Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Connor Swegle co-founded Priority Bicycles to build bikes that look good, ride great, and don’t require you to be a mechanic. From a Kickstarter that sold 1,500 bikes to 25,000/year today, he’s grown a DTC brand that rides differently — literally and strategically.
For DTC founders scaling from ~$5–50M looking to tighten marketing funnels, reduce wasted spend, and build real community.
Launched with a $565K Kickstarter campaign that validated product and story
Who this is for: founders and marketers growing DTC product brands with real AOV
What to steal:
Timestamps
00:00 Why Priority Cycles was created
03:00 Launching on Kickstarter and early traction
06:00 The low-maintenance bike differentiator
09:00 Building DTC trust through customer service
12:00 Simplifying brand positioning and wayfinding
15:00 Crowdsourcing product ideas and community involvement
18:00 Using customer insight vs platform data
21:00 Meta downshifts and rethinking paid efficiency
24:00 Incrementality, ROAS traps, and smarter funnel design
27:00 Understanding real customer motivations and tradeoffs
30:00 Entering the mountain bike market
33:00 Working with creators to co-develop products
35:00 Growth outlook and category expansion
Hashtags
#dtcpodcast #prioritybicycles #ecommercegrowth #marketingstrategy #dtcbrands #digitalmarketing #customeracquisition #growthmarketing #brandstrategy #directtoconsumer #bicycleindustry
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Most DTC brands aren’t short on effort — they’re stuck in the tactical spin cycle: chasing hacks, optimizing in circles, burning time and team on things that used to work.
In this episode, Dave Steele (CEO) and Duncan Ferguson (Strategy Lead) unpack how Pilothouse breaks that loop — and why a proper strategy isn’t optional once you pass $5M.
For DTC brands trying to scale past tactics and actually build leverage.
What’s inside:
👀 What to steal:
Unlock the BFCM Command Center: https://triplewhale.com/dtc
Timestamps
00:00 The shift in DTC and why strategy matters
03:00 The Tactical Spin Cycle and how brands get stuck
06:00 When optimizations stop working and market dynamics change
09:00 Product strategy vs growth strategy in modern DTC
12:00 What strategy actually means for brands
15:00 Identifying the core challenge before jumping into tactics
18:00 How “How We Win” statements align every channel
21:00 Good strategy vs bad strategy and finding leverage
24:00 Creating cross-channel coherence that compounds results
27:00 Avoiding promo dependency and algorithmic traps
Hashtags
#dtcpodcast #pilothouse #ecommercegrowth #marketingstrategy #dtcbrands #digitalmarketing #growthmarketing #brandstrategy #metaads #googleads #customeracquisition
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF561
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Nate Lagos just wrapped his first week as CMO of Adapt Naturals after a breakout run that saw him quadruple Original Grain’s revenue. In this episode, Nate joins Eric Dyck for whiskey and wisdom on persona-driven marketing, CRO as a growth engine, and why you don’t need 100 ads a week to win on Meta.
For DTC founders and marketers optimizing for LTV and profitable scale in 2025.
How to uncover true customer motivations and build actionable personas
CRO testing frameworks that compound results across ads, email, and retention
The “Better Than Black Friday” offer that boosted LTV by 30%
Creative volume vs. creative quality — where the real lever is
Building bundles and pricing for high-AOV buyers
If you’re a DTC founder, growth marketer, or a CMO looking to turn creative and CRO into profit levers, this episode is for you.
Timestamps
00:00 Better Than Black Friday Offer Strategy
02:00 Nate’s DTC Journey and Early Career
04:00 Scaling Original Grain and Persona Marketing
06:00 Creative Targeting and Sub-Persona Strategy
09:00 CRO Lessons and Split Testing Wins
12:00 The Creative Volume vs. Quality Debate
15:00 Why Customers Really Buy and Competitor Frames
17:00 Moving From Watches to Supplements
19:00 Best-Ever Offer and LTV Impact
22:00 Pricing Power, Inflation, and High-Ticket Bundles
24:00 New Channels, Offers, and Team Leadership
27:00 Remote Work, Management Style, and Alignment
29:00 Nate’s Creative Process and Mindset
31:00 Advice to Marketers: Do One Thing Exceptionally Well
33:00 Tactical and Practical Podcast Overview
Hashtags
#dtcpodcast #ecommerce #dtcmarketing #cromarketing #offerstrategy #lifetimevalue #metads #directtoconsumer #performancecreative #shopifybrands
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Hyman Ngo, SVP of Product & Marketing at Levelwear, joins us to talk through the brand’s evolution from a behind-the-scenes apparel manufacturer to a powerhouse in wholesale and licensing — and now, their pivot into DTC.
