DTC POD: A Podcast for eCommerce and DTC Brands

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Scott Dancy is the founder and CEO of Azuna, a fast-growing brand in the natural air freshener space. With a background in staffing, technology, and several entrepreneurial ventures, Scott started Azuna in Buffalo in 2019, scaling the business from hand-packaging orders to becoming the world’s largest purchaser of tea tree oil and achieving significant success in both DTC and Amazon channels.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Scott shares his journey of launching Azuna, from navigating supply chain challenges and product R&D to unlocking consistent growth and managing cash flow as order volumes soared. He covers the pivotal product decisions, strategies for boosting AOV, lessons from high-profile partnerships, and Azuna’s approach to retail expansion. Scott also offers practical advice for founders on knowing their numbers, avoiding expensive mistakes, and building a team that’s invested in the brand’s success.

Episode brought to you by Stord - 3PL for Commerce
Episode brought to you by EMF Radar - Health Starts with EMF Safety in mind

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Scott Dancy’s entrepreneurial background and Azuna’s origin story
2. Early-stage bootstrapping: packaging, fulfillment, and ad writing
3. Scaling operations: manufacturing, 3PLs, and hiring expert talent
4. Product and packaging strategy: sustainable materials, bundling, and raising AOV
5. Building a brand moat with proprietary tea tree oil sourcing
6. Subscription economics and customer retention strategies
7. Navigating cash flow, funding growth, and working with MCAs
8. Knowing key metrics: revenue, gross profit, AOV, and cash allocation
9. D2C vs Amazon vs retail channel strategy
10. In-house vs agency operations and pitfalls
11. Brand marketing and influencer partnerships
12. Lessons learned from sports and celebrity partnerships
13. Timing retail entry and optimizing product mix for channels
14. Importance of customer service and product quality
15. Entrepreneurial learnings: failures, details, and staying data-driven

Timestamps
00:00 Scott Dancy’s background and founding Azuna
03:05 The “aha moment”—tea tree oil product discovery
04:10 Early days of hand-packaging, first sales, COVID impact
05:36 Scaling up: building the team, manufacturing, growth in Buffalo
07:14 Transition to 3PL and challenges of scaling past $10M
08:10 Product development, bundling, and packaging strategy
10:05 Target audience and tea tree oil sourcing
13:41 Growth channels: Meta, Google, and influencer seeding
15:53 Subscription model economics and retention
19:03 Funding growth: inventory buys, cash flow, using Clearco
22:24 Data-driven decisions and knowing your numbers
26:25 Channel mix: Amazon, DTC, retail launch, pricing strategy
32:00 Learning from agency mistakes and shiny object syndrome
35:06 Retail timing, product mix, and learnings from entering stores
42:02 Brand partnerships: AKC, NFL, influencer marketing
46:44 Final lessons and what Scott would have done differently
47:50 Where to find Azuna and connect with Scott

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Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

Scott Dancy - CEO & Founder of Azuna
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Graham Rigby is the President and CEO of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), the leading trade association for the herbal products industry. With 20 years of experience across startups and industry leadership—including serving as Chief Innovation Officer at Care/of—Graham has helped shape how modern supplement brands navigate regulation, formulation, and go-to-market strategy.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Graham shares what it actually takes to launch and scale a supplement brand without getting burned by regulators. He breaks down exactly where the line is between claims that sell and claims that get you in trouble, why so many founders get blindsided by FDA and FTC enforcement, and how to work with contract manufacturers when you're just starting out. Graham also gets into the real opportunity in supplements right now—why clinical trials cost 90% less than they did two decades ago, how AI is changing the formulation game, and why a $70 billion market growing at 6.5% still has plenty of room for new entrants. Plus, his take on the brands that are doing it right, from AG1 to Ritual, and what founders can learn from their playbooks.

Episode brought to you by Stord - 3PL for Commerce
Episode brought to you by EMF Radar - Health Starts with EMF Safety in mind

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. The evolution and growth of the herbal supplement industry
2. Key regulatory milestones: DSHEA, GMPs, and FDA compliance for supplements
3. What founders must do to stay compliant when launching a supplement brand
4. The distinction between pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, and nutraceuticals
5. Marketing, claims, and the importance of substantiation
6. Emerging opportunities with clinical trials and claim innovation
7. DTC, Amazon, TikTok, and brick-and-mortar distribution channels for wellness brands
8. The practicalities and risks of supplement retail (and when to scale beyond DTC)
9. Practitioner and non-traditional channels for supplement sales
10. How Ingredient AI, Infinite Garden, and other platforms are applying AI to supplements
11. Content creators, credentialed doctors, and the new face of trusted health advice
12. The role of diagnostics, wearables, and personalization in driving supplement trends
13. Growth outlook: Why the supplement market is just getting started

Timestamps
00:00 Intro to DTC POD and Graham Rigby
02:25 20 years of supplements: Startup vs. regulatory side
03:00 The exponential growth of the herbal products market
04:44 Regulatory basics: DSHEA, FDA oversight, and GMPs explained
07:14 How AHPA helps brands navigate compliance and education
08:03 Launching a supplement brand: Key compliance steps and best practices
10:00 FDA’s post-market regulatory process and founder responsibilities
13:04 Supplements vs. pharmaceuticals: Safety, claims, and approvals
17:32 Telling stories and using clinical research for marketing claims
20:00 What marketers can and cannot say: Health vs. disease claims
22:04 Substantiating claims and the importance of compliance for growth
24:31 Label vs. online claims: How rules apply to different channels
27:02 DTC vs. Amazon, TikTok, and expanding to retail and practitioner channels
30:19 The risks and rewards of brick-and-mortar expansion
35:14 AI and technology’s role in supplement industry efficiency and safety
40:47 The rise of content creators and doctors shaping supplement education
46:34 Diagnostics, wearables, and the future of personalized wellness
51:13 Supplement industry outlook and advice for emerging brands
52:25 How to connect with Graham and AHPA, and upcoming founder programs

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

Graham Rigby - President & CEO of American Herbal Products Association (AHPA)
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Natalia Chappell is the founder of Natalia Chappell & Co, a UK-based consultancy helping luxury and lifestyle brands scale sustainably. Previously, she led marketing for THG's luxury division, working with brands like Coach and Ralph Lauren across price points from hundreds to thousands of pounds.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Natalia breaks down what it really takes for US brands to win in the UK—and why so many get it wrong. She shares the full-funnel mistakes she sees premium brands make over and over, why some household US names thrived in Britain while others quietly retreated, and what's actually driving results on Meta right now. She also gets into how to connect with younger consumers who think differently about spending, and why the old playbook of polished content isn't cutting it anymore. Plus, her journey from corporate marketing leader to female founder, and what she wishes more people understood about building a business as a woman.

Episode brought to you by Stord

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Lessons from high-growth UK e-commerce brands
2. Creating sustainable, holistic marketing strategies
3. Using data and analytics to drive channel mix decisions
4. Optimizing for paid and organic synergy
5. Landing page and website audit best practices
6. UGC, influencer, and creator partnership frameworks
7. Onboarding and managing creators for conversion and brand fit
8. Navigating UK logistics, customs, and local expectations
9. How to adapt brand voice and content for UK consumer
10. UK cultural moments and how to plan campaigns around them
11. Success stories (Drunk Elephant, Ralph Lauren, Coach) and why some US brands flop
12. Digital-first approaches to brand building
13. Upcoming trends—partnership ads, authentic content, and Gen Z consumers
14. Supporting and growing as a female founder in e-commerce

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to DTC POD and episode with Natalia Chappell
01:18 Natalia’s background: fashion, digital marketing, luxury brand experience
03:26 Lessons learned building luxury and beauty e-commerce teams
05:16 Becoming a female founder and launching Natalia Chappell & Co
07:22 The type and scale of brands Natalia’s agency works with
09:07 Optimizing paid-to-organic mix for sustainable growth
12:12 Data, analytics, and the importance of first-party data integrity
13:33 Why understanding inventory and offer depth matters before scaling ads
16:26 Building a marketing flywheel that feeds itself
18:50 Audience segmentation, CRM, and conversion optimization
20:08 Attribution modeling and keeping data integrations clean
22:29 Organic growth: auditing website, SEO, landing pages, and reviews
24:03 Content strategy: authentic UGC, influencers, and the UK market
26:58 Equipping creators for conversion, not just reach
29:25 Structuring affiliate and creator programs, commissioning vs. flat fees
33:01 Logistics: Warehousing, customs, and UK delivery expectations
36:54 Adapting voice, copy, and calendar to resonate in the UK
38:34 Brand case studies: Drunk Elephant, Coach, Ralph Lauren
41:09 Why some US brands struggle in the UK (Forever 21, etc.)
44:21 Trends to watch: partnership ads, content authenticity, Gen Z targeting
47:25 Where to find and connect with Natalia Chappell

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Natalia Chappell - Founder of Natalia Chappell & Co.
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Martin Forde is the co-founder and partner at Highline Brands, a retail brokerage built for modern CPG and emerging brands. As the first sales hire at Dr. Squatch, he helped lead the brand's Walmart launch—which did over $50M in year one and set the foundation for a $1.5B exit to Unilever.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Martin shares the full playbook for making the leap from DTC to retail. He breaks down how to evaluate which channels make sense, what buyers actually care about (hint: it's not your brand), how to pitch them, and how to choose the right brokerage partner. He also gets into the operational side: how deals are structured, why retail timelines take longer than most founders expect, and what actually drives velocity on shelf.

Episode brought to you by Stord

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. When to consider retail (and when you're not ready)
2. Independent retail vs. major retailers: where to start
3. The old DTC-first playbook vs. the new hybrid approach
4. Understanding your consumer and choosing the right retailer
5. What buyers actually care about (hint: category growth, not your brand)
6. Three ways to reach buyers: cold outreach, inbound, or through a broker
7. Why and when to say no to a retailer
8. How brokers work: deal structures, retainers vs. commission, red flags
9. The 9-12 month timeline from first conversation to shelf
10. Merchandising and digital tactics that drive velocity on shelf

Timestamps
00:00 Martin Forde’s background and experience in CPG
03:14 Launching and scaling brands into retail
04:20 Key lessons from Dr. Squatch retail rollout
07:30 Dr. Squatch’s early days and pent-up retail demand
09:39 Defining “why retail” and evaluating retail opportunities
10:38 Understanding independent retail channels and platforms
15:14 Retail supply chain basics: MOQs, case packs, and 3PLs
17:46 Testing and iterating supply chain through small-scale channels
18:56 Leveraging online marketplaces (Faire, Thrive, Bubble)
23:33 Deciding when to break into retail; timing and strategy
24:44 Comparing DTC-first and direct-to-retail playbooks
29:28 Raising capital, prepping for retail, and first retail sale process
30:57 How to approach retail buyers and pitch
34:03 Different ways to reach retail buyers: direct outreach, inbound, brokerages
39:51 Working with brokers: models, deal structures, and choosing a partner
50:29 Preparing retail pitch materials and buyer presentations
51:39 Identifying category white space and incremental value
54:53 Merchandising and digital tactics for retail success
57:06 Where to connect with Martin Forde and closing thoughts

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Martin Forde - Co-Founder of Highline Brands
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Oisin O'Connor is the CEO and co-founder of Recharge, the leading subscription management platform powering 75% of all Shopify subscriptions. Under his leadership, Recharge has become a critical infrastructure partner for over 30,000 brands, reaching 100 million subscribers and $100 million ARR.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Oisin pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to win with subscriptions in today’s DTC landscape. He shares insider strategies for subscriber growth, optimizing retention, and leveraging Recharge’s newest AI-powered tools to minimize churn. Oisin also shares specific benchmarks every brand should measure, real-world examples of subscription funnels that convert, and actionable experiments operators can run to unlock long-term profitability and scale.

Episode brought to you by Stord

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Evolution of subscriptions in physical product e-commerce
2. How to spot and create product-market fit
3. Differentiators that set Recharge apart from early competitors
4. The compounding power of subscriptions for long-term growth
5. Unit economics, LTV vs CAC, and why retention is king
6. What best-in-class subscription brands do differently
7. Optimizing conversion funnels for subscriber growth
8. Subscription benchmarks: churn rates, retention, and second order metrics
9. Reducing churn with data, cancellation flows, loyalty, and rewards
10. Automations and integrating Recharge with supply chain and 3PL operations
11. Leveraging AI Concierge for customer retention and support
12. Evolving customer experience and the need for seamless subscription management
13. How Recharge guides merchants with data, support, and innovation
14. Experiments and mistakes founders make launching subscription brands

Timestamps
00:00 Oisin’s background, founding story, and early agency experiments
04:06 The rise of Shopify and the breakthrough with Recharge
05:19 The subscription model: initial skepticism and quirky early adopters
06:47 Technical challenges in enabling subscriptions on Shopify
09:00 First major subscription brand success story
10:15 Compounding growth through subscriptions
11:36 Legacy brands and decades-long customer retention
13:06 Building DTC businesses with sustainable unit economics
14:37 Lessons from TV advertising history and the narrowing of scalable models
16:29 Key traits of successful subscription businesses
17:09 Product, recurring need, and conversion strategy
18:27 Understanding subscriber value and optimizing acquisition
19:26 Retention: keeping customers post-acquisition
19:52 High-performing brands and funnel design
20:05 Subscription by default, offers, upsells, and cross-sells
21:39 Conversion tactics from PDP to post-checkout
22:38 Benchmarks for healthy churn and retention
23:06 How top brands reduce churn and track performance
24:58 Recharge tools: analytics, cancellation flows, Klaviyo integration
26:41 Rewards and automations to boost retention
27:33 Automate flows for backend fulfillment and logistics
28:20 Launching AI SMS concierge for subscriber experience
29:40 Reducing customer service friction and delighting shoppers
32:15 Customer experience as a core differentiator
34:04 The competitive subscription landscape: Recharge’s position
35:41 Product innovation, support, and actionable guidance
37:16 Data-driven product innovation and merchant success
38:04 The future of subscription, retention, and platform innovation
40:38 Biggest mistakes founders make with subscriptions
41:58 Experiments founders should run with Recharge
42:58 Where to connect with Oisin for advice and mentorship

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Oisin O'Connor - Co-Founder and CEO of Recharge
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Zeke Bronfman is the co-founder and CEO of The Absorption Company, a brand pioneering highly bioavailable supplements engineered for optimal nutrient absorption. With a background in health and wellness entrepreneurship—including a previous successful beverage exit—Zeke leads a team on a mission to address a major gap in supplement efficacy by focusing on real, measurable impact for consumers.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Zeke details the journey of building The Absorption Company from inception to rapid retail success in outlets like Erewhon. He talks about the science behind absorption, launching with a powerful community-driven strategy, and the importance of brand-led product innovation. Zeke also offers practical advice on supply chain management, leveraging celebrity co-founders, and lessons learned about optimizing e-commerce for long-term growth.

Episode brought to you by Stord

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. The founding story of The Absorption Company
2. Why most supplements fail—and how absorption is the next frontier
3. Creating a viral pre-launch private Instagram community
4. Setting a brand apart with science-backed, lifestyle-driven design
5. Early product development and MVP lessons
6. Direct-to-consumer subscription as a growth engine
7. Amazon, TikTok Shop, and the online channel mix
8. The strategic approach to selective retail partnerships
9. Managing the supply chain: co-packers, fulfillment, and scaling ops
10. How to keep operations simple, resilient, and cost-effective
11. Lessons in traffic acquisition: organic, paid, and influencer mix
12. Celebrity founder advantages, limits, and effective deployment
13. Funding, initial capital requirements, and brand investment
14. Biggest founder learnings and operational takeaways
15. What’s ahead: innovation pipeline and future growth

Timestamps
00:00 Intro to Zeke Bronfman and The Absorption Company
02:44 The absorption problem in supplements
04:40 Why bioavailability is the future of wellness supplements
06:11 Bringing the brand to life: Team, tech, and community-building
07:47 The private Instagram launch strategy and viral pre-sale
09:27 The power of exclusivity and early consumer engagement
11:12 Product MVP and standout branding decisions
13:26 Early sales strategy: DTC, Amazon, retail mix
15:04 Why big-box retail isn’t always the right move
17:57 Scaling DTC: Subscription, platform choices, and LTV
19:04 Driving traffic: Paid, organic, influencer, and celebrity co-founder impact
20:38 TikTok Shop: Affiliate, Live, and what works (and doesn’t)
22:36 Capital, startup costs, and launching with impact
25:32 Building a scalable supply chain and minimizing complexity
27:25 Fulfillment operations and splitting inventory
29:00 Entering boutique/strategic retail as a marketing lever
30:52 Biggest learnings and missteps scaling Absorption Company
33:13 Lessons using celebrity/influencer as a brand amplifier
36:10 What’s next: Upcoming innovations and business growth
36:50 Where to follow Absorption Company

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Ezekiel Bronfman - Co-Founder and CEO of The Absorption Company
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Danielle Kidney is the founder of The Creative Pack, a Los Angeles-based agency specializing in packaging design for CPG and DTC brands. With over two decades of experience in the industry—including work with Tesco and a diverse portfolio of well-known consumer brands—Danielle brings a wealth of expertise in every aspect of packaging, from strategy and brand storytelling to materials and production.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Danielle breaks down the behind-the-scenes process of creating packaging that not only looks great but also delivers on function, compliance, and scalability. She covers everything from the earliest stages of design and competitor audits, to the nuances of materials, regulatory requirements, and print production. Danielle shares practical advice on how brands can avoid costly mistakes, streamline their supply chain, and create packaging that stands out both online and on the shelf.

Episode brought to you by Stord

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. The importance of packaging in brand perception and sales
2. Process: From initial idea to production-ready design
3. Building a design brief and establishing project scope
4. Competitive reviews and designing for hierarchy and function
5. Balancing creative innovation with must-have regulatory details
6. Collaborating with clients, manufacturers, and printers
7. Prototyping, mockups, and unboxing experience
8. Print technology, material choices, and cost management
9. Regulatory review, legal claims, and compliance essentials
10. Lead times, timeline planning, and pitfalls of rushing production
11. Early-stage packaging vs. scaling up for retail and DTC
12. Lessons learned: common mistakes and strategic tips
13. Pricing, form factor, and packaging design as sales levers

Timestamps
00:00 Introducing Danielle Kidney & The Creative Pack
05:42 The Creative Pack’s client process: from idea to brief
10:50 Balancing branding vs. functionality for sales and conversion
18:03 Manufacturing realities: materials, dielines, and cost constraints
24:39 Colors, mockups, and bringing digital designs to life
26:22 Real-world costs of packaging mistakes and risk mitigation
29:27 Regulatory musts: nutrition facts, barcodes, legal pitfalls
35:10 Realistic timelines for packaging launches and scale
40:33 Strategies for startups vs. brands scaling up
43:23 Lessons learned and tips for optimizing packaging decisions
50:20 Where to connect with Danielle and The Creative Pack

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Danielle Kidney - Founder of The Creative Pack
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Meenakshi Lala is the CEO of UrbanStems, an online floral gifting company that designs, sources, and delivers high-quality, curated bouquets and gifts across the U.S. She brings over two decades of operational experience from leading brands in fashion and retail such as Alice + Olivia, Juicy Couture, and Elie Tahari. Her expertise in scaling complex businesses and building operational excellence now fuels UrbanStems’ growth as a leader in the industry.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Blaine and Meenakshi explore the complex world of DTC flower delivery: from sourcing stems globally, managing cold chain logistics, forecasting inventory, and reducing spoilage, to ensuring the end customer receives a high-quality bouquet every time. Meenakshi candidly discusses the challenges of seasonality, tariffs, international shipping, and why a robust brand and customer-centric approach are keys to thriving in today’s fast-moving e-commerce landscape.

Episode brought to you by Stord

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. The complexities of the floral industry and perishability
2. The evolution of e-commerce in the flower business
3. Building a robust and agile international supply chain
4. Cold chain logistics and fulfillment center operations
5. Planning, forecasting, and reducing spoilage in inventory
6. Unique challenges: tariffs, customs, and unpredictable events
7. Customer experience: packaging, instructions, and communications
8. Curation, personalization, and expanding gifting moments
9. Driving growth through brand, loyalty, and education
10. Lessons learned in leadership and staying agile

Timestamps
00:00 Meenakshi’s career journey and joining UrbanStems
04:49 Key learnings from legacy brands and focus on brand ethos
07:21 Operational challenges unique to the floral industry
11:00 The evolution of flowers in e-commerce and UrbanStems’ role
14:28 How Urban Stems’ supply chain is structured for freshness
16:37 International sourcing, design, and bouquet assembly process
18:27 Managing supply chain risks: tariffs and customs
21:45 Inventory planning, spoilage, and matching supply to demand
24:45 Supply chain as a business moat and high-precision operation
25:36 Customer fulfillment: hydration, packaging, and experience
28:34 Packaging complexities and spec sheets per SKU
30:08 Lessons from moving from COO to CEO
32:19 How operational expertise shapes strategic leadership
34:17 Customer feedback and new initiatives at UrbanStems
38:02 Growth channels: brand loyalty, curation, and gifting moments
41:58 Biggest CEO learnings and future outlook
43:51 Where to find Meenakshi and UrbanStems online

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Meenakshi Lala - CEO at UrbanStems
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Natan Bershtel is the Director of Business Development at Pelagic, a fractional supply chain partner for growing brands and CPG companies. Before Pelagic, Natan spent nearly 20 years as a public school teacher before joining and eventually running his family’s contract packaging business—where he worked with iconic names like Seed, Liquid IV, Celsius, and Element. After his company’s exit, Natan teamed up with John Morgan to help brands avoid common operational pitfalls and build supply chains that scale.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Natan breaks down what it takes to build a resilient supply chain at every stage of brand growth. He shares practical strategies to avoid common pitfalls, tips on sourcing the right partners, and insights on how successful brands approach manufacturing, fulfillment, and logistics. Natan also highlights why supply chain is core to a brand’s success and how founders can create real competitive advantages by making supply chain decisions based on quality, relationships, and flexibility.

Episode brought to you by Stord

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Importance of supply chain in DTC and omnichannel brands
2. Key players: sourcing, manufacturing, co-packers, 3PLs, and fulfillment
3. Differences in supply chain needs for emerging vs. established brands
4. Supply chain pitfalls and how to avoid them
5. Vetting, relationship-building, and collaboration with your supply chain partners
6. Overlooked areas of supply chain where founders lose time/money
7. How to approach minimum order quantities and negotiations
8. When to outsource fulfillment vs. doing it yourself
9. Logistics of manufacturing, packaging, and distribution
10. The impact of scale on supply chain decisions
11. Using data and timelines to make faster, smarter choices
12. Leveraging agency and partner networks for supply chain speed
13. Why in-person vendor relationships are crucial
14. How truly great supply chains build brand moats

Timestamps
00:00 Intro and the state of supply chain in DTC
01:40 Natan Bershtel’s background and path to Pelagic
02:24 Lessons from growing a contract packaging family business
04:11 Why supply chain is the backbone of every brand
05:28 The role of execution vs. creative vision in CPG
07:09 How to find and vet the best manufacturing/packaging partners
11:15 The agency advantage: getting reps and sharing supply chain intel
12:41 Core players in bringing a product to market
15:04 Aligning supply chain strategy with brand vision and goals
16:56 Two playbooks for scaling: bootstrap profit vs. capital-intensive growth
19:48 Timelines—how to ask supply partners the right questions
21:41 How and when to ask for what you need from partners
26:32 End-to-end product launch: manufacturing, packaging, and fulfillment
28:42 When to move fulfillment to a 3PL (and when to keep it in-house)
33:15 Tech and process innovation at leading 3PLs
35:14 Strategic decisions: packaging, location, and unit economics
38:58 Challenging assumptions and reviewing supply chain regularly
42:08 Supply chain as brand moat and advantage
44:13 Final tips: Always go in-person and build real relationships

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Natan Bershtel - Director of Business Development at Pelagic
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Brent Vartan is Managing Partner and Co-Founder at Bullish, a unique hybrid combining a branding agency and a consumer-focused venture fund. With decades of experience in brand strategy, Brent and his team have been early investors and builders behind some of the most iconic DTC and consumer brands of the past decade, including Peloton, Warby Parker, Casper, Harry's, Hu, Bubble, and more.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Brent shares his perspective on what it takes to build generational consumer brands from the earliest stages. He discusses Bullish's hands-on investment approach, the importance of brand strategy as a growth mechanism, and what differentiates brands that become household names. Brent also breaks down real playbooks from companies like Sunday Lawn and Nom Nom, providing founders concrete advice on what it takes to build brands worth talking about—and worth buying.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Bullish’s hybrid brand agency and VC model
2. What it means to invest as “first money” and why it matters
3. The difference between building a business and building a brand
4. Why customer lifetime value (CLV) trumps CAC and COGS
5. Product-market fit: moving from awareness to lifetime value
6. How Bullish supports brands like Harry’s and Nom Nom in their earliest days
7. Tactical advice for founders on capital raising and allocation
8. Building brands for acquisition vs. IPO
9. The playbook for becoming an acquisition target (what buyers actually want)
10. The underrated power of innovation and product launches
11. The role of cultural relevance in DTC brand building
12. Real-world examples from Sunday Lawn, Peloton, Bubble Beauty, and more
13. How great DTC brands focus on AOV, CLV, and brand loyalty
14. Pitfalls to avoid around capital structure and loss of momentum

Timestamps
00:00 Introducing Brent Vartan and Bullish
03:49 Bullish’s track record and notable investments
05:22 What makes Bullish different
10:10 Investing as “first money,” how Bullish evaluates concepts
13:19 Patterns Bullish looks for in breakout DTC brands
16:09 Deep dive: Sunday Lawn’s growth and strategy
18:36 Positioning Harry’s and building a hundred-year business
21:04 Timelines, capital, and operational realities for breakout brands
23:37 Building for acquisition vs. IPO: how strategies diverge
28:57 What buyers are really seeking in DTC acquisitions
31:47 Nom Nom’s Mars acquisition and the power of niche audiences
33:59 The importance of cultural relevance and taking creative “shots”
35:32 Bubble Beauty: case study in innovation and customer engagement
38:27 Finding the right capital structure and maintaining founder equity
41:06 The risks of stalling momentum and overplanning
43:33 Where to allocate raised capital: innovation vs. marketing
46:20 Where to find Bullish, Brent’s socials, and their newsletter

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Brent Vartan - Managing Partner & Co-Founder of Bullish
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Apoorva Govind is the founder and CEO of Bestever, a platform focused on helping brands and marketers generate ad creatives powered by real performance data and advanced AI models. With a background spanning technical roles at Apple, Uber, and Nvidia, Apoorva brings unique insights into the intersection of technology and growth marketing.

In this DTC POD episode, Apoorva and Blaine discuss how the AI toolkit for advertisers is evolving, the reality behind AI-generated ads, and why strategic inputs—not just rapid content production—drive sustainable brand results. Apoorva outlines how Bestever AI analyzes existing ad data to identify winning creative elements, then automates the production of new assets using the latest AI models. The episode also covers practical advice for early-stage brands on managing creative ops, what workflows will look like as AI video matures, and the future role of platforms like Meta in creative automation.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Apoorva’s background at Apple, Uber, and Nvidia
2. The early vision and pivot of Bestever AI
3. The role of AI in modern creative production
4. Ad creative strategy vs. pure output volume
5. Measuring ad performance with data-driven insights
6. Practical workflow tips for early-stage brands
7. When and how to leverage agencies
8. How to analyze competitors and learn from top-performing brands
9. Demystifying AI video: state of the tech in 2025
10. Building workflows to leverage multiple AI models
11. How Meta and other platforms are automating creative
12. The importance of creative analysis and transparent reporting
13. Future trends for agency and brand marketers

Timestamps
00:00 Intro and Apoorva's technical background
01:19 Apoorva’s early career at Apple, Nvidia, and Uber
03:04 Apoorva’s take on Apple’s iOS 26 glassmorphic UI and focus on AI
06:09 Security, future, and mass adoption of self-driving cars
13:30 Transition into ad creative, Bestever AI’s founding, and early pivots
18:31 How Bestever AI analyzes ad data to inform new creative
20:49 Current state and skepticism around fully AI-generated ad content
23:44 Meta’s push toward creative automation
26:56 Ad creative strategy for early and scaling brands
35:24 How Bestever AI helps brands diagnose and double down on winning ads
43:07 The reality of AI video: what’s possible now and what’s coming next
46:18 Investing in workflows and abstraction layers for future-proof creative ops
50:14 Where to connect with Apoorva and learn more about Bestever AI

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Apporva Govind - CEO and Founder of Bestever
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Chris Koch is the founder and CEO of VO/D, a venture studio that partners with massive talent celebrities to build enduring CPG brands across DTC, e-commerce, and retail. With a background in sports, investment banking, and talent management, Chris brings deep experience in identifying consumer needs, pairing them with the right creators, and executing product-first brand launches.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Chris walks through Void’s venture model, emphasizing the importance of strong products over mere celebrity endorsement. He shares the inside story of 1Up Candy’s rapid national retail rollout and outlines key frameworks for structuring talent partnerships, screening for true product-market fit, and ensuring long-term profitability in the saturated creator-led brand space.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. VO/D’s Venture Studio Model
2. Partnering with Celebrities and Creators
3. Product-First Versus Talent-First Approach
4. Identifying Consumer Problems
5. Selecting The Right Talent
6. Talent as a Marketing Utility
7. Challenges in Sourcing and Engaging Talent
8. Social Following vs Purchase Influence
9. Structuring Talent Partnerships
10. Brand Launch Funding and Operations
11. 1Up Candy Launch Story
12. Retail Distribution Partnerships
13. Inventory Financing and Cash Flow
14. Creator-Led Marketing Strategies
15. Legal and Contractual Safeguards
16. Tips for Talent-Led Brands
17. VO/D’s Future Direction

Timestamps
00:00 Chris’s background & intro to VO/D
03:35 Why Void is product-first, not just talent-powered
05:04 An inside look at VO/D’s venture studio model
06:55 Talent as a utility & making brands that stand alone
10:31 Challenges matching creators to authentic product opportunities
11:28 Assessing conversion, reach, and fit in creator partners
13:40 How 1Up Candy with FaZe Rug came together
17:31 Disrupting candy with innovation and viral challenges
20:33 Breaking into 4,000 Walmart stores & key retail strategy
23:30 Operational realities of scaling fast (financing, supply chain, DTC vs. retail)
29:18 How to structure talent deals: equity, vesting, and incentives
35:17 Red flags and protective provisions in creator agreements
40:08 What’s next for VO/D: new categories, creator partners, and acquisition opportunities

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Chris Koch - Founder of VO/D
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Aaron Nosbisch is the founder and CEO of BRĒZ, a cannabis social tonic beverage designed as an alcohol alternative that offers a euphoric, feel-good effect without the downsides of alcohol. He built his expertise in e-commerce from an early age, launching multiple internet brands and scaling previous ventures like MONQ (portable aromatherapy diffuser, 0 to $15 million in three years as CMO), and running Lucyd Media, the world’s largest cannabis social advertising agency, which run 80% of meta ads for the cannabis space.

In this episode, Aaron and Blaine explore how BRĒZ identified untapped demand, iterated their product to solve a genuine founder problem, and brought it to market with precision: leveraging lean startup methodology, subscription-first landing pages, micro-batch production, effective founder-led UGC creative, and meticulous customer service. They discuss cash flow realities, funding first runs, the role of retention in beverage DTC, and how direct-to-consumer momentum powers retail expansion and shelf velocity. Aaron also shares transparent insights on ad spend, internal ops, and the principles that fuel brand growth.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Pillars of a Successful DTC Brand
2. Challenges of Scaling Beverages DTC
3. Early Stage Funding and Resources Management
4. Supply Chain Processes in Product Launches
5. Team Building, Finding the Right Partners
6. Pre-Launch and Launch Strategies
7. Testing and Iterating Ad Campaigns
8. Founder-Led Content in Advertising
9. Guerrilla Strategies for Audience and List Building
10. Media Buying, Optimizing CAC, and Scaling Spend
11. Building AOV, Subscription, and Retention
12. Customer Feedback and Iteration Cycles
13. Importance of Timing and Market Readiness

Timestamps
00:00 Introducing Aaron and BRĒZ
05:06 The “alcohol alternative” white space and product vision
13:21 Launching a DTC beverage: initial capital and inventory
20:32 Validating demand, managing resource constraints
25:44 First ads and sales: founder content, guerilla tactics
34:07 Early CACs, ad budgets, and optimizing for LTV
38:22 E-commerce vs retail: channel mix and growth phases
46:50 Key takeaways & where to follow Aaron and BRĒZ

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Aaron Nosbisch - Founder and CEO of BRĒZ
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Marin Ištvanić is a partner at Inspire Brands, a boutique agency focused on paid social ads, primarily on Facebook and Instagram. He has personally spent over $150 million on Facebook ads for clients and internal brands, successfully scaling Inspire's own brand to $30 million in revenue by their third year.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Marin shares his insights on growing brands profitably through paid social. He discusses the importance of achieving product-market fit, crafting compelling offers, and understanding unit economics. Marin also details his agency's creative testing process and how to efficiently scale winning ad angles from static images to videos to landing pages.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Achieving Product-Market Fit
2. Scaling Brands through Facebook Ads
3. Product Differentiation
4. How to Craft a Compelling Offer
5. Subscription Products and Pricing Strategies
6. Landing Pages for Facebook Ads
7. Advertorials and Third-Party Content for Ads
8. Whitelisting and Leveraging External Trust in Ads
9. Ad Format Mix and Budget Allocation
10. Advantage+ Campaigns and AI
11. Scaling Ad Creative Production
12. Testing Ad Variations and Hooks

Timestamps
00:00 Marin's background and joining Inspire Brands
04:48 Importance of product-market fit and differentiation
06:50 Creating demand vs picking an established market
10:34 What makes an effective offer and how to craft one
12:41 Subscription models and free trial strategies
16:59 $1K/day spend as indicator of product-market fit
18:36 Choosing the right landing page for your product
25:07 Whitelisting strategies and organic-looking content
27:48 Typical budget allocation across ad formats
30:29 Facebook's Advantage+ campaigns and AI features
33:23 Strategies for scaling ad creative
24:44 Final tips: know your numbers and when to spend

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Marin Ištvanić - Partner at Inspire Brands
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Justin Sherlock is the co-founder and CEO of Caspian, an AI-native duty drawback platform designed to help brands navigate complex global trade and tariff environments. Prior to Caspian, Justin gained deep experience in finance and logistics at Flexport, where he led Flexport Capital, and previously had several years experience in private equity.

In this episode, Justin breaks down the rapidly changing landscape of tariffs, duties, and global supply chains—especially relevant amid recent policy moves and volatile trade relations. He explains what customs brokers, tariffs, and duty drawbacks are, why these concepts matter for brands importing and exporting goods, and how most businesses are missing out on significant duty refund opportunities. Justin also offers real-world insights for DTC operators facing escalating tariffs, discusses strategies for mitigating increased costs, and shares how AI is making advanced trade advisory accessible beyond just Fortune 500 companies.

Join us as a Guest on DTC POD: SUBMIT GUEST FORM HERE
Apply to join our DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode we cover
Rising tariffs and global trade dynamics
Supply chain challenges for DTC brands
Role and importance of customs brokers
Duty drawback: process and benefits
Impact of US-China tariff escalation
Technology and AI in trade compliance
Strategies for brands to navigate tariffs

Timestamps
03:59 From Flexport to Caspian
09:31 Customs Compliance
11:11 Understanding Tariff and Duty Classification
15:54 Trump's Tariff Strategy: A Provocative Move
18:26 Debate Over Section 321 Provision
22:46 "Supply Chain Opportunities and Challenges"
25:03 Reshoring Critical Industries Strategy
28:04 10% Tariff Impact on US Businesses
32:53 Optimizing Supply Chain and Vendor Management
36:22 Trade Predictions: Japan, Taiwan, India, Vietnam
37:52 Geopolitical Isolationism and China's Rise
41:41 "Navigating Duty Drawback Challenges"
45:07 International Pricing and Tax Strategies
48:07 Future of Supply Chain Optimization

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Justin Sherlock - Founder of Caspian
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Peter Czepiga is the founder of Flighted, an agency that helps DTC brands profitably scale their advertising on platforms like Meta, TikTok, and Google. He also runs his own brand, Ando. Flighted has worked with some of the most popular DTC brands spending between $50-300k per month on ads.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Peter shares his strategies for launching and scaling profitable ad campaigns on Meta for DTC brands. He covers how much to spend to prove out product-market fit, what types of creative work best, his approach to audience targeting, and how AI is impacting ad creative production. Peter also explains how DTC ad tactics can be applied to other business models like SaaS.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Proving Product-Market Fit
2. Setting up Ad Accounts for New Brands
3. Budget and Assets Needed to Test Ad Creative
4. Creative Strategies for Successful Ads
5. AI in Ad Creative Generation
6. Applying DTC Ad Tactics to Other Business Models
7. Flighted’s Agency Model and Client Engagements

Timestamps
00:00 Peter's background in ecommerce and growth
04:08 What is takes to prove product-market fit with ads
09:57 Scaling ad budget after initial traction
13:32 What is Meta Advantage+ campaigns and when to use it
16:10 How to manage ad frequency and exclusions
19:31 Creative mix: formats, messaging, placements
24:36 Messaging frameworks that resonate in ads
27:43 Tips for sourcing and creating ad creative
32:31 AI-generated ad creative: potential and limitations
38:28 Applying D2C ad tactics to SaaS and other businesses
43:23 How Flighted works with clients
45:32 Wrap up; how to connect with Peter

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Peter Czepiga - Founder of Flighted
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Irene Chen and Matthew Grenby are the co-founders of Parker Thatch, a luxury handbag and accessories brand they bootstrapped to 8-figures over the course of 20 years. Matt’s expertise spans tech, design, and marketing, while Irene brings deep fashion industry knowledge from working with powerhouse brands like Donna Karan and Calvin Klein.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Matt and Irene share how they navigated the shift from an e-stationery startup to eventually finding product-market fit with their signature luxury bags. They discuss key lessons learned in bootstrapping—the importance of market timing, how to manage inventory risks, and why flexibility and systems are critical when growing a brand.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Founding and Evolution of Parker Thatch
2. Initial Business Concepts and Pivots
3. Strategies for Managing and Allocating Inventory
4. Importance of Flexibility in Business Operations
5. Bootstrapping and Capital Allocation
6. Building Systems for Scalability
7. Marketing and Demand Generation Strategies
8. Community and Customer Engagement

Timestamps
00:00 Matt and Irene's backgrounds before Parker Thatch
06:55 Starting an e-stationery business in 2000
07:43 Pivoting to selling physical stationery and home goods
9:00 Lessons on market timing and pivoting when starting a business
11:51 Changing company name from iomoi to Parker Thatch
13:52 Creating Parker Thatch's debut handbag
18:19 Bootstrapping, capital allocation, inventory decisions
22:08 Why early business success depends on flexibility and testing
25:53 Introducing leather bags and streamlining production
29:10 Why small businesses fail without systems
32:29 Shifting to systems thinking to enable business growth
35:07 Marketing strategies to drive customer demand
37:01 Building community and brand identity around "functional luxury"
42:34 Relationship dynamics as husband and wife co-founders
45:55 Key focuses for 2025 and beyond with PTTV
47:48 Where to find and connect with Parker Thatch

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Irene Chen and Matthew Grenby - Co-Founders of Parker Thatch
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Caleb Alvarez is the founder of Shadow Light Studios, an agency specializing in high-converting paid and organic content. He has worked with major consumer brands like Monster Energy, Snapchat, and Samsung, as well as influencers like Tony Hawk, Logan Paul, Ice Cube, and many more.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Caleb breaks down how founders can create better content, build and scale a content engine, and strike the right balance between organic and paid content. He unpacks everything from finding your USP and mapping out content pillars to establishing a sprint-based production process. Caleb also shares how he helped scale Nectar Hard Seltzer from $2M to $5M in revenue using only organic content.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Founder-Led Content Strategies
2. Building a Content Engine: Key Roles and Process
3. Systems for Creating and Managing Content
4. Agile Workflow for Content Creation
5. Social Media Content Types and Pillars
6. Optimizing Content for Conversions
7. Balancing Paid and Organic Marketing
8. Balancing Virality and Conversion Goals

Timestamps
00:00 Caleb's background and getting into content creation
05:22 How Shadow Light Studios works with brands
07:35 The power of founder-led content and storytelling
12:44 Who should create founder-led content
15:02 Key pillars for effective founder-led brand content
18:55 Balancing content creation as a founder with limited time
22:16 How to structure content teams and roles
28:40 Paid ads vs. organic content—how they work together
31:39 Building a content strategy and implementing a system
36:18 Managing content sprints and pipeline
43:01 Content that performs vs. content that converts
49:01 Lead capture and conversion optimization techniques
53:09 Wrap up and where to follow Caleb Alvarez

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Caleb Alvarez - Founder of Shadow Light Studios
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Ben Matthews is a general partner at Night Ventures, an early-stage consumer VC fund, focused on culture, community, and creators. They have partnered with some of the most famous people on the internet including Mr. Beast, Kai Cenat, and Hasan Piker.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Ben and Blaine discuss:

Lessons from incubating and investing in early-stage consumer companies
The key elements of successful talent-driven brands, including audience fit and long-term commitment
Choosing the right business opportunities based on market potential and operational feasibility
Structuring effective partnerships between creators, operators, and investors
The future of TikTok and emerging monetization avenues for content creators

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Business Launch and Growth
2. Talent-Driven Brands
3. Challenges in Creator Partnerships
4. Creator-Audience Relationship
5. Employment Trends and AI Impact
6. Content Commerce Trends
7. TikTok’s Future and Market Impact
8. Elements of Business Success
9. Incentive Structure in Partnerships
10. Importance of Having an Audience
11. Monetization Opportunities for Creators

Timestamps
00:00 Ben Matthew’s background and Night Ventures
06:05 Building business with talent: the case of Mr. Beast
10:54 What works in creator-brand partnerships
15:25 Picking the right talent to represent a brand
19:42 Picking the right business and products
23:01 Incubating early-stage consumer companies
30:07 Investing in early-stage consumer companies
33:03 Future trends in the creator-commerce space
35:19 Future trends in the content creator landscape

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Ben Matthews - General Partner at Night Ventures
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Isabel Mendez is the founder and design director at Antara Studio, an award-winning full-service design partner for purpose-driven brands.

With a focus on brand, content, and design, Isabel and her team help companies create cohesive and emotionally resonant identities across all touchpoints.

In this episode of DTC POD, Blaine and Isabel discuss:

The three necessary phases for creating a brand identity
What makes a good brand story and how brands can effectively communicate it
How brands can adapt to trends while remaining true to who they are

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. DTC Brand Design Trends
2. Stages of Brand Identity Building
3. Characteristics of a Good Brand Story
4. Consistency in Branding
5. Branding as a Holistic Process

Timestamps
00:00 Starting the design studio Antara
03:39 From freelancing to building a team
05:10 The basics of building a great brand
07:45 Branding as graphic communication
10:21 Owning assets vs having a brand
12:26 Phases of brand identity construction
16:21 What makes a good brand story
21:09 Brand case study: Star Fades International
25:15 Establishing a design story for brands
26:55 Brand application and consistency
29:48 Design trends and timelessness
33:33 What’s next for Antara

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Isabel Mendez - Founder and Design Director of Antara Studio
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

John Sampogna is the co-founder and CEO of Wondersauce, a modern advertising agency that specializes in brand storytelling, paid media, e-commerce, and digital experiences.

In this episode of DTC Pod, John discusses brand storytelling strategies across all sorts of media channels. He shares insights on crafting impactful campaigns and tips for finding and leveraging undervalued marketing gems like connected TV, static out-of-home, and podcasts.

We explore the importance of understanding target audiences, the 3-3-3 rule for keeping your messaging on point, and finding that sweet spot between top-of-funnel brand-building and lower-funnel performance tactics.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Brand Storytelling Strategies
2. Buying and Crafting Campaigns
3. Linear vs Connected TV
4. Audience Understanding
5. 333 Rule for Messaging
6. Advertising Tactics and Budgeting
7. Undervalued Marketing Channels
8. Brand Story vs Product Story

Timestamps
00:00 John Sampogna’s background; Wondersauce vision
03:54 Serving Fortune 1000 businesses and DTC startups
06:05 Starting and scaling an advertising agency
10:11 What is brand storytelling and how can brands get it right
13:23 Media budgets and audiences in funnel strategy
18:44 Connected TV, static out-of-home, and podcasts
25:42 Strategizing for connected TV vs linear TV
28:58 Steps for creating an effective brand or product story
34:28 How Wondersauce onboard and work with clients

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

John Sampogna - CEO and Co-Founder of Wondersauce
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Haley Weidenbaum is the CEO and co-founder of Everhem, a DTC company specializing in custom window treatments, including shades and drapery.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Haley discusses the strategies that have helped Everhem grow and differentiate itself in the market. She discusses the challenges of online shopping for custom products and how Everhem addresses them through thorough guides and customer support.

Haley also shares insights on Everhem's dual business mode—how they serve both interior designers and regular consumers, and how they adapt their offerings to meet the unique needs of each customer segment.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Window Treatment Market Landscape
2. Everhem's Niche and Positioning
3. Interior Design Trends and Forecasting
4. Challenges in Custom Window Treatments
5. Business Operations and Customer Service
6. Designer and Consumer Experience
7. Initial Business Journey and Growth
8. COVID-19 Impact and Market Response

Timestamps
00:00 Haley Weidenbaum’s background in interior design
4:00 From doing interior design to starting Everhem
07:51 COVID and the home industry boom
08:40 Importance of providing exceptional customer service
13:45 Everhem as the one-stop shop for window treatment
19:01 Catering to regular consumers and trade partners
24:15 Prioritizing key markets, managing expectations strategically
27:34 Window treatment industry and where Everhem fits
34:19 Using trends to forecast supply chain & manufacturing
37:42 Logistics, packaging, unboxing experience
40:02 Next step for Everhem: building authentic relationships

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Haley Weidenbaum - Co-Founder and CEO of Everhem
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Ismail Salhi is the co-founder and CEO of Wildgrain, a fast-growing DTC subscription service that delivers artisanal breads, pastries, and pasta directly to customers' doorsteps.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Ismail shares his journey of rapidly scaling Wildgrain to over 80,000 subscribers since launching during the pandemic in 2020. He shares the key strategies that have driven Wildgrain's success: focusing on product quality, customer experience, and efficient operations.

Ismail discusses their decision to outsource baking to local bakeries—a move that positioned them as a larger buyer than Whole Foods and Trader Joe's in some markets.

He also emphasizes the importance of investing in logistics tech to optimize product delivery and streamline processes. This focus on tech integration across all business areas has been crucial to their ability to scale effectively.

We also explore Wildgrain's customer acquisition strategies, which involve education marketing, meta, and influencers.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Business Model and Sustainability
2. Entrepreneurial Advice
3. Logistics and Distribution
4. Customer Support Tools and Efficiency
5. Customer Acquisition and Retention
6. Product Development and Market Introduction
7. Tech and Operations Partnership
8. Seasonal Growth and Marketing
9. Consumer Behavior Dynamics
10. Marketing and Product Differentiation
11. Consumer Engagement and Customization
12. Scalability and Operational Management
13. Market Insights and Future Plans

Timestamps
00:00 Ismail Salhi’s background; Wildgrain’s founding story
04:24 From starting a home bakery to outsourcing production
07:23 Wildgrain’s product and customer experience
08:56 Working with partner bakeries and distribution centers
10:08 Building tech for reliable, temperature-sensitive deliveries
13:58 Automated system streamlines tasks across all departments
15:47 Initial customer acquisition, education marketing, influencers
20:06 Product mix and how it affects inventory
23:07 Creating different custom boxes to cater to different diets
24:28 Optimizing product operations, automating, outsourcing
27:06 Shipping carriers, tech for allocating orders
28:42 Seasonal growth and effects on marketing spend
31:50 Ismail Salhi on running the business with his wife
33:41 Time and lifestyle management as a parent entrepreneur
36:14 Ismail Salhi’s advice for DTC founders

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Ismail Salhi - Co-Founder and CEO of Wildgrain
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Christian Rivera is the founder of The Ecommerce Accountants, a firm that specializes in tax, accounting, and business structuring for e-commerce companies. Their clients include social media marketing agencies, dropshippers, digital marketers, Amazon automation, Amazon FBA, and internet coaches/gurus.

In this episode of the DTC POD, Christian explores key accounting issues that e-commerce businesses must address to succeed, such as sales tax compliance, revenue recognition, and inventory accounting. He also unpacks tax strategies that can help entrepreneurs set up smarter finances and maximize their profitability.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. E-commerce Accounting Challenges
2. Sales Tax Management
3. Revenue Recognition
4. Inventory Accounting
5. Financial Strategies and Advice
6. Inventory Management and Financing
7. Business Entity Structures
8. Growth Patterns of Successful Brands
9. Tax Planning and Optimization

Timestamps
00:00 Christian Rivera’s background and company
04:47 Accounting and tax for commerce brand
08:05 How sales tax works and where it applies
13:46 How every successful entrepreneur starts
16:44 VAs, agencies, and managing paid traffic
19:45 Inventory management for DTC brands
22:55 Strategies for inventory financing
25:16 Tax planning and optimization
27:57 S corp and LLC: difference and benefits
33:37 Tax strategies for foreign-owned businesses
36:52 Puerto Rico's Act 60 tax incentive program
39:39 Tax strategies for American entrepreneurs
45:24 Christian Rivera’s advice for DTC founders

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Christian Rivera - Founder of The Ecommerce Accountants
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Zach Ranen is the co-founder of David, a protein bar brand which disrupted the market with 50% more calories from protein than any other bar and a groundbreaking dollar-to-protein ratio.

In this episode of the DTC POD, Zach shares David's pre-launch and launch strategies, leading to 1M+ dollars in sales in the first week. This includes engaging with influencers like Peter Attia and Andrew Huberman and giving away 20,000 product samples.

Zach also gives insights into their R&D process, how they built the David brand, their product-led approach to growth, and future plans.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Pre-Launch and Launch Tactics
2. Product-Led Approach to Growth
3. Product Sampling Marketing
4. Influencer Partnerships
5. Viral Marketing Strategies
6. Brand Development
7. Naming and Visual Identity

Timestamps
00:00 The idea behind David protein bars
05:59 From working in private equity to founding Raize and eventually David
16:55 Balancing taste with nutrition in developing David protein bars
24:22 David as a product-led company
27:52 Brand building for David: name, packaging, launch
35:04 Key lessons on manufacturing, distribution, product launch, and virality
43:53 David’s $10M seed funding, key investors, and influencers
48:10 Next steps for growth, channel allocation, strategy

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Zach Ranen - Co-Founder and President at David
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Ariana Farahani is the founder and CEO of Plant Press, a fast-growing functional beverage brand offering a healthier alternative to traditional energy drinks.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Ariana shares her journey of developing Plant Press from a homemade recipe to a nationally distributed product. She discusses the importance of gathering consumer feedback and iterating on the product based on data, which led to pivotal changes like focusing solely on clean caffeine and adjusting flavors.

Ariana also goes into the strategic decisions behind Plant Press's distribution strategy, from securing early retail partnerships with local bodegas and fitness centers to navigating the complexities of working with broadline distributors, including the key growth channels that proved successful early on.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Product Development and Iteration
2. Marketing and Distribution Strategies
3. Funding and Capital Allocation
4. DSD vs Broadline Distributors
5. Market Trends and Consumer Preferences
6. Company Growth and Retail Expansion

Timestamps
00:00 From studying medical cannabis to founding a caffeine brand
04:11 Early days of Plant Press, producing the minimum viable product
06:21 Key iterations in the manufacturing process of Plant Press
09:05 Using quantitative and qualitative customer feedback
10:48 Getting Plant Press to stores: key accounts and strategy
13:31 Self-funding, seed fundraising, and capital budgeting for Plant Press
19:23 Direct store delivery (DSD) vs broadline distribution
21:50 The need fo in-store product sampling and demos for CPG brands
24:52 Energy drink trends: emphasis on clean energy, hydration
27:42 Changing consumer preferences and how big players can catch up
30:32 Plant Press’ expansion to new distribution channels
32:04 What’s next for Plant Press

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Ariana Farahani - Founder & CEO of Plant Press
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Shri Kanase is the founder of Yoru Marketing, a boutique agency that specializes in Google Ads for e-commerce brands. Prior to this, he successfully scaled his e-commerce brands to over $3.5 million in four years. With extensive first hand experience, Shri has guided 23,000+ store owners via his YouTube channel and established one of the fastest-growing blogs in the e-commerce and PPC space.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Shri shares his insights on developing effective Google Ads strategies for e-commerce brands. He covers key topics such as initial campaign setup, Google Ads learning phase, keyword targeting, budgeting, ad placement focus, and ongoing optimization. Shri also discusses his "TPS approach" for testing, ensuring profitability, and scaling successful campaigns.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Ad Platform Differences
2. Google Ads Keyword Strategy
3. Algorithmic Learning Period in Google Ads
4. Budgeting for Google Ads
5. Google Ads Bidding Strategy
6. Testing and Scaling Google Ads Campaigns
7. Google Ads Placement Strategy
8. Google Ads for YouTube
9. Google Ads Campaign Optimization

Timestamps
00:00 Shri Kanase’s boutique marketing agency
03:51 Fundamentals of Google Ads
07:35 Launching a Google Ads campaign for the first time
10:43 How to do keyword research for Google Ads
13:55 Google Ads budget and bidding strategy
19:01 How and when to reward or punish Google algorithm
21:10 Best practices for Google Ads placement
22:45 Creating effective Google Ads creatives
24:49 Tips for running Google Ads campaign on Youtube
26:51 Feed-only approach to Performance Max campaigns
29:52 TPS approach: testing, profitability, scaling
34:46 How to win with Google Ads in 2024

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Shri Kanase - Founder & CEO at Yoru Marketing
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Sam Lee is the Vice President of Amazon DSP at Trivium, a full-service Amazon agency. With a background spanning Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Amazon PPC, Sam has developed deep expertise in Amazon DSP and has successfully managed advertising for over 200 brands.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Sam provides a comprehensive overview of Amazon DSP, its functionality, and its potential for driving brand growth. He shares practical insights on topics such as when brands should consider investing in DSP, what budget and review thresholds are recommended, and how to develop effective DSP strategies tailored to specific brand goals. Sam also emphasizes the importance of product differentiation, page optimization, and integrating Amazon DSP into a cohesive multi-channel marketing approach to drive overall sales growth.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Amazon DSP Overview
2. Budgeting for Amazon DSP
3. Amazon DSP Strategy
4. Tips for Amazon Success
5. Amazon Product Differentiation
6. Amazon Trends and Outlook

Timestamps
00:00 Sam Lee’s background in Amazon DSP
03:38 What is Amazon DSP
05:24 Where Amazon DSP ads show up
06:24 Getting started with Amazon DSP advertising
08:17 Product-based Amazon DSP strategies
09:21 How Amazon DSP ads boost conversion rates
11:24 Leveraging Amazon’s first-party data through DSP
15:28 Creatives for Amazon DSP ads
17:04 Amazon DSP as part of the overall marketing strategy
20:19 Creating an Amazon strategy for a brand
22:11 Characteristics of brands that do well on Amazon
24:22 Amazon product trends in 2024
26:13 Amazon’s future, importance of holistic marketing

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Sam Lee - Vice-President of Amazon DSP at Trivium
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Aurelian Lis is the CEO of Dermalogica, a global skincare brand rooted in skin treatment expertise. With a background in atomic physics, laser optics, and extensive experience in the cosmetics industry, Aurelian has led Dermalogica to significant growth and innovation since taking the helm post-acquisition by Unilever.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Aurelian discusses the strategies that have driven Dermalogica's success, including delegating authority to the right people, empowering employees to innovate, and effectively integrating AI and machine learning across various functions. He stresses the importance of maintaining genuine personal connections with customers and staying true to the brand’s core values while proactively adapting to new trends, tech, and consumer preferences.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Growth Strategies
2. Innovation and AI Integration
3. Employee Empowerment
4. Global Team Structure
5. AI-Powered Personalization

Timestamps
00:00 Aurelian Lis’s journey from physics to finance to skincare
06:04 Joining Dermalogica as the CEO
08:08 Dermatologica’s channels and decentralized structure
12:13 Delegating authority and pushing for innovation
18:09 Generative AI and face mapping
23:53 Dermalogica Tribe, technology, and the importance of human touch
30:36 Key learnings from 9 years with Dermalogica
33:33 Advice for DTC operators and founders

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Aurelian Lis - Global CEO of Dermalogica
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Benjamin Witte is the founder and CEO of Recess, a beverage brand focused on creating products that promote relaxation and mental wellness. Inspired by the rise of functional ingredients like CBD, nootropics, and adaptogenic herbs, Benjamin saw an opportunity to pioneer a category of beverages that could help people unwind in a healthy way.

In this episode of DTC POD, Benjamin shares his journey of launching Recess and the key strategies that have contributed to its success, including a focus on efficient brand impressions and an omnichannel approach to distribution.

We discuss the significance of riding secular tailwinds, the advantages of having a broader mission when launching a brand, and the potential benefits and risks of a platform strategy.

The conversation also touches the future of the functional beverage space and the role that Recess aims to play in shaping it.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Product Launch and Market Timing
2. Brand Awareness and Media Strategy
3. Regulatory Challenges in the CPG Space
4. Supply Chain Evolution
5. Retail Expansion and Distribution Strategy
6. Building and Growing the Recess Team
7. Trends in the Beverage Industry

Timestamps
00:00 From working at startups to founding Recess
04:36 Trends at the early days of Recess
08:04 How UGC factored in the launch of Recess
10:02 Validating the idea behind Recess
11:44 Key learnings from the early days of Recess
14:20 Importance of brand impressions to beverage companies
16:51 Generating earned media through IG content
18:03 Trajectory of growth for the Recess team
21:17 Expanding Recess from just DTC to DTC and retail
22:52 Shifting to a more scalable supply chain model
24:15 Recess as a platform brand; expanding the product line
28:37 Insights on the non-alcoholic beverage trend
31:45 Mood powders as part of the Recess expansion strategy
33:48 What’s next for Recess

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Benjamin Witte - Founder and CEO of Recess
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Rob Schutz is the co-founder of the unicorn Ro, a healthcare company that initially offered ED medications and later expanded into other products and services for sexual health, weight loss, fertility, hair, and skin. Prior to Ro, Rob was instrumental in the exponential growth of BARK/BarkBox, a now prominent subscription service for dog products. Currently, at Snagged.com, he is focused on helping businesses acquire premium domain names and digital assets.

In this episode of the DTC POD, Rob shares valuable insights into the growth strategies that have contributed to the success of both BARK/BarkBox and Ro. He discusses the importance of focusing on core, consistent marketing channels such as paid search, paid social, and email, while also allocating a separate budget for testing and exploring new, experimental strategies and channels.

Rob offers practical advice for founders and marketers, stressing the need to plan for scale, set and clearly communicate priorities, foster strong relationships between growth and marketing leaders, and structure teams effectively as the company experiences rapid growth. He also shares his expertise in domain brokerage, discussing strategies for acquiring and negotiating domain names to help build strong brand identities.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. DTC Marketing Strategies
2. Optimizing Marketing Budget
3. Testing Marketing Channels
4. Digital Marketing Challenges
5. Building and Structuring Teams
6. Importance of Domain Names

Timestamps
00:00 Rob Schutz’s DTC experience: BARK/BarkBox, Ro, Snagged.com
07:37 Process of acquiring domain names
11:10 Why Rob Schutz founded Snagged.com
14:28 From User Acquisition Manager to VP of Growth at BARK/BarkBox
16:27 Lessons from BARK/BarkBox’s growth journey
20:56 Strategies for choosing and testing growth channels
26:09 Transitioning from BARK/BarkBox to Ro
29:00 Challenge with digital performance platforms in the early days of Ro
31:33 Rolling out Ro’s ED medication state-by-state, launching other products
35:47 Planning for scale around high quality of care
35:51 Iterations around how to structure the team as Ro scaled
41:47 Rob Schutz’s advice to founders
46:35 Sports sponsorship as a performance channel
48:10 Snagged.com’s domain services

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Rob Schutz - Co-Founder of Ro and Founder of Snagged.com
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Mina Elias is a multiple 7-figure seller in the supplement industry, investor, Amazon PPC expert, and founder of Trivium Group, a full-service Amazon agency. With his extensive experience in helping brands thrive on Amazon, Mina brings valuable insights to the conversation around expanding to emerging platforms like TikTok Shop and navigating the evolving e-commerce landscape.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Mina explores the potential of TikTok Shop as a powerful platform for reaching younger audiences and driving sales. He offers practical advice on setting up a TikTok Shop account, engaging affiliates to create authentic and compelling content, and leveraging competitor insights through tools like FastMoss to optimize ad strategies.

Mina also explores the synergistic relationship between TikTok Shop and Amazon, highlighting the positive impact on Amazon sales and organic ranking when brands effectively leverage external traffic from TikTok. He discusses the importance of setting realistic budgets for testing ad content on TikTok, emphasizing the need for brands to focus on quality content creation and authentic representation.

Throughout the conversation, Mina stresses the significance of adapting to the unique storytelling aspects of the TikTok platform to maximize success and cautions against overengineering content, as authenticity is key to resonating with the TikTok audience.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Amazon vs. TikTok Shop
2. TikTok Shop Basics
3. TikTok Shop Logistics
4. TikTok Affiliate Marketing
5. TikTok Competitive Analysis
6. Cross-Platform Effects
7. TikTok-Amazon Integration

Timestamps
00:00 Mina Elias’ background in Amazon
03:34 TikTok and future shopping trends
06:12 How TikTok solved the content problem for brands
09:15 How TikTok merged affiliate and attribution
10:12 How to start selling on TikTok Shop: account and page setup, logistics
14:29 Affiliate marketing on TikTok: manual and automated outreach
17:42 Strategies for running ads with affiliate content
19:18 Budgeting for TikTok ads, data analysis with FastMoss
23:51 Finding the right TikTok creators for your brand
25:33 The impact of TikTok Shop on Amazon sales and organic ranking

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Mina Elias - Founder of Trivium Group and Chief Executive Officer at MMA Nutrition LLC
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Michelle Cordeiro Grant is an accomplished entrepreneur with a passion for creating innovative, community-based businesses. In 2016, she founded the intimates brand LIVELY and sold it three years later for $105 million. Following this successful exit, she pivoted to her next venture: GORGIE, a wellness energy drink.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Michelle shares valuable insights on building a successful DTC brand from the ground up. She discusses the importance of building a community around the brand, leveraging social media, and using data and customer feedback to drive product innovation.

Michelle also touches on the strategic decisions behind GORGIE's retail expansion, partnering with influential creators, and creating a magazine to inspire and connect with customers. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes authenticity, quality, and customer-centricity as crucial elements in establishing a strong brand identity.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Brand and Community Building
2. Data-Driven Product Development
3. Nurturing Retail Partnerships
4. Strategic Market Positioning
5. Defining and Capturing Your ICP
6. Organic Influencer Partnerships
7. The Intersection of Fashion and CPG

Timestamps
00:00 Michelle Cordeiro Grant’s background; the idea behind GORGIE
03:46 How customer feedback factored in product and brand development for GORGIE
07:40 Community as a buzzword vs as part of brand identity
10:01 Community building as an integral part of brand building
11:28 How to keep an online community engaged; consumer vs community funnel
16:50 GORGIE’s partnerships: Erewhon, Whole Foods, Sprouts, H-E-B, etc.
20:05 Overlaps between two industries: fashion and CPG
22:14 The story and vision behind GORGIE’s magazine
23:57 Defining GORGIE’s ICP and building a brand around them
26:54 GORGIE’s growth channels, how they nurture top-of-funnel and retain customers
29:42 Year two of GORGIE: online and retail initiatives
31:19 Brand-creator partnerships and the importance of organic alignment

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Michelle Cordeiro Grant - Founder and CEO of GORGIE
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Noah Tucker is the founder of Social Snowball, an automated affiliate and referral marketing platform for e-commerce that drives significant revenue for over 2,000 brands, including Solawave, Obvi, and Javy Coffee.

