So, what’s YOUR Black Friday strategy? The holiday season is right around the corner. For people in the DTC world, it’s time to gear up, get excited, and get it together. Nik talks to Hattie Gilpin, the Director of Operations at wellness brand Wellbel, about attracting consumer attention via email subject line, discounts, subscriptions, and more. Should you apply your discount code to every subscriber on your list? Does a ‘gift with purchase’ actually attract more sales? When should you order pa...
Oct 30, 2024•52 min
Did you know there’s a Slack channel with 5,000+ marketers…and Nik is answering their questions? Nik’s dipping his fingers into the mailbag and sharing the truth about brand ambassadors and influencer marketing. And despite what you’ve heard, UGC isn’t dead—but inauthentic and lazy UGC is. We all know influencers are important, but when’s the best time to contact them about your product? How do you create consistency without breaking the bank on a brand agency? Plus, it’s time to get creative. N...
Oct 09, 2024•45 min•Season 9Ep. 15
How do you discover something magical in the DTC space? For this week’s guest Ryan Babenzien, CEO of Jolie, he looked at everyday things: the shower. Wellness. Vanity. Your wallet. And then the filtered shower head took the world by storm. How do you create a successful product when there’s already a ton of stuff out there? Why is everyday customer behavior so important to a wellness brand? Ryan shares his framework, his history from other brands, and how gut and instinct play a role in your suc...
Oct 02, 2024•56 min
It’s not about you, it’s your brand awareness. In this solo episode, Nik breaks down brand awareness and how to do it right. There’s a difference between brand recognition, excitement, and affinity. But some of those go awry, it can really affect how people view your brand. How do you interact with creators on social media? How much content should everyone make about your brand? When people see your logo or brand, what comes to mind? Plus, Nik gives an example of how he tackles product launch—he...
Sep 26, 2024•33 min
What even is incrementality? For our guest this week, Olivia Kory of Haus, incrementality is everything—it’s strategy, it’s how the world goes ‘round in DTC. We talk tools, conversions, and how Meta and Google can help set that up for you. How does the funnel play a role in incrementality? What’s geotesting and why does it matter? Does company size play a role? Plus, Nik talks about filling and flushing the toilet: everyone in DTC is prepping for the holiday season. Using data from last year, DT...
Sep 18, 2024•44 min•Season 9Ep. 9
Are hacks even real? According to Nik, they aren’t—so that’s why he’s sharing his Top 40 TIPS for conversion, social proof, audience, and copy to see more site conversions. Should you do your mobile site first, or is desktop king? How do you leverage social proof for your brand? How can you make a discount pop without being too obnoxious? Plus, Nik talks about how your site should be ADA compliant because accessibility is important to reaching more people. Partnering that with a simplified check...
Sep 11, 2024•47 min
What are Nik’s messages like? If you answered, “Hey Nik, I’ve founded (insert company here). It should be doing this, but it’s not. What should I do?” you’d be correct. Starting a brand isn’t easy work—so that’s why Nik has a playbook ready. Should you do a pre launch test? What conversion events should matter to you? What even is a water report? There’s a ton of concerns that a lot of founders don’t ask about, but should. Plus, in this solo episode, Nik reveals that your content should make sen...
Sep 04, 2024•46 min
Ready for a rapid-fire round of questions about DTC as big as The Cheesecake Factory menu? CMO of Jones Road Beauty and Nik’s X-Mutual-turned-IRL-friend Cody Plofker is back on the pod—and they’re talking about incrementality, building creative teams, and more. What should you look for in building a team? What’s attribution and why is it click-based? Is Cody frugal or cheap? Then, Nik chats about how he uses TikTok and Reddit to understand new audiences. How can we reach new people? What do they...
Aug 28, 2024•31 min
What’s changing with DPA? Does attention actually matter most in advertising? Are DPA and catalog ads the same? Nik’s talking with Dan Pantelo, the founder of Marpipe HQ, where they’re on a mission to make DPA ads even better. Find out Dan’s five strategic tips everyone should know about catalog ads and why DPA is growing rapidly. When should we NOT use DPA? Does DPA matter more than UGC? Dan explains it all. Heard about DPA from others? Well…there’s a good chance you’ve heard a misconception or...
Aug 21, 2024•48 min•Season 9Ep. 5
What’s a season of Limited Supply without Nik to answer some of the Slack channel’s hottest DTC questions? Nik’s dipping his fingers into the mailbag and unleashing his biggest CRO tips and tricks yet. Find out the five questions your landing page must answer and learn the difference between adding a promise and a guarantee to your site. Should your checkout page have a slide-out cart, a separate cart page, or both? Nik settles the age-old question once and for all. Will this year mark the death...
