DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built

Graham Rigby is the President and CEO of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), the leading trade association for the herbal products industry. With 20 years of experience across startups and industry leadership—including serving as Chief Innovation Officer at Care/of—Graham has helped shape how modern supplement brands navigate regulation, formulation, and go-to-market strategy. In this episode of DTC Pod, Graham shares what it actually takes to launch and scale a supplement brand without getting burned by regulators. He breaks down exactly where the line is between claims that sell and claims that get you in trouble, why so many founders get blindsided by FDA and FTC enforcement, and how to work with contract manufacturers when you're just starting out. Graham also gets into the real opportunity in supplements right now—why clinical trials cost 90% less than they did two decades ago, how AI is changing the formulation game, and why a $70 billion market growing at 6.5% still has plenty of room for new entrants. Plus, his take on the brands that are doing it right, from AG1 to Ritual, and what founders can learn from their playbooks. Episode brought to you by Stord Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. The evolution and growth of the herbal supplement industry 2. Key regulatory milestones: DSHEA, GMPs, and FDA compliance for supplements 3. What founders must do to stay compliant when launching a supplement brand 4. The distinction between pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, and nutraceuticals 5. Marketing, claims, and the importance of substantiation 6. Emerging opportunities with clinical trials and claim innovation 7. DTC, Amazon, TikTok, and brick-and-mortar distribution channels for wellness brands 8. The practicalities and risks of supplement retail (and when to scale beyond DTC) 9. Practitioner and non-traditional channels for supplement sales 10. How Ingredient AI, Infinite Garden, and other platforms are applying AI to supplements 11. Content creators, credentialed doctors, and the new face of trusted health advice 12. The role of diagnostics, wearables, and personalization in driving supplement trends 13. Growth outlook: Why the supplement market is just getting started Timestamps 00:00 Intro to DTC POD and Graham Rigby 02:25 20 years of supplements: Startup vs. regulatory side 03:00 The exponential growth of the herbal products market 04:44 Regulatory basics: DSHEA, FDA oversight, and GMPs explained 07:14 How AHPA helps brands navigate compliance and education 08:03 Launching a supplement brand: Key compliance steps and best practices 10:00 FDA’s post-market regulatory process and founder responsibilities 13:04 Supplements vs. pharmaceuticals: Safety, claims, and approvals 17:32 Telling stories and using clinical research for marketing claims 20:00 What marketers can and cannot say: Health vs. disease claims 22:04 Substantiating claims and the importance of compliance for growth 24:31 Label vs. online claims: How rules apply to different channels 27:02 DTC vs. Amazon, TikTok, and expanding to retail and practitioner channels 30:19 The risks and rewards of brick-and-mortar expansion 35:14 AI and technology’s role in supplement industry efficiency and safety 40:47 The rise of content creators and doctors shaping supplement education 46:34 Diagnostics, wearables, and the future of personalized wellness 51:13 Supplement industry outlook and advice for emerging brands 52:25 How to connect with Graham and AHPA, and upcoming founder programs Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How...

Natalia Chappell is the founder of Natalia Chappell & Co, a UK-based consultancy helping luxury and lifestyle brands scale sustainably. Previously, she led marketing for THG's luxury division, working with brands like Coach and Ralph Lauren across price points from hundreds to thousands of pounds. In this episode of DTC Pod, Natalia breaks down what it really takes for US brands to win in the UK—and why so many get it wrong. She shares the full-funnel mistakes she sees premium brands make over and over, why some household US names thrived in Britain while others quietly retreated, and what's actually driving results on Meta right now. She also gets into how to connect with younger consumers who think differently about spending, and why the old playbook of polished content isn't cutting it anymore. Plus, her journey from corporate marketing leader to female founder, and what she wishes more people understood about building a business as a woman. Episode brought to you by Stord Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. Lessons from high-growth UK e-commerce brands 2. Creating sustainable, holistic marketing strategies 3. Using data and analytics to drive channel mix decisions 4. Optimizing for paid and organic synergy 5. Landing page and website audit best practices 6. UGC, influencer, and creator partnership frameworks 7. Onboarding and managing creators for conversion and brand fit 8. Navigating UK logistics, customs, and local expectations 9. How to adapt brand voice and content for UK consumer 10. UK cultural moments and how to plan campaigns around them 11. Success stories (Drunk Elephant, Ralph Lauren, Coach) and why some US brands flop 12. Digital-first approaches to brand building 13. Upcoming trends—partnership ads, authentic content, and Gen Z consumers 14. Supporting and growing as a female founder in e-commerce Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to DTC POD and episode with Natalia Chappell 01:18 Natalia’s background: fashion, digital marketing, luxury brand experience 03:26 Lessons learned building luxury and beauty e-commerce teams 05:16 Becoming a female founder and launching Natalia Chappell & Co 07:22 The type and scale of brands Natalia’s agency works with 09:07 Optimizing paid-to-organic mix for sustainable growth 12:12 Data, analytics, and the importance of first-party data integrity 13:33 Why understanding inventory and offer depth matters before scaling ads 16:26 Building a marketing flywheel that feeds itself 18:50 Audience segmentation, CRM, and conversion optimization 20:08 Attribution modeling and keeping data integrations clean 22:29 Organic growth: auditing website, SEO, landing pages, and reviews 24:03 Content strategy: authentic UGC, influencers, and the UK market 26:58 Equipping creators for conversion, not just reach 29:25 Structuring affiliate and creator programs, commissioning vs. flat fees 33:01 Logistics: Warehousing, customs, and UK delivery expectations 36:54 Adapting voice, copy, and calendar to resonate in the UK 38:34 Brand case studies: Drunk Elephant, Coach, Ralph Lauren 41:09 Why some US brands struggle in the UK (Forever 21, etc.) 44:21 Trends to watch: partnership ads, content authenticity, Gen Z targeting 47:25 Where to find and connect with Natalia Chappell Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok...

