The Rectified Podcast

Sandy Dedeian
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Monthly

The Rectified Podcast is the go-to resource for founders navigating the complexities of Direct-to-Consumer (D2C), e-commerce, and retail brands. We dive into real conversations with fellow founders and experts who share authentic insights to help you scale your business with clarity. Join us to gain actionable strategies on: ✅ Scaling E-commerce, D2C & Retail operations ✅ Modern Brand Building across online and physical channels ✅ Social media & content strategies that drive traffic and conversions Hit FOLLOW to get actionable insights every week & turn your vision into a profitable reality!

  1. 3d ago

    #101 How to Launch a Brand in an Oversaturated Market

    The energy drink aisle is one of the most saturated categories in retail — dominated by billion-dollar brands with decades of shelf space locked up. So how do you launch a new brand into that and actually win? In this episode, I sit down with Jean-Olivier Campion, co-founder of Mana, a yerba mate energy brand that broke into IGA, Sobeys, Metro, Avril, and Lufa Farms across Quebec, Ontario, and BC — built by a five-person, no-office team with zero background in the beverage industry. We get into how a bootstrapped team went from zero to 100+ retail accounts in eight weeks, what it actually takes to pitch a major grocery chain, why they walked away from paid ads after realizing they needed an 11x return just to break even, and how they navigate one of the toughest parts of retail: fighting for (and keeping) shelf space. ⚡️Struggling to figure out where your business is leaking growth? Take my free 3R Framework Diagnostic. In 10 minutes, you'll discover if you need to Revamp, Reshape, or Reach ➡️ https://learn.rectified.co/brand-diagnostic ⚡️Join the Scale Partner Community, a FREE space where founders connect, exchange ideas, and support each other ➡️ community.rectified.co/scalepartner Mana’s Website: https://en.manayerbamate.com/ Mana on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manayerbamate/ Find me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/ Chapters:  00:00 Launching In Saturation 02:17 David Versus Goliath 09:14 Taste Test And Branding 17:53 Shelf Space Battles 22:03 Quebec Energy Drink Ban 24:31 Rapid Fire Questions 29:19 Signature Cocktail Recipe 35:19 Remote Work Loneliness 41:08 Final Wrap Up

    41 min

  2. Jul 3

    #100 What Every Successful Brand Founder Has in Common (After 100 Episodes)

    What do the most successful product brand founders all have in common? After hosting 100 episodes of The Rectified Podcast, I started noticing the same patterns showing up over and over again, no matter the product, no matter the industry. In this special solo episode, I'm breaking down the 5 biggest lessons my guests taught me about building and scaling a product brand. From the moment that changes everything (your first real customer) to the hard truth about resilience that most founders don't want to hear. In this episode, you'll learn: Why your first customer who isn't family or a friend matters more than you think The one thing every founder who scaled had around them Why starting before you're ready is not reckless — it's the only way How your personal story becomes your biggest competitive advantage Why resilience without a plan will still kill your business ⚡️Struggling to figure out where your business is leaking growth? Take my free 3R Framework Diagnostic. In 10 minutes, you'll discover if you need to Revamp, Reshape, or Reach ➡️ https://learn.rectified.co/brand-diagnostic ⚡️Join the Rectified Founders Community, a FREE space where founders connect, exchange ideas, and support each other ➡️ community.rectified.co/scalepartner Find me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/ Chapters: 0:00 — Intro: 100 Episodes Later 3:30 — Your First Real Customer Changes Everything 9:00 — You Can't Do This Alone 15:00 — Start Before You're Ready 21:00 — Your Personal Story IS Your Brand 27:00 — Resilience Without a Plan Will Still Kill Your Business 33:00 — Recap & What's Next

