Why would the founder of a $100M company walk away and enter an incredibly tough industry? Easy. To fix a problem no one else would. Meet Kevin Lavelle, founder of the menswear company Mizzen+Main, who recently launched his second company, Harbor. Harbor offers a revolutionary baby monitoring system, unlike anything that exists today. The camera and monitor connect directly to each other—even without access to the internet. This industry has long been dominated by two companies that offer subpar...
Feb 26, 2025•39 min•Ep. 61
Doing highest volume and cost controls at the same time? We hate to break it to you, but you’re probably sabotaging yourself… In this episode of The Bottom Line, we tackle yet another myth about cost controls: the idea that you can successfully run a hybrid ad model. Meta’s auction dynamics make it damn near impossible for cost controls to perform while running alongside highest volume campaigns. It’s like trying to drive a car while pressing the gas and the brake at the same time! B...
Feb 12, 2025•15 min•Ep. 60
The latest episode of The Bottom Line shatters common misconceptions about media buying, as hosts Cody and Taylor from Kynship delve into the intricacies of modern digital advertising. They address the myth that media buyers simply "set it and forget it," revealing the strategic depth and constant analysis required for successful campaigns. The hosts provide a behind-the-scenes look at how their team spends time on forecasting, creative analysis, and offer optimization rather than making frequen...
Jan 22, 2025•30 min•Ep. 59
In the first Bottomline episode of 2025, Cody and Taylor take on the contentious topic of cost controls in Facebook advertising, offering a masterclass in advanced media buying strategies. They begin by demystifying the three types of cost controls - bid caps, cost caps, and minimum ROAS - and explain why they exclusively use cost controls across all their accounts. They systematically dismantle common myths, particularly the notion that cost controls restrict spending. Through compelling argume...
Jan 08, 2025•28 min•Ep. 58
There is a problem today with too much fake UGC exaggeration. Consumers are looking for authentic influencer content and we have the solution for that: SARAL is an InfluencerOS that brings your entire workflow from discovery to payments and tracking, all inside one platform. Go to: https://www.getsaral.com/ and get a 7-day free trial. ---------------------------------------------------------- In this insightful episode of The Bottom Line, we sit down with Drew Fallon, co-founder and CEO of Iris,...
Dec 11, 2024•32 min•Ep. 57
Join host Cody Wittick on this insightful episode of The Bottom Line, where he sits down with Joe Welstead, the innovative founder of Oshun, a hydrating supplement company. Joe shares his journey from building his first brand, Motion Nutrition, over 6-7 years to launching Oshun with a fresh perspective and lessons learned. In this conversation, Joe reveals the missteps he avoided the second time around and how he's embracing a simplified approach with Oshun. They delve into the strategical shift...
Nov 13, 2024•23 min•Ep. 56
Join hosts Cody Wittick and Taylor Lagace on this special episode of The Bottom Line, as they dive deep into the intricacies of achieving industry benchmarks and optimizing e-commerce performance. Featuring guest Chase Clymer, the episode unpacks numerous facets of conversion rate optimization (CRO), product-market fit, and holistic customer journeys. Chase shares his journey in leveraging tools like ChatGPT and heat mapping software to create and test landing pages rapidly using the AIDA formul...
Oct 30, 2024•33 min•Ep. 55
Join host Cody Wittick on this special episode of The Bottom Line, where he delves into the critical role of strong opinions in agency-client relationships. Cody recounts his recent experiences—one frustrating and one successful—while redesigning Kinship's website, showcasing the impact of strategic insight versus mere execution. Learn why combining strategy with execution is vital for any business looking to thrive. Cody emphasizes the key differences between agencies, freelancers, and contract...
Oct 16, 2024•9 min•Ep. 54
In this episode of The Bottom Line, hosts Cody Wittick and Taylor Lagace engage with Jason Sommerville from GW Partners to delve into the nuances of maximizing enterprise value for founder-owned companies. With over $50 billion in executed transactions, Jason brings his vast expertise in capital markets and strategic planning to the table. Tune in as Jason demystifies common misconceptions about ad efficiency on Meta and Shopify when adding new sales channels like Amazon. He also underscores the...
Oct 02, 2024•40 min•Ep. 53
In this episode of The Bottom Line, host Cody Wittick sits down with Rachel Sanders, the CEO and co-founder of Rootine, a brand revolutionizing the future of supplements by using unique health data for targeted products. Rachel dives into how her investment banking background fortified her business acumen and aided in the daily operations at Rootine. This episode also touches on the strategy behind her organic social virality, with some of her reels amassing 5 to 10 million views. Tune in to gai...
