Direct to Consumer

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Thomas Robinson has helped build full‑funnel growth engines for brands like Tiege Henley and now Breath Death — where he’s turning chaotic traction into scalable funnels and converting creator buzz into sustainable growth. For growth leaders scaling DTC with low‑AOV products. In this episode, Thomas breaks down: How YouTube influencer authenticity became a systematic funnel driver (not a one‑hit wonder). Why TikTok Shop is the top strategic revenue channel — and how it boosts Amazon performance. The three‑part funnel framework: Hook → Integration → CTA + cohesive landing page. Why psychographics beat demographics in creative. Omni‑channel retention: SMS, email, DM automations, WhatsApp. Who this is for: D2C marketers scaling early‑growth brands, content and performance teams, founders wrestling with low‑AOV CAC. What to steal: Turn creator moments into evergreen assets for Meta, TikTok, and YouTube. Build landing pages that mirror ad intent (don’t lose momentum). Segment email/SMS flows by customer psychographic intent. Timestamps 00:00 — Turning creator buzz into scalable growth 02:00 — Why Breath Death chose TikTok Shop as a core channel 04:00 — Gen Z targeting, nostalgia, and early audience signals 06:00 — Learning from Liquid Death’s polarizing brand strategy 08:00 — Turning influencer moments into evergreen funnels 10:00 — Structuring ads with hooks, integrations, and CTAs 12:00 — TikTok Shop, Amazon halo effects, and channel synergy 14:00 — Affiliate strategy from nano creators to macro partners 16:00 — Why YouTube influencers compound better than paid ads 18:00 — SEO, Reddit, and authority in AI-driven search 20:00 — Scaling low-AOV products on Meta ads 22:00 — Psychographics, motivations, and creative archetypes 26:00 — Q4 growth, LTV focus, and retention strategy 28:00 — Email, SMS, WhatsApp, and DM automation 31:00 — Long-term brand storytelling vs direct response 34:00 — Personalized landing pages and post-click experience Hashtags #dtcpodcast #dtcbrands #ecommercegrowth #tiktokshop #influencermarketing #creatorcommerce #brandstrategy #performanceads #youtubeinfluencers #affiliatemarketing #consumerbrands #foundermarketing #growthmarketing #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 Eric sits down with Dougie, Pilothouse's Google Lead, to dig into why content targeting—specifically with YouTube Select—is outperforming audience-based targeting, even at premium CPMs. If you’ve been running low-cost YouTube campaigns with underwhelming results, this is the mindset shift you need. For DTC brands tired of wasting money on passive YouTube impressions. What YouTube Select actually is (and why it matters for performance) How to think about placements vs. audiences Why content congruence improves funnel performance Scaling tips: what kind of brands can go big with Select How to build creatives that match the content being watched Who this is for: Brands spending serious dollars on YouTube, or considering a shift from Meta to a broader channel mix. What to steal: Align creative to content before launch Use Google reps to identify top indexed channels by persona Treat YouTube Select like TV: flight-based, not daily budget-driven Timestamps 00:00 Content vs interest targeting 02:01 Why content alignment converts 04:02 YouTube Select explained 06:02 Why low quality inventory fails 08:04 How content based creative works 10:03 Google and YouTube strategy shift 12:02 Aligning creative to placements 14:02 Meta and Google funnel synergy 16:01 Scaling with YouTube Select Hashtags #YouTubeSelect #GoogleAds #ContentTargeting #MediaBuying #DigitalAdvertising #PerformanceMarketing #BrandStrategy #YouTubeAds #PaidMedia #MarketingPodcast #DTCMarketing #AdStrategy #AudienceTargeting #CreativeStrategy #Pilothouse Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF577 Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Albert Chow built Silk & Snow in the shadow of the DTC mattress wars—but instead of racing to burn VC cash, he played the long game. Today, Silk & Snow has grown into a full home brand with 10 retail stores, a thriving Canadian customer base, and a strong U.S. expansion roadmap. For DTC founders scaling from $5M to $50M... Why they skipped the mattress arms race and leaned into vertical integration How bundling less (and planting trees instead) saved $1.3M What they learned scaling from 1 to 10 retail stores in a year The metrics they track now that ROAS is irrelevant Why launching a sofa was more about customer affinity than furniture Who this is for: Operators scaling past one SKU or one channel—and