For brand leaders scaling from golf, wholesale, or licensing into consumer channels.
What we cover:
Who this is for: Brand operators in wholesale, licensing, or B2B looking to build emotional connection and consumer pull
What to steal:
Unlock the BFCM Command Center: https://triplewhale.com/dtc
Timestamps
00:00 Transitioning from manufacturing to a brand
02:15 Buying Levelwear and early operational challenges
04:40 Breaking into retail and managing order volume
07:20 Slow early growth and breakthrough in the US golf market
10:05 How Levelwear entered top golf courses
12:40 Evolution of golf culture and apparel trends
14:00 Sponsoring pro golfers and athlete partnerships
16:00 Expanding into licensed sports apparel
18:05 Fanatics partnership and industry comparisons
20:00 Crafting Levelwear’s brand message and manifesto
22:30 Launching the "Who's With You" campaign
24:15 Using streaming ads for brand awareness
26:10 How the brand story aligns across sports
27:40 Message consistency in B2B and retail channels
29:00 Levelwear’s path toward nine-figure revenue
30:30 DTC ambitions and where the brand goes next
32:00 Expanding into international golf markets
33:00 The future of independent retail in golf
34:00 Closing thoughts and next steps for Levelwear
Hashtags
#dtcpodcast #levelwear #golfapparel #sportsbusiness #directtoconsumer #ecommercegrowth #brandbuilding #athleisure #golfindustry #sportsmarketing
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Welcome to the episode: we’ve got Jordan Gordon back on the mic — the guy leading email, retention and CRO at Pilot House, with 25 years in ecommerce under his belt.
Role‑Based Hook (for DTC growth/marketing audience):
For DTC founders & growth marketers scaling from $5M–100M in revenue, this is your CRO check‑list for Q4.
Here’s what we dig into:
Who this is for: DTC brand leads, ecommerce CRO/optimization folks, retention & growth marketers who already run advertising and now need to tighten the funnel.
What to steal:
Timestamps
00:00 Highest Leverage CRO Insights for Q4
02:10 Benchmarking Add-to-Cart and Conversion Rates
04:45 Why Direct Conversion Is a Better Signal
07:00 Speeding Up PDPs with Niche for Instant Wins
10:05 Boosting AOV with Rebuy Bundling
13:00 The 8 Critical Website Choke Points
15:45 Optimizing Copy Around Key Conversion Areas
18:20 Homepage Strategy for High-Volume Traffic
21:40 What Big Brands Get Right on Their Homepages
24:30 Final Q4 CRO Checklist and Fast Wins
Hashtags
#dtcpodcast #q4ecommerce #cro #conversionrateoptimization #ecommercetips #shopifygrowth #blackfridayprep #aov #d2cbrands #onlinescaling
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF559
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Welcome to the DTC Podcast. Today we’re joined by Donatas Smailys, Co‑Founder & CEO of Billo, a creator‑marketing platform that helps DTC brands turn authentic creator videos into high‑performing ads.
We dive into how brands can build a repeatable creator/content engine that integrates with ad funnels, why follower‑counts are becoming less relevant, how to brief creators with performance in mind, and why AI should support—not replace—human creators.
Key Takeaways
Whether you’re a DTC brand marketer responsible for scaling ads, or a founder looking to build long‑term acquisition engines, this episode gives you a clear blueprint for building creator marketing into your growth stack.
