Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup In this episode of the DTC Podcast, we’re joined by Markus, a founding team member of Four Sigmatic, and Dave Colina, founder of O2 Hydration, to discuss their latest venture, CPG Fast Track. This innovative coaching community helps early-stage CPG founders scale effectively by combining expert mentorship, peer support, and actionable strategies. Key themes include: Bridging the knowledge gap: Why early-stage founders need affordable coac...
Dec 02, 2024•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Welcome to the DTC Podcast, where we focus on practical tactics for scaling your DTC business. This week, Eric Dyck is joined by Pilothouse’s social team—Taylor Cain, Aves, and Jacob—to dive into the strategies that power top-performing Q4 sales ads. Key Takeaways: Creative Variety Matters: Balance raw CGC with polished brand imagery to address every awareness stage. Urgency Wins: First impressions count. Optimize the first second of your...
Nov 29, 2024•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup TikTok Shops are rewriting the rules of e-commerce, and the numbers don’t lie—$1.5 billion in US sales in the summer of 2023 alone. In this special episode of the DTC Podcast, we team up with Charlie Grinnell, Co-CEO of RightMetric, to unveil a groundbreaking report on TikTok Shops. This exclusive research, conducted over summer 2023, provides fresh, actionable insights into what’s working (and why) on this fast-growing platform. Download...
Nov 25, 2024•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Hello and welcome to the All Killer No Filler DTC Podcast! Today, we're thrilled to have Dougie from Pilothouse’s Google Ads team. With Q4 well underway and Black Friday just around the corner, Dougie shares critical insights for optimizing Google Ads performance during the busiest shopping period of the year. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why Google’s slower platform dynamics require earlier budget and bid adjustments. How to avoid cost...
Nov 22, 2024•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Welcome to the DTC Podcast, where Eric interviews Meg Higgins from Avalara. With over 10 years in the SaaS space, Meg has focused her career on cross-border e-commerce, empowering mid-market and growing DTC brands to navigate the complexity of sales tax compliance. As Avalara’s SVP of Global Partnerships, she explains how Avalara’s tax compliance solutions help brands mitigate risk with automated, scalable solutions. This episode delves i...
Nov 20, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Manly Bands started with a problem familiar to founder John—a lack of compelling men’s wedding bands. Now a thriving DTC jewelry brand, Manly Bands offers unique rings made from materials like meteorite and deer antler. In this episode, John discusses how he and his team scaled rapidly, especially during the pandemic, and why recent years have focused on profit optimization. Key Insights Include: Building with Customer Input: Testing crea...
Nov 18, 2024•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup In this AKNF edition of the DTC Podcast, we’re joined by Pilothouse’s Jordan Gordon, Director of Retention and Email Marketing. Hot on the heels of launching his own show under the DTC Podcast Network, Jordan shares powerful insights from TWBERP (The World’s Best Email & Retention Podcast). Learn how to turn email into a sustainable revenue machine by optimizing key steps like deliverability, segmentation, and monthly messaging. SUBSC...
Nov 15, 2024•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Welcome to the DTC Podcast! In this episode, brand strategist and cultural commentator Eugene Healey, known for his insights on Instagram and TikTok as @eugbrandstrat, joins us to break down the latest findings from “The Awareness Advantage,” a report by Tracksuit and TikTok for Business. Eugene discusses the report’s key insights into how brand awareness fuels better performance metrics and why brands should abandon the outdated “brand v...
Nov 11, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup In this episode of the DTC Podcast, Pilothouse’s Amazon specialists, Rob and Clifford, dive into the nuances of Amazon’s “cold start” problem and how to leverage the “honeymoon phase” to make new products stand out. They also reveal expert tips on maximizing profitability during Amazon’s high-traffic sales events. Tune in to learn how effective listing variation structures and strategic bidding can dramatically impact your brand’s Amazon ...
Nov 08, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Hello and welcome to the DTC Podcast! Today, we’re excited to have Nick Lamothe, Senior Director of Custom Footwear at Crocs, join us. Nick’s role is all about transforming the way Crocs approaches customization for B2B and team markets, adding value for corporate clients, sports teams, and more. In this episode, we explore: How Crocs leverages customization to tap into B2B and team markets Key strategies in lifecycle marketing and partne...