looking for a sustainable path to growth. What to steal: Bundling with purpose (optional tree planting vs. free stuff) Bottom-up brand building: low-funnel mastery first How to use DTC data to drive brick-and-mortar strategy Timestamps 00:00 Organic growth and surviving the DTC mattress crash 02:00 Entering the crowded mattress market in 2017 04:00 Why Silk and Snow became a full home brand 06:00 Factory-first supply chain and Canadian manufacturing 08:00 Launching with Kickstarter and early traction 10:00 The 2019 DTC apocalypse and sustainable growth 12:00 Expanding beyond mattresses into sleep accessories 14:00 Functional vs aspirational buying in home goods 16:00 Becoming a multi-channel retailer 18:00 Using customer data to choose store locations 20:00 Canada vs US growth strategy 22:00 Building brand from the bottom of the funnel 24:00 Replacing bundles with tree planting 26:00 Performance marketing roots and early Google 28:00 Shifting into awareness and brand media 30:00 Why ROAS isn’t the real growth signal 32:00 Retail partnerships and staying DTC 34:00 Black Friday for big-ticket home products 36:00 Fulfillment, returns, and sustainability 38:00 Repeat customers and long-term LTV 40:00 Sleep Country acquisition and retail scale 42:00 Vancouver store and physical retail strategy Hashtags #DTC #EcommercePodcast #SilkAndSnow #AlbertChow #DTCBrands #HomeGoods #MattressIndustry #BrandBuilding #RetailStrategy #DirectToConsumer #EcommerceGrowth #StartupPodcast #FounderStory #CanadianBrands #PerformanceMarketing #Omnichannel #RetailExpansion #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 🎧 Listen now: https://www.pilothouse.co/ This week on the DTC Podcast, we’re re-airing a must-listen from our sister podcast Adventurous, hosted by Avery Valerio. Avery’s diving deep into one of the most overlooked levers in DTC growth: angles — the emotional and strategic hooks that turn browsers into buyers. If you’ve been leaning on “vibes” and lifestyle content to carry your creative… this is your wake-up call. For creative strategists, performance marketers, and founders stuck at the “vibes plateau.” 🧠 Tactical takeaways: Why most brands stall at $3–5M without real angle development How to build angles that scale across top and bottom funnel The difference between product features and product benefits — and why that matters Why “vibe-first” brands eventually need strategy to survive How Avery maps personas to angles using a tool she built (linked on her LinkedIn/TikTok) 👀 Who this is for: Creative leads, ad buyers, or anyone building brand strategy from the ground up. 💡 What to steal: The "steak vs. sizzle" framework for angle testing A mindset shift: Treat angles like campaign assets, not just captions How to tell when you’re out of angles — and how to fix it fast Timestamps: 00:00 Intro to Ad-venturous Angles 02:00 Why most DTC brands stall on vibes 04:00 The need for real creative strategy 06:00 What an angle really is 08:00 Features vs benefits in ad angles 10:00 The Got Milk example 12:00 How angles create emotional connection 14:00 The upside-down triangle framework 16:00 Why modern angles must be agile 18:00 Using research and reviews to build angles 20:00 Personas and segmentation for scale 22:00 The three layers of the triangle 24:00 Top of funnel angle development 26:00 Middle of funnel curiosity 28:00 Bottom of funnel community content 30:00 Why angles must work everywhere 32:00 Testing and iterating angles 34:00 Final takeaways on creative strategy Hashtags: #DTCMarketing #AdCreative #MarketingAngles #PerformanceCreative #EcommerceMarketing #BrandStrategy #CreativeTesting #FunnelMarketing #DigitalAdvertising #ContentStrategy #Pilothouse #DTCNewsletter #AdVenturousPodcast #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=AKNF575 Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Daniel Rotman built Pretty Litter into a $300M+ revenue juggernaut by doing something most founders won’t: going all-in on an unsexy product. In this episode, he breaks down how a single innovation in kitty litter unlocked a billion-dollar outcome—with just $1M raised and a 12-person team. For DTC founders scaling from 7 to 9 figures... How to win in overlooked categories (and why sexy products attract deadly competition) Why kitty litter was the perfect subscription product The secret to high-margin DTC logistics (and how silica unlocked DTC viability) Daniel’s media buying strategy in year 1 that drove $750K solo How Pretty Litter used smart ops, lean hiring, and brand positioning to build a moat Who this is for: Founders, growth leads, and marketers looking to scale profitably and avoid the DTC