Martin Forde is the co-founder and partner at Highline Brands, a retail brokerage built for modern CPG and emerging brands. As the first sales hire at Dr. Squatch, he helped lead the brand's Walmart launch—which did over $50M in year one and set the foundation for a $1.5B exit to Unilever. In this episode of DTC Pod, Martin shares the full playbook for making the leap from DTC to retail. He breaks down how to evaluate which channels make sense, what buyers actually care about (hint: it's not your brand), how to pitch them, and how to choose the right brokerage partner. He also gets into the operational side: how deals are structured, why retail timelines take longer than most founders expect, and what actually drives velocity on shelf. Episode brought to you by Stord Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. When to consider retail (and when you're not ready) 2. Independent retail vs. major retailers: where to start 3. The old DTC-first playbook vs. the new hybrid approach 4. Understanding your consumer and choosing the right retailer 5. What buyers actually care about (hint: category growth, not your brand) 6. Three ways to reach buyers: cold outreach, inbound, or through a broker 7. Why and when to say no to a retailer 8. How brokers work: deal structures, retainers vs. commission, red flags 9. The 9-12 month timeline from first conversation to shelf 10. Merchandising and digital tactics that drive velocity on shelf Timestamps 00:00 Martin Forde’s background and experience in CPG 03:14 Launching and scaling brands into retail 04:20 Key lessons from Dr. Squatch retail rollout 07:30 Dr. Squatch’s early days and pent-up retail demand 09:39 Defining “why retail” and evaluating retail opportunities 10:38 Understanding independent retail channels and platforms 15:14 Retail supply chain basics: MOQs, case packs, and 3PLs 17:46 Testing and iterating supply chain through small-scale channels 18:56 Leveraging online marketplaces (Faire, Thrive, Bubble) 23:33 Deciding when to break into retail; timing and strategy 24:44 Comparing DTC-first and direct-to-retail playbooks 29:28 Raising capital, prepping for retail, and first retail sale process 30:57 How to approach retail buyers and pitch 34:03 Different ways to reach retail buyers: direct outreach, inbound, brokerages 39:51 Working with brokers: models, deal structures, and choosing a partner 50:29 Preparing retail pitch materials and buyer presentations 51:39 Identifying category white space and incremental value 54:53 Merchandising and digital tactics for retail success 57:06 Where to connect with Martin Forde and closing thoughts Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on: DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates! DTCPod...

Oisin O'Connor is the CEO and co-founder of Recharge, the leading subscription management platform powering 75% of all Shopify subscriptions. Under his leadership, Recharge has become a critical infrastructure partner for over 30,000 brands, reaching 100 million subscribers and $100 million ARR. In this episode of DTC Pod, Oisin pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to win with subscriptions in today’s DTC landscape. He shares insider strategies for subscriber growth, optimizing retention, and leveraging Recharge’s newest AI-powered tools to minimize churn. Oisin also shares specific benchmarks every brand should measure, real-world examples of subscription funnels that convert, and actionable experiments operators can run to unlock long-term profitability and scale. Episode brought to you by Stord Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. Evolution of subscriptions in physical product e-commerce 2. How to spot and create product-market fit 3. Differentiators that set Recharge apart from early competitors 4. The compounding power of subscriptions for long-term growth 5. Unit economics, LTV vs CAC, and why retention is king 6. What best-in-class subscription brands do differently 7. Optimizing conversion funnels for subscriber growth 8. Subscription benchmarks: churn rates, retention, and second order metrics 9. Reducing churn with data, cancellation flows, loyalty, and rewards 10. Automations and integrating Recharge with supply chain and 3PL operations 11. Leveraging AI Concierge for customer retention and support 12. Evolving customer experience and the need for seamless subscription management 13. How Recharge guides merchants with data, support, and innovation 14. Experiments and mistakes founders make launching subscription brands Timestamps 00:00 Oisin’s background, founding story, and early agency experiments 04:06 The rise of Shopify and the breakthrough with Recharge 05:19 The subscription model: initial skepticism and quirky early adopters 06:47 Technical challenges in enabling subscriptions on Shopify 09:00 First major subscription brand success story 10:15 Compounding growth through subscriptions 11:36 Legacy brands and decades-long customer retention 13:06 Building DTC businesses with sustainable unit economics 14:37 Lessons from TV advertising history and the narrowing of scalable models 16:29 Key traits of successful subscription businesses 17:09 Product, recurring need, and conversion strategy 18:27 Understanding subscriber value and optimizing acquisition 19:26 Retention: keeping customers post-acquisition 19:52 High-performing brands and funnel design 20:05 Subscription by default, offers, upsells, and cross-sells 21:39 Conversion tactics from PDP to post-checkout 22:38 Benchmarks for healthy churn and retention 23:06 How top brands reduce churn and track performance 24:58 Recharge tools: analytics, cancellation flows, Klaviyo integration 26:41 Rewards and automations to boost retention 27:33 Automate flows for backend fulfillment and logistics 28:20 Launching AI SMS concierge for subscriber experience 29:40 Reducing customer service friction and delighting shoppers 32:15 Customer experience as a core differentiator 34:04 The competitive subscription landscape: Recharge’s position 35:41 Product innovation, support, and actionable guidance 37:16 Data-driven product innovation and merchant success 38:04 The future of subscription, retention, and platform innovation 40:38 Biggest mistakes founders make with subscriptions 41:58 Experiments founders should run with Recharge 42:58 Where to connect with Oisin for advice and mentorship Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia,...

