Episodes
Zach Ranen is the co-founder of David, a protein bar brand with products containing the highest protein-to-calorie ratio in the market.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Zach shares insights on David’s R&D process, the importance of product-led growth, their pre-launch and launch strategies, their plans for retail expansion, and more.
Published 10/30/24
Ariana Farahani is the founder and CEO of the clean energy drink startup Plant Press.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Ariana discusses the rapid growth of Plant Press, fueled by strategic retail partnerships, effective field marketing strategies, and a focus on product development based on consumer feedback. She shares insights on navigating the challenges of scaling production, securing seed funding, and adapting to evolving market preferences in the functional beverage space.
Published 10/10/24
Shri Kanase is the founder of Yoru Marketing, a Google Ads e-commerce agency recognized by Clutch.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Shri shares his insights on developing effective Google Ads strategies for e-commerce brands. He unpacks strategies for keyword targeting, budgeting, bidding, ad placement, creatives, and more.
Published 10/03/24
Sam Lee is the Vice President of Amazon DSP at Trivium. His background spans Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Amazon PPC, and building successful Amazon DSP teams.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Sam breaks down Amazon DSP advertising, discussing its functionality, suitability for brands at different stages, strategies for effective implementation, and the importance of a cohesive marketing approach across Amazon and other channels.
Published 09/19/24
Aurelian Lis is the CEO of Dermalogica, a global skincare brand rooted in skin treatment expertise. Under his leadership, the business has more than doubled in size.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Aurelian shares his experience driving innovation and growth at Dermalogica while maintaining the brand's core values. He discusses the company's organizational structure, emphasis on employee empowerment, and the integration of AI tech across various functions. Aurelian also highlights the importance...
Published 09/12/24
Benjamin Witte is the founder and CEO of the wellness beverage brand Recess. Prior to Recess, Benjamin worked in startups in the tech and media space.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Benjamin shares the story behind Recess, from launching with an initial $200K investment to becoming a Gen Z and Millennial favorite. He discusses the brand's omnichannel approach, strategy for expansion into new product lines and retail channels, and how they generate efficient brand impressions through earned media.
Published 09/05/24
Rob Schutz is a seasoned entrepreneur, marketer, growth hacker, and domain acquisition expert. He is behind the success of several DTC brands, including BARK/BarkBox and Ro, and now specializes in helping companies acquire and leverage strategic domain names at Snagged.com.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Rob shares his experiences and lessons learned from the early days of marketing at BARK/BarkBox, the challenges of entering the highly regulated healthcare industry with Ro, and his current...
Published 08/29/24
Mina Elias is an e-commerce expert, multiple 7-figure seller, and founder of the full-service Amazon agency Trivium Group.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Mina provides a comprehensive overview of the opportunities and challenges brands may face when expanding to TikTok Shop and offers guidance on how to navigate this exciting new frontier.
Published 08/22/24
Michelle Cordeiro Grant is the founder and CEO of GORGIE, a wellness energy drink brand that has quickly gained traction since its launch in January 2023.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Michelle shares the story of how GORGIE came to be, from crowdsourcing initial feedback to nurturing an engaged community.
Published 08/15/24
Noah Tucker is the founder of the word-of-mouth marketing platform for e-commerce, Social Snowball.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Noah shares his insights on the evolving landscape of affiliate marketing and how brands can effectively leverage customer affiliates and influencers. He covers everything from affiliate discovery, activation, and engagement to attribution and measuring success.
Published 08/08/24
Ellen Marie Bennett is the founder and chief brand officer of Hedley & Bennett, a culinary lifestyle brand that started with aprons for professional chefs.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Ellen shares her journey of building the brand through grassroots marketing, meticulous financial management, and a focus on product quality and brand community building. The discussion covers the importance of customer feedback in product development, expanding strategically into DTC and now omnichannel...
Published 08/01/24
Josh Piepmeier specializes in helping brands outrank competitors for highly profitable industry keywords. At Meriwether, he designs strategic SEO campaigns that drive real revenue and sustainable growth.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Josh discusses the critical role of SEO in driving revenue for e-commerce brands. He answers common questions from DTC founders such as when to start investing in SEO, how brands with new domains can approach link-building, and how to create an effective SEO...
