The Growth Class with Phil Masiello

Phil Masiello
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Join Phil Masiello on Crunching Your Growth, a weekly show, designed for entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses. Every episode features exclusive interviews with founding entrepreneurs who have successfully grown their ventures, offering invaluable advice and actionable strategies. From tales of triumph to close calls, each guest shares the lessons they’ve learned on their growth journey, providing viewers with the insights and tactics needed to achieve their own business success. Whether you're just starting out or you're ready to scale, Crunching Your Growth is packed with practical tips to help you overcome challenges and seize growth opportunities. Hear inspiring anecdotes, uncover key growth tactics, and gain access to insider knowledge from those who have been in your shoes. A must-watch for anyone serious about scaling their business!

  1. 3d ago

    Retail E-Commerce: Scaling a Suit Business Across Multiple Channels with Marty Babayov

    In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Marty Babayov, founder of The Suit Depot.  Marty shares how he turned a teenage eBay reselling hustle into a multimillion-dollar menswear business, evolving from clearance and overstock inventory into manufacturing, direct-to-consumer e-commerce, and brick-and-mortar retail.  The conversation explores the economics of selling through marketplaces like Amazon, the importance of owning the customer relationship, and how combining e-commerce volume with in-house manufacturing can support more competitive pricing and scalable growth.  Marty also explains why The Suit Depot has focused on building repeatable systems and processes before expanding its retail footprint, including reducing founder involvement in day-to-day operations.  The Suit Depot website: https://thesuitdepot.com/ Support the show There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me.  I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.  We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips  #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

    Retail E-Commerce: Scaling a Suit Business Across Multiple Channels with Marty Babayov

  2. 5d ago

    Craft Rum Distilling: Building a Local Spirits Brand with JoAnn Elardo

    In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Massiello interviews JoAnn Elardo, founder and owner of Wicked Dolphin Distillery.  JoAnn shares the unconventional entrepreneurial journey that took her from building an international footwear and apparel business across 11 countries to creating a craft rum brand rooted in Florida agriculture. They explore how spotting an overlooked market opportunity led to the creation of Wicked Dolphin, the challenges of entering an industry with restrictive regulations, and how JoAnn helped push for changes to Florida’s craft distilling laws.  The conversation also covers building a differentiated product through local ingredients and quality, growing organically through distribution, and deciding when to pursue expansion through new markets, partnerships, or acquisitions.  Wicked Dolphin website: https://wickeddolphin.com Support the show There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me.  I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.  We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips  #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

    Craft Rum Distilling: Building a Local Spirits Brand with JoAnn Elardo

  3. 6d ago

    Legacy Brand Growth: Modernizing Natural Foods Through E-Commerce with Mitchell Hagan

    In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Massiello interviews Mitchell Hagan, CEO and President of Country Life Natural Foods.  Mitchell shares how his background in healthcare administration shaped his approach to leading a legacy natural foods business and discusses the transition from traditional food distribution to a predominantly e-commerce-driven model. The conversation explores how Country Life Natural Foods is modernizing a decades-old brand through e-commerce, AI-powered shopping experiences, and a carefully curated product selection while maintaining its focus on quality, convenience, and customer service.  Phil and Mitchell also examine customer acquisition and retention in an increasingly competitive market, including why word-of-mouth can be one of the most effective growth channels and how delivering an exceptional customer experience can turn existing customers into a source of new business. They also discuss the challenges of expanding from e-commerce into physical retail and how lessons from digital commerce can shape a more engaging, customer-focused retail experience.  Country Life Natural Foods website: https://countrylifefoods.com Support the show There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me.  I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.  We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips  #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

    Legacy Brand Growth: Modernizing Natural Foods Through E-Commerce with Mitchell Hagan

  4. Sep 10

    Fashion Brand Scaling: Blending Creativity and Data with Amy Riordan

    In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Amy Riordan, Chief Executive Officer of Sachin & Babi.  They explore how the luxury fashion brand evolved from a wholesale-reliant business into a stronger direct-to-consumer and e-commerce operation, and how data can inform creative and product decisions without compromising a brand’s identity.  Amy shares insights on using e-commerce analytics to understand customer behavior, refine merchandising and pricing strategies, identify product-market fit, and make smarter inventory decisions. She also discusses the changing role of video in digital marketing, the challenges traditional wholesale businesses face when accessing customer data, and how fast fashion has reshaped consumer expectations around quality, craftsmanship, and price.  Sachin & Babi website: https://www.sachinandbabi.com/ Support the show There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me.  I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.  We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips  #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

    Fashion Brand Scaling: Blending Creativity and Data with Amy Riordan

  5. Sep 2

    Wellness Entrepreneurship: Turning Yoga Culture into a Global Brand with Ian Lopatin

