The Rectified Podcast

Sandy Dedeian
  • 5.0 (3)
  • 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. 2d ago

    #109 Cut Costs or Keep Trust. Every Product Brand Faces This.

    Every product brand eventually faces the same decision: cut your ingredient costs and grow faster, or protect the formula and grow slower. Pierrich Picard has been refusing the first option for almost ten years. Pierrich is the founder of Gutsy, the Montreal fermented beverage brand he started in 2017 and has grown into more than 1,000 stores across Quebec and Ontario, with a ginger beer that was named best in the world last year. In this episode, he explains: The margin trap: an ingredient swap can cut your costs by 90 percent, which is why so many clean brands quietly reformulate once investors get involved. Why "natural" means almost nothing: natural flavour is unregulated to the point where he found solvents listed inside one. What refusing costs you: protecting real ingredients has limited his growth by a multiple, and he explains what he gets back for it. National TV is not a sales channel: his Dans l'oeil du dragon appearance grew in-store sales 82 percent in a week with no deal signed, and the relationships mattered more than the money. Clout is not revenue: the brands with the loudest communities are often the ones without the sales, and he has stopped competing for attention. Follow Gutsy: Gutsy on the web: https://gutsydrinks.com/ Gutsy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gutsydrinks/ Find me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/ Sponsors: Metricool- Schedule all your content in one place. Use code RECTIFIED for a 30-day free trial of any tier: https://i.mtr.cool/RSBQOY Chapters:  00:00 Intro 01:16 Did prebiotic sodas take the gut health market 02:25 Why clean brands quietly change their ingredients 04:34 Fermented versus added probiotics 06:36 The side product that became best in the world 09:39 Dans l'oeil du dragon: 82% in a week, no deal 11:12 The darker side nobody shows 14:36 How it started in Nicaragua 15:48 The investor who wanted cheaper ingredients 17:00 What saying no costs you in margin 23:55 What natural flavour is allowed to mean 26:58 Starting on tap instead of in cans 30:46 Small shops, big chains, shelf space politics 40:07 Ten years in: becoming more himself 44:02 Three things for founders in a hard season

  2. Sep 25

    #108 Why Your Holiday Ads Aren't Converting (Fix This First)

    You pour money into ads during the holidays and watch it disappear. Your traffic goes up, your spend goes up, but the sales don't follow. If that's the frustration, this episode is the fix. In Part 3 of our monthly Holiday-Ready E-Commerce series, I sit down with e-commerce expert Nora Arzoumanian (20+ years scaling product brands) to break down paid ads and creative for Q4, how to stop wasting budget and actually get traffic that converts before the costs spike in November. Here's what you'll learn: – Why your holiday ad costs explode, and how to spend less by starting now – How to warm up your audiences and build your funnel before the rush – Where your budget should go in October vs November – Why turning ads on and off is quietly killing your results – What's working in creative right now: UGC, video, and static – Why the creative, not the targeting, now drives everything – ROAS, CPM, CPC, CPA explained simply 🎧 Catch up on the series: Part 1 – Website & Conversions: https://youtu.be/NukNBBi4BxI?si=rGp-jmpJVI2POImX Part 2 – Email & SMS: https://youtu.be/YqIGwUHZ3HY?si=XifCJ3lBKdfJPIJu Find me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/ New episodes drop monthly through December. Subscribe so you don't miss Part 4. Chapters 0:00 – Why your holiday ads aren't converting 3:19 – Start now: test before costs spike 8:34 – Where your budget should go, month by month 12:56 – What creative actually works right now 31:47 – The ad metrics that matter (ROAS, CPM, CPC, CPA) 43:59 – The 3 things to do before the holidays

  3. Sep 18

    #107 You Didn't Start a Business to Be on Camera. Here's How to Do It Anyway.