hype traps What to steal: The underdog category playbook Retention-driven brand building The ops strategy behind $300M revenue and 12 employees #DTCGrowth #SubscriptionBusiness #RetentionMarketing #BootstrapStartup #EcommerceStrategy #ConsumerBrands #FoundersJourney #LeanStartup #ProductInnovation #BrandBuilding #UnsexyProducts #ScalingUp #StartupExit #PetCareIndustry #MarketingTactics 00:00 – Introduction: The Power of Unsexy Products 04:41 – The Loss That Sparked Pretty Litter 16:41 – The Health Monitoring Breakthrough 20:25 – From Idea to Launch in 6 Months 23:44 – $750K Year One, Solo Founder 25:33 – Why Daniel Said No to VC 30:20 – Year-by-Year Revenue Growth to $300M+ 36:00 – How Unsexy Built a Moat and Killed the Copycats 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

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Most brands obsess over ads and ignore the moment that matters most: where the click lands. In this episode, Jordan Gordon and Pilothouse strategist Taylor Cain break down how to decide whether traffic should go to your homepage, a PDP, a collection, or a dedicated landing page—plus how to diagnose when conversion rate issues aren’t about your ad at all. You’ll learn: When a landing page outperforms your homepage (and when it doesn’t) How consideration level, pricing, and message clarity determine the ideal click-through path Why “anchoring” and UX sequencing can dramatically change conversion rates How testing new PDP structures (including delaying price) can increase results How to build fast, scrappy landing pages that plug cleanly into Shopify What heatmaps, scroll behavior, and section-level engagement reveal about friction Why iteration beats theory — and how to develop a testing mindset that actually finds signal #EmailMarketing #RetentionMarketing #CRO #LandingPages #EcommerceStrategy #DTCMarketing #ShopifyBrands 00:00 — Introduction 01:00 — When a Landing Page Beats Your Homepage 03:00 — How Disrupted Traffic Changes Your Funnel 06:00 — Rising Prices, Rising Consideration 10:00 — PDP vs Landing Page: Which One Converts Better? 14:00 — Why Testing Beats Theory Every Time 20:00 — The Underrated Power of Email Capture on Landers 29:00 — Inside a High-Performing Landing Page Build Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF573 Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup On this episode of the DTC Podcast, Eric sits down with Dean Krowitz, Co-Founder of Blend‑AI, to unpack what happens when you stop managing channels in silos and start automating your entire media mix. If Meta’s efficiency is dropping and your cross-channel budget is vibes-based… this is your fix. blend-ai.com What You’ll Learn: Why composite funnels matter more than platform-specific attribution How Blend automates budget shifts based on live conversion data Why humans shouldn’t manage five channels manually anymore What most brands get wrong with creative distribution How underused channels (like Microsoft) quietly drive results How to launch campaigns in October — not November — for peak BFCM gains Sync audiences across channels to reduce over-saturation Analyze top, middle, and bottom funnel cross-platform, not in silos If you’re a media buyer, growth lead, or a DTC founder trying to scale performance without losing your mind, this episode is your new best friend. Hashtags: #ecommerce #dtc #mediabuying #performancemarketing #paidmedia #digitalmarketing #aimarketing #martech #adtech #marketingautomation #omnichannel #fullfunnel #growthmarketing #customeracquisition #conversionrateoptimization #cro #marketingmix #crosschannel #attribution #metaads #googleads #tiktokads #youtubeads #shopify #ecommercegrowth #d2cpodcast Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction. Why overspending on one channel kills growth 04:22 – The “who, what, where” framework behind Blend’s composite funnel 10:00 – How AI launches full-funnel ads across every major platform 15:18 – Why Microsoft Ads is the most ignored growth channel 21:40 – Why Meta’s algorithm starves most of your creative 29:15 – How one brand tripled revenue with 20% less ad spend 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