Zeke Bronfman is the co-founder and CEO of The Absorption Company, a brand pioneering highly bioavailable supplements engineered for optimal nutrient absorption. With a background in health and wellness entrepreneurship—including a previous successful beverage exit—Zeke leads a team on a mission to address a major gap in supplement efficacy by focusing on real, measurable impact for consumers. In this episode of DTC Pod, Zeke details the journey of building The Absorption Company from inception to rapid retail success in outlets like Erewhon. He talks about the science behind absorption, launching with a powerful community-driven strategy, and the importance of brand-led product innovation. Zeke also offers practical advice on supply chain management, leveraging celebrity co-founders, and lessons learned about optimizing e-commerce for long-term growth. Episode brought to you by Stord Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. The founding story of The Absorption Company 2. Why most supplements fail—and how absorption is the next frontier 3. Creating a viral pre-launch private Instagram community 4. Setting a brand apart with science-backed, lifestyle-driven design 5. Early product development and MVP lessons 6. Direct-to-consumer subscription as a growth engine 7. Amazon, TikTok Shop, and the online channel mix 8. The strategic approach to selective retail partnerships 9. Managing the supply chain: co-packers, fulfillment, and scaling ops 10. How to keep operations simple, resilient, and cost-effective 11. Lessons in traffic acquisition: organic, paid, and influencer mix 12. Celebrity founder advantages, limits, and effective deployment 13. Funding, initial capital requirements, and brand investment 14. Biggest founder learnings and operational takeaways 15. What’s ahead: innovation pipeline and future growth Timestamps 00:00 Intro to Zeke Bronfman and The Absorption Company 02:44 The absorption problem in supplements 04:40 Why bioavailability is the future of wellness supplements 06:11 Bringing the brand to life: Team, tech, and community-building 07:47 The private Instagram launch strategy and viral pre-sale 09:27 The power of exclusivity and early consumer engagement 11:12 Product MVP and standout branding decisions 13:26 Early sales strategy: DTC, Amazon, retail mix 15:04 Why big-box retail isn’t always the right move 17:57 Scaling DTC: Subscription, platform choices, and LTV 19:04 Driving traffic: Paid, organic, influencer, and celebrity co-founder impact 20:38 TikTok Shop: Affiliate, Live, and what works (and doesn’t) 22:36 Capital, startup costs, and launching with impact 25:32 Building a scalable supply chain and minimizing complexity 27:25 Fulfillment operations and splitting inventory 29:00 Entering boutique/strategic retail as a marketing lever 30:52 Biggest learnings and missteps scaling Absorption Company 33:13 Lessons using celebrity/influencer as a brand amplifier 36:10 What’s next: Upcoming innovations and business growth 36:50 Where to follow Absorption Company Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like...

Danielle Kidney is the founder of The Creative Pack, a Los Angeles-based agency specializing in packaging design for CPG and DTC brands. With over two decades of experience in the industry—including work with Tesco and a diverse portfolio of well-known consumer brands—Danielle brings a wealth of expertise in every aspect of packaging, from strategy and brand storytelling to materials and production. In this episode of DTC Pod, Danielle breaks down the behind-the-scenes process of creating packaging that not only looks great but also delivers on function, compliance, and scalability. She covers everything from the earliest stages of design and competitor audits, to the nuances of materials, regulatory requirements, and print production. Danielle shares practical advice on how brands can avoid costly mistakes, streamline their supply chain, and create packaging that stands out both online and on the shelf. Episode brought to you by Stord Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. The importance of packaging in brand perception and sales 2. Process: From initial idea to production-ready design 3. Building a design brief and establishing project scope 4. Competitive reviews and designing for hierarchy and function 5. Balancing creative innovation with must-have regulatory details 6. Collaborating with clients, manufacturers, and printers 7. Prototyping, mockups, and unboxing experience 8. Print technology, material choices, and cost management 9. Regulatory review, legal claims, and compliance essentials 10. Lead times, timeline planning, and pitfalls of rushing production 11. Early-stage packaging vs. scaling up for retail and DTC 12. Lessons learned: common mistakes and strategic tips 13. Pricing, form factor, and packaging design as sales levers Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Danielle Kidney & The Creative Pack 05:42 The Creative Pack’s client process: from idea to brief 10:50 Balancing branding vs. functionality for sales and conversion 18:03 Manufacturing realities: materials, dielines, and cost constraints 24:39 Colors, mockups, and bringing digital designs to life 26:22 Real-world costs of packaging mistakes and risk mitigation 29:27 Regulatory musts: nutrition facts, barcodes, legal pitfalls 35:10 Realistic timelines for packaging launches and scale 40:33 Strategies for startups vs. brands scaling up 43:23 Lessons learned and tips for optimizing packaging decisions 50:20 Where to connect with Danielle and The Creative Pack Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on: DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates! DTCPod Instagram DTCPod Twitter DTCPod TikTok Danielle Kidney - Founder of The Creative Pack Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of...