    In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Ian Lopatin, co-founder of Of Course Sanctuary and co-founder and former CEO of Spiritual Gangster.  Ian shares his journey from entertainment law to building At One Yoga and ultimately turning a yoga studio T-shirt concept into Spiritual Gangster, a global wellness and lifestyle brand.  The conversation explores how validating customer demand can create the foundation for scalable growth, how community and culture can turn a product into a movement, and what it takes to build a brand beyond its original market.  Ian also discusses the personal side of entrepreneurship, including the relationship between achievement and stress, his decision to stop drinking, and the mindset shift that came from realizing that greater success does not always lead to greater fulfillment.  He explains how these experiences shaped his next chapter with Of Course Sanctuary, which focuses on meditation, mindfulness, connection, and helping high-performing people live with less stress and greater presence.   Of Course Sanctuary website:  ⁠https://ofcoursesanctuary.com/ Support the show There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me.  I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.  We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips  #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

    Wellness Entrepreneurship: Turning Yoga Culture into a Global Brand with Ian Lopatin

  6. Aug 27

    Sustainable Scaling: Rethinking Retail Growth Through Wholesale and Walmart with Misha Kuryla

    In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Massiel interviews Misha Kuryla, founder of Misha’s Cupcakes.  Misha shares the story of building her dessert brand from a home kitchen in 2005 into a multi-location, multi-channel consumer business, offering an honest look at what it takes to scale while preserving the heart of a brand.  They explore the realities of rapid expansion, including managing multiple stores, maintaining product consistency, building the right team, and navigating the operational challenges that come with growth.  Misha also explains how COVID forced a major rethink of the business, leading to store closures, a stronger focus on wholesale, online ordering, and new distribution opportunities. Today, Misha’s Cupcakes continues to evolve through retail, wholesale, nationwide shipping, and new product opportunities, demonstrating how resilience and adaptability can help a consumer brand navigate major transitions.   Misha’s Cupcakes website:  ⁠https://mishascupcakes.com/ Support the show There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me.  I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.  We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips  #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

    Sustainable Scaling: Rethinking Retail Growth Through Wholesale and Walmart with Misha Kuryla

  7. Aug 26

    Business Acquisition: Transforming an Established Brand with Layne Mayfield

    In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Layne Mayfield, owner of BBQ Outfitters.  Layne shares how he transitioned from a 12-year career in commercial real estate to entrepreneurship through acquisition, ultimately purchasing the established Texas barbecue retailer in 2021.  They explore the advantages of acquiring an existing business rather than starting from scratch, including the value of an established brand, customer base, and market awareness, as well as the operational challenges that come with scaling an established company.  Layne discusses how BBQ Outfitters consolidated disconnected systems, implemented an operating system to improve accountability and execution, and built a business capable of running without constant owner involvement.  BBQ Outfitters website: https://bbqoutfitters.com  Support the show There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me.  I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.  We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips  #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

    Business Acquisition: Transforming an Established Brand with Layne Mayfield

  8. Aug 25

    Fashion Entrepreneurship: Building a Lifestyle Brand with Pattie Friedman and Kristin Wilenga

    In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Pattie Friedman and Kristin Wielenga, Co-Founders of Think Royln.  They share how two longtime fashion industry professionals turned a small collection of functional, fashion-forward bags into a growing lifestyle brand built around “life on the fly.”  Pattie and Kristin discuss starting Think Royln with limited resources, using decades of industry relationships to open doors, and recognizing market demand when their bags became the breakout category. They also explore how the brand navigated COVID-19 by staying nimble, strengthening relationships with boutique retailers, and leaning into the growing demand for hands-free, lightweight products.  They also share how Think Royln continues to anticipate the needs of its customers by expanding beyond everyday bags into travel, sports, and other aspects of a modern woman’s lifestyle.   Think Royln website: https://thinkroyln.com/ Support the show There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me.  I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.  We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips  #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

    Fashion Entrepreneurship: Building a Lifestyle Brand with Pattie Friedman and Kristin Wilenga
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About

Join Phil Masiello on Crunching Your Growth, a weekly show, designed for entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses. Every episode features exclusive interviews with founding entrepreneurs who have successfully grown their ventures, offering invaluable advice and actionable strategies. From tales of triumph to close calls, each guest shares the lessons they’ve learned on their growth journey, providing viewers with the insights and tactics needed to achieve their own business success. Whether you're just starting out or you're ready to scale, Crunching Your Growth is packed with practical tips to help you overcome challenges and seize growth opportunities. Hear inspiring anecdotes, uncover key growth tactics, and gain access to insider knowledge from those who have been in your shoes. A must-watch for anyone serious about scaling their business!

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