In this episode of the DTC POD, Noah shares powerful strategies for brands to supercharge their affiliate programs and drive significant revenue growth. He covers how to find and choose the right influencers, why it’s important to keep the activation process as smooth as possible, what brands can do to keep affiliates engaged, and how to measure the success of an affiliate program.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. The Evolution of Affiliate Marketing
2. Affiliate Marketing Challenges Faced by Brands
3. Affiliate Discovery, Activation, and Engagement
4. Affiliate Program Commissions
5. Attribution in Affiliate Marketing
6. Affiliate Marketing Trends and Future Outlook

Timestamps
00:00 Evolution of the meaning of “affiliate” in e-commerce
05:07 Challenges brands face when running an affiliate marketing program
07:32 Strategies for affiliate activation: engagement flow and tier structures
11:52 Things that get influencers interested in working with a brand
15:09 Optimal affiliate marketing commission rates
15:49 How to choose the right influencer for affiliate partnership
19:18 Strategies for finding and recruiting affiliate partners
23:11 How to measure the success of an affiliate program
25:03 Affiliate marketing trends and future outlook
29:05 Attribution in affiliate marketing; a tool that prevents coupon code leaks
33:11 Key initiatives of Social Snowball

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Noah Tucker - Founder of Social Snowball
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Ellen Marie Bennett is the founder and chief brand officer of Hedley & Bennett, a culinary lifestyle brand that started as a B2B company, offering high-quality aprons to professional chefs, and later expanded both its product line (to include other kitchen items) and customer base (now largely DTC).

In this episode of DTC Pod, Ellen shares her journey of starting the company while working as a line cook. She emphasizes the importance of a slow and steady approach to building a business, focusing on financial responsibility and gathering feedback from core customers to improve products.

Ellen discusses her strategic approach to marketing, building an engaged community, and expanding the brand through collaborations with chefs, influencers, and creators.

The conversation also touches on Hedley & Bennett’s expansion into DTC, their plans to go omnichannel, and how they’re investing sustainably for long-term success.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Grassroots Marketing
2. Strategic Financial Management
3. Customer Feedback in Product Development
4. Building a Brand Community
5. Product Seeding and Influencer Marketing
6. Expanding from B2B to DTC
7. Business Growth and Sustainability

Timestamps
00:00 How Hedley & Bennett came about
05:05 Why Ellen Marie Bennett started an apron brand
07:28 Financial lessons from the first years of Hedley & Bennett
15:03 Building a brand community
16:03 How Hedley & Bennett expanded from B2B to DTC
21:05 The importance of strong customer partnerships
24:13 Product seeding and influencer marketing
29:04 How customer feedback factors in the product iteration cycle
33:09 Prioritizing long-term brand vision and investments

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Ellen Marie Bennett - CEO and Founder of Hedley & Bennett
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Josh Piepmeier helps challenger brands outperform their fiercest competitors by targeting the highest-volume, most profitable keywords in their industry. With his company Meriwether, he crafts strategic SEO campaigns that drive immediate profits and build long-term, sustainable growth.

Josh’s SEO approach has successfully gone head-to-head with giants like Amazon, Tiffany’s, and Macy's for competitive purchase-intent keywords. His expertise has transformed businesses struggling to gain traction into thriving enterprises with significant customer acquisition from organic search results.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Josh provides real-world examples of how businesses have benefited from investing in SEO and offers advice for DTC brands looking to build an effective SEO strategy. We cover topics such as establishing topical authority, the relationship between ads and organic search traffic, and the impact of AI on SEO.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Importance of Investing in SEO
2. SEO Strategies for E-commerce Brands
3. When to Invest in SEO
4. Role of Branded Search in SEO
5. Relationship Between Ads and SEO
6. Topical Authority vs Domain Authority
7. The Impact of AI on SEO
8. E-commerce vs Non-E-commerce SEO

Timestamps
00:00 Josh Piepmeier’s background
04:25 When brands should start investing in SEO
07:04 How to optimize for branded searches
10:36 Off-page SEO for new domains
13:54 E-commerce SEO vs standard SEO
16:58 Google AI updates and how it’s affecting SEO
20:16 On using AI for website content
22:46 How paid ads factor into SEO
26:03 How to create an effective SEO strategy
30:00 Importance of topical authority for small brands
33:20 Outcomes for brands that have focused on SEO

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Josh Piepmeier - Founder of Meriwether
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Mina Elias is a multiple 7-figure Amazon FBA seller and renowned PPC expert. He is also the founder of Trivium Group, a company that helps brands navigate and dominate the Amazon marketplace.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Mina details a holistic approach to enhancing the presence and profitability of any brand on Amazon, focusing on three pillars: traffic, click-through rate, and conversion rate. He covers the factors affecting each of these metrics and how to drive growth at every stage of the Amazon sales funnel.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Strategies for New Amazon Brands
2. How to Grow Traffic, CTR, and CVR on Amazon
3. Factors that Affect Sales and Conversion on Amazon
4. How to Optimize for Paid and Organic Search on Amazon
5. Tips for Optimizing Amazon Product Listings
6. Ways to Increase AOV and LTV on Amazon

Timestamps
00:00 Mina Elias’ background, how he started an Amazon agency
04:04 Three core pillars to scaling your brand on Amazon
05:39 Maximizing product visibility through strategic paid advertising
11:13 How to budget for Amazon spending
13:31 Tips for structuring Amazon PPC campaigns, setting up Amazon DSP
16:52 Growing your organic traffic on Amazon
19:33 Breaking in as a new brand; the importance of product differentiation
21:17 Seven factors that affect click-through rate (CTR) on Amazon
25:04 How price affects Amazon reviews and star ratings
27:33 Split testing discounts, coupons, and tracking profits
31:22 Best practices for optimizing Amazon product titles
32:21 Why choose Amazon FBA over FBM
33:34 How to earn the Amazon Best-Seller Badge
35:03 Factors that affect conversion rate on Amazon
36:45 Considering the buyer's perspective when creating an Amazon strategy
38:09 Optimizing videos on Amazon product listings
39:39 How to write effective Amazon bullet points
40:05 Amazon virtual bundles and how they affect conversion rate
42:51 Brand story; standard Amazon A+ Content vs Premium A+ Content
45:19 Leveraging user-generated content (UGC) to boost Amazon sales
46:25 Amazon Posts and Amazon Storefront
47:47 Importance of reviews with images on Amazon and how to get them
50:01 Ways to increase average order value (AOV) on Amazon
51:13 Ways to increase lifetime value (LTV) on Amazon
53:03 Testing and optimizing Amazon product listings

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

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Will Baumann is the co-founder and CEO of Fourthwall, a company that empowers creators to sell products online without needing to be e-commerce experts.

At Fourthwall, they handle sales tax, supply chain, customer support, and more so creators can focus on making content and growing their community.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Will shares his insights on the complexities of building a business out of one’s personal brand and how Fourthwall has been aiding this process for over 50,000 creators.

Will also touches on the power of creators today, the trends they’re seeing at Fourthwall in terms of product popularity and paid ad usage, and Fourthwall’s differentiation strategy, growth channels, and future plans.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. E-commerce for Content Creators
2. Fourthwall’s Target Audience and Market Positioning
3. How to Get Started with Fourthwall
4. Merchandising Strategies for Creators
5. Growth Channels: Word-of-Mouth, Cold Outbound, SEO
6. Community-Driven Sales vs Paid Ads
7. The Power of Content Creators

Timestamps
00:00 How Fourthwall helps creators build their businesses
06:39 What creators need to know about sales tax
09:50 Identifying a customer persona for Fourthwall
11:53 Steps to get set up with Fourthwall
14:09 Fourthwall then vs now, from manual to automated processes
18:12 Distribution trends on Fourthwall, community vs paid ads
19:05 The most popular products creators sell and how to scale
20:10 Starting a business vs creating a new revenue stream
22:04 Fourthwall’s future plans and growth projections
24:10 Positioning against Shopify and Pietra
25:44 How Fourthwall reaches its ICPs: word of mouth, cold outbound, SEO

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Will Baumann - Co-Founder and CEO at Fourthwall
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Colin Flood is the Vice President of Marketing at Unreal Snacks, a better-for-you chocolate brand with widespread distribution across numerous retailers in the United States and an established direct-to-consumer platform.

At Unreal, Colin plays a pivotal role in scaling e-commerce and D2C operations, as well as in expanding their presence into major retailers like Costco, Target, and Walmart.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Colin Flood discusses the ups and downs of their marketing initiatives at Unreal, how they are bridging the gap between retail and digital customer experiences, and what their strategies are for data-driven marketing and budgeting across multiple channels.

We also explore how Unreal is leveraging community involvement and consumer networks to drive brand awareness.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. DTC and Retail Marketing Strategies
2. Omni-Channel Presence
3. Retail and Digital Marketing Mix
4. Market Dynamics and Education
5. Amazon Strategy
6. Community Engagement
7. Consumer Network Growth
8. Customer Reactivation Strategies
9. Contextual Targeting
10. Marketing Team Structure

Timestamps
00:00 Colin Flood’s background; experience in e-commerce, marketing, and branding
03:20 Unreal Snacks — mission & vision, retail & DTC strategy, then vs now
10:39 In-store and online marketing strategies
15:02 Creative ways to get in front of customers
18:39 Amazon strategy, shifting to FBA
22:49 Marketing team structure and responsibilities
24:27 Relationship between marketing, community, and social
28:16 Marketing goals, data, and budget allocation
31:04 Contextual targeting, new product launch, reactivation strategies
33:26 Challenges in low funnel marketing
35:03 Bridging customer experiences between retail and digital
36:47 New chocolate products, new retail partnership

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Colin Flood - VP of Marketing at Unreal Snacks
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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David Hoffman and Samir Rayani co-founded Next Big Shop, where they leverage their expertise to analyze and interpret publicly available but hard-to-access e-commerce data for insights into retail success and product trends. As partners, they collaborate on developing data products that inform and guide direct-to-consumer strategies for various brands and industries.

In this episode of DTC Pod, David and Samir explore e-commerce trends, the significance of retail presence for certain product categories, and the intricacies of building and using data products to analyze market and sales data. They also cover the challenges faced when building data products, the role of data in measuring the success of brand strategies, and the need for precise data communication.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. E-commerce Sales Data Analysis
2. DTC Brand Strategies
3. Seasonality and Market Trends
4. Data-Driven Decision-Making
5. Subscription Business Models
6. Data Product Challenges

Timestamps
02:15 David and Samir’s background and experience in building data products
08:31 What data says about commerce trends in 2024
15:03 One of the hottest accessories brand: Blenders
18:55 Alo in apparel, how data can help optimize inventory turnover
20:57 Comparing brand strategies and impact on sales
24:52 Comparing beauty brands: Jones Road, Thrive, Peach and Lily, P. Louise
30:32 Using data to confirm or invalidate assumptions
31:39 Trending DTC topics and best-selling products in 2024
36:03 The relationship between demand and supply share
38:59 Beverage brands, DTC and retail strategy
43:34 Subscription business model, how subscription factors in data on Next Big Shop
44:50 Retail distribution, using data to define success metrics
48:45 Challenges of building data products

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

David Hoffman and Samir Rayani - Co-Founders of Next Big Shop
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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John Morgan is the founder of Pelagic, a unique agency of top tier operators that helps brands tackle supply chain, logistics & operations. Prior to starting Pelagic, he served as VP of Ops at Seed Health where he built the infrastructure behind one of the fastest growing modern health brands. Before getting into DTC he worked on the Falcon 9 rocket team at SpaceX. His expertise spans across optimizing supply chains for efficiency, sustainability, and growth, especially for early-stage companies.

In this episode of DTC Pod, John talks about the iterative nature of supply chain management and the need for startups to continuously adapt and refine their processes. He highlights the use of technology to streamline operations, the significance of understanding the complexities of global supply chains, especially under the strain of events like the COVID-19 pandemic, and shares a framework for setting up supply chains with a strong foundation in operational details and supplier partnerships.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Iterative Supply Chain Management
2. Third-Party Logistics Partnerships
3. Fractional Operations and Technology
4. Profitability and Cost Optimization
6. Impact of COVID-19 on Supply Chain
7. Future Tech in Operations
8. Building and Scaling Supply Chains

Timestamps
02:09 John Morgan’s background and experience working on SpaceX
06:39 Leading the operations at Seed Health
09:37 The effect of COVID on global manufacturing, supply chain, and operations
11:46 Pelagic as a supply chain service provider
13:15 How to get supply chain right from the get-go; mistakes to avoid
18:56 Adapting supply chains to growth and change
23:41 Hiring for supply chain, considerations for early-stage founders
26:35 Optimizing for profits vs quality, financial optimization of supply chains
30:26 What founders need to know before importing
33:55 Common mistakes to avoid in supply chain management

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

John Morgan - Founder of Pelagic
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Leah Marcus and Yasaman Bakhtiar are the co-founders of Good Girl Snacks, a company that has made a name for itself in the snack industry with a focus on creating modern, female-oriented branding, particularly with their product "Hot Girl Pickles."

Leah and Yasaman launched their brand by leveraging social media, especially TikTok, identifying a gap in the pickle market for their niche audience. Despite their lack of experience in the food and beverage industry, they were able to carve out a unique space and build a dedicated community around their brand through their knowledge of social media marketing and content creation.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Leah and Yasaman pull back the curtain on their content and marketing strategy. We gain insights into organic brand-building, how it contributes to maintaining authenticity and connection with an ad-averse Gen Z audience, and how they use it to get real-time engagement and feedback to refine and enhance their product line. We also learn the unique challenges and learning curves Leah and Yasaman faced in the CPG industry as they built Good Girl Snacks from the ground up.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Content Creation and Marketing Strategies
2. Overcoming Production and Operation Challenges
3. Engaging Gen Z through Authenticity
4. Branding and Niche Market Targeting
5. Learning From Industry with Consultancy Support
6. Building Community via Organic Social Content
7. Flexibility and Patience in Business Growth

Timestamps
02:00 Viral TikTok trends and how Good Girl Snacks started
04:21 From doing corporate work to launching a brand
07:21 Initial fears of starting a business
09:34 The white space in the pickle market
10:59 Picking a niche, catering to Gen Z consumers
13:28 Content strategy, leveraging brand stories and SEO
17:07 Good Girl Snacks’ content creation workflow then vs now
22:45 Balancing planned and spontaneous content
24:39 Content distribution; reels, stories, and grid strategy
27:59 Product development, hiring R&D consultants, the importance of community
31:34 Gathering customer feedback for iterative product development
34:21 Challenges and advantages of bootstrapping
36:21 Adapting marketing strategy to Gen Z consumer attitudes and behavior
38:53 Retaining authenticity while scaling, continuing to create low-lift content
41:22 Hiring consultants vs full-time employees
44:28 How to get the most out of startup advisors
47:33 Advice to future founders: be adaptable and patient

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Leah Marcus and Yasaman Bakhtiar - Co-Founders of Good Girl Snacks
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Christopher Hunter is a seasoned entrepreneur best known for creating Four Loko, a caffeinated alcoholic beverage that caused a stir across college campuses and beyond. Currently, he serves as the CEO of Koia, a leading plant-based protein drink company that has achieved over $100 million in annual retail sales nationwide.

In this episode of DTC Pod, we uncover tactics for rapid growth in the CPG space. Christopher highlights the importance of adapting to market shifts and consumer demands, which steered his brand from a costly initial direct-to-consumer model to a more sustainable retail focus, eventually re-introducing multi-packs for platforms like Instacart and launching shelf-stable products on Amazon.

With Koia now available in approximately 30,000 retail locations—including a recent nationwide partnership with Starbucks—Christopher reflects on the brand’s product development and scale-up process.

Shop Koia on Amazon.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Startup Challenges and Solutions
2. Retail Partnerships and Scaling
3. Adaptation to Regulations
4. Four Loko's Market Evolution
5. Koya's Strategic Growth
6. Distribution and Manufacturing Strategies
7. Direct-to-Consumer Shifts and Trends

Timestamps
01:48 Christopher Hunter’s background, how Four Loko and Koia started
07:14 From managing Phusion Projects to investing in Raw Nature 5 to creating Koia
09:28 How a partnership helped launch and scale Koia
12:12 Troubleshooting initial production challenges at Koia
14:41 Starting with natural retailers, then going to specialty and conventional ones
17:23 The evolution of Koia’s supply chain and operations
19:57 Moving from DTC to retail, addressing customer requests, discovering an opportunity to sell on Amazon
22:22 Expectations for Koia’s launch on Amazon, looking at product competition
25:41 Lessons learned from Four Loko, product iteration and scaling
31:16 Dealing with government agencies, building a solid business foundation
33:56 Consumer research and how it factors in making business decisions like product line expansion

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Christopher Hunter - Co-Founder of Phusion Projects and Koia
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Kellen Roland, with 18+ years of expertise in the luxury and consumer sectors, has a triple role as a founder, investor, and strategic advisor. He fosters business growth through insightful leadership and AI integration, invests in promising businesses like TRUFF, and offers strategic advice to brands such as Slowtide.

With an acute sense of cultural trends and storytelling skills, he establishes authentic links between brands and audiences. Notably, he worked at Agenda Trade Show, Herschel Supply Co., and iamOTHER, founded The NTWRK Agency, and eventually built JOOPITER alongside Pharrell Williams. At present, he shares this extensive learning at his own consulting business, KRMC.

In this DTC Pod episode, Kellen Roland gives insights on building strong retailer relationships. He emphasizes the importance of delivering unique value to create lasting partnerships in retail. He also discusses negotiating techniques and the need to maintain a healthy balance of markups and margins, appealing to vendors while preserving brand profitability. Kellen encourages brands to be agile; taking customer feedback seriously and quickly adapting to changing preferences is key for success in the fast-changing DTC landscape. Through his strategic insights, Kellen cements the framework for a successful retail strategy that is as much about captivating storytelling as it is about shrewd business deliberations.

Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Strategic DTC Brand Launch
2. Entrepreneurship and Relationship-Building
3. Agility and Adaptability in Retail
4. Ethics in CPG and Brand Responsibility
5. Traits of Highly Successful People
6. Practical Benefits of AI in Business
7. The Value of Mentorship

Timestamps
01:30 Kellen Roland’s background, early career and passion
06:48 Herschel’s success, the importance of clear vision and timing
11:45 Creating win-win situations for retailers as a brand
13:01 How to pitch new products to retailers
17:04 Traditional brand launch versus modern direct-to-consumer approach
21:14 The importance of demand planning and brand agility
25:23 Brands to watch out for: Graza, Nguyen Coffee, Rocky’s Matcha, Goodles
32:52 Working with Pharell Williams on JOOPITER
35:53 Traits for leveling up to Kobe-level success
40:41 Commitment, resilience, and persistence amidst challenges
44:17 Using AI to manage schedules, solve problems, and scale operations
49:08 Coaching and revenue growth, building a consulting business
52:08 Seeking mentors, not copy-pasting success formulas

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Kellen Roland - Founder of KRMC
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Loren Castle is an entrepreneur and the founder of Sweet Loren's, a brand specializing in ready-to-bake cookie dough that is plant-based, gluten-free, nut-free, and non-GMO.

After being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma at the age of 22, Loren Castle was motivated to create a line of sweets that aligned with her own desire for healthier, less processed treats made from real food ingredients. Baking served both as her therapy and a means of creative expression during her challenging times.

Sweet Loren's began in Loren's kitchen after her homemade chocolate chip cookie recipe received high praise, leading her to realize the potential of her products. Her business has grown significantly over the years, and she has successfully led the brand to offer a broad range of products catering to health-conscious consumers. Sweet Loren's products are now available in over 25,000 supermarkets.

This episode of DTC Pod explores how Sweet Loren’s became the #1 natural cookie dough brand in the US. We cover topics like scaling product production, identifying business opportunities, and integrating customer feedback into product development stages. Learn about their success from startup to leader in the CPG market.

Episode brought to you by More Staffing

Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Tips for Scaling Product Production
2. Key Considerations for Product Line Expansion
3. Strategies for Successful Product Launches
4. How to Identify White Space Opportunities
5. Customer Feedback Integration in Product Development
6. Business Decision-Making and Growth

Timestamps
04:14 Starting Sweet Loren’s, the #1 natural cookie dough brand in the US
10:32 Discovering passion, becoming an entrepreneur, finding purpose
14:11 From solopreneurship to business leader
15:46 Deciding between opening a bakery vs entering the CPG market
16:39 Product development, choosing cookie dough as the first product
20:54 Customer feedback and its role in product iteration cycle
22:32 Shifting focus to customer needs, scaling Sweet Loren’s
24:58 Changing products to cater to food intolerances and allergies
32:28 Early stages of funding, bootstrapping, scaling
34:36 Evaluating business opportunities based on personal alignment
35:52 Figuring out the top five SKUs that are gonna sell
38:03 Launching Sweet Lauren’s first shelf-stable product
38:59 Launching other types of refrigerated doughs
41:16 Considerations for expanding Sweet Loren’s product offerings
43:14 Researching, identifying opportunities, developing products
46:55 Why team, experience, expertise, and data are vital for startup success

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Loren Castle - CEO and Founder of Sweet Loren's
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Emmett Shine is the creative genius behind Pattern, taking the lead in shaping the narratives and aesthetics of its seven brands. He also co-founded a creative agency, Gin Lane, and oversaw its evolution in parallel with the burgeoning startup ecosystem that came to define New York's landscape.

In this episode, Emmett discusses Pattern Brands' approach to cultivating a unique identity for each brand within its family. He underscores the need to create specialized experiences for individual brands while exploring synergies across the portfolio. His dual focus on operations and creatives emerges as a cornerstone strategy, proving pivotal in his company's ongoing journey to build a robust and profitable direct-to-consumer ecosystem.

Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Creative vs Operational Mindsets
2. Talent Recognition and Recruitment Strategies
3. Timeless Design Principles and Inspiration
4. DTC Brand Challenges and Strategies
5. Building and Scaling a Brand Family
6. Personal Growth and Entrepreneurship

Timestamps
00:00 Working with business founders, finding market opportunities
05:25 Starting Pattern Brands, buying businesses, launching a design agency
13:23 Finding and hiring the right talent
15:27 Emmett Shine’s background in design, creating timeless vs trendy designs
24:18 Launching two brands, Equal Parts and Open Spaces
28:31 Managing multiple brands: human resources and operations
33:50 Building specialized brands that cater to millennials
45:01 Focusing on consistency, quality, and iterative processes
46:34 Diverse projects in early stages, seeking new challenges

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Emmett Shine - Co-Founder of Pattern Brands
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Our conversation with growth strategist Sabir Semerkant is filled with actionable insights on thriving in the e-commerce landscape.

Sabir’s approach to e-commerce growth is holistic. He emphasizes constant improvement and a strong understanding of one's business foundations. His advice invites brands to explore a growth path that's not reliant on temporary fixes but solidifies lasting customer relationships and strong business workflows.

Don’t miss this opportunity to get an expert’s take on fueling your strategy and growth.

Episode brought to you by More Staffing

Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Sabir Semerkant’s 8D Method
2. The Importance of Mobile Optimization
3. Key Dimensions for E-Commerce Success
4. Storytelling in Marketing
5. Customer Experience and Branding
6. The Importance of Customer Centricity
7. Value Creation and Strategic Pricing
8. E-Commerce Platform Optimization
9. Growth and Operational Strategies
10. Logistics and Fulfillment

Timestamps
10:48 Setting goals, improving KPIs every day by 1%
12:10 The Rapid 2X and Mastermind programs and the 8D Method
13:46 Consistent improvement vs. quick transient optimization dilemma
18:21 The importance of measuring all aspects of business for success
20:17 The risks of relying solely on paid advertising, the importance of building a brand
24:43 The dangers of discounting and how it could hurt a business
28:12 Storytelling in marketing, building an emotional connection with customers
32:32 Optimizing tech stack for attention span, earning audience engagement
37:44 Free tool for measuring site speed to improve performance and conversion
39:10 Mobile optimization and why it is important
42:25 Product positioning and brand building, paying attention to what customers care about
45:33 The importance of authenticity in branding
48:43 Putting customers at the center of a business, creating buyer personas
53:15 Strategic pricing, cultivating brand loyalty through content
01:00:11 Factors to consider when choosing the right tech stack
01:08:42 Choosing the right third-party logistics and operations partners
01:13:58 Finding and hiring the right people to help a business grow

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Sabir Semerkant - Founder of GROWTH by SABIR
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Jennifer Liao’s journey with MìLà is nothing short of remarkable. From a grassroots project where they collected orders through Google Forms, it evolved into a successful venture that raised $21.5 million in its second round of funding.

This episode doesn't just serve up the story behind MìLà’s signature frozen soup dumplings; it provides a feast of insights on the ingredients for business growth, fundraising, and the power of community-driven marketing.

Episode brought to you by More Staffing

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On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Fundraising Strategies and Investor Relationships
2. Navigating Logistics for Frozen Food Distribution
3. Product-Market Fit Testing
4. Branding and Content Strategy Development
5. Scaling Manufacturing
6. Leveraging E-commerce Platforms

Timestamps
03:37 Experimenting with frozen soup dumplings
06:17 How testing and running ad campaigns on Meta led to MìLà’s rapid growth
14:59 Product-market fit testing, team expansion
20:43 Establishing a team for content and branding
28:00 Getting funded, setting realistic goals, and scaling for success
35:52 The supply chain side of frozen, perishable goods
37:22 Building infrastructure for proactive outreach
38:46 Product innovation, retail expansion

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Jennifer Liao - Co-Founder of MìLà
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

In this episode of DTC Pod, Nicolas Beaupré illuminates the strategies that propelled Mateina's growth in the North American market, where the lure of yerba mate was still largely undiscovered. He emphasizes the crucial role of grassroots efforts like word-of-mouth endorsements and community events in building a loyal customer base.

Nicolas shares his journey of self-funding, supplemented later by keen investors, which allowed the brand to foster a robust direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales model. In developing Mateina's signature non-carbonated yerba mate beverage, he underscores the meticulous year-and-a-half-long process of trial and error with suppliers to fine-tune the recipe.

Moving into the future, Nicolas envisions continuing to innovate and potentially expand Mateina's retail footprint.

Episode brought to you by More Staffing

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On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Yerba Mate as a Coffee Alternative
2. Grassroots Customer Acquisition
3. Self-Funding to Venture Capital
4. DTC Revenue Strategy
5. Product Development Journey
6. Product Sourcing and Production
7. Sales and Formulations
8. Retail Partnerships
9. Educational Marketing Strategy

Timestamps
03:27 Becoming acquainted with maté in South America
05:54 Launching an e-commerce store that sells maté
08:41 Introducing a ready-to-drink, cold maté to the market
14:07 Educating customers on yerba maté
15:51 From bootstrapping to getting private investors
19:27 Product development — trials, mistakes, expansion
23:57 Factors to consider when coming up with a new formula
27:01 Mateina’s product line, inventory challenges
32:18 Lessons on product form and communications strategy
35:04 Andrew Huberman's role in launching Mateina in the US
37:00 Aligning brand, creator, infrastructure, capital, and distribution
43:39 Product education, word of mouth, and brand advocacy

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Nicolas Beaupré - Founder & CEO at Mateina Yerba Mate
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

In our conversation with Kevin Lavelle, he shares his ingenious approach to building his company, Mizzen+Main, into a fashion industry success. Initially, Kevin recalls the brute force marketing efforts that shaped the early days of the brand, from going door to door to attending events to get the product in people's hands.

As their digital marketing and PR strategies matured, Kevin leveraged the power of strategic partnerships and influencer collaborations. Specifically, he cites the company's visibility boost through sponsorship deals, like the one with Tim Ferriss's podcast, and endorsement deals, like with athlete J.J. Watt.

Looking into the future with his new venture, Harbor, Kevin discusses the strategies his team is taking to enter the market of baby monitors and pediatric telehealth.

Episode brought to you by More Staffing

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On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Influential Partnerships for Brand Growth
2. Sustainable Growth Strategies
3. Influencer and Celebrity Collaborations
4. The Tim Ferriss Effect
5. Retail Strategy Insights
6. Prelaunch Strategies and Inventory Management

Timestamps
02:13 Transitioning from Mizzen+Main to Harbor
07:20 Lessons from building a customer base for Mizzen+Main
12:42 The Tim Ferriss Effect, how a podcast propelled Mizzen+Main
14:15 Signing an endorsement deal with J.J. Watt
16:36 The necessity of authenticity and passion in successful partnerships
20:06 Making personal connections for business success
26:00 Creating technically complex, life-critical electronics
29:03 Growing Harbor by creating valuable content for parents
32:36 Wholesalers and their impact on business growth
37:11 Preparing for the pre-launch of Harbor
38:45 Building a waitlist with a refundable deposit to gauge demand
42:17 Harbor’s vision to transform sleep and wellness for parents

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Kevin Lavelle - CoFounder and CEO at Harbor, Founder and Chairman of the Board at Mizzen+Main
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Join us as Ben Acott uncovers intriguing tactics that make Feastables stand out in the crowded direct-to-consumer landscape.

In our conversation, Ben expounded on the synergistic relationship between Feastables and the ultra-popular Mr. Beast, highlighting how leveraging the latter’s extensive distribution network offers a unique advantage. This strategic alignment not only turbocharges product reach but also taps into an existing, engaged audience ripe for conversion.

The way Ben's ventures harness such audience networks is a testament to the power of influencer marketing and shows the value of cultivating smart partnerships in building strong brands.

Episode brought to you by More Staffing

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On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Branding with Mr. Beast
2. Creator Partnerships in Brand Marketing
3. Testing Talent and Products for Market Fit
4. Scaling New and Existing DTC Brands
5. Brand-Creator Collaborations
6. Celebrity Partnerships
7. Reinventing Boring Product Categories
8. Building Brand Loyalty through Content

Timestamps
04:05 Working with one of the most popular content creators in the world, Mr. Beast
06:48 Lessons from building the brand MANSCAPED
12:41 Analyzing product success, tracking metrics, and predicting customer acquisition cost (CAC)
15:16 From launching Feastables to reformulation and rebranding
22:53 How to make partnerships with content creators work
24:41 Reinforcing confidence, shaping perception, and packaging success
27:14 Factors that go into negotiation and compensation structures
33:20 Choosing the right branding partner, validating partnerships through testing
36:20 Producing content, testing, and promoting products online
38:31 Making boring products cool through content marketing

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Ben Acott - Chief Executive Officer at Magnetic Labs
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Mina Elias, backed by his vast experience, outlines a strategy to captivate customers and set apart offerings in Amazon's competitive market.

He shares a blueprint for keyword optimization on Amazon, highlighting the need to start small and grow strategically based on performance results. His approach underlines the role of flexibility in advertising, where constant adjustments can lead to enhanced visibility and higher conversions.

Additionally, Mina discusses how click-through and conversion rates dramatically affect a product's organic ranking on Amazon. He recommends driving branded traffic from external sources to Amazon pages to raise product visibility against fierce competition.

Mina also shares a few tips on crafting effective product detail pages. He stresses the importance of each component—from images to reviews—working together to showcase the product's merits and convince shoppers to purchase.

Episode brought to you by More Staffing

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On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Keyword Strategy and Budget Management
2. Understanding Amazon's Sales Ecosystem
3. Amazon Advertising Strategy
4. Maximizing Amazon Product Visibility
5. Amazon's Traffic and Conversion Funnel
6. Product Listing and Conversion Improvement Strategies
7. Review Acquisition Challenges and Strategies
8. Amazon's Growing Platform and Optimization Challenges
9. Market Trends and Predictions

Timestamps
00:00 Scaling brands on Amazon
05:38 Optimizing product detail page for better conversion
08:15 Maximizing impressions, improving click-through rates, and increasing sales
11:14 Systematic keyword testing for profitable ad campaigns
18:12 The impact of customer behavior on Amazon organic sales
24:32 The importance of reviews in driving customer choices
26:59 Influencing reviews with reciprocity and community building
35:53 Succeeding on Amazon in 2024
37:03 Profitable niches to sell products on Amazon in 2024

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

View Details

Episode brought to you by More Staffing
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Juan Meisel is the Founder and CEO at Grip Shipping, a pioneering Direct-to-Consumer eCommerce for perishable products. After serving as the Head of Logistics of Buterbox, he launched Grip which has since processed over a billion dollars' worth of perishable goods through their innovative platform, and now offers comprehensive fulfillment services, reducing shipping costs by an impressive 30%.

On this episode, we'll cover everything about perishable logistics, how Butcherbox solved for these challenges at scale, and how brands can tap into the same infrastructure through Grip with low minimum volume requirements for fast growing perishable goods brands.

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Optimizing perishable goods shipping
2. Cutting shipping costs significantly
3. Scaling fulfillment network strategy
4. Unique challenges in perishable logistics
5. Importance of data-driven decision making
6. Evolving market for online perishables
7. Building versus partnering in logistics

Timestamps
00:00 Early team member bootstrapped Butcherbox, now scaling Grip.
05:49 Shipping perishable goods quickly causes many challenges.
09:18 Fragmented warehousing systems, leading to shipping issues.
14:18 Challenges with dynamic shipping and manual processes.
16:10 Early companies failed due to profit challenges.
19:40 Identified shipping needs, led to market connection.
22:21 Understanding problems, team support, and evolving markets.
27:44 Optimizing perishable shipping for increased profitability.
29:08 Software innovation drives substantial reduction in shipping costs.
35:16 Focus on defending and scaling company culture.

Shownotes powered by Castmagic

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• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here and our

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

---

Juan Meisel - Founder and CEO at Grip Shipping
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Episode brought to you by More Staffing
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Josh Durham is the founder of Aligned Growth, an influencer management agency that helps established 7 & 8 figure DTC brands scale and optimized influencer programs.

On this episode of DTC Pod, Josh joins Blaine & Ramon to break down how to effectively scale creator and influencer initiatives to successfully drive bottom line revenue growth.

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Prioritizing paid social and email marketing.
2. Delegating influencer sourcing and outreach.
3. Negotiating deals focused on consistency.
4. Testing budgets for audience relevance.
5. Building relationships in niche markets.
6. Align Growth's influencer marketing strategy.
7. Repurposing influencer content effectively.

Timestamps
00:00 Went bankrupt, transitioned to brand marketing, enjoyed.
06:57 Sponsoring creators, measuring performance, driving sales via influencers.
10:56 Consistency of views crucial for creator partnerships.
12:06 Testing budget needed for influencer marketing results.
17:15 Reset expectations per brand, work with influencers.
19:12 Focus on paid social, email, search, shopping.
22:42 Source 100-200 creators weekly, optimize opt-in rates.
27:11 Best sourcing and management tool for influencers.
29:54 Guide creators to emulate successful content for clients.
33:53 Importance of tech stack in influencer marketing.
38:21 Excited about new pizza oven, creating content.
41:38 In-house editors create authentic, engaging content.

Shownotes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here and our

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

---

Josh Durham - Founder of Aligned Growth
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Cherene Aubert is the VP of Digital and E-commerce at ILIA Beauty, a skincare-powered makeup brand which has taken the beauty industry by storm as it's quickly scaled past 100M in revenue.

In this episode, we sit down with Cherene to discuss some of the most successful strategies that the most successful brands use to grow.

Episode brought to you by More Staffing
Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Brand Differentiation in the Beauty Industry
2. Embracing Organic Revenue Growth
3. Strategic Marketing Shifts
4. Cherene Aubert's Professional Background and Role at Ilia Beauty
5. Understanding the Beauty Market Landscape
6. Analyzing and Measuring Sales Performance
7. Brand Awareness and Advertising Effectiveness
8. Utilizing the OKR Framework in Marketing Strategies
9. Optimization of Landing Pages and Offers
10. Media and Content Strategy
11. Trends and Team Collaboration in Social Media Marketing

Timestamps
00:00 Transition to Ilia for faster growth.
04:52 Overseeing marketing, brand, and retail strategies.
10:07 Beauty market segmentation: fickle vs. loyal consumers.
12:59 Storytelling unlocks human connection in brand marketing.
14:52 Early start, focus on financial planning.
18:59 Building a legacy brand with team support.
23:04 SEO, link building, PR, affiliate, non-paid channels.
27:45 Influencer marketing expands reach and audience diversity.
30:31 Teams collaborate to create and promote content.
33:48 Obsession with capturing attention in social feed.
36:35 Beauty, profitability, growth, customer acquisition, conversion optimization.
41:45 Prioritizing landing page creation for brand impact.
43:18 Maximize user retention with native landing pages.

Shownotes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here and our

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

---

Cherene Aubert - VP of Digital and E-commerce at Ilia Beauty
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Allegra Poschmann is the CEO & Design Director at Pact, a design led, development driven studio that creates digital experiences.

In this episode, Allegra shares her journey of substantial growth in the design industry and the compelling success of the nap dress. Listen as we explore the unique approaches to customer engagement and personalized brand experiences that are defining modern retail.

Episode brought to you by More Staffing
Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Introduction to Allegra Poschman
2. The Success of the Nap Dress
3. Creating Unique Customer Experiences
4. Personalization Strategies
5. The Connection between Online and Offline Experiences
6. Pact's Approach to Client Relationships
7. Collaborations and Projects
8. Balancing Initiatives and Partnerships
9. Strategic Focus and Client Onboarding
10. Interest in AI and Brand Consistency
11. Ingredient Showcase and SEO
12. Understanding the Customer and Founder’s Vision
13. Success with Visionary Brands and Founders

Timestamps
00:00 Small studio job changed career trajectory, company founded.
05:35 Designers listen to clients for e-commerce insight.
09:11 Improved metrics, long-term partnership, strategic direction.
12:20 Optimizing Shopify capabilities for marketing science-focused products.
13:32 Matina focuses on unique single origin sourcing.
16:40 Using active ingredient to promote legitimacy in SEO.
21:43 Understanding customer values and tailoring approach.
25:59 Fashion brand grew, focused on unique products.
29:20 Avoid replicating it, focus on personalized experiences.
30:23 Personalization strategy works for studs' piercing studios.
35:37 Businesses merging tech and physical products seamlessly.
39:08 Curiosity about AI and brand product focus.
40:55 Glossier brand focused on enhancing natural beauty.

Shownotes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here and our

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

---

Allegra Poschmann - CEO & Design Director at Pact
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Bart is building at the intersection of commerce & community and promoting the message of fatherhood through fashion. With a twelve year stint optimizing brands and content, Bart now champions the Dad Gang, a movement that brings dads together under the banner of quality streetwear. We kick off with how he turned a small investment of $750 into a phenomenon that has sold 90,000 hats and counting and is consistently repped by some of the biggest celebrity and athlete dads.

Bart breaks down the strategy behind investing strategically in organic content & paid social, which has led to a burgeoning community and movement for dads, by dads, in just a year and a half!

Episode brought to you by More Staffing
Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Introduction to Bart and Dad Gang
2. Dad Gang’s Growth through Organic Marketing Strategies
3. The Quality and Appeal of Dad Gang Hats
4. Nurturing a Community-Centric Brand
5. Marketing Strategies and Experiences
6. Sales and Community Engagement
7. Product Recommendations and Community Involvement

Timestamps
00:00 Interest in hip hop led to career in marketing and branding.
05:57 Transition from freelance to agency, experiencing burnout.
10:24 Friends, family supported hat-making venture organically grew.
14:39 Connected with manufacturer to create high-quality hats.
17:04 From 100 hats to 90,000 in 1.5 years.
20:14 Highlight new dads, share their fatherhood stories.
23:31 Fatherhood has trials, community provides support.
26:37 Bart, startup success, building community, unexpected growth.
29:31 Boosted ads with back-in-stock notifications work well.
35:33 Started private Facebook group for back-in-stock updates.
38:01 Dad support group fosters community and advice.
41:50 Focus on collaborations, new hat styles, feedback.
44:15 Best-selling black and white horsepower hat sold out.

Shownotes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here and our

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

---

Bart Szaniewski - Co-Founder at DadGang
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Sam Rattner is the CEO and Co-Founder at Showroom, a vertical-specific search engine for fashion. Leveraging AI, it crawls brands big and small and hosts their inventory, amounting to millions of pieces. Previously Sam founded Vigtory, a sports betting company which he sold to Fubo for $40 Million at age 23.

In this episode, Sam Rattner joins us to break down the innovative concepts behind his company, Showroom, aimed at reshaping the online shopping experience. We discuss how AI will impact retailers and shopping experiences alike.

Episode brought to you by More Staffing
Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Concept and Mission of Showroom
2. Showroom's Business Model
3. Consumer-Centric Approach in Ecommerce
4. Innovation in Online Shopping Experience
5. Challenges with AI in Fashion Ecommerce
6. Fundraising and Business Growth Strategies
7. The Importance of Data Standardization
8. Ecommerce Platform Differentiation
9. AI's Role in Enhancing Consumer Experience
10. User Interaction with Showroom
11. Market Analysis and Positioning
12. Conversion from Impulse to Intent-Based Shopping
13. Vertical Search Versus Horizontal Search Platforms

Timestamps
00:00 Predicted growth of sports betting in the US.
05:47 TikTok shop is entertainment, not reliable shopping.
07:40 Consumer focus, market validation, advertising challenges discussed.
10:11 Many start searches on Google, Pinterest, and Showroom.
15:13 Value proposition: conversational, personalized, efficient online shopping.
19:50 Understanding consumer journey, owning customer, informing decisions.
22:37 Innovate to make a thousand times better.
24:19 Consider business goal before raising capital strategically.
27:19 GPT integration problem: diverse data sources, costs.
31:00 Data standardization, unbiased company relationships with all brands.
33:57 Launching beta, big waiting list, market-ready by March.

Shownotes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here and our

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

---

Sam Rattner - Co-Founder and CEO at Showroom
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

John Coogan is the Founder at Lucy, an innovative company in the nicotine industry, offering safer alternatives to smoking.

In this episode, we discuss strategies for scaling production, taking products to market, generating buzz, navigating regulation, nailing retail distribution, and leveraging digital content to grow brands. And that's not all – we'll also get a glimpse into John's personal journey as a creator - where he's built a YouTube channel with almost 400,000 subscribers - as he covers startups in documentary style breakdowns.

Episode brought to you by More Staffing
Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Starting a Company through Kickstarter
2. Product Development and Business Struggles
3. Growth and Market Response
4. Manufacturing and Distribution
5. Regulatory Hurdles and Nicotine Product Innovation
6. Marketing and Brand Building
7. John's Professional Journey
8. Tackling Nicotine Addiction
9. Insights from Market Trends and Consumer Demand
10. Founding Soylent and Pivoting Business Direction

Timestamps
00:00 Started a startup, joined Y combinator, flopped.
08:03 Silicon Valley programmer pivots to protein shakes.
10:15 Soylent named after dystopian Sci-Fi movie reference.
14:29 Brought in advisor, introduced to copacker. Fatal error.
18:12 Struggle to meet deadline amid viral attention.
20:37 Positive profile led to successful product launch.
22:16 Barely any time, huge oh, shit moments.
27:35 CPG genre, product, problem-solving, Shopify, retail, omnichannel
31:23 Nicotine industry transitioning from unregulated to regulated.
35:12 Nicorette product unchanged for decades, now on Amazon.
36:31 DTC Pod joins HubSpot podcast network.
39:05 FDA assesses product safety for public health.
44:32 Swedish Match, Zyn, acquired by Philip Morris.
46:38 Customer data, targeting key regions, sales strategy.
50:09 Meeting creators, learning needs, gaining credibility.

Shownotes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here and our

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

---

John Coogan - Founder at Lucy
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Joel Padron is the COO and Partner at Homestead Studio, a leading growth agency specializing in acquisition and retention services for brands scaling from 7 to 8 figures of revenue. After scaling Crossnet on the performance side, Joel has been behind the wheel with some of the fastest growing brands in commerce since joining Homestead.

In this episode, we're going in depth on how performance engines run at 8 figure brands, exploring Homestead's rigorous process for growth, their focus on financial targets, and how to leverage user-generated content to stay ahead in the DTC game.

Episode brought to you by More Staffing
Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Criteria for Partnering with Brands
2. Working Preferences and Company Ethos
3. Marketing Approach and Strategies
4. Creative Content and Advertisement
5. Offers and Customer Perspective
6. Lessons Along The Way
7. Practical Marketing Advice
8. The Agency and Brand Experience Transition
9. Landing Page Tactics and Paid Traffic
10. Utilizing Landing Page Tools and Influencer Outreach

Timestamps
00:00 Understanding audience crucial for effective product marketing.
07:37 Home-based brand support for seven- to nine-figure companies.
10:56 Partnerships, business growth, and brand expansion.
12:27 Proven success in US market key criteria.
16:52 Exciting growth with diverse range of clients.
21:25 Marketing strategy focuses on family and safety.
24:19 Drive traffic to specific pages for conversion.
27:48 Easy landing page creation for any employee.
31:11 Good content creators drive successful advertising strategies.
32:37 UGC and videos are harder to execute.
37:53 Simplify information for practical, successful audience engagement.
40:27 Agency work offers broader, deeper understanding of business.

Shownotes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here and our

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

---

Joel Padron - COO and Partner at Homestead Studio
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Rikin Diwan is the CMO and Chief Growth Officer at soona, the world’s first virtual content studio.

In this episode, we chat with Rikin about the intersection of AI and human creativity when it comes to content creation. We pick apart the nuts and bolts of storytelling and authenticity in marketing, the dynamic evolution of the creative content, and the unique challenges of marketing in e-commerce.

Episode brought to you by More Staffing
Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. The Role of AI in Content Creation
2. Marketing and Storytelling
3. Evolving Market and Content Production
4. Financial Acumen in Business
5. Performance-Based Marketing
6. Creator Relationships and Distribution Channels
7. Case Study: Marketing at Uber
8. Adaptive Marketing Playbooks
9. Consistency in Company Messaging
10. Soona's Platform and Tools

Timestamps
03:58 Focus was product, now into marketing leadership.
09:06 Promoting bike share program, unique city permits.
12:03 Strategy for customer retention through creative marketing.
15:29 Embracing simplicity, disrupting with virtual shoots.
17:11 Focus on B2B SaaS, not e-commerce marketing.
21:20 Issues with SEO arbitrage and referral revenue.
24:37 Balance performance and relationship for greater success.
27:15 E-commerce and DTC learned social proof importance.
29:38 Balancing budget and channel for content marketing.
35:09 Utilize influencer collaboration to enhance content reach.
35:57 Blurring the lines between sponsoring and whitelisting.
40:05 Google AI impacting search experience and SEO.
43:03 AI tools augment creatives, won't replace them.
46:30 Customer understanding key in integrating tech with photography.
52:32 Testing new messaging, creative freedom, feedback loop.
53:33 Testing new things, grounded in value. Stay colorful.

Shownotes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here and our

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

---

Rikin Diwan - CMO and Chief Growth Officer at soona
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Jess Chan is the CEO and Founder of Longplay, an lifecycle & retention agency for DTC brands. She's also the brains behind Backbone, an innovative tool that wraps all those email and retention best practices in one simple to use tool.

In this episode, Jess joins Blaine to discuss what it takes to succeed as a brand that wants to lean into retention & lifecycle marketing to scale DTC revenue.

Episode brought to you by More Staffing
Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Jess Chan's Background
2. Insights on Retention Marketing
3. Role of Various Strategical Tools
4. Email Flows To be Productized
5. In-depth look at subclasses of strategies in Retention Marketing
6. Use of Data in Retention Strategies
7. Demonstrations of Successful Strategies

Timestamps
03:00 Retention in D2C eCommerce: A shift towards focus.
06:38 Email marketing: Retaining and understanding customers is key.
10:39 Retention marketing is not the same as acquisition.
12:40 Optimize email flows, upsell subscriptions, strategic campaigns.
15:38 Boost tools for customer lifecycle, loyalty programs.
18:16 Focus on fewer channels and execute well.
26:34 Check SMS attribution settings for accurate analysis. Focus on customer-centric approach for SMS marketing.
29:19 Brands must consider immersive customer experiences.
32:22 Different customers, different journeys, different needs.
37:31 Medium dictates message; optimize design for impact.
40:59 Automating email marketing strategy development and improvement.
41:57 Backbone plans email marketing, optimized for conversion.

Shownotes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here and our

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

---

Jess Chan - Founder and CEO at Longplay & Backbone
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Rosa Li is the founder and CEO of Wildwonder - a brand that's reimagining the functional soda space with its sparkling drinks infused with heritage-inspired, gut-healthy ingredients.

In this episode, Rosa shares about Wildwonder's savvy omnichannel approach, the strategic importance of picking high-impact distribution channels, and how they've managed to stand out in a crowded market through a perfect blend of educating consumers and delivering innovative flavors.

Episode brought to you by More Staffing
Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Introduction to Rosa Li and Wildwonder
2. Building A Unique Brand Identity
3. Impact of Shark Tank Appearance
4. Early Challenges and Growth Strategies
5. Marketing and Distribution Focus
6. Product Development and Positioning
7. Educational Marketing and Consumer Engagement
8. Social Media and Online Presence

Timestamps
00:00 Started with teas, evolved to create convenience.
07:14 Product's accessibility increased by using cans.
10:28 Persistence secured co-packer for beverage production.
12:05 Sold door to door during quarantine, survived.
15:29 Omnichannel approach targeting customers in San Francisco.
20:07 Approachable, whimsical, consistent brand with uplifting packaging.
22:46 Shark Tank increased brand awareness and sales.
28:08 Excited about unique beverage approach and distribution.
31:23 Interest in brand growth and future opportunities.
34:48 Discussing product positioning and education in marketing.
36:59 Hard to educate market when starting from zero.

Shownotes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here and our

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

---

Rosa Li - Founder and CEO at Wildwonder
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Ali Karsch is the founder, and Nikole is the Head of PR at LVPR - a major PR firm specializing in working with famed DTC brands like Native, Vinebox, Jean Dousset, Kevyn Aucoin, Stojo, STATE Bags, Bean Box, Copper Cow Coffee, Usual Wines, Cloud Paper, Jinx, DOG by Dr Lisa, Jiggy, SmarterKids, Sugarwish, Mosaic Foods, London Grant, and more.

Together, they have launched The Littles Advisory, a boutique CPG startup advisory that helps emerging startups, who may not be ready for a big ticket PR agency, find their footing as they bring their brands to market.

Episode brought to you by More Staffing & Capital One
Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. New brand launch strategies
2. Importance of authentic brand content
3. Embracing organic social media engagement
4. Media relations and pricing tiers
5. Aligning with synergistic brand partners
6. Leveraging trade press for momentum
7. Affiliate marketing alongside traditional PR

Timestamps
00:00 Started in PR, now advising CPG startups.
06:07 Launching a new brand requires strong messaging.
09:54 Planning launch of a new brand.
12:41 Competitor audit, spokesperson, brand messaging, media outreach.
17:43 Media and aesthetics play crucial role in branding.
18:43 Partnership approach for new brands, strategic advisory.
21:55 Alignment with long-term interests in business relationships.
25:10 Story behind a new brand launch.
29:42 Brands need to time their market entry.
34:49 Building a diverse content asset base for brands.
36:44 Diverse content needs for various marketing channels.
42:15 Understanding brands, stages, budgets, value addition.
43:30 We look for specific brand criteria for success.
48:38 Hard to put tangible value on intangible benefits
50:08 Placed editorial story led to investor interest.
53:35 Selective brand partnerships, strong enthusiasm, social connection.

New Products Discussed:
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement

Shownotes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here and our DTC brand directory here

DTCPod Instagram
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DTCPod TikTok

Ali Karsch - Founder and CEO at LVPR & Co-Founder at The Littles Advisory
Nikole Flores - Head of PR at LVPR and Co-founder of The Littles Advisory
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Episode brought to you by More Staffing

Ryan Denehy is the Founder and CEO at Electric AI, an IT platform that empowers SMBs with user-friendly tools and guidance to streamline their IT management and secure their business.

Electric, valued over $1B has raised over $200M to date and is backed by GGV Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, Primary Venture Partners, Greenspring Associates, 01 Advisors, Bowery Capital, The Slack Fund, Vintage Investment Partners, and Atreides Management.

Ryan joins Blaine & Ramon to give a first hand look at what it takes to build a unicorn, how to level up as an entrepreneur, and some hot takes on current market affairs.

Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Importance of Spending Control
2. Value of Experienced Advisors
3. Persistence in Challenging Situations
4. Significance of Self-Awareness Growth
5. Product-Market Fit Exploration
6. Strategic Business Pivots
7. CEO Evolution and Delegation

Timestamps
00:00 Low barriers allow starting any type of business.
09:33 Successful DVD distribution leads to sponsorship deal.
15:30 Learned perseverance through years of daily skateboarding.
21:33 Focus on solving specific problems for customers.
26:52 Unknowingly found product-market fit through mountain biking.
30:06 Founders need creativity and abstract thinking.
34:59 Transition from experimentation to disciplined business operations.
39:25 Founder transitions rapidly from customer focus to management.
46:11 CEO aspirant emphasizes learning, adapting to challenges.
54:59 You control spending and bank account balance.

Shownotes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here and our DTC brand directory here

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Ryan Denehy - Founder and CEO at Electric AI
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Episode brought to you by More Staffing

Sam Lessin is a seasoned entrepreneur and venture capitalist who is currently GP at Slow Ventures, a venture fund that boasts five funds and nearly a billion dollars of capital. Previously, he served as the VP of Product Management at Facebook. As a contrarian investor, he's been an early supporter of multiple high-profile startups, from household consumer brands like Allbirds, Casper, Birchbox, Barkbox, to fintech/blockchain bets like Robinhood, Solana, and popular SaaS companies like Airtable, Front, and Slack to name a few.

Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Sam's Views on Platform Dependence
2. Investment Philosophy and Strategies
3. Entrepreneurial Realism in Pitching Businesses
4. The Potential of the Franchise Model
5. Constellation Software Angle in Business
6. Reach and Engagement
7. Investing in Niche Creator Markets
8. Creator Business Investment Approaches
9. Understanding Unique Communities
10. Good Business Opportunities
11. The Role of Audience and Community in Startup Success
12. The Impact of AI on the Creator Sphere
13. National Security and Business Concerns
14. Sam Lessin's Background and Contributions
15. The Evolution of Distribution Strategies and Creator Monetization
16. Social Media Evolution and Attention Shifting

Timestamps
00:00 Facebook, my college acquaintance, became revolutionary network.
05:30 Decade of product development in online identity.
09:04 Meta monetizes attention, success in brand deals.
12:29 Social media evolved from entertainment to connection.
17:06 Investing in creators with strong financial potential.
18:41 Investing in diverse, niche expertise for impact.
23:20 Starting things requires passion and trustworthiness.
24:15 Consider audience building over operator expertise long-term.
27:49 AI enhances entertainment, not human influence efficiency.
32:33 Email remains crucial, platform choice is subjective.
34:33 Invest in contrary, undervalued market ideas.
38:43 AI companies are trendy, but often misleading.
43:09 Venture capital experience leads to success.
44:28 Studio models stack cash flows, creating constellations.

Shownotes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here and our brand directory here

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Sam Lessin - Partner at Slow Ventures
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Episode brought to you by More Staffing

Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Introduction to Jimmy Farley and TikTok's Monetization
2. TikTok Shop Distribution and Influencer Management
3. Content Creation Strategies and Virality
4. Product Selection and Creator Network Management
5. Marketing Advice and Building a Creator Brand
6. Creator Briefs and Brand Value Propositions
7. Software Development and E-Commerce
8. Creator Relations and Long-term Vision
9. Educational Methodology and Talent Management
10. Understanding Demographics and Influencer Impact
11. Red Flags and Effective Marketing Practices
12. Jimmy Farley's Background and Creators Corner
13. Influencer Group Management and Product Seeding
14. Business Ventures and Network Building
15. Transitioning Business Models and Network Value
16. Discord Community Insights and Revenue Generation

Timestamps
05:44 Experience in building vetted network with leverage.
10:32 Content creation process involves inspiration and reuse.
12:06 Viral content drives education and customer benefits.
14:31 Built strong community, resourceful TikTok marketing channel.
18:46 Creators and cash flow.
23:25 Content isn't guaranteed, creators make the difference.
25:17 Invested in TikTok shop, hands-off management.
29:08 Should I choose creators or pay influencers?
32:16 Importance of quick responsiveness, efficient agency strategies.
36:08 Minority stakes in multiple companies, specializing in supplements.
40:13 Retaining creators and brand advice in partnerships.
41:05 Commitment concerns and revolving nature of relationships.
45:13 Evaluate product potential before investing time and money.
47:01 Affordable rates for video content production explained.
53:01 Discussion about affiliate-based payment structures.
53:44 Creators seek fair compensation for quality work.
56:41 Find my best business content on Twitter.

Shownotes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here and our brand directory here

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
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Jimmy Farley- Co-Founder and CEO at Creator's Corner
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

View Details

Episode brought to you by More Staffing

Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Introduction to Braindrive and its Cognitive Benefits
2. Momentous Company Evolution
3. Financial Milestones and Revenue Streams
4. PR Lotion Development
5. Product Strategy and Trust Building
6. Company Goals and Market Positioning
7. Product Effectiveness and Industry Standards
8. Marketing and Sales Challenges
9. Momentous Brand Direction and Acquisition
10. Expanding Audience and Advocacy
11. Commitment to Mission and Communication
12. Inventory Management Challenges

Timestamps
00:00 Transition from biotech to entrepreneurship, NFL.
09:42 Strong product with impressive clinical trial results.
13:42 Acquired brand, challenges, niche market, sustainable model.
22:22 Merger of two different nutrition brands challenging.
25:04 Aligned vision led to merger, new company.
32:07 Marketing team transformed, aiming to change health.
36:52 PR lotion minimizes need to urinate in air force.
44:23 Grow the pie responsibly, despite challenges.
46:18 Testing label accuracy for nutritional supplements matters.
51:11 He's a tastemaker, optimizing performance for all.
57:59 Prioritizing trust over commoditization leads to success.
01:02:59 Innovate to serve the customer, democratize high performance.
01:08:33 Simplify product usage for better impact and retention.
01:15:03 Nootropic blend designed for focus and clarity.

Shownotes powered by Castmagic

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Jeff Byers - Co-Founder and CEO at Momentous
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Episode brought to you by More Staffing & Capital One
Need a new business card? Get in touch with our friend at Capital One Heather Clohessy - heather.clohessy@capitalone.com

Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Introduction to Mikey Taylor
2. Building Saint Archer
3. Growth and Sale of the Brewery
4. Going Against Convention
5. Mikey Taylor's Content Creation Workflow
6. Leveraging Social Media for Business Goals
7. Renting vs. Buying: A Financial Perspective
8. Success Factors: Obsession and Discipline over Talent

Timestamps
00:00 Learning negotiation, creators seek longer-term contracts.
08:24 Attracted to skaters who own business. Beer.
09:50 Discussing action sports led to creating beer.
14:17 In 2011, the idea of using Instagram.
15:55 Successful marketing gimmick disrupted industry and accelerated growth.
20:50 Creating content from personal experiences and relevant news.
23:20 Visiting Patrick's impressive studio, feeling inadequate.
27:29 Maximize monetization by leveraging network and community.
30:27 Expanding content across various platforms, facing challenges.
32:49 Private equity real estate firm offers investments.
35:30 Identifying opportunities in converting vacant malls.
40:53 Embracing small town roots, striving for change.
44:03 Founder discusses challenges of remote work environment.
46:07 Consider factors and goals before homeownership decision.
49:20 Value in frustration and drive for greatness.

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• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Mikey Taylor - Co Founder at Commune Capital, Saint Archer Brewery, Sovrn Skateboards, & Avni Intelligence
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Episode brought to you by More Staffing & Capital One
Need a new business card? Get in touch with our friend at Capital One Heather Clohessy - heather.clohessy@capitalone.com

Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Shopify's Ecosystem of Apps
2. Home page experience
3. Cart and Checkout
4. Tools and Strategies provided by Platter
5. Importance of Social Proof in E-Commerce
6. Recommendations for Brands
7. What to build natively into platform

Timestamps
00:00 App ecosystem within Shopify
05:37 Left Gopuff, started Platter, focused on pain points.
09:25 Key ways to get your site to convert better.
13:45 Importance of ecommerce frameworks and targeting strategies.
15:34 Upmarket components, operational efficiencies, debunking myths in storefronts.
20:17 Discussing value, tools, and purpose for store owners.
22:10 Native integration gamifies shopping to boost sales.
28:40 Social proof and user experience crucial for conversion.
33:18 Limited budget means trusting our expertise upfront.
35:23 Focus on proper onboarding for successful transitions.
40:12 Challenges in scaling customer success and prioritizing.
42:00 Ambitious product launch, social connection.

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Ben Sharf - Co-Founder at Platter
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Episode brought to you by More Staffing & Capital One
Need a new business card? Get in touch with our friend at Capital One Heather Clohessy - heather.clohessy@capitalone.com

Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. TikTok Strategies for Successful Ecommerce Brands
2. Insights on Entrepreneurship
3. Observations on Apps and Lifetsyle
4. Discussions on Manufacturing & Branding
5. Health-focused Industries & Biohacking Companies
6. Experiences from Moe Hayek’s Plant Business Venture
7. Moe's Work as an Ecommerce Consultant
8. Discussion on TikTok Shops
9. Moe's Venture: Online Plant Selling Business
10. Moe's Future Business Strategies

Timestamps
03:58 Getting Trademark for famous Limitless movie pill, NZT 48.
07:32 Successful ecommerce brands use TikTok, hiring creators to stimulate virality and boost sales.
09:54 Struggled with Organic Social until achieving success.
14:07 Influencer rates are uncertain; aim for multi-platform creators.
17:03 Working with several creators improved video and product presentation.
18:23 TikTok Shop is emulating Amazon's successful infrastructure and SEO dominance.
23:25 Leverage TikTok Shop to automate affiliate marketing, creating viral content.
25:12 Instagram's non-shopping design fails compared to TikTok's entertaining, profitable shopping experience.
29:15 Made $2 million selling plants online; experienced difficulties.
34:01 Culture pushes quick profit; thoughtful product development yields millions.
37:12 Invest in packaging, build community brand, maximize profits.
41:01 Incubation involves leveraging resources to maximize market opportunities, particularly in supplements and beauty.
44:35 Future health industry trends: energy maintenance and tailored supplements.
46:53 A brand is consistent, targeted communication over time.
48:41 Entrepreneurs should develop key skills and assist brands lacking online presence.
51:50 Feels lucky, enjoys in-person meetings, balances life.

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Moe Hayek - Partner at Limitless
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Episode brought to you by More Staffing & Capital One
Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Introduction of Guest: William Gasner
2. Concept of Micro-Influencer Marketing
3. Importance of Data Analysis in Influencer Marketing
4. The Role of Stack Influence
5. Influencer-Brand Collaboration Strategies
6. Potential Challenges in Influencer Marketing
7. Future Predictions and Social Media Trends

Timestamps
03:18 Smaller creators provided cost-effective marketing solutions.
07:41 Platforms expand influencer markets, management solutions emerge.
10:13 Authentic brand representation through product compensation model.
14:32 Building brand momentum is crucial for creators.
17:43 Setting expectations, volume over obsessing, multi-platform challenges.
22:41 Early brand content strategy: test, validate, scale.
24:28 Influencer marketing and positive branding are crucial.
27:02 Managing creators varies from handholding to autonomy.
31:02 Oatley's genius ad went viral with ping-pong.
36:33 Analyze data, control experiments, avoid simultaneous initiatives.
39:02 Halo effect leads to replicated, influential content.
41:56 Organic content gains trust, but ads deter buyers.
45:54 QVC essential in US, influencer evolution, social commerce.
47:42 Stackinfluence.com: Find us on all socials. Email.

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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William Gasner - Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer at Stack Influence
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Episode brought to you by More Staffing & Capital One
Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:
1. Introduction to Bubble Goods
2. The Journey of Jessica Young
3. The Purpose of Bubble Goods
4. Strategies and Features of Bubble Goods
5. Marketing and Growth Strategies
6. Customer and Brand Relationship
7. Bubble Goods' Target Customer
8. Importance of Curation in the Marketplace

Timestamps
02:53 Jessicas start
06:54 First teammember at Daily Harvest
08:32 Seeking mentorship for navigating unfamiliar territory.
12:48 Fast-paced startup, focus on product and growth.
17:31 Supply and demand, sales, consumer overwhelm, discovery.
19:15 Etsy-style marketplace for health food brands.
24:30 Curation trend important for marketplace success.
25:17 Brands expand sales through various online channels.
31:01 New Naples pizzas flash frozen and shipped.
33:29 Marketplaces benefit from promotion and brand alignment.
38:11 Get brands, scale demand, grow.
41:36 Submit under criteria, white background, Canva templates, easy flow.
45:26 Promotion is invaluable for brand growth.
47:54 High standards, transparency, brand partners, trust.
49:21 Investing in brand story for ultimate conversion.