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup When Amy joined Wildfang, she was running a storefront in Portland. 10 years later, she’s the President of a vertically-integrated DTC brand pulling $200 AOVs, 25% of revenue from extended sizing, and partnerships that drive CAC down by 50%. She also made a major paid media pivot — bringing on Pilothouse to reset their entire growth engine. For DTC founders scaling from $5–50M who are thinking about verticalization, performance marketing, or brand-led growth. 🔍 Inside this episode: How going vertical changed everything — from cashflow to creative Why extended sizing drives 25% of Wildfang’s revenue (and what it took to get there) The “90/10” Meta strategy that crushed Black Friday with Pilothouse The ROI of Debbie Harry and Taco Bell collabs (hint: it wasn’t just vibes) How to restructure ops, finance, and paid when profitability becomes the priority 👀 Who this is for: Brand founders, VP Growths, operators, and marketers building modern DTC brands 💥 What to steal: Pilothouse’s ad architecture playbook: reuse, reframe, retest A partnership model that blends licensing, NIL, and white-labeling How to spot “overthink” in your performance strategy — and simplify for scale 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

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup In this BFCM 2025 breakdown, Eric chats with Pilothouse's Head of Ecom Grayson Rudzki and Lead Strategist Abby to unpack what actually worked, what flopped, and how smarter strategy beat brute-force ad spend. For DTC marketers running paid, creative, or lifecycle retention How Pilothouse beat Meta's creative fatigue warnings What "targeting with creative" really means in 2025 Why retention—not acquisition—won this year Tactics for using AI without generating slop Real BFCM ads that moved the needle (with examples) Who this is for: Founders, brand-side marketers, and media buyers looking to de-risk spend and boost lifetime value What to steal: The "persona-led Christmas card ad" concept that crushed How to diversify creative for open targeting without burning out Simple Rebuy tweaks that doubled items per order Timestamps 00:00 AI reshaping BFCM strategy and creative testing 02:00 Record BFCM performance numbers and key takeaways 04:00 Why retention, baseline revenue, and loyalty mattered most 06:00 Real examples of AI workflows that saved teams time 08:00 Outdated playbooks vs the need for real strategists 10:00 Meta Andromeda, creative fatigue, and targeting with creative 12:00 Persona-driven creative example that drove conversions 14:00 Humor, culture, and relevance in winning ad creative 16:00 Diversified creative performance and lowered CPMs 18:00 The new state of UGC and authenticity on Meta 20:00 Post-click strategy, bundles, and conversion wins 22:00 2026 resolutions: intuition, creativity, and human strategy 24:00 Hero apps of the year: Rebuy, Triple Whale, and results Hashtags #BFCM #Ecommerce #EcommerceMarketing #DTC #MetaAds #FacebookAds #PerformanceMarketing #AIinMarketing #BlackFriday #CyberMonday #MarketingStrategy #CreativeStrategy #AdBuying #TripleWhale #Rebuy Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF571 Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Matthew Gohl took over the family business, Santevia, and turned it into a DTC powerhouse. In this episode, he breaks down how they scaled Amazon 2X, rebuilt their Meta ads strategy from the ground up, and landed a killer deal on Dragon’s Den. For DTC operators scaling beyond $5M and navigating Meta + Amazon growth channels: Why switching from Vendor Central to Seller Central was worth the 16-month headache How a $25 hero product failed on Meta, and why their $320 glass system now crushes The role of creative strategy in hitting $100K+ weekly spend without tanking ROAS How they prepped their brand for Dragon’s Den—and doubled baseline sales after The case for launching refillable, eco-focused SKUs in 2026 Who this is for: DTC operators, marketers, and founders looking to scale with lean teams and high-margin SKUs. What to steal: Creative briefing process that reduces wasted ad spend Why Meta sees "different creators" as "same ad" (and how to fix it) How to make a high-ticket product actually work in cold acquisition Timestamps: 00:00 Why creative diversity (not campaign complexity) is the real Meta unlock 03:05 Buying the family business and shifting from retail-first to DTC 06:48 Revenue dips, imposter syndrome, and trusting the long-term strategy 09:15 From 1 video every 2 weeks to 60 creatives by Friday (creative velocity shift) 13:02 Why hero products with higher AOV unlock profitable Meta spend 16:19 Meta’s Andromeda explained: aggregation + creative volume wins 30:34 Dragon’s Den moment: “I own that one” and why endorsements change everything Hashtags: #DTC #Ecommerce #MetaAds #CreativeStrategy #BrandBuilding #PerformanceMarketing #DirectToConsumer #PaidSocial #AdCreative #MarketingPodcast #EcommerceGrowth #ScalingBrands #FounderStory #Dragon’sDen #BFCM #RetailStrategy 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