    Most product founders didn't get into business to be on camera. They wanted to make the thing and let it speak for itself, and then they found out it doesn't. Christopher Dedeyan is a professional speaker who trains entrepreneurs to communicate. In this conversation, he breaks down why the people who look effortless are the ones who practised the most, how to get clear on your message before you worry about making content, and why an introvert should aim to go up two points instead of trying to become another Tony Robbins.If you'd rather just make your product than talk about it, this one is for you.Christopher's last appearance on the show is still the most watched episode I've ever put out. If you haven't seen it, watch that one next: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bndPDdONBnEChristopher on the web: https://www.christopherdedeyan.com/Christopher on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christopherdedeyan/Play for Profit (English): https://link.amazon/B0hrHZaKUPlay for Profit (Armenian edition): https://newmag.am/en/book/play-for-profitFind me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/pters02:01 Why Communication Matters06:06 Frameworks Without Robot Mode11:05 Clarity Before You Pitch16:13 Communicating On Screen22:32 Introverts And Energy Range27:32 Build Real Self-Esteem30:17 Social Media For Founders34:26 Sports Meets Business43:46 Faith And Morning Rituals46:02 Three Communication Tips

  4. Aug 28

    #106 The Email & SMS Plan to Win Black Friday

    Last holiday season, shoppers spent over $1 trillion, and the brands that cashed in weren't the ones with the biggest ad budgets. They were the ones who owned their audience. Your social followers can disappear with an algorithm change, but your email and SMS list is yours, and it's the most profitable channel most product brands ignore. In Part 2 of our monthly Holiday-Ready E-Commerce series, I sit down with e-commerce expert Nora Arzoumanian (20+ years in e-commerce) to build your email and SMS plan for Black Friday, from the automations that make money on autopilot to the exact campaign calendar that wins Q4. Here's what you'll learn: – Why email is a goldmine and social traffic is just borrowed – When SMS is worth it (and how to use it without burning your list) – Abandoned cart done right: the 3 to 4 email sequence that recovers the sale – How to build your list now with pop-ups and lead gen, before the rush – How to plan your Black Friday email calendar and how often to send 🛠️ Tools mentioned: Shopify (affiliate):  Start free, build for $1/month, earn up to $13,000 in credits as you sell: https://shopify.pxf.io/rectified Metricool: Schedule all your content in one place. Use code RECTIFIED for a 30-day free trial of any tier: https://i.mtr.cool/RSBQOY Find me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/ 🎧 New to Nora? Watch her first episode here: https://youtu.be/ZgzgOkBwfjY?si=AsHFHkAJ48sZosAT New episodes in this series drop monthly through December. Subscribe so you don't miss one. Chapters 00:00 Email Matters More 03:14 Abandoned Cart Basics 10:12 Build Your List Now 12:57 Clean Up Unengaged 15:02 Subscriber Value Math 17:35 Core Email Automations 24:33 Holiday Campaign Planning 30:53 Email Frequency Strategy 34:28 SMS During Black Friday 44:23 Deliverability And List Health 48:21 Convert Followers To Email

  5. Aug 14

    #105 The 2026 Brand Playbook: How Small Brands Beat Big Budgets

    Reese De Luca ran ads for three months. They brought in one order. He hasn't spent money on ads since, and today about 75% of his sales come from standing behind a table and talking to people. In this episode, Reese breaks down how he built Skincare for Weirdos from a single pimple patch into a full four-step routine without investors, loans, or an ad budget. We talk about why he almost named the brand Patchy and what changed his mind, how being called a weirdo growing up became the most valuable asset he owns, why his pimple patches aren't even in his top five sellers anymore and why that was the plan, the discipline of making every product earn its place on the table, how he built a booth people stop at instead of scroll past, and the 25 years of fashion and design experience that let him skip the $20,000 branding agency invoice. If your product is good but your brand could belong to anyone, this one is for you. 🎯 FREE LIVE WORKSHOP – August 20: I'm walking you through the 3R Strategy, the exact framework I use with private clients to break through growth plateaus. Live on Zoom, kept small, completely free. Save your spot: https://learn.rectified.co/break-through-your-growth-plateau Skincare for Weirdos on the web: https://skincareforweirdos.com/Skincare for Weirdos on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skincareforweirdosSkincare for Weirdos on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@skincareforweirdos Find me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/ Chapters:  02:46 Origin of the Weirdoverse 08:32 Product Development Process 15:30 Pop-Ups as Growth Engine 18:40 Shopify POS and Email Flows 23:38 Social Content Mix 29:39 Wholesale Growth Plan 33:38 Advice for Founders 36:08 Funding Without Debt