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• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Jessica Young - Founder of Bubble Goods
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.
Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:

Introduction to Jeremy Barbara and Sundays
YouTube as an Effective Platform for Influencer Marketing
Creating a Strategy for Influencer Campaigns
Successful Influencer Campaign Examples
Team Structure for Influencer Marketing
Advertising on Different Platforms
Tracking and Evaluating Influencer Campaign Performance
Pricing and Budgeting for Influencer Marketing
Testing Influencers and Building Relationships

Timestamps
03:23 Building influencer program: test, optimize, scale.
05:52 Jeremy, variety of companies, strategy, influencers, products.
11:00 Influencer marketing often starts with one person.
12:23 How to find affordable channels.
18:11 Influencer rates vary based on platform, agency.
20:14 Not all platforms are equal, be strategic.
23:01 Using links, codes, surveys, and influencers to track YouTube video success.
26:19 Driving clear CTAs with trackable campaigns.
30:44 Coming up with unique creative.
34:01 Limited time, optimize CPA, reach, influencers.
38:10 TikTok Shop
42:32 Understand audience demographics, come across opportunities naturally.
44:15 Audience movement across channels signals influence.

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Jeremy Barbara - Head of Influencer Marketing at Sundays
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.
Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:

Importance of personal relationships in business
Proactive measures for building connections
Challenges and solutions in logistics and fulfillment
Trends in the vitamins and supplements industry
The significance of research and negotiation in sourcing products
Scaling challenges and the impact on operations
Focusing on the right aspects of running a business

Timestamps
02:19 Unlocking brand potential through logistics, no minimums.
03:27 Action sports engineer finds value in baby industry.
05:56 Vitamins, makeup, coconut, pets, sales, negotiations, fulfillment.
08:48 Unlocking brand potential, saving money, finding clients.
15:06 Understanding the human effort behind logistics.
16:29 Direct-to-consumer brands need efficient supply chains. When should they consider using a Three PL?
20:24 10k customers start experiencing difficulties; 14k is critical.
24:33 Brands should focus on solving specific problems.
27:00 Gift set, dog birthday cake - Shopify, BigCommerce, EDI compliance.
31:39 Subscription-based supplement brand needs efficient tech stack.
34:28 Extensive connects to logistics and networks 3PLs.
39:37 Smooth transition for onboarding and brand management.
40:39 Pet brand without sales wants to monetize.
45:13 Agnostic packaging and product management, saving money.
47:10 Find similar product sources using Import Yeti.
50:18 Establish relationships, pick up the phone.

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• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Paul Jarrett - CEO of Bulu
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.
Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:

Finding unique solutions for parents.
Leveraging industry events for visibility.
Focusing on selling through their website.
Overcoming obstacles in shipping and delivery.
Harnessing the power of customer recommendations.
Iterating and improving to create exceptional products.
Exploring the unique characteristics of the baby category.

Timestamps
3:27 Action sports engineer finds value in baby industry.
7:54 Used kiteboarding technology to create portable cribs.
10:02 MVP used at trade show to sell.
13:42 Unique product gets attention at trade show
18:42 Nascent SaaS business launched on third-party marketplace.
19:47 Transitioned to Direct, faced shipping challenges, scaled up.
24:00 Unique direct-to-consumer baby gear company in stealth.
29:06 Lotus expanded into accessories and extensions.
29:57 Researching and selling practical, adaptable products profitably.
33:51 Compact, durable running stroller with folding design.
37:26 Building awareness for newcomer stroller brand

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Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.
Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:

Monitoring affiliates regularly for compliance.
Preference for historical partnerships and familiarity.
Meeting with affiliates and ensuring transparency.
Asking for referrals and recommendations from other brands.
Benefits and challenges of affiliate marketing for brands.
Optimizing strategies and working with affiliates who add value.
Creating effective landing pages and reducing attribution leakage.

Timestamps
4:20 Brand growth, affiliate strategy, initial setup.
5:10 Affiliate marketing popular, but brands frustrated.
8:51 Independent media buyers bring valuable expertise. Large or small creators offer loyal audiences.
12:42 Influencers demand upfront fees for branded content. Instead, opt for performance-based payments.
18:30 Custom discount codes, tracking links, attribution, platforms.
19:29 Monitoring platforms, optimizing traffic, adjusting payouts.
23:29 Importance of many creatives, leveraging brand, optimizing landing pages for affiliates.
30:02 “Affiliate credits lost, but exclusive offers help.”
32:27 Media buyers rely on affiliates for insights. Content affiliates less important but provide incentives.
35:20 Different responsibilities: media buyer, affiliate, guidelines.
40:00 Affiliate compliance is challenging, human errors inevitable.
43:38 Marketplaces for cash back include student, executive, and medical worker focus. Coupon-based cash back not preferred. Incentivized traffic uses rewards for desired actions.
45:57 Affiliate monitoring: historical partnerships, transparency, referrals.
49:48 Whitelisting is important for improving brands’ conversion rates and ad performance.

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Meghana Dhar is a tech advisor and investor passionate about creators, brands, social media, and commerce. With a background in big tech, she worked at Ebay where she discovered her love for e-commerce, marketplaces, and direct-to-consumer (DTC) business models. Meghana's strategic expertise led her to become an advisor to the CEO during the spin-off of PayPal. She later served as the head of shopping partnerships at Instagram, witnessing its growth from inception. Recently, she held the position of global head of partnerships at Snap, accumulating valuable experiences in social commerce.

On this episode of DTC pod we cover:

"Jobs to be done" & social media platforms
Instagram's shift from shopping
The importance of starting from scratch for new platforms.
eBay's lasting impact on ecommerce & marketplaces.
The need for better support of communities on current platforms.
The potential of social commerce and monetizing creators.

Episode Timestamps:
3:39 eBay: Original, disruptive e-commerce, evolving.

5:42 PayPal, creators define eBay's community culture.

10:46 eBay market share loss: PayPal’s impact.

13:10 Supply-first platforms incentivize content creators, audiences.

18:06 Instagram shopping confuses user expectations, needs.

22:16 Focus on niche communities, supply monitoring.

26:20 Bullish on bread, frictionless onboarding, growth hacking.

30:54 Snap user inquiries about partnerships, media.

32:00 iOS 14 impacts Snap: revenue loss, AR strategy.

36:34 Commerce trends: website traffic, pop-ups.

39:39 Creators prioritize community, authentic content.

44:11 TikTok shopping potential: noteworthy.

46:36 DTC Pod event, LA, October 5.

Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.

Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

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Check out our guide to all the best brands here.

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Meghana Dhar - Tech advisor and investor passionate about creators, brands, social media, and commerce.
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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On this episode of DTC pod, Peter joins Blaine to share lessons from building Floof, as well as some tricks and growth levers from his time in the manufacturing & design business.

We cover:

Prioritizing branding before product development.
Conducting focus groups and analyzing consumer data.
Exploring opportunities to partner with platforms like Kindred.
Identifying a gap in the market for accessible high-end pillows.
Utilizing out-of-the-box methods to grab attention and optimize marketing channels.
Designing for packaging, customer support, and unboxing
Staying focused on brand goals and not being swayed by short-term profits.

Timestamps:

04:48 Opportunity in the pillow market.

08:03 Journey of brand building.

11:41 Targeted direct channels, consider scaling.

14:50 Unique pillow personalization experience.

19:55 Using real models for pillow showcase.

21:30 Healthy profit margins.

25:11 Streamlined purchasing with design guidance.

27:56 Empower consumers as designers.

32:05 Discounts from designers and trade shows.

35:17 Communicate brand value, aggressive growth.

39:39 Kindred: platform for apartment swapping.

41:37 Focus on social proof, partnerships.

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Check out our guide to all the best brands here.

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Peter Sivas - Founder of Floof
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.
Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter! On this episode of DTC pod, Jordan & Victor join Blaine & Ramon to discuss everything about building a top tier CPG brand from the ground up.

In this episode of DTC POD, Mina joins Blaine to dive into the world of Amazon and what it takes to be successful as a brand on the platform. From setting up a seller account to optimizing listings and advertising strategies, we cover everything you need to know as you launch products on Amazon's marketplace. You're not going to want to miss this one.

We cover:

Setting up and navigating Amazon's seller central account.
Optimizing listings with SEO keywords and effective product images.
Using customer feedback and reviews to improve products and branding.
Understanding and navigating Amazon's complex advertising and marketing strategies.
Managing inventory and avoiding stockouts to maintain sales performance.
The importance of aggressive marketing and traffic generation on Amazon.
Strategic pricing and profitability considerations for success on Amazon.

Timestamps:
02:06 Mina's founding of Trivium, an Amazon advertising agency; 142 brands.

07:37 Strategies for success on Amazon; assessing product fit, competition.

18:14 Analyzing keywords, studying competitors, creating unique products for Amazon.

20:41 Amazon for research and testing; leveraging reviews, pricing competition.

26:09 Process of setting up a seller central account on Amazon.

30:20 Importance of optimizing listings, shipping strategies, avoiding stockouts.

44:22 Managing loss, improving conversion rate, increasing ad spend.

48:01 Let Amazon handle customer service; focus on feedback.

53:00 Amazon's marketing improvements; tailored promotions, retargeting campaigns.

54:42 Updates are noteworthy, especially for sellers.

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Check out our guide to all the best brands here.

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here

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Mina Elias- CEO of Trivium
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.

Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter! On this episode of DTC pod, Jordan & Victor join Blaine & Ramon to discuss everything about building a top tier CPG brand from the ground up.

We cover:

Overcoming obstacles, fundraising struggles, scaling strategies.
Agua fresca innovation, commercialization process.
Cultural representation, Working Assembly partnership, Lotteria card motif.
Sprouts and Safeway partnerships, focus on Texas and California.
Raising capital, following up with investors, breakthrough investment.
Hiring and delegating, scaling systems and operations.
Farmers market success, pandemic challenges, post-college jobs.

Timestamps:
04:42 Bawi's progression from soda stream to cans.

06:39 Product market validation and self-funding.

13:19 Timing, friendship, and opportunities for growth.

17:58 Salesmanship and persistence in business.

21:11 Initial unfamiliarity with fundraising led to success.

26:47 Involvement of agencies, food scientist, commercialization.

29:25 Fundraising ease with a single check.

34:01 Focus on branding, package design, and cultural representation.

38:14 Feedback leading to branding adjustments.

41:25 Expansion to stores, focus on Texas, California.

45:10 Rapid scaling, easy fundraising, system building.

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
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Victor Guardiola and Jordan Hicks - Co-founders of Bawi
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC pod, Jess joins Blaine & Ramon to discuss everything about building a top tier talent agency, and what it takes to be successful for brands to collaborate with top tier talent.

We cover:

Connecting creators, brands, and agencies for successful collaborations.
Focusing on sustained partnerships for effectiveness.
Creating special products/services with influencers to address audience needs.
Utilizing traditional platforms to amplify influencer reach.
Addressing the industry's lack of creator tools
Strategies to handle delays and maintain communication with talent and brands.
Building long-term relationships based on transparency and audience knowledge.

Timestamps:
03:08 PR agency rebranded to Shine Talent Group; problem-solving focus.

08:16 Evolution and creativity in influencer marketing.

12:14 Mindset change leads to startup success.

16:19 Importance of balancing work and creativity.

18:11 Support for talent in workload, contracts management.

21:20 Autonomy and diversity in talent representation.

25:08 Working with consumer brands in influencer relations.

27:48 Trust and collaboration as success keys.

31:31 Accepting initial brand push; testing audience crucial.

38:38 Content challenges; importance of communication, organization.

41:13 Advantages of working with talent agency.

44:43 Preference for long-term campaigns with multiple influencers.

49:59 Industry needs CRM, project management tools.

52:36 Shine's extensive presence on social media.

Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.

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• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Jess Hunichen - Co-founder of Shine Talent Group
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC pod, Meghan joins Blaine & Ramon to discuss her move from the finance world to becoming one of the world's best operators and brand builders in the direct-to-consumer space. With her background in investing and a passion for consumer products, Megan noticed a gap in the market for innovative slip-on footwear and saw an opportunity to create something new.

We cover:

Gap in Slide Sandal Market
Background in Finance and Investing
Key Insights as An Operator
Unique Angel Investor and Evergreen Fund
True Botanicals Experience and Success
Building Direct-to-Consumer First
Utilizing Influencer Relationships for Growth

Episode Timestamps:

04:01 Meghan Higney's transition from finance to brand building.

06:46 Discussing angel investor's support and focus on longevity.

09:25 True Botanicals' success and marketing strategy evolution.

15:01 Meghan's transition from finance to footwear passion.

20:24 Key to success: growth, creativity, people operations.

23:33 Comparing beauty and food industries' supply chain challenges.

29:04 Journey to build best performance sandals.

37:26 Discussing footwear production in Porto, Portugal.

42:48 Reflecting on financial investments and business growth.

48:17 Aiming for sustainable profitability and strategic growth.

51:59 Anticipating brand's growth and requesting social media info.

Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Meghan Higney - Founder of Message
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.

Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!

We cover:

Threads Strategy For Consumer Brands
Slow and consistent growth for Threads.
Potential opportunities for brands on Threads.
Liquid Death's rapid growth and IPO plans.
Creative marketing's impact on building brands.
Niagara Water's pivot to enterprise bottling services.
Beverage industry's boom and major exits.

[00:03:24] Quick migration to Threads; Twitter 'X'. TikTokText.

[00:07:28] Niagara: from private label to bottling giant.

[00:10:36] Celsius booming, rapper lawsuit, Pepsi's high stake.

[00:12:54] Key takeaways for beverage brands and creators.

[00:17:16] Winning DTC strategy for bev cpg

[00:20:04] Leveraging opportunities to level up in business.

[00:24:31] How founders can leverage strengths

[00:27:37] The makings of the next Redbull

[00:31:34] Expensive coffee made from civet poop

[00:34:50] More tips and news in the newsletter

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• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC POD, join hosts Blaine Bolus and Ramon Berrios as they chat with Mike Xhaxho, creator of Waterboy, a popular TikTok account and brand. Mike shares his unexpected journey from starting a personal TikTok account to gaining millions of views and launching a successful product. We chat about the power of storytelling in his videos and the importance of using the right strategies to establish your brand online. We also talk about partnering with creators in consumer businesses, testing before scaling, and how to run effective pre-sales and product drops.

We cover:

Viral TikTok to launch brand
Building a brand and community
Creator as a Co-Founder
Product development and variety
TikTok, Meta, and Amazon for sales and growth
Transparency & Authenticity with customers
Retail expansion plans

Timestamps

02:13 Entrepreneur journey: finance, fitness, Amazon.

05:06 TikTok success to product launch.

10:01 Shopify site, simple SMS-targeted page.

12:22 First successful video: personal story.

15:43 Packaging issues, flavor change, delays.

19:10 Similar background, variable metrics, creator role.

23:02 TikTok, Meta ads, Amazon reliance.

27:52 Ignored algorithm, focused on engagement.

31:21 Hero product lacked variety, differentiation.

33:17 Transparency, mistakes, cautious growth.

36:18 Over-involved in sourcing, logistics.

39:54 Product expansion, brand building, retail success.

43:35 Waterboy.com bought after six-month pivot.

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• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Mike Xhaxho - Co-Founder of Waterboy
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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In this episode of DTC POD, Blaine and Jordan talk about how to grow e-commerce brands through paid performance. They talk about Facebook's tracking methods, insight platforms, customer psychology, setting up tools for effective ads, combating ad fatigue, using images vs videos, alternative opportunities, Facebook groups, Performance Max, SEO strategies, Apple's privacy measures, AI tools, starting with ads, and engaging with customers.

We cover:

Tracking and Attribution
Understanding Customer Psychology
Tools and Platforms
Creative Content
Engaging with Online Communities
Testing and Optimization
SEO and Organic Traffic

Timestamps

01:35 - From video production to founding Suna.

05:12 - Learn ads before hiring. Find customers on search platforms. Performance Max and Advantage Plus need data. Start with unpaid methods.

08:53 - Essential Google Analytics, Tag Manager, Facebook Pixel setups.

13:59 - Tracking customer behavior with various tools.

16:56 - Understand customer psychology beyond price. Uncover barriers to purchasing.

21:26 - YouTube for retargeting, Performance Max for Google.

24:45 - Testing crucial for effective strategies.

28:53 - Rank for buyer intent, blogs for expertise. SEO drives organic traffic.

31:35 - Performance Max: untapped opportunity, perpetual creative engine. Image creative highly effective, ad fatigue.

33:50 - Fresh and engaging ads, images convey more.

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• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Jordan West - upGrowth Commerce
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC POD Liz Giorgia joins Blaine & Ramon to cover all things content as well as the big news of Trend's acquisition by soona. We cover how shopping will become integrated into all aspects of the internet, the diverse landscape of content like user-generated content, reviews, product photography, custom content, and more. We chat about how to build a great business, aligning incentives, Liz's entrepreneurial journey, the growth of soona, and how AI will fold into the product photography and content landscape.

We cover:

Ecommerce content creation and distribution
Importance of partnerships and collaborations
Scaling creativity and professional services
The role of AI in creative content
Value of storytelling and unique brand identity
The journey of entrepreneurship and learning from mistakes
Growth strategies and customer engagement tactics

Timestamps

01:35 - From video production to founding Suna.

05:54 - Discovering purpose through entrepreneurship.

09:57 - Making photos affordable with innovative technology.

14:18 - Values, curiosity, and networks drive success.

15:46 - Techstars, beta launch, and virtual shoots.

21:30 - Remote headshots and the power of Instagram.

24:27 - Embracing failure and staying adaptable.

27:40 - Streamlining content creation with our platform.

32:42 - Scaling creativity for big brands with integration.

35:18 - Partnering with UGC leaders at Santa.

38:15 - Omnichannel content is crucial for brand success.

43:35 - AI as a tool, not a replacement.

49:11 - The importance of human connection and authenticity.

51:53 - Learn more about Suna and soona Studios.

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• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

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• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Liz Giorgi - Co-founder and CEO of soona
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Blaine chats with Robbie Salter, one of the founding partners of Jupiter. Robbie shares his journey of creating innovative products and addressing the needs of both men and women. They discuss how to build a brand, starting from scratch, navigating supply chain issues to inventory management, building a CX flywheel, and the importance of having a mission greater than your product.

We cover:

Haircare innovation and product development
Supply chain challenges and inventory management
Building a brand strategy consultancy
Investing in venture capital and startups
Entrepreneurship and asking questions
Customer experience and packaging
Mental health advocacy and giving back

Timestamps

[00:05:40] Finding a problem worth solving

[00:10:01] Developing dandruff care products

[00:12:17] Embracing curiosity

[00:16:00] Finding manufacturers

[00:18:18] Decisions on product ingredients

[00:22:56] Packaging vs product quality

[00:26:57] Importance of customer experience, female perspective

[00:33:09] Overcoming supply chain issues, prioritizing customers

[00:36:56] Honesty and transparency

[00:40:51] Focus on mental health

[00:44:11] Nights and Weekends brand consultancy

[00:47:53] Importance of trust in a partnership

Revolutionizing the Haircare Market:
"We knew that better was possible. Something that felt a little bit more elevated. When you looked across the category, other categories, and you saw there was innovation being done, both from a packaging perspective, a formulation perspective, a messaging perspective."

The Importance of Products Over Packaging:
"At the end of the day, I don't think people really care about the package that they received... We knew that we had made the right decisions and that we were on to something good."

Becoming a Successful Entrepreneur:
"I think what makes a good entrepreneur, one of the qualities that makes a good entrepreneur is a great level of comfort looking stupid when asking questions, right?"

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Episode brought to you by Finaloop, the real-time accounting service trusted by hundreds of DTC Brands. Try Finaloop free - no credit card required. Visit finaloop.com/dtcpod and get 14 days free and a 2-month P&L within 24 hours.

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• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Robbie Salter - Co-CEO and Co-founder of Jupiter
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.

On this episode of DTC POD, Blaine and Ramon discuss the latest trends in commerce, including issues with leakage, coupon codes, and overpaying on affiliate commissions. They also talk about the success of DTC brands and how consumers prioritize products. The conversation also touches on the challenges of product manufacturing stages in China and the bankruptcy of Instant Brands. Finally, the discussion turns to fashion and streetwear brands like Supreme and Fear of God, and the difficulties of staying relevant in a constantly evolving market.

We cover:

Affiliate marketing and leakage tracking
Mom and baby-related products
Consumer culture and health trends
DTC brands vs vertically integrated sellers
China's impact on US consumer market
Fashion industry and brand relevance
Streetwear and cultural relevance

[00:02:36] China's marketing and customer acquisition strategy

[00:04:20] Value reigns supreme in America

[00:09:13] Shein's vertical integration

[00:13:44] Supreme / VF corp

[00:15:48] Fashion trends swing with culture pendulum.

[00:19:37] Instant Brands bankruptcy due to excessive inventory

[00:25:24] Consumer culture creates and solves problems

[00:26:36] Tracking affiliate links and strategy

[00:31:33] Baby & Parenting Niche

[00:33:18] Lalo & Fundraising News

[00:37:05] Specific content targeting for customer segments

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• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
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Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC POD, hosts Blaine Bolus and Ramon Berrios bring on guest Adam Robinson to discuss a range of topics, including email marketing tactics, legal and ethical concerns around pixel retargeting, and the growth of Robinson's company Retention. Robinson shares how his company has developed a free product for server-side tracking and is beta-testing a disruptive B2B product. He also discusses the importance of a founder-led mentality and the frustration of successful, but stagnant businesses.

We cover:

Email marketing and privacy laws
Growth strategies and competition
Founder-led mentality and risk-taking
Sales and building a team
Compliance landscape and data privacy risks

[00:01:36] From finance to identity tech, scaling up.

[00:08:11] US laws allow for non opt-in emails.

[00:13:12] Affiliate program creates huge influx of revenue.

[00:15:38] Privacy risks mean less competition for entrepreneurs.

[00:19:20] Brands worry about legal and reputation concerns.

[00:22:29] Bigger brands doing it legally, no debate.

[00:25:48] Spamming strategy: target positive engagers and complaints.

[00:30:17] Shopify focus, server-side tracking, B2B data product.

[00:36:06] Company owner seeks expert to boost sales.

[00:39:21] Mentor to help scale company.

[00:45:13] Big businesses bring better rewards and people.

[00:48:49] People issues are biggest problem, messy.

[00:51:43] Founder-led mentality leads to success.

[00:56:48] LinkedIn retention focus, docuseries about Adam.

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• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Adam Robinson - Founder & CEO of Retention.com
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.

On this episode of DTC POD, Frank joins blaine to chat about how e-commerce companies can use AI models to personalize the shopping experience for each individual shopper. They talk about how ML automation and AI can enrich the product side by considering factors such as color, category, and weight to predict the behavior of shoppers in real time. They discuss the importance of having good data management and collecting as much non-PII customer event data as possible which will make them more agile and competitive in leveraging AI components later on, and thinking deeply about product catalog attributes and categories. Key themes discussed include:

Personalized shopping experiences
Advancements in AI and ML
Making AI accessible to all
Language models for consumer use cases
AI for e-commerce conversion optimization
Importance of human oversight in AI
Importance of data management for AI

Timestamps

[00:05:04] Recent surge in AI due to generative models; open AI major player.

[00:09:38] Prediction and automation are ultimate goals with countless use cases.

[00:14:26] XGen AI enables user-controlled ML systems for transparency and democratization.

[00:20:50] E-commerce requires AI-powered tools to optimize customer experience for product recommendations.

[00:28:51] User prediction pipelines create personalized shopping experiences that adapt to activities.

[00:34:04] Data organization for Shopify Plus crucial for ML; deep analysis important.

[00:41:05] Focus on partnerships for ML education; customize services; AI should automate repetitive interactions.

[00:46:36] Need for accessible education on AI tools for the average person.

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• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Frank Faricy - Founder and CEO of XGen
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC POD, Dylan Menter shares his journey from building literal rockets to bootstrapping his own CPG business. We discuss the challenges, research, and scaling up production of his product. We cover everything from patents, to manufacturing, to bootstrapping, to purchase orders, to branding on this info packed episode. Here's a few more key themes we'll dive into:

1. Building in saturated markets

2. Creating a unique product

3. Research and collaboration with professionals

4. Scaling a solo operation

5. Importance of having a stable job

6. Navigating the manufacturing process

7. Patenting and protecting proprietary information.

Timestamps

[00:03:13] Former SpaceX employee creates creatine gummies

[00:10:55] Protecting proprietary formula - patent specific formula researched

[00:20:29] Natural product creation takes year trial, commitment crucial

[00:27:48] Making the gummies involved physical and mental exhaustion

[00:31:59] Find experienced manufacturers in retailers you want to target

[00:38:11] Google Ads aided in brand growth, positive feedback received

[00:43:48] Plans to scale ad platforms & bring in professional athletes

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• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

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• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Dylan Menter - Founder & CEO of Bear Balanced
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC POD, the Kippenbergers join Blaine & Ramon to talk about turning a $1000 magazine about powerboating and avante garde transportation into a lifestyle brand of choice for billionaires. They've done everything from having a race boat team, a rally car team, to furniture collaborations with Ligne Roset and selling the most expensive cold brew coffee in the world. They discuss their brand's values and approach to collaborations over industry gatekeepers, and the risks involved in pursuing growth. Additionally, we focus on quality and design principles for modern brands.

This is an extremely unique, must listen episode for anyone who's trying to stand out in a copy-cat culture of sameness.

We cover:

1. Power boating and offshore racing championships

2. Collaboration and strategic partnerships in branding

3. Anti-censorship and pro-freedom values

4. Quality and innovation in consumer products

5. Challenges of motivation and avoiding burnout

[00:05:54] RollsRoyce Project; Underground Zine; $1000 Power Boating Mag.

[00:13:59] High-Quality Consumer Products; Partnerships; Managing Growth and Motivation.

[00:20:15] Boat Racing Team; Car Team; Organic Coffee; Sponsorships.

[00:29:47] Vintage Clip Owners for Commentary; Unique Creation.

[00:35:22] Magazine Cover Collaboration; Partnering with Brands; Building CPG products.

[00:43:50] Reminiscing on Red Bull's Rise to Success.

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• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Chris Kippenberger - Founder of Vehicule

Jo Kippenberger - Founder of Vehicule
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC POD, Tui joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about transforming traditional financing options for brands in the CPG space. Her focus at Ampla is creating purpose-built financial products that prioritize trust, partnership, simplicity, and speed/innovation. Tui discusses the importance of aligning around a company's mission and vision and the need to be intentional about channels required to scale and achieve success.

We cover:

Customer empathy and market understanding

Omnichannel solutions for brands

Building and scaling physical products

Long-term planning and KPI tracking

Challenges in CPG industry

Tools and ecosystem for CPG businesses

[00:03:46] Ampla: Omnichannel solution with funding and tools.

[00:10:49] Ampla: Analytics and insights for better decisions.

[00:13:52] Shopify lacks depth, Amplin offers comprehensive capital.

[00:18:31] Vision, intention, and planning key to success.

[00:21:12] Ampla simplifies B2B commerce, removes business overheads.

[00:25:22] Ampla's suite of financial products for CPG and brands.

[00:28:54] Ampla: Trust, partnership, simplicity, and agility.

[00:33:54] Alignment, strategy, measurement, and involving customers crucial.

[00:38:59] Balancing innovation and focus.

[00:41:40] Ampla: AI, competitive interest rates, modernizing supply chain.

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Tui Allen - Head of Product at Ampla
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.

On this episode of DTC POD, we dive into the fundamentals of launching a product across different types of companies. We discuss why internal marketing and communication are vital, and how a lack thereof can lead to a failed launch. Derek explains how launches involve more than just a checklist of tasks, encompassing planning, coordination, and support. We learn the importance of building a centralized repository of knowledge and automating processes to streamline launches.

(00:03:44) Launching diverse companies

(00:06:54) Planning, enablement, iteration

(00:09:49) Brand consistency & scaling

(00:13:21) Strategy, assets, automation

(00:15:51) Automated tools overview

(00:18:50) Retrospective survey benefits

(00:21:50) Systematizing & automation

(00:24:20) Automating launch process

(00:28:40) Information hierarchy & iteration

(00:31:16) Tips for successful launch

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• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
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Derek Osgood - Founder & CEO HaveIgnition
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC POD, dive into the art of content creation, Philip joins Blaine to share his insights on defining content pillars and optimizing for views and followers. They discuss the importance of hyper-testing and copying when starting out, as well as the power law of content distribution. They chat about what makes unique and memorable content, and how content differs for B2B and D2C brands. They also touch upon the importance of content ROI and share case studies of successful startups.

Here's what you'll learn..

What are content pillars, and why are they important for content creation?
What are the two types of content best suited for organic?
What is the best starting point for creating content?
What is hyper testing, and why is it important for content creation?
The Power Law in content distribution. How do you get to be in the top 0.1%?

Timestamps

[00:07:47] Define content pillars, use well-known brands, optimize for views.

[00:11:15] Multiple platforms = credibility, two case study examples, intangible ROI.

[00:16:58] Copying is good, hyper-testing helps, repurposing is key.

[00:19:30] Separate hires for each social media platform, understanding content creator tiers.

[00:23:10] Stand out, invest in high quality production, be in top 1%, waste no resources.

[00:27:00] Educational, voiceover-based videos, differentiate for success, faster revisions.

[00:32:54] Consistency is key, incorporate news, find sustainable system.

[00:35:36] Wide variety of content, analyzing performance, Chat GPT for ideas.

[00:40:25] Create content around problem-solving for DTC brands, balance entertainment vs. educational for B2B.

[00:43:17] Unique content is important, Duolingo's unique brand identity example.

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
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Philip Ruffini - Founder and CEO of Content Assistant
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC POD, Scout joins Blaine to dive into the world of branding, marketing, and entrepreneurship. We talk about Katy Perry's involvement in building her flagship non-alcoholic beverage brand, as well as exploring the lasting trend of health and wellness driving consumer behavior, the importance of social media presence, and the impact of beverage sales in-store. We learn about De Soi's scrappy approach to working with brand ambassadors, finding product-market fit in their direct-to-consumer (DTC) business, and their focus on efficient and sustainable growth.

[00:03:16] Learnings from consulting generalist to startup.

[00:06:22] Katy Perry + Morgan McLachlan create De Soi.

[00:10:36] Health and wellness trends & sober curiosity.

[00:16:02] Katy's role in brand development

[00:20:03] De Soi's DTC launch, media features.

[00:24:54] Strategy: DTC, wholesale, and social media.

[00:31:40] Target audience and location for branding.

[00:34:33] Leveraging Brand ambassadors & events.

[00:37:43] Navigating fundraising and strategy.

[00:41:39] Shift to efficient, sustainable growth and profitability.

Building A Brand With Katy Perry: "It's been really important to us along the way that De Soi is its own brand. It's a brand that resonates with Katie and her personal values, whether that's celebration and fun, if it's empowerment, if it's wellness, but that it also stands on its own because at the end of the day, it is De Soi."— Scout Brisson 16:02

Could Alcohol Disappear Forever?: "Our consumers have they've gone to almond milk and then to oat milk and then back. They're looking at all of these decisions across the board of things that they're consuming or that they're buying, and they're saying, what is the better option? And so when you look at people talk a lot about, at least in my bubble, right, that Gen Z is a generation that just drinks so differently than even millennials or our parents generations. But I'd say millennials and Gen Z are driving this trend of people just drinking less and less every year."— Scout Brisson 10:36

A Nightmare Trend For Booze Companies "but knowing that you want something that feels really indulgent in the moment, but you're pairing this inner and outer wisdom of okay, I want something that tastes really good, hits that sweet tooth, feels very satisfying, but is also going to make me feel physically well afterward."— Scout Brisson 4:00

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Scout Brisson - CEO of De Soi
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.

On this episode of DTC POD, Sydney Sykes of Lightspeed Venture Partners joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about the current state of direct-to-consumer brands and e-commerce. Sydney shares her experience in venture capital and growing direct-to-consumer brands, and offers advice for founders seeking investment. We also dive into various topics including circular fashion to generative AI and SEO, and how they are transforming the modern e-commerce landscape. We also discuss how to create unique demand and distribution advantages, the importance of networking, and which businesses are best suited for vc funding.

Timestamps

[00:01:37] From psychology major to venture capitalist.

[00:04:52] Investing in direct-to-consumer brands evolution.

[00:13:10] Diversity in venture capital is important.

[00:16:00] Women can bring good returns to VC.

[00:18:10] Ways to reach investors and get funded.

[00:20:53] Common mistakes made by founders.

[00:23:59] Investment in unique brands with advantages.

[00:28:32] Exciting times for brands due to enablement tools and AI.

[00:34:48] Importance of content and personalization.

[00:38:23] Circular fashion's growing market and benefits.

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Sydney Sykes - Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, We dive into the challenges of building a product that combines traditional accounting, finance, and tax with the progressive world of DTC, and the importance of financial statements, tax-saving opportunities, and inventory management. We also explore the impact of integrating real-time cost of goods sold data, the importance of understanding profit, financing, and cash flow, and the potential of measuring return on net profit. Finally, we talk about ways to identify profitable products and unlock business opportunities, and why focusing on conversion alone may not necessarily lead to profitability.

[00:01:34] Real-time ecommerce bookkeeping. Inventory system coming.

[00:04:12] Lios background in accounting and law.

[00:08:35] Essential financial basics for DTC brands.

[00:12:02] Ecommerce-specialized bookkeepers and software.

[00:16:02] Finaloop - high-value real-time accounting.

[00:23:54] Full ledger with SaaS functions. Investing in R&D.

[00:27:47] Integrating inventory management system.

[00:31:06] Real-time financial data. Net profit-based ROAS.

[00:38:37] Understanding profits, cash flow, and financing is crucial.

[00:47:53] Tips: pick up deductions, recognize bad debt, legit deductibles.

The Rise of DTC Brands in the Financial Ecosystem: "I just couldn't ignore the big opportunity of combining, I'd say, the traditional word of accounting finance tax into the progressing word of DTC. And this is basically how Finaloop was born."— Lio Pinchevski 4:12

Outsourcing Bookkeeping: "Even for these firms, the bookkeeping work is usually a loss making part of the business that is just meant to cross finance the more profitable part of the business, which is the CFO and the taxes."— Lio Pinchevski 16:02

Challenges of building a broad MVP: "With us, we're a different animal. We are somewhere between an infrastructure company and a SaaS company. So we built on one side a ledger, a full ledger, and then on the other side, we need to add SAS features to this ledger. This is unique because if you think about bookkeeping, either I do your bookkeeping or I don't do your bookkeeping, and then you need to get a bookkeeper."— Lio Pinchevski 23:54

Real-time Business Management: "If we ask 100 brand owners right now how much money in cash and in profit they did yesterday, 100% would tell you that they don't know. They know roughly how the business is doing. They don't know exactly how it's doing. And the difference in 2023 between roughly and exactly is huge." - Finaloop's focus on real-time PNL, balance sheets, and KPIs can revolutionize brand management by providing exact information instead of approximations.— Lio Pinchevski 31:06

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• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Lio Pinchevski - Founder and CEO of Finaloop
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.

On this episode of DTC Pod, Izzy Joins Blaine to lead a masterclass on saving on shipping.

What are the most common mistakes when negotiating shipping rates?
What surcharges and hidden fees most commonly drain shipping budget?
What are the most common overlooked details that make brands lose money on shipping?
What type of shipping carrier is best for my store?

shownotes powered by castmagic

00:04:28 - Shipping costs = 10% of revenue

00:09:31 - Create account, leverage resellers

00:14:08 - Consult peers, ask for transparency

00:18:01 - Use lightweight services, regional carriers

00:24:41 - Optionality and reduced rates with regionals

00:28:03 - Service, volume, contract negotiation = cost

00:31:34 - Know carrier, understand data, negotiate everything

00:37:41 - Negotiate discounts; be proactive about rate increases

00:42:21 - FedEx EB increasing costs, offer discounts

00:46:16 - Negotiate for peak period costs

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• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Izzy Gewirtzman - Founder of Shiplion
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Athan joins Blaine for a deep dive in what it takes to launch one of the fastest growing travel brands. Here's a few of the questions we answer on the show:

How did July create the world's lightest carry-on luggage?
How did they find market validation before even talking to one customer?
What is July's biggest secret to rapid growth?
How is retail driving the brand forward in 2023?
How many product iterations have they gone through in 4 years?

0:00 - 1:30 - Introduction to July

00:02:32 - Partnered to enter mobile market dominated by Samsonite.

00:05:39 - Entered luggage market, opened store, faced 2020 slowdown.

00:12:57 - Founders Club presold products, leather tags popular, containers sold quickly.

00:21:11 - Started with no 3PL, shipped product ourselves, nurtured early stages.

00:22:51- Customer feedback key, world's lightest double wheel created.

00:29:04 - Investment in physical retail, China launch during COVID, lux & lightweight luggage.

00:36:42 - Two new polycarbonates created for US and Australian, expanding to Europe.

00:41:00 - Richard helped company sell in China, built international personalization engine.

00:47:23 - Remote US launch, UK launch with physical presence from day one.

00:53:15 - UK launch, experimenting with new products, creatively fulfilling category.

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Athan Didaskalou - Founder of July
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.

On this episode of DTC POD, we delve into the world of product development and supply chain management. We look at the success story of Canopy, a company that created a beauty-focused category-defining humidifier. We also cover the challenges faced in bringing new products to market, the value of validating demand, and the importance of a shored-up supply chain.

Here's 5 key questions we'll answer on this episode:

What is the pain point with traditional ultrasonic humidifiers, and how did Canopy solve it?
How did Canopy successfully promote their product with a limited budget?
What are the pitfalls to avoid when building a new product and brand from scratch?
How did Canopy position their humidifier as a beauty tool and what experts did they bring in to do so?
What are the key differences between starting from scratch and building a custom product, versus starting with an existing product and customizing it for your needs?

Timestamps:

[00:03:36] Working & Factories In Asia

[00:08:07] DorisDev for startups: supply chain & branding.

[00:12:24] Validate demand before investing.

[00:17:06] Two paths: custom or off-the-shelf.

[00:19:35] Incubating products: humidifiers for beauty.

[00:24:42] Canopy solves "white dust" problem.

[00:27:18] Product positioned as beauty tool.

[00:32:17] Limited budget, invested in beauty media.

[00:36:37] Supply chain software manages quality control.

[00:42:17] Factored quality platform for single solution QC.

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Justin Seidenfeld - Founder of Doris Dev
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.

On this episode of DTC POD, Marshall joins Blaine to dive into the world of affiliate marketing. Here's what you'll learn:

Strategies in setting up an effective affiliate program, including identifying target customers, partners, and commission rates and networking options.

Common mistakes made in affiliate marketing, the right partner mix, and low-value publishers who can negatively impact the program.

The role of influencers in affiliate marketing, how to find them, and how they can drive interest and promote brands.

How affiliate marketing has evolved over the years, from being deal and coupon-focused to including content production and influencers, and how tech has expanded its reach.

How affiliate marketing is a cost-effective and performance-based way for brands to connect with third-party partners and drive sales, & how multiple affiliates can influence a single sale.

Creating an Effective Affiliate Strategy:

"We want to try to get in those articles because if you're looking for maybe best betting and you type in what is the best betting to Google, that first article is going to get a lot of traffic. And if you are able to be in that article, you're going to get a lot of traffic to your site in return." — Marhsall Nyman 00:10:09

Performance PR: Forging Relationships and Getting Editors Interested:

"It really takes a lot more than just setting it up in the platform. I think that's probably the biggest misconception that I get from people when I talk to them that have an affiliate program. We set it up, nothing's happening. Yeah, nothing's happening because you haven't gone out and done anything. You have to go out, you have to forge relationships with these publishers and get them interested and excited about your brand." — Marhsall Nyman 00:15:09

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• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Marshall Nyman - Founder of NYMO & Co.
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.

On this episode of DTC POD, Celia Lewis and Stephanie Kimmel discuss how they identified a market gap in the cannabis industry and built a brand around their innovative product that preserves and locks cannabis in a home decor piece. They reveal how they launched their product with a grassroots approach due to limited funds for marketing and discuss their successful product launch strategy. They touch on the challenges they faced due to federal regulations around cannabis and how they continue to adapt and grow.

3:00 - Stephanie and Celia Background

7:45 - The story behind Tulip's founding

12:50 - Branding and identity for Tulip

16:30 - Launch strategy and early traction

23:15 - Unique color strategy for Tulip

28:45 - Fulfillment and inventory management

32:30 - Adapting to sudden increase in demand

37:40 - Partnership with manufacturer

43:00 - Navigating federal regulations around cannabis

48:20 - Social media strategy for TikTok and Instagram

54:00 - Two-way dialog with customers

59:30 - Upcoming content series from Tulip

Here's some questions we answer on the show

How did the founders of Tulip identify a market gap in the cannabis industry, and what inspired them to create a product that preserves cannabis and also doubles as home decor?
What was the process behind developing the Tulip product, and what were some of the challenges faced along the way?
How did the founders build the Tulip brand around the authentic nature of how they got started with the product for personal use?
What were some of the early traction and product-market fit indicators that helped drive growth for Tulip in its early days?
What was the launch strategy for Tulip, and how did the company leverage personal networks to drive initial sales?
How has the company adapted to sudden increases in demand, such as those caused by viral social media videos?
How does Tulip approach manufacturing and production, and what role do personal relationships play in these processes?
What challenges has Tulip faced with marketing and social media due to federal regulations around cannabis, and how has the company adapted its content strategy?
What are the content pillars and upcoming content series for Tulip, and how does the company value customer feedback and participation?
How does Tulip's mission involve social change and awareness around the injustices that still exist today, and how does the company seek to destigmatize cannabis use?

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Celia Lewis - Cofounder of Tulip

Stephanie Kimmel - Cofounder of Tulip
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Jonathan joins blaine to talk about Automating fulfillment process with 3PL, Specialized Shopify developers, Starting a Shopify store, Balancing presence on, Shopify and Amazon, Customizing Shopify apps, Local delivery/pickup, Customizing Shopify Plus, Headless Shopify, Shopify's features, and more.

[00:03:09] Start Shopify store with no code; buy theme, get product design on Fiverr; focus on sales and marketing.

[00:05:19] Automate fulfillment process with 3PL (Third Party Logistics).

[00:08:33] Brand owners fear Amazon taking their business, so they are balancing presence on Shopify and Amazon to avoid being cannibalized.

[00:12:03] Customizing Shopify apps requires cost analysis and potential development for desired automation, branding and functionality.

[00:14:43] Specialized Shopify developers understand the ecosystem and can avoid costly custom development.

[00:18:31] Shopify allows customization of themes and blocks to make it look unique, but headless is not typically the best option because it requires custom technical work and breaks data tracking.

[00:26:04] Apps to help businesses run local delivery/pickup for physical items.

[00:27:36] Local businesses thriving in Miami due to increased support from customers.

[00:32:07] Shopify releases new features quarterly or every six months, similar to "hype drops", including AI-generated product descriptions.

[00:35:35] Shopify Plus now allows customizing and adding blocks to Checkout, increasing options for merchants to increase conversions and create apps in the Checkout ecosystem.\

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
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Johnathan Solorzano - Founder & CEO of Solo Media Group
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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When she and her colleague Melissa Duren Conner hit a crossroads in their careers, they decided to join forces and create their own agency, Jennifer Bett Communications (JBC). Jennifer and Melissa wanted to create an agency that approached media relations in a strategic and creative way, focusing on meaningful storytelling and more intellectual PR. Since then, JBC has helped launch some of the top names in consumer brands, including Parachute, Magic Spoon, Recess, Cuyana, Andie, Knix, July, M.Gemi, Cuup, and more just to name a few.

[00:00:41] Two friends start PR agency after realizing traditional agencies were ill-equipped for the shift in media landscape.

[00:08:21] PR is essential for brand launch; many options and partners available to fit any budget.

[00:15:55] PR should not be an afterthought; time should be invested to ensure messaging is communicated across all platforms and that the PR partner understands the brand.

[00:21:24] Positioning Ben for success in food and beverage beyond CBD.

[00:23:10] Helping brands reach their goals over time with targeted press.

[00:27:27] Empowering women in healthcare, particularly in fertility, is important to Melissa and the agency. Nodal is an example of a brand doing this.

[00:30:23] Food & beverage division works with innovative brands in climate tech and sustainability, particularly small, independently owned brands, with increasing presence of women.

[00:33:06] Passionate founders, mission-oriented brands, and innovation.

[00:35:02] Innovation and fresh ideas excite people and make them want to be involved.

[00:38:44] Launched affiliate division and executive speaking division, hiring experienced talent, launching brands in various industries.

PR Is Essential for Brand Launches: "I can't stress the importance of PR. I think there's a lot of brands that we've talked to and they'll come to us and they're like, listen, we decided to just launch with influencer, or we're just launching with digital marketing. And they come back three months later and they're like, Shit, we needed PR."— Jennifer Bett

"The Power of PR: "We firmly believe that it is the most scalable investment you can make in your brand 100%. Because the stories that are told exist in real time, all the time. It is truly something you can repurpose for paid media. It impacts how hard or easy it is to work with influencers. It makes it much easier when you want to work with other brands for strategic partnerships. It helps with investors."— Melissa Conner

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
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Jennifer Meyer - Founder of Jennifer Bett Communications (JBC)
Melissa Duren Conner - Co-Founder of Jennifer Bett Communications (JBC)
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Nathan joins Blaine to talk about how to work with manufacturing partners to bring a product to life. They cover lessons from working with over 1000s of factories in several countries, avoiding the biggest pitfalls of manufacturing, building software to streamline the process, moving from CEO to the board, frameworks for building companies, new projects he's excited about, AI and it's application to CX, finding scale, and more.

Timestamps:

[00:03:01] Bringing a product to life requires many details; choosing the right factory is essential for successful ecommerce.

[00:05:59] COVID has prevented travel to Asia, alibaba is pay to play, communication via WeChat, verify factory capacity and history, specs detailed in tech pack, test production run, third party inspection.

[00:11:03] Factories typically produce same products in same city; forecasting and transparency important; visit factory to understand how product is made; consider potential defect areas.

[00:14:15] Few ask how product costs are determined.

[00:16:03] Started in 2016 with flat fee product sourcing, raised seed round, built software, SaaS revenue plus commission on production, saved customers 10% of unit costs, worked with/outgrown by customers, new deal with isba, hired CEO, reinvest in technology/team/customers.

[00:20:05] Building relationships with suppliers and expanding sourcing team to source globally for better terms and pricing.

[00:23:28] China remains the world's manufacturing hub due to low cost of labor, electricity and nuclear energy. America is providing incentives to bring manufacturing back to the US, but it is difficult to compete with China.

[00:26:54] Never be single-sourced; have backup supplier; consider cost and lead time when exploring outside of China.

[00:29:38] AI used for faster iteration in marketing and customer service with Caffeinated CX for improved efficiency.

[00:32:19] Using AI to increase brand impressions by clipping and reposting ads on YouTube Shorts, TikToks, etc., and looking at blended ROAS for success.

"Bringing Products to Life: "There's so many nuances to it, even this hat, there's so many different materials that go into a simple hat like this. A lot of people come to us and say, hey, we want to produce a T shirt, right? But there's so many cuts and trims and fabrics that go into a shirt that you really have to dial in exactly what you want."— Nathan Resnick 03:01

"Third-Party Inspections: "When you receive product and it's not what you expected, it's a horrible position to be in - so get third-party inspections done, even at the scale of sourceify, we always do them, because it's just insurance for your product."— Nathan Resnick 05:59

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
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Nathan Resnick - Founder of Sourcify
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC POD, Ramon & Jenn dive into the ins and outs of content creation. They discuss the categories and pillars of content creation, common mistakes brands make when creating a brief and how to provide specific instructions to avoid frustration. They also cover revisions, the cost of additional assets and how to handle it.

Timestamps

[00:01:13] California native transitions from healthcare to creating content for CPG brands, using Trend for UGC content.

[00:05:17] Filming weddings is unpredictable and requires flexibility and creativity to create beautiful content.

[00:14:30] Create brand brief by analyzing content performance and consider environment, lighting, aesthetic, and clothing.

[00:18:01] Creative instructions needed for different platforms; content, technical, audio, clothing and lighting details; hook ideas, features, benefits and CTA.

[00:21:10] Provide creators with voiceover clips to prevent frustration and save time.

[00:25:15] Evaluate content usage, quality, and brand consistency.

[00:27:31] Cost depends on level of effort.

[00:29:58] Rates for photo assets range from $50 to $200, video assets from $100-$250+, additional fees for props and set design.

[00:35:06] Creating content for brands streamlined with Trend, less time spent in pre-production, brands come to creators ready to work.

Adaptability in Creative Situations: "I think that was like the best first experience as a creative because I got to kind of just get thrown into the craziest lighting situations, location situations, timeline situations, too. Sometimes you're running from one place to the other. And so I think that's what kind of gave me that foundation to be super flexible, that I can look at any environment and say, okay, I know I'm going to shoot this. I know I'm going to set the lighting. I know how I'm going to put my angles, like, exactly how I want it to look that kind of gave me that foundation to be able to do that."— Jenn Jennings 00:05:17-00:06:22

The Power of Content Creation: "It's really what it takes is spending some time understanding what it is that you want as a brand and why. And that is like taking a really hard look at your current content and what's performing. Because sometimes the things that do really well are not things that seem that obvious to someone who maybe doesn't come from a creative background."— Jenn Jennings 00:14:30-00:16:43

The Power of Specificity: "I like very specific instructions and I would think most people probably do appreciate that. So I kind of like to have a breakdown of, number one, where's this content going? Is it going to be on TikTok, Instagram? Is it going to be for paid ads?"— Jenn Jennings 00:18:0100:19:52

Setting Expectations for Content Creation "The best thing you can do is really share examples of what you're thinking so that they can look at that and say, okay, how long is this going to take me? Do I need to purchase any props? Do I need to travel? What is that going to look like? Because they can then give you a proposal that's going to make sense to them for the level of effort that it's going to take."— Jenn Jennings 00:27:31-00:29:09

Streamlining the Content Creation Process: "I want to create, I want to get a product, I want to get a brief, and I want to go execute on that. And so the fact that it is sort of taken out that beginning portion and you guys are basically doing all the pitching for us right at Trend. And I love that."— Jenn Jennings 00:35:06-00:36:52

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
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Jenn Jennings - Creative director of Nosh Media
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC POD, we discuss the key factors that investors look for in a business, such as product excellence, differentiation and the ability to manage capital responsibly. We cover benchmarks for what it takes to be successful at each stage of raising capital for your brand. We discuss the best types of businesses to launch, what VCs look for in a crowded space, and the importance of retail margins and unit economics when launching a business.

Timestamps

[00:03:58] Networking and pattern recognition in CPG industry vital for success in BD; takes 6 years to know if VC is successful.

[00:08:47] Austin is an excellent city for CPG, supportive culture, helpful community, and over a third of portfolio companies are based there.

[00:11:11] Portfolio companies doing well; 15x markup, 300%-200% growth, 98% retention rate, 8-9x growth

[00:17:24] Investing in pre-revenue businesses requires special conditions such as high retention rate, LTV to CAC ratio, high AOV, and other metrics.

[00:23:04] Founders need to manage capital responsibly, focus on break even and not overhire; gaps between funding rounds are getting longer.

[00:26:04] Need resources, plan, and know-how to succeed; don't forget freight costs; raise money sooner; treat retailers like laboratories.

[00:31:55] Valuations have been compressed, but there are still some companies that can get high valuations if they have strong metrics and a compelling founder. Some companies are being undervalued and some are being overvalued.

[00:36:52] Exploring a variety of categories, looking for something special and unique.

[00:45:31] Get advice from experts and understand your product's channel and unit economics to find the path of least resistance.

VC Investments are Paying Off:

"Within 18 months, one of our portfolio companies just had a 15x markup, another is growing 300-200% every year, and Jolie Skincare is doing unbelievable on a monthly basis." — Ryan Springer 11:11

Metrics for Pre Revenue Success:

"If you're under 20% on retention and customers order twice or more in a year, it's going to be tough for us to get interested. You have to be like a couch that's a little outside of where we would normally invest." — Ryan Springer 21:43

Valuation Compression:

"We've seen valuation compression. It's definitely real, but it's not the same. We use projections to see whether or not you have a realistic understanding of how the business works, not what weight to value a company. We don't do trailing twelve months either, necessarily."— Ryan Springer 31:57

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
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Ryan Springer - Founding partner of MidnightVP & Founder of High Desert Cactus Vodka
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, CMO Julia Perez chats with Blaine about everything related to OmniChannel growth. They talk about the importance of understanding the customer on a deeper level, the attention to detail of the Red Bull team, and the need for solid processes. They also cover topics like content marketing, retail strategy, unified brand messaging, field marketing, positioning, creator briefs, finding ad arbitrages, building new product lines, and more.

[00:01:00] Plant-based nutrition company, known for ready-to-drink protein shakes, top 8-allergy free, mission to clean up protein space, transparency and healthier products.

[00:04:10] Addressing medical needs and cultural space simultaneously with cool, delicious flavors.

[00:07:17] Career journey in beverage, CPG, digital, wellness, and fitness marketing, culminating in successful business exit.

[00:12:41] Have a team that understands the brand. Stay focused and understand your customer. Building team and understanding brand, customer, and strengths; focus and not adapting to competitors.

[00:21:37] Focus on brand mission, understand customer needs and habits, invest in retail and train sales associates.

[00:26:26] Red Bull gear was restricted to Wings team members and education pamphlets were required with every can. Two team members were required on a mission and gifts had to be given with one hand in the pamphlet and one hand in the bottle.

[00:34:18] Testing field marketing programs in New York and South Florida.

[00:38:38] Switch influencer budget to TikTok for more impressions and reach right customer with right message.

[00:43:13] Approved by registered dietitian; empowering consumers; unified messaging.

[00:47:49] Innovating new product line, investing in medical marketing and retail, growing subscription base.

Building Something from Nothing:

"Creating a brand and a personality out of this beautiful water bottle and telling a story"— Julia Perez 00:07:17

Team and Understanding Are Paramount:

"Right away I'm thinking about the team. It's really all about the team and understanding. It's really important to have someone in the content position who deeply understands the brand and the lifestyle you're trying to convey. Know your strengths as a CMO and build a team that can fill the things you're not so good at. Focus on your own brand and how your customers use it, rather than trying to fit a square peg into a round hole."— Julia Perez 00:12:41

Staying Focused on Your Brand:

"Going back to staying focused on what your brand is delivering and what your brand's mission and purpose is, because it's really easy to see what other peers are doing in the space that might be more D to C or might be more Amazon, and you might want to try things and test things out. But again, going back to the customer's position is that we are not a deed to C exclusive brand, and nor is that where the majority of our growth is coming from. So while it might be fun to do all these fun D to See tech implementations all the time, it's not necessarily what Owen needs to be doing. So, again, like, staying focused on what's driving your business and not getting distracted with what competitors are doing is key."— Julia Perez 00:21:37

Data-Driven Field Marketing:

"We're very data driven. We're still a startup, so we're not just going to build out a whole field marketing team and go from there. We have a DTC business, we have an Amazon business. We have so many other focuses we need to focus on. So we're going to be doing testing over time."— Julia Perez 00:34:18

Leveraging Nano Influencers on TikTok:

"We decided, well, I looked at it. I said, let's just switch all of our influencer budget to TikTok, everything, and let's just spend there and we can get a lot more for our money. And we can work with Nano influencers and have you know, for an example, instead of having three influencers talk about you for the month of February, you could have 30 for the same price and you still have the same number of impressions. Make more impressions."— Julia Perez 00:38:38

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
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Julia Perez - CMO of OWYN
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC POD, Pontus joins Blaine to take an in-depth look at the world of ecommerce platforms and the players driving these marketplaces. We discuss the pros and cons of starting a brand, solving for inventory management, distributed sales and more. We also explore the potential of creating a platform-agnostic approach to creator led commerce, existing infrastructure, legacy solutions, opportunities for brands to leverage creator distribution, simplifying collaborations for creators, and more on where the industry is headed.

Timestamps

[00:02:39] Creator commerce rapidly growing; enablers of starting own brands; marketplace builders and enablers; decentralization, social curation, transparency, financial rewards.

[00:07:20] Social-centric commerce enabled through Shopify, dropshipping of modern retail products.

[00:11:08] Drop shipping, marketplaces, and curated marketplaces are terms used to describe online retailing.

[00:13:35] Pontus started with interest in retail, studied Business and Business of Fashion, then worked in management consulting and start up accelerator incubator, Anther, leading to current project, Offscript.

[00:16:06] Started with scrappy ecommerce for influencers, built integrations for ecommerce platforms, focused on working with creators to build marketplaces.

[00:21:13] Build marketplace with decentralized user acquisition and existing integration to supply side or brands for network effects; single platform for storefront and marketplace technology for virality.

[00:23:07] Marketplace Connectors: connect brands to other ecommerce platforms, such as Miracle and Walmart, or building one platform with checkout powered by Stripe.

[00:28:37] Shopify and enablers enabling marketplace and distributed salesforce for creators, brands, and collaborative conversations.

[00:35:17] Onboarding relevant brands for creators to sell through multiple creators using a simple app.

[00:39:42] Creators with a niche can use their existing traffic to increase their revenue by introducing readers to a curated marketplace.

Quotes

00:07:20-00:10:19 The Rise of Decentralized, Social-Centric Commerce

The end customer is kind of struggling to say, find the product that someone has recommended and just as you're on to here, you can obviously use affiliate links and then you're directed away. But then that product gets out of stock or the link dies or the tracking has some issues and whatever it might be, So then the insight was like, why can't I just basically buy this product from the person that has inspired me to buy the product?"

00:02:39- 00:05:49* Creator Commerce***

I think that ecommerce has still some innovation to tap into, especially in the west. If you compare to how the behaviors look in east, in the Asia and so on, it's much more catered around kind of individuals curation and trusting other peoples and recommendations and so on.

Some Key takeaways from the show:

1/ Starting out as a scrappy operation, Off Script has become a sophisticated platform that allows influencers to build their own marketplaces and sell products from brands they already have relationships with. The platform supports many of the world's most prominent ecommerce platforms and makes it easy for entrepreneurs, creators, curators and other communities to sell relevant products. Offscript has a niche focus, allowing them to work closely with creators and build the marketplaces for them. They also have a unique go to market approach to acquiring brands and creators for their platform.

2/ Creator commerce is a rapidly growing industry, with enablers such as Pietra helping people to start their own brands. Poosh and Goop have paved the way for creating strong, community-centric ecommerce destinations. In the future, shopping is expected to be more decentralized and social, with shorter conversion funnels so customers can buy products they see on social media platforms quickly. Additionally, creators will likely receive more financial rewards, and customers will be able to find brands that match their values and preferences.

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Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
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Pontus Karlsson - Co-founder and CEO of Off Script
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Stefany joins us to dive deep into the world of commerce, content, regulation, and go to market as it pertains to the functional mushroom and psychedelic space. They cover the details of their formula which does not contain psilocybin, the patenting process, tailwinds around psychedelics, promising academic studies, the roadmap towards potential decriminalization, how things are unfolding globally, building infrastructure ahead of regulation, the overlap between the two lines and the distinct differences, brand voice, taking mojo into retail, and much more.

[00:02:04] Psychedelic Renaissance spurred by pandemic leading to popularity of functional mushrooms which improve health and immunity.

[00:03:34] Stefany found new purpose in career in psychedelics after pandemic hit and previous work in greenhouses in Arctic.

[00:06:27] Psychedelics gaining research and attention; legalization uncertain; cautious optimism.

[00:08:52] Many creative people using psychedelics to improve health, lifestyle and consumer brands.

[00:11:14] Gwella and Mojo created to provide guides and tools for exploring psychedelics and microdosing, and to make it more accessible.

[00:14:00] Psychedelics are hallucinogenics such as psilocybin, LSD, DMT, etc. with different strengths and experiences, and can be bred similarly to fruits or vegetables.

[00:17:11] Mojo is legal, contains no psilocybin, and includes functional ingredients, nootropics and adaptogens.

[00:18:42] Different retail locations require different verbiage depending on consumer understanding. Use of "microdose" versus "brain boosting" may be better suited for different stores.

[00:21:17] Patenting formula to protect product from copying; focus on building brand and community to deter copying.

[00:28:44] Psychedelics to be used medically, with potential for personal use, to help with mental health; brands to create micro doses for recurring revenue; offshoots like guides, clinicians, clinics, events, retreats to grow with or without legalization.

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Stefany Nieto - Founder & COO of Gwella
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Zawwar joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about the intersection of creators and commerce and how the most successful creator brands are built. We cover brand management at P&G, developing brand strategies, the three types of creator archetypes, how each creator type lends it self to brand creation, aligning products with a creator, how to create buzz around a product, different outlets for creators to monetize, creator owned brands versus endorsements, successful outcomes, where the creator economy is moving, hot takes, predictions for 2023, and more.

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Zawwar Khan - Founder of Rel Brands
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Anders and Andy join Blaine & Ramon to discuss the next wave of creators and commerce. They talk about social commerce, creators as a performance channel, innovation happening in the space, what personalized storefronts mean, the opportunity for creators as key brand affiliates, the current funding landscape, when to bootstrap versus raise venture, and more.

[00:01:37] Andy and Anders have co-founded companies previously, with experience in building in both the bootstrapping and vc frameworks.

[00:03:40] Commerce merchant needs assessed and personalized landing page created with custom features; minimal customer/creator work needed.

[00:20:37] Both paths of bootstrapping and fundraising can be beneficial depending on business, market, timing and other factors.

[00:23:51] Evaluate exit potential and acquirers to determine future success.

[00:26:34] Engage with brand, understand community, incentivize customers and creators, focus on performance, recruit, activate and educate customers and creators, focus on top 5-20%.

[00:29:59] Social commerce is affiliate links to product pages and microcommerce experiences, with fully contextualized experiences tailored to traffic source.

[00:36:22] Shift to service-based ecommerce, embedding commerce into organic posts, medium shift to AR needed for new social commerce platform.

[00:41:54] Merchants define subcategories, hire in-house; ideal customer >$5 million, shareable product, find champion, 300-500 influencers to double down on 10-20.

[00:45:02] Merchants build basic landing page and add content from Trend, influencers, creators. Customers and creators select content, upload own content. Merchants recommend doing most of the work. Activation levers to get more success.

[00:47:55] Create best mobile video storefronts for marketers to test and find their top customers/creators.

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

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Andy Cloyd - Co-founder of Superfiliate
Anders Bill - Co-founder of Superfiliate
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Megan joins Blaine and Ramon to talk about how brands can better leverage consumer insights to validate ideas, develop new products, build more powerful brands, increase revenue and purchases, build better wholistic customer experiences, mitigate risk, find exciting opportunities, build off flagship products, and much more.

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Megan O'Brien - Founder of Arch Insights
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Adam joins Blaine to discuss building and formulating products from the ground up. They talk about identifying a problem, coming up with a unique formulation, what you need to take the product to market, navigating restrictions and FDA, positioning yourself to sell in other markets downstream, patents, ingredient licensing, launching Paris Hilton's line, the pros, and cons of working with celebrity talent, navigating managers and other involved parties, leveraging talent for retail distribution, and much more.

35:48 - The Formulation Behind Paris Hilton's Skincare Line

Launching a product line with a celebrity, it's just exciting because you can immediately get an interested consumer. There's instant, recognition of your brand because you're tying it to and someone like Paris, I think you said it earlier, she did a lot of things first. And being a celebrity that wanted her own skincare line yeah, she was one of the first. And the way she wanted to do it was different, I think, than most celebrities. She wanted to own it.

40:30 - The Reality of Partnering With Celebrity Talent

Especially when you get into bigger influencers or bigger celebrities. And that's the challenge. Developing a working relationship and a business structure that satisfies everybody. You have to take into consideration maybe not a lot of celebrities understand the difference between royalties and owning a business. Maybe a business manager has never done a deal where there's equity in a company. Maybe they're only used to royalty checks.

27:00 - Save These Q's For Your Next Brand

You have to decide your brand position in the market. Are you the cost leader? Are you prestige? How are you going to price it? what is your brand position? What's on the box? What colors are we going to use for not just the logo, but everything to develop the brand feel. Is this going to look clinical, or should we take it the other way and make it look super high end? Like you'd buy in a, blue Mercury or a Sephora? Where are we going to put this? Is it ultimately going to be in a drugstore? Or are we going to sell it in Nordstrom?

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Adam Xavier - President of XG Formulations
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Jack joins Blaine to talk about how to build a brand in today's landscape. They talk about identifying a problem, bootstrapping, which channels to start on, how to think about capital, working with suppliers, building at the right pace for your business, speeding up cash conversion, subscription & retention from the customer's pov, the importance of unified data, the power of layering brand at the right time, and much more.

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Jack Benzaquen - Founder & CEO of Duradry
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Victoria joins Blaine to talk about building marketplaces from the ground up. They explore topics like getting your first customers, how to build out the supply side of the marketplace, building early demand, challenges matching supply to demand, how to launch new markets, starting a marketplace in NYC, keeping the flywheel going, transformation through company growth, and much more.