Aug 14, 2024•46 min
Ready for a masterclass in DTC tactics? Then step on up, cause Mr. Sharma’s got everything you need to reach the 100K mark. Nik’s breaking down his secret tactics to hit your revenue goals by taking a deep dive into four specific strategies that are sure to boost your biz. It’s all about the angles— and we’re not talking about that jawline in the mirror. Learn how you can position your website landing page to cook the competition. What are Nik’s top tips for building a landing page that’s sure t...
Aug 07, 2024•51 min
Cookware doesn’t have to be boring. And this particular brand is making a huge splash. It’s the cookware company coveted by Michelin-starred chefs and Hollywood’s most elite, like Gordon Ramsay, Hailey Beiber, Halle Berry, Courtney Cox, Cameron Diaz… the list goes on and on. If you haven’t been on the brink of impulse buying a Hexclad pan at least once in your life, you haven’t really been living (or cooking). So sit back, inhale the Teflon fumes of your ratty little pan from Amazon, and listen ...
Jul 31, 2024•46 min
You wanted to hear from the top DTC founders, so Nik wrangled up one of the top minds he could find in the biz for you— Dianna Cohen, the mastermind behind Crown Affair. Dianna breaks down what contributed to the massive success of her haircare company and chats with Nik about the importance of building a strong brand story. She explains how DTC success isn’t a big bang, but a slow burn. Have too many DTC founders traded in instant gratification for patience and slow growth? She also chats about...
Jul 24, 2024•1 hr 2 min
You ask the questions. We answer them. It’s been a while, but Nik and Moiz are pulling out the Sorting Hat to pull out some of your juiciest, most pressing DTC questions. The guys reflect on some of the biggest mistakes DTC brands make (and they’ve seen plenty) and discuss why repeatable sales processes aren’t a nice thought— they’re an absolute necessity. What’s the one legal mistake that could be your DTC’s ultimate downfall? And later the guys discuss where you should allocate your ad spend, ...
Jul 10, 2024•39 min
Nik’s taken a breather for this ep, so you know what that means… Time for Moiz to hound his latest guest with the questions Nik is too afraid to ask. This week, he’s taking on Sharoon Thomas, CEO and founder of fulfil.io, to figure out WTF an ERP system is actually good for. More importantly, WTF is an ERP system? Sharoon shares his insights into the complexities of running a software business and unravels the many challenges of ERP implementation. Why is it critical to integrate your ERP with o...
Jul 03, 2024•1 hr 4 min
You asked, we listened. That’s right– you wanted to hear more about Open Store, so Nik pulled Trent Riggs (President of OpenStore) and Lukas Judodihardjo (Head of Operations at OpenStore) onto the pod to break down the ways that they’re revolutionizing the Shopify ecosystem. Trent and Lukas explain what it’s like to represent over 100,000 different Shopify brands– and what your DTC needs to know about how they view the little guys. Together, they unpack their acquisition strategy, highlighting t...
Jun 27, 2024•49 min
Goodbye, Shopify. See ya later, Etsy. Hasta la vista… Amazon???\ Yeah, we said it. Temu has the power to compete with Amazon. Has the Chinese drop shipping company grown too powerful to defeat? Or can our old-school favorites find a way to slay the DTC giant? Nik and Moiz discuss the looming threat of Temu to several major e-commerce retailers. What strategies do they need to stay relevant? Plus, what would it take for Outdoor Voices to crawl out of the grave they dug themselves into? Hear us ou...
Jun 20, 2024•46 min
Welcome back, ya 88s. Quit trying to make brick-and-mortar happen. It’s never going to happen. Or at least not like you think it will. Nik and Moiz break down the common pitfalls DTC businesses make when it comes to opening up retail stores. How many stores are too many? And are you thinking about staffing in a realistic manner? Speaking of brick-and-mortar stores, why aren’t places like Outdoor Voices or Alo focusing more on that post-purchase follow-up? If Moiz just threw down $500 on yoga pan...
Jun 12, 2024•38 min
Just because the guys don’t wear makeup doesn’t mean they can’t dig Sephora. They discuss the makeup giant’s clever loyalty program and explain why it’s the prime example of how to make a loyalty program work. Then, Nik and Moiz ruminate over how to make corporate gifting a lucrative DTC business. Could their idea for a corporate gifting channel turn into the next big Faire? And later, Nik just can’t shake his bad streak with ambulance-chasing attorneys. He’s got a chip on his shoulder and is sh...
Jun 06, 2024•43 min
We can’t escape TikTok Shop, and chances are good neither can you. But is it actually working for the brands that are using it? And what does their AoV look like? Nik also breaks down TikTok Shop’s shift to QVC-like ads as the boys debate the latest trends and happenings in TikTok Shop. How much do affiliates get paid anyway? But let’s get down to brass tacks—because the guys are wondering whether or not the US government is trying to ban Shein for legitimate reasons or if they’re just plain rac...