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup This one’s for the Amazon operators. Eric's joined by Pilothouse's Amazon leads Tyler and Takai for a tactical BFCM debrief: how one brand 3x'd in November, and the optimizations that separated the winners from the stalled-out. For Amazon brands prepping for deal season 2026... Why adjusting bids every few hours on BFCM isn't overkill, it's table stakes How Buddha Board used Q1 seasonal keyword campaigns to dominate Q4 Why not discounting your hero product can kill your momentum—and rank What to watch: Buy Box battles, billing failures, and inventory stockouts Who this is for: Brands selling on Amazon, agencies running client accounts, operators trying to scale beyond ad-only growth What to steal: Search Query Performance Report: find keywords you're under-targeting with high conversion potential Deal discount strategy: 20% minimum, monitor competitor offers in real time Build keyword rank 6–12 months out from your key season Timestamps 00:00 Amazon BFCM optimization mindset 02:10 Why frequent bid and budget changes matter 04:00 How aggressive Amazon bid adjustments get during BFCM 07:00 Building Amazon keyword ranking before Q4 11:00 Buddha Board case study and seasonal keyword strategy 15:00 How early planning led to 3x November growth 17:00 Amazon buy box explained and reseller risks 23:30 Common BFCM pitfalls: billing, inventory, hero SKUs 28:00 What actually worked in Amazon BFCM 2025 29:50 The discount levels that moved buyers Hashtags #AmazonFBA #AmazonAdvertising #BFCMRecap #BlackFridayStrategy #CyberMonday #AmazonPPC #EcommerceMarketing #DTCBrands #AmazonBuyBox #AmazonGrowth #EcommercePodcast #Q4Strategy #AmazonCaseStudy #RetailMedia #Pilothouse Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF569 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 have Josip Begic, CEO and Co-Founder of Lebesgue, to answer the one question every DTC CEO asks: what’s actually working right now? With $4B in ad data and insights from 25,000+ brands, Henry AI cuts through the noise to pinpoint the exact levers that drive revenue up (or down). Get started with Henri AI inside Lebesgue–plans start at $79/month. This episode breaks down: Why conversion tanked 25% after a "small" discount code tweak How AI visibility (e.g. ChatGPT referrals) is becoming the new SEO Where Meta's AI (Andromeda) really works—and where it doesn't The biggest mistake DTCs are making with email segmentation Why attribution models need game theory (yes, really) If you’re a DTC founder scaling from $5M–20M, brand owner, growth lead, or a marketer who wants a smarter way to spot performance issues, this episode is a must listen. Timestamps 00:00 Lebesgue’s AI approach to ecommerce analytics 02:05 Why better measurement changes marketing decisions 04:00 How AI uncovered a hidden conversion rate issue 06:10 Correlation vs causation in attribution modeling 08:00 ChatGPT as a high-converting traffic source 10:05 Optimizing ecommerce sites for AI discovery 13:00 Why fundamentals still matter more than advanced AI 18:30 Common email marketing mistakes during peak periods 21:00 Using competitor data to find growth gaps 23:30 What CEOs see first when using Henry AI 27:00 Where AI agents and ecommerce are heading 31:00 AI visibility as the next growth battleground 33:00 Getting started with Lebesgue and pricing Hashtags #DTC #Ecommerce #AIinMarketing #MarketingAnalytics #Attribution #ChatGPT #AIDiscovery #MetaAds #GoogleAds #EmailMarketing #ConversionOptimization #FounderInsights #MarTech 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 Priyanka Ganjoo didn’t see herself in beauty, so she built the brand she always needed. Kulfi Beauty was born from a cultural gap in representation and a product gap in shades that actually worked for South Asian skin tones. Four years later? They’re in every Sephora in the US and Canada. For DTC founders scaling from organic roots into omnichannel retail... Why Priyanka started with zero ads and leaned all-in on community and cultural storytelling What she learned launching in Sephora (hint: velocity is everything) The unexpected go-to-market power of a $500 Central Park picnic How DTC creates halo effect on retail shelves (and vice versa) Why Kulfi still handpicks every creator they work with Who this is for: Founders navigating retail, community-led brands, and anyone building for an underrepresented audience What to steal: Use FB groups and 1:1 convos to validate early product ideas Build an ambassador program that turns into your model roster Don’t try to script creators—let their authentic POV fuel your ads Timestamps: 00:00 Why Community Is the Real Growth Engine 02:16 Why Priyanka Built Kulfi Beauty 03:40 The Product and Emotional Gap in South Asian Beauty 09:14 Building Community Before Spending on Ads 14:11 How Kulfi Got Discovered and Scaled With Sephora 18:46 Velocity Is the Only Retail Metric That Matters 21:58 Why UGC Powers Almost All of Their Meta Ads Hashtags: #DTC #DTCPodcast #BeautyBrands #BeautyFounders #Sephora #UGCMarketing #CreatorEconomy #MetaAds #TikTokForBrands #RetailStrategy #FounderStory #SouthAsianFounders 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

