“I’m building memories, not sales.” What if everything you thought you knew about creating a consumer brand was wrong?
Matt Bertulli and Sean Frank sit down with Sean Riley, Co-Founder and Chief DUDE (CEO) of DUDE Wipes, to discuss how he and his co-founders grew to hundreds of millions in revenue — without relying on traditional ads.
From going viral through gorilla marketing to landing a deal with Mark Cuban on Shark Tank to being students of culture, Sean reveals why doing what’s fun can be your competitive advantage.
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“What do you do when you stop winning?”
In this episode, Sean and Matt drop the highlight reel and talk candidly about what it actually feels like when a once high-flying brand stalls, hits flat revenue, or even starts shrinking.
They unpack why every business has a “natural size,” why top-line obsession is the laziest definition of winning, and how to think more clearly about margin compression, momentum, and your own financial security as a founder.
From redefining success beyond horsepower-style revenue numbers, to product, channel, and positioning pivots, to doing the brutal “Fog of War” cuts instead of slow bleeding out, this is a tactical, psychologically honest roadmap for operators trying to diagnose stalled growth and decide whether to push for the next level or intentionally right-size the business and finally take money off the table.
Chapters
00:00 – Cold open: what it feels like when winning stops
02:20 – Why this episode matters: growth stalls, failure, and the messy middle
04:06 – Defining “winning”: growth vs profit, lifestyle, and the natural size of a business
07:18 – Survival first: financial security, changing goals, and evolving definitions of success
12:51 – Diagnosing stalled growth: macro forces, misalignment, and internal blind spots
17:42 – Tactical vs strategic stalls: product, category limits, and being in the wrong vehicle
23:48 – Playing by the rules of the game: CAC, channels, and market realities
33:13 – Diversification as defense: why building on rented land is dangerous
39:00 – When winning tactics stop working: SEO hits, waves crashing, and preparing for stall-outs
44:00 – Operating paranoid: assuming stalls, diversifying early, and the tradeoff of leaving money on the table
50:00 – Changing the business: adding new product lines, multiple business units, and hedging inside your own brand
56:00 – Rented land warning: Facebook media, platform dependency, and why omnichannel is non-negotiable
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How do you build one of the top-five Amazon businesses in the world? Matt and Mike sit down with Jabran Niaz, co-founder of Utopia Deals and Utopia Industries. From packing boxes by hand for less than $15 an hour to running a global manufacturing operation with $770M in annual revenue and +15k employees, all without outside capital or taking on debt.
This is the largest brand we’ve ever had on the show. They get into the early days of Amazon, why Utopia focused on value instead of premium pricing, how product design and packaging became a competitive edge, and what it takes to keep growing when competition never stops. Jabran also explains why brand matters in some categories but counts for nothing in others.
Brought to you by Richpanel.
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“You make your money on the customer, not the acquisition.” In this episode, Sean sits down with Jordan, the media-buyer-turned-founder behind Instant Hydration, to unpack how he went from affiliate marketer—only eating what he killed—to helping scale multiple 8‑figure CPG brands into 9‑figure powerhouses using Meta ads, tight payback models, and a true growth engine mindset. They talk about why red‑ocean markets like electrolytes are actually a signal of demand, how to think about LTV, subscriptions and time-to-second-purchase, what really happens when a founder tries to steal your team, and the wild IP and trademark journey that led to the Instant Hydration brand.Chapters:00:00 – Cold open: “You make your money on the customer, not the acquisition”02:40 – Jordan’s story: from almost-lawyer to Facebook affiliate marketer15:30 – Scaling 8‑figure CPG brands to 9‑figures with Meta ads28:10 – Why consumables, LTV and payback periods win over “one-and-done” products41:45 – The Instant Hydration origin story and trademark/IP battle55:20 – Building a true growth engine: subscriptions, email/SMS, and sending it on ad spendPowered By:Fulfil.io.https://bit.ly/3pAp2vuThe Only Cloud ERP Designed to Efficiently Scale 8 and 9-Figure Brands. Northbeam.https://www.northbeam.io/Richpanel.https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=9O&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescSaras.https://bit.ly/9OP-YtdescRivo.https://www.rivo.io/operatorsSubscribe to The Marketing Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingOperatorsSubscribe to The Finance Operators here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/