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Victoria Eisner - Co-founder of Glamsquad
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Roy joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about building one of the largest e-commerce platforms, closing down his services business and betting everything on the Magento opportunity, leveraging open source for early growth, building a community that lives & breathes your product, the ethos around building an amazing product, market timing, building developer first, startup vs. corporate culture, navigating an acquisition, looking back at Shopify vs. Magento, investing at R2, exciting technology trends, building companies again, and more.

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Roy Rubin - Was the Co-founder and CEO of Magento
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Dae joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about the process of launching a successful fashion label. They talk about the inspiration for Sundae School, leaning into taboos & counterculture, the importance of aligning narrative and motifs with brand, the power of creative, what makes creative pop, getting picked up as a staple by Hypebeast, featuring in New York Fashion Week, building challenges to grow community, building campaigns that have done 100M+ views, cross selling across categories, launching DTC channels after going wholesale, and much more.

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Dae Lim - Founder & Creative Director of Sundae School
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Ben joins Blaine to give an overview of how to generate cash as a DTC brand. They talk about everything from first financial decisions as a founder, to inventory management, financing options, how to think about equity vs. debt financing options, raising a round, speeding up cash conversion, raising the right amount of capital for your business, going omni-channel, tools like revolvers, asset backed loans, factoring, what the macro environment means for DTC businesses, and more.

7:00 Speed This Metric UP!!

The cash conversion cycle is literally you buy, inventory, you pay for your suppliers, you put money out, and then there's this period of time when it comes into you, and then you sell it. And then when you sell it, that's the end of the cash conversion cycle. And oftentimes people don't think through that well enough. And the problem is, you have ever increasing money going out before you can generate it yourself.

9:50 - The Overlooked SECRET to AMAZON's Success

Well, the all time hero of this is Amazon, right? Which was able to pull off a negative cash conversion cycle. And so what that means is that they were getting paid in advance of having to buy the inventory. And so when you think about, Amazon, I'm old enough to kind of remember when they sold books, that's all they sold. But, that was like, why they could drive the prices down so low. Because, in effect, they had this cash flywheel and they didn't have to worry about it.

34:30 - MATCHING (finance not fashion)

The key is matching. That's the thing that's often overlooked. Everybody wants to jump into interest rates and the cost of capital, but you really want to focus on the matching. So what matching means is like, the use of the capital that you're borrowing matches your ability to I said this wrong. The term in which you have to repay it matches your ability to use it. So the way to think about this is like, if you were to go get a bank term loan, and it's like a three year loan, right? You close it and then the next day they wire you that million dollars, and guess what? You start paying interest on it and sitting on your balance sheet.

45:30 - Turn Your PO's into $$$

And because it's Walmart credit, they're like, oh, well, it could be, like, $0.95 on the dollar or some really high rate on it, because they're basically just taking Walmart credit risk at that point. So factoring can be a terrific way, as you build your, omnichannel business, to find that growth, because everybody faces that problem, right? I got an order from Target. We're going to kill it. And it's like, Holy shit, I got to come up with, like, $2 million of inventory. Now what do I do?

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Ben Tregoe - CEO and Co-Founder of Bainbridge Growth
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Adii joins Blaine & Ramon to chat about getting your inventory and operations right from the get go, brands going multi-channel, optimizing across all your sales channels, the importance of data, how to match inventory to demand, automating manual processes away from spreadsheets, building the modern day ERP with ops in mind, major brands winning on Cogsy, the evolution of e-commerce tech, how WooCommerce took off during the WordPress era, founder experience from building several successful companies, thoughts about life, fatherhood, and fulfillment as an entrepreneur.

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Adii Pienaar - Founder & CEO of Cogsy
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Dov joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about the early days at Yotpo, the feature that built Yotpo's growth flywheel, inspiration for Tolstoy, the power of video in conversion, the video infrastructure that needed to be served, the success of founder videos for DTC brands, building out video into web, sms, email, and multi-platform customer journeys, the analytics component for iteration, successful brand adoption, why not all video is created equal, and more.

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Dov Kaufmann - Co-founder & CEO of Tolstoy
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Chelsea joins Blaine & Ramon for a crash course on growth. They talk about setting up your growth engine, working from a source of truth, picking the right channels for your brand, how to think about metrics, google ads & shopping, important updates coming to google analytics (GA4), keeping acquisition & retention in lock step, ad performance across channels, podcast advertising, generating content for organic growth & ad platforms, and more.

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Chelsea Schulz - Director of Acquisition & Growth for Ettitude
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Benjamin joins Blaine and Ramon to talk about the future of commerce, how brands can build better customer experiences, why removing friction is key, the challenges of selling online versus in retail, thinking in terms of LTV, brands thriving on TryNow, raising capital, founder perspectives, the technical challenges of building the platform, solving for fraud, financing, complex corner cases, and what's next for Try Now.

16:00 - Brands That Do This Win

The challenging part of e-commerce also the most beautiful part of e-commerce, which is that shoppers are never satisfied, they always want more. And so it's this asymptote relationship where you can always get closer to a perfect customer experience, but you will never arrive there. And if you are, and that's why like the greatest force for driving enterprise value is just focusing on the customer.

16:45 - Do It For Your Customer's Customer

Most companies will say that they care about the customer, but very few actually do that at every single step of their process. And so I think like that, that to us was paramount because as we think about our two stakeholders, merchants and shoppers, merchants are our main, who we interact with the most, right? Day, day in, day out, we're constantly focused on driving value from merchants. But at the end of the day, like stoppers are, the most important part to both of our businesses

18:50 - What Businesses Need To Know About Risk

All businesses are in the business of de-risking their business, de-risking elements of their business. No matter what stage you're at, as you grow, you have a new set of risks and focus, focus on de-risking, is key. It's actually how we manage our annual planning process, so it's very opportune.

30:10 - This Is Karma In Business

There is no separation between what's best for the shopper and what's best for the merchant in the long run, in the very long run. But ultimately customer centricity is how you win.

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Benjamin Davis - Founder & CEO of TryNow
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Kian joins Blaine & Ramon to discuss the playbook for working with manufacturers to bring products to life. They cover identifying manufacturing partners, how to vet a factories quality, how to establish buying credibility, getting product samples, building your spec sheet, negotiating price and volume, building relationships with your manufacturing partner, pre-shipment samples, tips for your manufacturing agreement, sharing costs, production cadence, avoiding shipping disasters, scaling supply chain, and tips & tricks from a life time working with the biggest names in the sourcing and manufacturing world.

Highlights:

6:35 - Face-To-Face boosts sales

And like to your point, doing it in person face to face forces you to build relationships. And honestly, like if anyone's listened to much of my content before, I always preach the importance of you get the best results in this business from building relationships, right? Because as a result of a better relationship, you get a better price, you get a better credit terms, they offer you new products that you're working on, they give you good information about what your competitors are doing.

7:30 - What not to do when sourcing

And where people have really made mistakes is if they just go, they're looking for a product, let's say blue light blocking glasses, they go into alibaba.com and on the website all the products look the same and they'll see it for like, $3 and $4 50 and $7 and $1 80. And they're like, what's the difference here? Because this looks like the exact same product. This is $1 80 that was $7, right? Let me go for like the cheaper one. But in actual fact, like when you're using alibaba.com, the purpose of it is to find the best suppliers, not to find the lowest price. And once you find the best suppliers, then you can start to negotiate the price down.

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Kian Golzari - Global leader in product sourcing & development, manufacturing, and supply chain
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Julie joins Blaine to talk about building one of the fastest growing fitness brands. They talk about starting P.volve in the early days, her background in the entertainment industry and how that experience translated to content development for p.volve, why content is the north star of their brand, building a new market around functional fitness, the first product they took to market (the p.ball), launching products that complement their content, how physical studios play into their growth strategy, scaling studios and programming through franchising, building wholistic customer journeys, and much more.

8:05 - NEVER Get Left In The Dust

You have to be able to change with the market. Like, I wasn't gonna be holding onto VHS while the entire industry was moving to DVD and then into digital and talk about a learning curve. But you have to just like stay ahead of all of that

8:30 - Content is KING. It Always Has Been.

The bigger lesson that I've learned, and it's really helped me here at Pvolve too, is that content is king, period. Like everyone tried to start a streaming service. Everyone, all the major studios, which we're trying to get into it, and at the heart of it, what always wins is content. It's gotta be really great compelling content.

28:48 - Marketer? Get Really Good At This

It's not easy just to get somebody that's hearing one little snippet about who we are through paid channels, to come in and convert and to understand. I mean, we're really building a brand new modality and so like, we're so proud of it, we're doing it all the right ways. But like, it takes a combination of storytelling and a really, really multi-channel approach.

36:00 - Franchising - The Ultimate Hack For Scale

You have to start sort of slow in franchising because once you're able to make those first seven to 10 locations successful, they become, sort of, this credibility in order to then scale like these guys got it down. So we took the same approach as it related to our own owned and operated.

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Julie Cartwright - President of P.volve
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Oren joins Ramon to discuss what it takes to build a product and take it to market. They cover topics including product development, pros and cons of dropshipping, getting started as an entrepreneur, building around niche audiences, testing market demand for products, pre-sale, validating through Tik Tok and IG organic, building vs. buying your business, dealing with manufacturers, nailing unit-economics, and much more.

5:31 - The fastest way to get started in E-Commerce

Drop shipping is great for people who first want to get into just general entrepreneurship. Cause you don't have to actually make or develop a product. You take something that already exists and, and you sell it and you don't even have to have the factory that's shipped right from it. That's the name drop shipping.

6:00 - The Dark-side of Drop Shipping

But the downside of that is that usually it ends up being pretty low margin cuz you're making something that a hundred other people could also be selling. and then also you're not making anything that has any real future branded value, right?

10:00 - Business Hack: Validating your idea on TikTok

But I think the real indicator, this is why I love kind of TikTok for this, and you can also do similar things on reels and YouTube now, at least for the time being, is if you just post variations of a handful of the same videos that will perform that showcase your product kind of again and again, and continue to tweak it. And you'll see accounts like this that have those where it's like 10 very similar video, they're kind of testing to hit it, and you consistently start getting, okay, if I post something like this, I'm getting five figures of TikTok views and then I'm getting, starting to get tens of subscribers per that, then you're, you have a product that I, that I can you, you, you can say is, is validated enough to consider expanding it.

14:00 - When you should buy, not build a business

My friend's wife did this and she bought an existing business for I think it was 40 or $50,000, which you could finance and things like that. And it was existing, it was doing a couple thousand dollars a month, and she didn't wanna build it, she just wanted to run something and grow it. She didn't wanna have to have the initial idea and go through what we talked about of validating it. And so they spent that money, that's not a crazy amount of money. And then now it makes significantly more. I think they're doing, nine, 10 k a month off of it.

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Oren Schauble - DTC Product & Brand Advisor of Consensus Holdings
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Sanya joins Blaine to talk about what it means to be an effective brand marketer. They discuss frameworks for building ironclad brand, how brand marketing evolves with scale, how to tell an effective brand story, brand purpose, figuring out what you stand for, layering performance on top of brand, building a cohesive funnel, increasing points of connection, content programming & initiatives, partnerships, collabing with Gucci, and much more.

5:15

I think it's just really about, what types of, not necessarily needs you're trying to solve, but really what types of communications you're, you're putting out into the world and, and what you hope to gain out of your consumer. whether it's really sort of telling them what you're about at the highest level. I sort of see that as, almost like a bit of a speed date with the consumer. Like here's what I'm about as a brand. Here's what I stand for, here's my purpose. And then really leading them, all the way through, and giving them a reason to buy.

8:10

I personally am a huge fan of Patagonia. I think, they've been around for so many years, but every single piece of brand advertising that they do communicates the value of, of why they exist. So I think that, we, we hear, we hear this so much, but attention economy, we're losing people three second attention span. but I think it's more important than ever to remind people why you exist. So even if you are a household name, even if you are a mainstream, I think giving consumers more, points of connection and, deepening their understanding of what you bring to their life on.

11:30

You shouldn't be thinking of like, okay, from one campaign, I'm going to go now go to another campaign to do my third or fourth campaign in your, from, from quarter to quarter or for your full year. But it's really sort of thinking like showrunners in terms of like seasons, right. And in what your, the types of stories you're, you're telling your consumers, through, through your campaigns. And I think those messages need not be extremely different.

16:00

So really understanding, like who are we solving for, right. Whether it's a meeting with the product marketing team meeting with product supply, chain operations, really understanding sort of what is that experience that we're delivering to our end user? and for me, the challenge has been like, not thinking about it, just in terms of like a purchase journey where it's like, okay, this is awareness, this is consideration, this is conversion, but really breaking those silos, and understanding, okay, from a human experience standpoint, like what do we want people to hear at this point? What do they need to, what's going to offer them reassurance, when they're trying to troubleshoot, with customer service, like what's going to offer them reassurance, when they're coming on, coming onto our website and learning more about our features.

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Sanya Deshpande - Brand Marketing Lead at ŌURA
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Carter joins Blaine to discuss how General Mills is starting to compete in the DTC arena and launch DTC channels for their brand portfolio. They discuss the learnings about what performs well, which brands to prioritize, how they think about building tech stacks, how DTC plays into the bigger strategy, how to think about positioning yourself as a new brands, fighting for retail shelf space, finding scale, and much more.

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Carter Jensen - Senior Manager of Global Commerce (DTC) at General Mills
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of the pod, Clayton joins Blaine to discuss everything from starting a newsletter, building a community, getting into menswear, how big retailers approach buying merchandise, the intersection of retail and e-commerce, creator led brands, winning growth strategies in apparel, positioning in fashion, successful collabs & drops, branded community partnerships, and much more.

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Clayton Chambers - Founder of Sprezza
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Allegra and Shirin join Blaine & Ramon to talk about building one of the first creator led brands, before the recent wave of influencer led brands started to take over. They talk about getting started as a creator, building a community, starting in apparel from the ground up, working together as co-founders, identifying a market gap, tips for sourcing products, optimizing ops, building a brand greater than the individual creator, creative strategy, aesthetic development, and much more.

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Allegra Shaw - Creator & CoFounder of Uncle Studios
Shirin Soltani - CoFounder of Uncle Studios
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Patrick joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about frameworks for building successful businesses. We talk about his background, taking the leap to start, evaluating risk, bootstrapping SaaS, developing an MVP, taking a product to market, how customers think about pricing, willingness to pay, pricing strategies, scaling, navigating an exit, and much more.

His Lightbulb Moment To Become A Founder (5:00)

And then all of a sudden just jumped in and was like, I'm gonna start a company. This was the hardest thing I realized I could always find a job. Like, I had so much insecurity about that, but then I was like, Wait a minute, this doesn't make sense. Worst case, like I'm living poor, I can go get a job as a barista. I can go get a job on a construction crew. Like I, I can find those skills. and that gave me the confidence to be like, Well, let's try this for nine months and see what happens.

The Secret To Pricing (8:00)

Like what is value based pricing? Oh, it's like figuring out what your customer's willing to pay and then charging that rather than, like most eCommerce people do is they look at their costs and they're like, well the VC said I gotta get to 40% margin, let's just slap 40% margin on top of it, right? And it's like, yeah, but if your customer's only willing to pay like less than your cost, you're don't force it like you have a problem, you have a wrong customer, a wrong product, like something right or bad cost depending on what it is.

This Business Sold for $200 MILLION (13:15)

Basically started with a little app that you could send a survey to your target customers, your email list, your current customers. And we would say, Great for this group that you surveyed, your price should be a hundred dollars and here's kind of your curve. So if your price went up, like here's how many people you'd expect to lose if your price went down, here's how many people you'd expect to win or lose, and so on and so forth. And that was the mvp. And then we eventually put service on top of it.

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Patrick Campbell - CEO of ProfitWell (now Paddle)
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Alexandra joins Blaine and Ramon to talk about company building. They cover the creation of Gilt, building early demand, sourcing supply, creating a marketplace, the evolving commerce landscape, team building, the overlap between commerce and services marketplaces, understanding your ICP and working backward, how she invests, why she loves Miami, and much more.

49:00

We were not a big company. We were just kind getting going and pulled this off. So I think startups, sometimes I hear founders be like, well, I don't really have budgets to do creative things. And you can be guerilla marketing, tactical, boots on the streets doing clever things with fewer dollars than one thinks they might need.

55:00

I smile because I'm like, yeah, I've been there. I I remember when I had migraines every day for six months in the early days of GILT because I was so stressed. Yes, I remember that. it's very, it's very real. And so I think founders appreciate that I've spent more time in my career on their side than the current side. But that also sometimes makes me tougher because I'm like, wait what do you mean you're going on vacation all the time? Or what do you mean you're turning your phone off or you're not hustling?

60:00
So I don't know how to do something not as part of a team. I think it's super important where nobody's good at everything, and it's so important to know what are your superpowers? What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? And, and answer that question for every co-founder or your early team members. And one of the reasons Gilt worked really well, and all my partnerships, I think because there was clarity. It was just obvious who does what and, and who's in charge of what.

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Alexandra Wilkis Wilson - Co-founder of the Gilt, GlamSquad, and Clerisy
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of the pod, Matt joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about building a successful CPG brand from his dorm room, finding product market fit, discovering the companies ideal customer, using tech as part of the companies DNA, iterating with product feedback, raising capital, scaling up, and much more.

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Matt Czarnecki - Co-Founder & CEO of Verb Energy
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Lee joins Blaine to talk about the crossover between growth marketing and performance editorial. They talk about how ritual grew to a 9 figure brand, the power of affiliate, the importance of search intent, new media models, audience targeting, first party data, team building, and much more.

3:00 Performance x Press 🚀

What ultimately changed the trajectory for Ritual was a few bespoke content partnerships with a handful of top-tier publishers. Like BuzzFeed was one of the standout ones, and we worked with them in ways that had never really been done before, leveraging their press and leveraging their editorial in paid acquisition, paid advertising in new and novel ways. It was, at the time, really groundbreaking and really, really changed the trajectory for ritual.

7:30 Start With Intent & Work Backwards 🔁

Google's really a strong place to be this really strong search intent. People are very specifically looking for, whether it's a prenatal vitamin or a multivitamin, or a postmenopause, or whatever it may be, people are searching for what they need. So it was almost like, crazy to not be showing up there, and it became very quickly a really big channel for Ritual.

8:15 Podcasts & Higher LTV 📈

As a subscription business, we had visibility into, where our best customers were coming from. And podcast customers were always at the top of that list. I think those are the customers that really, took the time to educate themselves, were really, not making impulse decisions on like seeing a cute Instagram ad. And, that more educated consumer really stuck around and became that really high LTV customer that we were trying to acquire. So then we kind of became obsessed, like, where else can we find, this type of customer?

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Lee Joselowitz - Co-Founder of The Quality Edit
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Ben joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about the importance of experimentation in growth for startups. They talk about demand gen, building a waitlist, content production, GTM strategy, marketing personas, educational marketing, UGC, in-house content programming, and much more.

8:10 Great Products Make A Statement
We call it levels in the wild. Someone sees the patch on someone else and you give the like head nod, you're like, Hey, you're one of us, right? Because you feel like you're part of this club and it still happens to this day. And so there was a lot of UGC and a lot of earned media that we would get out of that where people just wanted to show others like, I'm trying to take agency over my own health and like here's what I'm doing about it.

9:10 Fill Your Funnel First 🚰
And we grew at roughly 7% month over month over the course of two years. So when we launched, like our wait list was at 265,000 people, it's like that's a significant number of people if they're actually engaged. It's not about trying to target them for conversions. It's about how can we start to educate them about metabolic health so that they can change their behavior without needing to buy levels to feel like they're, they're making behavior changes in their life.

11:00 Let Your Process Compound 💰
But he ran this ninja process of we're gonna get the founders on every podcast possible and ramp up to be higher and higher tiers. Like would the material they talk about, would the education they provide be interesting enough for someone like Tim Ferris to say, Hey, come on my podcast. If you start to do that, you get the right partners on board. Now Tim is a partner of ours where he's got the levels out link slash Tim Reads, right? And that's an amazing thing.

22:00 Every Partnership Needs THIS ✨
So with thought leaders, they all work on social proof, right? It's like who else is showing up to the party? No one wants to be the first of the party, but if they know that, like if, what's the probability that somebody that would be at Tim Ferris's level is also interested? If Tim is interested and their friends well, a lot higher than if Tim feels like he's on an island by himself and he is like, none of my friends are at this party, right?

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Ben Grynol - Head of Growth at Levels
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of the pod, Vasa joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about how brand building and product positioning. They also cover topics including creative direction, the role of content in growth initiatives, how to nail a creative brief, how to design content for different parts of the marketing funnel, learnings from working with some of the top brands in CPG, and much more.

5:05

It started with content creation and the why behind content creation. I like to say, content within context, something along those lines. You can't just post pictures of your product. It's gotta balance information and entertainment and a bunch of other things. And there has to be a goal behind it. And it's not just like a shot in the dark, let's go viral type thing, which a lot of founders kind of think can happen, especially that don't have the, um, experience in CPG or in marketing in general.

10:30

But I think where people fail is in the creative creative brief process. So part of a creative brief is where is it going, the exhibition of it. But they don't really like chime into what problem are we solving, what's the goal? And most importantly, what part of the funnel are we in? So from a creative perspective, if you're running certain ads, top funnel, middle funnel and bottom funnel, you're saying different things. The top funnel might be a, this is why we exist, here's some cool things about our product, this is a problem we solve. You might be saying different things down further in the funnel.

15:00

I speak always in the lens of food and beverage and for me the foundational element of creativity is how do you set up your positioning statement To me that is the Rosetta Stone of any brand. And there is a positive correlation between brands that know that like the back of their hand and how well they do and the brands that are figuring it. Like everyone's figuring it out. I figured it out for a period of time for Perfy, but the faster you can get to that, there it is, the better chance of success that you have.

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Vasa Martinez - Founder & CEO of Perfy
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Nigel joins Blaine to break down the foundational building blocks for brands that want to build profitable businesses. They cover topics like how to build solid unit economics, types of content that perform, optimizing customer journeys, understanding attribution, copywriting, landing pages, as well as benchmarks to hit to build a successful brand.

6:35

The first one, and we'll get back to this in a second, because it's the most important is unit economics by what are unit economics. The second thing is the content. Again, you can't turn water into wine. If we don't have good enough content to work with, we add need to get that content from the brands, or we need to go out there and use one of our content partners and just get really good content. The third one is the customer journey. At the end of the day, if you've got the best starts in the world, it doesn't matter if the customer journey CRO isn't in place and obviously the retention and it all connects congruently. The fourth area is attribution.

10:00

It doesn't matter how good your creative is. It doesn't matter how good your copy is. At the end of the day, if you've got the stronger economics in the backend, you'll always win. Now, add on top of that. Great copy, great customer journey, great creative. Then that's a house on fire.

13:30

So average order value must be above $50. And again, maybe we can work them to get it above $50 by changing the landing page, but $50, especially at scale, you need that these days, you really do need that. Then the other thing is the CPA to lifetime value ratio, needs to ideally be one to three. I'm saying, ideally within even a 60, 90 day period.

21:20

This landing page is built to do one thing. It's built to sell products. There's no light areas for them to click out into the homepage or anything else. All the friction was removed. And we're talking, one of the things that most people don't understand is copywriting. It's all about the headline. That's where most of the people are going to bounce off. It needs of course, beyond brand, but it also needs to hit real deep on the emotions and pain points. David Ogilvy says, they spend 80% of the time researching, 20% of the time writing.

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Nigel Thomas - CEO of Alpha Inboud
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Rob joins Blaine to talk about how to operate a consumer brand and think like a seasoned executive. They talk about what channels to focus on to grow, how to tap into existing infrastructure, deciding what to prioritize, how to nail a rebrand, finding quick wins for your brand, ins and outs of the beverage and wellness space, bringing a new concept to market, the similarities between marketplace and DTC as a consumer executive, positioning TaskRabbit in a competitive landscape, taking a wholistic approach to marketing, solving issues at their root cause, and much more.

6:40 First, Stop Bad Spend 🚦

And so after kind of understanding the business and understanding the consumer, which I think any good executive needs to do, I don't care what department or what sort of team you lead you, then for me it was kinda like, okay, I, I actually start to try to diagnose what's wrong, you know? And because usually those are the places where you gotta stop spending first. And in my career, I'll be honest with you, people have brought me in because they need something fixed. And so that's usually the case with executives. Turnover happens, particularly at this CMO level because something's not going right.

7:30 The Price Of Being Unremarkable 💵

Marketing is the tax you pay for being unremarkable. And as a marketer, right, early in my career, I found that sort of offensive, you know, one of the executives at Task Rabbits said that to me. And at first it kind of like, sort of hurt my feelings. I was like, Wow, is that really how marketing is, you know, perceived? But then as I started thinking about it, I, it's true. You know, the more, the, the less remarkable you are as a company, as a brand, as a product, the more expensive it is to convince people to use it.

10:30 What the best Startups Get Right 💯

Every good young startup does a couple things. Well, if they wanna be successful, paid social is one of them. Generally PR is one of the other ones, right? Search marketing is part of that. Uh, and then ultimately you have to drive email or retention. And if you can get those systems in place early on, usually at least have some revenue. You have some retention, you have some ltv, right? Your LTV c a ratio starts to like at least look a little healthy and you got something to go on.

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Rob Willey - CMO of Cheribundi
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Jesse joins Blaine to talk about the future of commerce. They discuss mobile commerce, moving from agency to brand owner, increasing conversion, bootstrapping, fundraising, testing out MVPs, getting customer buy in, developing product roadmaps, and much more.

1:17 The Future of Mobile Commerce

So the best way to think about Kahani is ask the question if Shopify or Squarespace or any of the big Ecom, website builders were to build today, what would they use? Would they use a website? Our answer is no. We think that what they would use is something that looks a lot more like TikTok and Instagram. So that's what we're building with Kahani. The vision is in three or five years, you won't go to a URL where you'll start scrolling and tapping around. You'll land on a video or really a picture that sort of takes over your phone. And from there, you'll start to swipe, tap and use all the mobile features that we're used to using in apps. You'll use those on an ECom URL. So that's kind of the big vision.

4:00 Startups Are Like Video Games

I will say entrepreneurship is like a video game. You know, you, you gotta beat the boss on level one before you get to level two. You know, I dunno if you're a big gamer, but when I was a kid, you'd put the cheat code in, you'd go to level five and you'd get crushed. Because even if you could cheat your way to level five, you didn't even know what to do at level five, because you had to have beaten level three and level four to, to figure it out. So I think the same is true for building businesses.

16:00 Save These Strategies for Day 1

I think affiliate and email are day one strategies because you get someone else to send you traffic for free, right? So even if you don't have product, of course they're not gonna like it, but I think affiliate you can treat it like they're early customers. If you're a brand, you call them, you build a relationship with them. Hey, this is Jesse, I'm trying to sell a new type of iPhone charger. Here's why I think it's a winner. I'd love for you to place it on there, but look, I'm early. It's funny how much people hide that in the early days. And in my experience in my career, even as an experienced entrepreneur, I've found that sharing that truth and that vulnerability people wanna take a bet on you. You know?

18:30

It's my number one piece of advice for, for DTC entrepreneurs or even CMOs at bigger companies is when you complain about your CPA relative to your CPM, all you're saying is that I'm not a very good marketer and you go, well, what do you mean by that? I was like, well, other people are somehow making their business work for a $20 CPM. It's your job as the marketer to figure out the click-through rate and conversion rate needed to be able to compete in the market because somebody else is willing to pay $20.

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Jesse Pujji - Founder of Kahani & Ampush
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Gretchen joins Blaine to talk about wholesale as a massive competitive edge as a go-to-market strategy for consumer products. They talk about starting paddywax, scaling a business over a career, leveraging wholesale early on, merchandising strategy, selling into big retailers, the inspiration for Ink & Alloy, business building as a 2nd time founder, and much more.

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Gretchen Hollingsworth - CEO & Funder of INK + ALLOY
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Courtney joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about leveraging a niche audience to find scale in apparel. They cover topics including finding your market, your first production run, starting limited but focused, seasonal vs. season-less products, subtleties of niche markets, bootstrapping & growth, affiliates & influencer channels, influencer management tools, tiktok strategy, and more.

2:30

More children are being born to women over 30 than ever before in American history. When women give birth later and stay in the workforce longer, they have more money to spend because their incomes are usually higher. Also they have different needs when you're having a baby in your 30s you're established and you're in the workforce. When you're younger and in your 20s, those are totally different needs. So as we started digging into it, I realized there was a real market opportunity to address what we now call millennials

5:00

And so, unlike a lot of companies that are seasonal, we really strive to be season-less. And so, we put out into the market like, okay, here are the four things we're going to get really good at selling these four things. And that's what we did for the first three years of the business was just get really good at selling pregnant people, those four things. And then from there we expanded the product line once we got good at selling those things.

35:00

And with Tik TOK, what we found is most of the people we work with on TikTok, they don't even ever mention us. They're just creating like 10 pieces of content a day. And they happen to be wearing like our nursing bra in all 10 of those pieces. And in every TikTok, someone will say, where'd you get that? But they know it's not like “hi, I'm here to tell you about Storq”. It's off the cuff. It's just in the background and someone is subtly seeing this bra over and over and over again.

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Courtney Klein - Founder & CEO of Storq
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Max joins Blaine to talk about starting the brand as a side project, getting early conviction, bootstrapping to launch, landing a major shark tank deal, product positioning, brand design, form factors & digital amplification, early retail strategies, fundraising, go to market point of entry, market disruption, and much more.

10:35 The Best Ideas Are Simple

I think that, like, given this simplicity of the idea, it was hard to have a real conviction about it, right? Like when you think of something novel and new, it's like, God, that's the world's best idea. But when you think about reprising something sort of old and tired, like wrist and ankle weights- like it felt viable and there were like some good aspects of the idea going for it, but it was hard to sort of like bet the farm on this idea. Would people be interested? Would they fundamentally care? So there wasn't like a bravado at the outset about like, we're gonna change the world. I think we've had some of those revelations since in terms of disrupting this ultra serious industry. But at the time we were like, how do we both test the idea and raise the $40,000 we needed to fund the first production run. And Kickstarter was kind of the perfect solution for that.

29:20 8Xing after Hottest Shark Tank Deal EVER

And so I think we came in looking for 400 K investment and left with 900K. We've given up more of the company, but I will say that there's so many intangibles associated with that deal. Like Maria's been in photo shoots for us. Mark spoke with us at a South by Southwest panel earlier this year. Obviously there's incredible media value associated with the show. So it really sort of propelled us to the next level. So where in 2019, we did 2 million in sales in 2020, we did 16! So it was like kind of an 8X relative to the prior year.

38:00 Disrupting Fitness Accessories

Like let's invent new products, but let's also introduce meaningful improvements on existing products. And that was the paradigm shift from a single products company to we can be the Lululemon of fitness equipment and accessories, right? Like we can bring a Glossier sensibility to this super serious like CrossFit centric, fitness space. And we can do it through a beautiful product and a playful brand.

42:00 Why Point of Entry Is Key for Startups

We didn't realize how massive the opportunity was kind of hiding in plain sight. We sort of tripped over it, but we really do think that, fitness, accessories, and equipment and the products you're actually working out with should be as beautiful and elevated as the environment or what you're wearing whilst doing those activities.

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Max Kislevitz - Cofounder of Bala
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Haris joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about how he built Miracle Brand into a profitable 8 figure brand. They discuss best practices in performance marketing, breaking through the 5M revenue ceiling, the dos/don'ts of working with agencies, incentives of ad networks, a crash course in affiliate networks, why affiliate & retail networks are so effective at scale, how to build with a big exit in mind, how to capitalize (and not capitalize) your business, and much more.

20:10

2 to 3 years ago, it was probably 80% Facebook. these days it's a third because, Facebook for us and everyone in the world was definitely easier three years ago. And I don't mean that just because of iOS 14 and everything going on in the world, just in general, like traffic networks are always going to get more expensive as time passes. CPMs are always gonna rise. Inventory is decreasing and demand is increasing. So at the end of the day, the advertiser and the ad inventory available is always gonna get more expensive year over year.

23:00

Most CPG strategics, the reason they actually buy brands that are already scaling in brick and mortar retail is because that's showing them data at scale. That's proving that you can reach mass market America, that you can outpace the legacy players on the shelves. And that you've already proven a level of turnover at scale at the, and at the most important retailers in the country. So that's why most of the big exits you've seen a hundred, 300, 500 million plus are brands that have substantial retail distribution.

26:30

I can look at a brand and a product and understand whether or not Walmart target CVS into those guys will pick it up. A lot of times, it's it's price point, it's category, it's audience. like, look, you can go to Walmart and go on, a shelf of any category you wanna look at and you can look at their maximum price point. Walmart's not putting a $5 drink in their stores. They're not putting $300 comforters in their stores

55:00

Why Too Much $$ Can Be A Disaster

I think one of the biggest challenges we face in this space is everybody raises too much money. and I don't mean that in a traditional tech way of like, oh, you've burned a hundred million. I just mean that more from like, look a lot of really, really great brands can be amazing 50 to a hundred million exits. but they've raised capital to the point where only a 250 million exit is of success. and you've kind of shot yourself in the foot because look D to C and CPG is not a category with a lot of billion dollar outcomes. It's also not a category with a lot of 500 million outcomes. It's a lot of hundred million outcomes. And if you've raised a 25 million series B, you're gonna have a really tough time getting your board to approve that $75 million acquisition offer.

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Haris Memon - Founder of Nameless Ventures & Miracle Brand
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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On this episode of the pod, Lauren joins Blaine and Ramon to talk about her experience running marketing & affiliate at Ritual, how her performance-minded approach to marketing led her to Dreamday, lessons from the best-in-class brands, the affiliate marketing landscape, why affiliate is such an important channel, the tie between affiliate and PR, how to be competitive when securing press, the editorial landscape, inspiration for the quality edit, how to scale a content team, and much more.

16:00 What Is Performance PR? The Future. 🤩

I think what we aim to do as an agency is kind of hit the four KPIs around, we're going to get you the most, press pieces that we can per month. We're going to get you the highest quality press pieces that we can per month. We're going to drive increased traffic through the affiliate channel, and we're going to drive increase revenue through the affiliate channels month over month.

20:00 How The Best Brands Keep It Fresh

We specifically seek out brands that are, excellent at marketing and excellent at launching new campaigns, launching new collaborations, working with new celebrities or influencers, launching new products. And like, do you have something new for us to talk to on a fairly regular cadence? I would say like at least twice a year at a very bare minimum. Four times a year better, but we have a lot of clients that are like launching something new or doing a new collaboration every couple of weeks. And those are like our highest volume press clients.

31:20 The Next Big Marketing Trend 👀

Affiliate marketing is still like one of the most efficient channels. I think we had a client last year that they had analyzed like Facebook versus affiliate marketing, and affiliate as a channel was like 15 times more efficient and had 15 times higher ROAS, than paid social. So, I think it is an amazing channel.

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Lauren Kleinman - Founder of Dreamday
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Jasmine joins Blaine to discuss the landscape of PR for consumer brands. They cover topics like incentive structure for editors, how the landscape of editorial has matured over the last decade, where things are headed, how to nail your pitch, how to build relationships with editors, the role of PR in building consumer trust, how positive PR impacts purchase behavior and brand recognition, lessons as a founder, community building, and the future of consumer, community, & commerce.

Be sure to check out Female Founders World for more, as well as their recently launched platform Kizmet - a platform for consumer brand collaborations.

12:16

Want More Sales? Start Here 👇🏼

Maybe you did discover it on TikTok, but then you Google it and you want to establish that there's some credibility there and you see that they were mentioned in a Roundup of the best new beauty products. And so you're like, okay, back my mind. Interesting. And then you see it on your friend's Instagram story a few days later, and then maybe that's where you click through to buy. So I do think that even though the process has changed, you can't eliminate how important that press coverage is.

13:00

The PR Hack For Partnerships 🗞️

getting those like really big mastheads in the early days is really integral for lining up bigger brand partnerships down the track. And then also with retailers. So we know that buyers category managers, if you're looking for an omni-channel approach, like they are reading those roundups to try and discover new brands, they listening as well to podcasts like this one and like our podcast to discover new brands. And you really need to have that coverage if you want to be able to get those kinds of like industry ins as well.

16:28

Save This For Your Next PR Pitch 💰

As an editor, I'm still getting pictures because now I have my own media platform. I'm receiving hundreds of pitches every day, like hundreds of emails coming through the one I'll scan through. If I ever received an email that isn't personalized, doesn't have my name, doesn't have either a direct reference to something I've written, or doesn't have a direct reference to a content tentpole that I'm revisiting in my content all the time, I usually disregard it. The emails that I'm always going to read are from a someone that I know. And that's why having a publicist with a really great relationships with press is so important.

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Jasmine Garnsworthy - Founder of Female Founders World
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Ronak joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about evolving dynamics of the creator economy, how creator brands are typically launched, how Pietra solves for sourcing, fulfillment, and e-commerce, productizing a service for the most time-constrained customers, how their marketplace got started, how they raised their seed and series A from top VCs, brands that have launched on Pietra, what scale can look like in this niche, and much more.

6:10

The Fastest Way To Drop Your Own Line 🛍️

So you, as a business owner, went from having to master the supply chain and understand all these pointless things like warehousing and labor and importing and exporting and whatever. To, I have a website, I have a place to sell my product. I have access to the world's best factories. And now all I have to focus on is design and promotion. Everything else is taken care, taken care of for you, through the platform of PIETRA.

9:50

How To Outsource The Dirty Work 💸

Like you didn't have to go spend six months building a data center. Cause in a couple of clicks, Amazon just set up your data center for you. Right. You don't have to go figure out a commercial lease because in a couple of clicks, we worked gave you office space. And that discrepancy, I think, just like in the tech sector allowed all of these amazing developers to like make apps and start companies like Uber being one of them. there needed to be some sort of huge push on the other side of the spectrum. And that's where we really saw an opportunity. I'm like, it shouldn't be that hard for someone who has a cool idea to start their own sneaker line. Like they shouldn't have to spend three years of their life trying to do this.

17:40

Send This To A Creator 💎

Why do they need to care about labor and importing and warehousing and staffing and sourcing? Like they don't, they want to design candles. They want to show up in a warehouse and they want two day shipping everywhere in the US for a cheap price, but like everything else, take it off their plate, let them go on their vacations, let them be creative.

36:51

Avoid This Partnership At All Costs 😵‍💫

Exactly. Even worse. That's like the worst case, right. Where a creator has no control over their company. And so they're like, because you know how to set up a factory, I guess. And like you have some homeys in Switzerland that knows how to make watches. Like you're taking 75% of my business. we take that and say, you can start your business for 39 bucks a month.

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Ronak Trivedi - Founder & CEO of Pietra
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Steven joins Blaine to talk about building one of the most popular jewelry brands from the ground up starting in 2010, before applying those learnings to developing products for Elements of Balance in a CPG adjacent space. They discuss identifying brand mission and purpose, building visual identity, organic product growth, turning customer advocates into major league partnerships, product licensing and royalties, launching a CPG product in a competitive landscape, amazon vs. retail, scaling out teams, and much more.

Want to try out Lokai or Elements?

Use the Code "Podcast15" at check out for 15% off

25:30

Save This Formula For Success

It starts with a product high quality product, great price point, something that everyone could afford. And then on the customer service side, being as incredible and supportive as we can be. Our goal is to make every single customer happy. So if you buy a Lokai and it breaks and you email us, we'll just send you another one, no questions asked. We try to really make every interaction we have with our customers as positive as possible.

33:52

The Secret To Building A $$$$$ Company

We've been talking about how it's a marathon and how long it takes to really build an incredible company. And you need to have a founder CEO at the helm that understands that and is able to see the long-term kind of plan that needs to be built and is in it for the long run as well and is not emotional when the tough decisions need to be made. Every business goes through highs and lows, and it's about not being stubborn, not putting your ego first, and doing what's best for the business in the long run. And I believe you can figure it out on the way and build a great company if you do those things.

34:48

The Best Advice You'll Ever Get 🤓

I'm a huge believer in product, right? It doesn't matter how good your marketing and your sales are, your pitches, if the product isn't great customers won't keep coming back.

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Steven Izen - Founder of Lokai and Elements
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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On this episode of DTC Pod, JT joins Blaine in the LA studio to talk about how brands can unlock massive growth by thinking like creators. They cover topics including building your tiktok strategy, the ins & outs of the tiktok and instagram algorithm, types of content that perform best, how to generate winning content, brands that have done tiktok organic the right way, finding inspiration for meaningful creative, the role of consistency in content performance, finding your brand voice across channels, how to build an organic audience, launching an SMS community, and much much more.

Learn more about JT here:

https://www.barnettx.com/

JT's TikTok Masterclass for Brands:

https://www.thetiktokmasterclass.com/

9:32 Get Your Brand Voice Right On Every Channel

Oh, a hundred percent that the companies right now are trying to get one person to speak Chinese English, German, French, all of them at the same time. And what I think they should do is go and find somebody that speaks that specific language that enjoys it, that is like native to that platform and bring them in for only that you'll go, you'll go deeper. It probably will be cost efficient when, because you can just hire them for just that on a project basis. and I think that you'll get way more out of it because the person that you're hiring now knows what they're doing and can go deep into that.

21:50 How Organic Algos Work

the way that it takes off the algorithm works is it is testing your content when you post it, it gets shown to a certain amount of people. I usually just call it. Let's just say it's shown to 10 people and it gets shown to 10 people. And it's testing to see out of those 10 people. Do they engage and interact with that? Th those the metrics that they're actually tracking or like, do they watch the whole thing? Did they share it? Do they favorite it? Do they like it? Do they comment on it? Those kinds of things. If they do, if a certain number of those people engage with it, it gets shown to a bigger set of people. And then that test because it recurs and recurs, so it happens, starts at 10, say a majority of them engage with it. Then it gets shown to a hundred, a majority of them that it goes to a thousand. So on and so forth to where it's on the main for you page, where it's like, what people consider viral.

22:40 Content & Advertising Basics

So to get people, to actually engage with the content, you need to be doing something that is providing them value. Most people call it like educate, entertain or inspire, but like, you're trying to provide them with some sort of value or something that will get them emotionally engaged. When people talk about advertising, what they're really trying to get as a consumer to buy in with their emotions, because that's what you usually buy with. So what I think about in content is like, you need to be doing something that they will actually like want to watch and want to share with somebody or want to save to their phone and, or like favorite app.

23:15 How To Tell Your Story

And, and the thing that works the best that we see is some sort of storytelling. That means that within the content that needs to have some sort of challenge in some sort of resolution. If you look at like a narrative arc, like, you know, everybody that went to English and then in high school, you learn about these narrative arcs. I was a terrible student, but now I'm going back. I'm like, I actually feel like I remember that you're talking about, you know, you have an intro to video and then you have some sort of a rise to it that sets it up. And then there's a challenge. And then there's a resolution. And I think in every single company's story, if you were to just literally like timeline, like the origin, the company to where you are now, everybody has so many of those little challenges, but they don't talk about them because we come from an Instagram culture that is don't show the flaws, just show the wins, just show the wins.

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JT Barnett - Founder of BarnettX
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Mark Samuel is the founder & CEO of IWON Organics, a plant-based food company that makes bold, flavor-infused snacks and cereal made from plant proteins like peas, beans and brown rice. IWON's healthy snacks can be found in over 5,000 stores nationwide, including Kroger's, Wegmans, Sprouts, Whole Foods, Vitamin Shoppe, Safeway, Ralphs, Brookshire’s, and online at iwonorganics.com, Amazon and Thrive Market.

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Mark Samuel - IWON Organics
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Oriel joins Blaine to discuss the role of creative direction in launching a new brand. They talk about brand formation and topics including coming up with a name, defining your brand's purpose, the power of copywriting, merchandise as a medium, language as a product, how to find your brand's voice, ways to minimize inventory costs, launching and testing new products quickly, the state of voice & podcasting, & much more.

7:31

Your Name Is Everything

I'm a big believer in naming an idea and the name being very important. And until you've got a name, you don't necessarily have an idea. That kind of came at a moment, it was kind of like a shower thought, that just popped into my head one day when I was thinking about athleisure. And I was like, well what's the opposite of athleisure? What do you wear when you're doing nothing but zoom calls? And “corpleisure” kind of brought that all together.

10:26

Starting A Business? Do This First

For me it really helps when you know your purpose. Right. I spend a lot of time in my day, whether I'm working on corpleisure or anything else, I'm thinking, okay, what is, what is the purpose of like this brand or this piece of communication? Um, and then what's the takeaway that I want people to take from it, you know?

17:34

Your Brand Starts Here.

If I was just going to tell someone in a conversation about this product, how would I do it? And the chances are like, if you're going to tell a friend over drinks or something, or telling someone at a barbecue like that's kind of your natural voice. And probably somewhere within that is your brand. Because when you speak naturally, especially about your own brands and about your own product, that's when you talk with passion, right? And if you could potentially maybe record yourself doing that, you'd probably hear those words that you use when you're excited about telling someone about this new product that you've got, um, and that's kind of your voice and that could be your brand.

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Oriel Davis-Lyons - Founder of Corpleisure
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Sofia & Carolyn join Blaine & Ramon to talk about company building, product marketing, brand marketing, finding product market fit, guidelines for each funding round, syncing marketing & inventory, building a resilient supply chain, building community, & more.

9:46

Product Market Fit 🎯

It was a 90 degree day in Prospect park in Brooklyn. And we literally had a hundred plus parents come to pick up food from essentially complete strangers with unmarked coolers and unmarked cups. And we always laugh that that's when we knew that we had found a white space.

22:52

Community = Real Growth 🚀

I'll give you an anecdote but we started doing these tiny “supper clubs” we called them, these community events with 15 to 25 moms- and they started out in person. It was meant to be a regional event, but we're still seeing that those zip codes perform better than some other zip codes. They became virtual and now we're kind of rethinking that model, but I think this idea of how do you do community or organic acquisition at scale is really intriguing.

33:42

This Is How You Build Supply Chain 🔗

We try to keep a healthy amount of cover for ourselves, just in case something were to go wrong, which kind of brings us back to building for security. It's not a matter of if, but when something will go wrong, because it will. So to have as many backup solutions in our back pocket that we can, whether it's a quick ingredients switch, or a supplier switch, we've got an emergency solution just in case anything goes wrong.

39:10

Forecasting Demand In 2022 📈

Demand forecasting is definitely both art and science, but we use that subscription data and a lot of really detailed cohort analysis to identify which of these marketing moments is the most successful. And when we repeat it and make sure that we're planning for that appropriately. So we use both of those in conjunction to kind of build out our demand forecast models and then we plan production and inventory accordingly. But especially right now, and especially for early founders, you need to manage that with the cash that gets tied up in manufacturing inventory. So it's always a balance that you're trying to strike.

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Sofia Laurell - Co-Fonder & Co-CEO of Tiny Organics
Carolyn O'Hare Batyske - Co-Founder & President & COO of Tiny Organics
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Brian joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about his career in digital commerce, media, and venture capital which has spanned 4 decades. Brian is a seasoned operator and investor, having led investments in companies including Everlane, Snif, Feastables, Caraway, Afterpay, Archive, Disco, & Tydo to name a few. This episode covers topics including the overlap of web3 and commerce, what makes businesses attractive to invest in, the evolution of digital media, learnings from the best brands, what the future of commerce looks like, and how brands can think about evolving loyalty and retention frameworks, social commerce, and more.

Wanna Sound Smart? Save This 😉

12:30

So as many people have spoken about, Web1 was about read only, WEB2 two was about read-write where you can post on social networks, and WEB3 is all about ownership. And to me, ownership from a brand really is about super fans and loyalty, right? Like what can you do with your super fans?

13:40

Where Brands Should Focus in 2022

Brands can't acquire customers efficiently through the paid channels like they used to in the past. Brands need to focus on increasing conversion rate, increasing average order, lowering abandonment, dealing with the traffic that they have now, like 97% of the people that come to your site, don't buy. There's like plenty of opportunities to do things there and I think Novel gives the tools to the brands to help enhance that.

32:17

The Real Reason Social-Commerce Hasn't Taken Off

I don't think shopping is social by human nature. Like I think people pride themselves on them finding and discovering things at good prices at great brands. Like they want to be the person that is wearing it out there first, and then their friends ask them. It's not like you want to go shopping with your friend, and like find the same thing.. and then what are you going to do? Both wear the same dress? I just think inherently shopping, maybe isn't social.

35:17

THIS is how much to spend on Marketing

So one question we ask is how much money, or what percentage of revenue do you spend on paid marketing? And if that number's like 20 or 25% or greater, it's just not for us. We want a scaled DTC brand to be 12% or less. Okay. If you're spending more than on paid marketing, you have a drug habit, you are addicted to the high of spending money to make money. And it just won't last because your tolerance will just increase and you'll never be able to go to rehab and get off that drug. So spend the money on content creators and content studios, and build like own the house that your audience is in, don't rent the house.

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Brian Sugar - Founder of Sugar Capital
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Sahand chats with Blaine and Ramon about the idea behind Terra Kaffe and building a hardware company. He also discusses decision making frameworks, leveraging market trends, how Terra Kaffe had to pivot from B2B sales to DTC, raising capital, his philosophy on leading and growing a team, and much more (listen in for a surprise!).

11:29 - 11:48

The Essential Trait Every Entrepreneur Needs...

If there’s one thing I can impart on new founder it is equanimity. Equanimity through it all. Like you’re going to have highs and you’re going to have lows. And I think having that balance is incredibly important. It’s a little Scott Galowayian in a way.. I don't know if that's the right way to refer to that but nothing is ever as good or bad as it seems.

38:50 - 39:18

Why EQ Is So Valuable For Startups

Competence is not thinking or infallible, it's knowing you're not and holding yourself in high regard. I think that's an insanely valuable headspace to live in for everybody that's going into a startup and it connects back to that equanimity. Hold your head up, communicate effectively, communicate early, communicate often, be self aware, have that IQ and have that EQ you really need to have that EQ when it comes to a start up. And I think you're gonna do your best work.

19:59 - 20:33

Knock On Doors

I still remember you know getting the first two prototypes, and I just actually moved back to the US got to New York, and never lived in New York didn't know much about it, and was just told that cool stores are in Soho. So I had two prototypes, and I knocked on 100 doors inn Soho and said can I serve coffee to weekend crowds? And you knock on 100 doors and 5 people say yeah, and that's how it started and frankly I’m actually weirdly appreciative of that moment. I felt like I was living the pursuit of happiness in reverse, you know he starts off schlepping machines on the subway.

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Sahand Dilmaghani - Co-Founder & CEO of Terra Kaffe
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Sami Clarke is a certified health, wellness, & fitness trainer who built a large following for her workout videos and holistic approach to wellness. With millions of followers and hundreds of millions of views across Youtube, Instagram, & TikTok, Sami cultivated a strong community before deciding to start her own fitness & wellness platform, FORM. FORM not only offers digital fitness training and community access, but focuses on developing physical products that fit Sami's holistic approach to wellness.

Sami Bernstein is Partner in FORM and previously served as SVP of Influencer marketing at Markett and is CMO of Kickback, a social shopping app that incentivizes sharing the brands you love. Sami has collaborated on influencer campaigns with some of the largest brands including Nike, Sephora, Apple Music and worked with thousands of influencers across her roles.

39:56

Building Community? Save This.

We love love love our community and talk with them all the time. So first and foremost starting the facebook group - literally before launch. Do people still use facebook? Do people still use facebook because I don't, BUT.. facebook is the only place where you can converse back and forth. And our biggest thing is this isn't about me communicating with them but it's more about them communicating together. Because that's going to grow then they're going to meet amazing people that are likeminded - so we're like we have to go to facebook.. AND IT WORKED!

46:45 - 47:20

For Brands: Why Scripts ≠ Storytelling

There's a journey into what needs to happen before pressing, you know, complete purchase. And there have been so many different instances for influencer campaigns where all that matters is the ROI and I really encourage brands and founders to take a step back from that and lean into their storytelling through influencers and the way that influencers cannot read a script but really tell their own story on that brands behalf. I really think that brands that can do that well will convert so well.

47:26

Tell Your Story

And have the brand tell their story. People LOVE to know how they got to where they're at, they love the process rather than "hey we made it" and "try our product".. I mean tik-tok get raw with it, share the story!

48:34-48:58

How TikTok Saved A Businesses CRISIS

They were like "I'll take the crooked".. and i was like "you will?". Thousands of people liked it saying they'll take it. We were so upset we wasted all this money, everything was crooked, here comes tik tok "we LOVE the crooked" "give me the crooked".. so i made a tik tok wearing the crooked and i said "these are live right now, they are crooked, but go get em". We called them the tik tok special. I only put them on tik tok. They sold out in 5 minutes.

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Sami Clarke - Founder of FORM
Sami Bernstein- Partner of FORM
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Cherene Aubert is the Director of Growth at Bobbie, the first European style organic infant formula that meets FDA standards. Bobbie has raised over $50M to take the soon to be 100B+ formula market by storm. Cherene honed her craft and expertise in growth & ecommerce while working for agencies like Human Marketing and Common Thread Collective. In 2021 Cherene joined Bobbie as their key growth director and built Bobbie's growth playbook from the ground up.

13:49 - 14:41
The Reason Customer Personas are KEY

It's the least impulsive purchase you can make is infant formula. You actually need to have an infant and you actually need to feed it formula. And there's only a short window of time in an infant's life where it consumes formula, it's the first 12 months. So for us, it's really, so much different than DTC acquisition in other industries, like so many purchases or impulse purchases, and there's ways that you can incentivize and motivate someone to purchase. So much of our purchasing journey revolves around research. I mean, it's a high AOV product, it's high stakes, you need to know what's in it. So when we think about growth, we think about educating people around why this option is the right option for them.

An Overlooked Hack for Growth Marketers
22:46 - 23:05

I will say like for the growth marketers out there, media is such a massive growth channel that you know, PR and media, I feel like it's a little bit underrated by growth marketers, but it you can get spikes in traffic that you will never see with paid advertising

Why You Need A UGC Strategy
27:55 - 28:16

it's the UGC that comes from real customers that always does the best. So when we turn back on again, it's I know exactly how we're going to turn the machine on. It's going to be taking that UGC and creating a production house to push it out and continue iterating on it.

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Cherene Aubert- Director of Growth of Bobbie
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Paul Michaux is the co-founder & head of product at Prose, the DTC customized hair care brand. Michaux founded Prose in 2017 but he built up his expertise and knowledge of product, branding, & consumer goods working at P&G, Christian Dior, and L’Oréal. Prose has achieved immense success and is a leader in hyper-personalization consumer goods. They’re backed by the some of the biggest names in VC like Insight Partners, Forerunner Ventures, and Lerer Hippeau Ventures.

The Unique Strategy That Fueled Prose’s Growth
20:38
And it was like “No, no, it’s actually great to create friction. And some friction is sometimes useful, this is how we make a sale. And this is how we think of the time to actually close on the sale. As opposed to just click here, you didn’t understand anything about the product, but hopefully you’re going to buy it. So we spend a lot of time creating this funnel and creating the tech stack to, to make it work

The 2 Things Every Entrepreneur Needs To Know
22:48 - 23:16
And if I have advice for any entrepreneur or anyone thinking about who their consumer is. Like my first is not to listen to advice. That’s my first advice to everyone. But the second one is thinking about the channels and how you want to use It. Like maybe you’re not a direct-to consumer brand. Maybe you’re just like a very cool CPG brand, but you’re not direct-to-consumer. And maybe that’s okay.

How This Famous Brand Pulled off The IMPOSSIBLE

26:45 - 27:03
I think a lot of CPG brands actually outsource their uniqueness. And then it’s hard to experience what makes you unique it’s just like, we all use the same lab, creating more or less the same product, we change the fragrance and the packaging but no, It’s our own chemist, it’s our own lab, it’s all our own tech platform. Again, not because we want it to be that but because we had to come up with a tech platform to create these customized products. And then overall it’s our own platform, our own data too.The Trick

To Building Businesses That Last
38:35 - 39:01
The importance of a direct to consumer brand is not to sell one product and run away, right? Like no one can create a sustainable direct consumer brand with just one sale. It’s the LTV. And if you’re serious about the LTV, of course, you have the retention team. And of course, it’s what we have. And we think about like lifecycle marketing and all these things. But also like just really using the feedback that you have from your customer into the product is so important.

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Paul Michaux - Co-Founder & Product Prose

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Alex Plugaru is the CTO & cofounder of Gorgias, the customer service tool born from Techstars NYC program. Gorgias now has 9K+ customers (including some of the most well-known brands), $25M ARR, a global team of 230+ people, and $75M in fundraising. Before starting Gorgias in 2015, Alex worked as a web developer at various companies.

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Alex Plugaru - Co-Founder & CTO Gorgias

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Jeff Nobbs is the co-founder & CEO of Zero Acre Farm, an environmentally-focused food company. Nobbs has been an entrepreneur from day 1. As a teenager in 2006, he cofounded cashback shopping website Extrabux. It was acquired by ebates in 2014. In 2015, Nobbs jumped into the food scene and started a healthy, fast-casual restaurant Kitava — which he still owns today. When COVID hit, he co-foundedHelpKitchen to combat food insecurity. HelpKitchen has since served millions of free meals to people in need. And in 2020 he decided it was time enter the oil business. At the same time, he cofounded Zero Acre Farms to remove destructive vegetable oils from the food system.

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Jeff Nobbs - Co- Founder & CEO of Zero Acre Farms

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Jeff Nobbs - Founder & CEO of Zero Acre

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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In this episode of DTC Pod, Oren has a candid conversation with Blaine and Ramon about the social strategy behind the FYRE Festival, why he’s tired of talking about the festival, and how he’s reinvented himself since then. As an expert in branding & social media, Oren also gives us some tips on how to create a solid social strategy and also shares his personal opinion on the state of social media.

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Oren Aks - Founder of Atomic Milk Media

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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In this episode of DTC Pod, we cover a lot like the best way to cook a steak, why serving up ads to customers is pointless, the idea of finding a calling, and more. For the students tuning in, Khosravi also talks about his personal experience and why you should never let grades or your past define you. This is an episode you don’t want to miss.

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Darian Khosravi - Founder & CEO of Kosmo’s Q

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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In this episode of DTC Pod, Tom discusses the evolution of advertising and why OOH advertising is ripe for disruption. We also dive into how he came up with the idea for Adgile, the revolutionary technology supporting this truck-side advertising, and why DTC & challenger brands are gravitating towards Adgile. Tom also gives us an inside look into how he thinks about sales and why trust is the foundation of any successful relationship.

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Thomas Shea - Founder & CEO of Adgile

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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In this episode of DTC Pod, Kasey discusses the art of storytelling on social media platforms, specifically TikTok. We talk about what makes a great TikTok video, a great TikTok hook, and why voiceovers are more important than visuals. Kasey also explains how he’s used TikTok to create brand awareness, attract Shark Tank casting directors, and create retail opportunities - without spending a penny.

The Vacation That Changed His Life Forever
3:45 - 4:04
So when I went to go do this travel part of what I wanted to do, instead of it just being like, Hey, let’s go do this for fun. I wanted to come back with a skill set. And that skill set was to be able to shoot and to edit. So I bought my first camera. And for the first 100 days I shot every day, I edited a video, and I uploaded it to YouTube documenting my travel.

This Brand Got 300M Views, Without Spending A Dollar
18:29 - 19:01
We did finally, I think crack the code of TikTok to what people connect with. And that was what enabled us to grow so fast, so quick. And yeah, it’s been our biggest. Especially now like you’re talking about the troubles that are happening in paid social, like everybody cutting budgets and the CAC to get people now is so high, but we haven’t had to do any paid so far. And so our CAC is like zero, and TikTok has been driven everything from Shark Tank reaching out within the first five days wanting us to come on the show to retailers reaching out.

The Framework for Building Viral Organic Content
23:26 - 24:09
It’s all about there’s this formula. You have a hook. I mean, you have 2 to 3 seconds to get somebody to stay there. You have a hook. You have a conflict that happens. And then you have a resolution or a call to action to that. And so every single video since then has been some sort of a hook. “This is how we failed.” “17 minutes to know if our product was going to make it or not” “The worst phone call since we started our business.” All these things. Not that they’re all bad. But to be honest, some of the negative ones are the ones that seem to perform the best. And then you just talk about that conflict, what happened. Boxes came and we had an a ship but lollipops were broken. And this is the resolution, we stayed up all night, we checked one by one every single lollipop and threw away their broken ones. And we’re going to be able to make it to launch.

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Kasey Stewart - Founder & CEO of Suckerz

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Nick joins Blaine & Ramon on DTC Pod to give the audience an inside look into the world of Growth Marketing & eCommerce. Nick talks about he created Every Man Jack’s digital marketing program, the strategy and logistics behind omnichannel commerce, attracting consumers to Every Man Jack’s DTC channel, how he approaches advertising, and the different advertising channels he is excited to experiment with.

How to differentiate your DTC channel
20:35 - 21:53
How I thought about every man Jack is digital, younger, and trial. So this is about me This is first and foremost, we're going to create a great digital experience, where it's not just going to be focused on merchandising, it's going to be focused on education, have to have that right to this is going to be about a certain type of consumer, which is a younger consumer. And we know that if we're going to be if we're going to be effective in digital, then we're going to try and focus on do getting product into your hands. And knowing that as you graduate over, you know, five to 10 years, if we get you early, as you graduate, we're going to have this incredible layer of distribution around you that, you know, once you start running to the store to go pick up things for your kids and your family, like we're gonna be there for you eventually. So it's all about figuring out for at least in my experience, it was about figuring out the real role of the site, not just like, let's get every man jack up online, like what is its place? As a as a channel? Within our overall channel mix?

This is the next wave of advertising
42:37 - 43:20
And then in terms of what I'm looking forward to in the future. We're you know, like many brands were were really bullish on on streaming and on CTV and linear. And I think we've been so focused on direct response. It's been, it's been really great for us to really kind of open the floodgates. And we have a we pushed our relationship with with Disney even further. And we're just we're really interested in in buying ESPN media for the back to school campaign. So I think we're really we're really excited about August and September.

49:33 - 51:09
The Q’s to Ask BEFORE Spending Money on Ads
And I think it comes down to thinking about your product and the role it's playing. Is this is this brand new technology? Is this a brand new way of doing things that even just the slightest even even just hearing about it causes me to look into it? Versus Is this a brand that needs to be seen? Like does hearing about this brand do anything for the consumer or is it simple And that needs to be seen, or thinking about the demographics of your ideal user? Is this someone who like is this someone that needs to be 18. And they need to see this brand being held or being used by an 18 year old, or an if my core consumers 18 year old, well, then I have a, I have some channels that are ideally suited for that.

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Nick Hasselberg - VP of Growth Marketing & eCommerce at Every Man Jack

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Brosnan and Heckman join Blaine & Ramon to discuss the process of creating, scaling, and selling an e-commerce business. They cover topics including how to start an online store, how to validate before investing in inventory, getting started with print on demand options, tapping into sourcing agent networks, what makes a viable partnership with a manufacturer, options for acquisition, how to sell the business, how OpenStore’s credibility and ethos made them the right buyer, what payout and transition looks like, and what opportunities look exciting next.

11:27 - 12:15
“New Age Entrepreneurship Methodology”
I think something unique that that we did, it’s kind of the New Age Entrepreneurship Methodology now is to kind of like pre launch products. So before we actually put $1 into inventory, we launched the entire collection for all the brands that we did. So we have done a sock company, a tie dye company, jewelry company, yoga company, men’s apparel company, a couple other in there, but those were our five kind of most successful brands. Every one of those was pre sold at the start. So we just built out the collection, didn’t have any inventory, just told our customers that we were going to be pre selling. And we just were trying to gauge interest and drive some some traffic and see how well the site converted. See what our cost per clicks were on Facebook and see if we had real traction before we started pursuing the product.

24:56 - 25:37
Having Trust Saves Time And Money
The one piece of advice that I would say is to find one supplier instead of like going through Alibaba, that might be how you have to find an initial supplier, but build a relationship with one supplier that you really trust. Because even if like our jewelry supplier, for example, she didn’t manufacture yoga mats and socks and all that kind of stuff. But she was able to give us recommendations. We’d say, hey, we need to source x, y. And she would say, I’ll introduce you to my friend who has a manufacturer who does this. And cutting Alibaba and the online lists out of the process will save you a ton of time. But in the beginning, it’s kind of necessary to build that first relationship.