Meenakshi Lala is the CEO of UrbanStems, an online floral gifting company that designs, sources, and delivers high-quality, curated bouquets and gifts across the U.S. She brings over two decades of operational experience from leading brands in fashion and retail such as Alice + Olivia, Juicy Couture, and Elie Tahari. Her expertise in scaling complex businesses and building operational excellence now fuels UrbanStems’ growth as a leader in the industry. In this episode of DTC Pod, Blaine and Meenakshi explore the complex world of DTC flower delivery: from sourcing stems globally, managing cold chain logistics, forecasting inventory, and reducing spoilage, to ensuring the end customer receives a high-quality bouquet every time. Meenakshi candidly discusses the challenges of seasonality, tariffs, international shipping, and why a robust brand and customer-centric approach are keys to thriving in today’s fast-moving e-commerce landscape. Episode brought to you by Stord Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. The complexities of the floral industry and perishability 2. The evolution of e-commerce in the flower business 3. Building a robust and agile international supply chain 4. Cold chain logistics and fulfillment center operations 5. Planning, forecasting, and reducing spoilage in inventory 6. Unique challenges: tariffs, customs, and unpredictable events 7. Customer experience: packaging, instructions, and communications 8. Curation, personalization, and expanding gifting moments 9. Driving growth through brand, loyalty, and education 10. Lessons learned in leadership and staying agile Timestamps 00:00 Meenakshi’s career journey and joining UrbanStems 04:49 Key learnings from legacy brands and focus on brand ethos 07:21 Operational challenges unique to the floral industry 11:00 The evolution of flowers in e-commerce and UrbanStems’ role 14:28 How Urban Stems’ supply chain is structured for freshness 16:37 International sourcing, design, and bouquet assembly process 18:27 Managing supply chain risks: tariffs and customs 21:45 Inventory planning, spoilage, and matching supply to demand 24:45 Supply chain as a business moat and high-precision operation 25:36 Customer fulfillment: hydration, packaging, and experience 28:34 Packaging complexities and spec sheets per SKU 30:08 Lessons from moving from COO to CEO 32:19 How operational expertise shapes strategic leadership 34:17 Customer feedback and new initiatives at UrbanStems 38:02 Growth channels: brand loyalty, curation, and gifting moments 41:58 Biggest CEO learnings and future outlook 43:51 Where to find Meenakshi and UrbanStems online Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on: DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, &...

Natan Bershtel is the Director of Business Development at Pelagic, a fractional supply chain partner for growing brands and CPG companies. Before Pelagic, Natan spent nearly 20 years as a public school teacher before joining and eventually running his family’s contract packaging business—where he worked with iconic names like Seed, Liquid IV, Celsius, and Element. After his company’s exit, Natan teamed up with John Morgan to help brands avoid common operational pitfalls and build supply chains that scale. In this episode of DTC Pod, Natan breaks down what it takes to build a resilient supply chain at every stage of brand growth. He shares practical strategies to avoid common pitfalls, tips on sourcing the right partners, and insights on how successful brands approach manufacturing, fulfillment, and logistics. Natan also highlights why supply chain is core to a brand’s success and how founders can create real competitive advantages by making supply chain decisions based on quality, relationships, and flexibility. Episode brought to you by Stord Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. Importance of supply chain in DTC and omnichannel brands 2. Key players: sourcing, manufacturing, co-packers, 3PLs, and fulfillment 3. Differences in supply chain needs for emerging vs. established brands 4. Supply chain pitfalls and how to avoid them 5. Vetting, relationship-building, and collaboration with your supply chain partners 6. Overlooked areas of supply chain where founders lose time/money 7. How to approach minimum order quantities and negotiations 8. When to outsource fulfillment vs. doing it yourself 9. Logistics of manufacturing, packaging, and distribution 10. The impact of scale on supply chain decisions 11. Using data and timelines to make faster, smarter choices 12. Leveraging agency and partner networks for supply chain speed 13. Why in-person vendor relationships are crucial 14. How truly great supply chains build brand moats Timestamps 00:00 Intro and the state of supply chain in DTC 01:40 Natan Bershtel’s background and path to Pelagic 02:24 Lessons from growing a contract packaging family business 04:11 Why supply chain is the backbone of every brand 05:28 The role of execution vs. creative vision in CPG 07:09 How to find and vet the best manufacturing/packaging partners 11:15 The agency advantage: getting reps and sharing supply chain intel 12:41 Core players in bringing a product to market 15:04 Aligning supply chain strategy with brand vision and goals 16:56 Two playbooks for scaling: bootstrap profit vs. capital-intensive growth 19:48 Timelines—how to ask supply partners the right questions 21:41 How and when to ask for what you need from partners 26:32 End-to-end product launch: manufacturing, packaging, and fulfillment 28:42 When to move fulfillment to a 3PL (and when to keep it in-house) 33:15 Tech and process innovation at leading 3PLs 35:14 Strategic decisions: packaging, location, and unit economics 38:58 Challenging assumptions and reviewing supply chain regularly 42:08 Supply chain as brand moat and advantage 44:13 Final tips: Always go in-person and build real relationships Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari -...

