DTC Podcast

DTC Newsletter and Podcast
  • 5.0 (25)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED DAILY

Weekly discussions between disruptive direct to consumer ecommerce brands and our amazing team about marketing, funnels, and everything scaling related. Subscribe to our newsletter for highlights and step by step tactical insights 👉🏻 📦 directtoconsumer.co

  1. Ep 574: How Pretty Litter Scaled to $300M+ With Only 12 Employees

    1D AGO

    Ep 574: How Pretty Litter Scaled to $300M+ With Only 12 Employees

    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 productThe secret to high-margin DTC logistics (and how silica unlocked DTC viability)Daniel’s media buying strategy in year 1 that drove $750K soloHow 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 playbookRetention-driven brand buildingThe 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

    57 min
  2. Ep 573: Where Should That Click Go? Landing Pages, Homepages, and PDPs (TWBERP)

    4D AGO

    Ep 573: Where Should That Click Go? Landing Pages, Homepages, and PDPs (TWBERP)

    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 pathWhy “anchoring” and UX sequencing can dramatically change conversion ratesHow testing new PDP structures (including delaying price) can increase resultsHow to build fast, scrappy landing pages that plug cleanly into ShopifyWhat heatmaps, scroll behavior, and section-level engagement reveal about frictionWhy 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

    38 min
  3. Bonus: Mastering the Marketing Mix: Composite Funnels, and the End of Meta Monoculture with Dean Krowitz from Blend AI

    6D AGO

    Bonus: Mastering the Marketing Mix: Composite Funnels, and the End of Meta Monoculture with Dean Krowitz from Blend AI

    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. Learn More about Blend AI: blend-ai.com What You’ll Learn: Why composite funnels matter more than platform-specific attributionHow Blend automates budget shifts based on live conversion dataWhy humans shouldn’t manage five channels manually anymoreWhat most brands get wrong with creative distributionHow underused channels (like Microsoft) quietly drive resultsHow to launch campaigns in October — not November — for peak BFCM gainsSync audiences across channels to reduce over-saturationAnalyze 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

    38 min
  4. EP 572: The $200 AOV DTC Brand Built on Pockets, Partnerships, and Purpose

    2025-12-29

    EP 572: The $200 AOV DTC Brand Built on Pockets, Partnerships, and Purpose

    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 creativeWhy 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 PilothouseThe 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, retestA partnership model that blends licensing, NIL, and white-labelingHow 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

    52 min
  5. Ep 571: How Pilothouse Cut BFCM CPMs With Smarter Creative (2025 Recap)

    2025-12-26

    Ep 571: How Pilothouse Cut BFCM CPMs With Smarter Creative (2025 Recap)

    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 warningsWhat "targeting with creative" really means in 2025Why retention—not acquisition—won this yearTactics for using AI without generating slopReal 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 crushedHow to diversify creative for open targeting without burning outSimple 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

    26 min
  6. Ep 570: Inside the Dragon's Den with Santevia and How they 2Xed Amazon Revenue by Taking Back Control

    2025-12-22

    Ep 570: Inside the Dragon's Den with Santevia and How they 2Xed Amazon Revenue by Taking Back Control

    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 headacheHow a $25 hero product failed on Meta, and why their $320 glass system now crushesThe role of creative strategy in hitting $100K+ weekly spend without tanking ROASHow they prepped their brand for Dragon’s Den—and doubled baseline sales afterThe 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 spendWhy 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

    40 min
  7. Ep 569: How Pilothouse 3x'd Buddha Board with a Year-Long BFCM Strategy and Hyper-Vigilant Milkshake Drinking

    2025-12-19

    Ep 569: How Pilothouse 3x'd Buddha Board with a Year-Long BFCM Strategy and Hyper-Vigilant Milkshake Drinking

    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 stakesHow Buddha Board used Q1 seasonal keyword campaigns to dominate Q4Why not discounting your hero product can kill your momentum—and rankWhat 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 potentialDeal discount strategy: 20% minimum, monitor competitor offers in real timeBuild 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

    32 min
  8. Bonus: How an AI CMO Can Jump Your Revenue 25%

    2025-12-17

    Bonus: How an AI CMO Can Jump Your Revenue 25%

    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 tweakHow AI visibility (e.g. ChatGPT referrals) is becoming the new SEOWhere Meta's AI (Andromeda) really works—and where it doesn'tThe biggest mistake DTCs are making with email segmentationWhy 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

    34 min
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5
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

Weekly discussions between disruptive direct to consumer ecommerce brands and our amazing team about marketing, funnels, and everything scaling related. Subscribe to our newsletter for highlights and step by step tactical insights 👉🏻 📦 directtoconsumer.co

Information

  • Creator
    DTC Newsletter and Podcast
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    693
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 352487
  • Show Website
    DTC Podcast

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