    18 min

  3. Jun 19

    #99 He Turned Down Retail Offers to Build This Snack Brand the Right Way

    Allan Glenfield spotted a gap that every Canadian meat lover knows: the best snack brands don't ship here. So he built one, starting with one SKU, no operations background, and a "worst case I eat a lot of meat sticks" attitude. In this episode, we get into how he validated the idea before spending a dollar on production, why he's actively turning down retail offers, the hidden cost that almost derailed the business, and how he's positioning Chuck as the family-friendly alternative in a category dominated by gas station brands. If you're building a physical product brand, this one's worth your time. Topics covered: How to validate a physical product before manufacturing D2C vs. retail — and why the wrong choice can kill your cash flow Amazon's dirty secret for new brands Family-friendly vs. fitness positioning: did it hurt or help? Working capital traps no one talks about ⚡️Struggling to figure out where your business is leaking growth? Take my free 3R Framework Diagnostic. In 10 minutes, you'll discover if you need to Revamp, Reshape, or Reach ➡️ https://learn.rectified.co/brand-diagnostic ⚡️Join the Scale Partner Community, a FREE space where founders connect, exchange ideas, and support each other ➡️ community.rectified.co/scalepartner Chuck’s Website: https://eatchuck.com/Chuck on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatchuck/ Find me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/ Chapters:  00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:22 Why Make Chuck 03:26 Validating Demand Fast 07:01 Launching D2C and Amazon 09:19 Retail Expansion Caution 10:22 Hidden Costs and Cash Flow 12:01 Marketing Shift and Positioning 17:25 Social Channels and Content 19:28 Email and Retention Plans 20:19 Rapid Fire Founder QandA

    25 min

  4. Jun 12

    #98 He scaled a mattress brand to $15M and why he'd never do it again

    He built one of Canada's fastest-growing mattress brands, scaled to $15M during the pandemic, and just went through an acquisition.  In this episode, Jeremiah Curvers, founder of Polysleep, breaks down exactly how he did it, from guerrilla marketing tactics in Montreal to a full retail strategy, and what every product founder needs to understand about brand trust before spending a dollar on ads. This one is a masterclass. ⚡️Struggling to figure out where your business is leaking growth? Take my free 3R Framework Diagnostic. In 10 minutes, you'll discover if you need to Revamp, Reshape, or Reach ➡️ https://learn.rectified.co/brand-diagnostic ⚡️Join the Scale Partner Community, a FREE space where founders connect, exchange ideas, and support each other ➡️ community.rectified.co/scalepartner Polysleep’s Website: https://polysleep.ca/ Polysleep on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poly_sleep/ Jeremiah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremiahcurvers/ Find me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/ Chapters: 01:28 Injury Sparks Idea 05:25 Branding and Virality 09:00 Pandemic to Exit 13:05 Exit Mindset Shift 17:43 Life After Acquisition 25:11 Marketing Today 31:45 Omnichannel Storytelling 35:01 Email Life Moments 38:13 Founder Trust Playbook 41:55 Rapid Fire Takeaways

    47 min

  5. May 22

    #97 A Dragon Told Me Exactly What He Looks For | Georges Karam

    What does it actually take to get a Dragon to invest in your product? Georges Karam has spent 7 seasons on Dans l'oeil du dragon (the Quebec version of Dragon's Den) and is one of the sharks on Shark Tank Lebanon's first season. He's seen hundreds of pitches — and turned most of them down. In this episode, Georges breaks down what makes him lean in or check out, the #1 mistake founders make in their pitch, why your first impression matters more than your financials, the difference between red ocean and blue ocean strategy for product brands, and why resilience without a financial plan will still kill your business. Georges also gets real about arrogance, staying grounded after success, and why there's no shortcut to building a solid foundation. Whether you're preparing to pitch investors or just trying to scale your product business past a plateau, this one's for you. ⚡️Struggling to figure out where your business is leaking growth? Take my free 3R Framework Diagnostic. In 10 minutes, you'll discover if you need to Revamp, Reshape, or Reach ➡️ https://learn.rectified.co/brand-diagnostic ⚡️Join the Scale Partner Community, a FREE space where founders connect, exchange ideas, and support each other ➡️ community.rectified.co/scalepartner Georges’ Website: https://georgeskaram.ca/ Georges on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgeskaram.one/ Get Georges’ Book: https://amzn.to/4uWFKBc Find me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/ Chapters: 0:00 — Intro 1:12 — From Lebanon to Montreal 10:42 — Success without arrogance 19:24 — Are entrepreneurs born or made? 27:00 — What a Dragon looks for in a pitch 34:30 — Advice for product founders