1:01:30 - 1:02:12
Don’t Let Failure Slow You Down
We have had way more failures than we’ve had success. We’ve probably launched 15 to 20 stores. We’ve had 5 successful 5 or 6 successful stores. Like we just move fast test things. The classic move fast, break things, fix it. Especially with eCommerce online business, it’s easy to move fast. You have no excuse not to move fast, and at least test concepts and ideas. And then when you have something you believe in or at least believe that can be a success, then taking the time and investing in the cop (edited)

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Brendan Brosnan and Chris Heckman- Co-founders of Yogaste

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Nish joins Blaine to talk about how he started Arrae with his wife, Siffat Haider. They discuss how to build a DTC brand with a product lens, what it took to get to the first 17K orders, personal touches to drive early sales, how they transitioned into scaling, how they got Hailey Beiber as a mega fan of Arrae, the tech stack that powers their growth, how they think about subscription experience, timing their retail strategy, and how they got into 13 Erewhon locations.

23:01 -23:58
Never Underestimate the Power of a Selfie
We wanted people to know that they were buying the product from us. And so everything was hand packaged we never use a fulfillment center in the early days. And every single thing like we would buy custom, tissue wrapping paper, we’d wrap up the products, we would write a handwritten note. And then me and my wife used to take a Polaroid selfie. Every Polaroid would be an authentic one, because we would be taking it ourselves with a Polaroid camera. And so it would it would take about 10-15 seconds per photo. And so we would do that for like 1000s of orders. We didn’t get a fulfillment center until after our first million dollars in sales. And so that all of that was just pure I guess sweat, sweat equity that we put in everything. And that really, really helped because people used to post with it all the time to like who are these people? And why is there a photo of them in the package. And it was actually like kind of cute, like people really, really liked it.

12:36 - 13:04
Before Creating a Subscription Program, Ask Yourself This.
I actually still think that subscription, as great as a business model is, it’s really annoying from a customer perspective, if it’s not a good experience. And so what we try to do is like we first have to find, okay, natively, how are people using the product? How are they like consuming? What’s the frequency on which they’re consuming it? What kind of person is that that requires us this product on subscription? And then we very specifically cater our subscription offers to those kinds of customers.

27:10 - 28:00
When Hailey Bieber Loves Your Product
I saw the PayPal notification pop up. And then I was like oh wow is this really her? And so I looked it up and I was like, Oh wow that’s really her. So we sent her some product. And we wrote a handwritten note or whatever. And then five days later she orders like five more. And so I was like Oh wow she really likes her product. And then basically, we shipped it out to her. And then her assistant at the very end of it sent me a message being like Hey, I know you shipped the product, but it’s not getting here fast enough because Hailey’s gone tomorrow, and she needs the product today. And so I was in LA at the time. So I was like You know what can I just come and drop it off? And she’s like Yeah you can come up drop it off. Just come to Justin Bieber’s house. I was like Yep I’m on my way there. So me Siff and literally like Siff’s brother and one of our team members, we all loaded up in my car and we just drove over to Justin Bieber’s house to go and hand deliver this product.

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Nishant Samantray- Co-founder of Arrae

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Jonah Reider is an NYC based chef, entrepreneur, and writer for Food & Wine. Prior to starting Pzaz, Jonah made a name for himself cooking meals in his dorm room at Columbia which turned into famed supper club and boutique condiments brand, Pith. Jonah hosts the bi-monthly column “Supper Club” at Food & Wine magazine, and has contributed to GQ, Vice, the Food Network, and more around the food & hospitality space. He’s also collaborated with several major brands like Gucci, Hermes, Land Rover, and The New Yorker to create unique dining experiences. Now Jonah is entering the CPG startup world and building an energy empire called Pzaz. Jonah joins DTC Pod to talk about his launch, developing product and form factor, brand positioning, local retail distribution strategy, and how to make a big impression in a crowded CPG landscape.

Highlights:

32:04 - 32:28
Embrace every part of your product
Pzaz is not a flavor first brand in the sense that I don’t want people to buy it because they think it’s the most delicious, delicate, unique flavor they’ve tasted. It’s functional first. And we don’t have paragraphs and paragraphs on our website about all the functional ingredients. It’s functional in that it wakes you up. If you want to wake up and you don’t want a beverage or you can’t have a beverage, this is the product for you.

35:54 - 36:51
Most Subscriptions Get This Wrong
We only sell subscriptions on our website. If you don’t want to subscribe, if you cancel your subscription, that’s fine. I’m not here insisting on having the lowest churn rate of all time. We’ll catch you somewhere else on Amazon, Go Puff, at the bodega. That subscription version of purchase needs to be so distinct and rewarding from any other type of purchase, you need to get, you know a giant Pzaz tattoo when you order from Pzaz.com. You need to get a little zazz chain to wear on your neck that connects to the cap so you can take it out on your third order. There should be a real reason to join that DTC community for everyone who comes into the fold. And if they don’t, we’ll still keep them as part of our digital community and solicit content that really raises up the amazing retailers who are carrying us in their stores

44:03 - 44:55
The Ultimate IRL Launch Strategy
We’re at multiple parties going on in the city, multiple clubs, music venues, sporting events, private parties, art openings, you name it there there will be someone with a backpack of Pzaz putting these tubes out in the bathroom, at the check in counter, at the bar, wherever you might stumble upon it. We have a little, all the energy drink companies have cars. Red Bulls got the Mini Cooper. Monsters got this big truck. We have a single electric scooter sort of like you know in New York they’re called Revels, and we’ve decked it out. It’s it’s ridiculously zazzy. It looks like this office. It’s bright yellow. It has like ludicrously bright rainbow lights, a huge Pzaz flag. And we have people driving this scooter every hour of every day of the summer.”

50:21 - 50:54
Should New Brands Use Distributors?
The vast majority of their revenue from just a few huge companies that sell massive quantities, but are giving the distributor a tiny, tiny, tiny percentage. So they’ll take on, like almost any. They’ll take on plenty of new brands and not really push you at all, not help that much, take a lot a lot of your margin. And I didn’t want to get caught in that. And I also I think I wanted to have some experience at launching, really understanding what it means to hit the pavement and deliver product and deal with people saying no.

56:34 - 57:31
Every Startup Needs a Laser Focus
Consumer packaged goods in the energy space are really missing a cultural moment and an opportunity to explore new form factors, delivery mechanisms, and of course, branding. And we have a lot of interesting new product ideas, new avenues to take to approach this mission. But I would say we’re, I am and I try to have our whole team aligned on this, really keeping ourselves quite laser focused on launching and remembering what our key objectives are. We want to be in stores, doing well, building a community and driving digital interactions that everybody finds valuable and exciting and fun. And, that’s what we’re really focused on. So I hope anyone listening who’s made it all the way to the end of this. Get your ass to Pzaz.com.

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Jonah Reider- CEO of Pzaz.com

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Don’t hesitate to reach out to us on socials or directly to Blaine & Ramon if you have a guest you’d like to recommend, or specific topics you’d like to learn more about in the consumer, creator, and commerce landscape which we can explore with future guests.How did the pod start and where are we going?

How Consumer, Creator, & Commerce businesses are built
Bring different perspectives that can be applied across business landscapes

How has the DTC landscape changed since?

Solving for distribution challenges and identifying acquisition arbitrage
Organic reach and leveraging product
Content and building brand distribution
Shopify audiences for shopify plus brands
Retention and cx become top of mind to drive organic growth
Principles for the right business to work on for you
Subscriptions and unit economics
DTC becomes the testnet for CPG & prioritization of retail distribution
Using SMS as a marketer
Shopify & prospects for continued growth, challenges of the ecosystem
Data & solving for technical sprawl across more platforms
More enablement solutions looking for limited margin.. only the best core utilities survive

Previous episodes and learnings from DTC Pod guests:

Pattern - Emmett Shine & launching some of the biggest brands in DTC
Tabs - Owning distribution and prioritizing organic
Lunar, Zbiotics, Ghia - where product meets production
Coltyy - how to work with social algorithms
Ridge - going from 10-100 million
Openstore - An option for brands to cash out
Bite - mission first & founder hustle beyond shark tank

Product finds & whats next:

some of the products we’ve discovered through the pod
Noowave, Awful, Rosaluna, Zbiotics, Bite, Ridge, Swagup & more

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Mélanie chats with Blaine & Ramon about building Ghia. Some topics include how to create a new beverage category, production considerations for a new beverage type, early-stage funding advice and key supporters along the way, customer-led product iteration, building a culinary first brand, design and branding insight, leveraging restaurants and retail as a distribution strategy, Ghia’s focus on retail channels, and much more.

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Mélanie Masarin- CEO & Co-founder of Ghia

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Growing up, Darrin Willingham dreamed of playing in the NFL. But then he discovered his love for creating content. Darrin discusses how he found himself in the world of YouTube, making videos, monetizing his passion for sneakers, and coming full circle by working with pro-athletes off the field. Darrin also gives some tips on building a strong social media foundation and personal brand.

3:59 - 8:14 Discovering ways to make money

8:30 - 10:18 Getting banned from YouTube

10:39 - 11:57 Building a solid YouTube foundation for brand partnerships

14:03 - 22:57 Monetizing your passion

24:27 - 26:01 Importance of branding yourself

29:57 - 32:46 Creating your own luck & seeking opportunities

34:07 -39:44 Diversifying your income stream

42:11 - 45:28 Creating authentic content

52:18 - 54:00 Goals for the future

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Darrin Willingham - Creator & Host of DNA SHOW

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Blaine & Ramon are thrilled to have Kevin Wong as a guest on DTC Pod and dive into building the first Asian American craft hard seltzer alcohol brand - Lunar. Kevin talks about the early days of home brewing, perfecting the formula, and learning from failed batches and supply chain. He also gets into the business side and talks about selling to restaurants and becoming one of the most in-demand items at Trader Joe's.

2:14 - 5:42 Life before Lunar

9:56 - 13:52 Creating Lunar

14:56 - 17:57 Early days of Lunar

18:21 - 20:22 Navigating regulation in the alcohol industry

20:48 - 30:06 Learning to make hard seltzer

30:57 - 32:37 The first failed batch

34:42 - 42:00 Got to market strategy

47:36 - 50:01 Getting into Trader Joe’s

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Kevin Wong - Co-Founder of Lunar

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Terry Lee stopped by the DTC POD studio to talk to Blaine & Ramon about building Rosaluna and specifically how he’s established Rosaluna’s culture and values (ex: moving with intention versus just moving fast). Terry also discusses visiting Oaxaca, Mexico, learning about how mezcal is made, and meeting the multi-generational family of farmers who make it.

2:41 - 6:21 Terry’s background

8:42 - 19:13 Working at MeUndies

19:47 - 25:33 Building a team culture & values

25:34 - 34:56 Why build fast and break things is the opposite of Rosaluna’s culture

36:40 - 44:13 Hiring and finding talent

45:42 - 1:06:18 Building Rosaluna

1:07:10 - 1:14:25 Future plans for Rosaluna

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Terry Lee - Co-Founder of Rosaluna

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Blaine & Ramon chat with Chaz Zayed and Emmit Flynn about how they started Awful Cloth in their dorm room and grew it into a viral brand, collaborating with Barstool on a hoodie, why they’ve seen so much success with influencers (side note: they’ve never paid any influencer to wear their hoodie!), and their plans to grow the brand.

2:06 - 7:59 The Start of Awful Cloth

15:30 - 18:46 Entrepreneurial Mindset from Day 1

19:34 - 23:38 Going Viral

24:32 - 26:19 Influencer Marketing

27:15 - 30:22 Barstool Collab

31:19 - 36:16 Reaching out to Influencers

37:07 - 41:15 The Challenges of Entrepreneurship

42:19 - 46:39 Working on Awful Cloth’s Website

47:01 - 54:49 Future Collabs

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Emmit Flynn - Co-Founder of Awful Cloth

Chaz Zayed - Co-Founder of Awful Cloth

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Tono Mandly stopped by DTC Pod's Miami studio to discuss the current consumer landscape in Latin America and how Riogrande is filling a gap in the consumer market, the startup scene in LatAm, the challenges of building in Latin America, and the incredible potential for this $100 billion e-commerce market.

3:47 - 10:22 Tono's background

10:36 - 14:22 Ecommerce landscape in LatAm

14:28 - 16:47 Challenges in LatAm Ecommerce

17:03 - 21:18 What is Riogrande

21:21 - 23:46 Consumer landscape in LatAm

26:22 - 29:12 Operating in different countries

30:07 - 33:59 Startup scene in LatAm

34:17 - 36:12 Fixing the lack of trust between consumers and businesses

38:12 - 40:10 Opportunity in LatAm

40:12 - 41:53 VCs in LatAM

41:55 - 43:07 Who should join YC

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Tono Mandly- CEO of Riogrande

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Zach Abbott maker of the world's 1st genetically engineered probiotics. Purpose-built to help our bodies handle the diets and environments of modern life joins Ramon & Blaine to discuss the science behind ZBiotics, the challenges of educating consumers on a genetically engineered probiotic, and how to lean it to being genetically engineered registered with customers.

2:02 - 8:24 Idea for ZBiotics

14:57 - 20:09 The science of a hangover

23:37 - 27:19 Genetically engineerings is easier than you think

28:11 - 33:30 Making sure ZBiotics works

35:24 - 39:19 How do you sell a genetically engineered prebiotic

40:36 - 45:18 Leaning into being GMO

46:24 - 47:26 Working with a marketing and branding agency

47:57 - 49:55 Getting customer feedback

49:48 - 51:14 Figuring out manufacturing

52:17 - 53:48 Growing since 2021

54:12 - 56:09 The future of ZBiotics

57:37 - 58:35 Where to find ZBiotics and Zach

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Zach Abbott - CEO of ZBiotics

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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While Aspen is still in its early days, we’re excited to have Keta Burke-Williams on the pod to discuss the logistics of building a fragrance company. In this episode of DTC pod, you’ll hear Blaine & Ramon talk with Keta about creating a scent, finding a manufacturer, finding her voice when pitching to VCs, optimizing for online and offline sales, being smart with your resources, and tapping into your network.

8:20 - 9:20 The inspiration behind Aspen

15:43 - 16:06 Consumer trust is fragile

32:34 - 33:24 Why being cheap is smart

19:06 - 19:43 How to sell a scent online

26:03 - 26:47 Combatting imposter syndrome

40:10 - 40:49 Don’t underestimate your network!

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Keta Burke-Williams - Founder of Aspen Apothecary

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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We’re thrilled to have Kristin Toth join Blaine & Ramon on DTC Pod where she walks us through her career trajectory and how she narrowed in on supply chain & ops, being an advisor to multiple startups, why building a circular furniture company is challenging, how Fernish strategically launched in two cities to test product-market, and how Fernish has evolved over time.

1:51 - 5:49 What is Fernish?
6:22 - 8:38 The story behind Fernish
12:04 - 18:07 Kristin’s career trajectory
18:39 - 22:15 Working at Amazon
24:07 - 26:53 The role of an advisor
26:54 - 31:00 Working at Fernish
32:31 - 37:59 The early days of Fernish
40:05 - 43:00 Data & Logistics
50:48 - 52:48 What Fernish is focusing on now

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Kristin Toth - President & COO of Fernish

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Paul Voge speaks with Blaine & Ramon about how creating DIY flavors with his soda stream led to a full-fledge sparkling water business.
Paul discusses the challenges of building a CPG brand, being on Sharktank during the height of COVID, Aura Bora’s path into retail stores, why he prefers retail over DTC orders, and more.

4:17- 6:06 Starting a CPG brand

9:08 - 15:34 Co-packers and distributor

15:50 - 17:04 Family & friend investors

17:12 - 23:04 Filming Sharktank in COVID

24:57 - 29:26 Creating new flavors

29:48 - 35:29 Retail over DTC

35:37 - 38:29 Watchout for chargebacks

43:55 - 49:19 Retail stores that carry Aura Bora

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Paul Voge - Co-Founder of Aura Bora

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Stix makes women’s at-home health essentials like fertility, pregnancy, UTI, and yeast infection products. In today’s episode, Stix cofounder Cynthia Plotch chats with Ramon & Blaine about building Stix, finding investors, talking to customers about difficult subjects, and how her prior experience at Harmless Harvest gave her the confidence to create Stix.

1:10 - 5:52 Story behind Stix

8:08 - 8:45 Medical Advisory Board

13:19 - 16:56 Raising VC money

17:59 - 20:31 Prior startup experience

22:37 - 28:57 Understanding the customer

29:25 - 38:33 Customer service & conversations

39:35 - 43:24 Product & Regulatory Environment

45:29 - 46:13 Distribution

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Cynthia Plotch - Co-Founder of Stix

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Emily Elyse Miller talks to Blaine & Ramon about building OffLimits and how her creative background has informed the brand. OffLimits is also one of the early adopters of Web3, and Emily dives into how they’re currently using NFTs, what excites her about Web3, challenges with Web3, and what other brands need to consider before jumping into this.

3:16 - 7:42 Emily’s Breakfast Club Series

8:06 - 10:46 Writing a Cookbook

12:48 - 14:25 Idea for OffLimits

15:33 - 17:35 Getting into Web3

21:06 - 21:52 Finding Your Day 1 Brand Champions

22:35 - 25:37 OffLimits Web3 Strategy

26:14 - 29:45 Tools Supporting Web3

30:17 - 33:58 Brands Considering Web3

38:53 - 41:09 OffLimit’s Cereal Toys

42:21 - 44:30 Supply Chain Issues

45:38 - 48:17 OffLimits Latest Web3 Project

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Emily Elyse Miller - Founder of Offlimits

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Geoffrey Woo joins Blaine & Ramon on DTC POD to discuss why he started Anti Fund with Jake Paul, what they look for in founders when investing, and where he sees opportunity in Web 3. Geoff also dives into why Anti Fund is not your traditional VC, managing founders’ expectations when a celebrity investor is involved, and why they prefer investing in infrastructure over pure consumer startups.

1:13 - 8:18 What is Anti Fund

8:59 - 14:29 Where they’re investing

15:23 - 17:38 Anti Fund’s deals

18:35 - 23:27 Being in Miami

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Geoffrey Woo - Co-Founder of Anti Fund, Archive, & HVMN

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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On this episode of DTC Pod, Sam Madani chats with Ramon Berrios & Blaine Bolus to discuss how he built Bomani and the ups-and-downs of the entrepreneurial journey. The road to success for Bomani wasn’t easy. They faced a ton of rejection from local brewers, but they persevered and decided to pitch their concept to the biggest brewer in the country, and it worked! But that was just the first step. Sam discusses getting Bomani into customers’ hands, the process of selling to restaurants and bartenders, building brand awareness through the Cold Buzz Crew, adapting during COVID, and expanding Bomani’s retail presence.

0:19 - 3:08 What’s Bomani

3:51 - 5:41 Launching Bomani

6:21 - 10:28 30 questions you should be asking

11:32 - 15:58 Partnering with the biggest brewer in the US

18:43 - 20:25 Bomani’s first investor

20:26 - 22:00 Adapting to COVID

22:39 - 23:44 Expanding beyond friends & family

24:43 - 29:27 The cold buzz crew

29:43 - 36:32 Building partnerships with bartenders and restaurants

38:38 - 41:57 Getting into Whole Foods

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Sam Madani - Co-Founder & CEO of Bomani

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Tabs Chocolate is a sexually enhancing dark chocolate founded by two University of Michigan undergrads Jake and Oliver. Blaine and Ramon are excited to have Jake Lewin and Oliver Brocato on DTC Pod to discuss how they designed specifically for TikTok, negotiating and working with influencers, creating viral videos, and making 90K in revenue in just 3.5 weeks after launch.

2:05 - 8:24 Entrepreneur Background

17:58 - 19:27 Getting Started with Tabs

24:05 - 27:33 Finding the Right Channel

28:44 - 31:29 Working with Influencers

32:55 - 37:22 Content / Social Strategy

38:43 - 42:49 Designing for TikTok

51:01 - 51:42 Bootstrapped

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Jake Lewin & Oliver Brocato- Founders of Tabs Chocolate

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Mid-Day Squares is the healthy chocolate bar company that’s built a name for itself through its bold content. Today on the pod, Ramon and Blaine are joined by the architect of Mid-Day’s brand voice & content strategy, Jake Karls, better known as the “Rainmaker” at MDS. As a Rainmaker, Jake is out there developing critical relationships with multiple stakeholders (i.e., press, investors, customers, etc.), cultivating the brand’s personality, and getting people excited about MDS.

1:17 - 4:27 Idea for Mid-Day Squares

4:55 - 7:38 Forming Mid-Days Content Strategy

10:07 - 10:55 Creating a Personality

11:48 - 13:32 Highs and Lows of Documenting Everything

14:00 - 17:55 Turning customers into fans

18:24 - 20:37 Celebrity Package Goods

20:58 - 23:42 Jake’s background and being a Rainmaker

25:14 - 30:46 Misunderstood and Hershey’s lawsuit

31:26 - 34:00 Getting everyone on board and therapy

34:45 - 38:00 Financing Content

38:13 - 42:33 Motivating young people

43:12 - 47:42 Evolution of MDS & DTC sales

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Jake Karls- CEO of Mid-Day Squares

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Chris Bernard AKA “Bernie” joins Blaine and Ramon to discuss Mindright and working with Rob Dyrdek, learning from previous business mistakes of growing too fast, the importance of building your brand’s community before utilizing celebrity ambassadors, how TikTok is helping Mindright grow, and more.

Buff Bake 2:07 -3:03

Story behind Mindright 6:44 - 10:12

Pitching to Rob Dyrdek 11:03 - 14:12

Celebrity investors 16:35 - 17:33

Leveraging celebrity investors 18:19 - 19:42

Getting into retail 22:31 - 24:01

Brand ambassadors and influencers 24:34 - 26:27

Building the team 30:14 - 32:15

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Chris Bernard- CEO of Mindright

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Lindsay McCormick, CEO and co-founder of Bite, chats with Blaine and Ramon about her zero-waste company that makes personal care & hygiene products. Lindsay started Bite with $6,000 dollars and originally hand-made and packaged Bite's toothpaste tablet from her living room in L.A. In 2019, Lindsay went on Shark Tank and turned down offers from Mark Cuban and Kevin O'Leary. Bite has experienced tremendous growth and continues to be completely bootstrapped and profitable.

9:18-10:12 Visualizing facts

11:03-11:45 Pretend your pitching to the sharks

22:28-23:03 Talking to your customers

25:33-26:23 Pitching your product in-person to consumer

45:50-46:41 Start super niche then expand

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Lindsay McCormick - CEO and Founder of Bite

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Better & Better recently raised a $4M seed round, Blaine and Ramon got the chance to talk to Vlad in-depth about his entrepreneurial journey, the difficulty of pitching a DTC product in a trend-driven VC climate (note: many investors are interested in investing crypto, NFTs, traditional SaaS, etc), competing against legacy brands like Colgate, using customer feedback to relaunch SKUs, and more!

RocketHub and Meural 3:08 - 7:20

Inspiration behind Better & Better 7:47 - 10:51

Proof of concept 12:05 - 14:13

Pitching a DTC to VC 14:34 - 15:33

Better & Better seed investors 15:36 - 16:47

The questions VC’s ask 17:55 - 21:30

Advisors, prototypes, and employees 27:24 - 30:34

Decreasing CAC for Better Better 32:37 - 33:23

Bottom-up pitch vs. Top-down pitch 33:24 - 35:57

Challenging legacy brands 41:15 - 43:26

Improving the product 49:13 - 50:55

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Vlad Vukicevic - CEO Better & Better

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Rob Fraser, CEO of Endur, chats with Blaine and Ramon about how his career as an athlete enabled him to succeed as an entrepreneur and taught him the value of persistence, determination, and the ability to overcome failure. As an entrepreneur of a multi-million dollar brand, Rob discusses the power of bootstrapping & being scrappy (i.e., hitting the pavement & selling directly to customers, getting in-person customer feedback and transferring those learning to the online customer experience), creating a unique business model that allows endur to white-labels socks, maintain cashflow & reinvest that cash into endur or inline inventory, the power of ambassador programs, and how COVID propelled endur to new heights.

Being an athlete… 0:56

From athlete to entrepreneur… 7:30 - 10:19

COVID’s effect on Endur 12:23 - 15:43

Avoiding analysis paralysis 16:47 - 17:13

Hitting the pavement 17:19 - 21:04

Website tips 21:53 - 23:29

Brand ambassador program 23:52 - 24:31

Identifying brand super powers 25:00 - 27:39

Making the first million 28:55 - 30:34

The changes after one million 30:36 - 33:16

Relentless pursuit of the mission 36:42 - 39:29

Endur’s unique business model 39:47 - 43:22

M&A 46:16 - 47:41

Working in the office 51:13 - 52:07

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Rob Fraser - CEO & Founder of Endur

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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David Gaylord has had a multifaceted career in ecommerce. He started at Shopify in 2015 as a customer success agent, became an Ops Lead in the Office of the COO in 2020, and a Permanent Merchant in Residence in 2021 where he uses his knowledge & experience founding Bushbalm - a natural skincare brand focused solely on the bikini line - to inspire and advise aspiring entrepreneurs. David joins Blaine Bolus and Ramon Berrios at the DTC Pod and tells us what it’s like navigating the world of ecommerce.

Rising through the ranks at Shopify 3:54

Resources to learn about business 14:56

How Bushbalm increased AOV 20:21

Testing out subscriptions 29:21

Getting customer feedback 32:51

Advice on starting a DTC business today 35:29

The anatomy of DTC 43:42

Managing ads for wholesale/ retail channels 46:19

Finding success in waxing salons 48:18

Expanding the team 51:41

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David Gaylord - CEO of bushbalm

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Shaun Brandt, co-founder of Oddit, is a designer and brand builder who is an expert at perfecting the customer journey and reducing friction points. His extensive agency experience (Shaun co-founded a product design agency that grew to 80 employees) helping brands grow enabled him to create Oddit. This first-of-its-kind CRO platform helps DTC brands boost conversion & strengthen loyalty. Shaun chats with Blaine Bolus and Ramon Berrios to discuss what makes Oddit unique and common CVR mistakes brands make.

Building Trust
22:01 - 22:27
If you don't have a ton of reviews, just pulling in one review, right up front and center, instead of even telling customers what it is what your product is just let a customer or a reviewer do it. So things like that, or, you know, instead of listing number of reviews, maybe list how many products you've sold. So maybe you haven't gotten a ton of reviews, because that hasn't been part of your roadmap yet, but you've sold 10,000 units. That's, that's social proof, you know, 10,000 people have trusted you

Clear Communication
33:34 34:27
There's so few users that read every piece of your site, look at a heat map, right? Like it's, it, there's there's a reason there's very specific points that are hot and cold. And it's just doesn't happen, very few users are going to read that entire flow. So I think communicating within actions as specifically as possible is really critical. Same thing with on your PDP, when you have a checkout button, or an Add to Cart button. You know, people are like, they always shy away from putting the price on the Add to Cart button. And I mean, maybe if you're if you're really worried about people being price sensitive, I mean, they're gonna ditch it in their cart if they don't know the price anyway. But I think the simple fact of showing that price and the add to cart, it all it does is it make sure the user doesn't have to look back and forth to the top of the screen. And that little millisecond, it has the smallest effect on conversion and the smallest effect on their drop off, because it's just one less thing that they're doing.

Landing Page
38:59 - 39:34
What's unique about a landing page and where where I think brands could do a lot of learning is that by driving traffic to a landing page that's a little more flexible, a single page with storytelling, checkout. Kind of the full flow on a single page is you learn what works and what doesn't really quickly and you can split test a lot easier. And take those learnings back to your actual domain or your primary site and start to implement them on that end. I don't think you need to test them on both. A lot of the traffic is the same and a lot of the places that people get hung up is going to be the same.

Humanizing Products
24:59 - 25:56
For me UGC is meant to look like UGC, it doesn't always have to be this high produced expensive video, it can really be an iPhone video of someone using it. Because when it's positioned the right way in that story the fidelity really isn't as important anymore. And the same goes with your ad strategy. So I think that's one of the main things is visuals. Like, there's something to be said about the brands that have this beautiful Apple feeling of everything is so perfect and rendered exactly with the right shadows and lighting and sizing. And that's great. It definitely makes the product look high end and does build a certain amount of trust. But I think you really can't have that exclusively. I think you have to find a balance of not UGC, necessarily, but just that more organic like hey here's the product actually in use. I think that's something that a lot of brands are missing on at least on the website.

Alternative CVRs
27:20 - 28:29
What about the conversion rate of brand ambassadors, right? Like, you're gonna get a ton of people to your site that may not purchase, but if you make an impression on them there, they still might talk about it. like Graza olive oil is a perfect example. I can't even buy it. I can't order it in Canada, right? I can’t order it. I can't try it. But I know 10 chefs/ home cooks like I have preached that brand so many damn times. And I've never tried it. I don't know what the olive oil tastes like. I don't know how good the packaging is. I'm strictly basing it off of their storytelling on their site. And traditional CRO doesn't account for that. Right? That brand converted me into a brand ambassador without ever actually purchasing and I probably converted sales for them without them knowing or anyone knowing. But that’s CRO in the Oddit lens, right? Where you're telling a really unique story, you're showing a product really interesting. And you're doing it really organically in a way that converts people into brand ambassadors and brand believers without even ever trying the product. And I think that's a huge miss for a lot of brands where they're just like data, data data.

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Shaun Brandt - Co-founder of Oddit

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Matt Mullenax, CEO of Huron, chats with Blaine & Ramon about his men's care brand offering A+ body care products for guys everywhere. This is Matt’s second time on the DTC Pod. The first time we spoke to Matt was during Huron’s launch, and a lot has happened since, including a global pandemic. Matt discusses how Huron evaluates their supply chain on a super granular level and how this informs their content and marketing strategy, selling on Amazon, and keeping a super clean & lean tech stack.

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Matt Mullenax - CEO & Co-founder of Huron

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Kal Freese, co-founder of Taika chats with Blaine & Ramon about launching the functional coffee brand & how Taika leverages opportunities in Web3 to power brand, community, & product growth.

Kal is a lifelong entrepreneur, YC alum, and multiple time VC backed founder who has always had a deep passion & appreciation for coffee. When he was 21, Kal opened a coffee shop in Helsinki and became a champion barista ranked no.9 in the world. Kal wanted to create the perfect coffee that provided people with energy but didn’t make them feel wired or jittery. He ended up creating Taika, a functional coffee made with adaptogens including L-theanine, lion’s mane, and ashwagandha.

There are many resources on the internet to learn about Web3. Some of the people and resources that Kal recommends checking out include:

Gaby’s Web3 Reading List
Tim Ferris’s podcast with Chris Dixon and Naval Ravikant
John Craven’s twitter spaces
Club CPG
Emily Elyse Miller of OffLimits
Snaxshot by Andrea Hernández

Watch the full episode here:

This episode is brought to you by OpenStore:

Visit https://open.store to get a free, no-obligation offer for your ecommerce business from OpenStore in 24 hours.

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Kal Freese - CEO of Taika

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Ariel Vaisbort is the Influencer Coordinator at OLIPOP. After starting off as a part-time employee, Ariel quickly transitioned into running influencer coordination with OLIPOP full-time. Previously Ariel has developed social media for a number of companies including Her Campus Media, BANGS Shoes, and the Heritage School of Interior Design. She is also proficient in working with influencers and selling consumer products via e-commerce. OLIPOP is a beverage company that offers a healthy alternative to soda, focusing on microbiome and digestive health support.

6:48 – Don’t give people a script

The audience can tell when an influencer is just reading from a script. If you want people to engage with your product, you have to allow the influencer to speak authentically.

“When we work with influencers, we don't give people a script. As a customer, when I see someone reading the script like, ‘Here's the product, I like the product. It is so good.’ Snoozefest. That sucks. That sucks to watch. So for us, as a brand, we don't give people a script. We give people, ‘Here's information about the brand. Here's what you could say, but we want you to talk about what is most impactful to you as a consumer of the product.’ And the biggest thing that we look for when we're working with new people is, does this person know about the product? Have they tried the product? Do they like the product? Because then it's going to come across so much more genuine and so much more real. And so we have people, and we want them to talk more about how the product works for them. Is it getting them fiber? Is it replacing a soda for them? Is it a healthy treat that they switch to instead of drinking wine? And we're trying to lean a lot more into this storytelling aspect and into more genuine stories about why the product is making a difference for people.”

8:52 – Trust your influencers

Influencers know what their audience is going to engage with. Trust your partners to speak authentically to get the most interaction from potential customers.

“At the end of the day, the creators and the influencers know best what their audience is going to respond and react to. This isn't their first time doing a partnership. They know what their audience is going to purchase, they know what their audience is going to be excited about. And we've had conversations with people where I've said to them, ‘Hey, we want to use this content that you've created on our pages, but I totally understand if it doesn't work out for your page.’ If it doesn't fit with your page and your audience, that's going to be weird. And that's how you lose your audience's trust is by posting things that you think, ‘My audience isn't going to like this.’ That's just how it is. And at the end of the day, the biggest thing obviously that we measure in this industry is your engagement rate, the realness of your audience. So if your audience isn't engaged, and you're posting constantly stuff that they don't care about, nobody's going to want to work with you.”

11:31 – Approach influencers for specific needs

No single influencer can target your entire audience. Go to specific influencers so they can speak to specific audience types.

“If you're this amazing graphic artist and you're like, ‘Oh, I have this cool thing I could do for the brand.’ And we want to work with you. I'm not going to say to you, ‘Okay, here's your link and your swipe app, post these Insta stories.’ Because that's not going to perform well. So I think a big thing of being a brand is you can't expect everything from everybody, and you can't expect every content creator that you work with to fulfill every single one of your needs. There are going to be people who will have different target markets, there are going to be people of different interests. You're not going to ask a fitness influencer to, I don't know, post a recipe. That would be a little bit weird. You would go to a food influencer for that. So I think it's just playing to people's strengths, and that's something that's super important for me when I'm having these conversations and seeing, ‘Could we do a partnership? How would that partnership look?’ I want to ask people, ‘What are your goals? What do you feel like you're the best at?’ Because if you feel like you're the best at something, that's what I want to work with you on.”

13:31 – Work with a broad range of people

Don’t just focus on high-profile influencers. Partner with interesting people who can broaden the scope of your target audience.

“If we're only working with LA influencers or New York influencers, well, the target in Omaha, Nebraska, their sales are not going to be as good. That's just how it is. So we're working really hard to work with more people who are honestly just interesting people. We're looking a lot less than when we started, I think, at, ‘How many followers does she have?’ I look so much at, ‘What's her content like? Is this person someone I'd want to be friends with?’ I'm a pretty average Joe, I would say, I'm not buying $30 smoothies at Erewhon. I'm the Target shopper. I'm the consumer. When I'm looking at influencers, would I follow this person? Would I find value from this person? And so that's my biggest thing, especially as we work to expand and broaden our audience.”

16:25 – Support your retail

Tracking conversions can be tricky, if not downright impossible. Make sure the marketing that you do is ultimately supporting retail.

“That’s the trickiest part, tracking your retail conversions. We do a lot of podcasts then, too, and tracking podcasts can also be tricky because you don't know if, ‘Oh, I heard this on The Skinny Confidential Him & Her podcast.’ And six months later they're listening to that episode, they hear about OLIPOP, they go to Target, they buy it there. You have no idea where those people are coming from. So I think that that's definitely a tricky thing. It’s a tricky thing for us. A tricky thing for all brands is connecting the dots there. But I mean, at the end of the day, the marketing stuff that we're doing has to help support retail. And it's one of our goals. Obviously we want people to be coming to us on E-Comm and subscribing, we want people buying directly from us, and we'll do different things that will benefit the E-Comm specific shopper.”

19:09 – Build an online community

To connect with your audience, you have to build a community that they can reach out to. Building a community doesn’t mean spending a lot of money, it just takes time and energy.

“I think that building a community is so important. I think building that community, and creating that trust, and being a friend to people. I want people, when they reach out to OLIPOP, when they DM us, I want them to feel like, ‘I'm talking to Ariel at OLIPOP.’ I want them to feel like they have a connection there. They have a person there. You can accomplish a lot with gifting and seeding. And I don't want brands to be like, ‘Oh OLIPOP, I see their ads all day. Athletic Greens, I see their ads all day.’ These big brands, it's not day one for these brands. And I don't want people who are just starting to get discouraged by that, because I think that there are so many ways that you can build based on creating a community. And honestly, creating a community is free. Yes, it takes your time, it takes your energy. Sure. But dollar spend? Not really. You can create a big, juicy, amazing community with relatively low dollar spend.”

20:27 – Find brand evangelists

Influencers who stick with your brand long-term are your best advocates. So make sure to treat your most loyal partners with extra care.

“A lot of those people who started out as gifting with us from day one are still on the train with us. They're still fans of the product. They'll reach out to us and be like, ‘Can I get product for my kid's birthday party this weekend?’ Yeah, of course. Sure, I'm going to say yes to that. Of course. If you've been on the ride, if you've been on the train this whole time, at that point, those people are your brand evangelists. And if they want 20 coupons to pass out to their family and friends, I'm going to send them. It's pretty easy. I just feel like saying yes a little bit more, and seeing where you can stretch yourself, and saying, ‘Yeah, okay. I'll do it. Why not?’ It's a really great way to do it.”

22:55 – Stay personal

Reaching out personally to influencers over an Instagram DM is the best way to connect with them. How you respond as a brand will inform how influencers and customers alike see you.

“You can add all of the external platforms in the world. And we have added CRM, management tools, organizational tools. There is nothing that beats an Instagram DM. There's just nothing that beats the Instagram message. I have my affiliates, and I’ll send them an email, and then I'll send them a DM saying, ‘Hey, just sent you an email, check your email.’ I just don't think that there's anything that really beats that Instagram message. It's so easy to drop into people's DMs and just say, ‘Hey, how are you doing? How's it going? Let's chat. Let's be friends.’ It's so easy to do that. And I think that that's a really unappreciated art. And I think that the way that you respond to the stories you get tagged in, the way that you respond to people, that's what stands out. And there are some brands that do it really, really well.”

25:08 – Keep your brand’s voice consistent

Hire people who naturally speak with your brand’s voice. If you can keep your branding consistent and authentic, people will be naturally drawn to you.

“For official communications, our copywriter does an amazing job, but I think that honestly, for the most part and a big reason why I was originally brought onto the team, is because of my voice. The way that I talk and I interact is very similar to the brand and how we want the brand to interact. I'm going to send you a message that has emojis in it. That's just who I am as a person. And that's how the brand is. That's how we want the brand to be. We want it to feel like you're talking to a friend by removing that hoity-toity brand thing. It sometimes feels like a brand is talking down to you. And I really don't feel that with OLIPOP. And I feel like that's just because that boils down to hiring and who we're bringing onto the team, and are the people that we're bringing onto the team, do they have that same brand voice? Are they fun to be around? Do they send too many emojis? Awesome! That'll probably work for us.”

42:28 – Learn from your losses

Even if a promotion or partnership isn’t as successful as you wanted it to be, you can still learn from your failures.

“If you send someone two cases of soda and they don't post it on Instagram, how much does that really affect you? You still get to sleep at night. You're okay. Pick it up, move on. I totally get people who are like, ‘I spent a ton of money on this influencer and nothing came of it.’ That definitely sucks, but I think that you can look at that and you can say, ‘Okay, what did I learn from this?’ Maybe I shouldn't put all my eggs in one basket next time, maybe I should spend the same amount of money, but do it across multiple different people. I think there's so many different ways that you can play around with it. And also if you have someone who's listening to this and they're like, ‘Wait, this girl said some really cool stuff.’ Reach out to me, we can talk about it.”

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Ariel Vaisbort - Influencer Coordinator

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Colton Macaulay (@Coltyy), sits down with Blaine & Ramon to detail how he grew his audience to over 10 Million fans on TikTok, 3 Million+ on Youtube, and the creator's perspective on working with DTC brands. For Coltyy, becoming a TikTok star began with a passion for art, photography, and the outdoors. His wildlife photos were getting good attention on Instagram, but the engagement performed much better when he featured himself in the content. From there it seemed a natural step to start producing video, where he could be much less formal—and have fun in the process. Now, it’s not unusual for Colton to spend over 10 hours per day making content for his 10 million+ fans.

00:40 - The “creator house” vibe

Creator houses are a unique space where popular creators gather to produce content. The fact that there is high expectation to produce contracted content for brands is a double-edged sword.

“Obviously to live in these homes, you've got deliverables to meet. So maybe you’ve got to make a certain amount of videos with that caffeine bar, which is called the Nutrohaler per month, to stay and live in that house. Or you got to make a [inaudible], or we have that long format app that's going to be coming out soon, which is Flick. And we've got to make a certain amount of videos to help promote the launch. And then the last content before that would have been The Go, it was a reality show. That was also a shit show. They were just sucking every penny they could from every brand. And we had to like film six hours a day, and all these videos were heavily promoted with different brands.”

08:37 - The first brand deal

Colton’s first brand deal resulted in a viral video with over 8 million views. He’s extremely thoughtful about which brands he will work with and the content he produces, as each video becomes part of his public profile.

“Everything happened very fast. I was putting like crazy hours, like 10 hours a day. In the first two months I got to 72,000. This was 2018, I believe. Two months in around 72,000, and I had my first viral video series two days later. Another viral video series and I was at 450-450,000. I got my first song promo around like 800,000 followers. They just reached out to me. I had no idea what my worth was. I think I was still averaging probably at least 1.5-2 million views, and I think I accepted like $600 bucks, $800 bucks, which I was told was very underpriced. It was like yo, $800 bucks for being on TikTok?? All right. So that was probably my first deal, and that song promo got 8 million views on my video. I do put a lot of time in when it comes to brand deals and things like that. I know I usually can't remove these views from my profile, so I try to make it real good.”

9:53 - Producing content organically

Even when content is part of a paid promotion, Colton’s goal is to work the product or service in as organically as possible.

“The last one that I did was one for Yubo, which is an app kind of like Tinder, but almost for friends. And then you play games and stuff on there. So I was like, all right, I'm in Florida. I’ve got to get this video done within like 24 hours if I want to do it. So my head’s just thinking like how can I incorporate maybe meeting a friend on this app, and doing something kind of crazy in Florida? I was like, okay. I just came from LA. I'm going to say that I was on Yubo and I met this other guy who loves wildlife, and he's in Florida. So I decided to go over to meet him and catch iguanas. So the video was just me and him catching iguanas in Florida. And then we both caught one where we brought them back to where like our Airbnb and were bonding with our iguanas, and then making jokes and stuff throughout the video to make it more entertaining. And that was kind of that promo. I just tried to make it feel as organic as possible. I don't want it to seem like it's forced.”

11:30 - Vetting brand partnerships

As a creator, Colton loathes email. He says the best way brands can approach creators is through DMs, where they should clearly state the type of engagement they’re seeking.

“Most creators absolutely hate email. I'm sure some are pretty good at answering them, but I know a lot of my friends, including me. Super cluttered. I feel like I answer most of the DMs on Instagram. So if there's a company jumping in there, I'm on my screen all the time, including all my friends. Those are the ones I respond to the fastest, and it just seems more personal. I like texts. I like Instagram. I want something personal. The formal stuff, it's not really my thing. That's why having a manager would be awesome, because we're creators. We're not someone who's trying to do emails all day. So the ones that I respond to on Instagram for sure would be the ones that stand out, or they get straight to the point…I would like to know, like, are they just trying to get like a collab, like free product? Sometimes they won't even say. So you have to send emails back and forth to figure out what that is. Like, get straight to the point. Is it you're trying to give us free product for a post, which are very much are the ones I don't want to do. Or are you trying to do pay per download, if it's an app? Or is it a fixed price, where we pay you a certain amount per post? Knowing that it is pretty key for whether I respond or not.”

17:28 - Giving every video 100%

Colton is serious about content and wants every video he creates to perform well. His profile is like a living billboard that showscases high video views as a result of his effort.

“I like having that clean profile. I'm not trying to give away my secrets here, but you know brands are going through your profile and they're looking at how many views you're averaging. I don't want a video on my profile that says 200,000 views, 300,000 if my average is like 2 million, 3 million. When you're making those post for brands, that’s staying on there. So that's why I always give 100% effort. I'll even sometimes redo them. And if I have a real relationship with them, then it usually leads to maybe a possible another deal. Or if I have other brands going through my profile, it increases my price too. It's like, oh, this guy's averaging maybe like 3 million views for brands.”

19:37 - The importance of video editing

The more content Colton produces, the more he considers hiring a videographer to partner with him. The key is finding someone who’s the perfect fit for his style.

“The amount of time that people spend editing is insane. I mean, Justice, the guy in our content house, that guy is on the computer morning till night editing. It's a full-time job. And if I was doing that, especially because my goal for this year is getting to long format content. I got like six videos ready that I'm going to post. If I spend the time editing those six videos, like I bet you I’d probably have 20 less TikToks out right now. So I definitely will have a team. I just gotta find the right guy that fits what I'm looking for. I've tried a few videographers, but it just doesn't match up at all. Like, I'll be in the middle of the woods by myself with this guy, and he just won't talk. I'd be talking and I think I'll say something funny or be like almost asking questions. Like the guy doesn't talk. I'm sure you probably see some YouTube channels where the videographer is almost a character too. You’re kind of like vibing with the person, it's gotta be the same energy.”

21:38 - Why challenges perform well

Videos that include challenges typically get high views, as the audience wants to stick around and find out what happens.

“My first Short that blew up was a challenge. I've done a lot of challenges. Challenges do very well on YouTube Shorts. Don't know why that is. But since I'm pretty athletic, we went to a gymnastics gym and I created a challenge. You know what a box is, like a gymnastics box? Well, it's kind of the same material, but it's a donut. So I placed this donut at higher and higher levels and you have to like dive through it and to the point where people would start knocking it over, and not making it. And then it was pretty much who could make it the highest. Those challenges seem to be really well. I think it's because the watch time on it really high, because everyone wants to see how high everyone’s going to make it to the very end. They want to see like how many boxes, how many levels they’ll reach. So I've noticed the challenges where it's levels, people want to see how high or what level they're going to reach before they eat shit.”

23:06 - Mastering the algorithm

Understanding the algorithm is perhaps the most important part of being a creator. Colton has developed a sixth sense for what will work well based on the rules of each platform and the elements that are valued.

“I very much look at how things perform, and I looked at the watch time. And then based off how certain videos perform, I change my content and tweak it. It's the reason why I’ve made it up to this point, is I have came up with my own conclusions or ideas on what the possible algorithm was for TikTok or YouTube. Understanding that algorithm is the most important thing. And there's a bunch of different parts to how it works that are all evaluated higher or lower. Obviously one of the most valued ones would be watch time. But, for example, like TikTok it’s profile clicks. People that are going out of the way to go to the profile is very highly valued. And that's why you see a lot of people that do those videos that are cliffhangers. So they'll have a part two to them next, getting the same views. Because people are going out of the way to come back to the profile to see if part two is out.”

26:08 - Moving to long-format content

Condensing a video down to less than a minute is hard. That’s why Colton is excited to start exploring longer content that allows for more creativity.

“For me on YouTube, a lot of people make them 15 seconds, 20 seconds. Look at all mine, and they're almost all exactly a minute. I used to use the whole minute. I would totally do it for three minutes, if it was worth my time. Because I try to use that same video for YouTube shorts, so I'm still keeping everything to one minute. But it's hard for me to compact my videos to fit one minute long. I'm struggling to take out clips. So long format for me is like a little more relaxed. I just don't have to make it as fast-paced, or take out certain clips I don't want to take. So three-minute videos, five-minute videos, or even 10 minutes is not going to be too hard of a problem for me…now that challenge is gone. I don't have to worry about that. I can make it the way I want it.”

41:41 - Any account can go viral

Many creators have a big hit and then lose their mojo. But Colton says it’s always possible to find your stride again and see your account take off.

“Some accounts can die off if like maybe you went viral once and got like hundreds of thousands of followers. And that was you're only following was one video, and you’ve had no viral videos since. I've seen it happen to a handful of people. Or maybe they blew up through skits. Now, skits don't work on TikTok. That’s also one of the reasons why I did try to diversify my content as much as possible, so I'm not relying on one niche. But for the most part, you can revive accounts, no problem. I know my friend Matt, he was, no offense, but his views were ass. They were real bad, like 8 million followers, averaging ver multiple months like 70,000 views, 50,000 views, 80,000 views for like the longest time. And then all of a sudden things started picking up again. He was getting a million, 2 million, 500,000, 2 million, 5 million.”

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Colton Macaulay - Creator on Tiktok

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of OmniPanel

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Greg entered the tech scene early in his career thanks to a friend who tipped him off on a sales job at a New York startup. He started out by literally sleeping in the office by night and making 150 cold calls per day. Unfortunately, his busy schedule and city lifestyle quickly led to burnout. After buying a one-way ticket to Thailand to decompress, Greg came back to the states and got a job at Twitter as a senior sales associate. Soon, he found himself falling back into his old bad habits, and starting formulating a nootropic beverage that would allow him to do his best work without negative side effects. Next, he worked at Stack Overflow on the enterprise sales team, which dried up during the pandemic. During 2020, he found the momentum he needed to finally become an entrepreneur and found NooWave.

17:56 - Find your “personal monopoly”

Thanks to David Perell’s Write of Passage course, Greg found himself talking about his nootropics hobby over and over. A classmate’s interest provided the fuel he needed to get going.

“There's this online writing course. I don't know if you guys know David Perell and Write of Passage….The very first week he has this section of the course where it’s called ‘your personal monopoly.’ So, I'm Greg Frontiero. I worked for these tech companies. I love nootropics. I am a professional wrestler. I do MMA stuff. And like, what is this zone where only I can talk about it and nobody else can touch me, right? What's my brand that nobody else writes about but me? And so I would say these nootropics things in these breakout rooms, and everybody had the same question, like what is a nootropic? I would tell that story I just told you, give you an example. Oh, I drink this coffee. And this guy, Robbie Crab who is like a performance speaking coach DMs me in the middle of me giving my speech about it and goes, ‘I want to buy this. Where can I buy this coffee?’ And I was like, oh, like I make it. And he's like, you should sell it. And it was like immediately. So when I tell you I had NooWave in my head for six years, I actually launched the company in six weeks.”

21:30 - Tap your network

Greg’s first move was to write a letter about his new venture and send it to his network. The response was absolutely overwhelming, with everyone demonstrating interest in his product.

“So I take this one blog post and I launch it to what I think is going to be crickets. No one's gonna care about it. I put it on my LinkedIn. I put it on like Twitter. I put it on whatever. It launches, and I swear to God, it's like a movie where every single person in my entire life like came out of the woodwork. Kids I haven't talked to her since kindergarten, teachers, coworkers, people at my MMA gyms, wrestler friends, everybody. Everybody in my life came out and. And I don't know if they necessarily gave a shit about like a nootropic coffee, but they were backing me and they sorta wrote it for me. It was just such a feel-good moment of, man. All that time in my life was for something, the connections and the people that you met. So we sold out our first run immediately.”

25:49 - Cold call manufacturers

Most companies require expensive minimums that are out of range for bootstrapped founders. Greg tapped deep into his salesman roots to find a coffee company that would work with him.

“I'm also talking to all these manufacturers and how to do fulfillment and all that stuff. And it's a nightmare, right? Like when you're making this product and you have no money and resources and all these companies have giant minimums. And so now I'm looking at this and I'm looking at getting loans and small business loans and all that stuff. So this is what I tell everybody. I think if there's one thing I can tell people that is like the hardest part about starting a CPG brand is like the manufacturing process fucking sucks…The benefit of my experience is I'm so used to making 100 cold calls a day. I'm very used to that. And this is the old school of business. I am making like literally 10 phone calls a day to manufacturers in Seattle and talking to coffee people, talking to cacao people…That's how you have to do it. Honest to God. I'm telling you guys, this is not a thing where you can send an email and they're going to be opening your door, to maybe sell you 100 bags. You’re just not going to get a response. So you have to beat them down and you have to call.”

28:31 - Pray for good luck

After Greg identified a coffee partner, he started getting bad vibes. At the last second, another fulfillment option reached out to him. They remain his partners to this day.

“At the fucking last week, we're going here. This company is just waiting for me to write them the check. And side note, I fucking hated our sales rep, hated this guy. Just every conversation with him sucked. He would just speak to me and he'd be like, ‘Yeah, so about the formula, like is this right?’ I was like, no, that's completely wrong. Like it's written down, you're responding in the same email. Just look! This is the person I'm gonna work with? We're about to launch and you fucked this up three times. And so we can't get on the same page. He's not responding for a week. And I was like, oh my God, this is going to go badly. I get this phone call. I won't say who we work with, because I don't know if they're big enough for me to reveal my secret sauce…so this angel woman calls me and she's like, Hey, I'm an upstate coffee roaster. And we really want to work with you.”

33:55 - Monitor your pricing

Greg’s goal is to eventually reduce the price of NooWave so that his 20-year-old self could afford it.

“I can't wait to get our price down, by the way. I think we were we're definitely a premium coffee right now, and I don't want to be. I want to be like and get inspired by Chris Cantino and Jaime Schmidt. All they get is pitched by brands that are like, ‘we're like the luxury, you know,’ and it's awesome. By the way, at the time we sold a $30 coffee. So I can't throw stones at my glass house. But we had to, because I didn't have any money. And I was like, this is what it costs. I need to. I read Super Maker and it said to times it by three. So I'm going to do that. There's really basic stuff, but then I started doing it. And every iteration, we get a little bit cheaper and I'm going to continue to do that. Because I want the 23-year-old version of me to be able to afford this, and right now he couldn't. And that's not good.”

36:59 - Find your true audience

Greg’s first run sold out thanks to friends and family. It dropped sharply afterward, but he was able to bring sales back up thanks to tapping into his true target market: tech bros.

“Here's what the truth is. Everybody in my life came out of the woodwork and bought it. Let's say 90% of those people dropped off. Because they weren’t my target audience. They were like my mom, who's I don't need this. So then it's weird. It went immediately down, but I had this momentum of that Write of Passage, where all of my target audience are all these kind of people like me: these nerdy kind of tech-broey kind of dudes that are all now coming out of this course with their little newsletters that are all micro-influencers essentially. They all have like a thousand-person newsletters of all their friends and family. So I sponsor all their newsletters. They're all doing their unique projects. Word of mouth is a very real thing. So we started getting all these orders out of nowhere of people being like, this works. This coffee helps me focus, but it doesn't stress me out.”

38:05 - Build in public

Greg writes a weekly newsletter rain or shine. It not only allows him to organize his thoughts on building the business, but has resulted in valuable feedback from his customers.

“I do a weekly newsletter every Wednesday that is just like a personal blog. And I talk very openly about the business. And it's like very much building in public and saying, I tried this this week. It didn't work. I think I'm going to try this. What do you guys think? Hey, do you like this? So I'm like talking to my customers every week. They respond back. I have people I've never met that I have really deep-level conversations with on email. I've had phone calls with them afterwards. And actually, this is such a powerful thing for anyone who's listening. You know the whole like talk to your customers thing and nobody does it? I had a Google spreadsheet of everyone who bought this coffee. The first thing I did is I wrote every single person a personal letter, custom. If you bought it Ramon, ‘Thanks so much for buying this. I saw on your Twitter bio your DTC POD thing. I want to check out Trend too, let’s get in a talk.’ Handwritten…This is the crazy thing. At the end of every letter I was like, if you don't mind, please take a picture and post this. Even if it's not something you like, we need content. So now I have hundreds of bags. I have really roughly around 500 pieces of content. And I have enough to just post every day.”

45:11 - Identify mentors who are one step ahead

When you reach out to other product founders who were recently in your shoes, you can gain valuable wisdom that is fresh in their mind, without worrying about competition.

“The best analogy is the ladder, where you don’t want to talk to someone who's like sold a Unilever for $100 million dollars. They’re not going to be able to help you. You want to talk to someone who's a year ahead of you. When I keep bringing up Chris from CROSSNET, that is a great guy to talk to because he's five years ahead. He did exactly what I want to do. He's already done it, but he's not far enough that he forgot what it was like to be where I'm at. And that's like a good sweet spot. There's so many people now, DTC has sort of exploded. And there's people 1-5 years ahead of me that I can chat with and I can trust. And it's always good that they're not competitive to me. So if someone's like candles, they're not going to like steal your shit. And you don't have to worry about like, oh, this person's going to snake me. They're not even in the same space. They're not going to start a coffee brand.”

55:58 - Be prepared to grow slowly

When you are truly bootstrapped, you can’t delude yourself with visions of overnight success. Greg recommends keeping your business as a side hustle for as long as possible.

“If you're bootstrapping this thing, you need to do it from your job as a side hustle, or you need to have a significant amount of cash. Because it's not going to truly make money if you want to grow the business for a while. And you know, you see these revenue charts that people release and it's pretty common theme that year 1-3, it kind of just sucks. And there's something about that second, third year, fourth year you start seeing I'm able to pay myself now. And honestly, when I look at our numbers compared to people that have released historical numbers, I'm like, yeah, we're there. We're at two. So we're at six figures now. That's it. It's not impressive. If I paid myself now, it'd be mediocre. So like I said, we tried to grow too fast and we tried to cheat, and it just doesn't work. Whenever you try to copy someone without understanding why they did what they did, or why it's relevant to that company and why they did what they did, it's just a disaster. And every time we've done this methodical, long, like you can tell when the effort's there, it pays off in spades.”

59:28 - Don’t ignore Amazon

Yes, there are downsides to selling on Amazon, but the platform can also be an incredible option for bootstrapped founders who need revenue quickly.

“So first and foremost, everybody who says I want to own the customer and the data and all that, they're absolutely correct. I would prefer that too. Who would not prefer that? I don't have that option. I'm a bootstrap person. I need to make money. And if I need to make money, I need to like suck at Jeff Bezos's tit and do the Amazon thing, it works really fucking well. Upon launch, it's like immediately now probably 50% of our revenue is from Amazon. Because it just kind of takes care of itself. Your conversion rate for Amazon is like 40% versus like 2% on your stores. And we have 80 five-star reviews. It's not unimpressive, but they're all five-star reviews. So it's great. And the testimonials there are great, it starts helping us with our copy. Don't discount Amazon. I would start it right away. It's a process to get on Amazon. It takes time and you got to do it. It's annoying and finicky and shitty. But I think building both in tandem is actually really great.”

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Greg Frontiero - CEO of Noowave

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of Omnipanel

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Sean Frank was working at a local Los Angeles ad shop in his early 20’s when he and his friend Connor decided to start an agency of their own. The plan was to focus on a small team and high-touch client relationships. It worked so well that one of their clients, The Ridge Wallet, ended up absorbing their talented team entirely. At the time, Ridge was making a couple million dollars a year off Shopify and had accomplished a successful Kickstarter campaign. Sales were good, but they didn't have digital expertise in-house, and didn't want to manage a team. Instead of continuing to outsource to Sean, they ultimately merged. Sean has been CEO ever since.

4:24 - Diversify your ad strategy

The Facebook golden years didn’t last forever, and Ridge succeeded because they saw it coming and put resources into multiple ad channels early in the game.

“Those first couple of years were the golden years, where we would just run Facebook ads driving to a Shopify page. The most complex thing was, we need better static photography. This is like 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, where if you were bad at Facebook ads, you got 10x ROAS. The thing that benefited us was we always thought it was going to get worse. I'm just a naturally paranoid person. So we were on the cutting edge of diversification away from paid media channels. So things were going great on Facebook. We were getting 10x ROAS. But it's like, we need to be on Snapchat. So we were the first Snapchat advertiser. If you read the Snapchat earnings report, when they launched ads we are named, because we were the first people doing it. We've been a TV spender for a year. So pre the iOS14 fuck-ups, we've been spending money on TV. We just always thought it was going to get harder. So one of our biggest tips was just diversify quickly.”

5:49 - Prepare to pay taxes

What makes surpassing the $10 million mark challenging for most brands is scaling quickly while also keeping up with your skyrocketing tax responsibility.

“I think most businesses can get to that $10 million mark. If you're running right now and you have an ecomm product people seem to like, and you're running Facebook ads, you're doing the basic blocking and tackling, right? You're sending email campaigns. Maybe you're touching SMS right now. The $10 million mark is easy. We had the hardest time at $15-20 million, in that range, the post 10. SO we did $8 million one year, then we did $15 million. So awesome growth, near 100% growth. The next year we did $20 million. So growth slowed. That was the hardest year of the business. What happens is if you're a profitable e-comm brand, you have this problem where taxes are due every year. Specifically if you're doing accrual accounting, which you're supposed to now, I think. So you have this problem where you had a big tax bill, but you just grew really fast. So you need to buy inventory to keep up with that growth. And that's what kills those businesses. That's what really ends up fucking up growth past $10 million.”

10:34 - Scoop up agency talent

One tactic to consider if you can’t find talent to support your brand? Buy an agency. That’s what worked for Ridge.

“When we did the merger with Ridge, they were getting a full-fledged team, because we had email, search, whatever. But that was built up and subsidized by a functioning agency business at the time. So any advice for any really big brands listening right now is, if you've had a problem finding talent, just buy an agency. I think that's pretty good advice. Now, probably half the company has some sort of marketing role. We have six people, more now, probably have seven people who just do influencer marketing. So if you bought Ridge Wallets and you go on YouTube, or go on TikTok, you might see us sponsor a lot of content. We sponsor like 5,000 creators a year or something crazy. And all of that is done in-house through like seven people at The Ridge signing people all day long. Just to give you an example, we have two people who just do email, we’re probably going to hire a third person who just does email. We have a designer who just designs emails. So it ends up being very, very specialized, the bigger you get.”

13:09 - Keeps things personal

The bigger your brand gets, the harder it is to personalize the customer experience. But it’s critical to remember that people buy from people.

“Where I think big brands mess up is that people still buy things from people. So even if they're on their website or whatever, this whole idea of brand is like, does this product make me feel a certain way? And people are like the most centric part of feelings. I think one reason we’ve had so much success is our influencer program. And it's because people you trust are showing you this product. They say they love the product. And it mimics personal recommendations, to the highest degree. So I think it's a way we’ve captured a lot of success. And it's like, how do we continue to do that? How do we continue to personalize everything we're doing? And how do we act with intention so that customers understand who we are, and then they understand why they're buying from us? That's really, really hard to do at scale. I know it's a very fluffy, nuanced, almost bullshit answer, but that's what we're trying to capture this year.”

17:18 - Involve execs in content creation

If you want your brand to excel on YouTube, you need to get a recognizable fact involved who you can rely on to continue to represent the brand indefinitely.

“The reason why brands are gonna have a hard time with it, and the reason why Ridge has hard time with it is it’s something you can't outsource. Like our influencer content is influencer shot, influencer released, distributed by them. Studio photography is done by a studio photographer, their face isn’t in it. It’s not personal. But when you get to YouTube, it's like, I can't hire a guy to do it. Because then people want the relationship with that person. And they like the way that he delivers his style or whatever. And he could get a different job. He could get a Netflix show, you know what I mean? So I can't outsource it. And if it's an employee, you've seen that happen to G4 back in the day. They built up these employees, the employees leave, and it's because you're a faceless corporation. So it has to be one of us, the executives to do it. And it's just finding the time to do that.”

23:26 - Make better organic content

For true success, Sean says brands need to think like content creators, and distribute organic content across multiple platforms.

“You have to sort of think like a content creator. Like how do you actually deliver not only a product that's a good value, that somebody wants to buy it. But to get that in front of somebody, you have to be so content first, right. CPMs are going to be what they're going to be. I talk to people all the time. They're like, what do I do to make Facebook better? And I'm like, do you have a time machine? That's what you need right now. Do you know someone at Facebook who will commit a crime to get your CPMs lower? It's never going to get better. But you as a brand need to get better. And people hate having that conversation, right? You need to make content better. You need to make this stuff better…we need to get better at creating organic content across every single platform, but right now we're spending money on paid media across every single platform.”

27:26 - Bomb-proof your business with content

There’s always going to be a “next era” of content. The key is to learn how to make the content itself, not just disrupt it.

“How do you bomb-proof your business for the next change in the era? It's going to be content first...so figuring out how to make the content and not just disrupt the content is a huge piece of that…Everything's a golden secret until it stops, you know what I mean? It's like, that's what Facebook was. There's something else somebody's doing that’s driving amazing results. There's always something like that, and it gets brought to the mainstream. But by the time you hear about it, it's too late. There's a golden rule. I was reading some Vice report thing, and they were talking about that it's like, by the time you see it in the news, it doesn't matter anymore. It's like everyone that knows about it has already acted on it, already knows about it. Nothing's breaking, as long as you're in the industry. So just take that with a grain of salt. So by the time you're hearing about something, it's too late to act on it. So just keep living your life.”

33:10 - Keep improving your product

Making new products every year will keep customers engaged and coming back for more. Everything should feel fresh and current, from your products to your ads.