Sep 25, 2024•21 min•Ep. 52
In this episode of The Bottom Line, host Cody Wittick sits down with Tom Brown, the "Shopify DTC Guy," to unpack his journey from bootstrapping D2C brands to seven figures and working with 2,000+ merchants monthly. Tom shares his expertise on staying laser-focused, avoiding shiny object syndrome, and the power of customer obsession. Get the inside scoop on his new project, House of Neon, revolutionizing custom LED signs, and the lessons learned from Posted Protein. Tune in for tactical insights ...
Sep 18, 2024•26 min•Ep. 51
Join Cody Wittick as he discusses campaign structuring, the importance of diversified creatives, and the rationale behind using cost cap adjustments in media buying. Cody also explores how to manage ads when campaigns or ad sets stop spending and strategies for launching new creatives effectively. Learn about the effective use of cost controls to maintain efficiency at target, the impact of diversified creatives, and how to maximize ad spend potential. Plus, discover the best practices for creat...
Sep 04, 2024•10 min•Ep. 50
In this episode, we delve into the nitty-gritty of our ad account philosophy, creative testing, and advanced marketing tactics. Join Cody Wittick as he discusses audience testing, the significance of Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns (ASC), and the rationale behind using cost controls in media buying. Cody also explores why separating testing and scaling campaigns might not be the best strategy and the importance of creative testing at a high level. Learn about the effective use of cost controls for...
Aug 21, 2024•24 min•Ep. 49
In this episode, we delve into the world of Ecommerce growth, savvy marketing tactics, and impactful influencer strategies. Join us, Cody Wittick and Nik Sharma, as we discuss Nik's investment journey, including his role in Black Wolf Nation, emphasizing the importance of owning a 3PL for cost-saving. We explore the significance of celebrity power in driving sales and the need for authentic user-generated content amid the saturated market. Learn about the financial literacy of founders, the chal...
Aug 07, 2024•30 min•Ep. 48
Welcome to The Bottom Line! In this episode, our discussion centers around the fascinating world of meta ads and the power of machine learning in optimizing ad performance. Join us, Cody Wittick and Taylor Lagace, as we dive deep with Andrew Faris, former pastor turned Ecommerce maestro and current CEO of AJF Growth. We explore the intricacies of Facebook's meta machine learning system, successful strategies for media buying, and the importance of good creative and solid financial planning. Lear...
Jul 24, 2024•42 min•Ep. 47
We are back! Welcome to The Bottom Line! We've rebranded and leveled up from The Influencer Marketing Blueprint, keeping our Honest Ecommerce Conversations On Tactics For Profitable Growth, now with a fresh, broader perspective. Join us, Cody Wittick and Taylor Lagace, as we take you on a journey through the evolution of Kynship. Discover why we made the leap from The Influencer Marketing Blueprint and how we've expanded from influencer marketing to a comprehensive approach to Ecommerce growth, ...
Jul 10, 2024•20 min•Ep. 46
Paul Jauregui from BKBeauty joins Cody in this episode of the Influencer Marketing Blueprint to share his insights on TikTok shops and how they have experienced significant growth and success on the platform. They went from $300,000 in sales to $1.2 million in January on TikTok shops alone. Paul discusses the process of getting on TikTok shops, the integration with Shopify, and the importance of product seeding and influencer partnerships. He also emphasizes the power of social commerce and the ...
Apr 17, 2024•48 min•Ep. 45
In this episode of the Influencer Marketing Blueprint, your co-host Cody sits down with Preston Rutherford to discuss his 9-figure exit from apparel brand Chubbies. Preston co-founded popular men’s lifestyle brand Chubbies and shares his insights on measuring brand success, optimizing for contribution margin, and leveraging partnerships with influencers.They discuss the importance of brand building, the controversy surrounding it, and the integration of brand into direct response marketing.This ...
Apr 03, 2024•40 min•Ep. 44
This episode is the final part in the forecasting series and your hosts, Cody and Taylor, sit down with co-founder Nate Gunn to discuss the success of his brand Wildbird. He highlights the power of influencer and social media marketing in the mom community, the challenges of transitioning from polished creative to authentic content and the importance of leveraging customer voices in their brand. Nate also highlights the significance of forecasting and working with a fractional CFO to achieve fin...
Mar 27, 2024•43 min•Ep. 43
In this episode, Cody and Taylor discuss the process of building a forecast for a skincare brand. They start by setting goals and objectives, including the brand's desire to sell and exit within three years. They then dive into the details of the forecast, analyzing key metrics such as top line revenue and profitability as well as identifying opportunities for improvement, such as reducing the cost of delivery and increasing customer acquisition. They also discuss how the forecast ties to in...