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - ⁠https://dtcnews.link/signup Meta's latest update wasn’t just noise. Pilothouse strategist Taylor Cain breaks down how Andromeda’s smarter delivery system let them consolidate campaigns, increase CTRs, and scale cleaner than ever this BFCM. For CMOs optimizing Meta spend across brands or business units... 30% YoY CTR lift through creative-persona alignment + fewer campaigns Why campaign consolidation is outperforming classic testing structures Partnership ads: how Pilothouse uses Meta’s dynamic features to drive both reach + retargeting How to rethink frequency, offer alignment, and creative iterations mid-campaign What MTA tools like Triple Whale unlocked when real-time tracking mattered most Who this is for: CMOs, paid media directors, and growth leads navigating platform complexity What to steal: Test in your best campaign, not in isolation (if the creative is ready) Meme-style statics backed by real offers = full-funnel magic Let performance inform your campaign segmentation — not the other way around Timestamps: 00:00 Meta’s Shift Away From Traditional Testing 01:08 What Actually Drove BFCM Winners 02:56 Andromeda’s Real Impact on Performance 04:22 Why CTR Jumped During BFCM 05:47 Consolidation Is Beating Fragmentation 07:37 How Creative Is Fed Into Winning Campaigns 11:00 Why Partnership Ads Took Off This Year 23:52 The Email + Paid Connection That Mattered Most Hashtags: #ecommerce #dtc #digitalmarketing #paidmedia #metads #andromeda #adcreative #performancemarketing #bfcmmarketing #q4marketing #retentionmarketing #emailmarketing #attribution #triplewhale #marketingstrategy #growthmarketing #ugcads #creatorads #partnershipads Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF567 Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup This episode of the DTC Podcast is a triple threat: Meta’s Jake Bailey returns to unpack the Cyber 5 data, Hungryroot’s Adam Weber shares how they scaled partnership ads to 50%+ of spend, and adMixt’s Kevin Simonson drops a masterclass on testing, attribution, and scenario planning. https://hungryroot.com https://admixt.com https://meta.com What’s inside: Why Cyber Monday hit softer — and which brands still crushed The shift from segment-based targeting to real personas (with matching creators) Why partnership ads are outperforming UGC — and how Hungryroot scaled them Meta’s new catalog + partnership ad combo (early tests: +20% performance) Q5 lead gen strategy: when volume spikes, competition drops If you’re running paid on Meta, an agency managing $500K+ budgets, or a brand that needs a serious Q5 plan, this episode is a must listen. Timestamps 00:00 Creative diversification and the rise of partnership ads 02:00 Hungryroot’s personalization model and marketing approach 04:00 Cyber Five performance trends and consumer behavior 08:00 Why partnership ads outperformed traditional UGC 12:00 How Hungryroot uses creators to reach distinct customer avatars 16:00 Evolution of whitelisting to partnership ads and catalog formats 20:00 How creator deal structures work in practice 24:00 The importance of agility and rapid pivots during Cyber Five 28:00 Q5: Why January is Hungryroot’s biggest moment 32:00 Campaign structure, testing, and Meta’s automation shift 37:00 Organic content, measurement, and 2026 predictions Hashtags #metaads #blackfridaymarketing #cybermondaystrategy #partnershipads #ugcads #ecommercemarketing #d2cpodcast #hungryroot #admixt #creativediversification 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 When Sarah Carusona showed up to a DTC event last year, she didn’t know it would spark her first client. That client’s still with her. Today she runs BA Commerce, where her team drops into brands and drives growth from the inside. For DTC founders scaling from $5M to $20M who need strategy and execution in one package. What you’ll learn: Why fractional CMOs often fall short and what brands really need instead How to drop in a trained operator who owns growth from top to bottom The key metrics Sarah watches before touching a budget: contribution margin, AMER, LTV, and