Timestamps
00:00 AI brief generator and purchase data
02:05 Why Billo started content at scale
04:15 Creator marketing as a system
06:20 Andromeda and creative diversity
08:25 Segmenting by the why
10:30 Let creators experiment and avoid fatigue
12:35 AI influencers vs authenticity
14:40 Meta partnership ads and Spark ads
16:45 Answer Engine Optimization AEO
18:50 Future of authenticity and human only
20:55 First three months on Billo plan
23:00 Performance backed creator selection
25:05 Pricing and ad volume cadence
27:10 Data loops AI variations and reuse
29:30 Scaling creator content into paid
Hashtags
#DTCPodcast #CreatorMarketing #InfluencerMarketing #UGC #EcommerceMarketing #PaidSocial #MetaAds #PartnershipAds #SparkAds #Andromeda #PerformanceCreative #AnswerEngineOptimization #AEO #Whitelisting #TikTokMarketing #AdCreative #CustomerAcquisition #DirectToConsumer #BilloApp #MarketingPodcast
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
In this episode, we sit down with Aves, Creative Lead & Partnerships at Pilothouse Digital, to unpack how DTC brands must rethink their creative strategy in the age of Meta’s Andromeda algorithm.
For performance marketers and DTC founders scaling from $5–20M+.
Tactical Takeaways:
What to steal:
Timestamps
00:00 Understanding Motivations and Creative Diversity
02:00 How Meta’s Andromeda Update Changed Creative Strategy
05:00 Building a Full Creative Range from UGC to Studio Content
07:00 Why Niching Down Helps You Scale Up
09:00 Moving Beyond “Winner” Ads and Budget Distribution
11:00 How to Research Audiences Using Reddit and Reviews
13:00 Avery’s Hook Testing Framework and Meta Insights
17:00 Common Creative Mistakes and Noise in Ad Accounts
19:00 How to Audit Creative Diversity for Q4 Success
21:00 Creative Audits, Partnerships, and Avery’s Process
23:00 Lessons from Hosting the Ad-Venturous Podcast
Hashtags
#DTCpodcast #AdVenturous #CreativeStrategy #MetaAds #AndromedaEra #PerformanceMarketing #AdCreative #Pilothouse #EcommerceGrowth #DigitalMarketing #CreativeTesting #AdOptimization #MarketingStrategy #UGC #AgencyLife
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF558
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
In this episode of the DTC Podcast, we talk with Ben Perkins, founder of &Collar — a men’s performance dress shirt brand that’s scaling smart by rigorously testing what works. Ben breaks down how they use Intelligems to uncover pricing and shipping threshold wins, and how they’re segmenting customers to align messaging and creative for maximum return.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
If you’ve ever relied on intuition or competitors when setting prices or shipping offers, this episode will challenge you to test with precision — and scale what works.
Timestamps
00:00 – Price testing with Intelligems on &Collar’s best-selling dress shirts
03:00 – Founding story and early years of &Collar’s growth journey
06:00 – Post-pandemic market shifts and targeting “recurring & required” buyers
09:00 – SKU expansion challenges and focusing on the white shirt advantage
12:00 – Persona-based creative strategy and micro-segmentation for growth
15:00 – Discovering the $49.99 price sweet spot through A/B testing
18:00 – Testing free-shipping thresholds and increasing conversion rates
21:00 – Focusing on new customer acquisition and top-of-funnel strategy
24:00 – Always be testing: CRO roadmap and platform optimization
27:00 – Tracking profitability per visitor, product, and employee
30:00 – Long-term vision for &Collar and the road to a potential exit
Hashtags:
#DTCpodcast #Intelligems #AndCollar #PricingStrategy #ABTesting #EcommerceGrowth #DTCbrands #ConversionRateOptimization #ShopifyBrands #EmailMarketing #CustomerAcquisition #BusinessStrategy #Profitability #Ecommerce
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Welcome to the DTC Podcast. Today, we’re joined by Seth Waite, Founder and Buyer Psychologist at Schaefer, where he helps CPG and food and beverage brands unlock growth by digging into the real reasons people buy.
In this episode, we cover:
Why knowing your customer via demographics isn't enough - the shift to behaviors, motivations, and jobs-to-be-done.
How to build a "Why People Buy Pyramid" for your brand and map messaging across basic needs, emotional values, personal growth, and community.
How to recognize true product-market fit in a DTC/CPG context (hint: when the only thing stopping you from selling more is budget).
Why targeting the small obsessed segment matters (the "kingpin strategy") and how that unlocks long-term scale and profitable growth.
Practical tips for talking to customers today - simple interviews, replacement questions, and how to turn qualitative insights into segmentation and messaging.
Best moments you'll want to scan for:
• "Demographics are interesting ... but they're not always insightful."
• "What you should be telling is the customer's story - these are the occasions you'll have with our product."
• "If the only reason why you're not selling more is money ... you've got product-market-fit."
