As AI dominates headlines, eCommerce brands are hard at work trying to figure out how to employ cutting-edge technology to improve their bottom line.  For Oren Harnevo’s Feel, however, human touch has been the secret to driving incremental revenue for eCommerce companies. Feel builds 24/7 live sales teams for online businesses, allowing customers to connect with experts at all hours of the day. On average, Feel has increased AOVs by 50% and conversions by 35%, while decreasing product...

We’re doing things a little differently in this episode as I join Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein on the Nerd Marketing Ecommerce podcast to discuss what life will look like for DTC companies in a cookieless future. As giants like Google and Apple relay their plans to limit the collection of third-party cookies, eCommerce companies will be forced to tap dance to come up with ways to continue personalized ad targeting. But while some people think these changes will be fatal for DTC...

For many DTC brands, cracking the big-box retailer code can be a challenge.  But for Greg LaVecchia and Bloom, placement on Target and Walmart shelves has been rocket fuel on their way to 9-figure sales in just their 4th year of business.  Greg is a member of the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and the CEO of Bloom, a DTC supplement company. Along with his wife and co-founder Mari, Greg has grown Bloom to become Target’s top-selling SKU in the wellness OTC vitamins, minerals and supplement...

Entrepreneurs often follow a simple code: zig while others zag.  So while the DTC mattress industry adopted the online “bed-in-a-box” model, Saatva co-founder Ricky Joshi took a different approach, prioritizing white glove delivery, 24/7 customer service and brick-and-mortar storefronts to build a $400M mattress giant.  In this episode, Ricky tells the story of how Saatva became the seventh-fastest-growing privately held retailer in the U.S. by branching beyond e-commerce and embracing...

For Mike Xhaxho, building an audience of 25,000 followers for his DTC brand WaterBoy means doing one thing: making a few videos.  With just seven TikTok videos, Mike grew WaterBoy’s following from 0 to 25,000, earning millions of views on its way to hitting $10M in sales in the brand’s first two years.  Today, Mike sits down with me to talk about WaterBoy’s TikTok-led marketing strategy, including the story behind his first brand-building videos, the factors he considers when creating...

When B2B companies find themselves trapped in a cycle of stagnation, one name stands out: Santosh Sharan.  Santosh is the president & COO of Apollo.io, the Co-CEO of ContactOut and a current consultant and advisor for me at Retention.com. He has worked with more than 15 B2B companies in major operating roles, including helping ZoomInfo grow from $8M ARR to $100M ARR and helping Apollo.io grow from $10M ARR to a $1B valuation. Today, Santosh is here to unveil the invaluable lessons...

For eCommerce founders, the idea of doubling conversion rates without offering a discount sounds too good to be true. But for Chris Hall, it actually happened.  Chris is the Senior Marketing Manager at BRUCE BOLT, a batting glove company that went from the brainchild of its 16-year-old founder to outfitting big names in the MLB. One of the keys to BRUCE BOLT’s success? Adding AI to its marketing stack.  Today, Chris sits down with me to share a detailed look at the benefits of implementing...

Josh Taekman began his career co-founding Bad Boy Entertainment. He served as VP of Marketing, spearheading endorsements, cross-promotional opportunities, and partnerships with outside artists (Jay Z, Lauren Hill, Eminem, Busta Rhymes, 50 Cent, and others). Josh also worked closely with P. Diddy and orchestrated his non-music oriented ventures, including co-creating and producing the infamous Sean John Clothing, which he helped grow into a $100M brand.  Today he focuses on EBOOST, the...

  Olivier Momma is the co-founder of Ekster, a D2C brand that makes “better gear for life on the go.” Think wallets, bags and accessories that aim to save customers time, so they can get back to living life. They’re best known for their breakthrough trackable smart wallets and Forbes named them “The Most Successful Smart Wallet Brand in the World.” Olivier and his partner started their first Kickstarter campaign with just an idea and a shoestring budget. They paid his sister $500 to shoot...

Just over a decade ago, Curtis Matsko told his wife, “Quit your job and I will start up a company selling things on the Internet and we’ll make $100 million.” Today, that proclamation has manifested into reality, with Curtis’s Portland Leather Goods growing from a garage operation to a $120M+ business on pace to make more than 2 million bags in 2023.  In this episode, Curtis tells the story of how he went from a lofty idea to a concrete success story in just over a decade, including tips on...

Meet Erik Huberman – serial entrepreneur, marketing whiz, and the brain behind Hawke Media—the fastest-growing marketing agency in the US, now valued at more than $150 million! Driven to fill a much needed gap in the market, Erik’s vision was to build an agency that was both accessible and (unlike most agencies) could drive real growth and tangible results for their clients.  The company offers a customizable menu of services and flexible month-to-month billing options. This approach has...

In a world of social media, programmatic advertising and digital-first marketing, the direct mail market carries an old-school feel. But did you know that U.S. direct mail is a $50 billion market?  To dive into this lucrative-but-overlooked market, I grabbed some time with Dave Fink, the CEO and co-founder of Postie, a data and technology platform that helps clients run smart, data-driven direct mail campaigns.  In today’s episode, you’ll hear Dave share why direct mail is still a powerful...

