Shows
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#361 - From Ecuador to Your Table in 24 Hours: How UrbanStems Built a Time-Critical Supply ChainMeenakshi 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, an...
2025-09-2645 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#360 - Supply Chain Lessons from Building Seed, Liquid IV, and CelsiusNatan 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...
2025-09-1149 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#359 - Inside Bullish: Lessons from Backing Major DTC Winners (Peloton, Harry’s, Warby Parker)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...
2025-07-0347 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#358 - The AI Ad Strategy Every DTC Brand Needs in 2025 feat. Bestever CEO Apoorva GovindApoorva 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 iden...
2025-06-1952 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#357 - Product First, Creator Second: How 1Up Candy Hit $10M in 10 Months feat. VOID CEO Chris KochChris 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 fram...
2025-05-2943 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#356 - 0 to $50M in 24 Months: The Explosive Growth Story of BRĒZ feat. CEO Aaron NosbischAaron 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 prod...
2025-05-0948 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#355 - The Truth About Scaling on Facebook: Lessons from $150M in Ad SpendMarin 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 fr...
2025-05-0140 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#354 - Tariffs, Duty Drawbacks, and Building a Bulletproof Supply Chain Strategy feat. Justin SherlockJustin 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 ex...
2025-04-2455 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#353 - Meta Ad Secrets: How Top DTC Brands Spend $300K/Month ProfitablyPeter 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...
2025-03-2846 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#352 - Building a Profitable Timeless Brand: 20 Years, 8 Figures, 100% Bootstrapped with Parker ThatchIrene 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 risk...
2025-02-1349 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#351 - The Content Strategy That Took Nectar Hard Seltzer to $5M+ in RevenueCaleb 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...
2025-02-0654 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#350 - Inside Night Ventures: The Fund Behind Internet’s Top 1% Creators (Mr Beast, Kai Cenat, Hasan Piker)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 companiesThe key elements of successful talent-driven brands, including audience fit and long-term commitmentChoosing the right business opportunities based on market potential and operational feasibilityStructuring effective partnerships between creators, operators, and investorsThe future of TikTok and emerging monetization...
2024-12-2645 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#349 - Between Trends and Timelessness: The Antara Approach to Building Strong Brands from the Outside InIsabel 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 identityWhat makes a good brand story and how brands can effectively communicate itHow brands can adapt to trends while remaining true to who they areInteract with other DTC experts and access our m...
2024-12-0535 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#348 - Storytelling Across Screens: The New Rules of Brand BuildingJohn 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.
2024-11-2838 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#347 - Shading the Future: Inside Everhem’s Rise in Custom Window TreatmentsHaley 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 seg...
2024-11-2143 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#346 - Scaling Sourdough: How Wildgrain Baked Up 80K+ SubscribersIsmail 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.
2024-11-1439 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#345 - Financial Foundations for DTC Success: What E-commerce Founders Need to Know About Tax and AccountingChristian 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...
2024-11-0748 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#344 - David Protein’s $1,000,000 Week Launch with Cofounder Zach RanenZach 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 wi...
2024-10-3051 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#343 - The ‘Clean Caffeine’ Revolution: How Plant Press is Energizing the Beverage AisleAriana 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 b...
2024-10-1034 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#342 - Google Ads for Growth: How to Build, Test, and Scale CampaignsShri 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...
2024-10-0338 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#341 - Amazon DSP Advertising: What Every Brand Needs to KnowSam 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...
2024-09-1931 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#340 - AI Meets Skincare: Unicorn Beauty Powerhouse Dermalogica’s Formula for Global SuccessAurelian 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...
2024-09-1237 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#339 - The Zen of Branding and Growth: How Recess Became the Chill Generation’s Go-To BeverageBenjamin 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...
2024-09-0536 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#338 - Growth Strategies from Co-founder of Unicorn RoRob 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...
2024-08-2950 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#337 - From Amazon to TikTok: Navigating the Next E-Commerce FrontierMina 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...
2024-08-2234 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#336 - Crowdsource Everything: How GORGIE Built a Brand with Community PowerMichelle 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...
2024-08-1534 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#335 - Affiliate Marketing 2.0: Trends, Tools, and Tactics for E-commerce SuccessNoah 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 wi...