• The breakdown of the Why People Buy Pyramid and how it applies to food and beverage brands.
• How brands like Oreo and Liquid Death illustrate layering of needs, emotional values, and community.
Whether you're launching a new DTC food brand, scaling a snack or beverage line, or trying to sharpen your segmentation and messaging, you'll walk away with concrete frameworks and a clearer path to growth.
00:00 - Introduction: Why People Buy
01:20 - From Sam's Club to Walmart: Studying Real Buyer Behavior
05:12 - Motivations vs. Demographics
12:15 - Oreo: How to Own a Category
18:03 - Brand Psychology, Packaging, and Subconscious Triggers
26:06 - What Product-Market Fit Actually Looks Like
32:28 - Tell Their Story, Not Yours
39:13 - How to Actually Get Insight (Without a $150K Research Budget)
#ConsumerPsychology #WhyPeopleBuy #CPGMarketing #BrandStrategy #ProductMarketFit #CustomerInsights #BehavioralScience #MarketingPsychology #FoodAndBeverage #DTCMarketing #MotivationBasedMarketing #EmotionalBranding #DataDrivenMarketing #OreoCaseStudy #LiquidDeathMarketing #FishwifeBrand #CustomerResearch #FounderStrategy #MarketingPodcast #DTCPodcast
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
In this episode of the DTC Podcast, host Eric Dyck sits down with Dougie, Head of the Google team at Pilothouse, to unpack how DTC brands can and should use YouTube advertising more strategically — especially when trying to build awareness and capture new demand before peak periods such as BFCM.
Key moments & actionable insights
Whether you’re a performance marketer at a growing DTC brand, or scaling marketing budgets and looking to break through awareness ceilings, this episode gives you tactical controls, audit steps and measurement frameworks to make your YouTube spend work harder.
Timestamps
00:00 – Why most advertisers are targeting the wrong audiences
02:10 – How misaligned content (like kids’ or gaming videos) wastes budget
05:00 – The sneaky Demand Gen setting sabotaging your audience
08:00 – How to force Google to find new customers only
11:40 – Using Audience Insights to audit your actual converters
14:00 – The evolution of YouTube as a top-of-funnel growth channel
17:00 – Why Brand Lift studies can’t be trusted and what to measure instead
18:40 – Narrower geo-targeting for better awareness results
20:00 – Step-by-step audit to fix your top-of-funnel YouTube campaigns
Hashtags
#YouTubeAds #GoogleAds #YouTubeMarketing #PerformanceMarketing #DTC #Pilothouse #MarketingPodcast #AdStrategy #DemandGen #DigitalAdvertising
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF556
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Hello and welcome to the DTC Podcast. Today’s guest is Brenden Delarua, co‑founder of Stella, the measurement SaaS helping DTC brands convert media spend into real business growth through incrementality testing and media‑mix modelling (at a much lower price than a lot of other platforms).
Follow Brenden on TikTok
Why this matters for DTC marketers & media buyers:
Key moments in this episode:
If you’re a DTC brand owner, media buyer or marketing leader trying to squeeze more profit from your ad dollars, this conversation will give you a grounded, tactical framework to start measuring and scaling smarter.
Timestamps
00:00 – Why ROAS doesn’t mean ROI and the rise of incrementality
02:00 – How Stella helps DTC brands test true ad impact
06:00 – The myth of high ROAS campaigns and what’s really incremental
10:00 – Always-on incrementality and Stella’s AI dashboard
14:00 – Media mix modeling and improving accuracy for marketers
18:00 – Pricing transparency and making incrementality affordable
22:00 – Which ad platforms are actually incremental
26:00 – Why most marketers overcomplicate incrementality
27:00 – Brenden’s TikTok growth and its impact on Stella
30:00 – Meta’s Andromeda update and how creative drives results
36:00 – The future of AI and media buying
Hashtags
#dtcpodcast #incrementality #mediabuying #marketingstrategy #adspend #stella #digitalmarketing #ecommercegrowth #brandstrategy #advertisinganalytics #d2cbrands #metaads #googleads #tiktokmarketing #marketingmeasurement #roas #growthmarketing
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Rob Fraser, founder of performance sock brand Outway, returns to the DTC Podcast to share how his business rebounded from flat growth to profitable eight-figure scale. Rob reveals exactly how Outway added Amazon, wholesale, and U.S. distribution, and why 2026 is all about community and brand.