Creating an eco-friendly product checks boxes for environmentally conscious consumers. But how do you do it in a way that doesn’t compromise your product?  In today’s episode, I sit down with Phoebe Yu and Kat Dey, the co-founders of Ettitude — a DTC bamboo bedding, bath and sleep essentials line that aims to become “the Tesla of bedsheets.”  Phoebe and Kat share their views on being eco-friendly while also offering a product consumers love using, why bamboo is more environmentally friendly...

After growing up in Uzbekistan and playing Division 1 collegiate tennis, Lolita Petrossov had never worked a job. So for her first gig, she co-founded JetSmarter, an on-demand private jet charter company valued at over $1 billion before its acquisition by Vista Global in 2018. Now, Lolita is the founder and CEO of Evestar, a marketing agency that has helped more than 100 eCommerce companies scale in the past three years.  In today’s episode, Lolita sits down with me to talk about her...

In Part two of my interview with Jonathan Cronstedt, we dive into how he built the “Kajabi Heroes” program to supercharge growth for what would eventually become a company that’s valued at $2B.  In addition to step-by-step advice for building your own community to land referrals and create loyalty, you’ll also hear about … ✔️Creating “North Star” business metrics based on your own goals and values. ✔️Strategies for getting in front of your must-have clients.  ✔️How to scale beyond...

With questions around product-market fit, deciding when it’s time to scale, and keeping competitors at bay, the billion-dollar bullseye can often feel tiny to entrepreneurs. Today, Jonathan Cronstedt sits down with me to explain how founders can throw darts that consistently hit the center of their target. Jonathan is the former president of Kajabi, an e-learning software that he helped grow from $6M ARR to more than $100M in just five years.  In addition to a deep dive into product-market...

You’ve undoubtedly heard the term “From Rags to Riches,” but today’s guest has a story that will blow your mind. This might be one of the most insane “American Dream” success stories I’ve ever heard. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! Moises Sanchez’s path to success certainly wasn’t easy. After leaving Mexico with a 6th-grade education, his family moved to the US (illegally) with no money and without knowing a word of English. He became a guerrilla marketing phenom in real estate by the age of 18...

As the concept of personal branding continues to explode, many creators have the same question: Where do I start? Today, I’m sitting down with Ari Murray, the VP of Growth at Sharma Brands and creator of Go-to-Millions at Workweek, a marketing and founder-focused newsletter with more than 25,000 subscribers. Ari goes over all things content creation — from idea generation to evaluating quality to not letting perfection get in the way of creating strong content.  You’ll also hear how Ari...

After working for a marketing agency and helping many companies scale to 7 and 8-figures, Ronak Shah realized he had the blueprint to building a successful brand. So, he decided to launch a company of his own.  That company is Obvi, a collagen-focused supplement brand that he co-founded with two of his best friends, and grew to $40M in revenue in less than 4 years. Today, we dive into Ronak’s mindset, routine and daily scheduling advice for juggling the many demands of being an 8-figure...

Today, I’m talking with Jonathan Cronstedt, who took the e-learning software giant, Kajabi, from a $6M revenue business to $100M+ and a $2B valuation in just 5 years. In this episode of Ten Years In The Making, we’re talking about the realities of scaling.  When do you know it’s time to grow? What are the hidden downsides? Is it always the right choice to scale?  You’ll also learn:  ✔️ Tactics and strategies for hiring amazingly talented people ✔️ Why building in public has outsized...

Are you an eCommerce founder dreaming of an exit? Well, today’s guest, Los Silva, is here to tell you that it’s a great time to sell your business. Take it from Los, a business advisor and established entrepreneur, who says he and his team are currently in the process of selling $300M worth of companies doing between $2M - $15M EBITDA. Today, Los talks to me about the ins and outs of the buyer and seller market. How should entrepreneurs prepare for an exit? When should they prepare? How do...

After disrupting the billion-dollar men's footwear industry with his premium, Italian-crafted sneaker brand, which was sold to Steve Madden, Ryan Babenzien set out to launch another D2C business. But this time with unmatched thoughtfulness and intentionality. He asked himself a simple question… What criteria does my next product need, in order for it to become a major success?  After determining that framework, he launched Jolie Skin Co.— a beauty and wellness brand that brought in more...

For founders starting or growing a social media presence, making progress can often be paralysis by analysis. Which platform should you build on? What sort of content should you post? Should you focus on a personal brand or a business brand? In today’s episode, Triple Whale’s Head of Social, Tommy Clark, answers all these questions — and a whole lot more. Tommy also shares his thoughts on the most important skill for social media growth, why blending in might make more sense than standing...

As high-flying tech companies dominate the headlines, Matt Cauble’s approach to startup success took a different approach. He asked a simple question: What do people need? Matt is the co-founder of Soylent and Kin Euphorics, food and beverage companies that solve simple problems for everyday people. Soylent offers meal replacement options, saving time for on-the-go people, while Kin Euphorics boasts feel-good non-alcoholic drinks for those who want to socialize but avoid the booze. Today,...