2024-08-0835 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#334 - The Fabric of a Brand: Hedley & Bennett’s Founder on Community, Finance, and GrowthEllen 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. E...
2024-08-0137 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#333 - Investing in Organic Growth: Why, When & How with SEO Expert Josh PiepmeierJosh 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 an...
2024-07-2538 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#332 - Amazon Growth Tips from a Multi 7-Figure Seller: How to Increase Traffic, Clicks, and ConversionsMina 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...
2024-07-1855 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#331 - Reimagining Creator Commerce with Fourthwall's Will BaumannWill 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 s...
2024-07-1130 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are BuiltThe Ultimate Marketing Mix: An Omnichannel Approach to Winning Both Shelves and ScreensColin 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...
2024-07-0438 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#329 - The Crystal Ball of Commerce: Predicting Trends with Next Big Shop’s FoundersDavid 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...
2024-06-2750 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#328 - The Mastermind Behind Seed’s Supply Chain & How to Design DTC Ops for HypergrowthJohn 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...
2024-06-2039 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#327 - How Good Girl Snacks Captured Gen Z’s Heart (and Stomach) with Hot Girl PicklesLeah 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 m...
2024-06-1351 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#326 - Disruptive Sips: Building Iconic Beverage Brands from Scratch with Christopher HunterChristopher 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 p...
2024-06-0636 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#325 - The Art of Modern Retail: Kellen Roland on Strategy, AI, and MentorshipKellen Roland served as first CEO of JOOPITER alongside Pharrel Williams and VP of Sales of Herschel Supply Co, and brings 18+ years of expertise in the luxury and consumer sectors. He 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, fo...
2024-05-3055 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are BuiltFrom 1 Kitchen to 25,000 Supermarkets: How Loren Castle's Cookie Dough Recipe Became a US Household BrandLoren 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...
2024-05-2349 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#323 - The Brand Whisperer: Revealing the Tactics behind Your Favorite DTC Brands with Emmett ShineEmmett 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...
2024-05-1649 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#322 - 8 Simple Frameworks to Grow a Massively Profitable Consumer Brand with Sabir SemerkantOur 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 StaffingJoin 15k founders and marketers & get our...
2024-05-091h 22
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#321 - How Mila Nailed Success: The 20 Million Dumplings ClubJennifer 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 StaffingJoin 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox wi...
2024-05-0242 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#320 - Sipping Success: How Andrew Huberman Is Crafting a Healthier Caffeine Fix with Nicolas BeaupréIn 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.
2024-04-2546 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#319 - From Building a 9-Figure Menswear Brand to Redefining Baby MonitorsIn 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.
2024-04-1847 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#318 - The CMO Behind Feastables Reveals How to Build Viral BrandsJoin 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.
2024-04-1141 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#317 - Unleash the Power of Amazon SEO: Outrank & Outsell the Competition with Mina EliasMina 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...
2024-04-0442 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are BuiltEx Butcherbox Exec Is Solving The Perishable Goods Fiasco with Juan MeiselEpisode brought to you by More StaffingJoin 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!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...
2024-03-2838 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are BuiltThe 100M+ Impression Strategy with Influencer Seeding feat. Josh Durham of Aligned GrowthEpisode brought to you by More StaffingJoin 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!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.
2024-03-2143 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#314 - Scaling Growth In Beauty with ILIA Beauty VP of Digital & Ecommerce, Cherene AubertCherene 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 StaffingJoin 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...
2024-03-1446 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#313 - Designing Renowned Experiences: From Startups to Style Icons with Allegra PoschmannAllegra 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 StaffingJoin 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!On this episode of DTC pod...
2024-03-0746 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#312 - Dad Gang Decoded: Building a Fatherhood Community One Hat at a Time With Bart SzaniewskiBart 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...
2024-02-2945 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#311 - AI in Style: Transforming How We Discover and Buy Fashion - Sam Rattner, CEO of ShowroomSam 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 StaffingJoin 15k founders a...
2024-02-2237 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#310 - $100M+ Businesses in Controversial Industries: John Coogan, Co-Founder of Soylent and LucyJohn 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 StaffingJoin 15k founders and marketers & ge...