This is a must-listen for brand owners scaling past $5M and trying to professionalize ops, expand markets, and stay profitable while doing it.
🔑 In this episode:
• How Outway treated the U.S. like a separate business unit — and why you should too
• Their 3-prong expansion strategy: Amazon, wholesale, and 3PL logistics
• The margin unlock that let them outspend competitors and return to profitability
• How Rob plans to build brand and community in the running space
• What changes when you hit 8-figures: cash flow, inventory planning, and team complexity
• Rob’s hot take on brand as the last defensible moat in DTC
If you're building a real business, not just chasing growth hacks, this episode is for you.
Timestamps
00:00 The future of brand and community building
02:40 Outway’s U.S. expansion and logistics challenges
05:30 Overcoming slow growth and finding new sales channels
09:10 Amazon vs DTC strategy and merchandising lessons
12:20 Profit focus, tariffs, and efficiency improvements
15:00 Scaling pains: hiring, inventory, and cash flow
18:00 Founder evolution and professionalizing the business
20:00 Building a Canadian brand and competing with U.S. giants
23:00 The return of brand and the power of community in 2026
29:00 Outway’s 2025–26 brand and running club strategy
33:00 Expanding in the U.S. and adapting creative for new markets
34:30 Balancing entrepreneurship and personal health
37:00 Living brand values through team culture
38:00 Rebranding from Endur to Outway and lessons learned
41:00 Founders, equity mistakes, and long-term thinking
43:00 Q4 readiness, demand signals, and Prime Day insights
46:00 Using AI tools like Sora for creative production
47:30 Future of streaming ads and creative reinvention
49:00 Closing thoughts on creativity and growth mindset
Hashtags
#dtcpodcast #outway #robfraser #ecommerce #brandstrategy #d2c #marketing #entrepreneurship #communitybuilding #scalingbrands #runningcommunity #founderstory #directtoconsumer
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Hello and welcome to the DTC Podcast. Today we’re joined by Taylor and Jacob from Pilothouse to break down how Meta’s Andromeda engine is reshaping DTC paid advertising.
In this episode you’ll learn:
Why creative now is targeting — and how high‑performing DTC brands are shifting their media buying accordingly.
The 3‑3‑3 framework for testing ads in an Andromeda‑driven environment (three funnel stages × three distinct angle concepts × three formats).
How to restructure your ad account: fewer campaigns/ad sets, more ad‑level variation, and faster creative refreshes — plus what this means for your Q4 plan.
What this means specifically for subscription or newsletter models with short consideration cycles — how to leverage persona messaging and feed the machine.
Why old targeting hacks and incremental tweaks won’t cut it anymore — and what you should stop doing.
Whether you’re running e‑commerce, subscription, or service‑based DTC marketing, this episode gives you actionable frameworks and change‑management steps to align your creative and account structure with the latest Meta delivery technology.
Timestamps
00:00 – What is Andromeda and how Meta’s new retrieval engine works
04:00 – The role of Gem, Lattice, and sequence learning in Meta’s ad delivery
06:00 – How Andromeda is changing creative strategy for Q4 campaigns
08:00 – Why ad variety now matters more than small creative tweaks
10:00 – How to test and structure creatives effectively under Andromeda
12:00 – Simplifying campaign structure and letting AI optimize at the ad level
15:00 – Old vs. new media buying tactics and how performance patterns have shifted
17:00 – Why broader creative diversity leads to more winners in Andromeda
19:00 – Early Q4 insights and what brands should expect
20:00 – Framework for distinct angles and creative refresh cadence
23:00 – The evolution toward true marketing strategy over media-buying hacks
Hashtags
#MetaAds #AndromedaUpdate #PerformanceMarketing #DigitalAdvertising #MediaBuying #FacebookAds #CreativeStrategy #Q4Marketing #AdOptimization #MarketingPodcast
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF554
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
In this episode, Arthur Querou, founder of Vibe.co, and Adam Terry, CEO and co-founder of Cantrip Seltzer, unpack how Cantrip (a hemp/THC beverage brand) uses Vibe.co to turn streaming TV into a performance acquisition channel — not just branding. They dig into targeting, creative strategy, measurement, and scaling in a regulated vertical.
