonal business into a year-round leader in mountain gear, using targeted community outreach, deep customer insights, and targeted post-purchase upsells.

We'll also hear from the CEO of CartHook, Emily Foreman, on how brands can replicate these post-purchase offers to collect untapped revenue and drive higher AOV.

Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:

• How Curt started Glade Optics
• How Curt got the manufacturing process started
• The seasonality of Curt’s business
• Why Curt decided on goggles
• What a partnership looks like in Curt’s industry
• How the Glade Optics catalog has evolved
• How to drive a strong customer experience with CartHook
• How CartHook uses credit card information
• The impact of the iOS update
• How Curt utilizes CartHook connections
• The biggest failure on post-purchase expenses
• The biggest lessons learned in using CartHook
• How people use CartHook to increase order value
• How launching sunglasses has helped even out sales through the year
• Lead time between new products
• Number one advice for other brands

Resources:

Curt Nichols

Glade Optics

Emily Foreman

CartHook