2024-02-1553 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#309 - Scale Your Brand Like a Pro, DTC Blueprints from Homestead with COO, Joel PadronJoel 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...
2024-02-0842 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#308 - Rikin Diwan, Soona - How to Craft Marketing Strategies That SellRikin 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 StaffingJoin 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!
2024-02-0158 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#307 - Jess Chan, Longplay - How To Boost Revenue Through Retention & Lifecycle MarketingJess 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 StaffingJoin 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!
2024-01-2544 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#306 - Rosa Li, Wildwonder - Bootstrapping A Multi-Million $ BeverageRosa 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 StaffingJoin 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!
2024-01-1838 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#305 - Nikole Flores & Ali Karsch - The PR Playbook for Emerging BrandsAli 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.
2024-01-1155 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#304 - Ryan Denehy, Electric AI - What It Takes To Build & Run A UnicornEpisode brought to you by More StaffingRyan 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...
2024-01-041h 01
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#303 - Sam Lessin, GP Slow Ventures - The Future of Commerce, Community, & CreatorsEpisode brought to you by More StaffingSam 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...
2023-12-2845 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#302 - Jimmy Farley, Creator's Corner - Scaling Organic TikTok: 1 Billion+ Views and CountingEpisode brought to you by More StaffingJoin 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 Monetization2. TikTok Shop Distribution and Influencer Management3. Content Creation Strategies and Virality4. Product Selection and Creator Network Management5. Marketing Advice and Building a Creator Brand6. Creator Briefs and Brand Value Propositions7. Software Development and E-Commerce8. Creator Relations and Long-term Vision9. Educational Methodology and Talent Management10...
2023-12-2157 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#301 - Jeff Byers, Momentous - Scaling DTC $2M - $36M in 18 MonthsEpisode brought to you by More StaffingJoin 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 Benefits2. Momentous Company Evolution3. Financial Milestones and Revenue Streams4. PR Lotion Development5. Product Strategy and Trust Building6. Company Goals and Market Positioning7. Product Effectiveness and Industry Standards8. Marketing and Sales Challenges9. Momentous Brand Direction and Acquisition10. Expanding Audience and Advocacy11. Commitment to Mission and...
2023-12-141h 16
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#300 - Mikey Taylor - How A Professional Skateboarder Landed A $100M Exit Through ContentEpisode brought to you by More Staffing & Capital OneNeed a new business card? Get in touch with our friend at Capital One Heather Clohessy - heather.clohessy@capitalone.comJoin 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 Taylor2. Building Saint Archer3. Growth and Sale of the Brewery4. Going Against Convention5. Mikey Taylor's Content Creation Workflow6. Leveraging Social Media for Business Goals7. Renting vs. Buying...
2023-12-0751 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#299 - Ben Sharf, Platter - How To Build A Storefront To Convert Millions In SalesEpisode brought to you by More Staffing & Capital OneNeed a new business card? Get in touch with our friend at Capital One Heather Clohessy - heather.clohessy@capitalone.comJoin 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 Apps2. Home page experience3. Cart and Checkout4. Tools and Strategies provided by Platter5. Importance of Social Proof in E-Commerce6. Recommendations for Brands7. What to build natively into...
2023-11-3043 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#298 - Moe Hayek, Limitless - Hitting 7 Figures With Tiktok ShopEpisode brought to you by More Staffing & Capital OneNeed a new business card? Get in touch with our friend at Capital One Heather Clohessy - heather.clohessy@capitalone.comJoin 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 Brands2. Insights on Entrepreneurship3. Observations on Apps and Lifetsyle4. Discussions on Manufacturing & Branding5. Health-focused Industries & Biohacking Companies6. Experiences from Moe Hayek’s Plant Business Venture7. Mo...
2023-11-1653 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#297 - William Gasner, Stack Influence: How To Win With MicroInfluencersEpisode brought to you by More Staffing & Capital OneJoin 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 Gasner2. Concept of Micro-Influencer Marketing3. Importance of Data Analysis in Influencer Marketing4. The Role of Stack Influence5. Influencer-Brand Collaboration Strategies6. Potential Challenges in Influencer Marketing7. Future Predictions and Social Media TrendsTimestamps03:18 Smaller creators provided cost-effective marketing solutions.07:41 Platforms expand influencer markets, management solutions emerge.