Published 07/25/24
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.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Mina discusses strategies for growing and scaling a brand on Amazon. He covers the core pillars of success on Amazon, which include traffic, click-through rate, and conversion rate.
Published 07/18/24
Will Baumann is the co-founder and CEO of Fourthwall, an e-commerce platform designed specifically for content creators.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Will talks about his company’s target customers, how they’re positioning themselves against the likes of Shopify, their three main growth channels, and future plans.
Published 07/11/24
Colin Flood is the VP of Marketing at Unreal Snacks, a better-for-you chocolate brand. He began his career in e-commerce with Fanatics and later honed his expertise in shopper marketing at Rockfish, focusing on integrating offline and online strategies for CPG brands before joining Unreal.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Colin talks about how Unreal successfully expanded its DTC and retail presence, including the strategies they deployed in marketing, budgeting, and product launches. He also...
Published 07/04/24
David Hoffman and Samir Rayani co-founded Next Big Shop. They come from a background of creating data products and now apply their skills to track and interpret retail and online sales trends. Their focus is on offering strategic insights to direct-to-consumer brands.
In this episode of DTC Pod, David and Samir discuss the intricacies of data analysis in the e-commerce space, particularly tracking sales trends, brand strategies, and product life cycles.
Published 06/27/24
John Morgan is the founder of Pelagic, a first of it's kind agency helping brands nail supply chains & operations - often times the biggest unlocks for scalability & profitability in commerce.
In this episode of DTC Pod, John shares key learnings from his tenure at SpaceX and Seed Health, emphasizing the importance of iterative supply chain processes, cost optimization, and strategic relationships with suppliers. He also offers advice on avoiding common startup mistakes in supply...
Published 06/20/24
Leah Marcus and Yasaman Bakhtiar are the co-founders of Good Girl Snacks, a pickle brand with a Gen Z twist.
In this episode of DTC Pod, we explore social media marketing and content creation with Leah and Yasaman. They share their organic journey to business success and the strategies that keep them connected with their audience.
Published 06/13/24
Christopher Hunter is the co-founder of two iconic beverage companies — Phusion Projects (the parent company of Four Loko) and Koia.
In this DTC Pod episode, Christopher underscores the lessons from Four Loko's tumultuous success while detailing the birth and rise of Koia. He covers topics such as retail partnerships, product innovation, distribution expansion, and more.
Published 06/06/24
Kellen Roland is the founder of KRMC, a consulting business and the intersection of commerce and culture. Prior he 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.
In this DTC Pod episode, Kellen breaks down what it takes to succeed in the DTC space — from building strong retailer relationships and strategic pricing, to quickly adapting to customer feedback. He also touches...
Published 05/30/24
Loren Castle is the CEO and founder of Sweet Loren’s, the #1 natural cookie dough brand in the US. After surviving Hodgkin's lymphoma, she committed to healthier eating and founded Sweet Loren’s with a mission to create scrumptious yet nutrient-rich convenience food.
In this episode of DTC POD, hear from Loren herself as she discusses the growth of her cookie dough business, the strategy that goes into launching new product lines, and the importance of combining personal passion with...
Published 05/23/24
Emmett Shine is the Co-Founder and Executive Creative Director of Pattern Brands — a family of brands on a mission to nurture daily enjoyment at home.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Emmett opens up about blending artistic vision with operational savvy, navigating the challenges of launching brands like Equal Parts and Open Spaces, and the art of nurturing a brand from inception to market. He shares insights from his journey, from shaping the DTC landscape with his work at Gin Lane to fostering...
Published 05/16/24
Sabir Semerkant, founder of GROWTH by SABIR, brings a treasure trove of expertise from his background in scaling e-commerce businesses. As a seasoned expert in online retail, Sabir knows what truly drives conversions and customer loyalty.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Sabir shares ideas from his 8D method, a systematic approach that promises sustainable business growth. He covers brand building, tech optimization, strategic pricing, and more.
Published 05/09/24
Jennifer Liao is the co-founder and President of MìLà, a company that has stormed onto the food scene with their revolutionary approach to delivering Chinese cuisine directly to consumers.
In this episode, we get an insider's look at how MìLà achieved significant milestones, expanded its manufacturing facilities, and skillfully assembled a content and marketing team to broaden its retail footprint. Jennifer gives us the scoop on how they made bold, unconventional decisions that paid off big...
Published 05/02/24