DTC Podcast

DTC Newsletter and Podcast
  • 4.5 (36)
  • 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. Bonus: How Street Interviews Became a Performance Creative Pillar (15,000 Ads Later)

    6H AGO

    Bonus: How Street Interviews Became a Performance Creative Pillar (15,000 Ads Later)

    Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup On this episode of the DTC Podcast, Eric sits down with Josh Suggs, founder of StreetTalk, and they break down how “Conversation Creative” is helping consumer brands appeal to today's audience preferences for raw, unscripted authenticity in their social feeds, while combatting headwinds brought on by Meta's Andromeda update. We talk frameworks, question design, editing loops, and why StreetTalk interviews drive KPI improvements across the full-funnel in under 45 seconds. Visit StreetTalk.com to get your brand out of the boardroom and into the streets! In this episode, we get into: How StreetTalk interviews can move someone from awareness → consideration → conversion in ~45 secondsThe difference between “random reactions” and direct response street ads (problem/solution, value props, use case)How StreetTalk briefs, shoots, edits, and tests concepts across major citiesWhere this fits inside an ad account (creative pillars + authenticity as a needed lane)What stops brands from doing it themselves (systems, reps, data, consistency) If you’re a brand with product-market fit already, running UGC, and looking to scale with creative diversity on Meta/TikTok/YouTube, this episode is a must-listen Timestamps 0:00 Street Talk sells authenticity with street interview ads 2:00 Josh’s origin story: Tabs Chocolate to first street reviews 4:00 Building Street Talk fast with referrals (80 brands in a summer) 6:00 Why man-on-the-street ads convert (full funnel in 45 seconds) 8:00 Making street interviews direct response (hooks, pain points, value props) 10:00 Where this fits in your ad account (creative diversity + authenticity) 12:00 Results and wins (PrizePicks, ROAS improvements, scaling spend) 14:00 Pricing, who it’s for, and why brands can’t easily DIY it 16:00 The operational machine behind Street Talk (hosts, training, logistics) 18:00 Platform playbook: Meta, TikTok, YouTube, TV, and repurposing clips 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

    19 min
  2. Ep 590: How WeNatal Grew to 30,000 Families With $0 Paid Ads (Bootstrapped Supplement DTC)

    2D AGO

    Ep 590: How WeNatal Grew to 30,000 Families With $0 Paid Ads (Bootstrapped Supplement DTC)

    Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Vida Delrahim (ex-Nike marketing leader) built WeNatal after two miscarriages, zero satisfying answers, and a pretty wild realization: fertility isn’t just “a women’s problem,” and the market was full of either overpriced clinic-only options or low-dose “pretty” prenatals that don’t move the needle. This episode is about two things: the product gap (his + hers fertility support, done like adults) and the go-to-market gap (how you grow a sensitive health brand without playing the paid media arms race). Role-based hook: For DTC founders building trust-heavy products (supplements, wellness, personal care) who can’t or won’t outspend VC brands. Tactical takeaways: Why WeNatal built around a medical board + research transparency instead of influencer “seeding”The doctor + midwife + doula channel as the real “creator engine”How premium packaging accidentally became UGC bait (and drove organic sharing)Why paid media flopped for them, and what worked better: education, SEO, panels, masterclasses, emailWhat “small batch, no fillers” actually means operationally (and why most brands avoid it) Who this is for: Founders/marketers in regulated or trust-sensitive categories who need compounding growth, not a one-time launch pop. What to steal: Build a lead magnet that’s actually useful (their free fertility masterclass model) → then nurture with emailGo win practitioner trust one office at a time (and let that credibility cascade into PR + podcasts + referrals)Make your packaging something people want on the counter (compliance = retention) Timestamps 00:00 Why WeNatal exists 02:00 Miscarriage, Hashimoto’s, and the wake-up call 05:00 Men’s role in fertility and what the research says 07:00 Treating fertility like a team sport 11:00 The fertility crisis and why it’s tied to overall health 16:00 Building the product: medical board, formulation, manufacturing 18:00 How WeNatal grew without paid ads 23:00 Pre, during, and postnatal use and retention 26:00 Education-led growth: blogs, masterclass, panels, email 30:00 Integrity vs hype in the supplement industry 34:00 What’s next: Protein Plus and 2026 product bets 37:00 Outro 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

    37 min
  3. Ep 589: 70% Different or Meta Buckets It: The Andromeda Creative Playbook (w/ Braydon Germain, Pilothouse)

    5D AGO

    Ep 589: 70% Different or Meta Buckets It: The Andromeda Creative Playbook (w/ Braydon Germain, Pilothouse)

    Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Braydon Germain from Pilothouse is back, and we go straight into the most practical question in DTC right now: how do you use AI to create more winning ads and systems without torching brand trust or wasting time prompting? We talk AI “employees,” creative production in the Andromeda era, and why concept volume matters more than ever. Role-Based Hook: For DTC founders + performance marketers scaling Meta spend while creative fatigue (and CAC) keep creeping up. In this episode, we get tactical on: “Clawbot/Maltbot” style AI agents that can operate a computer (and why security is the real bottleneck)How to use AI for Black Friday creative that stops the scroll but doesn’t scream “fake”Why Andromeda pushes you toward new concepts (not tiny headline/CTA tweaks)How to set ChatGPT custom instructions so it stops being a yes-man and starts pressure-testing your ideasMotion’s AI tagging + “chat with your ad data” workflows for faster creative strategy loops Who this is for: Media buyers, creative strategists, and founders who need more creative output, faster learnings, and fewer “we tested 30 ads and learned nothing” weeks. What to steal (quick wins): Use AI to generate weird-but-believable statics (organic-looking, scroll-stopping) instead of obvious AI artBuild a “mentor mode” prompt profile that actively calls out weak angles before you waste spendAudit your account for creative diversity and gaps (formats, audiences, hooks) before you brief your next batch Timestamps 0:00 Using AI in ads without looking obviously AI 2:00 Malt Bot and autonomous AI that can run a computer 4:05 Bot social network drama and why “scary AI posts” go viral 6:10 Black Friday AI creative workflow with Photoshop and subtle edits 8:20 AI video trick: first frame + last frame for organic-looking shots 10:20 Static ad creator tools for fast concept volume 12:30 Andromeda creative testing: the 70% different rule and bucketing 14:45 Custom instructions to make ChatGPT less of a people pleaser 17:05 Building an AI-assisted newsletter system with Claude and podcast “brains” 19:15 Staying plugged into AI communities and new ecommerce tools 21:25 Motion app AI tagging and creative analysis for Meta ads 23:30 Agent mode, security, and letting AI work while you sleep Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF589 Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

    26 min
  4. Ep 588: How BrainGain Scaled Heavy Home Gym Equipment to 30 Countries (100,000+ Customers)

    FEB 23

    Ep 588: How BrainGain Scaled Heavy Home Gym Equipment to 30 Countries (100,000+ Customers)

    Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Kareem Raslan (co-founder of BrainGain) breaks down how a “25 dumbbells in a garage” COVID side-hustle turned into a home gym brand with 100,000+ customers across 30 countries. We talk heavy-product logistics, why “just run Meta” isn’t the whole story, and what it really takes to expand across Europe without margin leakage. For DTC operators selling high-AOV, physical products who want to expand beyond one market without getting crushed by fulfillment and localization. In this episode, we cover: Why BrainGain skipped dropshipping and went product-in-hand from day oneThe Europe expansion reality: VAT, language, regulations, and market-by-market nuanceWhy Germany can be the “logical” move… and still the hardest operationallyTheir channel strategy today: ~50% Amazon / ~50% Shopify, with Google doing the heavy liftingHow YouTube affiliates drive trust for high-consideration purchases Who this is for: Founders and marketers selling heavy, high-AOV products (fitness, home goods, equipment) who need a real playbook for scaling across regions. What to steal: Build SKU-by-SKU unit economics so you know your true ceiling CAC (by market + channel)Use YouTube affiliates for “proof” when the purchase isn’t impulsiveAudit 3PL invoices line-by-line (surcharges hide everywhere) Timestamps 0:00 BrainGain’s growth from garage sales to 100,000 customers 2:00 How BrainGain started during COVID with Facebook Marketplace sales 5:00 Post-lockdown demand, competing in “big and heavy” products 7:00 Switching to Shopify and Amazon, building the brand online 14:40 Expanding across Europe: VAT, regulations, and localization realities 22:00 Channel mix breakdown: Amazon vs Shopify, Google vs Meta 24:00 Why BrainGain is saying no to TikTok influencers and leaning into YouTube affiliates 27:30 Picking the right 3PL in Europe and avoiding hidden surcharges 31:00 Fulfillment cost levers: packaging thresholds, pallet rules, invoice audits 34:10 SKU-level unit economics audit and setting a real CAC ceiling 37:20 Pricing strategy: Shopify vs Amazon and controlling channel mix 39:30 What US expansion could look like for heavy, bulky products 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

    42 min
  5. Ep 587: Meta Andromeda Strategy: 5 Creative Testing Shifts for $5M+ DTC Brands