“The community feedback is important. But the big thing that brands don't want to talk about, and this is like if you're an agency, they're paying you. So you don't want to rock the relationship too much. But you need to make better products probably every year, right? It's like, Apple is worth $3 trillion. Every year, there's an iPhone that comes out. And every year, they need to give you a reason to buy. What if they said, yeah, there's no updates this year. It's just the same. Maybe people would still buy it. But no, you need to deliver a reason. An improvement. That’s the cost of getting better. And no one wants to hear that. They want to have a website from 2017. They want to have a product from 2016. Then want to have ads from 2018. And they still want to be successful in 2022. And if that's your playbook, it's not going to work.”

35:36 - Hire before you need to

If you stumble across a top performer, get them on your payroll. It’s worth feeling like you are jumping the gun than risk stifling growth later when you’re short on talent.

“Probably the best advice I can give if you're a $10 million brand who thinks they have a bunch of growth ahead of them is hire the best people before you think you need them. So if you find someone who's actually - everyone uses the term “A player, right. But really think about that. Is it a top 10% of all people, or is it in this specific field? Because a specific field is a lot narrower. So if you're really finding a top 10 digital marketer or a top 10 CFO, make that hire. Even if you don't think you can afford it, even though it's going to cut into whatever and you don't get to fucking buy a new car or whatever, make that investment. Because if we had more people and more guidance earlier, we would be a billion-dollar company now, you know what I mean?”

36:56 - Get your accounting rock solid

Hiring a firm, getting audited, and paying sales tax is painful but absolutely necessary if you want to be ready for big opportunities, like incoming capital.

“Figure out your accounting way before you think you need to. If you're not collecting sales tax in every single state, start doing that right now. If you ever want to exit, you will get fucked so hard if you do not. Forget about the nexus, forget about whatever you fucking hack you think you have. Just collect sales tax in every single state. Customers are going to pay it, conversion rates won't go down. You're just hurting yourself. And then figure out the rest of your accounting stuff. Get a real firm, get gap compliant, get audited. And the reason why you have to do all that type of stuff is when you actually want funding from a bank, the people who give you loans, or a VC or private equity group or a family office, it's way better to have your ducks in a row before you go to meet with them, then look like a fool and take 12 months, 18 months, 14 months, however long it takes to get your shit together. So do all that stuff when you don't think you have to. Find the time to do it.”

Here's the full interview:

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Sean Frank - CEO of Ridge

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of Omnipanel

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Caroline McCarthy is the Co-Founder at Starday Foods. She started her career at Google in the AdWords arena, worked with clients like ClassPass on marketing strategy, and helped build out the performance marketing function at Slack. She also worked for a data science firm that worked for the Obama campaign, followed by working for the banking app One Finance that has since merged under the umbrella of Walmart. Throughout her tech journey, she has been exposed to strategic branding and design initiatives that aid her current work with Starday. Starday is focused on building a next-gen food conglomerate and has two current products: Gooey and All Day.

1:48 - Taking a data-driven approach to CPG

Starday’s data engine uses first and third-party signals to identify gaps in the CPG market.

“One of the things that is really important to our model is we have what I call like an in-house data engine that we've built that parses through third and first-party data signals to help us understand where we think that there are gaps in the market, based on either existing or ‘not popular’ foods that we think we could build a really strong brand and product around, that also is able to meet sustainability principles. And also, frankly, something that we think will taste good. We don't want to make a healthy product that no one actually wants to eat. With Gooey, without going into too many of the details with the data model because I don't want to bore everyone, we saw a fair amount of signal around a couple of different attributes. Low-sugar being one, dairy-free being another, sustainable, eco-friendly, plant-based in some capacity as well.”

4:51 - Seeking mass-market appeal

Most CPG brands are led by strong founder stories. Starday is taking the opposite approach: foregoing the emotional appeal in favor of pure mass-market appeal.

“There's often a really strong founder story behind a product that has really spoken to people. And I say this as someone with a nut allergy, I've always been very passionate about creating a nut-free cookie brand. It will happen one day, I swear. But the idea was to take a little bit of that sort of emotion out of it, and actually be like, okay. What does a wider swath of consumers want? Because the idea behind our products is that they should really be mass market. We're not trying to be in a really niche group…Part of that plays into it as well when we're looking at these products and the different data. Do we think we can actually build a product that's going to appeal to a larger mass of humans? Is this something where when we talk about going into retail, we're saying we can talk to Kroger, we can talk to Target? Or is this really a product that would only make sense at an Erewhon or a Whole Foods? If it's the latter case, there are plenty of amazing brands that are being developed and incredibly successful in that sort of arena. It's just the approach that we're trying to take.”

5:44 - Keeping a similar consumer profile

Focusing on products that cater to similar demographics has helped Starday avoid starting from scratch each time they launch a new product.

“I oversee all aspects related to growth and marketing. So as you can imagine, I spend a lot of time thinking about our brands and the efficiencies that we can find between them. I would say first, we've maintained similar consumer demographics between our first two brands and expect to do so in the future. It's not just in terms of the cross-branding opportunities, but also in terms of how we are understanding our own data. We're not starting from scratch every time, and that's something that's really important and does go back into how we choose our products as well, back to that sort of consumer demographic that we're looking at. If we launch our third brand and we are talking to a completely different type of audience or consumer, that's a whole lot of work and learnings that we are going to have to start from scratch really. And I would prefer to sleep at night. So I would like to actually be able to learn from our last brand launches.”

13:26 - Taking a lean approach

Keeping overhead low means foregoing bells and whistles, but allows Starday to confidently repeat their design & launch process.

“We have a very lean approach to developing and launching. And while that does mean that some of the bells and whistles that come with a lot of launches in this space, whether it's tons of press coverage or it tons of seating or it's a big influencer or celebrity founder, whatever it may be. We're not necessarily going to be having that on every launch. We might try it out for one or two launches, but we've been able to keep a really lean budget. And so I think that the efficiency that we have there is something that also a huge part of allowing us to keep doing this multiple times over. Because we didn't go and blow a bunch of money on launch A, and now we’ve sort of got to wait for revenue to catch up for another six months.”

24:39 - Pitching investors on the platform vs. product

Starday’s platform and vision are ultimately what attracts investors, not the individual products themselves. Not every investor will be able to picture the ROI, but Starday found investors who did.

“What folks were investing in is the platform that we're building. The brands, while I love them deeply and I'm very fond of them obviously, because I spend all day thinking about them, they are really the product of the platform and the data models and the process and the strategy and the technology that we're building, it's that approach. And then also having the right team members in place, that was what folks were investing in…ultimately we were able to raise successfully and with great and investors on the vision that we were trying to build and that strategy. That said, I also realized that's not a very common approach and it's also one that I feel to a certain extent, we were very lucky to have been in the right place at the right time. We raised really from more tech-type investors, and traditional F&B investors maybe would've really been waiting for specific retail data, and certainly a product and market. So at the time that we raised and how we raised I think is, you do have to require a certain type of mindset on the investor side in order for them to see that vision, and understand where those returns are coming from.”

28:26 - Bringing in F&B expertise

Once they had capital to work with, next Starday focused on bringing in food and beverage insights that helped them obtain a holistic perspective and prepare for a retail launch.

“In some ways with this many launches and having committed to doing certain things, it allows us to form closer relationships in some ways with our investors. Because there's always a brand to give feedback on. There's always a product idea to sort of bounce off. We're not sort of sitting on the sidelines waiting and then two years later we come back asking for more money. There's always something new to talk about. And so I think because of that, we've been able to blend their perspective, our perspective, and then also bring in some of those folks that are more traditional F&B that have that perspective of, ‘Hey, when you're in retail, here's what you need to do. Run these types of TPRs. Don't work with that vendor. Make sure that you have shippers in by P6. There's all these things that folks on the more traditional F&B side bring in.”

30:17 - Stocking up on inventory

While the initial plan was to order-as-you-go, Covid-19 made the Starday team quickly realize that they should over-order stock and keep it rather than risk selling out.

“We were playing in this world of like, we're not going to overpay for inventory ahead of time because we want to be able to sort of produce as we go, and manage according to costs and margin and make sure that we're constantly adjusting. That sounds really great. And is great, if it works out. It does not sound so great in the middle of COVID when there's crises at the plants. Folks aren't able to come into work because of COVID. There's delays in shipping times. I think that's a strategy we will go back to when things sort of settle down. But for our second brand, we purchase a lot more inventory ahead of time, just to make sure that we were not getting into any sort of situation where we were experiencing any shortages or out-of-stock situations. We also, because we're working really with shelf-stable products, we don't have to worry about expiration dates. So we are able to purchase inventory ahead of time.”

33:03 Prioritizing DTC before Amazon and retail

Starting with DTC was a no-brainer in order for Starday to develop a relationship with their customers. Amazon and retail remain secondary strategies.

“We launched DTC as that place where we can say, all right. Here's where we’re gonna go. We're gonna run a bunch of growth tests. We're going to do site testing. We’re going to do pricing tests, we're going to do free shipping, threshold testing. And most importantly, we're going to build relationships with our consumers. And then the next step is sort of expanding to Amazon. So you get like one step out, right? You still have some consumer data, but you don't own that data. Amazon owns that data. And then the third step is really going into retail. Where we haven't explored as much so far is sort of on that marketplace. So the Thrives, the Gopuffs, things like that. So that's probably an area that we'll continue to explore if the economics make sense. But in the beginning for every one of our launches, we are going direct to consumer first. I don't see that changing at any point. And we'll sort of continue to layer in those additional levels of retail and go to market strategy in the coming months.”

35:29 - Focusing on organic ads and social media

Building a community online has meant investing in strong social content for each brand in order to scale and develop an authentic brand voice.

“We did not scale any ads. We had some minimum stuff that we were just using for pure testing, but I wasn't running conversion-optimized landing pages or doing a ton of lead gen. It was really more for creative and messaging testing. Really the other aspects are on that social and organic and community building side. We work with Kendall Dickieson on all of them. She's our head of social for both brands and all the brands to come. She helped us build a really strong social strategy that sort of dives in from the beginning of building brand, even when you have 14 followers and it's my mom and all her friends, and sort of understanding how you can scale that quickly without losing the validity of the brand voice.”

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Caroline McCarthy - Co-Founder of Starday Foods

Blaine Bolus - COO of Omnipanel

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Brandon Blahnik served as Made In’s Director of Customer Experience from 2020 until early 2022. His role at Made In included overseeing all customer-facing teams such as phone, chat, email, and social, and working strategically with business partners to improve products and solve problems. Prior to Made In, Brandon worked for over a decade in service roles. His career began with the Orlando Magic, where an internship turned into a senior Premium Client Services Manager role. He also served as Head of Service Operations at Corkcicle from 2017-2020. Made In delivers high-quality kitchen tools to home cooks and professional chefs. Their philosophy is simple: better cookware means better meals.

11:16 - Prioritize CX from the top down

When Made In encountered an extreme holiday backlog, the CEO decided that every employee needed to pitch in.

“It was right after Black Friday, Cyber Monday in a year where trying to keep anything in stock was virtually impossible. So long lead times backorders for a lot of the orders. Which, as best as we tried to communicate those lean times to folks and expected ship dates, still led to a ton of questions and problems. So we were sitting on a 4-5 day first response time for a lot of the stuff in the email. We had called a couple of what our CEO titled as ‘snow days’ internally, where we had everyone in the company kind of shut down for a day and attack the queue, including our President, our CFO, all of our leadership team, the accounting team. Whoever was all kind of jumping in and attacking whatever questions we could just to try and get back to folks before the holiday. So really quickly identified that this is a leadership team and a culture that cares about the customer. They're not putting CX off on the side. ‘Good luck, we feel for you, here's some coffee and we'll cater in some food for you guys to try and work hard. Noo. They're in the trenches with us and making sure we had what we needed.”

18:06 - Look at where you can improve

It can be easy to relax when CSAT numbers are high. But the winning strategy means looking at unhappy customers to continue to improve the overall experience.

“I think at scale it gets easy. It's like, oh man, I'm glad I don't have to touch that and deal with the problems and the ugly stuff. Like, I like seeing the five-star reviews. I like seeing CSAT sitting at 94%. Like that's awesome. That's great. But the 6% is where I feel like a lot of the insights come from that can be a little uncomfortable to dig into, but I think that’s what's really going to drive improvement longer-term. And for us at Made In, it's where I've really credited Chip And Jake, our two co-founders, and Lindsay and Chad our VP of marketing and VP of ops. We sat together every two weeks and have a strategic conversation about what do we need to be working on? And that we didn't get to steady state with really strong CSAT first response time then they gave a pat on the back and thumbs up and said like, Hey, great job, keep it up. And let us run things. No, they still wanted to know where we could continue to improve.”

21:05 - Identify specific problems and questions

Brandon’s team is constantly on the lookout for common questions and issues, so that they can brainstorm solutions as quickly as possible.

“It all starts with identifying what are the problems and issues that we need to go do something about. What are the questions that are coming in from customers that customers don't want to ask? What are the problems that people are experiencing that we can do something about? We're shipping physical products, so there's going to be issues that happen. Anytime you're shipping products across the country, there's going to be damages. There's going to be stuff that's lost. We're limited in what we can actually do to solve for some of those problems. But there's a lot that we can solve for internally. When we think about issues or bugs or problems on the website, how do we very quickly capture that feedback, those issues, whatever info our web team needs to go try and solve whatever that specific problem is.

22:16 - Make data your friend

When you have data at your fingertips, use it to sift through trends so that you can identify areas for significant savings across the business.

“We've got a ton of data on returns, and return reasons, and product defects, and warranty requests, and a variety of feedback, product reviews on, you've had it for a couple of weeks using it. What what's your experience been so far? And so how do we pull all that data together to identify trends, and like, ‘Hey, product team, we're not getting as, or we're seeing a drop-off in performance reviews and ratings across X product. I think we may need to dig in from a QC perspective here,’ or, ‘we're seeing breakage rate up and to the right in some of these SKUs. I think we need to rethink our packaging with a few hundred SKUs, that data can get clunky really quickly. So if you're not digging in and putting in place some structure to identify changes to those trends, there's stuff that can easily get lost. And as we shift towards our individual margins across stuff, there's some insights there that can certainly drive some real savings and impact across the business.”

25:06 - Conduct regular check-ins

The Made In CX team meets weekly to rehash the previous week and look to the future. This provides high-level stakeholders with the opportunity to work together.

“Every Monday we've got a full operations meeting where it's not our frontline service staff, but everyone else across the logistics and ops and CX side of the business all talking through expectations for the week, trends problems from the previous week, and just having a 45-minute strategic conversation about what's going on. What are the themes, problems that we're seeing on the CX side that the ops team needs to know about, so when it comes to fulfillment issues, problems, delays, and initial scans, and getting product into the carrier network, and some of those things. We're raising some of those concerns for my counterparts on the logistics ops side to do something. And then I've got a strategic conversation with the other directors and our VP across ops, middle of the week, to be a little more strategic about moving forward our larger projects.”

27:18 - Communicate with customers proactively

Prioritizing CX means keeping customers in the loop at all times. If a shipment is delayed, Made In immediately lets customers know what is going on.

“We want people to purchase. So we want to be as close to accurate as possible. We don't want to under-promise and over-deliver where this is going to ship March 1st, because there's a lot of people that aren't going to buy, even if we think it's going to ship earlier. So how do we properly manage and communicate any of those changes so we're as accurate as possible on the site, so we're not having to send that email of, ‘Hey, so sorry. We're going to miss your ship date.’ But that's important too that if we are going to miss an expected date, that we lay it out. I don't want to wait for the customer to realize, Hey, you said it was going to ship yesterday. It's today. Where's my stuff? But instead, ‘Hey, we had a delayed import, this is what's going on, expecting it's going to ship on X date,’ and how do we make sure we're not wrong twice? So how we properly manage that becomes really important. And we went from a really reactive set up there in a lot of ways to being much more structured in how we manage those dates on the site to lead to a better customer experience by managing those expectations properly.”

32:53 - Maximize customer acquisition costs

Every existing customer has the potential to purchase more. It’s important to take care of any person who has bought your products in the past.

“We hope that if we can get you to buy once, the product's awesome. Not worried about that. But you have a great experience, even if you have a problem, if we resolve it really, really well, your trust in us goes up and you're much more likely to buy a second time. And the customer acquisition cost is the same whether they buy one pan or a $3,000 outfit your entire kitchen package that gives you everything you need. So for the ones that bought one or two, how do we get them to transact a second or third time? Those initial dollars are already spent to get them in the door. We need to take great care of people once they've committed to purchase, and trusted us enough to give us their credit card number and order something that they physically haven't touched or seen outside of a website or an ad somewhere on Instagram or YouTube.”

39:06 - Build a great CX team

Brandon says that the best team members are empowered to make decisions on the fly, and are proactive about solving problems that come up.

“Identifying staff that can think not just in hard and fast rules of ‘this is or is not what we do’ and to empower them to make decisions is really, really big. And then it’s people that can work with enough flexibility and trust and execute kind of day to day, just because I don't have the time to babysit, they’re adults. And if I trust and empower them, I feel like engagement is higher. Retention is higher. I’ve been lucky that I've been able to take care of my staff and not had turnover, which I know in a lot of service environments, you're dealing with the 1-2% of problems and issues all day, and that can be really draining. But by empowering staff to take care of folks and bubble up problems and trends and trying to solve for those so those questions don't keep coming in. No one wants to be a hamster on a wheel that's answering the same question every day. What can we do to prevent that same question from coming in so that they can work on more interesting challenges and problems is helpful.”

47:17 - Create content that adds value

Work to educate and inspire customers in mediums and platforms that matter. For Made In, this means catering content to home cooks as well as professional chefs.

“Regardless of who we're speaking to, we want to make sure we're meeting them at the level that they're at, through the channel they want to interact with us at. And how do we do that at scale is a really interesting, fun challenge. And how do we get more targeted and personalized with the level of education? Because we don't want to speak underneath the professional chefs, and we don't want to speak over the heads of the more casual home cook that may not know a premium tool from a more basic one. But either way, we want to meet them where they're at with the right information, the right place. And how do we be more strategic about how we attack those problems and challenges this year are I think some of the questions we're trying to ask. How do we create content that adds value to the customer experience?”

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Brandon Blahnik - Made In

Blaine Bolus - Omnipanel

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Ashvin Melwani is Co-Founder & CMO of Obvi, one of the world’s fastest growing health & nutrition brands. Since launching in 2019, Obvi has become a pioneering brand in the collagen space, shattering 8 figures in sales with distribution all over the globe. Before Obvi, Ash co-founded Ghost3Media, a digital advertising & growth agency managing over $15M of adspend.

09:55 - Form a supportive community

After they had a solid customer base, Obvi invited customers to be a part of a Facebook group. With some strategic conversation starters, the group snowballed into a tight community.

“Right at that small stage of where that community is just beginning, it's like people are shy. They don't know what to expect from this group. How do you start the conversation? So she would invite people to talk. So it's like you post in the group, ask a couple of questions like, Hey, what recipes are you guys trying today? And people would start to get a little bit more friendly. They start to explain their lifestyle and what's going on with them. And then you start to see this snowball effect of not just employees from our end or admins or mods on our end talking to the customers. Customers are talking with each other. It's like, oh, Hey guys, what do you think about this recipe? And then you'll have 10 other people like, oh, I loved it. But also you should try this or do this. And it just snowballs into this supportive community where it's not even about the product anymore. It's just about how to live a better lifestyle. How do you improve your health? How do you lose weight? How do you find the energy to do things in the morning? What do you do with the kids during the pandemic? Those conversations are happening within our community. And the one thing that just, I guess, connects everyone is the fact that they're an Obvi customer, but when you're in there, it's like you're one big family because everybody's super supportive.”

11:33 - Make community the nucleus of your brand

Building a community gives you a direct line to what your customer wants. Listen and then give it to them. It’s a huge organic channel that many brands aren’t using.

“I think that's something that's very undervalued with brands right now because it's all sell, sell, sell, sell, but after a certain point, it's like, you need to build a relationship with your consumers. These are the people that are like going to be the ones that are going to give you the feedback of what new products should you come out with. What flavors are they looking for? If you ignore the obvious conversations that are happening in front of you, then I don't think brands will make it. You as a founder have to put aside your, maybe not ego, but there are certain things that maybe you want to do. Maybe certain products that you want to launch or flavors that you might want to launch. Is that going to resonate with your customer? If yes, great. Then you're both aligned. If not, why do it? You have a direct path to communication with your consumers, utilize it, ask them what they want. Hey, you want chocolate-covered strawberry flavor? We'll do it. And I think that's one of the biggest things that we've leveraged over the last few years. And I think we'll continue to keep that growing because I think it's the nucleus of our brand right now.”

16:36 - Get immediate feedback

The negative feedback you get from a community is what guides you to grow. When Obvi launched a 35 superfoods blend, they learned quickly that the taste wasn’t right and were able to fix it.

“What happened was that we launched it. Everybody was excited for it. Everybody got it. And we got the feedback in the group saying, when I drink it, my throat burns. And we're like, what is happening? Why? We didn't get that feeling. What's going on? Did the manufacturer mess up, what's going on? Basically, in the formula there's cayenne pepper. Now certain people may not be used to that spice level. As a South Asian individual, I like spicy food. So I was maybe immune to it. Other people may not have been. And that's where it's like, okay, did we just mess up our launch? So we sold through and we're like, all right, here's the feedback that you got from the community. Go and adjust the formula. All we did was ask them to turn down the cayenne, maybe add a little bit more flavoring and it fixed it. It is now one of our top selling products. It's our top-selling SKU. That would not have happened unless we had those conversations. We would have maybe figured it out later where it's like, okay, interesting. Everybody bought this in January, but nobody bought it again. What's the reason? Then you send out a survey, nobody wants to fill out a survey, then you find out. I'm talking about, you're getting feedback as soon as that customer gets the product in the mail, not two or three months later when you try to realize, oh, why is this not moving anymore?”

23:07 - Gamify product launches

Community is like a cheat code for successful product launches. When Obvi wanted to launch a coffee flavor, they let their community pick the specific flavor through games.

“We did this whole thing called coffee wars. Everybody has their favorite flavor. It's up to interpretation for everybody. So we literally did a whole poll across two to three weeks. And we had a bracket literally, March madness type of bracket where it's like, all right, well, caramel macchiato is going up against French vanilla, everybody vote. And you can just create this whole gamified process of how we're going to come up with this flavor. So at the end of it, it got down to the top four flavors and we did one final vote where we went live on Facebook within the group. And there's a couple apps out there that if you comment something, it will place a vote. So now going back and watching this video, there's tens of thousands of comments because people are like, I want this flavor, I want this flavor. And we literally let the community vote their way to our next flavor. And we launched that and that sold out four times over the course of last year, because we couldn't keep it in stock. Now if that's not a cheat code then I don't know what it is.”

26:58 - Build something deeper than a transaction

Obvi tries to be available to the community regularly by hosting conversations about topics other than the product itself, and featuring members who can inspire others.

“Just forget about the product, forget about buying something on the website. Let's have a conversation. We want to invite maybe some of the community members on with us to just talk about their stories. Some of these women have gone through an insane transformation with the product. I'm talking women who were on prescription medications just to function every day, have been able to get off of that because of some of the products that they've been taking from us. So being able to share those stories, it's invaluable. Because you have the rest of the community that's motivated to reach their goals and seeing other people actually reach their goals. It's that positive reinforcement that they need to just keep going. So build that mentality. And then obviously when they need to re-up on whatever they need to re-up on, who are they going to think about? They’re going to think about your brand. Not the one that’s at the top because they don't have those conversations. They're just another brand. I think that's what we try to do is we're trying to offer value outside of just product offering. And you’ve just got to build that relationship.”

33:08 - Wait until you have a customer base and have topics ready

You want to have enough people where you can have active participation. As soon as you open the community ask questions on topics that get conversations going.

“I would wait until you have around 500-1,000 customers before you actually start making that effort to push people in. When you do, let's just say you're at a thousand customers and you're going to start the community. You should have somebody that is going to at least moderate the group on a daily basis. Make sure that no question is left unanswered, people are actually having positive conversations. If things go negative, how do you turn that around? So have an allocated person to manage the community. Step three, I would say, have a few posts ready from the brand. What are some of your favorite recipes? What is your morning routine look like? Some other fun ones, get to know the community, like where are you logging in from? What do you like? What is your daily routine? Where are you logging in from? I remember we literally started the community in the middle of the pandemic. So some of the conversations were like, what do you do with the kids at home? Just questions like that and topics like that. Have some ready to go so that you can start the conversations instead of having the members start the conversations themselves.”

34:31 - Offer incentives to join

Drive more customers to your group with incentives and by having as many access points as possible.

“Have some incentive to join the group. What I would do is maybe do a giveaway. Say, Hey, we're giving away X, whatever it is, product cash, this and that blah, blah, blah. Join this Facebook community to enter for a chance to win. Just get them in there by any means necessary as much as you can. Then you unleash all the content that you've kind of prepped. You have that community manager on standby, ready for answering questions, this and that. And just continue that. Set up your flows. Post-purchase flows, after somebody buys, text message enter the group. Have some type of landing page on the website where they can join the group, have as many access points to the group as possible. And that's what we did. Email, text, website. We actually run some ads to have that funnel in place as well. So that now ongoing as you're growing, the community is growing alongside with it and just have all those pieces in place. And then you'll start to see it snowball and posts will be nonstop.”

35:37 - Find moderators within the community

As the amount of posts grows, you’ll need to have more moderators managing the group. Find loyal customers in the community who’ll contribute in this way.

“There was a point where we had like 200 posts a day and we had to hire more moderators. And people are like, oh, where'd you get the moderators from? Our moderators are our community members that were just super active in the group. And we're like, Hey, do you want to be more involved? And they're like, hell yeah, I do. And that's that. All they wanted was some free product, a little bit here and there. You don't really have to pay somebody to moderate the group. It could just be your top customers and you offer them some free product. Some of our admins and moderators, at the end of the year, we recognize that they've been super involved. Offer holiday bonuses, this and that, to keep them incentivized and be a part of your brand. But I mean, the fact that they are your top customer means that they love you regardless and should make them feel even more a part of it by offering them some type of position with the community.”

42:31 - Don’t rely on celebrity influencers

Obvi used celebrity influencers at first, but consumers can see through paid endorsements. They then used Instagram influencers, which worked a little better.

“Consumers are smart. They're not going to like, oh, this is a paid endorsement, that celebrity’s not actually using the product. So it's like, all right, forget that. Our consumers are way too smart. Let's can that approach. Then we went for the actual influencer route of the, not micro, but not celebrity status either. I'm talking big names on Instagram that may not be Hollywood celebrities, but that have a good following on Facebook and Instagram. That is where I think we saw some success as well. Again, I would say out of 10 people that we worked with, three actually moved the needle for the company. So what we ended up doing is we worked with those three. We basically built relationships with them to the point where we're making them a part of some of the business decisions. What flavors do you guys want to see? What flavors would you be excited to talk about because you're the one that is using the product.”

44:32 - Turn community members into influencers

What has worked best for Obvi are influencers from their community. They’ve set up 40 women with Facebook pages they’re running ads through and it feels more organic.

“What we found in the community is somebody would post, Hey, here's a recipe for this flavor that I really, really enjoyed. I hope you guys like it. Then you see a bunch of comments like, oh, I haven't tried that flavor, yet, but that looks really good. Let me try that. So it's like, hmm. Let's try and mimic that on the top of the funnel somehow. And so what we ended up doing is within the community itself, we saw some of these people who were like, and there was an overlap between the moderators too, is who is a super fan of the brand? Who is putting out content in the community, like recipes, videos, this and that. And we basically took these individuals, created Facebook and Instagram profiles for them and started running ads through their page. And all we did was we asked them, give us a testimonial. Here's the product. Talk about it, make a recipe. You're already posting the stuff in the community. Let's just take that content, run ads through it under their pages and then If somebody who hasn't heard of the brand before sees it on their feed, it literally looks like somebody who's just talking about a recipe they tried. And it's like, oh, that looks good. Where do you get that? And it's like you're not being sold to anymore.”

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Ashvin Melwani - CMO of Obvi

Blaine Bolus - COO of Omnipanel

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Matt Lanter is OpenStore’s Head of Product and Co-Founder. Matt served as an engineering and product leader at Opendoor, Facebook and Apple. He was the Chief of Staff at Founders Fund where he worked closely with entrepreneurs building the next set of companies. OpenStore provides life-changing liquidity to Shopify business entrepreneurs that are ready to sell their business so they can move on to what's next. Anyone can get a free, no obligation offer for their business within 24 hours by visiting open.store.

00:14 - Helping entrepreneurs exit

Matt explained that just like selling a house, selling a business can be a lengthy and complicated process. He wanted to change that.

“We provide liquidity to Shopify entrepreneurs. We provide them with an exit and the ability to sell their business when they're ready to. A lot of these entrepreneurs don't really have other options to sell their business. They're too small for private equity. They don't necessarily have the characteristics that venture capitalists are looking for. And there are brokers and marketplaces they could go with, but similar to all other marketplaces, even selling your house, there's no guarantee you'll be able to find a buyer. You can spend a lot of time talking to potential buyers and waste time. So we wanted to make it really simple for these Shopify entrepreneurs to come to our website, connect their Shopify account, their Facebook and Google marketing data if they have it, and get an offer within a day to sell a business if they're ready to.”

04:16 - The problem with private equity

Private equity tends to go after high-value targets. It’s also very high-touch, with a process and payment terms that can move at a glacial pace.

“Private equity tends to be more like $50 million+ in GMV, so it tends to be on the larger side. Whereas for us, our target size of businesses is between $500K and $10 million. Part of it is that private equity firms tend to be very human-based and use a lot of humans to value these businesses and go through that process. Whereas we've built this pricing engine that's able to within 24 hours deliver an offer for your business. So we're able to serve a much wider swath of businesses and really serve as many people as we can….With private equity also, it's usually a multi-year payout. And there’s earnouts over time and all these percentages, and it's a fairly complicated thing for sure. We want to make it very simple. You come to us, you get your offer. It's a very clear price. You actually get 80% of it on the day you close. And then there's a short 1-2 month transition period where you help us learn about your business. And then you get the remaining 20% at the end of that.”

15:11 - A streamlined sale process

When selling on OpenStore, founders immediately get 80% of the payout. After helping transition the business, they get the rest. Meanwhile, OpenStore works hard to maintain brand integrity.

“Once you close you get 80% of the cash around then, and then it's a 1-2 month transition period. So the founder works with our team for us to understand how they run their business, transition everything over to us. Domains, all the various parts of the business. And then we run it from there. To that point, as we build out this operating platform we've created a set of OpenStore best practices. Various tools, internal and external, that we use to help run these businesses at scale. And analytics is a very important thing as well. So investing in that and moving those brands to our way of running and growing them. But one thing is we do really want to maintain the brands and grow the brands. We don't want to take a company and then just get rid of the brand. We really want to keep the brand and grow the brand and highlight what the entrepreneur has built.”

19:57 - The power of brand

OpenStore works exclusively with Shopify brands because they find branding to be important and rewarding work. Shopify provides the tools that the team needs to help brands thrive.

“We really like that these Shopify e-commerce brands have a really strong brand. Whereas the ones on Amazon tend to don't need to focus as much on the brand, because they're on Amazon. And Amazon helps them with customer acquisition. And so we focused on Shopify stores because we believe in a strong brand and a strong building-out of these brands. For example, you look at Nike, which is obviously a very well-known brand. and they aren't on Amazon. They can't control their brand experience. And we really want to control the full stack of things…When you're running these businesses, there's marketing, supply chain, demand, planning, forecasting, all those complex things. Which when you run them on Shopify, there's like a lot of room for us to really grow and build out a great platform there. Whereas Amazon takes care of a lot of those things for you, so it was less exciting work for us.”

22:45 - Promoting entrepreneurship

Matt and his team are big cheerleaders for entrepreneurs. They hope that the ability to make an easy exit with OpenStore will convince even more people to build something new.

“Part of the reason people may be hesitant to start a brand right now, even if they have a really cool idea, is that they could pour years of their life into this and a lot of hard work. And then there's no certain exit after that. Like after five years, let's say, maybe they want to do something else. They don't want to sign up like, ‘I'm going to work on this brand for the next 80 years’ or a long time. But now that we provide an exit, hopefully more people will create brands. Generally I think entrepreneurship is just great for society and great for the individuals as well.”

26:20 - Catering to startup addicts

Matt recognizes that some founders enjoy the thrill of a zero-to-one startup environment. They don’t want to be handcuffed to a business long-term, even if it’s successful.

“A lot of people just enjoy the zero-to-one type of work, and don't want to do the scaling work. Just like you see at startups or other companies, the types of people who enjoy working at a startup versus a larger tech company tend to be different as well. And we have found, to your point about shutting down the business, some of the early companies we acquired when we actually met the founders right when we were starting, some of them were actually in the process of already even shutting down their business. And then they found out about us at the last minute, and were very excited and happy. But it is crazy to think about you pour all your time and effort in this business, just to shut it down.”

29:06 - How to prepare to sell your business

OpenStore serves entrepreneurs of all business types. That said, Matt recommends improving product margin and lowering CAC to make your business profitable and attractive.

“We want to serve as many entrepreneurs as possible. So we're not particular with what they sell or even the characteristics of the business. It could be a higher margin, lower margin, different repeat purchase rates, average order sizes. But in terms of things to obviously improve your business and grow them, I’m sure it's a lot of things people have heard and standard things. Obviously improving the margin of your products helps by decreasing your fixed costs. On the customer acquisition side, lowering your cost of customer acquisition, which kind of ties to building a product that delights customers. That will lower your costs naturally.”

31:11 - OpenStore’s 5 founders

A complex business requires a team with varied expertise. That’s why Matt is one of five founders who share the work of running the business.

“There’s five founders of us in total. Obviously it’s a really complex business, so we wanted to start with a really great team. So myself, I'm the head of product. And then like I mentioned, Jack Abraham from Atomic came up with the idea, and has been helping us along. As well as Keith Rabois, who is a partner at Founders Fund, another venture firm, and was an executive at Square and LinkedIn. He’s currently our CEO, so helping making sure that we're building a great company and making the right decisions. And then we have Jeremy [Wood] our head of engineering, and Mike [Rubenstein] our president who's been president of other great startups, helping us build and scale the company. And as we build out the team, we focus a lot on engineering, product, design, so that we can really run these brands at scale. So both the pricing engine, being able to build a great pricing engine with data science to quickly deliver evaluation to businesses as well as building out the operations platform to help run these businesses.”

33:03 - The magic of Miami

Right now, Miami is a hotbed for startup innovation. The city is in full “building mode” compared to more established startup cities that are in “preservation mode.”

“I think everyone's really excited about Miami. I think in some ways there's actually similarities between startups and companies and cities. So early in a startup, obviously people are very excited about what you're building. You're focusing on 10x opportunities to grow the business and really optimistic about the future. And then once a company builds something valuable, then companies naturally switch a little more into value preservation or protection. And I think cities are the same way. So San Francisco and New York obviously have been great tech scenes and are great tech scenes, but they're a little bit more in this value preservation mode rather than being excited about building new things. And so what we all love about Miami is everyone here is super excited about building, solving really hard problems. So it's great both from a work and a lifestyle standpoint.”

This episode is brought to you by OrderGroove and OpenStore:

Visithttps://www.ordergroove.com/dtcpod/?utm_source=event&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=2022q1_dtcpodpodcast_thirdparty_demo_us&utm_content=demo today to receive 2-months off your first contract.

Visit https://open.store to get a free, no-obligation offer for your ecommerce business from OpenStore in 24 hours.

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Matt Lanter - Head of Product of Open.store

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of Omnipanel

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Andrew Benin is the co-founder & CEO of Graza, a Brooklyn based DTC brand reimagining extra-virgin olive oil. Andrew previously served at DTC powerhouses including Magic Spoon, Casper, & Warby Parker where he worked in key operational roles. His new brand, Graza, had one of the most successful CPG launches of 2022.

3:29 - Becoming a CPG addict

Andrew got his start working for hot DTC Brands like Warby Parker, Casper, and Magic Spoon. It was a thrilling environment, but he knew he wanted to build something of his own.

“When you work at really hot CPG companies, you are an addict of course. Because the company you're working for is growing, and growth is the fuel that fires the whole engine. But I definitely was looking to replicate that fire for something that I cared about. And olive oil is a dream, because it's objectively healthy. It is delicious. The supply chain is beautiful. The places where olive trees are grown and harvested are beautiful. And people's general reaction is shit, I love olive oil. It's kind of everybody's best friend, you know? So it definitely had strong tailwinds. But when I actually thought, okay, it's time to start a company, super saturated market. Investors had seen decks come across their desk recently. Really fragmented supply chain. So all of the reasons not to do it started coming up at the same time as the energy to do it. But I couldn't stop. I knew that we were going to get an olive oil company off the ground.”

05:09 - Focusing on middle America

Luxury olive oil abounds in the world...for a steep price tag. Andrew realized that what middle America needed was olive that hit the sweet spot between amazing quality and accessibility.

“I got really, really close with Mike Anthony, the executive chef at Gramercy Tavern. I get back to New York. I'm still working at Magic Spoon. And I find time with Mike to do a tasting at the restaurant. And we're trying really expensive, really delicious, really crazy olive oils. And he looks me in the eye and he's like, you know, I have 10 of you in this zip code who I can call on to get me amazing Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Argentinian olive oil anywhere I want in the world. Don't start another boutique luxury olive oil company. Don't do it. That's not what we need. Middle America doesn't need that. Because it's not even just middle America doesn't need that, we can't afford it. So that changed my perspective completely. And ever since then, mass and scale and mass premium have been the leading principles for this company. Of course without sacrificing quality at all. I would put up our olive oil against any gold metal, whatever award olive oil there is in the world.”

8:07 - Making olive oil sexy

Graza’s unique squeeze bottle makes it possible to be both playful and insanely functional.

“We just wanted to add some life and some sex appeal to it, some fun. A big part of the development process and the idea was when we were like, screw it. We're going to put this in a chef-inspired squeeze bottle. That was a whole deviation from the norm. And that was a lot of energy from the culinary community, a lot of energy from the investment community. People were like, damn. This is going to really be usable on all social media verticals. You can do collabs with restaurants. And it all kind of started coming together when we flipped the form factor. You know, olive oil is always sold in the same dark green glass bottle with a random label with an olive branch on it. And when we chose a squeeze bottle, everything changed in terms of the visual appeal. And this is something that makes us not only a CPG food company, it makes us a tool in the kitchen.”

14:13 - Finding a design partner

Graza tapped Gander as their design agency, and offered them an equity and cash partnership to give the relationship deep roots.

“Our original design was a Dr. Bronner's bottle with a Mike's Hot Honey cap, put together with some Photoshop work. That's how it started. But we knew we were going to work with a great branding and design agency. We worked with Gander, Take a Gander is how you can find them online. They also did Magic Spoon and Banza and Gotham Greens and Mystic Market. So I knew they had the heat. We decided to explore an equity and cash partnership with them, which I think is a great way to work with long-term partners. I think it's a great way to keep people invested and honest…I think working with a great branding agency not only is like the visual aspect, they instill amazing creative project management into your company from an early point. And their first job is to extract all of the thoughts that you've had for six months alone, writing in your iPhone notes, writing a Google Doc, sending emails. Their job is to get that all out of you. And I think if we didn't work with some professionals like that, it would still just be stuck in my brain somewhere. And I'd be very frustrated.”

15:56 - Vetting new partners

Andrew suggests doing reference checks, carefully reviewing offers, and paying close attention to what is in the project scope before committing to new partners.

“It's the classic. You have to reference check. You have to right away ask for three companies that you worked with. I'm going to speak to all of them. And you got to put in the effort. What I will say is don't pay more than $150 grand for branding work. That is when things get crazy. You know, we got some offers in for $250k, $300k, $350k and we're going to do these data insights and consumer insights. I kind of read all that stuff is BS. Like if your job is a creative agency, I'm going to pay you for the creative. If your job is to give me consumer insights, I'm going to partner with McKinsey before I partner with the creative agency for that. So know what you're getting, and I know what you need. My last bit of advice would be the scopes of work that come through. You are going to be held to it. And if you deviate from scope, you are going to be billed for it. So don't take those lightly. Make sure exactly what you want is in there. And if you don't know how to ascertain that information, get help from a founder. Go into CPG founder Slack groups and figure out who can help you figure that out.”

21:04 - Seeding to creators pre-launch

Graza’s successful launch can be credited to successfully seeding to creators and influencers in a respectful way.

“For us all this organic pre-launch effort was mostly around seeding. I think if you have a physical product that is affordable to seed, you have already struck gold. And then you have to have faith in yourself and your team and your story and how you package it and the notes that you write and everything that you do, that these creators are going to naturally feel inclined to participate. So we took a seeding approach that was no strings attached, no asks, nothing. No incessant communication. If you want to squeeze with us, if you want to have some dope olive oil, drop your address. And if you don't, no hard feelings at all. If you only want to do a paid campaign, we'll speak to you in a year. I think that having a deep respect for the creator economy is vital for a CPG founder. Because these are people that their skill is mocked sometimes. And oh, you have 20,000 followers on Instagram. These are people that are trying to hustle and make a career out of this. And getting behind a camera with food is really hard, really hard. I have tried to do it many times, and my videos are awful. So I just think having the utmost respect for them and treating them like they are the key for all of us. So seeding really worked.”

32:12 - Kicking off a retail strategy

Andrew knew that retail would turn into a big component of Graza’s business. That’s why he identified a talented co-founder to run and own Graza’s retail arm.

“We divide and conquer. I have an amazing co-founder Allen… Allen had run an $80 million business just at Costco in apparel, and it's the retail mass mindset that we needed. So Alan runs our entire sales team. Allen facilitates our selection of brokers and a whole bunch of other stuff. But dividing and conquering in those channels. It was always kind of a dream to be okay, maybe we can actually have different ownership of digital and physical from day one. And obviously it's not a perfect line, but we're doing a pretty damn good job. So for us, we have to figure out how to supply 1,500 stores. It's a huge, huge challenge for a new brand. Our interactions with our customers digitally will always be so vital to our community building and brand building. And we're not going to let those strategies conflate with what works on a retail shelf. I don't think they are completely transferable. And I also think it's a pipe dream to be like, oh, we'll get our physical retail customers and convert them over to digital customers, and everyone's going to be happy. Wrong. No one's going to be happy.”

36:40 - Channeling startup energy

Work-life balance is simply impossible for a startup founder. Andrew said that something changes when it’s your own business that allows you to draw on a deeper well of energy.

“I worked for people that I watched them suffer, because it was their company. And I got to go to the gym at 7:00 PM and go out to dinner with friends. That's not my reality right now. But I think at the same time, you tune into like a different stamina, different energy, that just keeps you going. Yesterday was Sunday, and I was answering every single customer email that we got, because I think it’s really really important, especially with these early customers. And that's in thanks to amazing training that I had at companies where customer service was everything. So I'm not going to sit here and say that my personal health is at an all-time high. It's not. But the community that we're building in the food space is insane. It is a lot of fun to work with olive oil. Every time we go to dinner here in Brooklyn, we bring a bottle and we're just squeezing it everywhere. It is fun. We're gonna build out a team to help, for sure. And that's going to be so exciting. Maybe in a year and a half, two years, I can come up for some air. But right now I want to put everything into this, because at the end of the day, we're selling something to people that actually is good for them.”

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8:21 - Pivoting from SaaS to ecommerce

Raphael was surrounded by Saas founders, but followed his instincts when he found himself far more interested in the ecommerce space.

“I started SplitBase when most of my friends were SaaS founders, because that's what I was familiar with. I always like, well, SplitBase is going to be a conversion optimization agency for SaaS companies. Now a couple of things. One, I think it would have been better positioned as a churn reduction agency maybe, or something a bit more focused than conversion optimization. Because I realized after maybe a year of doing that, that it's like, SaaS companies, it's not conversionary. It's not the term that really comes to mind. But also I just wasn't really passionate about the SaaS space. And I caught myself one day thinking and actually saying to a friend you know, when I'm done with this SaaS thing I'm going to focus on helping out ecommerce brands with optimization. And then my friend was just like, well, why don't you just do it now?”

9:54 - Pioneering conversion optimization

Brands used to not invest much in the user experience, only in ads. As the DTC era grew, Raphael saw that start to shift.

“For so many years, it's felt like you had to convince brands, and still a bit today, that optimization is something that you do. And it just felt like, I don't know how to say it, but we were stuck in a very old way of thinking. Most ecommerce brands we're just not really thinking ahead, and it was a very old-school way of thinking about user experience in general. And eventually this DTC era started surfacing. And what's been interesting is that, still then, CRO, like conversion optimization and landing pages, wasn't a big thing. Even today it's only really starting to become the thing to do. And more notably since the iOS changes. It changed everything. Because you realize people were just so focused on testing their ads, testing their ads. And they were like, oh, the website just needs to look sexy and good and beautiful, and design will sell. But the truth is no. Design is one thing and it helps build trust and it provides an identity. But design alone is not going to answer your customer's questions, their fears, their doubts, their objections. Design is made to support that content, not be that content.”

16:10 - Focus on the customer, not the competitor

A mistake many brands make is to see what marketing gurus are saying about best practices, or copying others. But the first place you should be looking is to your customer.

“We're not going to focus on the optimization part of the traffic acquisition. We're not going to touch ads, for sure. That's not what we do. But post-click, okay. Customers clicked on your ad. Now they're on your website. It's go time. What do we do? Do we need a landing page? Is the landing page even working? First, before trying to apply tactics or techniques, because I think this is also one of the biggest traps for brands getting into optimization. They were like, Hey, what is Neil Patel or whatever marketer on their blog is saying about optimization? And most of the information is bullshit for most brands. The thing is, sure. There are some best practices when it comes to usability. But it's not about what's working for other brands or your competitors or whatever. It's what does your customer need for them to convert on your site and buy your product? The only way to really get to the bottom of this is by really doing what we call conversion research. Which is, and not to get too deep into this, but it's talk with your customers.”

20:10 - Evolve your tactics with your market

Products and customers are not static. That means your website and landing pages can’t be, either.

“If we are talking about a DTC brand, they're releasing more SKUs, probably targeting different types of customers. So any business is going to be growing. The market is going to change, their customers are going to change. So first, the process is infinite. Because you're always going to have to adopt. And when you do this research work well, sure. It enables you to create landing pages, make changes on your site, and run tests that hopefully will drive some impact. But it also feeds you information in terms of how your customer and your product is evolving over time. And I think that's kind of key, because if you assume that, oh, I have one website and this is a fixed entity and my customer is also the same thing, I mean, at one point you're going to hit a wall.”

22:38 - Use data to drive action

Many brands get obsessed with tracking data. But Raphael’s found that data is actually useless unless you’re using it to make business decisions.

“Data can be a savior as much as it can be a killer. And the reason I believe this is because look. We have clients, for example, that sure. They have a lot of data tools. And they're actually using it. It's integrated within Klaviyo and everything. It's integrated within their tools. They have staff to handle it. That's amazing, yes. Data that you can actually use and that leads to insights, and that leads to an actual action, not just like, oh, this is interesting data. And then it sits there. But data that actually leads to progress or changes. That is great data, and it's good to have. But I think people get caught in this, it's like data porn. It's like, Hey, we need data. We need data. We need data. But it's like, Hey, before you actually get more data, ask yourself: do you actually need to know this? And if so, it’s not do you actually need to know this. It's are you actually going to be using it, and how?”

25:27 - Embrace qualitative over quantitative

Percentages can show you what’s happening on your website. But qualitative research can show you why.

“At the end of the day, if you're looking at Google Analytics or any dataset to try to make decisions, it's great. I'm sure it's helpful if you have a problem that you're trying to solve in mind. The thing is that sure, it'll give you percentages, ratios, numbers. It'll tell you which pages are performing well, which pages aren't. But what it doesn't tell you is the qualitative stuff. Because look, numbers are numbers. But your customers are human beings. And you're not trying to optimize for numbers. Those are signals that are going to help you optimize for the human being. But who we are truly optimizing for, those numbers you see on the screen, they're real human beings. If you see that your cart abandonment, your conversion rate is low or not performing as expected, well, sure. Google will tell you that. But there has to be something that caused people to abandon, to stop themselves from actually finalizing their purchase.”

28:52 - Use your customers’ language

It’s easy to assume you know exactly who your customers are and what they want. But it’s worth talking to them to make sure, and stealing their language for your landing pages.

“When you do surveys and you ask people: how would you describe X brand to your friend? Well, people explain the brand in their own words. Analyze that. Find the words they're using. Reuse that on your landing pages. It's relevant. It talks to the customer. And I've been victim of that myself so many times. We always think that we know what our customer wants. We’re the founders of a company. We think we know what our customer wants and how they think. But it's not true. Very often you start doing that research and you’re like, damn. I was describing my company that way, but customers are describing it in an entirely different way. And that can be so revealing sometimes to just stop looking at the quantitative data all the time, and trying to just get some qualitative balance.”

41:49 - Create your own category

While SplitBase didn’t necessarily create a brand new category within optimization, they certainly go about things differently from most agencies.

“For some brands or some products, it's necessary for people to understand what it is. It's the science of familiarity. So we'll latch on to conversion optimization. We’re probably different than a lot of optimization and landing page agencies, because we focus a whole lot more on that qualitative side of things that we talked about than 99% of optimization and landing page agencies out there. Most landing page agencies out there are just going to build something from a template, and it's going to be like, oh, we should talk about that. We should talk about this. But our unique mechanism is—and that's literally what I do when I sell brands our services. I talk about our services being, Hey, well, we talk to the customer and we do this. Which generally a lot of other agencies don't do. So I think there's always a way to be a bit different. I don't know if it really falls into creating an entirely different category, but maybe it's the beginning of it.”

52:16 - Look beyond the AB test

At its core, optimization is about improving experiences. That means it’s much more than AB testing.

“So SplitBase is with that DTC wave, and everybody's starting to realize that hey, I think we need a landing page. Hey, I think we need to improve our website, run tests, and do optimization. I mean, I think it's funny. SplitBase is 6, 7, 8 years old. I lose track of time. But I still think we're only at the very beginning of it. Right now, the industry still thinks of optimization as an AB test. An AB test is optimization. It is not. Optimization is improving experiences, validating/invalidating hypotheses. AB testing is a tool as part of that. The industry I don't think is 100% there yet. I don't think brands think of it that way automatically. Now brands that work with us, after a couple of months we try to make them understand that. And most of them realize, oh, this is what it means to do optimization. But I think over time, as brands become more, they, I don't want to say accept that. But as they realize that optimization is more than AB testing, our task is going to be more than doing AB testing as well. And it's really going to be to guide those brands with: how do we create a culture of experimentation?”

54:00 - Raphael’s barometer for success

The true sign of success for Raphael is when their clients fully and autonomously embrace the concept of making hypotheses and conducting tests.

“So Dr. Squatch, which I've mentioned, we've been working with them for about three years. And when we started with them, the brand was pretty small. I don't think they were even running any AB tests. Now, fast forward three years later, we've been meeting with them on a weekly basis and more frequently, and running tests and helping them with this. They now have, three years later, pretty much an entire optimization team. And their team and everyone that really in their brand that you interact with think in terms of hypotheses. In terms of oh, we're not just going to release this feature because we know it needs to go out. They think of what is the likelihood that this is either going to fail and cost us a lot of sales, or what is the likelihood that it's actually gonna work? Like, are we wrong? Are we right? We don't know until we test it. And they think of it that way. And it's a mindset shift. It's more than just running great tests. And to me, that's when your mission is fully accomplished.”

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Raphael Paulin-Daigle - CEO of SplitBase

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of Omnipanel

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4:47 - When goals make sense

Goals can be a waste of time at a young company. But once you grow, you need to figure out what to prioritize.

I think to start off a company where you're at zero and come up with this master plan and all these OKRs and goals, I think it's just a huge waste of time. You should just spend more of that time talking to customers and figuring out building something that they need enough. Because if you don't have product-market fit, what's the point of goals? The point of goals for us was just, you have a lot of people. There's a lot of demand. How do we prioritize our time on the things that are most important? And how do you coordinate? Last year we had maybe seven director-above people, and now we have like 22. So if you have all those types of people leading different initiatives, how do you make sure that they know what's important at any given time? How are we measuring the success of that? How are the things that they're doing gonna impact other teams? What are the dependencies? If they say, Hey, we want to build X, Y, and Z. But if the engineering team doesn't have the people they need to do that, there's just so much more coordination as you get bigger. And without having clear goals, it's just really tough.

9:57 - The forecasting breakthrough

As a bootstrapped business, SwagUp felt like it was starting each month as a blank slate. Michael took on the job of building a model that could accurately predict business.

Every month, I would build out the model for that next month and the next quarter and stuff. And then I’d track like, what was the variance? What was the actual revenue? What did we end up doing? What is it looking like for the next few months? And it started to be very accurate. In the beginning it was like, plus or minus 20%, which was still really helpful. And then it started to get into like the plus or minus like 5%, 6%, 7%. So in the past we went from not knowing anything to now like, oh, we'll do $2.2 million next month. And then that was super helpful with the pandemic because when the world was kind of melting down, we weren't sure are people going to buy swag, or this or that? By like April and May, we saw enough early signals that would say, Hey, actually we're going to have our best month ever in this next month. So we just started to think much more from a machine standpoint, like, okay. What are all these inputs, and what's the output going to be? And that kind of changed my thinking around this stuff in general and try to find other areas of the business that have the same dynamic.

13:32 - Pursuing a SaaS look & feel

There’s no doubt that SaaS tools are very intuitive to use. Michael wanted that same look and feel for SwagUp, so that tough tasks and decisions could become simple.

I wanted it to feel like a SaaS tool. Because if you were like Twilio or Plaid or Stripe or any of these interesting software or platform-type companies, the people at those companies who are buying swag, they're going to these websites that feel very 2000s, very 1990s. And I was like, I want them to feel the same buying experience that they would feel buying some piece of software that they're using, and have a brand and positioning and design that resonates. So design was super, super important to me from the very beginning. Because one, it gives you credibility, and it tells you right away like, Hey, they take pride in what they're doing. It looks really legit. They've probably been around for a while. And we had to appear bigger than we were, but also wanted it to feel natural to them. Like, oh, if we're going to buy swag, this would be the type of company we would buy it from. So we've always been thinking about how do you productize the experiences as well, and make it really, really simple and eliminate decision fatigue…and it became like this mouse trap for us, where we were able to acquire so many customers because we just do this one thing very specifically.

17:18 - The benefit of swag

Swag is a big business for a reason. Many companies want swag to build a relationship with employees. When you don’t have a good resource, this can take a lot of time and energy.

The whole idea of like a swag pack is first off, whether it's your new hires or you have community members or your new customers or partners, building a bond and a connection between you and them is super important for companies now. There's so many more companies that you can work at or buy from. And the people that choose to work at your company or buy from you, they have a deeper sense of connection. And that's what I kind of saw happening. I saw that if you do swag well, it does a great job of kind of solidifying that connection and kind of physically embodying it. But how do you easily get something into those people's hands? And if you're hiring people remote all around the world, how do you easily get a consistent experience as well? That was one of the issues I saw in the beginning is you have people that start at a company, in the office, and they have one experience. And they have people that start remote, and they have one experience. So it's like, if you can make the process of creating one of these kits and distributing it really simple, then everybody will have a really consistent, scalable experience.

24:55 - Learn what you will & won’t do

Saying “no'' seems like a foregin concept at a startup. But as you solidify demand, you have to start articulating what you will and won’t do for customers.

In the beginning, it's just like, do whatever the customer wants. Just say yes to every single opportunity, make money. And then eventually if you're lucky enough to be successful, then you have the option to be like, oh, I'll be picky. But when you're just starting, I don't think you can really be super picky. Because you don't even know what the business is going to be, or what parts are going to be successful or where are you going to really scale it. But then over time, it starts to get to a point where that “just say yes” attitude comes back around to haunt you, because that becomes the mentality that people are used to, and they're just like, oh, we just want to do whatever's in the best interest of the customer at all times. Which is noble in a way. But at the same time, it means you're inherently not providing a good experience to other customers, because you're spending too much time on this other stuff. Or we have to hire too many people to maintain those levels. So we started to do some things the SwagUp way, and really articulating to people and documenting what are the things that we do or the things that we don't do.

27:59 - The right time for capital

So far, SwagUp has never raised money. But Michael thinks bringing on capital soon will help them grow much quicker, faster.

We've never raised money. We still own 100% of the business. We have very minimal debt, just some little lines of credit that we have access to. But I'm definitely at a point where I think we're ready to start bringing on capital. Because it's just too clear, the opportunity and how big it is and the different areas that we want to build out, and get the team that we need and stuff. We’re just wasting time by sitting, because there's too many tradeoff decisions on a daily basis. It's like, well, Anthony wants this person on his team. Well, this person wants that. So we have to say, oh no, you're not going to get that person right now. We're going to get this person. Or this is revenue-generating, so that gets priority.

40:02 - Focusing on customers over marketing

SwagUp only spends about 1% of their budget on marketing. That low number is due to the fact that repeat business is huge.

70% of our traffic is direct and organic. And the majority of that is people just going to SwagUp.com right in their browser. So that's the most valuable thing you could ever have, is just people that know the brand itself and go straight to it. So that's why we don't need to spend too much on marketing…The bigger we get, the more vitality there is, because more of our products are in people's hands around the world. Our growth is really a function of how many customers we have. Because 70% of our revenue comes from our repeat customers. So we think of it as like, okay, we want to get as much of our traffic and leads to turn into new customers, because new customers turn into our customer base. And then a certain percentage of our customer base is going to order on a given month. So that's like a whole kind of growth flow. How do we optimize that? How do we get as many people going from lead to conversion? How do we get as much percentage of our customers ordering on a regular basis? How do we get them reordering, the time between reorders lower? So we spend a lot of time on our existing customer base.

42:52 - Seeking out good data

Data can be your friend, but Michael says that it can also be your enemy when used improperly. That’s why he learned how to crunch the numbers on his own before trusting others with the job.

The worst thing you can do is start making decisions off of bad data. Because I'm all for being data-driven, but I'm also very annoying to people about making sure that the data that they have is actually correct at its root, and like that they dive into the raw data and check manually, like, is this right? Check some assumptions. Because ideally if you set up the infrastructure right, then you just go with it. Then you start making decisions and you adapt and stuff and you trust it and you can move quick. But I've also seen horror stories where people think they know what they're talking about or they have data and then it's really saying something totally opposite, and they don't understand the business or why. And that's why it was really valuable for me to do all of the data modeling myself in spreadsheets before, because I could manually go in there and really understand the data. So now when somebody comes to me with a report, I can usually gut feel and say hey, there's something wrong with that. You gotta dig into the data and really look at it before starting to build strategies and plans from this information.

51:02 - Building in automation

The process of ordering SwagUp items is already easy, and Michael’s team is making it even easier to preview item designs thanks to AI mock-ups.

You upload your logos. You say, okay, I'm going to want 100. Here's what I need it by, and submit it. And then on the backend that goes into our system. It alerts our design teams that they have a new project they need to work on. And then the customer then gets invited to the dashboard. So they make their account. And then once the design team, probably within plus or minus like six hours, you'll get your fully branded mock-ups done for your brand, with those products that you picked. We even have a little bit of lightweight AI that we built. If you go to grab one of our sample packs, that's like another lead channel that we have. At the end of it, we'll use your email to then showcase your custom mock-ups of what it's going to look like. So we'll pull your domain, and then we have some APIs that run to look at what branding you have, what color. And then we'll show you what that could actually look like in real-time. But when you're picking all these custom items, for now we have a design team that does all that. Eventually, we'll probably use AI to automate all the mockup processes.

57:18 - Selecting the right swag products

The best way to decide what to sell? Ask yourself if you and your team members would buy it. Michael goes for a mix of brand name items and high quality generic goods.

The first thing was like, one of the philosophies was pick products that people would actually use themselves. Like if I was going to get a hat, which hat would I want? I always use myself as the barometer of like, is this a good product? And then we'll buy them and hang out and use them and see if people like them and stuff. But there's like a 70-30 kind of rule of like 30% of our products are brand retail names. And we try to find interesting companies that people at startups are using anyway. Like there's a drinkware company called Fellow that makes really cool stuff. And a lot of times our customers will suggest brands. They'll be like, Hey, I love these mugs that my wife just bought me, would you guys ever offer them or something? And we'll reach out. So I try to strike the balance between having cool brands that people know that they would want themselves, but then layering in these generic items that are of higher quality.

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1:26 - Rebuilding the vitamin category

Sara realized that traditional vitamins weren’t built in a way to truly optimize health.

“I was starting to struggle out of nowhere really with chronic inflammation, digestion, sleep issues, you name it. And I've always considered myself a relatively healthy person. I had a healthy diet. I didn't really know what was going on. Went through a lot of allergy tests and blood tests and found out that I had a lot of gaps in my diet. Because even if you eat a well-rounded diet, even if you eat perfectly, actually 90% of Americans are micronutrient deficient. We're not actually getting the nutrients that we need. And so like many of us, I turned to the supplement aisle to try to fill the gaps. Started looking at all these vitamins and pills and complicated and expensive sort of supplement routines, and cobbling together swallowing handfuls of capsules. And the more that I looked into it and questioned it, the more that I found that a lot of these things are built wrong. They're made with a lot of artificial fillers, synthetic binders, just a lot of dirty things. You don't actually question where your vitamins are coming from or how it's made. And so I set out to create an entirely new solution. One that's actually real food. And that's how it was inspired and Gem was born.”

9:27 - Organizing a beta group

Sara’s first step was to organize a Facebook group of diverse women to help understand if there was interest in replacing multivitamins with something better.

“At first I didn't even think about it as the anti-vitamin, as an entirely new idea of a vitamin. I just thought of it as this daily health essential that really worked for me. And I wanted to share it with more people. And so I started a beta group actually, and I joke, on a complicated platform called Facebook Groups. And I had people kind of refer in, so it wasn't just a bunch of my friends, over 300 women across the US. And at first I just formed this community really to see if it was something of interest, to get people's feedback. And I kept iterating on it to address other people's needs, to see what would work. And I got an overwhelmingly positive response of, wow, this is something that could really replace my multivitamin. This is something that really works for me. And that's when really I had the aha moment of, wow, this could be a business and really be a product that is impactful on people's lives. And that's what led me to ultimately raising my first round of capital and then going to market in late 2018.”

12:07 - Forming a panel of advisors

Next, Sara surrounded herself with experts who could serve as the scientific backbone for GEM’s products.

“I have a team of scientific advisors that I brought together. And our approach and my approach in building this has always been to have a kaleidoscopic array of knowledge and expertise. And so we have an herbalist, a functional medicine doctor, a neurologist, a biochemist, registered dieticians. And bringing these different perspectives together in how can we look at our health in different ways? How can we actually look at it holistically, and not just through this band-aid lens of a pill for this and a pill for that? And so it took kind of bringing them together, getting their input, and then really co-developing it with this community.”

15:25 - Embracing a minimalist brand

Too often, design eats up a startup’s time and money when it should really be focused on getting the product right. That’s why Sara packaged GEM in black & white until its recent rebrand.

“I started out really almost with a brandless platform. So they actually came packaged in a recyclable PET container, a small plastic container. And so it was really nicely designed and had a simple white label on it. It was like white and black. And the idea was I didn't want brand to distract from the core product. I think there's a lot of, and I've had these mistakes too in my own past of building companies, where a lot of people will spend a lot of money on these beautiful brand books and invest a ton in brand before they even know their target customer. And that's not what I want to do. I want the product right. I wanted to understand who my audience was. I wanted to understand how to build the right thing for them. And so I started out with a very simple and scalable brand packaging system that was really super minimalist.”

17:06 - Prioritizing scalability

To stay lean and agile, Sara set up manufacturing and production systems that she knew would be scalable as GEM evolved.

“As a food company, it's difficult to kind of have that quote-unquote ‘lean’ startup method. Because it's harder to iterate on obviously a physical product than it is maybe if you were a software company, or something where you can make more methodical smaller tweaks. So I set up a supply chain and I set up a manufacturing and a production system with this packaging and brand that allowed me to do that in the most minimal way possible. And I always thought about scalability in my mind, too, when building out unit economics. So from day one, I made sure that we sourced things that I could scale with, that I could iterate on pretty quickly, so that we could get to that product market fit faster.”

20:23 - Bringing investors onboard

GEM didn’t have fancy pitch decks. Instead, Sara invited potential investors into her beta group so that they could see all of the feedback and interest firsthand.