    46 min

  6. May 15

    #96 The Only Framework You Need to Scale Your Brand

    In this solo episode, I share the 3R framework, the exact system I use with clients for their product brand strategy. This masterclass will provide actionable business tactics to grow your business and help with scaling brands, positioning them as leaders. Learn how to refine your business strategy and enhance your branding for sustained success. ⚡️Struggling to figure out where your business is leaking growth? Take my free 3R Framework Diagnostic. In 10 minutes, you'll discover if you need to Revamp, Reshape, or Reach ➡️ https://learn.rectified.co/brand-diagnostic Find me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/ Chapters:  00:33 Three R Framework Overview 01:08 Revamp Brand Psyche 03:36 Reshape Growth Strategy 06:09 Reach Audience Growth 08:27 Find Your Weakest R 09:03 Free Diagnostic Next Steps

    9 min

  7. May 8

    #95 Why Most Brands Fail on Amazon (And How to Actually Win)

    If you're a product brand and you're not on Amazon yet, you're leaving money on the table. In this episode, I sit down with Michael Maher, founder of Cartology, to break down exactly what it takes to launch, advertise, and win on Amazon — from choosing between 1P and 3P, to the ad strategy most brands get completely wrong, to what AI (hello, Rufus) could mean for the future of selling on the platform. ⚡️Scale Your Product Brand: Struggling to figure out where your business is leaking growth? Take my free 3R Framework Diagnostic. In 10 minutes, you'll discover if you need to Revamp, Reshape, or Reach ➡️ https://learn.rectified.co/brand-diagnostic ⚡️Join the Scale Partner Community, a FREE space where founders connect, exchange ideas, and support each other ➡️ community.rectified.co/scalepartner Cartology Website: https://thinkcartology.com/ Cartology on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkcartology/ Cartology on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/cartology/ Find me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/ Chapters: 3:15 — Why your brand needs to be on Amazon in 2026 8:00 — 1P vs 3P: Which model should you choose? 13:20 — Do you need Amazon ads or can you grow organically? 19:00 — Optimizing your product listing (images, copy, A+ content) 23:30 — What to expect in your first 30–60 days 25:40 — The pricing trap that kills your buy box 27:50 — Does Amazon buy Google Shopping ads? 29:30 — The #1 mistake brands make on Amazon 32:00 — AI, Rufus, and predictions for 2027 36:00 — Why you shouldn't build Amazon in-house

    32 min

  8. May 1

    #94 | 85% of People Don't Use AI Yet. Here's What They're Missing

    85% of people have never used AI. So why does everyone act like it's replacing us? In this episode, I sit down with Jean Philippe Arcand, co-founder of Glowtify, to talk about what AI actually does well, where it completely falls short, and why most businesses are using it wrong.We get into the AI hype machine, why the biggest VCs are saying the future of SaaS is service, how Glowtify is building full marketing functions for companies that don't have one, and where we need to draw the line with AI before it stops us from thinking for ourselves.⚡️Scale Your Product Brand: Struggling to figure out where your business is leaking growth? Take my free 3R Framework Diagnostic. In 10 minutes, you'll discover if you need to Revamp, Reshape, or Reach ➡️ https://learn.rectified.co/brand-diagnostic⚡️Join the Scale Partner Community, a FREE space where founders connect, exchange ideas, and support each other ➡️ community.rectified.co/scalepartnerGlowtify Website: https://glowtify.com/ Glowtify on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glowtify.app/Glowtify on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/glowtify/Find me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/Chapters:00:44 What Glowtify Does05:39 AI Bubble And Adoption Reality15:39 Future Of SaaS Is Service22:24 Democratizing Marketing With AI33:26 Will AI Replace Us40:57 Entrepreneur Mindset With AI42:51 AI Traps and Guardrails

    46 min
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5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

The Rectified Podcast is the go-to resource for founders navigating the complexities of Direct-to-Consumer (D2C), e-commerce, and retail brands. We dive into real conversations with fellow founders and experts who share authentic insights to help you scale your business with clarity. Join us to gain actionable strategies on: ✅ Scaling E-commerce, D2C & Retail operations ✅ Modern Brand Building across online and physical channels ✅ Social media & content strategies that drive traffic and conversions Hit FOLLOW to get actionable insights every week & turn your vision into a profitable reality!

Information

  • Creator
    Sandy Dedeian
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    101
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Sandy Dedeian
  • Show Website
    The Rectified Podcast