Nov 04, 2024•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Welcome to the DTC Podcast, where Pilothouse’s Adam and Zavire share essential marketing "don'ts" to help brands optimize their Q4 efforts and avoid costly pitfalls. With Q4’s unique pressures on ad spend and competition, they outline common campaign missteps and how to stay agile in the high-stakes holiday season. Key Insights: Set Realistic Goals: Look at last year’s data and set clear, achievable KPIs to stay grounded. Start Planning E...
Nov 01, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup In this episode, Eric interviews Elery Pfeffer, CEO & Founder of Nift, and Geoff Sanders, CMO of Firstleaf, on how Nift’s targeted gifting platform helps Firstleaf scale its wine subscription business. Geoff shares how Firstleaf has increased its investment in Nift 10x over two years while maintaining strong unit economics, a challenge many DTC brands face in a competitive marketplace. Scale User Acquisition Reliably with Nift's Gifti...
Oct 30, 2024•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup In this episode of the DTC Podcast, we sit down with Marco Canora, founder of Brodo, a leading bone broth brand. Marco shares the journey of how he took his passion for cooking and transformed a small window serving broth in New York City into a thriving direct-to-consumer bone broth business. As a celebrated chef with over 30 years of culinary experience, Marco explains how he combined his expertise in nutrition with traditional broth-ma...
Oct 28, 2024•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup In this episode of the All Killer No Filler DTC Podcast, we’re diving into some of the most common and "spooky" mistakes in media buying with Pilot House’s digital marketing team: Taylor Cain, Aves, and Grayson Rudzki. These experts share insights on how to optimize ad performance by avoiding simple yet costly errors that frequently plague ad campaigns. Key Takeaways Include: Creative Alignment: How disjointed messaging between ads and la...
Oct 25, 2024•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup In this episode of the DTC Podcast, we sit down with Gabrielle Noakes, Ecommerce Manager at Dixxon Flannel Co., and Priya Patel, Director of Product Marketing at Okendo. Dixxon Flannel is known for its dedicated cult following and limited-edition flannel drops. Learn how Gabrielle and her team leveraged Okendo’s review and loyalty tools to deepen customer engagement and increase Average Order Value (AOV) by 12%. Discover how Okendo can tr...
Oct 23, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup In this special edition of the DTC Podcast, we revisit Bart Szaniewski's powerful presentation from the C-Suite Mastermind in Victoria, BC. Bart, co-founder of DadGang.co , shares his incredible journey from selling his first 100 hats to surpassing 250,000 hats sold. What started as a simple idea between friends—celebrating fatherhood with style—has blossomed into a multimillion-dollar business. Bart emphasizes the power of keeping things...
Oct 21, 2024•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Hello and welcome to DTC Podcast. Today we're previewing the newest podcast on the DTC Podcast Network, Pilothouse's Jordon Gordon hosting the WORLD'S BEST EMAIL AND RETENTION PODCAST! Subscribe to TWBERP here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/twberp/episodes/Ep-2-BFCM-Email-Strategies--What-Works-and-What-Doesnt--TWBERP-e2pheu2 Get ready for Black Friday and Cyber Monday with Pilothouse's Jordan Gordon as he dives into the email a...
Oct 18, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup In this episode of the DTC Podcast, host Eric Dyck sits down with Liam Millward from Instant and Lachi Agnew from July to explore how cutting-edge email retargeting is transforming the way DTC brands engage with customers. Try Instant.one ➝ https://www.instant.one/ July, a high-end luggage brand, faced a challenge—how to convert more visitors into buyers when their product isn’t consumable and relies heavily on winning the first purchase....
Oct 17, 2024•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Today we're revisiting Apex Operator Sarah Carusona's talk from C-Suite Mastermind in Victoria BC. Sarah has masterminded growth for brands like Olukai, Roark and now Alpha Lion along with cutting her teeth in the trenches of performancing marketing with Common Thread Collective. In C-Suite Talk she gives you a simple mathematical model where the math actually maths, that actually leads you to your growth goals. The ecom hiking map metaph...
Oct 14, 2024•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup On today's AKNF we're revisiting Warp Drive's Brett Turner's talk at C-Suite Mastermind about the state of CRO in 2025 and the art of not leaving money on the table... This talk focuses on helping you nail your testing methodologies so you can actually be sure that the tests you're running are actually working, also providing some fun live landing page and product page breakdowns that are worth finding on YouTube for the full experience. ...