Mar 20, 2024•19 min•Ep. 42
This episode is the first of a special 3 part series that looks at all things forecasting. Cody provides an overview of financial forecasting and the importance of grounding decisions in solid, realistic numbers. He highlights the problem with black magic forecasting, where numbers are made up without proper analysis. Cody explains that a proper forecast provides a plan and sets expectations for what is realistic based on the numbers, emphasizing the need for execution to make the forecast a rea...
Mar 13, 2024•19 min•Ep. 41
In this episode of the influencer marketing blueprint, Cody is joined by Matt Holtwick, the Growth and Retention Manager at Chomps. They discuss Chomp’s history and growth, the role that influencer marketing and user-generated content has played within the brand, the importance of creative diversity and the key metrics for success. Matt shares his insights into Chomps’ strategies for acquiring and retaining customers, as well as their focus on data-driven decision making. He also highlights the ...
Mar 06, 2024•29 min•Ep. 40
This week, Cody, is joined by Mark Ritz, co-founder and CEO of Carnivore Snax. Mark shares his insights on how the company successfully launched on Kickstarter with the help of influencers. Cody and Mark discuss the growth of the brand and the importance of authenticity in partnerships. Mark also dives into the impact partnering with Joe Rogan has had on the brand and leveraging user-generated content for advertising. The conversation finished off with Mark emphasising the need for clarifty in t...
Jan 31, 2024•33 min•Ep. 39
In this episode, Cody and Taylor interview Jordan Bass, co-founder of HOP WTR. They discuss the challenges of launching a beverage brand during the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of both direct-to-consumer (DTC) and retail channels. Jordan shares insights on utilizing influencers for both awareness and conversion, as well as the role of paid social media in driving retail activation. He also highlights the value of building a community and leveraging their input for product innovation. Thi...
Jan 10, 2024•29 min•Ep. 38
In this episode, your hosts Cody and Taylor discuss the recap of Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) and the concerns and strategies of clients during that period. They highlight the importance of cost controls and how they can be used to scale ad spend efficiently. They also share success stories of brands that utilized cost controls effectively during BFCM. The conversation then transitions to the strategies for Q1, with a focus on health and wellness brands and an emphasis on the need for a crea...
Dec 20, 2023•34 min•Ep. 37
Welcome back to another exciting episode of IMB! In today's episode, we have special guest Matt Bertulli joining us. Matt is here to share his insights on the power of gifting out items, the impact of iOS on social media platforms, and the importance of creating high-quality ads. Join our hosts, Taylor and Cody, as they delve into fascinating discussions about marketing strategies, authenticity in influencer seating, the value of user-generated content, and the art of scaling a business. Tun...
Dec 19, 2023•35 min•Ep. 34
In today's episode, we are joined by a very special guest, Steven Borelli, the CEO and founder of Cuts Clothing. Cuts Clothing, an e-commerce fashion brand focused on work leisure, has made waves in the industry with their unique approach to influencer marketing. Steven shares insights into how they started by targeting anyone who followed the Cuts account on Kickstarter, eventually collaborating with minor league athletes like Tyler Wade and Walker Bueller, who went on to become professiona...
Nov 15, 2023•36 min•Ep. 36
In today's episode, hosts Taylor and Cody sit down with special guest Jeremiah to explore the fascinating realm of influencer marketing and post-purchase surveys. They uncover the secrets behind effective attribution, gain insights into consumer behavior, and learn how brands can leverage surveys to make better marketing decisions. We discuss the psychology of advertising, share personal experiences, and discuss the importance of understanding the longer buying process for products. This e...
Nov 01, 2023•45 min
In this weeks episode, we have a special guest, David Baker, who will be sharing his insights and expertise in the world of influencer marketing and brand building. David's journey began with mommy bloggers and their innovative approach to generating ad revenue and building brand relationships. Now, with the rise of social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter, the fundamentals of content creation have extended beyond the written word to include photos, videos, and mor...
Sep 27, 2023•45 min•Ep. 33
In this episode, Lily takes us behind the scenes of her incredible influencer marketing program, which achieved a five times return on investment and generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. She shares her journey from building the influencer team from scratch to scaling the program to unprecedented heights. She shares her insights, strategies, and success stories from her time at Seed. We dive into negotiating contracts with talent agents, the importance of paid usage disclosure, a...
Sep 06, 2023•40 min•Ep. 32