the “organic ratio” Why most influencer budgets are broken and what happens when you tie pay to performance How to focus your team’s time when there’s no room for fluff Who this is for: Founders and growth leads who are tired of hiring gaps, agency fluff, and shiny-object distractions What to steal: Rebuild your org chart around execution, not job titles Structure your influencer deals like paid media, not PR Get obsessed with contribution margin and work backward from there Timestamps 00:00 Why micro-iterations waste ad spend 02:00 Sarah’s global move and early consulting leap 04:00 Building BA Commerce and the growth operator model 09:00 How Sarah evaluates brands and sets growth metrics 12:00 Creative fatigue, Andromeda, and persona-driven ads 15:00 Creator partnerships and a tiered influencer program 17:00 Why organic content still drives the biggest wins 19:00 Modern Meta account structure and testing philosophy 21:00 The biggest mistakes high-growth brands make 23:00 Why product quality drives everything in growth 25:00 Attribution, incrementality, and Sarah’s forecasting model 27:00 How Sarah uses AI and where she draws the line Hashtags #dtcpodcast #ecommerce #dtcbrands #mediabuying #growthmarketing #metaads #ugcads #influencermarketing #digitalstrategy #founderstories #shopifybrands #emailmarketing #smsmarketing #marketingpodcast #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 Jacob and Jocelyn from the Pilothouse Meta team break down what actually moved the needle for Meta advertisers this Black Friday/Cyber Monday. The biggest unlock? Being scrappy. The brands that crushed it weren’t over-optimized, they were just fast. Fast to tweak offers. Fast to drop weird creative. Fast to kill what wasn’t working. For DTC marketers managing Meta ads during promo periods. Why classic percentage-off offers still worked best What BOGO and free shipping offers actually drove performance How scrappy creative (think stick figures and UGC) outperformed polished ads Why lighter audience exclusions won this year Which account structures flopped and what replaced them Who this is for: Growth leads, ad buyers, DTC founders gearing up for Q1 What to steal: Shift back to shorter promo windows and preserve spend for tentpole days Run weird, low-fi creative without abandoning your personas Use lighter exclusions to let Meta optimize delivery more freely Timestamps 00:00 Black Friday performance trends and buying intent 02:00 Why brands with flexible offers won 04:00 Creative pivots and scrappy content outperforming polished ads 06:00 Best offers of the season and what actually moved customers 08:00 Millennial-targeted creative and why variety mattered 10:00 Meta delivery updates and lighter exclusion strategies 12:00 Dayparting, lifetime budgets and what stopped working 14:00 Post-click learnings and which landing pages converted 16:00 Emerging channels like AppLovin and Pinterest 18:00 How top brands are approaching post-BFCM and holiday scaling Hashtags #DTC #MetaAds #BFCM2025 #EcommerceMarketing #CreativeStrategy #PerformanceMarketing #PaidSocial #AppLovin #PinterestAds #BlackFridayInsights #CyberMondayMarketing #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=AKNF565 Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Eric sits down with Anthony DelPizzo, Director of Product Marketing at Triple Whale, to unpack what actually happened across $2.9B in tracked revenue and $607M in ad spend. This episode is your shortcut to what worked, what didn’t, and what’s next. Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2025 is in the books — and Triple Whale tracked every click, conversion, and creative that moved the needle. View the Report: triplewhale.com What’s inside: Why new customers made up 48% of BFCM revenue — and what that means for retention now TikTok’s surge: ROAS up 28%, CPMs down 30% — here's why brands shifted Google and Meta platform breakdown: who won, who lost, and who overcharged What Triple Whale’s real-time BFCM Live dashboard revealed in seconds How Mobi AI became the virtual teammate nearly 50,000 brands relied on mid-sale If you’re a DTC marketer, growth lead, media buyer, retention strategists, or anyone planning for 2026 Q4, this episode is a must listen. Timestamps 00:00 BFCM early surge and overall sales performance 02:00 New vs returning customer trends and major revenue drivers 04:00 Rising ad costs and platform efficiency shifts 06:00 TikTok, AppLovin and alternative channels gaining traction 08:00 Email and SMS insights from post-purchase data 10:00 Meta and Google cost changes and ROAS movement 12:00 Diversification and placement performance on major