What you’ll hear:
Key moments to listen for:
Learn more about Vibe.co here:
Timestamps
00:00 - How Vibe Differs from Other CTV Platforms
02:00 - Why Cannabis Brands Thrive on Vibe
04:00 - Measuring ROAS and Performance on Vibe
07:00 - Hyper Targeting and Buyer Profiles Explained
10:00 - How Cantrip Uses Data for Smart Targeting
12:00 - Scaling CTV Campaigns vs. Meta Ads
15:00 - Why TV Ads Build Trust and Prestige
17:00 - Buying Identity vs. Inventory in CTV
20:00 - Cantrip’s Path to Profitable CTV Ads
23:00 - Using AI Tools to Create Effective CTV Ads
25:00 - What Type of Creatives Work Best on CTV
27:00 - The Future of AI-Generated Ads on TV
29:00 - How Vibe Uses Household-Level Data for Targeting
32:00 - Hyper-Personalized Ads and The Future of Targeting
33:00 - Vibe’s Growth Story and CTV Momentum
35:00 - Incrementality, MMM, and Measuring CTV Success
36:00 - Cantrip’s Q4 Plans and the Rise of AI Creators
37:00 - How to Get Started with Vibe.co
Hashtags
#CTV #StreamingAds #PerformanceMarketing #DTC #AdTech #VibeCo #Cantrip #ConnectedTV #AIAds #MediaBuying #Programmatic #DigitalAdvertising #MarketingStrategy #BrandGrowth #AdPerformance
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
In this episode of the DTC Podcast, Bart Szaniewski, co-founder of Dad Gang, returns to the DTC Podcast to explain how his brand scaled from 100k to over 700k hats sold — without changing a thing. No team. No fancy stack. Just staying consistent with community engagement, emotional storytelling, and founder hands on lean tools.
What you’ll learn:
The power of customer co-creation and community feedback loops
Why keeping the same tools and playbook can scale further than you think
How story-driven products and organic endorsements drive sticky growth
Tactics behind spontaneous but effective 48-hour product launches
Best moments:
How a boosted post helped launch the brand to 100k
The world tour tee and the deeper meaning in product
Turning organic athlete engagement into brand lift
The creative stack: iPhone, Canva, CapCut, and a story
If you're tempted to overhaul your marketing every 6 months, this episode will have you rethinking that urge.
Timestamps
00:00 Building Dad Gang from Garage to 700K Hats Sold
02:00 Keeping Growth Simple and Stress-Free
04:00 The Power of Community and Customer Feedback
06:00 Storytelling and Emotional Ads that Drive Connection
08:00 Turning Organic Wins into Paid Success
10:00 Product Launch Strategy and Creative Process
12:00 Easy-Mode Tools: Canva, CapCut, and AI for Creators
14:00 Authenticity, Athletes, and Future Growth
Hashtags
#DTCpodcast #DadGang #BartSzaniewski #EcommerceGrowth #ShopifyBrand #CommunityBuilding #FounderStory #DirectToConsumer #BrandMarketing #Entrepreneurship
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
In this episode of the DTC Podcast, we sit down with Rob from Pilothouse to break open how to view Amazon not as a silo, but as an integral part of your unified growth engine.
You’ll get tactical guidance on:
How to compute real contribution margin per SKU, accounting for FBA fees, fulfillment, packaging leakages
Why seemingly small tweaks (like packaging size) can move you down a fee bracket
The key metrics you should track (share of impressions, add-to-cart share, purchase share) to validate “loss-leading” campaigns
How to effectively attribute DTC ad spend lift into Amazon growth
When Amazon DSP (streaming / video) is worthwhile — and how to measure its downstream impact
How to optimize listings for AI assistants (e.g. “Rufus”) with backend attributes, FAQ content, and enriched metadata
Why listen?