The operators discuss the critical balance between executing a high-stakes Q4 and planning for the upcoming fiscal year. They debate structured versus unstructured planning methodologies, with Sean and Matt favoring quarterly rocks and 18-month outlooks, while Jason relies on continuous, fluid strategic discussions driven by financial models. The conversation covers the specific role of the CEO during peak season, moving from the field to the budget office, and how to identify non-obvious growth levers like sweepstakes or wholesale expansion to diversify revenue. Finally, they compare internal communication frameworks, specifically contrasting Ridge's unique company-wide daily standups with more traditional departmental leadership cadences.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:02:17 - Managing Q4 Anxiety
00:16:05 - Annual Planning Timelines
00:27:12 - Prioritizing Strategic Bets
00:38:09 - Choosing Growth Levers
00:52:34 - Meeting Rhythms & Standups
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In this episode the operators break down their actual results from Black Friday and Cyber Monday, analyzing why some brands experienced record growth while others saw shifts in consumer behavior between the US and Canadian markets. They debate critical holiday strategies, such as the benefits of starting sales early versus maximizing profit during high-intent windows, and explore the theory that inflation is driving consumers back toward durable goods over expensive experiences. The discussion also covers the increasing reliance on "Buy Now, Pay Later" services, the potential risks of mounting consumer debt, and essential tactics for managing post-holiday returns and preventing e-commerce fraud.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:02:35 - BFCM Recap
00:18:36 - Regional Sales Trends
00:30:52 - Inflation's Impact
00:40:39 - Buy Now Pay Later
00:53:45 - Returns Management
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The operators talk about the complexities of channel expansion, debating the strategic trade-offs between doubling down on digital ads versus pushing into physical retail. They discuss how pricing power acts as a form of marketing and why a $30 customer acquisition cost is becoming the floor for most brands. The conversation also explores the nuances of brand versus performance marketing, the hidden risks of international expansion into Europe compared to the US market, and how AI is reshaping creative production while potentially accelerating "peak screen time" and changing consumer behavior.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:02:28 - Channel Expansion Strategy
00:22:51 - Measuring Marketing ROI
00:42:22 - Managing Complexity in Channel Expansion
00:55:02 - The $30 CAC Floor
01:09:37 - AI's Impact on Brand Authenticity
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In this episode, the operators discuss the financial realities of scaling an e-commerce brand, discussing the discipline required to manage cash flow and the strategic decision-making behind reinvesting profits versus taking distributions. They explore the critical timeline for when a business can realistically generate free cash flow, debating the merits of allocating capital toward inventory, product development or team expansion. The conversation also covers advanced financial strategies like dividend recaps, the "Rule of 40" for measuring growth against profitability, and personal approaches to managing wealth and generational assets once liquidity is achieved.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:02:48 - Managing Cash Flow and Reinvesting for Growth
00:25:53 - Using Debt and Dividend Recaps for Liquidity
00:39:31 - Determining Cash Targets and EBITDA Margins
00:53:18 - Managing Personal Wealth and Generational Assets
01:05:30 - Understanding the Rule of 40 and P&L Mechanics
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In this episode, the operators dive deep into the current holiday shopping landscape, analyzing Black Friday Cyber Monday strategies and the shifting behavior of consumers in a soft economy. They debate the merits of starting sales early versus waiting for the "Cyber Five," discuss the complexities of inventory management, and share insights on forecasting growth for 2025 and 2026.
The conversation also explores the difference between "sexy" trend-based growth and durable long-term success, using case studies like Nike and On Running, before concluding with a candid discussion on the role of the CEO in prioritizing company initiatives and making high-leverage decisions
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:03:34 - Holiday Discounting & Consumer Sentiment
00:18:16 - Early Sales vs. Cyber Five Strategies
00:30:00 - Forecasting & Growth Targets
00:42:38 - Durable vs. "Sexy" Growth
00:54:53 - The CEO's Role & Priorities
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Rivo.
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Jon Buscemi joins the podcast to discuss his journey from trend forecasting at DC Shoes to founding his iconic luxury sneaker brand. He shares the inside story of selling his brand to private equity and how their strategy to create an attainable luxury diffusion line was the "kiss of death", violating the rules of luxury pricing. Buscemi argues that fashion's monoculture is dead, replaced by micro-communities, and that social media has killed the discovery aspect of fashion. He details how his new members-only golf brand Redan, is built on scarcity and community, predicting that this "members-only" model is the future trend for fashion.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:03:31 - The $1000 Sneaker
00:18:00 - From DC Shoes to Tribal Fashion Trends
00:33:17 - Selling to Private Equity
00:45:14 - Networking, Signaling, & The "Members-Only" Brand
00:59:11 - Can a Monoculture Brand Still Be Built Today?
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Cash is king, period. In this episode, the operators get real about why cash flow matters more than your P&L, EBITDA, or vanity revenue numbers. They share their worst "cash crunch" war stories, like pushing payroll or having to choose between buying inventory and paying taxes. To prove a hard lesson: even profitable businesses go bankrupt all the time. You'll learn the backward-sounding truth of e-commerce: rapid growth bleeds cash, while slowing down can actually fill your bank account. They get into the weeds on risky trend-based inventory, and how to get your suppliers to finance your growth by trading margin for better terms. They also cover the real cost of equity (why you should probably just take the money) and why you need a serious finance team and audits long before you ever think about selling.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:03:07 - Worst Cash Crunch Moments
00:18:26 - How Growth & Inventory Type Affect Cash Flow
00:34:50 - Tactical Ways to Protect Cash
00:46:26 - The Truth About Equity Financing
01:03:27 - Partnership, Paranoia, and Playing the Leverage Game
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Northbeam.
Richpanel.
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Saras.
Rivo.
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https://9ops.co/channels
Join hosts Matt Bertulli and Jason Panzer to experience the journey of Yariv Citron, Co-Founder & CMO of MAËLYS. After leaving law school, Yariv faced the crushing decision to shut down his first business. Yet, he emerged resilient, venturing into the fiercely competitive beauty industry with a bold vision to “break the feed” and redefine body care.
Born from a hero product, the Booty Lift and Firm Mask, Yariv and his co-founders took a daring leap, securing personal loans to fund their dream and launch MAËLYS with a mega-influencer campaign centered on Khloe Kardashian. This bold move not only expanded their audience but also solidified MAËLYS as a brand that challenges norms and empowers women with innovative, clinically proven solutions.
Today, the company is on track to achieve $150-200 million in annual revenue while maintaining profitability. Discover how personal setbacks became the foundation for extraordinary success, and learn the tactics behind MAËLYS’ rapid growth. This episode is essential listening for anyone looking to understand the grit, innovation, and determination required to build a disruptive brand.
In this episode, the Operators dive deep into omnichannel strategy, starting with the lingering debate: should your brand be on Amazon? The hosts break down the pros of incrementality and meeting customers where they are. Versus the cons of price wars, channel conflict, and the platform's brand-unfriendly nature.
The discussion then shifts to the high-stakes game of wholesale, weighing the relative safety of the "Big Three" (Costco, Target, Walmart) against the serious financial risks of smaller retailers going bankrupt.
Finally, the squad debates the ultimate omnichannel play: opening your own physical stores. They explore the potential for unique customer experiences and domestic supply chain advantages versus the immense complexity, high costs, and low success rate for digitally-native brands.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:16:55 - "Is it Good For My Brand?" Amazon Debate
00:33:30 - The Risks of Wholesale
00:43:45 - Is Being in Big Stores Worth It?
00:56:51 - The Case for Owned Retail
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Founder anxiety. Sleepless nights. Standing on the brink of bankruptcy. Anyone who’s put their own chip on the table knows just how painful leading a brand can be. What if it wasn’t just one brand, but a portfolio of companies?
Join hosts Matthew Bertulli and Jason Panzer as they explore Roman Khan’s journey from staring into the abyss to building a holdco of multiple +$100M brands as the president of Peak 21.
Discover the challenges + triumphs of entrepreneurship, the importance of distribution over product, and Roman’s unique approach to scaling brands like Raycon, Linjer, Nutrition Kitchen, and more. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business leader, this episode is packed with valuable lessons and brutally honest inspiration.
00:00 – The Titanic Moment: Facing Bankruptcy
02:46 – Learning From Failure and Founder Anxiety
04:20 – From Finance to Rocket Internet
06:09 – Starting Linjer: The $20K Kickstarter Gamble
07:56 – Pivoting to Jewelry and Early Wins
11:25 – Turning 40: Wealth, Purpose & Gratitude
15:26 – The Raycon Story: A $14M Playbook for Growth
25:55 – How to Buy and Scale Companies the Smart Way
39:00 – Leading Teams: Radical Accountability & Execution
47:00 – Marketing Deep Dive: Meta, AppLovin & the Future of Growth
01:05:00 – AI, Creativity & The Next Era of E-commerce
01:22:00 – TITANS 10: Rapid-Fire Founder Insights
In this episode, the Operators dive deep into the realities of business planning and what happens when things inevitably go off track. They discuss the necessity of formalizing operations as you scale, using frameworks like EOS for quarterly planning and setting OKRs. The hosts share tough lessons on why forecasts are always wrong , the three main reasons plans fail (bad goals, poor execution, or market forces), and the critical growth levers for scaling: brand awareness, new products, and international expansion. They also cover the intense financial discipline required when taking on bank debt and managing covenants , the importance of managing shareholder expectations versus reality , and the best strategies for communicating bad news to your team—like "going ugly early" while always providing hope.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:19:49 Breaking Down Our Quarterly Planning Process
00:33:40 Top Down vs Bottoms Up Strategy
00:49:09 A Tough Lesson in Tripping Bank Covenants
01:03:53 How to Deliver Bad News
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Postscript.
Richpanel.
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Saras.
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In this episode, we sit down with Bill and Josh from Baseball Lifestyle to unpack their incredible growth story, from a high school Instagram account to a projected $150 million business. They share the secrets behind their success, including the power of niching down in a passionate community and the relentless consistency of posting content for years to build an audience. We dive deep into their bootstrapped financing strategy, leveraging first-order profitability and revenue-based financing to scale inventory and marketing. Bill and Josh also discuss the critical operational challenges of hyper-growth, the importance of their unique founder partnership, and how their high-frequency product drop model fuels an impressive customer LTV. Discover how they successfully balanced their DTC roots with a massive wholesale expansion into retailers like Dick's Sporting Goods, turning their brand into a nine-figure behemoth.
Chapters:
00:03:50 - Introduction
00:22:35 - Power of a Great Business Duo
00:41:44 - North Star Metric for Your Business
00:57:21 - Painful Reality of Hyper-Growth
01:18:15 - How to Balance Wholesale and E-commerce
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Postscript.
Richpanel.
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Saras.
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Jack Gia shares his expansive journey from enterprise technology to investing to founding Muesly, a prescription skincare brand with over one million customers and $100M in annual revenue.
Along with hosts Matt Bertulli and Mike Beckham, they discuss the importance of innovation, learning from failures, and the challenges of building a telehealth platform. Jack emphasizes the significance of community engagement and real customer stories in marketing, as well as the core ethos of DIY. He offers valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs — a calculated yet action-oriented approach to business.
What's it like to build the fastest-growing company in American history... and then watch it all come crashing down? We sat down with John Hefter, co-founder of the legendary Amazon aggregator Thrasio, for a brutally honest conversation about the company's wild ride from a multi-billion dollar unicorn to bankruptcy.John takes us from the very beginning, launching from a co-founder's basement with a simple Google search to raising nearly $3.5 billion and reaching a staggering $9 billion valuation. He shares the incredible inside story of "Angry Orange," the pet deodorizer brand that became the "smell of gold" and proved their model could work on a massive scale.But with insane growth came chaos. John pulls back the curtain on the dark side of the Amazon marketplace, battling black-hat sellers and the operational nightmare of acquiring four companies in a single week. He reveals the surreal moment he knew the dream was over, standing at a lavish party in Cabo when he got the call about a single, catastrophic $450 million inventory mistake.This isn't just a business story; it's a cautionary tale about the real cost of moving too fast. Tune in to hear John's unfiltered take on the future of Amazon FBA, his hard-won advice for founders, and what comes after surviving the unicorn rollercoaster.Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction
00:05:10 - How Thrasio Started in a Basement
00:19:11 - Insane Pre-COVID Growth
00:23:18 - Beginning of the End
00:41:39 - The Moment It All Blew Up
00:53:57 - Future of Amazon FBAPowered By:Fulfil.io.https://bit.ly/3pAp2vuThe Only Cloud ERP Designed to Efficiently Scale 8 and 9-Figure Brands. Northbeam.https://www.northbeam.io/Postscript.https://postscript.io/Richpanel.https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=9O&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescSaras.https://saras-analytics.typeform.com/to/T8jpuAEb?utm_source=9operator_lp&utm_medium=find_out_moreSubscribe to The Marketing Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingOperatorsSubscribe to The Finance Operators here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/
What is the future of e-commerce? In this episode, the Operators tackle the biggest questions facing brands today. We explore the rise of "Agentic Commerce" and the concept of the "Me Store". A future where personal AI assistants curate and conduct our shopping, potentially replacing the traditional e-commerce storefront as we know it.The conversation then dives deep into one of the most critical topics for any founder: brand. How do you distinguish between building an enduring brand versus chasing a fleeting trend? We break down the Stanley cup phenomenon as a case study and debate the best ways to measure true brand power. Is it about pricing power and repeat purchase rates, or is brand evangelism the ultimate metric? Finally, we explore different strategies for brand growth and category expansion, looking at how to stay true to a core customer while still finding new avenues for growth. Join us for a forward-looking discussion on the threats, opportunities, and strategic pivots required to win in the next era of commerce.Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction00:06:15 - Stealing Marketing Ideas from 50 Years Ago00:17:47 - How AI Will Change E-Commerce Forever00:36:44 - How Do You Actually Measure "Brand"?00:49:30 - Analyzing Post-Purchase Survey Data00:56:52 - Brand vs. TrendPowered By:Fulfil.io.https://bit.ly/3pAp2vuThe Only Cloud ERP Designed to Efficiently Scale 8 and 9-Figure Brands. Northbeam.https://www.northbeam.io/Postscript.https://postscript.io/Richpanel.https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=9O&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescSaras.https://saras-analytics.typeform.com/to/T8jpuAEb?utm_source=9operator_lp&utm_medium=find_out_moreSubscribe to The Marketing Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingOperatorsSubscribe to The Finance Operators here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/
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Hosts Matthew Bertulli and Sean Frank go behind-the-scenes with Katy Mimari, founder and CEO of +$100M baby brand Caden Lane.
Katy shares her 21-year entrepreneurial journey, detailing the motivations behind starting her company, the challenges faced during economic downturns, and her pivotal decision to transition into DTC.
She discusses the importance of product expansion, compassionate leadership, and the lessons learned throughout her journey.
Katy reflects on the decision not to sell her company along with the personal growth that has come from navigating the complexities of business ownership, going from single mother to blended family, and life.
Chapters
00:00 The Genesis of Caden Lane
09:20 Navigating Challenges and Growth
17:46 The Transition to Direct-to-Consumer
25:50 Rebuilding and Expanding Product Lines
37:06 The Decision Not to Sell: A Personal Journey
56:37 Lessons Learned and Future Aspirations