Oct 11, 2024•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Welcome to DTC Podcast, today we're sharing another talk from C-Suite Mastermind, with friend of the Podcast Brandon Horoho from Montana Knife Co. Brandon came to C-Suite and blew all our attendees away with this authenticity and story, and showed everyone what it looks like to plan ahead...we're talking 2 years of product launces meticulously planned out so that his team never has any questions about what they need to focus on. I hope yo...
Oct 07, 2024•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Today's AKNF Podcast is another session from C-Suite Mastermind with Avery from Pilothouse. For her talk she focused on how to grow your brand through ads on social media, in a way that resonates and actually performs with your target audience. Listen and you'll learn practical methods to discover, define, and speak to each of your customer avatars through your social media ads. Work with Aves and Pilothouse ➝ https://pilothouse.co Timest...
Oct 04, 2024•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Today's DTC Podcast is taken from Rick Cadotte's day 2 presentation at C-Suite Mastermind a few weeks back. This event brought together 50 fast growing brands from across the US and Canada for two days of unforgettable learnings and experiences. Rick is the VP of Growth at Four Sigmatic, one of the world's largest ground coffee brands, and this presentation outlines the strategic blueprint he's used to help grow them massively in his time...
Sep 30, 2024•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Welcome back to the DTC Podcast! Today, we dive deep into the world of Amazon A+ content with Pilothouse's own Amazon experts, Sabrina and Rob. As your ultimate tool for converting potential customers, A+ content is a must-have for any brand serious about succeeding on Amazon. In this episode, Sabrina and Rob break down exactly how to leverage this feature, covering everything from the basics to advanced strategies like cross-selling ...
Sep 27, 2024•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Hello and welcome to the DTC Podcast! Today, we’re joined by Peter Hamilton, Head of Innovation at Roku, who shares how Roku is reshaping the connected TV (CTV) advertising landscape. With a new self-service ad platform, Roku is breaking down barriers, allowing DTC brands to easily enter the world of television advertising. Get started with Roku Ads Manager for CTV https://advertising.roku.com/solutions/advertise/ads-manager Key insights ...
Sep 25, 2024•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Today we're digging into the DTC vault to one of this year's most listened to episodes with Niclas Bornling on the power of story telling in footwear. Hello and welcome to the DTC Podcast, I’m Eric Dyck. Today, we’re excited to have an incredible guest, Niclas, who has masterfully woven the art of storytelling into the fabric of branding, transforming iconic brands like Salomon, New Era, Keen, Houdini and currently Craft Sportw...
Sep 23, 2024•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Hello and welcome to the DTC Podcast! Today, we're joined by the creative minds from Pilothouse: Taylor and Aves, who share their expertise on preparing for smaller but increasingly important holidays, such as Halloween. With Halloween and Thanksgiving on the horizon, this episode dives into strategies to capitalize on these growing consumer moments. Key Takeaways: Why starting your holiday campaigns earlier can yield better results. ...
Sep 20, 2024•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup In this episode of the DTC Podcast, we dive deep into the strategies for successful international expansion with Kasper Kubica, co-founder of Carpe, a leading DTC brand specializing in sweat solutions, and Tom Griffin from Passport, a global shipping and internationalization partner for DTC brands. 🚀 Ready to reach your brand’s global potential? Your Passport to easier international growth is here. https://passportshipping.com Kasper sha...
Sep 18, 2024•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Welcome to the DTC Podcast! Today, we sit down with Dejan Rankovic, SVP of Digital at Salt & Stone, a natural personal care brand that’s making waves in the industry. With experience scaling growth at Dr. Squatch and Netflix, Dejan brings a unique perspective on optimizing digital marketing strategies to drive exponential growth. https://saltandstone.com In this episode, we dive deep into: How Salt & Stone achieved 5x growth in di...
Sep 16, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Welcome to the DTC Podcast! Today, we're joined by Brian Juhos from the Pilothouse Google Ads team, who shares key insights into optimizing Google Ads campaigns for maximum profitability. In this episode, Brian breaks down common mistakes brands make in their Google Ads strategies and explains why aligning ad campaigns with real business objectives is essential for sustainable growth. Brian discusses how many brands rely on generic RO...
Sep 13, 2024•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