platforms 14:00 Category winners and unit economics 16:00 Shopify outage and real-time data advantages 18:00 How brands used Moby AI for BFCM decision-making 20:00 Top lessons for brands heading into 2026 Hashtags #DTC #TripleWhale #BFCM2025 #EcommerceMarketing #DigitalAdvertising #MetaAds #GoogleAds #TikTokAds #Attribution #MarketingData #AIForMarketing #MobyAI #Shopify #PerformanceMarketing #OmnichannelMarketing 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, Nik Sharma (founder of Sharma Brands) returns to the pod to dig into how DTC brands should be thinking right now: simple, tested offers for Black Friday/Cyber Week, and how to turn those one‑time buyers into repeat customers. For DTC operators scaling from ~$50 M to $500 M: What makes a Black Friday offer work (hint: simple, tested, clear). Why retention after the sale is your leverage — and how to bake it into flows, creative and post‑purchase experience. The internal creative strategist role: why brands who won the recent platform updates had strong in‑house creative ideation, not just an agency doing the work. The “two‑layer strategy” to ads: first who, then why — and how that applies to landing pages, creatives and funnels. Why many brands still get tracking/events wrong on landing pages and why that kills scale. Who this is for: Founders, growth leads and performance marketers in DTC brands who are heading into Q4 and want to both hit a big seasonal number and build playbooks for 2025. What to steal: A plain‑text thank‑you email from the founder that goes out post‑purchase (low cost, high emotional return). Structure your Black Friday/Cyber Week offer now: test ahead, keep it simple, and communicate what’s included vs not. Build the “creative strategist” role internally: someone whose job is crafting hooks, angles and formats for your brand (not just delegating to the agency). Timestamps 00:00 Retention mindset after Black Friday 02:00 Building simple and effective BFCM offers 04:00 Why most Black Friday customers don't return 06:00 Creative strategy and the Andromeda update 08:00 Why brands need an internal creative strategist 10:00 Going deeper on avatars and buyer psychology 12:00 Marpipe and the importance of better DPAs 14:00 Rethinking top-of-funnel in 2025 16:00 Cutting through the noise with creators and TikTok 18:00 Pharmacy trends, GLP-1s, peptides, and affiliates 20:00 Supplements, problem-solution marketing, and AI prompts 22:00 How Nik uses AI for reporting and creative inputs 24:00 Sharma Brands acquisition and team evolution 26:00 Sleep optimization and Q4 habits 28:00 Landing page fundamentals and data accuracy Hashtags #dtcpodcast #niksharma #sharmabrands #ecommercegrowth #bfcm2025 #blackfridaystrategy #d2cpodcast #directtoconsumer #marketingstrategy #facebookads #retentionmarketing #creativestrategy #andromeda #paidmedia #landingpages #marpipe #tiktokmarketing 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 Jocelyn from Pilothouse breaks down how their team stays aggressive, adapts fast, and helps clients scale efficiently—even on the actual day of Black Friday. For media buyers and growth teams optimizing in real-time... What to do when your CPMs and CACs spike day-of Why legacy evergreen might outperform your BFCM creative The one Canva trick Jocelyn uses to refresh high-cost ads fast What Rebuy is and how it helped one brand double YoY revenue How Pilothouse pushes Meta’s algorithm before it catches trend shifts Who this is for: DTC brands, marketers, and performance teams deep in BFCM trench warfare What to steal: Canva border hack to make organic product shots pop for BFCM Simplify site UX: static banners, one clear offer, above-the-fold CTA Don’t trust one dashboard—use the data triangle: Shopify, Meta, Triple Whale Timestamps 00:00 Black Friday PPC shifts and customer acquisition 02:05 Scrappy creatives that cut CPMs and boost conversions 04:20 Top of funnel focus and new customer strategies 06:30 Website optimizations to increase conversion rate today 08:50 How one brand hit 100 percent year over year growth 11:10 Dealing with delayed attribution and platform discrepancies 13:15 How Rebuy boosts AOV and top line revenue 15:20 Guiding the algorithm and deep audience persona testing 17:35 Wellness category trends and emerging demo shifts 18:55 Healthier on-platform metrics through segmentation Hashtags #dtcpodcast #blackfridaymarketing #ecommercetips #pilothouse #metaads #googleads #paidmedia #shopifybrands #rebuy #conversionrateoptimization #ecomstrategy #digitalmarketingtips Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF563 Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video