The Rectified Podcast

Sandy Dedeian

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. 6d ago

    #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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. Apr 24

    #93 AI Is Raising the Bar for Brand Messaging—Here's What That Means for Founders

    Is AI making your brand messaging better, or just louder? In this episode of the Rectified Podcast, I sit down with communication expert and Aria Consulting founder, Amandine Michaud. As an MBA colleague and seasoned corporate strategist, Amandine explores the shift from "mass content" to "meaningful connection" in a world saturated by ChatGPT and Claude. If you’ve felt the "AI fatigue" on LinkedIn or struggle to keep your brand's voice authentic while using new tools, this conversation is for you. We dive deep into why the most successful brands of the future won't be the ones with the best prompts, but the ones with the most human hearts. ⚡️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 Aria Consulting’s Website: https://www.ariaco.com/ Aria Consulting on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ariaconseils/ Amandine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandinemichaud/ 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 – Intro: Meet Amandine Michaud. 04:30 – From Pianist to Communication Consultant: The art of connection. 09:15 – Why big brands struggle with clarity (and how to find yours). 14:00 – The "LinkedIn AI Pattern" and why it’s killing engagement. 19:45 – How to use AI for brainstorming without losing your "voice." 25:30 – The ROI of authenticity: Why being yourself is more efficient. 32:00 – Predictions for the next 5 years: Analog vs. Digital.

    47 min
  7. Apr 9

    #92 E-Commerce Brands: Stop Spending on Ads Until You Do This First

    Most e-commerce brands pour money into paid ads before their foundation is solid, and that's exactly why they're not converting. In this episode, Sandy sits down with Nora Arzoumanian, Head of E-Commerce at Mobilia, with over two decades of experience scaling e-commerce for product-based brands across multiple industries. Together, they break down what actually drives e-commerce conversions, why email marketing and SMS outperform paid ads for product brands, and what small and mid-size brands can do today to move the needle without burning through their budget. What you'll learn in this episode: Why your paid ads are not converting and what to fix first How to use email marketing and SMS to drive consistent revenue for your product brand The trust signals every e-commerce website needs to reduce friction and increase conversions The difference between SEO and GEO and what it means for product brand visibility How to optimize your e-commerce website for both search engines and real buyers Whether you are just launching your DTC brand or trying to scale past a plateau, this episode is packed with practical e-commerce marketing strategies you can apply immediately. ⚡️Join the waitlist to be notified about our monthly workshops ➡️ https://learn.rectified.co/2026-workshop-waitlist ⚡️Join the Rectified Founders Community, a FREE space where you connect, exchange ideas, and support each other ➡️ community.rectified.co/scalepartner Nora on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noraarzoumanian/ 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 Meet Nora Arzoumanian 07:18 Paid Ads Reality Check 10:20 Email Marketing Goldmine 20:27 Selling High Ticket Online 25:46 Website Content and UGC 29:29 Analytics and Journey Mapping 31:57 SEO Meets GEO 37:44 Designing for Humans and AI 40:31 Three Quick Wins

    43 min
5
out of 5
3 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!