On this episode of DTC POD, Dylan Menter shares his journey from building literal rockets to bootstrapping his own CPG business. We discuss the challenges, research, and scaling up production of his product. We cover everything from patents, to manufacturing, to bootstrapping, to purchase orders, to branding on this info packed episode. Here's a few more key themes we'll dive into: 1. Building in saturated markets 2. Creating a unique product 3. Research and collaboration with professionals 4. Scaling a solo operation 5. Importance of having a stable job 6. Navigating the manufacturing proces ..read more

On this episode of DTC POD, the Kippenbergers join Blaine & Ramon to talk about turning a $1000 magazine about powerboating and avante garde transportation into a lifestyle brand of choice for billionaires. They've done everything from having a race boat team, a rally car team, to furniture collaborations with Ligne Roset and selling the most expensive cold brew coffee in the world. They discuss their brand's values and approach to collaborations over industry gatekeepers, and the risks involved in pursuing growth. Additionally, we focus on quality and design principles for modern brands ..read more

On this episode of DTC POD, Tui joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about transforming traditional financing options for brands in the CPG space. Her focus at Ampla is creating purpose-built financial products that prioritize trust, partnership, simplicity, and speed/innovation. Tui discusses the importance of aligning around a company's mission and vision and the need to be intentional about channels required to scale and achieve success. We cover: Customer empathy and market understanding Omnichannel solutions for brands Building and scaling physical products Long-term planning and KPI trackin ..read more

Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop. On this episode of DTC POD, we dive into the fundamentals of launching a product across different types of companies. We discuss why internal marketing and communication are vital, and how a lack thereof can lead to a failed launch. Derek explains how launches involve more than just a checklist of tasks, encompassing planning, coordination, and support. We learn the importance of building a centralized repository of knowledge and automating processes to streamline launches. (00:03:44) Launching diverse companies (00:06:54) Planning, enablement ..read more

On this episode of DTC POD, dive into the art of content creation, Philip joins Blaine to share his insights on defining content pillars and optimizing for views and followers. They discuss the importance of hyper-testing and copying when starting out, as well as the power law of content distribution. They chat about what makes unique and memorable content, and how content differs for B2B and D2C brands. They also touch upon the importance of content ROI and share case studies of successful startups. Here's what you'll learn.. 1. What are content pillars, and why are they important for conten ..read more

On this episode of DTC POD, Scout joins Blaine to dive into the world of branding, marketing, and entrepreneurship. We talk about Katy Perry's involvement in building her flagship non-alcoholic beverage brand, as well as exploring the lasting trend of health and wellness driving consumer behavior, the importance of social media presence, and the impact of beverage sales in-store. We learn about De Soi's scrappy approach to working with brand ambassadors, finding product-market fit in their direct-to-consumer (DTC) business, and their focus on efficient and sustainable growth. [00:03:16] Learn ..read more

Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop. On this episode of DTC POD, Sydney Sykes of Lightspeed Venture Partners joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about the current state of direct-to-consumer brands and e-commerce. Sydney shares her experience in venture capital and growing direct-to-consumer brands, and offers advice for founders seeking investment. We also dive into various topics including circular fashion to generative AI and SEO, and how they are transforming the modern e-commerce landscape. We also discuss how to create unique demand and distribution advantages, the importance of ..read more

On this episode of DTC Pod, We dive into the challenges of building a product that combines traditional accounting, finance, and tax with the progressive world of DTC, and the importance of financial statements, tax-saving opportunities, and inventory management. We also explore the impact of integrating real-time cost of goods sold data, the importance of understanding profit, financing, and cash flow, and the potential of measuring return on net profit. Finally, we talk about ways to identify profitable products and unlock business opportunities, and why focusing on conversion alone may not ..read more

Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop. On this episode of DTC Pod, Izzy Joins Blaine to lead a masterclass on saving on shipping. 1. What are the most common mistakes when negotiating shipping rates? 2. What surcharges and hidden fees most commonly drain shipping budget? 3. What are the most common overlooked details that make brands lose money on shipping? 4. What type of shipping carrier is best for my store? shownotes powered by castmagic   00:04:28 - Shipping costs = 10% of revenue 00:09:31 - Create account, leverage resellers 00:14:08 - Consult peers, ask for transparency 0 ..read more

On this episode of DTC Pod, Athan joins Blaine for a deep dive in what it takes to launch one of the fastest growing travel brands. Here's a few of the questions we answer on the show: 1. How did July create the world's lightest carry-on luggage? 2. How did they find market validation before even talking to one customer? 3. What is July's biggest secret to rapid growth? 4. How is retail driving the brand forward in 2023? 5. How many product iterations have they gone through in 4 years? 0:00 - 1:30 - Introduction to July 00:02:32 - Partnered to enter mobile market dominated by Samsonite. 00:05 ..read more