If you manage paid acquisition across DTC + Amazon and feel like margin is slipping
If you want to build a strategy that doesn’t cannibalize your own channels
If you’re curious how Amazon DSP / AI assistants can realistically contribute to growth
Timestamps
00:00 – The Data Problem on Amazon
02:00 – How to Acquire Net-New Customers on Amazon
05:00 – Protecting Brand Integrity and Competing on Premium Terms
07:00 – Building Growth Strategies and Keyword Intent
10:00 – Balancing Paid vs. Organic Rank and Profitability
12:00 – Understanding Amazon Fees and Margin Optimization
15:00 – Amazon’s Role in a Unified Growth Strategy
17:00 – Leveraging Amazon DSP and Streaming Ads
19:00 – Measuring Meta’s Impact on Amazon Performance
20:00 – Optimizing for Rufus and the AI Search Shift
Hashtags
#AmazonAdvertising #EcommerceGrowth #DTCPodcast #AmazonStrategy #MarketplaceOptimization #Pilothouse #AmazonDSP #RetailMedia #EcommerceMarketing #UnifiedGrowth
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF552
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
This week on the DTC Podcast, we sit down with Jake Bailey, Head of Industry at Meta, and Scott Kramer, VP of Growth at AS Beauty, to explore the evolving dynamics of holiday performance marketing in 2025.
Jake leads Meta’s work with its exclusive Disruptors program, partnering with fast-moving, high-growth brands to push the boundaries of performance marketing. AS Beauty is one such brand — and Scott walks us through how they’ve used that collaboration to build one of their strongest Q4 playbooks yet.
Together, they break down how creators, AI-native tools, and smarter campaign structures are shaping more resilient and scalable customer acquisition strategies.
You'll learn:
How Meta’s Advantage+ and Partnership Ads are driving real DR performance
Why AS Beauty prioritizes incrementality over traditional ROAS
What creative diversification means in the age of AI and how to structure tests
How creator content is now integrated throughout the funnel — not just for awareness
Tactical insights on budget pacing, exclusions, creative testing, and campaign simplification
Whether you’re navigating Cyber 5 or building a long-term performance engine, this episode is packed with the playbook and proof points from two powerhouses in the space.
Timestamps
00:00 – Meta’s partnership with AS Beauty and the Disruptors team
02:00 – How AS Beauty drives growth across DTC, Amazon, and retail
04:00 – Testing, innovation, and Meta’s two-way learning loop
06:00 – Holiday 2024 challenges: uncertainty, tariffs, and consumer sentiment
09:00 – The “lipstick effect” and how beauty brands thrive in downturns
10:30 – Meta’s push toward value optimization and incrementality
13:00 – Practical ways to measure incrementality and track new customers
16:00 – Evolving partnership ads and creative diversification
19:00 – Holiday creative strategy and combining catalog + creator content
21:00 – Creators’ role across the funnel and authentic storytelling
23:00 – Modern campaign structures, retargeting, and consolidation
29:00 – Scaling spend safely during Cyber Week
32:00 – AI-generated creative: performance, ethics, and practical use
36:00 – Blending data with creativity for high-performing ads
38:00 – Inside Meta’s exclusive Disruptors program
Hashtags
#DTCpodcast #MetaAds #ASBeauty #DigitalMarketing #EcommerceGrowth #HolidayMarketing #PerformanceMarketing #AdStrategy #CreativeTesting #PartnershipAds #AIMarketing #Incrementality #FacebookAds #ReelsAds #MarketingPodcast #BlackFriday2024 #CyberMonday2024 #BeautyBrands #MarketingInnovation #DirectToConsumer
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
To Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupAngus Rittenburg, cofounder of WYNK, didn’t start with a brand. He started with a problem: how do you legally and profitably distribute THC beverages in the fragmented U.S. cannabis market?In this episode of the DTC Podcast, we unpack how WYNK solved that problem through mechanical engineering, regulatory foresight, and operational creativity—from mobile production trailers to in-state dosing machines to navigating Meta ad bans.Try WYNK: https://drinkwynk.shopWhat you’ll learn:- Why mobile canning systems gave WYNK early market access- How hemp-derived THC opened retail and liquor store distribution- Ad strategies for cannabis brands under platform restrictions- Connecting QR-based sampling to retail conversion- DTC learnings that fueled retail expansionKey Topics:- Engineering compliance into your ops- THC vs Alcohol margins- Retailer education + event-based marketing- What Big Alcohol thinks about THC drinks- What success looks like in a future where alcohol and THC share shelves#DTC #Ecommerce #CPG #BeverageIndustry #AlcoholAlternative #BetterForYou #LowDose #Seltzer #RetailDistribution #Wholesale #GoToMarket #GrowthStrategy #DigitalAdvertising #FirstPartyData #EmailMarketing #RetailMedia #Rebates #FieldMarketing #BrandBuilding #FounderStory #EngineeringLeadership
0:00 — Introduction 00:51 — Tesla → THC & the Origin of Wink 03:15 — The 53-ft Mobile Canning Line 10:30 — Minnesota Unlocks Hemp-THC Distribution 14:52 — Why Beverages ‘Feel’ Like Beer 25:24 — The Age-Gate Ad Workaround 33:34 — The $13.5B OpportunitySubscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupAdvertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertiseWork with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouseFollow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
In this special edition of the DTC Podcast, we break down Crown Affair’s ad strategy, creative execution, and landing page experience. Hosted by Eric Dyck and joined by Aves, this teardown focuses on how the brand has scaled through a hero SKU, clean branding, and a ritual-based narrative that resonates with a premium beauty audience.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
✔️ How Crown Affair uses a dry shampoo hero product to drive acquisition
✔️ Why the “ritual” brand positioning allows flexibility in product education and bundling
✔️ The importance of top-of-funnel clarity — and where their website messaging could improve
✔️ What makes their ad creative mix so effective (UGC, press badges, branded visuals)
✔️ Why they run retail-focused ads (Sephora) alongside DTC
✔️ How Instagram lifestyle content supports their ritual narrative
✔️ Tactical insights on bundle builders vs. in-cart upsells
Best Moments in the Episode
Why It Matters for DTC Operators
Crown Affair shows how premium brands can scale with clarity + ritual. By focusing on fewer SKUs, tighter messaging, and a flexible customer ritual, they’ve found a formula that blends high aesthetic with real-world traction. If you’re running a beauty, wellness, or ritual-based brand — this episode will show you where strategy meets execution.
Timestamps
00:00 – Intro: Crown Affair Live Brand Breakdown
02:00 – Why You Should Listen to Adventurous
04:00 – Website Audit: What’s a Three-Course Ritual for Hair?
08:00 – Ad Library Review: UGC vs. Branded Content
12:00 – Founder-Led Storytelling & The “Ritual” Concept
15:00 – The Glossier Comparison and Brand Persona
17:00 – Bundle Builders, AOV Strategy, and Upsells
18:00 – Instagram Strategy: Rituals Beyond Aesthetics
20:00 – Final Thoughts and Call for Brand Suggestions
Hashtags
#DTCPodcast #AKNF #CrownAffair #AdLibrary #BeautyMarketing #BrandBreakdown #HaircareBrand #EcommerceStrategy #AdCreative #DTCBrands
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF550
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
To Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
In this episode of the DTC Podcast, we break out of pure DTC and dive into the future of retail with Shopify’s VP of Retail, Ray Reddy. We explore how Shopify is transforming POS from a mere checkout tool into a full commerce operating system, unifying online and offline, unlocking customer data in-store, and embedding AI automation in the merchant workflow.
What You’ll Learn:
Why treating POS as an operating system (not just a terminal) opens new growth levers
How Shopify enables 50–60% customer identification in physical stores (via Live Lookup)
What technical challenges (tax, permissions, compliance) matter most in unified retail
How Shopify is integrating AI to automate catalog, imagery, and advisory tasks
The importance of choosing a commerce partner for the next 5–10 years
Best Moments / Key Themes:
Evolving POS from add-on to core product
The “unified data model” philosophy versus stitched integrations
Role of AI in freeing up founders to focus on growth
The customer experience transformation in stores
The migration trade-offs and how Shopify approaches them
Whether you’re a DTC brand exploring brick‑and‑mortar or a retail brand scaling omnichannel, this episode is full of tactical thinking about infrastructure, identity, and future proofing.
Timestamps:
00:00 Shopify POS as an operating system
04:00 How Shopify’s POS evolved beyond an add-on
08:00 Why offline retail remains a massive opportunity
12:00 Unified commerce and eliminating system complexity
17:00 Unlocking customer data and personalized retail experiences
24:00 Building with platform primitives and enabling innovation
25:00 How AI is transforming Shopify’s POS and merchant support
31:00 Preparing for the next major tech shift in commerce
Hashtags:
#Shopify #POS #RetailTech #UnifiedCommerce #EcommerceStrategy #Omnichannel #RetailInnovation #AIFuture #ShopifyPOS #DTCpodcast #DirectToConsumer #RetailTransformation #AIinRetail #CommerceTrends #ShopifyTips
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video