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 companies The key elements of successful talent-driven brands, including audience fit and long-term commitment Choosing the right busi...
Dec 26, 2024•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Isabel 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 identity What makes a good brand story and how brands can effectively communicate it How brands can ada...
Dec 05, 2024•36 min•Ep 349•Transcript available on Metacast John 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 a...
Nov 28, 2024•39 min•Ep 348•Transcript available on Metacast Haley 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 modehow they serve both interio...
Nov 21, 2024•44 min•Ep 347•Transcript available on Metacast Ismail 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 ...
Nov 14, 2024•40 min•Ep 346•Transcript available on Metacast Christian 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 accoun...
Nov 07, 2024•49 min•Ep 345•Transcript available on Metacast Zach 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 b...
Oct 30, 2024•51 min•Ep 343•Transcript available on Metacast Ariana 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...
Oct 10, 2024•35 min•Ep 343•Transcript available on Metacast Shri 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-...
Oct 03, 2024•38 min•Ep 341•Transcript available on Metacast Sam 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,...
Sep 19, 2024•31 min•Ep 341•Transcript available on Metacast Aurelian 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 i...
Sep 12, 2024•38 min•Ep 340•Transcript available on Metacast Benjamin 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...
Sep 05, 2024•36 min•Ep 339•Transcript available on Metacast Rob 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 sh...
Aug 29, 2024•51 min•Ep 338•Transcript available on Metacast 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. 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 audie...
Aug 22, 2024•34 min•Ep 337•Transcript available on Metacast Michelle 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 b...
Aug 15, 2024•34 min•Ep 336•Transcript available on Metacast Noah 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 its important to keep the activation process as smooth as possible, what...
Aug 08, 2024•35 min•Ep 335•Transcript available on Metacast Ellen 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...
Aug 01, 2024•37 min•Ep 334•Transcript available on Metacast Josh 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. Joshs SEO approach has successfully gone head-to-head with giants like Amazon, Tiffanys, and Macy's for competitive purchase-intent keywords. His expertise has transformed businesses struggling to gain traction in...
Jul 25, 2024•38 min•Ep 333•Transcript available on Metacast Mina 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 Am...
Jul 18, 2024•56 min•Ep 332•Transcript available on Metacast Will 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 ones personal brand and how Fourthwall has been aiding this process for over 50,000 creators. Wi...
Jul 11, 2024•30 min•Ep 331•Transcript available on Metacast Colin 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 Un...
Jul 04, 2024•39 min•Ep 330•Transcript available on Metacast David 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 cat...
Jun 27, 2024•50 min•Ep 329•Transcript available on Metacast John 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...
Jun 20, 2024•39 min•Ep 328•Transcript available on Metacast Leah 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 uni...
Jun 13, 2024•51 min•Ep 327•Transcript available on Metacast Christopher 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, whic...
Jun 06, 2024•37 min•Ep 326•Transcript available on Metacast Kellen 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 establ...
May 30, 2024•56 min•Ep 325•Transcript available on Metacast Loren 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 Lo...
May 23, 2024•49 min•Ep 324•Transcript available on Metacast Emmett 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 brand...
May 16, 2024•50 min•Ep 323•Transcript available on Metacast Our conversation with growth strategist Sabir Semerkant is filled with actionable insights on thriving in the e-commerce landscape. Sabirs 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. Dont miss this opportunity to get an experts take on fuelin...
May 09, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Ep 322•Transcript available on Metacast Jennifer Liaos journey with ML 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 MLs 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 Staffing Join 15...
May 02, 2024•42 min•Ep 321•Transcript available on Metacast 