2023-11-0948 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#296 - Jessica Young, Bubble Goods - Building a Marketplace for CPG BrandsEpisode brought to you by More Staffing & Capital OneJoin 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 Goods2. The Journey of Jessica Young3. The Purpose of Bubble Goods4. Strategies and Features of Bubble Goods5. Marketing and Growth Strategies6. Customer and Brand Relationship7. Bubble Goods' Target Customer8. Importance of Curation in the MarketplaceTimestamps02:53 Jessicas start06:54 First teammember at Daily Harvest08:32...
2023-11-0251 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#295 - Jeremy Barbara, Sundays - How The Best Brands Scale Profitably Through InfluencersEpisode 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:1. Introduction to Jeremy Barbara and Sundays2. YouTube as an Effective Platform for Influencer Marketing3. Creating a Strategy for Influencer Campaigns4. Successful Influencer Campaign Examples5. Team Structure for Influencer Marketing6. Advertising on Different Platforms7. Tracking and Evaluating Influencer Campaign Performance8. Pricing and Budgeting for Influencer Marketing9. Testing Influencers and Building Relationships
2023-10-2647 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#294 - Paul Jarrett, Bulu - How The Best Brands Nail Logistics & FulfillmentEpisode 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:1. Importance of personal relationships in business2. Proactive measures for building connections3. Challenges and solutions in logistics and fulfillment4. Trends in the vitamins and supplements industry5. The significance of research and negotiation in sourcing products6. Scaling challenges and the impact on operations7. Focusing on the right aspects of running a businessTimestamps02:19...
2023-10-1954 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#292 - Mustafa Saeed - How The Best Brands Run Affiliate MarketingEpisode 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.Timestamps4:20 Brand growth, affiliate strategy, initial setup.5:10 Affiliate...
2023-09-2851 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#291 - Meghana Dhar - Social, Creators, & Future of Digital CommerceMeghana 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...
2023-09-2148 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#290 - Peter Sivas, Floof - Building A DTC Pillow PowerhouseOn 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...
2023-08-3143 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#289 - Mina Elias Build A Multi-Million Amazon BusinessEpisode 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 n...
2023-08-2455 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#288 - How Bawi Went From College Dorm to Nationally Distributed Beverage DisruptorEpisode 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:1. Overcoming obstacles, fundraising struggles, scaling strategies.2. Agua fresca innovation, commercialization process.3. Cultural representation, Working Assembly partnership, Lotteria card motif.4. Sprouts and Safeway partnerships, focus on Texas and California.5. Raising capital...
2023-08-1748 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#287 - Jess Hunichen - Talent Agencies, Massive Creators, & Brand DealsOn 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:1. Connecting creators, brands, and agencies for successful collaborations.2. Focusing on sustained partnerships for effectiveness.3. Creating special products/services with influencers to address audience needs.4. Utilizing traditional platforms to amplify influencer reach.5. Addressing the industry's lack of creator tools6. Strategies to handle delays and maintain communication with talent...
2023-08-1053 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#286 - Meghan Higney - From Banking to Branding: Revolutionizing the Slip-On Footwear Industry With MessageOn 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:1. Gap in Slide Sandal Market2. Background in Finance and Investing3. Key Insights as An Operator4. Unique Angel Investor and Evergreen Fund5...
2023-08-0353 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#285 - This Week in Bev Wars: Ty Haney launches her bev brand, Prime recalls, Liquid Death to IPO and more.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:1. Threads Strategy For Consumer Brands2. Slow and consistent growth for Threads.3. Potential opportunities for brands on Threads.4. Liquid Death's rapid growth and IPO plans.5. Creative marketing's impact on building brands.6. Niagara Water's pivot to enterprise bottling services.7. Beverage industry's boom and major exits.[00:03:24] Quick migration to Th...