“It was about a month into that beta group that I realized the potential. And I actually invited investors to this group. So I actually used the group as my beta. As my product market fit potential. So that was really my prototype version, if you will. So I had the product for people to taste, it continued to evolve obviously from there the next six months. But I had the initial product. I had the initial community. And I had the initial feedback as well. I did a lot of surveys within this group, asking questions. We had different dialogue conversations happening. And so I just invited these investors. They could see transparently what people were saying. Good, bad, ugly. And that was my approach. I don't even know if I had a pitch deck in the early days. I mean, that was really it. It was about the product. It was about our mission and vision of building this future of nutrition. And that's really how we actually raised that initial capital.”

25:15 - Competing in the superfood space

Today, GEM doesn’t just compete with vitamins. They also go toe-to-toe with superfoods, powders, and other players in the health space.

“We're really indirectly competing with so much more than just traditional supplements in gummy or pill form. We do get a lot of switching behavior from consumers who don't want to eat a candy, who don't want to swallow pills and capsules, and who want to have a whole food solution that's more natural to get their vitamins. But also we were getting a lot of vitamin-skeptics, people who've never taken vitamins before because they don't believe in it, because it’s scary. You don't really know what's inside of it. Now, the landscape has changed so much where we're this convenient all-in-one daily nutrition. And so even like powder companies now, there's all these superfood powders and things like that where people are trying to get all of their essential nutrients. Gem also helps satisfy that need. And so now, I think the landscape has evolved where when you actually look at the supplement space, it's so much more than just supplements. You're looking at functional food, you're looking at functional powders. You're looking at a lot more players in there. And we're an entirely different form factor, but we're kind of evolving that even more with that form factor, and really disrupting and displacing a lot of those players.”

43:35 - Keeping a simple tech stack

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel in DTC. The only unique tech that GEM uses is an SMS program that allows them to regularly check in with subscribers.

“Our tech stack is super simple. We're built on Shopify and we use a subscription plugin within Shopify called Recharge. We use Klaviyo for our email system, and SMS as well. And we also co-built our own SMS for helping manage your subscription. So we text our customers three days before your monthly subscription, asking you how everything's going, if you want to swap flavors, if you want to pause or anything. And so we have a super communicative strategy there through SMS. And of course we have the data side as well. We use Looker. I know there's a lot of different data platforms out there. But what's amazing about the direct to consumer world obviously is that you can really get to market quickly with a pretty simple tech stack. And there's a lot of tools where you don't need to reinvent the wheel necessarily from the ground up.”

46:13 - Optimizing health 30 days at a time

The next step for GEM is to grow their community of users and enlighten more people on the value of using the product every single day.

“Consistency is so important. And that's why we're a subscription model. It's about one bite a day. In order to optimize your health, you really do need to be consistent. And so that's why we offer a subscription. And we hope through the structured experience that we provide you that that becomes something of a habit. It’s shipped to your door conveniently every month so you don't have to think about it or worry about it, in 30 bite packs. So it comes in 30-bite compostable bags. And then we offer you a big tin, an eco-friendly tin that you can refill and have on your counter. And then we also offer you a travel tin for on the go. And so we give you three different packaging systems in your starter kit, so that you can always have it with you wherever you need it in the house. And you can take it with you as well. So hoping to provide different levels of convenience.”

Episode Contributors:

Sara Cullen - CEO of GEM

Blaine Bolus - COO of Omipanel

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4:36 - Embracing clean beauty

A long-time advocate of health and clean ingredients, Bobbi Brown founded Jones Road Beauty. The challenge was to make clean versions of all the best products.

“Bobbi parted ways with her company that she founded and had a non-compete. And most people would be retiring at that age, but she just didn't feel done. And she felt like she had so much that she wanted to teach and so much that she wanted to continue to do. And part of it is throughout her journey she has gotten super into health and became a certified health coach. You know, clean beauty wasn't really a thing back then, but obviously now it's much more common and people care so more about what they're putting on their faces and also what they're putting in their bodies. So I think there was just a little bit of a challenge in there, and obviously makeup and the trends are changing, but also what ingredients people care about is changing. So usually people didn't think that clean products were that good. And there was kind of a challenge of how can we make the best beauty products in the world, of all products, and let's just also make them clean.”

8:50 - A soft launch that hit hard

Cody and the Jones Road team did zero pre-launch announcements, and the launch still surpassed all expectations.

“I think because we knew that there would be some initial demand we had to invest for that and kind of prepare for that and start building the team. Versus if you're going to start things from scratch, you have to obviously do it super bootstrapped and do it super lean and maybe start fulfilling orders by yourself. But we knew that that wasn't going to be sustainable. So we had to invest ahead of time for that. And I think we knew that on day one we hit something pretty special and pretty serious. We didn't really do any pre-launch because Bobbi’s non-compete was up and she didn't want to wait at all. So she wanted to launch it on that first day that she could, which means we couldn't announce it ahead of time…So we really didn't do any teasing of, and we didn't have time to kind of build a list or anything like that. But we had some press hit that day. And once people started talking about it, I think we knew it that first month and that first day just surpassed expectations. And that's when we knew we really had something.”

13:21 - Making investments in ad spend

Cody says that steady ad spend and good growth KPIs should result in increases in traffic and brand awareness.

“I think you have to just trust it a little bit. Look at audience growth, look at like, yes, they are vanity metrics in terms of looking at your reach and your followers. But I do think that is an important thing to look at. And having growth KPIs that you're growing 5% or 10% a month, I think is super important. And obviously I don't think you can look day to day and like, ‘oh, we spent this much, this was our return on ad spend.’ But I think if you invest in it over a quarter, you obviously should see your overall traffic pick up. You should see your organic search, your direct, and your branded search pick up as well if you're getting some more brand awareness out there. And you should see your overall revenue quarter over quarter go up.”

14:28 - Doubling down on social media

The next step for Jones Road is to focus on building community through social storytelling, such as putting resources into TikTok.

“Obviously influencers and UGC are huge. Especially in beauty, on Instagram, just being able to share what our products look like on different people and obviously doing some storytelling around brand pillars as it relates to building a community. I think that's something we can do a way better job of is building a community on social, on Instagram. That's kind of our main focus and I think something that we can do a way better job of. And then we're really not doing much and a good enough job on TikTok. So that's going to be a huge focus. And that's something I know you asked, like, how do you calculate your return on investment of organic? I mean, we're going to find out. Because we're going to invest quite a bit of resources into TikTok, because I really think that's where the attention is. And we'll see how that plays out.”

15:37 - Building the marketing team

There are many new roles that will be up for grabs soon at Jones Road, most notably a growth associate who can work with creators on fresh user-generated content.

“We've got one senior to manager level of marketing operations. We are about to hire a director of influencer marketing, that's something we're hiring for right now. We just hired an associate manager of retention marketing. So email and SMS. We have a social associate, and then a marketing coordinator. So that's kind of what our marketing team looks like right now. But again, we're looking to grow upon that quite a bit. We're looking to hire another person on the media buying side, maybe somebody else to help with our ad creative. So somebody like a growth marketing associate, where they work with content creators, work with these platforms, write briefs, communicate with creators to get UGC, and then work with an editor to kind of turn that around.”

22:36 - Finding content creators

A critical part of Jones Road Beauty’s growth has relied on getting products into the hands of influencers. The key is getting them to then create content that will help grow the brand.

“We haven't done a lot of like pay-to-post. We've done a lot of seeding, so I think that's something that's been super successful. I think the more we do of that, the better. It’s just getting our products out there, it's kind of a little bit more of a brand awareness play. And then we've used a lot of influencers for paid social stuff. Just using it. Getting content is really the name of the game. It's how much content can you get? And it's very expensive and time-consuming to do it all in-house. I was talking to somebody the other day who is a consultant for this. But you know, UGC is not like an add-on thing anymore. It really has to be an essential part of your marketing. On Instagram, on TikTok, it's super important. And you have to have a budget for it. You have to dedicate, even if you're a really small brand, you have to figure out what your budget is. You have to figure out how you're going to find content creators.”

29:07 - Growing a personal audience

In addition to growing the audience for Jones Road, Cody is buy networking and growing his own personal audience so that he can more effectively hire.

“My main motivation right now is I'm trying to build our team. So if I can get on podcasts from it, if I can maybe speak at some events, just build an audience there, hopefully whenever we need to recruit somebody I have a network, I have an audience. I really think it's just the biggest leverage that you can have, that almost everybody should be building an audience, even if it's not a big one, so people know who you are. Because if you're looking for a job, like I would much rather hire somebody that I'm familiar with, that I've engaged with, and kind of know a little bit more about them. If we were raising money, I'd much rather raise money from somebody who's in my network and my audience. So there's just nothing bad that can really come from it.”

33:34 - Sticking with DTC over retail

Cody says that for now, retail isn’t a focus. He would much rather continue to fully own the revenue, customer data, and customer experience.

“We have one of our own stores, but we're not in any retail. We're doing a pop-up right now in Creedo, but I don't think that that'll be long-term. And we're trying to hold off on that. At least I am trying to hold off on that for as long as possible, just so that we can own all of our distribution and all of our data. Part of the value of being direct to consumer is obviously you get to keep your margin, but more importantly, you get to keep your relationship to your customers. When you're in retail, you have to launch products for retailers. You have to make specific SKUs for them. Sometimes you don't get to make what you really think is going to be best for the customer. So that's why we're choosing not to be in it for now.”

36:12 - Building a media company

The key to DTC growth for Jones Road lies in growing organic traffic. They plan to achieve that by essentially building a media company that will invest in content and support the product company.

“We want to double our growth. We want to do so essentially keeping our ad spend 15% or less of our total revenue. So to do that, we've got to figure out organic distribution. Most people go into retail for distribution, but you lose margin, you lose equity. You no longer own the customer data. We want to keep all of that. So essentially what I think most people do, they either go to retail for distribution, or they go to venture capital for distribution; stay direct to consumer but then it's all just spent on ads. We want to do it profitably. Keep all of our data, keep all of our equity, not dilute at all. And to do that, we've got to learn how to grow our organic traffic. So what we're going to do is we're going to build a media company. We're going to build a media business. So we're going to invest in building a team and invest in content. I don't exactly know yet what the form is going to look like for that content, where it's going to. How are we going to distribute it, that's kind of all in the works right now. But that's really going to be our overall goal is building a publication company, building a content-first company, that lives alongside our product company.”

Episode Contributors:

Blaine Bolus - COO Omnipanel

Cody Plofker - Director of Ecommerce of Jones Road

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Key Takeaways3:35 - Starting with Kickstarter

Jarod and his partners knew they could have gone through the formal fundraising process, but wanted to get market validation first.

“Having some startup cash to kind of get going, especially when you're talking about a CPG brand, it definitely helps a lot for a lot of levers. For us, sure, we could've gone out and raised money. But you know, that's like a 3-6, maybe 9-month process to go get a full round of fundraising. And we just don't want to do that. We just want to make sure the idea was worth it to other people. And so for us, Tyler, my co-founder, he started in his mom's kitchen just making samples, making things, making sure that it was a good product and so on and so forth. And for us Kickstarter was this channel where we could put up a campaign. And for those that don't know, Kickstarter, if you don't hit your goal within the 30, 60 whatever day campaign you want to do, you just don't get the money. So for us, it was like, okay, let's put it on Kickstarter. If it does really good, great. We'll get the money. And if it doesn't okay, then we'll go back to the drawing board.”

9:49 - A viral launch

All of Muddy Bite’s original sales were completely organic, and they sold out of product before it was even produced. This meant manufacturing was the biggest blocker.

“We launched on Shopify and really from day one, I think day one we launched, we did like 25k in sales. And that was really just kind of all organic. And really from there for the next four to six months, it was like every single bag was sold before it was ever produced. We never really did Facebook ads, because it just organically every bag was sold before it's produced. And so it really was kind of this process of manufacturing. How do we increase the manufacturing? How do we speed up the manufacturing? And so it was really kind of a different kind of journey so to say, because most brands it’s like, how do I go out and market this better? How do I get more customers? And it really for us, it was kind of flipped.”

10:58 - Keeping customer transparency

In the midst of constantly selling out of product, Jarod and his team made sure to keep customers in the loop so they knew what was happening.

“There were some points where we maybe had 2,000 orders in the hole. And for us to catch up on those that take maybe two to three weeks. And so number one, we had full transparency with customers. The message was, Hey, we got all these orders. We can't keep up. You guys are amazing. We just need some time, please be patient. And we were really transparent with that for two to three years as we kind of got into better manufacturing for our process. And really because of that, we built a really strong foundation for customers that have followed us from day one.”

11:33 - Making a small facility work

Muddy Bites upgraded to a new facility…but it was still too small. They made it work as long as possible by creating night shifts and staffing with local college students.

“Going from like 400 to 2,000 (square feet in facility space) was a fairly smooth process, because it was kind of that transition from Kickstarter to Shopify. But after we kind of gotten our 2,000 square foot facility and really kind of got going, we had boxes up to the ceiling and we had 30 plus employees in there. And it was jam-packed within a small facility to where after six months, whatever it was like, we needed a bigger space, but we were locked in this longer contract. And managing cash flow was super tight. So we just created a day shift and a night shift. And this was in Ames, Iowa. So we found college student. it was really easy for us to find college students that are willing to come in and work for that. So it was really kind of good for us just being in Ames because of that, finding know easy workers, so to say. But we quickly outgrew that space.”

15:28 - Launching retail in the midwest

It turns out that midwest retail chains have great volume. Starting there quickly opened more doors in other regions.

“Being here in Iowa, we've got Midwest chains like Hy-Vee, Fairway Foods, just to name a couple. And so that's where our starting points were for retail were, in a word, pretty nice. Because Hy-Vee, I think they have about 110 locations, like decent volume for a Midwest chain. And really once you start kind of expanding into retail to where you get maybe 500 to 1,000 doors, it's almost like a chain reaction. Because different category buyers go to different stores just to see the market and stuff like that. And so it just kind of opens up more doors. And so really from the Midwest, we expanded east, west, south, north. And it just made it a lot easier to expand.”

16:34 - Using DTC to strategize with retail

The Muddy Bites online sales demographics helped the team know where retail product should be sent. This had a beneficial snowball effect on both the DTC and retail side.

“Anybody in the US can order from us and we could ship. But after a while we really saw more demographics out in California and New York and Texas. Really, those are kind of the top three. And so what's nice is as we really kind of expanded to retail—we really, really expanded retail here in October, and really here in Q1 and Q2 of 2022—it's like we know where the customers are. So if we can get it in retail stores near them, it makes them go to the stores and buy it, versus paying online and paying for shipping. But also, if they can go to store, it helps us move more volume within stores. And obviously if you can move more volume, you get more doors. You get more sales, it’s just kind of a win-win.”

23:07 - The DTC-Retail mix

Until now, DTC and Amazon have accounted for almost all Muddy Bites sales. Jarod expects that to flip going forward.

“As we finished up in 2021, our mix was like 97% DTC and Amazon, and then like 3% retail. This year it’s going to be probably 75% retail, 25% DTC and Amazon. And that's without us decreasing the budgets for DTC or anything like that. It's just we're ramping up retail really, really hard. So, over one to three years or whatever, retail is kind of our end game, and we want to be everywhere that we can. And obviously that's going to mix up with the DTC side. If we could be in every single store across the country between Walmart and Target, 7-11, I would say DTC might slow down quite a bit, just because if you can go to your store and buy it for cheaper than online, then sure. But either way, it's like we get sales. Because then the stores reorder, the distributors reorder. But for us, it's really just getting in more doors and creating brand awareness.”

24:27 - Growing the team

Jarod and his co-founder used to wear every single hat, including running social media. Now, they’ve leaned into delegating to others and following there lead when it comes to innovative content, like memes.

“In the early days of Muddy Bites, it was me running our socials, Tyler helping out with socials. I mean, we were wearing a million hats. We eventually got to the point where one, we can't do that. It's not sustainable. Burnout's real. And so we started just hiring key roles. Like we brought on Emma and Jessica under our social team and now they run everything. We don't tell them to do XYZ. We kind of give them full control and they've done an amazing job. And that's been a learning curve for us to hand that off. But really from there, one kind of key strategy that works really well for us as memes. If you were to tell me a year ago to post a meme, I’d think you were crazy. And our social team was like, let's just try it. And so we did. And now if you go look at our Instagram, every one of our meme posts probably gets anywhere from 500-2,000 likes. And every other post gets anywhere from like 100-400 likes. So we get a big engagement when we do memes, and we're kind of learning that like meme culture.”

31:49 - Seeking funding to improve production

Jarod knew it was time to pursue funding so that they could match production with demand, and grow the company into a business that can someday be acquired.

“The biggest problem with our bootstrapping was that production’s always gonna be kind of a holdup. It's going to kind of tie us down, so to say. We got to the point where we’re like, okay. Let's get some money into the business. Let's improve our production a little bit deeper to where it's not really a production issue. It turns more into a sales and marketing issue. And so we raised some money. We did that. And really the other piece of that with raising more money was that way we can increase that production capacity, but also then expand into retail. Really for us, if we could be everywhere, that's our end game. Get acquired someday. That's kind of our goal versus just a DTC company.”

39:28 - Standing out from the snack crowd

DTC snack companies are all the rage, but most of them aim to be healthy. Embracing the fact that Muddy Bites is a dessert has actually served the company well.

“The biggest thing with DTC right now is there's companies popping up left and right between organic, vegan, super healthy type stuff between snacks. And what's kinda nice about us, and especially when we pitch to investors or anything like that, or even retailers, it's we're not like a better for you product. We're sweet, we're not healthy. We're not trying to pitch it like we're better for you. So it actually makes retailers happy. Because we're seeing that in retail space and also DTC is like, everything's better for you, and we're not. And so that makes us a little bit different there. The other piece that's an advantage for us is we're basically creating a new category of snacks. We're not another cookie bar, we're not another Oreo. That's a big question we get from retailers is what category do you guys put us in? Are we in the crackers? Are we in the cookies? Are we in the chocolates? And so for us, it's like we're almost creating a category. So that allows us to be different.”

Full video interview: https://youtu.be/gWfyIpe_QyI

Jarod Steffes - CEO of Muddy Bites

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of Omnipanel

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During this episode, you will learn about;

[00:05] What’s in for you in today’s episode

[01:36] Who’s Shane Rostad and his area of specialty

[06:34] Typical mistakes that brands make

[08:44] Tips to improve your site’s conversion rate

[12:48] Things to focus on when brands are collecting customer’s data

[16:54] The different ways to gather qualitative data from your customers

[19:41] Commercial Break

[20:38] Upselling and cross-selling in the business

[28:30] How to do the A/B testing for your site

[33:52] Do these things to improve consumer conversion

[35:09] Shane’s three favorite brands

[36:33] Connect with Shane today

Notable Quotes * Customer experience is the most significant lacking catalyst in most brands. * Understand the game of numbers in a business. * When complexity hurts, focus on simplicity.

Contributors:

Shane Rostad - shanerostad

Jay Desai - @jayd3sai

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9:56 - From bio major to builder

Daniel’s journey into entrepreneurship started as the desire to make money for weekend college fun, despite the fact that he didn’t have time to work a traditional job.

“I was a biology major. I was actually going to school to be a dentist and. I always knew that I wanted to be an entrepreneur. And that's what drove me. That was interesting. And doing new projects, stuff like that. Obviously, as a 19-year-old kid, I just had no idea what I wanted to do. And the online landscape was nothing like it was today. There's so much information you can find out there, and it's so accessible, there’s communities and all that stuff going on. When I was in sophomore year of college, I had no idea you could even make money online. I had no idea that was even a thing. So it's a lot different than it is today. But what inspired me at the time was just a conversation. My friend was telling me he was making $45 a week on his phone. And I couldn't get a job, because I was focused on my studies. At first that's just what inspired me. I was like oh, I can get some money to go to the bar on the weekends. But what allowed me to really gain motivation was really I became passionate about it. Passionate about being able to grow a following, being able to engage with other people in this community, being able to learn all this new information that was solely reliant on me building something.”

15:19 - The decision to ditch dental school

Daniel’s first ventures were doing well enough that he decided they sounded more exciting than dental school.

“I started that platform May going into my senior year of college. I was going to the library every day to study for my DATs. I started the platform, it started getting traction and all this stuff. So you could say I was getting distracted very often. And I would say one month of studying and I knew that, number one, I was absolutely miserable. I hated the stuff I was studying. I never really wanted to be a dentist anyways, but it was just literally torture. I was already committed and whatnot. So I knew essentially by the time I was going to take the test, which was I think in August, that I didn't want to be a dentist for sure. And I didn't get a good enough score to get me into the right dental school anyways. So that made my decision very easy. With the platform getting so much success, I decided I'll take a year after college, see what happens. And if things keep going, I can still go to dental school. I can do whatever. But there's too much of an opportunity right now.”

26:31 - Hitting the ground running with GOATcase

The phone case company GOATcase was an immediate success. The major challenge was on the fulfillment side.

“We went from literally zero to a hundred in one week. How do you fulfill that? That was the biggest thing. Within one week I remember we ordered 15,000 phone cases. Where do you put them? We should've gotten a 3PL. We thought about doing that, which was definitely the biggest mistake. And many people told me I should do it, but it seemed so expensive at the time versus what we could potentially do it for. And decided not to do it, which was an awful mistake. But like you said, in the first six months, we moved four times. Imagine how much time that takes, and stress, and all this other stuff. So logistics and fulfillment or a complete shit show.”

29:30 - Getting a 3PL

Once GOATcase and Daniel’s next brand, Perfect Sculpt, gained even more momentum, they were able to get a 3PL and ditch their nightmare of a warehouse.

“It took us a year and a half to outsource our fulfillment. And that was when we launched our second brand Perfect Sculpt, which was substantially bigger than GOATcase even. And ended up taking more space because we went from phone cases to bras and waist trainers and shapewear, which just take a lot more space. So now we moved into a legitimate warehouse, 8,000 square feet, and had a legitimate kind of fulfillment operation going. And we just dealt with so much bullshit. Employees stealing, weird stuff going on from the security cameras, and all the stuff from managing warehouse workers that you might imagine. Just crazy stuff. And number one we weren't doing a great job from an accuracy standpoint on fulfillment. And because we had leverage because of just the volume of the business, we were able to find a 3PL that would pay. Because I got to the point where now we had substantial costs. We had our warehouse, we had a team, we had all this, we had some equipment and stuff like that. So because we had the leverage of our volume, we were able to get the 3PL to pay for the entire move, and to pay for our lease, to buy us out of our lease.”

32:24 - The early days of Shopify

At the time Daniel started his businesses, the online ecosystem we know today was in its elementary form.

“We were on Shopify day one. But all of stuff that we take for granted today with Shopify was nowhere near it is what it is today. And all up and all the partners on it that you mentioned weren't anywhere near as capable and mature as they are today. Klaviyo at that time was a startup. $10 billion company today. So it was a bunch of startups just getting started, and obviously their tools just weren't as mature as they are today. But it also provided a lot more opportunity, because there weren’t as many players in space in terms of competition yet, so costs for everything were cheaper.”

34:04 - The decision to ignore Amazon

At the time, Daniel and his team didn’t have the bandwidth to explore Amazon. It worked out fine in their case, but today Amazon is much more attractive.

“We always dabbled a tiny bit into Amazon. I never gave it a ton of mental bandwidth for myself to figure it out, so to speak. And I would say that looking back, that maybe I regret that. Just because we always had so much success with what we had in front of us. And there was always moving and change and all the stuff you need to do to operate a business day to day. Amazon is a completely separate beast itself. So it's like, to stop what I'm doing to learn it myself seemed like an arduous task. Versus where we were at and the scale we were at, you may as just hire someone to figure it out. So we never put a ton of focus into that. I think looking back it might've been a mistake. But it also just wasn't our business model. We were trying to build brands, not just sell forks or dishes or whatever. But the M&A activity in the Amazon space is a lot more active now.”

36:49 - Founders shouldn’t do it all

Daniel made the mistake of trying to hold all the cards in his business early on, when he should have been hiring and delegating sooner.

“To build a great company, at least at the time, I felt like I had my fingerprints, so to speak, on everything. I had to manage everyone, I had to tell everyone to do anything, they were extensions of me. That's not right. Today I realize that's not the right way to do things. To build something that’s scaling fast and efficiently, you need to find great people and get them to do that stuff. And if that trust isn't there, then you can't build a real company. Now that's how I approach things, and trust in my leaders and managers and stuff like that, who are able to bring the company tons of value that’s not reliant on me.”

39:34 - Why you need to be on marketplaces

Marketplaces are where your customers are, pure and simple. With very few exceptions, such as subscription-based brands, Daniel thinks everyone should be on them.

“The overwhelming majority of brands should be on Amazon. And you should be on every marketplace you can get on. Why? Traffic is so expensive today that unless you are wherever your customer is, it's now harder more than ever to generate profit. So customers simply go from Facebook ads to Amazon to buy products today. That's what happens. That's not questionable at this point. And if you're not there, then your competitors are there. And if your competitors are there, they're winning off your traffic and getting revenue and getting your customers. So for that reason alone, it's my opinion that you should be on every marketplace that you can get on.”

43:27 - Subscriptions are the winning model

Long-term, Daniel thinks subscription-focused brands will win out due to the element of streamlined and sustained customer acquisition.

“In my opinion today, if I'm launching a brand or I'm thinking about launching a brand, if it doesn't have a focus on subscription, I’m not even considering launching it. Because just like I touched upon before, it is now harder than ever to acquire customers profitably. And unless you have a really good metric for LTV and retention of your customers, it's just so hard to build a brand today. Pre iOS 14, it was extremely easy. You could for almost any type of stuff, if you had a good idea of what you're doing from an ad standpoint and creative and influencer, you could make it work. You could typically scale it pretty quickly. But with how tricky it has become since iOS 14, it's the brands that are able to focus on subscription that are thriving more than ever. Because typically the LTV is higher, they're compounding every month, and they don’t need to focus on day-to-day.”

50:11 - Know your margins

If you don’t have a high enough margin on a product, you can’t be successful.

“I tell brands it would be ideal to have at least 75% margins on a product. If you’re under that, it just becomes really tough. Just from a marketing standpoint let's say advertising is 50% of your expenses. Which today a lot of brands are in that docket. And let's say, like I said, you only have 50% margin on the product. Now you're zero for everything else. You can't hire employees. You can’t pay for software. You can't you can't invest in anything like influencer content. So unless you have a good enough margin, it’s tough to really invest in a lot of things you need day to day. So roughly that's what I’d say, because then a lot of the numbers start backing out.”

51:05 - You need a killer content strategy

From working with influencers to ads, a good content strategy (or lack thereof) can make or break your business.

“Having a good content strategy is the most important thing. And I think influencer marketing, leveraging that kind of goes hand in hand with that. Especially when it comes to building a brand, because a lot of time brands that have brand equity from the influencers you are working with, from the celebrities you are working with. Because that's how people remember a brand. It's like Nike, do you remember it was Michael Jordan. A lot of times you don't say, ‘oh, I love this brand because their ads I see on Facebook.’ It might acquire the customer, but unless you are getting the likeness from a lot of people along the way, I think it's tough to have that brand equity that a lot of people aspire to have.”

Full video interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mDY_VLkWS0

Daniel Snow: CEO of Snow Agency

Ramon Berrios: CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus: COO of Omnipanel

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During this episode, you will learn about;

[00:16] What’s in for you in today’s episode

[01:43] Bailee’s career background information

[03:57] What is branding and the areas of business it affects

[07:28] The importance of brand guide during the branding process

[09:49] Branding your brand in a way that resonates with people

[12:16] Validating your branding through social channels

[14:01] Promoting your brand in Tik Tok when branding

[16:01] Commercial Break

[17:04] The secrets to a high performing landing page

[21:21] Bailee’s strategy for optimizing their landing page

[22:29] The elements of building a strong brand identity

[24:27] Brands that keep Bailee motivated in her course

[28:30] Takeaways from the guest

[29:38] What next for Sharma brands and how to connect with Bailee

Contributors:

Bailee Cooper - Sharma Brands

Jay Desai - @jayd3sai

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4:47 - The night CROSSNET was invented

Chris and his friends were throwing ideas for a product invention at the wall to see if anything stuck when someone mentioned four-way volleyball.

“ESPN was on in the background. Not sure if that motivated it or not, but Mike wrote down four-way beach volleyball. Mike’s one of our other co-founders, grew up playing soccer and basketball. Four-way volleyball net. And we're like, yeah, no shit. That'd be sick. Jumped on Google, and nobody had done it before. And right now it was like four in the morning, you're in your hometown farm town. It’s cool, and nobody does it, and we’re like, this is it. That's the game. So we went to bed and then the next morning we woke up, went to Walmart, got two badminton nets, cut up the center, staked them on the side of my mom's garden shed. Texted all the boys, like yo come over. And we just started making a game in the backyard, like you did when you're 12 years old.”

7:47 - Building a brand

Chris had previously worked with his friend and brother on a startup during college. He knew that when creating his own company, he wanted to create a true brand.

“I graduated with a film degree $100,000 in debt. And I was making like 40 grand a year. It wasn't sustainable. So I couldn't go home and focus on e-commerce. So I left. And my brother invented the GLUNT, which is the glass blunt, which is famous, probably the most famous glass blunt that went on for like millions of dollars in sales. It was really, really successful. And I gave up on the cane and I could have gotten involved in that. So when I started CROSSNET, I'm not giving up. I don't care how long this is going to take. It's going to work, just stay patient. So that was the e-commerce history kind of to set us up for good success because I knew I did not want to drop ship this thing. I wanted to form a brand.”

12:53 - Balancing Uber and CROSSNET

Chris was still working in sales at Uber when he moved to Miami, juggling both his full-time job and experimenting with CROSSNET.

“We started getting the proof of concept down. We had 50 units coming to the States, started selling them. And people started to take interest a little bit. I went to my boss [at Uber Eats] and I said, Hey, I don't know if I’m making the right move, but I’ve got a damn good idea. I'm going to move to Miami in two weeks. You'd either let me work remote—and this was before COVID. This is before everything—I was like, either let me work remote because this job is easy as hell and I can do it from my apartment, or I'm done. And he was so cool. And he's like, yeah, go work remote and lead the team. And I had a team of 12 people reporting to me. I led the team for six months working remote in Miami, on the beach playing CROSSNET during the day and answering emails from my phone for Uber.”

16:08 - When your product is your billboard

By setting up live games in Miami and elsewhere, Chris and his team got an incredible amount of exposure that was better than any billboard.

“What ended up happening was we go to the beach every day and set up the net. Get there at nine o'clock. And 20 minutes in we’d have everybody looking at us, every single person at that beach was staring at us taking photos. It was like a billboard, but it was just our product. I always say it's really hard to market a product that nobody gets to see, unless it's just one on one. When I set up a CROSSNET, hundreds of people see it. So people would start playing. I would film ads on my phone and go home and run Facebook ads at night. Eventually what would happen was you'd be on vacation in Colorado. You'd go home. And you sell nothing in Denver. And all of a sudden we started getting sales with Denver. And I'm like, oh shit, you must be out there playing, right. So it just started snowballing. We had 50 out, and then 250, and now there's 100,000 out there. So when summer comes, it's just that perfect storm.”

21:14 - The first factory

After nailing down a prototype, Chris and the team went out in search of a factory. They negotiated a small starting quantity for about $20,000.

“At this point we typed in Aliexpress Volleyball Nets. Found a few factories, sent over an NDA, sent over the blueprint. Our co-founder Mike was an engineer, so he was good at AutoCAD and we saved the cost there. Lucky. Sent it over, said yo, we have an idea. Immediately heard, ‘sure. $500 grand.’ $500? Who the hell do you think we are, $500 grand? No chance. Found one lady that was like, all right. I can do 50 for you. And we're like, please, we promise one day we'll be the biggest company. And now we outgrew our factory. We had to find a new supplier because it became so big. But to your point, negotiate. 50 units. Okay. We’ll wire over the check for $20 grand or whatever it was. We literally had $20 grand for this whole company to start.”

25:06 - The video that went viral

The best growth moment came when Chris agreed to send a free sample to someone who ended up being on an Olympic volleyball team.

“Yo, let me get free samples. I'm sure you guys deal with that all the time. But it’s like you know this stuff costs money, right? Would I just light $60 on fire? Or would you give me $60 for free? Hell no, you're not giving me $60 for free. So why should I do that for you? But there's one guy, I guess he was compelling enough. And he said, send me out a sample. I said, okay, I'll send it to you. You pay for the shipping. So he pays like $200 to ship it to Latvia. I don't know where Latvia is, we just ship it. Nothing happens. Four months go by. Crickets. I’m moving on to the next thing. And my phone just starts spazzing one morning. I wake up, I got like 5 million views on this video. 10,000 comments, a quadrillions shares. And it’s these dudes in Latviaplaying on the beach. It ends up being the Latvian Olympic volleyball team. So they're on the beach, palm trees. Spike it, dig it, doing everything I can't do on a CROSSNET. And that was our first banger piece of content.”

28:19 - The trouble with shipping

Shipping container costs have skyrocketed, but if you need product you have little choice. Chris hopes to see container costs stabilizing somewhat going forward.

“Everyone talks about shipping containers. I just found out our team paid $25,000 for a container. There was 350 units in that container. My cost on these just went up $70 for this damn thing. It's just like stupid mistakes that we're making. But also we really have no choice. If we want the products here, you have to pay it. But if you're losing money on the product, you have to shut it down. Don't even sell that product. It’s a loss here at this point. Chill out until the containers come back down. So those are all things we're dealing with right now...I have seen lately that containers are coming down. A lot of boats on the water are landing, now looking for their charges from six months ago. So now I'm dealing with the billing, which sucks. But moving forward we’re seeing containers hopefully being a fraction of that $20K. So if we can get down that $12-15K range, I'd be pretty content. I don't think we're anywhere close to that $3 grand that we started at in 2018.”

30:42 - Taking CROSSNET international

Today CROSSNET has warehouses and 3PLs in Canada, Australia, and hopefully will add a greater presence in Europe soon.

“I have a warehouse in Kingsville, Ontario, Canada. We opened up that last year. A warehouse in San Diego. Just opened up a 3PL in Australia, which took about a year of work. And then we're opening up a 3PL in Europe somewhere so that we can fulfill some of those countries. But it's a lot of legal work right now. You have to pay VAT fees for all the countries. And it's just a lot of headache to even deal with Europe right now. I'd love to get to Europe tomorrow, but Australia seems like it's going to be a rocket ship for us. There’s great weather, beaches. And the nice thing I'm pumped about is when it is freezing cold in Connecticut in October, November, January, February, March, go sell in Australia. Shut off all my ads in the east coast, throw them over to Australia.”

34:33 - Getting off the ground in Australia

While getting set up in Australia has had its challenges, Chris knows it will be well worth it.

“You cannot get an Australia website without having an Australian registered business, which is crazy to me. So it took us about eight months to get a registered Australian business. You can get a domain in 30 seconds here. You have to have a registered Australian business, which took forever. So eight months of planning, we vetted a ton of 3PLs and found the one that we liked, CP3, great company. And then essentially from there, it was just lining up shipments. Trucking that directly from China to the 3PL in Australia, them unloading, making sure our SKUs are right. Product photography, making sure the Shopify is duplicated but also speaks the language, which is important. And then from there, it's finding the relevant content that sticks.”

41:11 - Becoming a legitimate sport

From partnerships with legacy players to selling at a high level, Chris’ background has allowed him to help take CROSSNET to the next step.

“It's one thing to say all right, cool. We have a cool sport we made up. But it's still like, it's just a sport that you made up, it's not a real sport yet. So how do we validate, how do we make it real? So we did stuff with USA Volleyball, with Wilson, and we'll go on doing cooler brand partnerships. And for me, being 24 at the time, what better way to legitimize your sport and product than to put yourself into retail. Knowing nothing about retail, but knowing from my corporate days at like Contently where I was selling SaaS software. I was literally 22 years old. Had my nice little tie on, going in to see the CMO at like AIG, some 65-year-old lady, like Fortune 500, Fortune 50 companies. And they're talking to me in person. Like that doesn't even add up. So the way I got good at that was through LinkedIn, and that was the only way. It was crafting good messages, not the shit that you get every day.”

Full video interview: https://youtu.be/D1gyFhOKQAU

Chris Meade - CMO of Crossnet

Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io

Blaine Bolus - COO of Omnipanel

View Details

[00:16] What’s in for you in today’s episode

[01:20] Stephanie career backstory

[02:39] Ekster’s customer service before and after Stephanie joined the agency

[03:39] The strategy that Stephanie followed in building a scalable team

[05:18] The metrics you should focus on to meet customers’ support demands

[06:27] Understanding customer psychology when selling to multiple markets

[08:56] Lessons that Stephanie learned while building a customer service team

[11:08] Qualitative and quantitative measures to look into to scale tour business

[12:23] Customer journey touchpoints and customer experience

[14:49] The importance of customer experience in the COVID-19 era

[16:47] How to differentiate your product with customer service and experience

[19:05] Driving brand growth through customer experience, acquisition, and retention

[20:29] Takeaways from the guest

[21:39] What next for Stephanie and Ekster based on customer support

[23:03] Where to learn more about Ekster and connect with Stephanie

Contributors:

Stephanie Robilliard - Ekster

Jay Desai - @jayd3sai

View Details

“As you discount your product, you could potentially see better ad conversion.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD
“Sometimes when you discount to both new and returning customers, and your margin ends up going down. ” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:17] DTC discounting twitter thread

Learn more about how and when to discount In today’s episode of DTC Finds, we’re looking at a Twitter thread by David Rekuc, discussing discounting

We’ll dive into this thread and breakdown what he has to say about it as well as our take on the pros and cons of discounting

Stay tuned as we learn more about this marketing strategy and its effects.

If you’d like to learn more about Trend and our influencer marketing platform for influencers and brands visit trend.io. You can also follow us for tips on growing your following and running successful campaigns on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Mentioned Links:

David’s Twitter thread on discounting: https://twitter.com/DaveRekuc/status/1458841785292234754

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“We're helping brands and agencies learn what creatives are working best and why” @rezakhadjavi #DTCPOD
“Teams who take naming conventions really seriously have a really important cultural effect.” @rezakhadjavi #DTCPOD
“We want to create an environment where our creative strategy is data driven.” @rezakhadjavi #DTCPOD
“People are putting on a lot more of a creative strategist hat and thinking critically about the way that they're positioning their product.”@rezakhadjavi #DTCPOD
“Most people don't know exactly what they're doing and they're trying to figure it out. So don't be discouraged.” @rezakhadjavi #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:46] Reza introduces himself and Motion
[02:45] Biggest challenges when finding creative
[10:00] The importance of naming convention
[19:39] Trends to look for when finding winning creative
[25:26] Analyzing ads by funnel stage
[28:22] Ad sets for variables
[32:46] Top three learnings from the field
[34:23] What’s next for Motion and where to find Reza Khadjavi online

How to find ad creative that’s working fastReza Khadjavi, CEO of Motion, joins the POD to give some insight on the software industry’s creative strategies.

Motion helps brands find creative wins.

Reza recognized that there is a lot of creative out there, and finding what works can benefit a brand’s ad spending and profits.

Motion takes the approach of finding successful creative through data driven strategies.

Reza recognizes that there are always trends to look for when locating creative that consumers respond well to, and implementing these strategies into brands is part of their process.

A big part of ad success is finding a sync between creative and funnel stageMotion looks at all kinds of creative analysis when finding what curates the most reponses.

Reza recognizes that creative is meant to be very visual, and this must be acknowledged in the process of obtaining a good stream of high quality creative.

Motion uses a funnel stage when running the same analysis to see where the creative fits best.

The brand has fostered further success by viewing the process as adding and alerting a few variables at a time to see what works.

Reza recommends flipping between stage funnels to see what creative works best where.

Stay tuned as Reza discusses more about motion and their strategies for optimizing and finding creative content for brands.

Mentioned Links:

Motion website: https://motionapp.com/

Reza Khadjavi’s twitter: https://twitter.com/rezakhadjavi

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“Not all organic creative can be paid creative and not all paid creative can be organic creative” @flexiblefoodie #DTCPOD
“If you don't have the right partners in place, it's only going to cost you more down the road, so put time in your creating process.” @flexiblefoodie #DTCPOD
“Just because you have the assets you have doesn't mean you have to present them in the way that you have them.” @flexiblefoodie #DTCPOD
“People don't want to see product after product after product, and so you need to find a way to mention the product in different buckets.” @flexiblefoodie #DTCPOD
“TikTok creative does not need to be perfect because it could be the simplest, stupidest thing in the world, but it could take off in 2 seconds” @flexiblefoodie #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:04] Kendall introduces herself and Flexible Creative
[03:48] Common and effective social growth strategy themes
[05:34] What to consider when creating content
[08:29] furthering connections and eliciting a response
[13:48] Influencer strategy vs. social strategy
[17:02] Creator strategies
[22:20] Key learning and tips from utilizing TikTok
[28:25] What’s next for Kendall Dickieson and where to her and the brand online

How to grow your Instagram and TikTok account to thousands of followersKendall Dickieson, Founder of Flexible Creative, joins the POD to give some insight on customer acquisition and building a presence on social media.

Flexible creative is a business that helps brands share their story and build connections to their audience to unlock customer acquisition organically

Kendall specializes in optimizing DTC and CGP brands presence across multiple niches through social management.

Kendall takes an approach of prioritizing distribution for social growth and recommends investing in strategy first before execution.

Kendall recognizes the importance of being detail oriented with creative and limiting broad approaches.

To win on social content, it’s important to not overthink itFlexible Creative stands out as a brand growth business due to Kendall’s extensive experience with social creative .

While it is important to think outside the box with social marketing, sometimes it’s about working smarter not harder.

Kendall takes the approach of tieing engagement back to products and brands rather than overstimulating customers with the same social engagement .

The brand has also fostered further growth for brands by acknowledging the success that video platforms, such as TikTok, can bring.

Kendall recommends producing and distributing content on a whim, because these can often outperform strategically designed content on platforms such as TikTok.

Stay tuned as Kendall discusses ways to work with creators and the importance of driving community first.

Mentioned Links:

Kendall Dickieson website: https://www.kendalldickieson.com/

Kendall Dickieson twitter: https://twitter.com/flexiblefoodie

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“It's common nowadays to see lots of discounts around the holiday season, and so why not take this opportunity to really ramp up your sales ” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD
“Bundles give you an opportunity to generate more value out of each transaction” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:44] Black friday and cyber monday strategy article
[01:47] Rewards and bundle discounts
[04:20] Testing new products and categories
[06:25] Giving Tuesday

Tips and tricks for generating the most value out of black friday and cyber monday In today’s episode of DTC Finds, we’re looking at an article by Nik Sharma discussing great sales strategies for the holidays and providing unique promotions to boost sales.

We’ll share some of the best strategies from this article and dive into how to offer these deals to customers.

Stay tuned as we break down these unique holiday sales strategies as well as how to optimize the customer experience during holiday shopping.

Mentioned Links: https://www.shopify.ca/blog/ask-nik-black-friday-cyber-monday-sales-strategies

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“We're basically curating all of the Web's emerging brands, culture defining brands all in one place.” @maggiebethgibson #DTCPOD
“We're trying to simplify the vast web of DTC brands that are currently continuing to pop up in the market” @maggiebethgibson #DTCPOD
“We really want to give a voice to underrepresented founders and allow people to shop on their brand values and support the brands that align with those values.” @maggiebethgibson #DTCPOD
“We test and try every product that is on our site.” @maggiebethgibson #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:04] Maggie introduces herself and The Fascination
[03:53] the opportunities that drew Maggie to the brand
[05:44] The increase in online brand marketplaces
[07:58] What’s missing from the brand website
[10:22] Navigating what brands to pick
[13:10] The Fascination playbook
[14:25] The evolved marketplace
[16:44] Common theme among successful brands
[19:04] The old school way
[20:20] Bundling products from different places
[22:23] Consumer behavior and the online marketplace
[25:32] Favorite DTC brands
[26:33] What’s next for The Fascination
[28:13] Where to find the brand, and Maggie Gibson online

A view at the future of DTCMaggie Gibson, Head of partnerships and merchandising at The Fascination , joins the POD to give some insight on the media brand’s mission and consumer behavior

The Fascination is a resource aimed at helping consumers shop, discover, and and research products customized to their needs

Maggie recognizes that each consumer has their own individual needs and potential unrecognized needs, and she works to help consumers fulfill these needs

A unique approach the brand takes is testing every product they recommend before showcasing it to the consumer

Maggie recognizes that provisioning personal product feedback not aly helps the consumer but also helps the brand improve through recommendations

Important values for consumers in the age of DTCThe Fascination stands out as a unique platform that aims to give honest reviews of products and provide the best experiences for consumers and their needs

The brand further provides bundle suggestions for products

Maggie looks for two distinctive factors when taking on a brand, which consist of the quality of the product and the impact it will have on numerous factors

The online media platform has fostered further popularity by prioritizing each consumers values and pairing them with the values of a brand

Maggie acknowledges how the virtual marketplace is influencing consumer behavior, and this factor un taken into account when predicting how future consumer will shop

Stay tuned as Maggie discusses top brands on their platform and how the distinguish between good and bad products

Mentioned Links:

The Fascination website: https://thefascination.com/

Maggie Gibson’s Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiebethgibson/

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“An editor’s pick section for your blog is great because you have some really high performing content that maybe is performing well on search or something that you want to highlight specifically that you think is important to helping people and guiding people through the purchase process.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD
“Make sure you have some strong internal linking. That's a good SEO that you can do to help improve the performance of your individual blog pages. ” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:39] Twitter discussion for CPG brands with great blogs
[05:37] eCommerce transactional emails

Learn more about what makes a great brand blog and how to optimize your transactional emails In today’s episode of DTC Finds, we’re looking at a Twitter discussion on great CPG blogs and sharing a great resource you can use for inspiration for your transactional emails

We’ll share some of the best examples from the Twitter discussion and then look at this swipe file from Wonderment for transactional emails!

Stay tuned as we break down unique blog posts and strategies from top brands as well as how to stay connected with customers through the buying process.

Mentioned Links:

Twitter discussion on CPG blogs: https://twitter.com/kaleighf/status/1453481617163444229

Wonderment transactional email swipe file: https://www.wonderment.com/ecom-txn-swipe-file

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“It's really all about the resources that you have and how you can really put that together” @kristenxjones #DTCPOD
“We're inclusive, and you have to be consistent in that and really show up for every person that you represent whenever you have that type of branding.” @kristenxjones #DTCPOD
“Understanding the customer journey in the beginning, I think, is the most important thing that you can do before getting started with an outline.” @kristenxjones #DTCPOD
“You want it to be really clear in the beginning about what makes your brand different.” @kristenxjones #DTCPOD
“Through iterating and talking to our customers and learning, we've been able to figure out exactly what they want and we've been able to continue that.” @kristenxjones #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:08] Kristen introduces herself and SuitShop
[03:01] Managing long-form content and content marketing
[06:15] Outsourcing content
[09:54] The process of rebranding
[14:30] Features of personalized automation marketing
[18:28] Managing a hyper personalized flow
[22:18] Building an effective pay funnel
[26:48] Having enough content and creative
[31:15] Secret cyber monday tip
[32:45] What’s next for SuitShop and where to find the brand, and Kristen Jones online

How SuitShop thinks about content, email, paid ads, and growthKristen Jones, Director of marketing at SuitShop, joins the POD to give some insight on the direct-to-consumer content and creation

SuitShop is an inclusive clothing brand that specializes in suits for everyone

Kristen and the brand have been focusing their efforts on curating the new brand image that highlights their inclusivity to men, women, children, and pets

An approach is taken with the customer service strategy by offering a personalized automated flow system that allows for more focus on the marketing strategy

Kristen recognizes that when you state what your brand stands for, It has to be part of every business decision that you're thinking about

Understanding the customer journey is key to DTC growthSuitShop stands out as an eCommerce clothing line that optimizes and personalizes the customer experience

The brand curated a personalized journey for consumers by implementing a funnel system that divides customers into 3 categories to help further assist them

Kristen is consistently working toward where to add value propositions or benefits versus features and ultimately curtains the best content for consumers

The brand also utilizes outside sources to assist in marketing optimization

Kristen recommends reaching out to potential influences and “shooting your shot”

Stay tuned as Kristen discusses paid ads, email marketing, and advice for black friday and cyber monday sales

Mentioned Links:

SuiShop’s website: https://suitshop.com/

Kristen Jones twitter: https://twitter.com/kristenxjones

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“A really good strategy that you can do with SMS heading into Black Friday Cyber Monday is sending an email push for SMS sign ups for early access.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD
“SMS is very different than email, in the sense that SMS messages should be more skimmable than email.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:41] Strategies to boost SMS sales and sign ups
[04:51] Optimizing the landing page and DTC examples

BFCM SMS sign up strategies plus a big landing page guideIn today’s episode of DTC Finds, we’re looking at a great Twitter thread discussing strategies for boosting SMS sales during black friday cyber monday and elements to add to the landing page.

As we dive into the landing page guide from Nik Sharma, we’ll provide real DTC examples of how they improved elements of their landing pages.

Stay tuned as we break down this twitter thread and learn more about how to optimize your landing page.

Mentioned Links:

BFCM SMS strategies: https://twitter.com/DTCNewsletter/status/1453727946342998029

Landing page guide from Nik Sharma: https://nik.co/resources/landing-page-guide

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“We built the brand up to this incredible business that has helped so many women find the right beauty products for them” @itsJoanneCoffey #DTCPOD
“There's so much information that people are just putting into your hands, all you have to do is know how to find it and how to use it.” @itsJoanneCoffey #DTCPOD
“We're really creating a relatable experience to that customer.” @itsJoanneCoffey #DTCPOD
“We work on a very short basis because we want to adapt to trends and we want to have that room and that flexibility to really change things on a dime, because working for a small business, things change day by day” @itsJoanneCoffey #DTCPOD
“If Aisling was a person I would think about what they would be texting to their best friend, and that's the perception I like to have when I do anything in marketing.” @itsJoanneCoffey #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:17] Joanne Coffey introduces herself and Aisling Organics
[02:53] How if you do what you love you never work a day in your life
[03:47] Defining retention and when to start thinking about in the customer journey
[05:02] Sources of inspiration and creating a limited addition experience
[06:49] Direct marketing research as results
[08:50] Benefits a benchmarking
[10:05] Top 3 strategies for retention
[11:35] How to manage general aspects of business growth
[14:18] Building communication platforms
[16:13] The “win back” flow
[19:21] Content creation
[21:32] Successful SMS marketing brands
[23:55] Content production focus
[25:24] Brands to look out for
[27:02] What’s next for Joanne and where to find the brand online

How Aisling Organics rentains customers through implementing feedback Joanne Coffey, Head of retention at Aisling Organics, joins the POD to give some insight on the direct-to-consumer business’s marketing and retention strategies

Aisling Organics is a cosmetic brand that creates clean products

Joanne began with the company as an intern and due to her personal passion in the industry she worked her way up to handle marketing operations.

Joanne puts consumers at the forefront of her strategy for improving the brand by analyzing current trends in the space and reviewing and accommodating feedback from consumers.

Joanne recognizes that treating the brand as a person will further create a personalized experience for consumers.

Building a brand that’s human is key to retention in DTCAisling Organics stands not only for their clean products but also the personalized experience that comes from consumers engaging in a personable marketing experience with the founder

The brand has experienced growth by prioritizing customer feedback and adjusting to their needs and treating customers and an essential part of their business

Consumers are treated as more than just buyers and retention is accomplished by creating a personable experience

The brand has fostered further entrepreneurship opportunities by staying authentic with their SMS strategies and marketing posts

Joanne recommends working smarter not harder and the best way to accomplish tasks is to do little things throughout the day.

Stay tuned as Joanne discusses effective retention strategies.

Mentioned Links:

Aisling Organics website: https://aislingorganics.com/

Joanne Coffey twitter: https://twitter.com/itsJoanneCoffey

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“If you're working on consumer goods, stay focused, double down in that sense before jumping into retail.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD
“If you can give some sort of estimate of shipping speed, that's a really good thing to add in” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:57] Awesome twitter thread from Corey Nicholson
[06:29] Cushion Lab’s product page

Learn more about this DTC data and how to optimize the virtual buying experienceIn today’s episode of DTC Finds, we’re looking at a great Twitter thread discussing data from an ecommerce founders survey and breaking down a product page from the Cushion Lab, Ergonomic Memory Foam Pillows & Bedding

We’ll dive into these data points as well as focus in on elements of Cushion Lab’s awesome product page

Stay tuned as we break down this twitter thread and learn more about how to optimize your product page

Mentioned Links:

See survey results from 25 DTC brands: https://twitter.com/coreynceo/status/1448333966201614336

Check out awesome product page from Cushion Lab: https://thecushionlab.com/collections/all/products/ergonomic-seat-cushion

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“Influencers have proven organically to be able to create content that engages with people” @TaylorLagace #DTCPOD
“We're trying to find as many veins as possible to bleed dry, and once one starts going, we want to lean into that as much as possible.” @TaylorLagace #DTCPOD
“People tend to allow human decision making into the matter a little bit too much.” @TaylorLagace #DTCPOD
“The only way you lose the only way you miss the opportunity is if you do not put the creative into the account and let Facebook try to allow it to win and optimize.” @TaylorLagace #DTCPOD
“You have to think about how you can make this more of a postal experience for the influencer.” @TaylorLagace #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:10] Taylor introduces himself and Kynship
[02:49] Going from zero to a million in four months with Anima House
[07:16] The importance of content
[09:02] What expectations to set for budget and creators
[12:00] How to launch creative and save money
[15:00] When to swap out creative
[18:54] Finding and establishing creator product fit
[21:39] Limiting the human decision making in creator marketing
[24:41] The 500 influencer outreach strategy
[26:00] How to optimize the influencer creative content
[28:25] Advice for how to manage creative
[31:38] What’s next for Kynship and where to find the brand, and Taylor Lagace online

How to go from 0 to $1M in 4 months with the use of creatorsTaylor Lagace, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Kynship, joins the POD to give some insight on the marketing agency’s growth, content creative strategies for brands, and influencer marketing.

Kynship is an influencer marketing agency that has created tremendous growth for brands.

Taylor recognized that a no strings attached approach to influencer marketing is one of many effective creator strategies can save brands money but also attract growth

The approach consists of reaching out to a large number of influencers per month with no expectation of receiving product promotion and beginning organic growth from there.

Taylor recommends budgeting 2% of your annual revenue towards product seating over the course of the year.

Content is king, creative is everything Kynship stands out as an advertising and marketing agency that specializes in influencer strategies

The brand fosters growth for businesses by implementing the power of influencers and allowing facebook to optimize creative content

Taylor recognizes the power of creative and treats it as part of the business model that should be reviewed and edited monthly.

The business additionally optimizes the influencer strategy for brands by pinpointing the creators generating the most attention and continuing to implement them as part of the marketing plan.

Taylor recommends looking back at every three months and analyze who the top performers were out of all the influencers that ended up posting free of cost

Stay tuned as Taylor discusses how Kynship uses influencer seeding and why having a human factor in creator marketing may lead to higher profits

Mentioned Links:

Kynship website: https://kynship.co/

Taylor Lagace twitter: https://twitter.com/TaylorLagace

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“DataMilk analyzes your user’s behavior and then it launches UX changes automatically and then tests them to see how conversion goes.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD
“Figure out what is the right discount for your brand that is relevant to your margin.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:20] What does DataMilk do for your brand
[03:21] Top DTC holiday campaigns

Steal these DTC finds for deals and profitsIn today’s episode of DTC Finds, we’re looking at a great Twitter thread discussing how 437 DTC brands ran BFCM last year and DataMilk, a tool that can help you ship UX changes fast.

We’ll also dive into some great strategies for boosting sales around the holidays, or any occasion.

Stay tuned as we dive into some awesome conversion and user friendly strategies and creative techniques to get consumers ready for the holidays.

Mentioned Links:

Check out DataMilk: https://www.datamilk.ai/

Insights from DTC brands from last BFCM: https://twitter.com/AaronOrendorff/status/1445075914887290884

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“You need one single unified environment to manage your businesses” @jbernard23 #DTCPOD
“There's such a connectivity between how a digital commerce grows, and you really need to have all of that data in one environment.” @jbernard23 #DTCPOD
“The digital commerce landscape has changed in terms of consumer expectations for speed and shipping costs.” @jbernard23 #DTCPOD
“There's a great opportunity, I think, for innovation still with meeting that need for discoverability and experience for consumers.” @jbernard23 #DTCPOD
“Everything can be measured. That's the beauty of digital.” @jbernard23 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:59] Julie introduces herself and Tradeswell
[02:47] Marketing and how it relates to other departments of the business
[05:40] Recording data and what to do with it
[08:33] Key differences in how consumers buy
[12:43] importance of embracing technology
[16:24] The present and future role of AI
[20:07] Businesses sizes and technology
[22:07] internal business strategies to implement before technology
[24:51] Key learnings working with brands post-pandemic
[28:12] What’s next for Tradeswell and where to find the brand, and Julie Bernard

How Tradeswell helps brands create profit through data Julie Bernard, Chief Marketing Officer of Tradeswell, joins the POD to give some insight on the business’s actionable insights, customer experience, and marketing data & technology

Tradeswell is a company that helps brands unify data, leverage AI-generated insights and accelerate essential decisions to empower growth across the digital commerce landscape.

Julie realizes that to empower growth across the digital commerce landscape, the data and business operations function better when unified.

A unique approach is taken by creating a quantitative trading platform that implements real-time algorithms and insights, to uncover and execute the optimal actions companies need to grow

Julie recognizes that technology can help small businesses operate at the same level of sophistication as their larger business counterparts.

Understanding you data, and drawing insights from it, is key to growth

Tradeswell stands out as a platform that simplifies the process for a brand to visualize the whole picture of their ecommerce business, while leveraging machine learning to receive insights and cross-channel operations.

The company understands that the technologies that are out there are more cost effective, accessible, and sophisticated than ever, and the brand works to help others make informed decisions

Julie takes the approach of integrating authentical actionable insights and team empowerment to achieve success within the business

The brand further acknowledges that just because it can be measured through data, does not mean that it should

Julie recommends to to draw some conclusions and have insights on the data that you do have rather than being on a perpetual pursuit of perfection

Stay tuned as Julie discusses AI and post-pandemic business learnings.

Mentioned Links:

Tradeswell Website: https://www.tradeswell.com/

Julie Bernard’s Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jbernard23

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“Returns don't necessarily mean that someone didn't like your product, it might be that it just wasn't the right product for them.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD
“Having a really good process in place for potential exchanges or even outlining that policy is something all stores should be thinking about.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:52] SMS templates you need to steal
[03:55] A product that will help you turn returns into exchanges to save revenue

Check out these DTC finds for SMS and returnsIn today’s episode of DTC finds, we’re looking at some great SMS templates and an awesome tool to use for saving lost revenue from returns.

Everyone knows that having a strong playbook for marketing is important for success. Instead of just trying SMS without a proven playbook, we’ll share a resource with you that can help take your SMS to the next level.

We’ll also share with you a must-use resource for returns and talk through return strategy as a way to grow your business.

Stay tuned as we dive into awesome SMS strategies and useful tool for maintaining revenue and customers.

Mentioned Links:

SMS strategies: https://sms-templates.com/

A product to help with your returns strategy: https://www.loopreturns.com/

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“I'm thinking very consciously about the impact that I'm having.” @trevorcarlson1 #DTCPOD
“The biggest mistake people can make is assume that their target customer speaks the same way that they do and that they already know everything that they're trying to tell them.” @trevorcarlson1 #DTCPOD
“You're not going to marry somebody on the first date, so why would you expect somebody to buy from you when they don't know who you are.” @trevorcarlson1 #DTCPOD
“You need a large amount of creative to test, and you never really know what's going to work until you test it.” @trevorcarlson1 #DTCPOD
“No matter what anybody tells you, you don't know what is going to work, we've had some really stupid things work.” @trevorcarlson1 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:04] Trevor introduces himself and Fresh Fuel Marketing
[03:13] Sale strategies for each part of the funnell
[09:32] Hotjar recording and dynamic landing pages
[14:12] Strategic educational content
[15:54] What type of business to prioritize
[17:44] Webinars and Facebook live
[21:30] Building a loyal customer base
[23:29] Getting creative with your creative
[27:02] How often should creative be modified
[29:50] Advice to other brands
[31:22] Where to find Fresh Fuel Marketing and Trevor Carlson online

How Fresh Fuel Marketing takes marketing strategies to a whole new levelTrevor Carlson, CEO of Fresh Fuel Marketing, joins the POD to give some insight on the marketing agency’s customer retention and ad strategy

Fresh Fuel Marketing is a full-service digital marketing agency specializing in the food and beverage industry.

Trevor came into the space due to his personal values of making a positive impact, and his meaningfulness added value to the agencies goals

The agency takes an approach with helping brands grow by first making sure the business’s website is in order.

Trevor recognizes that customers won’t buy a product they’re not informed about and educating them should be a top priority.

Being creative and enjoying the process are key steps to creating a better adsFresh Fuel marketing stands out as an as a marketing agency but not only helping brand attract customs but also keep them coming back

The brand views content related advertising as a top priority and follows a successful step-by-step process when it comes to engaging with customers through websites .

Trevor believes you must educate your consumer before you can lead them in the direction of an offer, and this approach has helped their brands grow

The agency takes their marketing a step further by recognizing that each brand’s end goal is not to receive a purchase from the customer but instead create a relationship.

Trevor recommends having fun when creating the content and writing the ads, because the more fun that you have creating the landing page, the more enjoyable experience

Stay tuned as Trevor discusses how Fresh Fuel Marketing not only fosters profit but also customer loyalty.

Mentioned Links:

Fresh Fuel Marketing website: https://freshfuelmarketing.com/

Trevor Carlson’s Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/trevorcarlson1

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“Mentioning free shipping and returns is something that can help to ease buyer concerns.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD
“Put together a link strategy for sending pre-filled carts via text using Shopify permalinks.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:46] Season Three email strategy to ease buyer concern
[02:58] Shopify’s SMS link strategy

Try this email from Season Three and this SMS link strategy from ShopifyIn today’s episode of fantastic emails and texts, we’re looking at content from Season Three and a great SMS tip if you have Shopify.

Season Three is a brand that creates contemporary apparel influenced by art culture and an outdoor ethos, while our Shopify tip comes from Brian Dickey at Postscript.

Season Three sends out a great informative email, while this Shopify tip is awesome for an SMS strategy that utilizes url links.

Stay tuned as we dive into an awesome email from Season Three and an easy access SMS strategy for Shopify stores.

Mentioned Links:

Great email from Season Three: https://reallygoodemails.com/emails/free-shipping-and-returns-on-the-ansel

How to send pre-filled carts via text with Shopify: https://twitter.com/BryanDickey_/status/1437910490374680581

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“Understanding your point of differentiation is key.” @HectorIanG #DTCPOD
“If you're going to be serving in a large market, hundreds of thousands people are going to be eating your product or drinking your product so you want to make sure that it's as safe as it could possibly be.” @HectorIanG #DTCPOD
“You have to be putting a product out there and engaging and thinking about what it takes to take it to the next level at the same time .” @HectorIanG #DTCPOD
“Food items act differently in different environments and situations, so you need to be mindful of those variables.” @HectorIanG #DTCPOD
“You can go far in a business with one product if you really focus on on delivering an amazing experience” @HectorIanG #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:01] Hector introduces himself and JOI
[02:21] How JOI became a business opportunity
[05:05] What to be aware of when working with CPG
[07:26] The transition from tabletop to manufacturing at scale
[11:19] Elements to consider when scaling
[14:13] Characteristics to look for in fulfillment partnership
[18:38] Defining internal and external fulfillment
[22:08] Balancing the bundles
[25:12] How to continue innovating the product line
[28:41] Challenges faced as a CEO and advice to other CEO’s
[31:35] What’s next for JOI and where to find Hector online

How to go from your kitchen to manufacturing at scaleHector Gutierrez, CEO of JOI, joins the POD to give some insight on manufacturing and operations for JOI.

JOI is a brand that specializes in plant milk concentrates.

Hector recognized that there was a growing demand for clean, healthy, and sustainable eating, and he helped to develop a label that accommodated this need.

A common approach taken when creating products for consumption is to start in the kitchen, and Hector discusses there successful strategy from taking the brand from tabletop to mass selling.

Hector recognizes that products are bound to change when the environment in which they are created changes, and accommodating for this the best you can is an essential factor for sustainable growth.

Growing your product requires talking to customersJOI stands out as an eCommerce brand company for its versatile, clean, and sustainable plant-based products.

The brand has experienced continuous sustained growth by listening to their customers and being open to change as demand grows.

Hector takes a strategic approach to achieving successful growth considering what can be done by the brand before deciding what needs to be done by a fulfillment partner.

The brand has fostered further growth by innovating the product line and understanding how to accommodate all the factors of nation wide shipping.