  6. Jul 31

    #104 Most Websites Aren't Ready for Black Friday 2026

    Last holiday season, shoppers spent over $1 trillion, and most small businesses lost their share before the season even started.  In Part 1 of our monthly Holiday-Ready E-Commerce series, I sit down with e-commerce expert Nora Arzoumanian (20+ years scaling product brands) to break down exactly how to turn your website into a machine that converts before the Q4 rush hits.  If you're a product business, this is the foundation everything else is built on; fix this first, before you spend a dollar on ads. 🛠️ Tools mentioned: Shopify (affiliate):  Start free, build for $1/month, earn up to $13,000 in credits as you sell: https://shopify.pxf.io/rectified  Metricool: Schedule all your content in one place. Use code RECTIFIED for a 30-day free trial of any tier: https://i.mtr.cool/RSBQOY Find me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian L inkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/ 🎧 New to Nora? Watch her first episode here: https://youtu.be/ZgzgOkBwfjY?si=AsHFHkAJ48sZosAT New episodes in this series drop monthly through December. Subscribe so you don't miss one. Chapters 01:24 Series Kickoff With Nora 04:32 Conversion Rate Benchmarks 07:50 Analytics And Funnel Drops 14:00 Product Page Trust Builders 19:07 Checkout Friction Fixes 25:25 Homepage Placement Strategy 28:41 Holiday Conversion Mindset 36:24 SEO GEO Priorities 41:45 Map Customer Journey 44:09 Post Purchase Delight 46:12 Three Holiday Priorities

  7. Jul 24

    #103 Every Big Retailer Said No to Her Product. Now She's in 800 Stores.

    Every big grocery chain told Emma Lukian no. Every co-packer in Quebec told her no. Even the Dragons on Dans l'œil du dragon told her she'd never find one. Six years later, Good Big Nice kimchi is in almost 800 stores across Quebec, including Metro, IGA and Super C. In this episode, Emma breaks down exactly what was blocking her from big retail for four years and how she finally cracked it. We talk about the real cost of getting on a big banner shelf (including the $7,000 per SKU listing fee nobody warns you about), why she had to stop looking for a co-packer and start looking for a partner, what happened when a four-month warehouse strike wiped out one of her biggest sales channels, and the moment she realized she'd been tracking revenue while having no idea how much money she was actually making per jar. If your product is selling but you can't seem to break into bigger retail, this one is for you. 🎯 FREE LIVE WORKSHOP – August 20: I'm walking you through the 3R Strategy, the exact framework I use with private clients to break through growth plateaus. Live on Zoom, kept small, completely free. Save your spot: Good Big Nice on the web: https://www.goodbignice.com/Good Big Nice on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodbignice/ 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 02:52 First Store Breakthrough 09:30 Funding the Scale Up 15:42 Kebwich Collab Challenge 20:06 Budgeting for Big Retail 23:17 Metro Strike Supply Shock 28:12 New Flavor Pikliz Launch 33:58 Marketing Needs a Strategy

  8. Jul 17

    #102 They Spent $1.4M on a Product That Isn't Even Out Yet

    How do you spend $1.4 million on a product that isn't even on the market yet, and still have customers paying in full a year before it ships? In this episode, I sit down with George Korkejian, co-founder and COO of Rozvelt, the Montreal brand behind the Vektr, a premium breath-filtration wearable for hunting, wildlife photography, and soon defense. George spent a decade on the other side of the table, investing in startups through a VC fund and running an accelerator, before finally taking his own advice and building a company himself. We get into what $1.4M actually buys before a hardware product ever hits the market, how they validated a product nobody knew they needed, why they called every single pre-order customer to ask why they bought, and the full story behind their Dans l'oeil du dragon deal, including why they skipped the bunker and countered a dragon with a royalty deal on the spot. FREE LIVE WORKSHOP — August 20: I'm walking you through the 3R Strategy, the exact framework I use with my private clients to help product brands break through their growth plateau. 90 minutes, live on Zoom, kept small so you can ask your questions. Save your spot: [insert link] Rozvelt’s Website: https://www.rozvelt.com/ Rozvelt on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rozveltofficial/ Find me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/ Chapters:  02:39 Scent Control Outdoors 07:37 Origin Story Hunting 14:53 Why Hardware Costs 21:28 Premium Pricing Logic 25:35 Dragon Show Journey 31:22 After Airing Growth 35:00 Grit And Burnout 39:09 Taking Chances Finale

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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!

Information

  • Creator
    Sandy Dedeian
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    109
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Sandy Dedeian
  • Show Website
    The Rectified Podcast