Brent Vartan is Managing Partner and Co-Founder at Bullish, a unique hybrid combining a branding agency and a consumer-focused venture fund. With decades of experience in brand strategy, Brent and his team have been early investors and builders behind some of the most iconic DTC and consumer brands of the past decade, including Peloton, Warby Parker, Casper, Harry's, Hu, Bubble, and more. In this episode of DTC Pod, Brent shares his perspective on what it takes to build generational consumer brands from the earliest stages. He discusses Bullish's hands-on investment approach, the importance of brand strategy as a growth mechanism, and what differentiates brands that become household names. Brent also breaks down real playbooks from companies like Sunday Lawn and Nom Nom, providing founders concrete advice on what it takes to build brands worth talking about—and worth buying. Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. Bullish’s hybrid brand agency and VC model 2. What it means to invest as “first money” and why it matters 3. The difference between building a business and building a brand 4. Why customer lifetime value (CLV) trumps CAC and COGS 5. Product-market fit: moving from awareness to lifetime value 6. How Bullish supports brands like Harry’s and Nom Nom in their earliest days 7. Tactical advice for founders on capital raising and allocation 8. Building brands for acquisition vs. IPO 9. The playbook for becoming an acquisition target (what buyers actually want) 10. The underrated power of innovation and product launches 11. The role of cultural relevance in DTC brand building 12. Real-world examples from Sunday Lawn, Peloton, Bubble Beauty, and more 13. How great DTC brands focus on AOV, CLV, and brand loyalty 14. Pitfalls to avoid around capital structure and loss of momentum Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Brent Vartan and Bullish 03:49 Bullish’s track record and notable investments 05:22 What makes Bullish different 10:10 Investing as “first money,” how Bullish evaluates concepts 13:19 Patterns Bullish looks for in breakout DTC brands 16:09 Deep dive: Sunday Lawn’s growth and strategy 18:36 Positioning Harry’s and building a hundred-year business 21:04 Timelines, capital, and operational realities for breakout brands 23:37 Building for acquisition vs. IPO: how strategies diverge 28:57 What buyers are really seeking in DTC acquisitions 31:47 Nom Nom’s Mars acquisition and the power of niche audiences 33:59 The importance of cultural relevance and taking creative “shots” 35:32 Bubble Beauty: case study in innovation and customer engagement 38:27 Finding the right capital structure and maintaining founder equity 41:06 The risks of stalling momentum and overplanning 43:33 Where to allocate raised capital: innovation vs. marketing 46:20 Where to find Bullish, Brent’s socials, and their newsletter Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is...

Apoorva Govind is the founder and CEO of Bestever, a platform focused on helping brands and marketers generate ad creatives powered by real performance data and advanced AI models. With a background spanning technical roles at Apple, Uber, and Nvidia, Apoorva brings unique insights into the intersection of technology and growth marketing. In this DTC POD episode, Apoorva and Blaine discuss how the AI toolkit for advertisers is evolving, the reality behind AI-generated ads, and why strategic inputs—not just rapid content production—drive sustainable brand results. Apoorva outlines how Bestever AI analyzes existing ad data to identify winning creative elements, then automates the production of new assets using the latest AI models. The episode also covers practical advice for early-stage brands on managing creative ops, what workflows will look like as AI video matures, and the future role of platforms like Meta in creative automation. Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. Apoorva’s background at Apple, Uber, and Nvidia 2. The early vision and pivot of Bestever AI 3. The role of AI in modern creative production 4. Ad creative strategy vs. pure output volume 5. Measuring ad performance with data-driven insights 6. Practical workflow tips for early-stage brands 7. When and how to leverage agencies 8. How to analyze competitors and learn from top-performing brands 9. Demystifying AI video: state of the tech in 2025 10. Building workflows to leverage multiple AI models 11. How Meta and other platforms are automating creative 12. The importance of creative analysis and transparent reporting 13. Future trends for agency and brand marketers Timestamps 00:00 Intro and Apoorva's technical background 01:19 Apoorva’s early career at Apple, Nvidia, and Uber 03:04 Apoorva’s take on Apple’s iOS 26 glassmorphic UI and focus on AI 06:09 Security, future, and mass adoption of self-driving cars 13:30 Transition into ad creative, Bestever AI’s founding, and early pivots 18:31 How Bestever AI analyzes ad data to inform new creative 20:49 Current state and skepticism around fully AI-generated ad content 23:44 Meta’s push toward creative automation 26:56 Ad creative strategy for early and scaling brands 35:24 How Bestever AI helps brands diagnose and double down on winning ads 43:07 The reality of AI video: what’s possible now and what’s coming next 46:18 Investing in workflows and abstraction layers for future-proof creative ops 50:14 Where to connect with Apoorva and learn more about Bestever AI Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on: DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates! DTCPod Instagram DTCPod Twitter DTCPod TikTok Apporva Govind - CEO and Founder of Bestever Blaine Bolus -...