Hector recommends taking the time to look at every aspect of the brand to determine if you are going in the right direction.

Stay tuned as Hector discusses how JOI went from tabletop to mass selling, and the operational procedures that got him there.

Mentioned Links:

JOI’s website: https://addjoi.com/

Hector Gutierrez’s twitter: https://twitter.com/HectorIanG

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“If you have complimentary products, you can use your email to act as a cross sell.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD
“The other thing that this text does really well is outline all of the different products that are going to be included” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:30] Casper’s cross-selling email strategy
[02:48] Kopari’s SMS outline

Grab this email from Casper and this SMS outline strategy from KopariIn today’s episode of fantastic emails and texts, we’re looking at content from Casper and and Kopari

Casper is a global brand that creates sleep essentials, while Kopari develops coconut based skincare products

Casper sends out a great outline email that promotes cross-selling, while Kopari has an awesome SMS that advertises their products with UGC.

Stay tuned as we dive into an awesome email from Casper and a visual SMS strategy from Kopari

Mentioned Links:

Casper email example: https://twitter.com/KAEBEEBUI/status/1438852815363923971

Where to find Kopari’s SMS with UGC: https://fantastictexts.com/beauty/

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“We were tapping into a market that was really underserved, which was products with clean formulations” @thats_a_moret #DTCPOD
“The only difference between an entrepreneur and everybody else is they had the guts to go out and do it.” @thats_a_moret #DTCPOD
“After the first six months, you're going to learn so much and you're going to want to change everything.” @thats_a_moret #DTCPOD
When you're trying to grow and scale a company, you have to make decisions on the fly and learn how to get really good at that.” @thats_a_moret #DTCPOD
“The more friction, the less likely we are to convert people to customers” @thats_a_moret #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:04] Sarah introduces herself and Curie
[02:43] How Curie became a business opportunity
[06:34] The business growth journey
[11:10] The importance of networking and embracing change
[15:51] An essential skill set for running a business
[19:30] Questions to ask customers
[23:53] Differentiating the product line
[26:58] adding to the customer experience
[29:59] Innovation, partnerships, and QR codes
[33:26] What’s next for Curie and where to find Sarah Moret online

How Curie targeted an underserved need and created a business opportunity Sarah Moret, Co-founder and CEO of Curie, joins the POD to give some insight on the business’s growth, marketing strategy, and how the brand got started.

Curie is a brand that develops natural and effective body care products

Sarah recognized that when it comes to hygiene and deodorant, there is an increasing desire among customers for clean and effective ingredients. To fill this gap, Sarah created a brand that catered toward this efficacy

A unique approach was taken to achieve organic growth by using social media as the primary source of advertising, and networking to as many people as possible to create word of mouth brand awareness

Sarah recognizes that the beginning stages of starting a business should be heavily open to change as you learn more about your customers

Customer feedback is crucial to driving growthCurie stands out as an eCommerce bodycare company for its effective and safe products.

The brand has experienced growth and retention by prioritizing customer feedback to improve their products and differentiating themselves from the competition.

Sarah takes a unique approach to achieving successful growth being open to change within any aspect of the business as she learns more about her customers

The brand has fostered further growth by making quick decisions and not wasting time when it comes to solving a problem.

Sarah recommends reaching out to loyal customs for input on how to better your business.

Stay tuned as Sarah discusses how Curie stays ahead of its competitors and creative marketing strategies

Mentioned Links:

Curie’s website: https://curiebod.com/

Sarah Moret’s twitter: https://twitter.com/thats_a_moret

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“If your product has a lot of complicated ingredients or might be a product that's used within a specific niche, you want to try and make sure that you're not using jargon in your copy.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD
“If you have a product that can either improve someone's life or improve someone's situation, showing before and after pictures could be really useful.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:03] Kettle & Fire’s educational email
[03:39] Snow’s before and after SMS strategy

Try this email from Kettle & Fire and this SMS image strategy from SnowIn today’s episode of fantastic emails and texts, we’re looking at content from Kettle & Fire and Snow

Snow is a brand that creates revolutionary products for oral care, while Kettle & Fire develops bone broth made with bones from organically raised chickens or cattle

Kettle & Fire sends out a great educational email to inform customers of the benefits of bone broth, while Snow has an awesome SMS that shows how their products can improve your life

Stay tuned as we dive into an awesome email from Kettle & Fire and a visual SMS strategy from Snow

Mentioned Links:

See Kettle & Fire’s educational email: https://twitter.com/debgotwired/status/1431998137225203719

Where to find Snow’s SMS from the episode: https://fantastictexts.com/

DTC POD episode with Kettle & Fire: https://trend.io/blog/kettle-and-fire-marketing-growth-strategy

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“I’m passionate about working with eCommerce founders to help them build a business that works better for them” @a_brawn #DTCPOD
“I started to think about ways to build a business that was lot less reliant on me and it flipped around my relationship with work, and it put me in a position where I could be more valuable to my company.” @a_brawn #DTCPOD
“Start thinking about the relationships you have with other people in your business as opportunities to build and expand on trust and to unlock growth.” @a_brawn #DTCPOD
“Find a hero product to grow, and once you start to feel the pull back on your advertising, look at developing other products that are complementary and will allow your brand to expand.” @a_brawn #DTCPOD
“Spend more time on the Merchandising than on the fancy marketing, and you'll probably have more success.” @a_brawn #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:04] Austin introduces himself and Brand Growth Experts
[02:38] Time and resource management
[06:03] An essential element for brand enrichment and freedom
[10:41] Tasks to delegate early on
[13:17] A unique hiring process test to balance a brands’ method of operation
[16:40] Brand growth from a metrics perspective
[20:48] When to expand or double down your products
[26:32] There is more than one version of success
[29:27] What’s next for Austin Brawner and where to find him online

How Brand Growth Experts method of freedom leads to profit Austin Brawner, CEO of Brand Growth Experts, joins the POD to give some insight on brand growth, business mindsets, and product strategies.

Brand Growth Experts is a marketing agency that helps early stage store owners achieve growth in their businesses while freeing up more time to do what they love

Austin recognized that when it comes to building a business, it is common to feel overworked and reach a burnout. To avoid this problem he has created a brand that fosters opportunities of enrichment for companies as a whole.

Approaches are taken to allow more freedom and room to be creative by identifying the methods of operation within a business and outsourcing skill sets that are currently weakened within the company.

Austin recognizes that there is not a right and wrong way to grow a business and success comes from your mindset about the business.

Delegation is key to scaling in DTCBrand Growth Experts stands out as a marketing company that prioritizes an underused element for brand growth… freedom.

The brand has learned from experience that a business must balance out their skill set within an organization, and freedom comes from trusting your workers and letting go of total control.

Austin suggests looking for the things that are repeatable in your business that can be systematized, and then begin delegating those tasks to free up your time to focus on the bigger picture.

The brand has fostered further growth opportunities for brands by locating a hero product before expanding.

Austin recommends fostering empowerment and trust within your brand, because what you believe about your business is what it will become.

Stay tuned as Austin discusses additional factors for success he has learned from working with other brands .

Mentioned Links:

Brand Growth Expert’s website: https://www.brandgrowthexperts.com/

Austin Brawner’s website http://www.austinbrawner.com/

Austin Brawner twitter: https://twitter.com/a_brawn

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“People are more likely to not unsubscribe when you allow them to opt out of emails that potentially don't fit them.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“Make sure that your SMS strategy really lines up with what your brand is about.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:44] Breaking down GrooveLife’s segmenting email strategy
[03:29] Not Pot’s pre- purchase SMS strategy

Steal this email from GrooveLife and this direct SMS strategy from Not Pot In today’s episode of fantastic emails and texts, we’re looking at content from GrooveLife and Not Pot

GrooveLife is a brand that stands out for producing top-of-the-line active lifestyle accessories, while Not Pot develops vegan CBD products.

GrooveLife sends out a great email that segments their users and prevents unsubscribes while Not Pot has SMS strategy that sets expectations and curates loyal followers.

Stay tuned as we dive into an awesome email from GrooveLife and an informative SMS strategy from Not Pot .

Mentioned Links:

GrooveLife’s opt-out email: https://twitter.com/BryantGarvin/status/1386820671271882752

Not Pot’s strong SMS strategy: https://blueprint.store/post/5-food-beverage-brands-killing-it-with-sms-marketing

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“Trust breeds bravery, and when you're in innovation you're asking a lot of your clients and your customers to take a leap of faith with you” @OrchidBertelsen #DTCPOD
“Your agency is only going to be as good as you let them” @OrchidBertelsen #DTCPOD
“Every opportunity where someone is seeing your brand for either the first time or the 10th time is an opportunity to convert them.” @OrchidBertelsen #DTCPOD
“When it comes to the Metaverse and towing into this digital world, we have to think beyond product placement.” @OrchidBertelsen #DTCPOD
“A successful brand that is going to play in the digital space knows their consumer extremely well, but also knows most importantly the parameters and the confines of their brand.” @OrchidBertelsen #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:53] Orchid introduces herself and Nestle
[03:10] Past experiences that strengthen a skillset in brand strategy and innovation
[06:57] The shift in marketing and why commerce is everybody’s job
[09:51] Embracing digital change
[11:30] Ideation does not equal innovation
[15:31] Success metrics for emerging technologies
[21:07] Up and coming technologies to get excited about
[24:40] What’s emerging in the CPG space for digital products
[28:47] Pushing brands into new places to maintain relevance
[33:52] What’s next for Nestle and where to find Orchid online

Technology is continually changing and DTC must keep upOrchid Bertelsen, head of Consumer Experience Strategy & Innovation at Nestle, joins the POD to give some insight into emerging technologies and marketing strategies from a large brand perspective

Nestle is one the world’s largest food and beverage companies, passionate about unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone

Orchid has a unique skill set in marketing technologies, and understands that technology is innovating faster than ever before and if brands want to stay top of mind for consumers they have to keep up.

Her role involves analyzing, creating, and implementing the success metrics for digital marketing

Orchid recognizes that as the commerce world becomes increasingly competitive, a brand has to strategically think about where they are trying to get to and then build a plan that is differentiated enough to get them there

Sometimes in DTC, You have to keep upOrchid Bertelson dives into her knowledge of the digital marketing world and how stay top of mind for consumers

She emphasizes her success at Nestle involves an understanding that consumers are given a platform like never before and it is important to listen while creating a workspace where everyone understands commerce is part of their job.

Orchid breaks down why performance metrics for innovation are difficult to measure and how to analyze them.

She has fostered further success by focusing on new business models and keeping a close eye on emerging technology.

Orchid recommends fostering trust with customers to further their customer experience

Stay tuned as Orchid discusses great customer experiences from a large brand perspective and innovation.

Mentioned Links:

Nestle: https://www.nestle.com/

Orchid Bertelson’s twitter: https://twitter.com/OrchidBertelsen

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“If you have different values, features, or quality items you can use this in an email to highlight how your brand compares to competitors.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“Instead of you grabbing the phone number, Usual Wines takes the approach of having people message you.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:44] Breaking down Felix Gray’s differentiation email
[03:48] Usual Wine’s SMS strategy

Try this email from Felix Gray and this SMS strategy from Usual Wines that has make your customer text youIn today’s episode of fantastic emails and texts, we’re looking at content from Felix Gray and Usual Wines.

Felix Gray is a brand that differentiates itself by providing high-quality Blue Light eyewear while Usual Wines is a brand that takes an artful approach to making real wine and delivering it in generous single-serve glasses.

Felix Gray sends out a great email that differentiates itself from competitors and Usual Wines has an unusual strategy to get customers to text first

Stay tuned as we dive into an awesome email from Felix Gray and a unique SMS style from Usual Wines.

Mentioned Links:

Felix Gray’s email on differentiation: https://reallygoodemails.com/emails/what-makes-us-different

Usual Wines website with SMS capture at the bottom: https://usualwines.com/

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“Have one on one conversations and really deep dive into who is actually engaging and shopping with you.” @AjaSinger #DTCPOD
“Make sure you understand what's happening in broader culture and adapt if it is aligned with your particular brand identity.” @AjaSinger #DTCPOD
“I've been noticing that brands are experimenting a lot more and having more fun, they're not sticking so strictly to a specific set of brand guidelines” @AjaSinger #DTCPOD
“A brand can be more than just selling a product, people are looking for like minded people to connect with.” @AjaSinger #DTCPOD
“Empowering community members and shoppers is the best way to gain brand trust and develop trust with those people.” @AjaSinger #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:57] Aja introduces herself
[02:15] How Aja got into brand creative and product design
[04:06] Experience that led to successful consulting
[05:37] Questions to consider to an evolving brand
[08:52] Adapting brand identity to the culture
[10:31] Knowledgeable takeaways from the evolving eCommerce space
[14:05] The power of community
[15:27] How to create and connect within a community brand
[18:02] Successful engagement approaches
[20:03] What to expect from DTC brands in the coming year
[21:35] How to engage with customers and the importance of experimenting
[23:33] What makes a brand/product special
[25:24] Brands that stand out
[27:18] What’s next for Aja Singer and where to find her online

Aja Singer, an insight on working with ambitious brands through creative and brand strategy Aja Singer, a creative and brand strategy consultant for mission driven DTC brands, joins the POD to give some insight on creative strategy and product development

Aja spent the last 10+ years mastering brand creative & product design, and became the creative director for an e-commerce startup that grew into a multi-million dollar business

She now uses her skill set, in uncovering what drives consumer behavior and creating products and content that inspires community and drives revenue, to help other startups in need

In addition to being a consultant, Aja also has a newsletter to inform about branding and DTC trends

Aja recognizes that people and the market are always evolving, and it is important to keep up

Community is key for DTC growthAja Singer stands out as a brand consultant for her extensive knowledge in brand creative, strategy, and design

She has helped foster sustained growth for brands by centering community and personal interaction with consumers as the key to success

Aja recognizes the importance of connecting with consumers and understanding their needs to curate products and messaging that speaks to them

She fostered further opportunities for brands by paying attention to evolving marketing strategies and recognizing what works for current trends

Aja recommends creating an engaging community for your brand and experimenting with marketing strategies

Stay tuned as Aja discusses how to build a community around your brand and product strategy and design trends

Mentioned Links:

Aja Singer’s newsletter: https://ajasinger.substack.com/

Aja Singer’s twitter: https://twitter.com/ajasinger

Aja Singer’s website: http://www.ajasinger.com/

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“If customers are buying two and they're getting one for free, they can give one of the products away, and that's a way to acquire related customers.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“If you have an Instagram account, or maybe you're posting on Tik Tok or a Facebook group, those are really good spots to pick comments from and use for content.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:42] Breaking down Austin Eastciders product launch email
[03:26] Blume’s successful SMS strategy

Steal this email from Austin Eastciders and this SMS that drives customer acquisition from BlumeIn today’s episode of fantastic emails and texts, we’re looking at content from Austin Eastciders and Blume.

Austin Eastciders is a craft cidery in Austin, Texas dedicated to making America fall in love with cider all over again while Blume is a beauty product brand for women.

Austin Eastciders sends out a great email by implementing customer reviews to fill content and Blume sends out a great text that can attract new customers through a discount.

Stay tuned as we dive into an awesome email from Austin Eastciders and a great customer acquisition SMS from Blume.

Mentioned Links:

Austin Eastciders’ email with feedback from customers: https://reallygoodemails.com/emails/you-asked-for-it-you-got-it-

Where to find Blume’s BFCM text: https://fantastictexts.com/bfcm/

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“We want to be the best in the world at Search Engine Optimization, and that's it.” @kmillertime421 #DTCPOD
“All the different questions you could possibly need to know in order to make an informed purchase decision, we help write that, and we give that to the customer.” @kmillertime421 #DTCPOD
“You don't need to spend $10,000 a month on SEO, you can just work very slowly and methodically to master the results for your brand name.” @kmillertime421 #DTCPOD
“Focus on the activities that are actually going to convert into incremental dollars earned.” @kmillertime421 #DTCPOD
“There's 1.5 million people a month that search for the term word counter, and right now we rank number three for that term.” @kmillertime421 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:51] Kevin introduces himself and Gr0
[03:26] The importance of utilizing organic search for brands
[05:03] Types of brands and content to focus on
[07:20] Helpful ways to earn PR as a startup
[09:33] Looking at organic search as a performance marketing channel
[11:02] Key factors to track and look for in organic search
[12:51] Tools that improve search traffic
[14:37] Common mistakes that brands can potentially capitalize on
[16:32] Quick tips to improve SEO
[18:08] Brands succeeding in organic search and their strategy
[20:03] What content a brand should attack first
[21:26] How to further generate traffic
[23:56] Effective ways to use organic search to your advantage
[25:48] How to stay ahead of google’s search algorithm
[28:16] Where to find the Agency and Kevin Miller online

Diving into eCommerce SEO strategyKevin Miller, Co-founder and CEO of Gr0, joins the POD to give some insight on how the agency curates growth for brands through organic search

Gr0 is an SEO agency that scales brands online.

Kevin recognizes that organic search can be utilized as a performance marketing channel, and uses this approach to drive sales and revenue for brands

The agency’s goal is to build organic SEO content to help brands avoid paying all their gross margin to platforms such as facebook and google.

Kevin recognizes that it is important for businesses to build out all their media profiles.

Paid ads aren’t the only way to grow in DTC, organic helps tooGr0 stands out as an agency with digital marketing experts committed to help rank brands #1 on google, organically

The agency focuses on digital strategies to get brand recognition and implements suggestions for brands to stay ahead of google algorithm updates .

Kevin takes the approach to achieving successful growth for brands by reiterating the importance of getting the brand name out their end being editorial with the brand’s page

Gr0 analyzes brands and discovers what specific content each brand should take on first that would work best for search optimization

Kevin recommends that if you're just starting a project, it's great to announce it online because legitimate companies do press releases.

Stay tuned as Kevin discusses the benefits of utilizing organic search and easy steps to take to optimize your brand through SEO

Mentioned Links:

Gr0 website: https://gr0.com/

Kevin Miller’s twitter: https://twitter.com/kmillertime421

Kevin Miller’s website: https://kevinmiller.com/

Kevin Miller’s email: kevin@Gr0.com

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“If you haven't implemented an SMS list and you're thinking about it, use conversational copy to convince people to sign up.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“If you're having a product launch, I highly recommend putting some sort of urgency on it, especially when you're sending out that message via text and telling people how much quantity is.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[02:05] Breaking down Italic’s unique conversational email
[04:10] Doe lashes SMS strategy

Copy this email from Italic and this SMS that drives urgency fro Doe LashesIn today’s episode of fantastic emails and texts, we’re looking at content from Italic and Doe Lashes.

Italic is a brand that prides itself on providing quality goods while Doe Lashes specializes in handcrafted silk lashes.

Italic sends out a great email to convert email subscribers into SMS subscribers and Doe Lashes sends out a great text for an upcoming product launch.

Stay tuned as we dive into an awesome email from Italic and a great urgency-driving SMS from Doe Lashes.

Mentioned Links:

Italic’s SMS opt-in email: https://twitter.com/lovevalgeisler/status/1425821223175565312

Where to find Doe Lashes’ SMS: https://fantastictexts.com/product-launch/

Italic founder Jeremy Cai on the DTC POD: https://trend.io/blog/founder-stories-jeremy-cai-italic

Doe Lashes’ founder Jason Wong on the DTC POD: https://trend.io/blog/brand-building-influencer-marketing

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“Email is really intimate, but in a way that is super scalable.” @ecomchasedimond #DTCPOD
“I used email as a way to build audiences and nurture, convert, engage folks to buy products or services or consume more content.” @ecomchasedimond #DTCPOD
“Make sure you have the different abandoned flows, the browse abandonment, the abandoned cart, and the abandoned checkout. That's all for the pre-purchase side.” @ecomchasedimond #DTCPOD
“You have to focus on the business metrics, things like clicks, revenue per recipient, people that are responding to your emails, people that are active on your website and taking a full funnel kind of hyper personalized approach to that.”@ecomchasedimond #DTCPOD
“Double down on sending as many campaigns as you can, learning as much about your audience as possible, and figuring out what type of content gets them to click.” @ecomchasedimond #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[02:01] Chase introduces himself and Structured Agency
[03:45] Experiences that led to a skillset in email marketing
[07:32] Must do tips for email marketing
[06:16] Elements of sophistication that added value to the brand
[11:23] How to setup a successful email flow
[13:49] How often to log data
[15:52] How to prepare your email marketing for the IOS 15 update
[20:22] Email designs and how to avoid the spam box
[23:29] The order for asking for data matters
[26:05] How to successfully receive a customer’s phone number
[27:37] Tips on how to use email as a conversion channel
[30:11] What’s next for Chase Dimond and where to find him online

How Chase Dimond grew his expertise through a single marketing channel Chase Dimond, A professional eCommerce email marketer, joins the POD to give some insight on how to build revue through emails and optimize this marketing channel

Chase Dimond markets his expertise through his own website, and is currently partnered with structured agency and boundless labs, an email marketing platform

Chase began social networking at an early age and was able to scale this platform through cold emails.

As he developed his skillset he transitioned to eCommerce email marketing where he has sent over 1 billion emails, resulting in $75+ million in email attributable revenue.

Chase recognizes that there is more than one variable to successful email marketing, and it all comes down to knowing the and and the place.

Sometimes in DTC, It pays to email

Chase Dimond stands out as a marketer for his elite skill set in growing brand revenue through emails .

One key strategy his agency uses to increase conversion rates is to segment customer types and then break down what each of those people want to see and how they're going to be engaging.

Chase takes a unique approach to achieving successful conversion for brands by following a strategy of asking for email first and then phone number second

Chase understands that the first emails you send to a customer will be the most important because they will set the tone of the entire relationship.

Sam recommends segmenting your emails and customizing them to what works best for your customers

Stay tuned as Sam discusses how optimize email marketing and what flows to use for your customers

Mentioned Links:

Chase Dimond's website: https://chasedimond.com/

Chase Dimond’s twitter: https://twitter.com/ecomchasedimond

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“SMS marketing is really about getting people to convert.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“By creating these conversations and providing helpful advice, it builds that stronger connection with the brand” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:30] A great email from Public Rec
[02:52] The texts from Hydrant you should copy

Steal this email from Public Rec and this text from HydrantIn today’s episode of fantastic emails and texts, we’re looking at content from Public Rec and Hydrant.

Public Rec is a leisure apparel company and Hydrant is a wellness brand company providing a balanced mix of electrolytes, minerals, and vitamins.

Public Rec sends out a great email on top picks and Hydrant sends out some great conversational text messages.

Stay tuned as we dive into that great email from Public Rec and those great text messages from Hydrant.

Mentioned Links:

Public Rec’s great email: https://reallygoodemails.com/emails/theres-always-a-favorite

Messages from Hydrant (search for Hydrant): https://fantastictexts.com/conversational/

View Details

“I built my first website off of code.” @arribagah #DTCPOD
“Making it seem like you're having a one to one conversation is the best way to approach SMS marketing.” @arribagah #DTCPOD
“We want to find the balance between sending relevant content and still directing people to the website.” @arribagah #DTCPOD
“My work at DTC DAY is really about bringing together great marketers on stage, getting a lot of sponsors on board, and putting together a great event.” @arribagah #DTCPOD
“We've sent out over one hundred and seventy five million text messages, we know what works.” @arribagah #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:35] Arri introduces himself Conversmart, and DTC DAY
[05:17] SMS strategies to connect with customers
[08:05] Text bots vs conversational text marketing
[11:50] How to optimize and personalize the SMS experience
[14:13] Utilizing SMS as more than a buying platform
[16:53] Platform recommendations
[18:04] Flows that work for SMS marketing
[22:21] Customer support and SMS marketing
[24:37] How Conversmart supports brands’ SMS styes
[26:26] Brands crushing SMS marketing
[27:51] Strategies to get subscribers
[29:55] the future of DTC DAY
[32:00] What’s next for Arri Bagah and where to find him, Conversmart, and DTC DAY online

How Conversmart scales brand’s SMS revenueArri Bagah, founder and CEO of Conversmart and managing director of DTC DAY, joins the POD to give some insight on SMS marketing and a platform that brings together successful marketers

Conversmart is is text marketing agency for DTC brands that generates incremental revenue

Arri recognizes that SMS marketing should be a platform that goes beyond promoting sales and creates a more personalized interaction

Conversmart’s approach allows brands to implement their own SMS ideas and then guides this strategy to generate higher conversion and click through rates

Arri views SMS marketing as an intimate platform that should engage the customer with fun content to navigate them to the brand’s website.

SMS Marketing in DTC is about building relationships with subscribersConversmart stands out as an digital SMS marketing agency that has sent over 175,000,000 text messages and generated more than $100 Million in incremental revenue for clients

The agency generates this growth by viewing SMS marketing as more than a platform to offer discounts and implements creative content to attract buyers

Arri also implements his knowledge from running DTC DAY, a marketers conference where strategies for success are shared

We take a look at Conversmart agency from a support side and a client side, breaking down flow platforms and what not to do with SMS marketing

Arri recommends being personalized, keeping it pretty short, using GIFs, and illustrating products to optimize the SMS experience

Stay tuned as Arri discusses what to include in SMS marketing to generate big money, what to avoid to curate higher profits, and more on DTC DAY

Mentioned Links:

Conversmart website: https://Conversmart.com/

Get your DTC DAY tickets here: https://dtcday.com/

Arri Bagah’s twitter: https://twitter.com/arribagah

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We Speak About:

[00:55] Announcing new show format
[01:39] Introducing a new series
[02:01] Curating interesting and actionable ideas

The new and improved DTC POD The DTC is bringing new and exciting ideas for viewers.

We’ll be breaking sharing what to expect over the coming weeks for our Monday episodes that just feature one of our hosts, Jay.

Stay tuned as we dive into this new show format!

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“We spent all of our time with other people's ideas, scaling those, and figured out that's what we're really good at.” @andrewjfaris #DTCPOD
“If you multiply your conversion rate by your average order value, the number that it spits out is your revenue per click.” @andrewjfaris #DTCPOD
“Most times if your product market fit isn't working, you often have a more core problem than you think.” @andrewjfaris #DTCPOD
“If you can turn products into dollars fast instead of having to outlay huge portions of inventory with cash, it makes your whole business better.” @andrewjfaris #DTCPOD
“Clear wins most times over clever, particularly for driving traffic.” @andrewjfaris #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[03:13] Andrew introduces himself and 4X400
[05:53] Brand management approach and portfolio building
[11:33] Analyzing product market fit
[15:50] Breaking down conversion rates for brands
[21:22] How it's not always about the marketing
[23:50] Similarities and contrast between management for different brands
[29:49] Tips for scaling a brand
[35:23] Where to find 4x400 and Andrew Faris online

How 4X400 measures product market fit Andrew Faris, CEO of 4X400, joins the POD to give some insight on operating and growing DTC eCommerce brands.

4X400 is an eCommerce holding company that currently owns, manages, and grows five digitally native brands.

Andrew discusses that when it comes to building their brand portfolio, they look for brands with an established product market fit and analyze the core fundamentals of the business to see if there is an opportunity to scale.

A unique approach 4X400 takes in analyzing product market fit is through measuring revenue per click by multiply a brands conversion rate by their average order value.

Andrew recognizes that if a brand's product market fit isn’t working, there is more likely a solution found in the inner workings of a product rather than altering marketing strategies.

Sometimes in DTC, you have to play around

4X400 A modern day holding company that acquires, operates, and grows DTC ecommerce brands.

The business currently has 5 brands that they operate, all in different markets.

Andrew takes an experimental approach with brand scaling by testing different product selling strategies that will create different outcomes for different kinds of customers.

The business first strategizes to discover the baseline level that can validate the quality of traffic for a brand, and then begins testing creative.

Andrew recommends giving time and energy into developing a good customer acquisition strategy, and experimenting around to see what works.

Stay tuned as Andrew discusses important strategies for scaling a brand and finding product market fit.

Mentioned Links:

4X400 website: https://4x400.com/

Andrew Faris’s twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewjfaris

eCommerce playbook podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ecommerce-playbook

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“Sometimes someone will sign up for that 15 percent discount or 20 percent discount and they'll get that email and maybe they won't end up purchasing at that moment. So last chance email’s are a really good email to have in your sequence to remind them.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“Last chance emails are a great way to push people to potentially make that purchase and get them over that hump” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[02:46] Last chance emails
[04:52] Driving urgency to buy

The last chance email you need to steal for your DTC store.Email marketing is an underestimated technique that can potentially earn you more buyers.

One email strategy in particular is last-chance emails.

Last-chance emails are a way to remind potential buyers of a discount or deal that will persuade them to make a purchase.

This strategy drives urgency and creates another platform for brands to communicate with their customers.

Stay tuned as we discuss a specific brand and break-down their successful last chance email strategy.

Mentioned Links:

Good Pair Days’ last chance email: https://reallygoodemails.com/emails/dont-miss-out

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“In the beginning it was really important for me that our business be a business that could stand on its own two feet, and that our company not be a money pit” @jurhyu #DTCPOD
“It’s important to know what's trending so that you can insert yourself into the conversation at a moment's notice and really be part of that community.” @jurhyu #DTCPOD
“Read every day, just absorb information because you need to know what's going on in your category, in your industry, in the world, because those things really can impact your business.” @jurhyu #DTCPOD
“If you have the QR code on the package and someone scans it, it gives more surface area for you as a brand to do more education or maybe introduce them to some other kind of experience.” @jurhyu #DTCPOD
“A retailer's private label is probably the scariest competitor or potential competitor there could be because they have all your data. They know exactly what products are selling the best.” @jurhyu #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[03:12] Ju introduces herself and Hero Cosmetics
[04:49] The brands philosophy behind bootstrapping
[07:24] The power of TikTok marketing
[10:39] How the social media budget is allocated to create the most brand growth
[11:59] Content strategy for social media
[14:27] How the brand stays in the loop
[15:59] The brand’s research strategy
[17:48] Creative marketing CGP brands
[20:13] The brand’s experimental plays
[27:13] The awareness and acquisition strategy for QR codes
[30:24] Why private labels can be your biggest competitor
[32:56] What’s next for Hero Cosmetics and where to find the brand, and Ju Rhyu online

How Hero Cosmetics experienced continuous growthJu Rhyu, Co-founder and CEO of Hero Cosmetics, joins the POD to give some insight on the brand's financial plan and unique marketing strategy .

Hero Cosmetic is a skincare brand that is solution oriented with mindful ingredients for sensitive skin

The brand began on Amazon, and as it grew, additional products were introduced into the market and since then the brand continues to experience growth.

An approach was taken of handling finances through bootstrapping, so that the brand's primary focus would not be on raising funds but rather building the brand, and as the brand grew the financial plan transitioned to form partnerships.

Ju recognized that when it comes to building a successful brand, it is important to stay up to date with current trends in any way you can.

Growth through TikTok and QR codesHero Cosmetics not only stands out for their skincare products, but also their unique and experimental marketing strategies

The brand has experienced continuous sustained growth by allocating their marketing budget primarily through social media

The brand has created awareness for their products by utilizing TikTok as their central social outlet, which has accounted for their growth

Ju takes a unique approach to achieving additional growth by implementing QR codes in their packaging, and promotional events.

The brand has fostered further growth opportunities through partnerships and a unique paid advertising strategy.

Ju recommends being creative with your marketing and being a part of the community your brand is in.

Stay tuned as Ju discusses how Hero Cosmetics advanced their product line and what specific marketing strategies have led to the brand’s success

Mentioned Links:

Hero Cosmetics website: https://www.herocosmetics.us/

Ju Rhyu twitter: https://twitter.com/jurhyu

View Details

“By interviewing what a person is interested in, they might share it with their audience and people that are in their audience are probably going to want to purchase some similar items” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“If you have frequently answered questions, think about how you could potentially turn those into a blog post” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“Don't make every post about your products, it's important to use this as a space to educate, that's where you're really going to build up that brand trust.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“When you're thinking about content, think about how you can position your content and how you can create content for not only people that might be first time buyers, but also people that have decided to rebuy.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:55] Nomad’s unique blog characteristics
[04:20] The benefit of interviews
[04:45] Additional blog post to build organic traffic
[07:13] Kettle and Fire’s successful blog strategies
[08:51] Key takeaways from successful blog brands
[09:48] Important tips for creating a blog

Building organic traffic through blogs for eCommerce brands When it comes to attracting potential customers to your website and persuading a buying decision, blogs can be of great assistance.

A few posts can help drive traffic to your brand’s website and convert those viewers into customers. For some brands, blogs are the first strategy implemented to build their brand.

Blogs aren’t just for posting products, many times they are used to give viewers additional insight into the brand, which can optimize the customer journey.

By using the resource to create content centered around your brand and using the space to educate your customers, brand trust and customer retention may be optimized.

Stay tuned as we discuss three brands' successful blog strategies and tips on how to optimize your blog.

Mentioned Links:

Three Ships Beauty blog: https://www.threeshipsbeauty.com/blogs/news

Nomad blog: https://nomadgoods.com/pages/blog

Kettle & Fire blog: https://blog.kettleandfire.com/

More information on creating eCommerce blogs:

https://www.shopify.com/blog/blog-examples

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“In the first couple of months we focused on getting everything up and running, and as we've grown a little bit, it's more so figuring out which one of these verticals is worth us investing more time and resources to. @Lillie__Sun #DTCPOD
“All small brands can really benefit from investing in customer experience” @Lillie__Sun #DTCPOD
“The customer journey is all about awareness, acquisition and retention.” @Lillie__Sun #DTCPOD
For us, it's all about aligning the campaign on the core product and the core benefit, and making sure that comes across in all elements of the campaign.” @Lillie__Sun #DTCPOD
“Having a community ambassador program is a great way to get that one on one communication with your customers in a timely fashion. They feel they're involved and you don't have to do so much guessing because you're getting that feedback from them.” @Lillie__Sun #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[02:16] Lillie introduces herself and Three Ships Beauty
[03:54] Setting a business foundation and seeing what works
[06:02] Testing different marketing channels through trial and error
[08:14] Elements outside of digital marketing that led to brand growth
[12:59] Testing and tweaking the SMS marketing strategy
[16:56] How Three Ships Beauty segments the market
[19:38] Steps to optimize the customer experience
[24:06] How to enhance product promotion
[19:09] The company’s successful approach for achieving customer retention
[26:46] A unique strategy for product launching
[30:53] Benefits of an ambassador program
[35:01] The process for implementing technology and resources for brand growth
[37:31] What’s next for Three Ships Beauty and where to find Lillie Sun online

Three Ships Beauty steps to startup successLillie Sun, leader of growth for Three Ships Beauty, joins the POD to give some insight on the direct-to-consumer business’s growth, product launches, and the customer journey.

Three Ships Beauty is a Skincare brand that creates effective, natural, and affordable products.

Lily recognized that when it comes to startups, implementing an ambassador program will help the brand to effectively engage with their customers and organically drive awareness, leading to growth.

A unique approach was taken for product launches by limiting a creative marketing that would not exemplify what the product is about, and instead focus on orienting the campaign on the core product and benefit.

Lillie recognizes that in the first stages of growth, it’s okay for your brand to test out everything to see what works and then dial down and what processes are delivering the most benefits.

In DTC, it pays to be personable Three Ships Beauty stands out as an eCommerce skincare company that develops 100% natural plant derived products at an affordable price.

The brand has experienced growth by experimenting with numerous marketing channels to see what works and curating a personable customer experience.

Lillie takes a unique approach to achieving growth by not only personalizing the customer experience but also the product through a skincare quiz on their website.

The brand takes additional steps to personalize their brand by segmenting their SMS channel into categories, based on what their consumers would like to hear.

Lillie recommends having a good foundation in business experience before jumping into growth roles.

Stay tuned as Lillie discusses non-digital marketing factors that led to growth why you don’t always need to be too creative with your marketing strategy.

Mentioned Links:

Three Ships Beauty website: https://www.threeshipsbeauty.com/

Lillie Sun’s twitter: https://twitter.com/Lillie__Sun

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“Providing sample products can provide an up-sell opportunity later if someone enjoys the product and buys the regular sized version.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“These checkout strategies are a great way to build up excitement and build brand affinity.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“A mystery product is something that you can up-sell down the line as well, and so you actually have information on that product already and you could potentially even test out feedback.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:18] How to implement cross-selling in a checkout strategy
[02:36] A pre-purchase strategy for driving urgency
[04:28] A unique checkout strategy for supply
[06:18] The types of customers to target

Simple checkout strategies to increase online salesHow many times do you go on a website and buy more than you planned? How often are you persuaded by the pop up ads promising a discount, a sample, or a surprise product with your purchase?

The answer is probably often but this isn’t just happening to you, in fact, all those examples are marketing strategies implemented to increase sales.

Checkout strategies are a great way to introduce your customers to new products they normally wouldn't buy and potentially gather feedback.

There are numerous touchpoints during the buying process that these strategies can be placed, and it invites room for creativity for your brand.

Stay tuned as we discuss three brands and their different approaches for implementing a checkout strategy.

Mentioned Links:

Corey Haines’ full thread on DTC: https://twitter.com/coreyhainesco/status/1414585378569297928

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“We’re a digital marketing agency but we've succeeded because we're thinking about the business from a partnership perspective rather than just buying media” @_Liso_ #DTCPOD
We try to work with brands that we have long term partnerships with and really grow them.” @yo #DTCPOD
“The importance of customer service is to actually develop those relationships with the consumer of your product.” @yo #DTCPOD
“It's OK to fail, but it's not OK to fail and not learn from it.” @yo #DTCPOD
“It's not just about getting the traffic and getting folks on the website. It’s about what those folks are seeing, what they’re thinking and what's getting them excited about the product or offer. @_Liso_ #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[02:21] Troy and Mike introduce themselves and discuss previous business experience
[06:56] The business plan behind JUICE
[08:41] How the agency differentiates itself from the competition
[09:57] Elements of strategic advising
[12:58] A unique competitive edge through the customer experience
[14:39] Elements curating brand revenue growth
[16:30] Redefining what customer service means for the brand
[21:22] Putting money in where you get money out
[24:36] Advice on positioning your brand to get invested
[27:29] Tips to entrepreneurs when making mistakes
[29:19] What’s next for JUICE and where to find the brand, Troy Osinoff, and Mike Lisovetsky online

How JUICE differentiates itself as a digital marketing agency. Troy Osinoff and Mike Lisovetsky, co-founders of JUICE, join the POD to give some insight on the business’s growth and customer experience strategies.

JUICE is a digital marketing agency that takes a modern approach to helping other brands grow.

Both co-founders recognized that their brand needed to step out of the traditional agency methods and work thoroughly with each brand to create actionable plans and a relentless approach.

An approach is taken in generating brand revenue growth through relationship building in channels primarily recognized as promotional tools.

Mike recognizes that it is important to create a community for your customers to provide feedback and have a personalized customer experience.

There’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all marketing strategyJUICE is a digital marketing agency that takes a modern day approach to helping other brands scale their business

Troy and Mike curated this entrepreneurial opportunity through a well experienced past in business endeavours.

Both co-founders view their agency as a partnership with other businesses, and take a unique strategy of limiting their clientele to brands they believe they can grow.

Their brand takes a strategy to foster growth by implementing activities catered towards customer retention, with the idea in mind that activities meant to help a customer will result in positive feedback.

Troy recommends learning from your mistakes as an entrepreneur and using the experience to your benefit.

Stay tuned as both co-founders discuss their fund for JUICE and additional ways to scale a business.

Mentioned Links:

JUICE website: https://www.thinkjuice.com/

Troy Osinoff’s twitter: https://twitter.com/yo

Michael Lisovetsky’s twitter:https://twitter.com/_Liso_

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“Know a couple or at least one brand that you want to check out and then look at some other brands related to it for competitive research.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“Tiktok can be a great discovery source for finding what products are working really well on their platform and popular hashtags.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“If you go into Twitter and type in the name of a product, you can search for other similar products as well.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:01] How to use Facebook for competitive research
[02:05] Navigating instagram for landing pages and product research
[02:51] A resource to identify new brands on the rise and brand research
[03:24] Using TikTok as a discovery source
[04:26] How to use Twitter for product comparison
[05:16] Up and coming marketplaces

How to get an undercover look at your DTC competitorsCreating a product that differentiates itself in the market is a key strategy that leads to brand growth, but this element is not as simple as it sounds.

First you have to look at your competition to know what you're dealing with, but how do you go about this?

This can be done through competitor research, knowing what similar brands are doing and their strategies for growth and retention will help you learn about the market.

There are numerous sources beneficial for finding competitors, and these sources can provide insight into what’s working for a brand, whether it's ads, their websites, trending products, or more.

Stay tuned as we discuss media platforms useful for researching brands and how to navigate them.

Mentioned Links:

Facebook ads library: https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/

Nextbrand trending brands: https://www.nexttbrand.com/

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“Being a good person, treating people like humans, and delivering experiences with empathy every day is number one for our brand.” @eliweisss #DTCPOD
“Knowing you'll be taken care of makes you want to come back. It's not rocket science, so long as the product is great.” @eliweisss #DTCPOD
“When it comes to building a team, it really matters to hire the really good people that deeply care. You can teach anyone how to use tools, but you can't teach people to give a shit.” @eliweisss #DTCPOD
“Giving your team the allowance to create these experiences, empowering them to create these experiences for the customers, is important.” @eliweisss #DTCPOD
“Do not take what you learned last year and use it this year, constantly learn and listen and engage with customers. @eliweisss #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[02:28] Eli introduces himself and Olipop
[03:45] What customer experience means to the brand
[05:34] How to curate an intentional SMS
[09:01] Implementing personalization into a marketing channel
[12:13] Elements of a subscription to create retention
[15:01] Where to brand discovers inspiration for their subscription model
[15:53] Factors that have led to brand growth
[20:31] important steps during customer acquisition
[22:13] How to scale the customer experience
[24:16] The importance of empowerment
[25:48] Allocating finances to the customer experience
[27:17] How to drive brand loyalty
[29:43] Thinking like a customer
[31:58] What’s next for Olipop and where to find Eli Weiss and the brand online

How OLIPOP scales customer experienceEli Weiss, director of customer experience at Olipop, joins the POD to give some insight on the business’s growth, customer experience strategy, and retention.

Olipop is a beverage company, formulating a gut healthy soda with plant fiber, prebiotics, and botanicals.

Eli recognized that when it comes to creating a good brand, having a good product is only half the formula to keep consumers happy and returning.

Providing consumers with a positive, personalized, and interactive customer experience is an essential factor leading to brand loyalty.

Eli points out that anyone can be taught the skills to perform in a work setting, but you can’t teach someone to care about your brand so it is important to hire the right people.

In DTC, you have to think like the customer to win

Olipop stands out as an eCommerce beverage company, not only for its modernized product, but also for the brand's exceptional customer service.

The brand has experienced growth and customer retention by prioritizing the customer experience and developing a thoughtful subscription model.

Eli takes a unique approach to achieving successful retention by developing an SMS channel

that caters to the customers needs rather than a brand incentive to increase sales.

Additional steps to improve the customer experience are taken by listening to the customer and responding to their needs.

Eli recommends discovering ways to make your subscriptions exclusive without intruding on consumers' feed.

Stay tuned as Eli discusses key components to heighten the customer experience and how empowering your team leads to success.

Mentioned Links:

Olipop’s website: https://drinkolipop.com/

Eli Weiss’s twitter: https://twitter.com/eliweisss

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“Set your goal to get subscribers to engage with your brand and set the tone of the relationship.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“The second email you send should focus on the brand story, unique quality standards that you might have and the benefits of shopping with your company.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“The last email you send needs to focus on the community aspect.” @jadesai94 #DTCPO
“Frequency is an important factor that's used for ads, and there's no reason why it’s not relevant to email.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:59] Intro to non-buyer welcome series
[01:54] Defining non-buyers and the first step in attracting them through an email sequence
[02:57] How to formulate an email to potential consumers
[04:19] When to send a second email and what to include
[05:28] What to include in a third email to promote customer conversion
[06:15] Outline for the last email in the email sequence

In DTC, frequency is key to convert non-buyersAttracting new customers doesn’t always succeed on the first try, and these types of shoppers, who have not yet purchased your product, are known as non-buyers.

So how do you promote customer conversion? Sometimes influencing the amount of times a person comes into contact with your ads will promote purchase behavior.

One marketing strategy used to sway potential customers is through an email sequence.

Stay tuned as we unwrap an email marketing outline by Chase Dimond, and how to tailor the four types of emails designed for customer conversion.

Mentioned Links:

Full thread on non-buyer welcome series by Chase: https://twitter.com/ecomchasedimond/status/1378008560894767104

Chase’s email newsletter: https://chasedimond.com/chase-email-newsletter

Chase’s podcast: https://kite.link/chase-dimond-podcast

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“The idea has always been trying to crack the system of what makes brands work and what makes brands fail in some cases, and then reverse engineer it” @markpatchett #DTCPOD
“The first bit is to really understand the core fundamental numbers of your actual business” @markpatchett #DTCPOD
“Take care of the right people that are going to amplify my brand because it compounds and increases your conversion rate and allows you to spend more money.” @markpatchett #DTCPOD
“When you're starting out, go to where the audience is largest and the platform is most sophisticated.” @markpatchett #DTCPOD
“Brand is really about the continuity of a strong message across all of the different touch points when someone comes into contact with your company.” @markpatchett #DTCPOD
“As you start scaling your brand to new audiences, you may find that you need to tweak the way you communicate what your product does and what your brand is about to actually work for that large audience.” @markpatchett #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:56] Mark introduces himself and Growth Shop
[02:11] Previous entrepreneurship that led to creating a successful brand
[04:40] Advice to brands before scaling a business
[07:31] Acquisition strategies for inventory
[09:47] The importance of paying more when it comes to contracts
[11:01] Implementing personal relationships to maintain customer engagement
[13:17] Where to disperse spending when scaling a brand
[16:37] Major components of scalable growth
[18:37] What a brand really is
[21:23] Breaking down marketing activities for retention and new customer acquisition
[22:23] Why brands should evolve
[23:33] Building an unfair advantage
[25:21] The framework for product differentiation
[28:52] Pivotal roles in brand growth
[31:30] The importance of a collaborative customer service
[33:17] Where to find Growth Shop and Mark Patchett online

How a past in entrepreneurship led to the future of Growth ShopMark Patchett, founder of Growth Shop, joins the POD to give some insight on the business’s strategy for helping brands scale their business without outside capital.

Growth Shop is an eCommerce organization that advises, invests, and acquires direct to consumer brands and supporting technology platforms.

Mark realized from his experienced past as an entrepreneur that he had gained important insight as to what makes a brand work and what doesn’t. He then founded Growth Shop as an embodiment of this knowledge with a goal in mind of helping other brands scale their business.

A unique perspective on scaling a business is taken by an emphasis on evolving your brand. Mark views a brand as a product that continually changes as the consumer expands.

Mark recognizes that brand is continuity, and maintaining a strong message across all touch points for your brand is crucial for growth.

Sometimes in DTC, it’s all about building an unfair advantageGrowth Shop stands out as an eCommerce company that helps direct to consumer business grow exponentially and sustainably.

The business enables brand growth by prioritizing key roles such as acquisition strategies, maintaining product excitement, and iterating the importance of customer service on all levels of operation.

Mark takes a further approach to achieving successful growth emphasizing the importance of having an unfair advantage for your brand.

One simple strategy Mark has suggested for achieving this is through customer engagement. By asking why customers buy your product or what would make your product better, an unfair advantage can be curated.

Mark recommends implementing personalization into your brand and keeping operational costs as low as possible.

Stay tuned as Mark dissects the meaning of a brand and how a collaborative customer service can make or break your company.

Mentioned Links:

Growth Shop’s website: https://growth.shop/

Mark Pachett’s email: mark@growth.shop.com

Mark Patchett’s linkedin: linkedin.com/in/markpatchett

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“The strategy that's been gaining more traction recently is engaging brand created content.” @jadesai94 #DTCPO
“Accounts creating content around their domain of expertise creates views and followers that translates over into an owned audience” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:42] Jay shares a resource on fastest growing brands on TikTok
[01:45] Brand content strategies
[03:05] Which strategies are gaining and losing traction
[04:23] Brand categories leading the way on TikTok
[05:50] Translating an analysis on TikTok brands

A behind the scenes look at the top eCommerce brands on TikTokOnline brand promotion offers the advantage of exposing your brand to a wide variety of demographics at a low cost, and TikTok is one of many media outlets that can provide this.

Jay discusses an analysis of the top 50 brands growing on TikTok and their strategies used to achieve growth.

Key takeaways include what strategies are gaining and losing traction, and what methods are gaining a high turnover rate for followers.

Stay tuned as Jay dives into the different categories of brands and which ones are dominating the social media platform.

Mentioned Links:

Nextbrand Substack: https://nexttbrand.substack.com/

Nextbrand website: https://www.nexttbrand.com/

Spreadsheet with top 50 brands on TikTok: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nvdoNCOygpwIN4j5IB48qlIfKsCVsxZbGqpBdhuJQzM/edit#gid=422642932

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“People are starting to get back to normal in some places, which means that habits are starting to change ” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
‘We're going to be expanding into customer experience leaders, product builders and more” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“We’re so excited to share with you more stories of not only agency owners giving some great advice, but also brand vendors, marketers, customer experience leaders and more.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:36] Changes in consumer habits
[01:23] Previous guests on the DTC pod
[02:05] Exciting news and what’s next for the DTC pod

We’re celebrating half a year on the DTC POD by discussing some exciting new ideas to come!As retail begins to open back up and things start getting back to normal, consumer habits continue to change and evolve and we plan on providing insight to that experience.

Jay discusses previous guests on the POD who persevered through COVID-19 as agency owners, brand founders and marketers.

Stay tuned as Jay discusses new things to come for the DTC POD and an outline of what to expect for the second half of the year!

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“It's cool to see other ambassador programs that are empowering individuals to share and talk about a brand.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“Coldest Water is teaching people how to become better influencers and to sell better, and I think it's a big win for not only the brand but also the ambassadors.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“One aspect of the landing page that works really well is that they quickly jump into the benefits and what you can do with the brand.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:03] Coldest Water’s successful landing page
[02:58] A rare aspect of their Ambassador landing page
[03:22] How they connect to their audience
[04:38] A unique factor of Cold Water’s ambassador program
[06:41] How the brand creates learning opportunities for their ambassadors

Coldest Water’s ambassador program differentiates itself from the norm There are numerous strategies a business can use to promote their brand, and one common technique is through the use of brand ambassadors.

This marketing strategy allows individuals to form a partnership with a company and personally promote their product(s).

However, Coldest Water takes an uncommon approach to their ambassador program by using it as an educational opportunity for their promoters and creating a unique incentive to sell.

Stay tuned as we discuss how Coldest Water’s stays transparent with their ambassadors and additional factors of their landing page.

Mentioned Links:

Coldest Water ambassador landing page: https://thecoldestwater.lpages.co/coldestsponsorship/

Coldest Water ambassador program pricing: https://thecoldestwater.com/join-us/

Coldest Water on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecoldestwater

Coldest Water brand hashtag: https://www.tiktok.com/tag/thecoldestwater

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“We found a product, created it, brought it to market, rapidly scaled multiple brands, and eventually sold our brands. That's how we were able to grow our agency so fast.” @iamdansnow #DTCPOD
“The best way to think about content, in terms of when it's time to launch a brand, is to put together various customer personas that you think might be in the market to buy your products” @iamdansnow #DTCPOD
“There is a reason why when you grow a company you hire people because you can't do everything yourself. People give you more leverage than you trying to do things yourself.” @iamdansnow #DTCPOD
“If you've got great engaging content that resonates with your target persona, your clickthrough rates are going to be higher quality scores.” @iamdansnow #DTCPOD
“If you grow too fast, odds are your customer experience is going to take a hit, and products are going to be delayed” @iamdansnow #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:55] Daniel introduces himself and The Snow Agency
[02:13] The motive behind building the brand
[03:38] Tips for product launching
[05:45] How to find your target audience
[07:45] How to turn an idea into a business opportunity
[09:48] When to keep content in-house and when to outsource
[11:51] When do do it yourself and when to seek an expert
[14:44] Key indicators for finding the perfect product market fit
[16:54] The Snow Agency’s strategies for growing brands
[17:53] When to use a subscription
[20:08] How to keep the brand in the customers’ mind
[21:22] Daniel’s most impactful marketing projects
[23:19] The importance of content
[25:30] Biggest mistakes to avoid when growing a brand
[26:39] What’s next for The Snow Agency and where to find Daniel Snow online

How The Snow Agency helps to scale your business Daniel Snow, Co-founder of The Snow Agency, joins the POD to give some insight on the digital marketing service and how to scale and grow a brand.

The Snow Agency is a full service digital marketing agency that offers unique digital strategies to help build your business.

Daniel recognized that when it comes to brand growth, it is important to not try and do everything yourself. Creating a community and hiring people to help take the pressure off learning everything yourself creates an environment for success.

Content for advertising is recognized by his business as one of the most important aspects of building a business, and The Snow Agency works diligently to deliver this.

Sam recognizes that keeping the customer happy is a top priority, and incorporates this idea into his own brand.

Sometimes In DTC, it’s okay to ask for helpThe Snow Agency stands out as a new but successful virtual marketing agency. It was founded two years ago, yet it’s a fast growing agency with an experienced team.

The agency has experienced continuous sustained growth by using their previous knowledge in the industry and iterating the importance of developing creative content for advertising.

Daniel’s approach to helping brands grow is analyzing potential subscription opportunities for customer retention creating strategies to keep the target audience focused on the brand.

The brand has fostered success for their clients by enabling marketing strategies to put the brand in a position of success.

Stay tuned as Daniel discusses common mistakes to avoid when growing a brand and how to locate and grow your target audience.

Mentioned Links:

The Snow Agency’s website: https://thesnowagency.com/

Daniel Snow’s twitter: https://twitter.com/iamdansnow

Daniel Snow’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dapper/

Daniel Snow’s email: Dan@thesnowagency.com

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“A market basket analysis helps you better understand purchasing patterns.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“Doing a basket analysis can show you combinations of products that are most frequently occurring together in your orders.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“A basket analysis can help you optimize your conversion rates, your average order value, and your customer lifetime value.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:56] What is a basket analysis
[01:26] How a basket analysis can help optimize your business
[02:31] Ways to use a basket analysis

A market basket analysis should be a standard analysis for any eCommerce brand with multiple SKUsBetter understanding customer purchasing patterns is a primary factor for increasing sales.

So what strategies can a brand initiate to gain a greater understanding of their customers' relationships with their products?

A basket analysis is a data mining technique used to identify purchasing patterns and optimize conversion rates, average order value, and the overall customer lifetime value.

This strategy can help to give suggestions in terms of cross-selling and promotions to increase overall sales.

Stay tuned as we discuss specific strategies to use when conducting a basket analysis.

Mentioned Links:

More on running a market basket analysis: https://gecdesigns.com/blog/how-can-market-basket-analysis-help-e-commerce-business

An example of running a market basket analysis:

https://smartbridge.com/market-basket-analysis-101/

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“The Internet has created an easier way for brands to go to the public and sell their goods.” @edgar-blazona #DTCPOD
“There's pitfalls and things that you pick up along the way and I think being a hands-on founder helps.” @edgar-blazona #DTCPOD
“As we were brand building, we had a good story to tell, and we were producing great products in a short timeline. So we went after a lot of press to help amplify our story.” @edgar-blazona #DTCPOD
“Having those storylines and continuing being something a little different than everyone else has paid off and really helped us grow.” @edgar-blazona #DTCPOD
“When building a business you're going to have to be able to roll with the punches and take those highs and lows, because sometimes the lows are so low you want to give up and other times the highs are so high that you think you're going to rule the world.” @edgar-blazona #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:53] Edgar introduces himself and Benchmade Modern
[02:18] How Edgar got started in the industry
[04:17] Changes in consumer behavior
[07:59] How the internet has benefited the furniture industry
[09:42] Past experience that led to success in the industry
[12:05] How one brand led to opportunities for another
[15:36] How supply chain efficiency was achieved
[17:53] Key factors that contributed to brand growth
[20:30] Advice to other entrepreneurs
[23:02] What’s next for Benchmade Modern and where to find Edgar Blazona online

How Benchmade Modern gained exponential growth through changes in consumer behavior Edgar Blazona, founder of Benchmade Modern, joins the POD to discuss the direct-to-consumer business’s growth, brand differentiation, and how the industry has flourished in a technological era.

Benchmade Modern is a direct to consumer, custom upholstery business, focused on quality products and fast delivery.

Edgar recognized that when it comes to furniture shopping, the timeline between ordering a product and receiving it can take weeks to months. To fill this gap, Edgar founded a furniture brand that creates and delivers high quality custom sofas without the extended wait.

Edgar offers a unique approach to the industry by growing in a construction family and learning the ins and outs as a manufacturer which led to his success as an entrepreneur.

He recognizes the importance the internet has on giving businesses like his a platform without relying on big furniture retail stores.

Sometimes in DTC, quick and efficient paves the wayBenchmade Modern stands out as an eCommerce furniture company that delivers custom products in an efficient time manner.

The brand has experienced exponential growth by developing from a consumer need and offering personalized products that would not be available in large retail furniture stores.

Edgar took an approach to achieving successful growth by getting his brand in the press early on to attract an audience.

The brand has also derived from previous entrepreneurship opportunities that have all centered around listening to the needs of his consumers.

Edgar recommends seeking honest investors and pushing through the highs and lows of developing a startup.

Stay tuned as Edgar discusses unanticipated business experiences that helped to develop his brands and advice to the entrepreneurs.

Mentioned Links:

Benchmade Modern’s Website: https://benchmademodern.com/

Edgar Blazona’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edgar-blazona

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“A lot of product searches nowadays are happening on mobile, you want to make sure your navigation is really clean and easy to use.”@jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“If you're having trouble figuring out what to name a category, see what else is out there in the market, check out your competitors and see what product categories they're using.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:35] Structuring product categories
[01:06] Levels of navigation for categories
[02:23] The importance of having good search
[03:15] How to research the market

Simple tips when it comes to structuring product categoriesWhen attracting an audience to your brand's webpage, it is important to stay organized.

One key way to do this is through efficiently structuring product categories so that your potential customers can find what they are looking for.

One important idea to keep in mind is how to navigate this factor with the rise of mobile shopping.

Stay tuned as we discuss three simple tricks to optimize product categorization and what to avoid .

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“It's the simple stuff that makes a difference and drives the needle. Talking to your customers, making sure you have open feedback channels, and knowing who your users are.” @jadesai94 #DTCPO
“Content marketing, even though it's a longer term play, can build a brand and an audience and help you acquire customers in a way that's not dependent upon the customer acquisition cost.” @Ramone #DTCPOD
“It doesn't just have to be your core product that you're generating all your revenue from.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“You don't have to limit yourself to one product, a lot of people have expanded into other brands and have worked on other things as well” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
The DTC POD community is a hub of resources for founders to be able to learn from each other, grow a business faster, and not have to make errors that other people have already made.” @ramongberrios

We Speak About:

[00:49] Host Jay and Ramon reflect on past episodes
[03:12] A brand building resource
[04:38] Having one product skew
[07:39] Simple steps founders have used to drive sales
[09:44] Creative customer engagement strategies founders have initiated
[11:06] Unique ways to enable revenue growth
[12:29] Expanding to other brands
[13:50] How the DTC podcast has evolved

We’re celebrating 100 episodes of the DTC POD by reflecting on key brand growth strategies from foundersReflecting back on previous episodes, there are many creative and innovative techniques founders have used to build their successful brand.

Jay and Ramon discuss these techniques and their greatest learnings from these founders.

Key takeaways, such as focusing on the simple steps to drive revenue and what it means to only have one product skew, are discussed.

Stay tuned as Jay and Ramon dive into a few founder’s marketing strategies that helped them to build their brand.

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“The program allows these tastemakers and insiders, which are essentially macro and micro-influencers, to create their own storefront for West Elm.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“The ambassadors get early access to product launches and catalogs, giving them the ability to add new items to their shops.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“This is an interesting idea, to set up some sort of ambassador program that gives your influencers the ability to select what matches their personal preferences.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:08] Background of West Elm collective
[02:54] West Elm’s unique ambassador program
[03:44] Unpacking West Elm’s new influencer marketing strategy
[04:44] Where to find the West Elm collections

West Elm’s new approach to an ambassador program and influencer marketing Product promotion is a fundamental factor for brand growth, and West Elm’s new strategy might be one of the best ones out there.

There are unlimited ways for a brand to exercise creativity while bringing awareness to their product, and one common technique to drive revenue is through influencers.

West Elm has taken a new approach to this by creating an ambassador program where anyone can apply to be an influencer, and if approved, each individual can create their own store front.

This approach not only personalizes the brand, but also attracts a wider audience that may have a preference for one influencer’s collection over another’s.

Stay tuned as we dive deeper into West Elm’s innovative marketing strategy and how this technique can be used to drive traffic .

Mentioned Links:

West Elm Collective Landing Page: https://www.westelm.com/shop/collaborations/we-collective/

More on West Elm’s new program: https://www.modernretail.co/retailers/west-elm-is-launching-a-new-influencer-network/

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“Community is everything, that's absolutely shaped the way that I approach eCommerce brands.” @pug #DTCPOD
“Managing one brand and managing six brands actually doesn't mean that it's six times as hard as long as you're able to follow the same framework and systems.” @pug #DTCPOD
“My background as an influencer helped me understand how to make content as a brand.” @pug #DTCPOD
“If a secret is the only thing that's keeping my business afloat, then I'm standing on weak ground.” @pug #DTCPOD
“Make sure that you can stretch the lifetime value or increase the chance of customers coming back so you don't have to spend money acquiring them all over again. That's how you survive.” @pug #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[01:02] Jason introduces himself and Wonghaus
[01:59] How Jason got his career started
[04:38] The importance of community
[06:40] Tools and resources to identify and learn about your target audience
[09:13] How to use influencers to locate your audience and increase promotion
[12:02] The creation behind Wonghaus
[14:25] Jason’s process for developing and expanding products
[16:13] Important factors for driving sales
[18:31] Sharing knowledge to other founders through Shopify
[22:08] Leveraging tiktok for brand growth
[25:36] Tiktok’s unique algorithm for attracting an audience
[31:57] additional projects Jason has worked on
[35:57] What’s next for Wonghause and where to find Jason Wong online

Building a brand starts with the community Jason Wong, entrepreneur and managing partner of Wonghaus, joins the POD to give some insight on the venture studio and strategies for building a brand.

Wonghaus is a brand incubator focusing on creating solutions for eCommerce merchants.

Jason recognizes that an important component of brand promotion is creating a community for your product and understanding how to market to that community.

A beneficial approach for brand development is suggested by first creating products derived from a solution to a problem, and then from there engage in market research.

Virtual strategies for eCommerce brand promotion Wonghaus is a fast growing venture studio helping brands in the consumer space, and one of jason’s many marketing projects

Jason’s incentive for creating Wonghaus was to create more companies, with the idea in mind that following the same framework and systems for each brand is the key to managing them all successfully.

Jason discusses how to locate the right influencers for your brand through their audience composition and affinity, and how to optimize this strategy to create brand recognition and audience attraction.

TikTok’s unique algorithm that differentiates it from other media platforms in attracting consumers is also discussed.

Stay tuned as Jason shares additional projects he is working on and important tips from these experiences.

Mentioned Links:

Wonghaus’s website: https://www.wonghaus.com/

Jason Wong’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pug/

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“When we're talking about break-even ROAS, the real importance comes into mind when you're comparing it to your actual return on ad spend.” @JayAtSwpely #DTCPOD
“When the break-even ROAS number and the ROAS number are very close together, that means that you might have a better chance of profitability.” @JayAtSwpely #DTCPOD
“Discounts can be really helpful for achieving ROAS goals. But be careful because they can also increase what you need to break even.” @jadesai #DTCPOD
“Product customization or monogramming can help boost brand loyalty.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD
“A lightly discounted bundle of complementary products can boost your average order value.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD

We Speak About:

[00:57] Defining ROAS
[02:34] How to calculate your break-even ROAS
[04:34] The importance of discounts
[06:14] Tips to maximize your ROAS and reach your break-even

ROAS doesn’t always paint the full picture, so make sure you check break even ROAS tooWhen building a business, there are many strategies to measure success.

The strategy discussed in this episode is break-even ROAS, which gives a business an idea of what their margins are and return on dollars spent.

To make money you have to spend money, and it is important for businesses to measure costs against return value to examine how to maximize profits.

Stay tuned as we discuss how to calculate discounts into your break-even ROAS, and other techniques to increase returns on dollars spent.

Mentioned Links:

DTC POD: A Podcast for eCommerce and DTC Brands: Recent Episodes

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