May 29, 2024•33 min
Who can possibly resist the “add two more leggings to your cart—and get the third one free” offer? Nik and Moiz discuss the power of cart promos—what do the best offers look like, and what are the game-changing moves brands are taking to capitalize on cart deals? They dive into the curious case of Halara, and unravel how the influencer-based brand leveraged cart deals, TikTok, and influencers to compete with the likes of Shein and Fashion Nova. Then the guys break down the rise of new DTC brands...
May 22, 2024•44 min
Polish up your POG collection because Moiz is still trying to pawn off his slammer at an absurdly high price to anyone gullible enough to buy it. In this week’s ep, the guys debate the sustainability of fad businesses. What’s the lifespan of the average fad—and is it wise to hop on the bandwagon before it dies out? Nik and Moiz break down the ways to build a sustainable and discuss whether or not brands like Prime Energy and Stanley are poised to fade into oblivion soon. The boys also explore th...
May 15, 2024•55 min
Nik’s live from the Whalies and talking to one of DTC’s brightest minds—Nood’s VP of Marketing, Bryan Cano. In this jam-packed special episode, Bryan and Nik unravel marketing’s greatest mysteries. Are analytics marketing’s best attempt at science-ing the shit out of great creative? Are analytics mostly BS or are they the greatest tool in your DTC marketing belt? And if they are, what’s the #1 message you should be taking away from your analytics? Bryan also uncorks the secrets of scaling Nood f...
May 08, 2024•31 min
How did category-leading brands like Caraway and Mejuri rise to rapid DTC success? Nik and Moiz break apart the brand playbook and dive into Facebook’s top suggestions for creating more effective ads. How can celebrity testimonials and advertorials take your brand to the next level? Then, find out exactly how investors think about IPOs. Moiz analyzes the biggest conflicts of the founder-investor relationship when it comes to going public. What do you need to know to protect your own interests? A...
May 01, 2024•34 min
Moiz is amped. Ok… So Moiz is always amped, but this time he’s EXTRA amped and ready to ditch the gym to hop on the Ozempic bandwagon. So what if he doesn’t *actually* need it? The boys wonder what happens when millions of Americans stop chowing down on that extra box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch once the Ozempic kicks in— is this the beginning of the end for big snack brands like General Mills and Kellogg’s, or can they find a way to prepare for the impending snackopalypse? Can big box brands deal ...
Apr 25, 2024•57 min
As a CEO, failure is imminent. So just… Don’t make the same mistakes twice like Moiz, ok? It’s another Q&A episode, and Nik and Moiz are tearing into some of your best questions from their Slack channel. What are the five questions all landing pages must have? What’s the best way to manage your Facebook ads? And what the heck do CEOs actually do all day anyways? Moiz gets personal and reveals the one mistake he made TWICE. Why is it the sexiest business ideas that are always the ones most do...
Mar 20, 2024•47 min
Limited Supply: 🚨FLASH NEWS 🚨 Postscript President is selling the secrets to his SMS success. Listen in with us! Or text STOP to opt-out. Get in loser, we’re going texting. In this ep, Moiz is breaking down everything you need to know about leveraging SMS to drive your revenue and accelerate your DTC’s growth. Alex Beller, co-founder of Postscript, stops by for some one-on-one time with Moiz, to reveal how his little startup that could grew to compete with the likes of giants like Klaviyo and ...
Mar 13, 2024•58 min
Listen up kiddies, and let Nick and Moiz tell you the story of ages past. Back in their day, before you had to worry about finding a MAX-9 brochure sitting in the plane seat in front of you, you used to look forward to busting open the germ-covered pages of the Skymall catalog on plane flights. Where else could you order a ton of crap you never knew you needed? But Skymall, and the catalog disappeared. Now, Facebook catalog ads are determined to fill the void of flipping pages upon pages of prod...
Mar 06, 2024•53 min
Struggling to convert customers? Then this is the episode you’ve been waiting for. Nik and Moiz open up their game-winning playbook to reveal their top 20 secrets for optimizing your conversion rates. Learn how to improve your website’s performance through their time-tested tactics that skyrocketed Native Deodorant and Sharma Brands to the top of the DTC game. Elevate and optimize your e-commerce site through the power of social proof, high-functioning UX design, a smooth checkout process, and t...
Feb 28, 2024•55 min
Just when you thought we were done talking about Shopify… This week, the guys discuss the latest price hikes by the e-commerce platform and what the three-year contract means for your DTC. Is it fair—and are all retailers getting the same price increase? And what’s up with Shopify acting like the ultimate “pick me” girl when they’re the largest e-commerce platform around? Then, Nik and Moiz take on Faire, the wholesale channel selling boutique items at wholesale prices. Is it a good thing or bad...
Feb 21, 2024•48 min