2023-07-2735 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#284 - Mike Xhaxho - From Viral Tik Tok To 10M+ BrandOn 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:
2023-07-2044 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#283 - Jordan West - Ads & Marketing 101In 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:1. Tracking and Attribution2. Understanding Customer Psychology3. Tools and Platforms4. Creative Content5. Engaging with Online Communities6. Testing and Optimization7...
2023-07-1338 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#282 - Liz Giorgi - The Future of Content For Consumer BrandsOn 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:1. Ecommerce content creation and distribution2...
2023-07-0653 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#281 - Robbie Salter, Jupiter - Building A Disruptive DTC Haircare BrandOn 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:1. Haircare innovation and product development2. Supply chain challenges and inventory management3. Building a brand strategy consultancy4. Investing in venture...
2023-06-2850 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#280 - This Week In Consumer & Commerce: China, Vertical Integration, Supreme, Lalo, & more.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:
2023-06-2340 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#279 - Adam Robinson - The fastest way to 10x email revenueOn 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 cover1. Email marketing and privacy laws2. Growth strategies and competition
2023-06-1459 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#278 - Everything You Need To Know About AI x CommerceEpisode 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...
2023-06-0749 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#277: Bear Balanced - From Space-X To SupplementsOn 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 markets2. Creating a unique product3. Research and collaboration with professionals4. Scaling a solo operation5. Importance of having a stable job6. Navigating the...
2023-05-3147 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#276: Véhicule - Building The Secretive Brand That Billionaires LoveOn 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...
2023-05-2449 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#275: Tui Allen - How To Build Great ProductsOn 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 understandingOmnichannel solutions for brandsBuilding and scaling physical productsLong-term planning and KPI tracking
2023-05-1646 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#274: Derek Osgood, CEO Ignition: How To Build an Effective Launch StrategyEpisode 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
2023-05-0940 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#273: Philip Ruffini, CEO Content Assistant: Content Strategy and Organic Social for DTCOn 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..1. What are content pillars...
2023-05-0249 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#272: Scout Brisson, CEO De Soi: Building Brand With Katy Perry & Taking Non-Alc MainstreamOn 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...
2023-04-2547 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#271: VC & The Future of CommerceEpisode 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...
2023-04-2046 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#270: Lio Pinchevski, Finaloop - DTC Accounting & Finance Made SimpleOn 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.
2023-04-1355 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#269: Izzy Gewirtzman Saving Big On Shipping - A Masterclass For BrandsEpisode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.On this episode of DTC Pod, Izzy Joins Blaine to lead a masterclass on saving on shipping.1. What are the most common mistakes when negotiating shipping rates?2. What surcharges and hidden fees most commonly drain shipping budget?3. What are the most common overlooked details that make brands lose money on shipping?4. What type of shipping carrier is best for my store?shownotes powered by castmagic 00:04:28 - Shipping costs = 10% of revenue00:09:31 - Create account, l...
2023-04-1154 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#268: Athan Didaskalou - July, Building A Luggage Brand With Rocketship GrowthEpisode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.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:1. How did July create the world's lightest carry-on luggage?2. How did they find market validation before even talking to one customer?3. What is July's biggest secret to rapid growth?4. How is retail driving the brand forward in 2023?5. How many product iterations have...
2023-04-0458 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#267: Justin Seidenfeld - Developing, Manufacturing & Scaling Countless Consumer ProductsEpisode 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:1. What is the pain point with traditional ultrasonic humidifiers, and how did Canopy solve it?2. How...
2023-03-2847 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#266: Marshall Nyman - Everything You Need To Know About Affiliate As A Growth ChannelEpisode 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...
2023-03-2341 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#265: Stephanie Kimel & Celia Lewis- Product Innovation: Personal Storage x Home DecorEpisode 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...
2023-03-2155 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#264: Johnathan Solorzano - How To Develop A Shopify Store from 0-1Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.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...
2023-03-1443 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#262: Nathan Resnick, Sourcify - Product Sourcing & Development 101On 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...
2023-02-2842 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#260: Ryan Springer, MidnightVP - How to Raise VC for DTC & Consumer BrandsOn 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 y...
2023-02-2150 min
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built#257 - Stefany Nieto, Gwella & Mojo: Building For The Upcoming Psychedelic CPG BoomOn 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...
2023-01-3138 min