Chris Koch is the founder and CEO of VO/D, a venture studio that partners with massive talent celebrities to build enduring CPG brands across DTC, e-commerce, and retail. With a background in sports, investment banking, and talent management, Chris brings deep experience in identifying consumer needs, pairing them with the right creators, and executing product-first brand launches. In this episode of DTC Pod, Chris walks through Void’s venture model, emphasizing the importance of strong products over mere celebrity endorsement. He shares the inside story of 1Up Candy’s rapid national retail rollout and outlines key frameworks for structuring talent partnerships, screening for true product-market fit, and ensuring long-term profitability in the saturated creator-led brand space. Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. VO/D’s Venture Studio Model 2. Partnering with Celebrities and Creators 3. Product-First Versus Talent-First Approach 4. Identifying Consumer Problems 5. Selecting The Right Talent 6. Talent as a Marketing Utility 7. Challenges in Sourcing and Engaging Talent 8. Social Following vs Purchase Influence 9. Structuring Talent Partnerships 10. Brand Launch Funding and Operations 11. 1Up Candy Launch Story 12. Retail Distribution Partnerships 13. Inventory Financing and Cash Flow 14. Creator-Led Marketing Strategies 15. Legal and Contractual Safeguards 16. Tips for Talent-Led Brands 17. VO/D’s Future Direction Timestamps 00:00 Chris’s background & intro to VO/D 03:35 Why Void is product-first, not just talent-powered 05:04 An inside look at VO/D’s venture studio model 06:55 Talent as a utility & making brands that stand alone 10:31 Challenges matching creators to authentic product opportunities 11:28 Assessing conversion, reach, and fit in creator partners 13:40 How 1Up Candy with FaZe Rug came together 17:31 Disrupting candy with innovation and viral challenges 20:33 Breaking into 4,000 Walmart stores & key retail strategy 23:30 Operational realities of scaling fast (financing, supply chain, DTC vs. retail) 29:18 How to structure talent deals: equity, vesting, and incentives 35:17 Red flags and protective provisions in creator agreements 40:08 What’s next for VO/D: new categories, creator partners, and acquisition opportunities Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on: DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates! DTCPod Instagram DTCPod Twitter DTCPod TikTok Chris Koch - Founder of VO/D Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Aaron Nosbisch is the founder and CEO of BRĒZ, a cannabis social tonic beverage designed as an alcohol alternative that offers a euphoric, feel-good effect without the downsides of alcohol. He built his expertise in e-commerce from an early age, launching multiple internet brands and scaling previous ventures like MONQ (portable aromatherapy diffuser, 0 to $15 million in three years as CMO), and running Lucyd Media, the world’s largest cannabis social advertising agency, which run 80% of meta ads for the cannabis space. In this episode, Aaron and Blaine explore how BRĒZ identified untapped demand, iterated their product to solve a genuine founder problem, and brought it to market with precision: leveraging lean startup methodology, subscription-first landing pages, micro-batch production, effective founder-led UGC creative, and meticulous customer service. They discuss cash flow realities, funding first runs, the role of retention in beverage DTC, and how direct-to-consumer momentum powers retail expansion and shelf velocity. Aaron also shares transparent insights on ad spend, internal ops, and the principles that fuel brand growth. Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. Pillars of a Successful DTC Brand 2. Challenges of Scaling Beverages DTC 3. Early Stage Funding and Resources Management 4. Supply Chain Processes in Product Launches 5. Team Building, Finding the Right Partners 6. Pre-Launch and Launch Strategies 7. Testing and Iterating Ad Campaigns 8. Founder-Led Content in Advertising 9. Guerrilla Strategies for Audience and List Building 10. Media Buying, Optimizing CAC, and Scaling Spend 11. Building AOV, Subscription, and Retention 12. Customer Feedback and Iteration Cycles 13. Importance of Timing and Market Readiness Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Aaron and BRĒZ 05:06 The “alcohol alternative” white space and product vision 13:21 Launching a DTC beverage: initial capital and inventory 20:32 Validating demand, managing resource constraints 25:44 First ads and sales: founder content, guerilla tactics 34:07 Early CACs, ad budgets, and optimizing for LTV 38:22 E-commerce vs retail: channel mix and growth phases 46:50 Key takeaways & where to follow Aaron and BRĒZ Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on: DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates! DTCPod Instagram DTCPod Twitter DTCPod TikTok Aaron Nosbisch - Founder and CEO of BRĒZ Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Marin Ištvanić is a partner at Inspire Brands, a boutique agency focused on paid social ads, primarily on Facebook and Instagram. He has personally spent over $150 million on Facebook ads for clients and internal brands, successfully scaling Inspire's own brand to $30 million in revenue by their third year. In this episode of DTC Pod, Marin shares his insights on growing brands profitably through paid social. He discusses the importance of achieving product-market fit, crafting compelling offers, and understanding unit economics. Marin also details his agency's creative testing process and how to efficiently scale winning ad angles from static images to videos to landing pages. Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. Achieving Product-Market Fit 2. Scaling Brands through Facebook Ads 3. Product Differentiation 4. How to Craft a Compelling Offer 5. Subscription Products and Pricing Strategies 6. Landing Pages for Facebook Ads 7. Advertorials and Third-Party Content for Ads 8. Whitelisting and Leveraging External Trust in Ads 9. Ad Format Mix and Budget Allocation 10. Advantage+ Campaigns and AI 11. Scaling Ad Creative Production 12. Testing Ad Variations and Hooks Timestamps 00:00 Marin's background and joining Inspire Brands 04:48 Importance of product-market fit and differentiation 06:50 Creating demand vs picking an established market 10:34 What makes an effective offer and how to craft one 12:41 Subscription models and free trial strategies 16:59 $1K/day spend as indicator of product-market fit 18:36 Choosing the right landing page for your product 25:07 Whitelisting strategies and organic-looking content 27:48 Typical budget allocation across ad formats 30:29 Facebook's Advantage+ campaigns and AI features 33:23 Strategies for scaling ad creative 24:44 Final tips: know your numbers and when to spend Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on: DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates! DTCPod Instagram DTCPod Twitter DTCPod TikTok Marin Ištvanić - Partner at Inspire Brands Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Justin Sherlock is the co-founder and CEO of Caspian, an AI-native duty drawback platform designed to help brands navigate complex global trade and tariff environments. Prior to Caspian, Justin gained deep experience in finance and logistics at Flexport, where he led Flexport Capital, and previously had several years experience in private equity. In this episode, Justin breaks down the rapidly changing landscape of tariffs, duties, and global supply chains—especially relevant amid recent policy moves and volatile trade relations. He explains what customs brokers, tariffs, and duty drawbacks are, why these concepts matter for brands importing and exporting goods, and how most businesses are missing out on significant duty refund opportunities. Justin also offers real-world insights for DTC operators facing escalating tariffs, discusses strategies for mitigating increased costs, and shares how AI is making advanced trade advisory accessible beyond just Fortune 500 companies. Join us as a Guest on DTC POD: SUBMIT GUEST FORM HERE Apply to join our DTC Pod Slack. On this episode we cover Rising tariffs and global trade dynamics Supply chain challenges for DTC brands Role and importance of customs brokers Duty drawback: process and benefits Impact of US-China tariff escalation Technology and AI in trade compliance Strategies for brands to navigate tariffs Timestamps 03:59 From Flexport to Caspian 09:31 Customs Compliance 11:11 Understanding Tariff and Duty Classification 15:54 Trump's Tariff Strategy: A Provocative Move 18:26 Debate Over Section 321 Provision 22:46 "Supply Chain Opportunities and Challenges" 25:03 Reshoring Critical Industries Strategy 28:04 10% Tariff Impact on US Businesses 32:53 Optimizing Supply Chain and Vendor Management 36:22 Trade Predictions: Japan, Taiwan, India, Vietnam 37:52 Geopolitical Isolationism and China's Rise 41:41 "Navigating Duty Drawback Challenges" 45:07 International Pricing and Tax Strategies 48:07 Future of Supply Chain Optimization Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on: DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates! DTCPod Instagram DTCPod Twitter DTCPod TikTok Justin Sherlock - Founder of Caspian Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Peter Czepiga is the founder of Flighted, an agency that helps DTC brands profitably scale their advertising on platforms like Meta, TikTok, and Google. He also runs his own brand, Ando. Flighted has worked with some of the most popular DTC brands spending between $50-300k per month on ads. In this episode of DTC Pod, Peter shares his strategies for launching and scaling profitable ad campaigns on Meta for DTC brands. He covers how much to spend to prove out product-market fit, what types of creative work best, his approach to audience targeting, and how AI is impacting ad creative production. Peter also explains how DTC ad tactics can be applied to other business models like SaaS. Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. Proving Product-Market Fit 2. Setting up Ad Accounts for New Brands 3. Budget and Assets Needed to Test Ad Creative 4. Creative Strategies for Successful Ads 5. AI in Ad Creative Generation 6. Applying DTC Ad Tactics to Other Business Models 7. Flighted’s Agency Model and Client Engagements Timestamps 00:00 Peter's background in ecommerce and growth 04:08 What is takes to prove product-market fit with ads 09:57 Scaling ad budget after initial traction 13:32 What is Meta Advantage+ campaigns and when to use it 16:10 How to manage ad frequency and exclusions 19:31 Creative mix: formats, messaging, placements 24:36 Messaging frameworks that resonate in ads 27:43 Tips for sourcing and creating ad creative 32:31 AI-generated ad creative: potential and limitations 38:28 Applying D2C ad tactics to SaaS and other businesses 43:23 How Flighted works with clients 45:32 Wrap up; how to connect with Peter Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on: DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates! DTCPod Instagram DTCPod Twitter DTCPod TikTok Peter Czepiga - Founder of Flighted Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Irene Chen and Matthew Grenby are the co-founders of Parker Thatch, a luxury handbag and accessories brand they bootstrapped to 8-figures over the course of 20 years. Matt’s expertise spans tech, design, and marketing, while Irene brings deep fashion industry knowledge from working with powerhouse brands like Donna Karan and Calvin Klein. In this episode of DTC Pod, Matt and Irene share how they navigated the shift from an e-stationery startup to eventually finding product-market fit with their signature luxury bags. They discuss key lessons learned in bootstrapping—the importance of market timing, how to manage inventory risks, and why flexibility and systems are critical when growing a brand. Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. Founding and Evolution of Parker Thatch 2. Initial Business Concepts and Pivots 3. Strategies for Managing and Allocating Inventory 4. Importance of Flexibility in Business Operations 5. Bootstrapping and Capital Allocation 6. Building Systems for Scalability 7. Marketing and Demand Generation Strategies 8. Community and Customer Engagement Timestamps 00:00 Matt and Irene's backgrounds before Parker Thatch 06:55 Starting an e-stationery business in 2000 07:43 Pivoting to selling physical stationery and home goods 9:00 Lessons on market timing and pivoting when starting a business 11:51 Changing company name from iomoi to Parker Thatch 13:52 Creating Parker Thatch's debut handbag 18:19 Bootstrapping, capital allocation, inventory decisions 22:08 Why early business success depends on flexibility and testing 25:53 Introducing leather bags and streamlining production 29:10 Why small businesses fail without systems 32:29 Shifting to systems thinking to enable business growth 35:07 Marketing strategies to drive customer demand 37:01 Building community and brand identity around "functional luxury" 42:34 Relationship dynamics as husband and wife co-founders 45:55 Key focuses for 2025 and beyond with PTTV 47:48 Where to find and connect with Parker Thatch Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on: DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates! DTCPod Instagram DTCPod Twitter DTCPod TikTok Irene Chen and Matthew Grenby - Co-Founders of Parker Thatch Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Caleb Alvarez is the founder of Shadow Light Studios, an agency specializing in high-converting paid and organic content. He has worked with major consumer brands like Monster Energy, Snapchat, and Samsung, as well as influencers like Tony Hawk, Logan Paul, Ice Cube, and many more. In this episode of DTC Pod, Caleb breaks down how founders can create better content, build and scale a content engine, and strike the right balance between organic and paid content. He unpacks everything from finding your USP and mapping out content pillars to establishing a sprint-based production process. Caleb also shares how he helped scale Nectar Hard Seltzer from $2M to $5M in revenue using only organic content. Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. Founder-Led Content Strategies 2. Building a Content Engine: Key Roles and Process 3. Systems for Creating and Managing Content 4. Agile Workflow for Content Creation 5. Social Media Content Types and Pillars 6. Optimizing Content for Conversions 7. Balancing Paid and Organic Marketing 8. Balancing Virality and Conversion Goals Timestamps 00:00 Caleb's background and getting into content creation 05:22 How Shadow Light Studios works with brands 07:35 The power of founder-led content and storytelling 12:44 Who should create founder-led content 15:02 Key pillars for effective founder-led brand content 18:55 Balancing content creation as a founder with limited time 22:16 How to structure content teams and roles 28:40 Paid ads vs. organic content—how they work together 31:39 Building a content strategy and implementing a system 36:18 Managing content sprints and pipeline 43:01 Content that performs vs. content that converts 49:01 Lead capture and conversion optimization techniques 53:09 Wrap up and where to follow Caleb Alvarez Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on: DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates! DTCPod Instagram DTCPod Twitter DTCPod TikTok Caleb Alvarez - Founder of Shadow Light Studios Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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: Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. Business Launch and Growth 2. Talent-Driven Brands 3. Challenges in Creator Partnerships 4. Creator-Audience Relationship 5. Employment Trends and AI Impact 6. Content Commerce Trends 7. TikTok’s Future and Market Impact 8. Elements of Business Success 9. Incentive Structure in Partnerships 10. Importance of Having an Audience 11. Monetization Opportunities for Creators Timestamps 00:00 Ben Matthew’s background and Night Ventures 06:05 Building business with talent: the case of Mr. Beast 10:54 What works in creator-brand partnerships 15:25 Picking the right talent to represent a brand 19:42 Picking the right business and products 23:01 Incubating early-stage consumer companies 30:07 Investing in early-stage consumer companies 33:03 Future trends in the creator-commerce space 35:19 Future trends in the content creator landscape Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on: DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates! DTCPod Instagram DTCPod Twitter DTCPod TikTok Ben Matthews - General Partner at Night Ventures Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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: Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. DTC Brand Design Trends 2. Stages of Brand Identity Building 3. Characteristics of a Good Brand Story 4. Consistency in Branding 5. Branding as a Holistic Process Timestamps 00:00 Starting the design studio Antara 03:39 From freelancing to building a team 05:10 The basics of building a great brand 07:45 Branding as graphic communication 10:21 Owning assets vs having a brand 12:26 Phases of brand identity construction 16:21 What makes a good brand story 21:09 Brand case study: Star Fades International 25:15 Establishing a design story for brands 26:55 Brand application and consistency 29:48 Design trends and timelessness 33:33 What’s next for Antara Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on: DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates! DTCPod Instagram DTCPod Twitter DTCPod TikTok Isabel Mendez - Founder and Design Director of Antara Studio Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

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 audiences, the 3-3-3 rule for keeping your messaging on point, and finding that sweet spot between top-of-funnel brand-building and lower-funnel performance tactics. Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. Brand Storytelling Strategies 2. Buying and Crafting Campaigns 3. Linear vs Connected TV 4. Audience Understanding 5. 333 Rule for Messaging 6. Advertising Tactics and Budgeting 7. Undervalued Marketing Channels 8. Brand Story vs Product Story Timestamps 00:00 John Sampogna’s background; Wondersauce vision 03:54 Serving Fortune 1000 businesses and DTC startups 06:05 Starting and scaling an advertising agency 10:11 What is brand storytelling and how can brands get it right 13:23 Media budgets and audiences in funnel strategy 18:44 Connected TV, static out-of-home, and podcasts 25:42 Strategizing for connected TV vs linear TV 28:58 Steps for creating an effective brand or product story 34:28 How Wondersauce onboard and work with clients Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on: DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates! DTCPod Instagram DTCPod Twitter DTCPod TikTok John Sampogna - CEO and Co-Founder of Wondersauce Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic