Most brands focus on what works in November. Smart brands plan for what happens in January. In Part 2 of our Black Friday Growth Series, Jim Huffman shares the strategic lens every DTC operator should adopt before running another BFCM campaign.
Following up on the tactical BFCM episode, Jim goes deeper — exploring the downstream effects of your Q4 strategy and how to win long-term. He covers what separates high-ROI brands from revenue-chasers, how to evaluate customer acquisition quality during peak season, and how to balance margin, brand, and lifetime value when everyone else is just trying to “make noise.” This isn’t about bigger discounts. It’s about smarter growth.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE
Resources:
Additional episodes you might enjoy:
Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)
Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)
How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)
Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)
How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)
Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t just about slapping on a discount. In this episode, Jim Huffman breaks down the offer-led strategies and conversion playbooks top DTC brands use to turn Q4 into their most profitable months - without relying on bloated budgets or ad spend.
Originally aired as a guest appearance on the Ecwid eCommerce Show, Jim reveals the full GrowthHit playbook for building winning Black Friday/Cyber Monday campaigns.
He dives deep into offer-led growth, conversion rate hacks, retention strategies, email tricks that actually work, and how to survive the Q1 hangover. Whether you’re a scrappy DTC founder or scaling a 7-figure Shopify brand, this is your tactical guide to owning Q4 without burning out or discounting your business into the ground.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE
If you’re planning to “wing it” this Black Friday… don’t. This episode gives you the framework to build offers, emails, and experiences that drive real growth in any year. Subscribe for more.
Resources:
The Growth Marketer's Playbook
The Shopify Growth School
Additional episodes you might enjoy:
Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)
Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)
How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)
Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)
How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)
What happens when you build an 8-figure business in one of the most taboo industries - without a team, funding, or traditional ad channels?
Brian Sloan did exactly that. And in this episode, he reveals the unfiltered story behind his wild entrepreneurial path. Jim sits down with Brian Sloan, founder of AutoBlow, to unpack how he built a global DTC sex toy brand that now generates 8 figures annually - with a team of just two.
From eBay auctions to viral PR stunts, Brian shares how his unconventional path, deep product focus, and scrappy tactics helped him thrive in a space where Facebook ads and mainstream visibility were off-limits. This conversation pulls back the curtain on manufacturing, media manipulation, brand building, and what it really takes to scale when the rules don’t apply to your category.
Key Topics Covered:
If you’re building in DTC and feel like you’re drowning in overhead or noise, this episode is a masterclass in focus, edge, and unconventional growth.
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What do you do when wholesale feels like success but starts killing your brand? For the founders of Mestiza, it meant rewriting the playbook. In this episode, they share how they survived COVID, pivoted to DTC, and built a multi 7-figure fashion business - while raising kids and refusing VC money.
Jim is joined by Luisa Takas and Alessandra Perez-Rubio, the powerhouse duo behind Mestiza - a New York-based fashion brand worn by celebrities and loved by loyal customers. The two dive into how they broke into Neiman Marcus early on but quickly realized wholesale wasn’t sustainable. From there, they detail how COVID forced a DTC pivot, how their hero product (“The Shimmy Dress”) became a game-changer, and how they’ve grown profitably while bootstrapping. This is a behind-the-scenes look at resilience, customer obsession, and building a brand with values.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE
If you’re building a brand and wondering whether to go DTC, how to grow without VC money, or how to survive the messy middle - this episode is pure gold.
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Additional episodes you might enjoy:
What if you could turn BBQ ribs into a $250K/month Shopify business? That’s exactly what Andrew Buehler did and it started with crowdfunding, cold emails, and serious sales hustle.
Jim sits down with Andrew Buehler to unpack one of the most unexpected eCommerce growth stories out there how he launched a premium BBQ brand and scaled it to $250K+ per month without outside investors.
Andrew shares his step-by-step process for using crowdfunding to launch, how he activated his network to get early traction, and the exact sales skills that helped him scale. It’s scrappy, smart, and full of lessons for any founder.
Key Topics Covered:
If you’re looking for a launch playbook rooted in hustle - this episode delivers the goods (literally and figuratively).
Resources:
Additional episodes you might enjoy:
Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)
Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)
How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)
Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)
How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)
This episode takes me back to the early days of Neat Apparel, when Claudio and I were just getting started.
For those who don’t know, Claudio is my business partner on Neat - our sweat-proof Shopify brand and he has one of the most fascinating backgrounds of anyone I’ve ever worked with.
He graduated from Stanford at 20. Climbed to the top of Wall Street. Then pivoted into entrepreneurship—first with a soccer brand, and now with me in performance apparel. In this conversation, we talked through the moment we decided to go all in on Neat.
We broke down the actual negotiations that brought us together, why we decided to buy IP before launching, and how we thought about scaling the brand through content, storytelling, and founder alignment. Looking back, it’s wild to see how much of that conversation still shapes how we run Neat today.
📋 What we cover:
👉 If you’ve ever thought about taking on a co-founder, starting a brand from scratch, or buying IP—this episode gives you the raw behind-the-scenes of how it really comes together.
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Additional episodes you might enjoy:
Would you turn down funding after being featured on Shark Tank? Eric Bandholz did. In this episode, he breaks down how Beardbrand became one of the most iconic DTC companies 0 built on freedom, grit, and a wild Reddit strategy.
Jim talks with Eric Bandholz, founder of Beardbrand, about the raw, real story of building a DTC cult brand from scratch. Eric shares how he turned a niche grooming obsession into a 7-figure business - without funding, with help from Reddit, and by staying fiercely true to his values. It’s a founder story that throws out the rulebook.
Key Topics Covered:
If you believe in the power of community, conviction, and scrappy marketing - you’ll love this episode.
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Additional episodes you might enjoy:
What if you could build a $25M+ business without raising a single dime?
Jesse Pujji has done it - multiple times. From bootstrapping his first agency to launching Gateway X and scaling productized services in the DTC world, Jesse has a blueprint for founders who want to build big without giving away equity. In this episode, he shares how you can do the same.
In this episode, Jim sits down with Jesse Pujji (Founder of Gateway X, Co-Founder of Ampush) to break down how he’s built, scaled, and exited businesses without venture capital. Jesse reveals his “Bootstrap Advantage” framework, why he believes most founders overcomplicate their growth strategy, and the exact levers he focuses on to grow companies from zero to eight figures.
This isn’t a theory session - it’s a behind-the-scenes look at the systems, mindset, and tactics Jesse uses to build bootstrapped giants.
Key Topics Covered:
If you’re a Shopify founder, DTC marketer, or just someone tired of the VC hamster wheel, this episode is your blueprint.
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Additional episodes you might enjoy:
They didn’t just launch a wine brand - they created a whole new category. In this episode, Kendra Kawala shares how Maker Wines went from cold outreach to category leader.
Jim talks with Kendra Kawala, co-founder of Maker Wines, about how she turned B2B sales grit into DTC scale. From walking into wine shops cold to managing complex supply chains with 15 wineries, Kendra reveals the realities of launching a new product category — and why going B2B-first gave them an edge most DTC brands miss.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE
If you’re launching something new — or want to scale smart — this is the episode you’ll come back to twice.
Resources:
Additional episodes you might enjoy:
Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)
Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)
How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)
Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)
How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)
It started with a nickname. Then became a joke. And somehow… a 6-figure DTC brand. In this episode, Ryan Rock shares how Fatboy was born and how he turned culture, community, and UGC into a real business.
Jim sits down with Ryan Rock to tell the unconventional story behind Fatboy - a brand that started as a laugh between friends and ended up hitting six figures. From pop-up marketing to micro-influencer strategy, Ryan breaks down what it really takes to turn momentum into money (without VC money or fancy tactics).
Key Topics Covered:
If you’re thinking about launching a DTC brand — or want to grow without paid ads — this episode is packed with scrappy tactics and founder truths.
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Additional episodes you might enjoy:
What would make someone spend a small fortune on the domain Couch.com? In this episode, Alex Back reveals the real reasons and how it helped him build and sell a 7-figure business.
Jim sits down with Alex Back, founder of Couch.com and Apt2b, to unpack the journey of bootstrapping an eCommerce brand and exiting with impact. From domain strategy to traffic growth and earnouts, this is a masterclass in building smart and selling well.
Alex doesn’t hold back on what worked, what flopped, and what he’d do differently.
Key Topics Covered:
If you’re building, buying, or selling an eCom brand — this episode is packed with real talk and hard-won insights. Subscribe for more tactical founder convos like this.
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Additional episodes you might enjoy:
Most brands start online. Robert Nelson did the opposite and it changed everything. He used real-world feedback, military discipline, and pop-up precision to launch a thriving DTC brand.
In this episode, Robert Nelson of Just Mystic shares the unconventional path his brand took to gain traction - starting offline with brick-and-mortar and pop-up activations before ever building a Shopify store. With a Marine mindset and data-driven instincts, Robert explains why starting on the ground gave him an edge online.
Whether you’re validating a product or scaling DTC, this episode shows why doing it the “wrong” way might be exactly right.
Key Topics Covered:
Follow The Shopify Growth Show for more real founder playbooks - from brick-and-mortar rebels to AI-native operators.
Resources:
Additional episodes you might enjoy:
We bought a DTC brand. Now we’re putting it through the GrowthHit wringer. This is the actual strategy we’re using to scale Neat Apparel — and yes, we’re sharing everything.
In this solo episode, Jim Huffman shares the full behind-the-scenes growth plan for Neat Apparel — a sweat-proof clothing brand recently acquired by GrowthHit. You’ll hear the exact tactics he’s using to revamp the site, increase AOV, build email flows, and tackle paid ads — all with a bootstrapped budget and a sharp eye on product-market fit.
If you want a real-time blueprint for scaling a Shopify brand in a red-ocean category, this is it.
Key Topics Covered:
Follow The Shopify Growth Show for more build-in-public breakdowns like this. Real playbooks, no fluff.
Resources:
Additional episodes you might enjoy:
Most founders talk about comfort. Aman engineered it. His Shopify brand took a pain point, added performance tech, and scaled to 8-figures.
Aman Advani didn’t plan on launching a DTC fashion brand. But after hating his own suits while working in consulting, he co-founded Ministry of Supply - a menswear company built around comfort, performance, and design. In this episode, he breaks down how they launched with a viral Kickstarter, found product-market fit fast, and scaled through relentless product iteration.
If you’re trying to build a differentiated Shopify brand, this episode is packed with tactical gold.
Key Topics Covered:
If you’re building a Shopify brand that solves a real problem — follow The Shopify Growth Show for weekly founder playbooks and tactical episodes.
Resources:
No outside funding. No celebrity co-signs. Just grit, discipline, and branding. Bear Handlon built Born Primitive from a single product into a 9-figure eCommerce brand.
Born Primitive started as a niche apparel side hustle — now it’s one of the fastest-growing DTC brands in the fitness space. In this episode, founder Bear Handlon shares how he scaled without a dime of VC money, built an operationally lean machine, and turned authenticity into his biggest marketing weapon.
If you’re building a brand in a competitive space, this is a blueprint in niche ownership and brand discipline.
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Resources:
She didn’t plan to build a Shopify brand. But a personal problem led to a product, and a product led to an 8-figure company — featured on Shark Tank.
Yve-Car Momperousse created Kreyol Essence out of necessity — and scaled it with pure hustle, purpose, and community. From importing castor oil in rum bottles to landing deals with Ulta and Whole Foods, this is a masterclass in bootstrapped brand building.
In this episode, Jim dives into the exact moments that helped Kreyol Essence break out — from scrappy product-market fit testing to the growth inflection Shark Tank created. If you’re growing a Shopify brand, this one’s a blueprint.
Topics We Cover:
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Your traffic isn’t the problem. Your ads aren’t broken. Your positioning is off. And that’s why you’re stuck.
In this solo episode, Jim Huffman shares a live coaching session that breaks down how to actually fix brand positioning — using case studies from Neat Apparel, GrowthHit, and breakout brands like Rocket Money, Warby Parker, and Figma. You’ll learn how better positioning unlocks conversion rate gains, improves messaging, and becomes the foundation for scalable growth.
This is the episode for Shopify founders ready to get serious about messaging, differentiation, and the real reasons customers buy.
Key Topics Covered:
Why your brand pitch likely isn’t working (and how to fix it)
Two frameworks to improve your positioning today
Speaking to 3 customer types: informed, afflicted, and oblivious
Case studies: Spanx, Truvani, Adam Shoes, Rocket Money & more
Real examples from GrowthHit and Neat Apparel’s positioning playbook
Learn live from Shopify experts. Join our biweekly AI-powered growth sessions - free for founders and marketers - https://shopifygrowthschool.com/
Resources:
Additional episodes you might enjoy:
Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)
Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)
How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)
Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)
How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)
What if the polished ads you spent thousands on were actually hurting your brand?
In this episode, we explore how real, imperfect content is outperforming big-budget campaigns — and why most Shopify founders are still getting it wrong.
Jim Huffman sits down with William Gasner, co-founder of Stack Influence, to unpack the real power behind UGC (user-generated content) and why it’s become a secret weapon for smart eCommerce brands. From influencer seeding to ad fatigue, they get brutally honest about what actually drives conversions in 2025 — and how founders can stop wasting money and start scaling with authenticity.
Key Topics Covered
Why UGC outperforms professional ads in today’s market
The overlooked value of product seeding (and how to do it right)
How to build a content machine that fuels both ads and organic growth
Why creative freedom often leads to better results than tight scripts
The truth about influencers, follower counts, and what really matters
Resources:
Additional episodes you might enjoy:
Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)
Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)
How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)
Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)
How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)
We didn’t mean to sell out — but we did.
Every. Last. Unit.
In this episode, I break down the exact strategy that took our Shopify brand from launch to “sold out” in 30 days — and how you can steal it for your own store.
This isn’t a flex. It’s a cautionary (and highly tactical) tale. After selling out of all inventory at our Shopify brand Neat Apparel in under a month, I walk through the step-by-step system that led to the spike, the problems it created, and the lessons learned in the chaos.
If you’re chasing sustainable demand - not just viral traffic - this episode unpacks the real playbook behind a Shopify growth moment.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE
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Additional episodes you might enjoy:
Liz Long, co-founder of Nearshore.ai, shares her extensive knowledge on transforming innovative ideas into actual products. Liz discusses the critical steps in product design, manufacturing, and supply chain management, offering invaluable tips for startups and established businesses alike. With a background in launching successful brands and an accelerator, Liz provides a wealth of practical advice, from navigating production phases to leveraging global supply chains. She also explores current trends, the importance of specialized products, and effective inventory management strategies. Whether you are a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned professional, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you thrive in the e-commerce and manufacturing spaces.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE
Resources:
Additional episodes you might enjoy:
Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)
Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)
How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)
Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)
How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)