    FEB 20

    Ep 587: Meta Andromeda Strategy: 5 Creative Testing Shifts for $5M+ DTC Brands

    Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup If you’re a $5M+ brand owner or growth lead and Meta’s performance feels “fine but fragile,” this is probably why. Abby from Pilothouse breaks down how Andromeda changed the rules: targeting moved upstream into creative strategy, and the old “tiny tweaks + CTR tests” approach doesn’t survive in an AI-ranked feed. Role-Based Hook: For DTC brand owners and growth leads at $5M+ who need a real Meta strategy for creative testing, not more random volume. What you’ll learn (tactical + skimmable): Why “go broad” without segmentation is a strategy fail (and a fast way to spike frequency)The audience setup mistake that makes Meta hammer warm users instead of prospectingWhy micro-variants (same static, new headline) now read as boring to the algorithmThe new testing model: persona → concept → multiple formats (same message, different executions)How to use competitive pressure to sharpen your differentiation strategy (not copy angles) Who this is for: Owners + growth leads managing Meta as a core growth channel and trying to scale without wasting spend on over-frequency. What to steal: Ask your team for frequency split by new vs engaged vs existing over the last 30 daysBuild creative tests around a persona hypothesis, then ship 5 distinct formats (carousel, static, UGC, iPhone selfie, trend)Pressure-test messaging against competitors: “If we line up 5 brands, what do we say that only we can say?” Timestamps 00:00 Andromeda changes how creative testing works 02:00 Why broad targeting breaks without proper audience segments 04:00 Frequency benchmarks and the prospecting mistake to watch 06:00 Why the old “pilot test” headline testing stopped working 08:00 Persona testing: turning pain points into ad angles 10:00 Differentiators vs competitors when everyone sells the same USP 12:00 The new testing stack: one concept, five creative formats 15:00 Building personas with the four Cs plus competitor ad library 18:00 Audit questions to ask your media buyer and creative strategist Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF587 Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

    21 min
  6. Ep 586: Laura Cantor: Digital Transformation, AI Collaboration, and Why We're All Failing Calculus Together

    FEB 16

    Ep 586: Laura Cantor: Digital Transformation, AI Collaboration, and Why We're All Failing Calculus Together

    Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Laura Cantor, VP of Marketing & E-commerce at New York & Company, shares the reality of transforming a legacy retail brand in the age of AI - and why nobody can do it alone. https://zenyt.ai/grow In this episode: 🚀 Leading digital transformation at a legacy retail brand 🤖 Using to find 500+ site issues (and the problems AI creates) zenyt.ai/start 💻 Moving from Shopify Hydrogen to Liquid right before Black Friday 🤝 Why partnerships replaced competition in retail 🧠 AQ (Adaptability Quotient) - the skill that matters most 📱 Building in public and learning together ⚡ The reality of doing more with less in 2025 🎯 Why every problem now has 10 AI solutions (and nobody knows which works) Key topics: - The shift from headless back to Liquid (and why simplicity won) - AI-powered site QA and the translation gap (zenyt.ai/start) - Why collaboration beats secrecy in the AI era - Post-COVID conference culture and community building - Adaptability and unlearning in real-time - NRF insights and retail trends for 2025 - The calculus class we're all failing together Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 1:30 - Laura's retail background (Ralph Lauren, J.Crew) 2:10 - New York & Company's digital transformation journey 4:40 - The biggest challenges: doing more with less 8:15 - AI creates problems AND solutions (the QA challenge) 15:50 - Why we moved from Hydrogen to Liquid 21:10 - The post that resonated across the industry 28:30 - Why partnerships matter more than competition now 33:00 - How agile teams adopt AI tools 36:35 - We're all failing calculus together 39:00 - Adaptability Quotient (AQ) - the new essential skill 44:50 - The power of clarity: translating robot to human 52:30 - Why retail is fundamentally a people business 55:45 - Upcoming events (eTail West, ShopTalk, Commerce Next) 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

    52 min
  7. Ep 585: Amazon Marketing Cloud: 5 Audience Plays to Lower ACOS on Competitive Keywords

    FEB 13

    Ep 585: Amazon Marketing Cloud: 5 Audience Plays to Lower ACOS on Competitive Keywords

    Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - ⁠https://dtcnews.link/signup⁠ Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) used to feel “enterprise-only.” Not anymore. Tyler Masur (Head of Amazon at Pilothouse) breaks down what AMC actually does, how to use the no-code templates without being a SQL wizard, and the audience overlays that make broad keywords finally make sense. Role-based hook: For Amazon operators and DTC teams spending real money on Sponsored Ads who want lower ACOS without sacrificing scale. In this episode, we get tactical on: What AMC is (and isn’t): audience building + deeper measurement layered on top of your existing console How to start with the no-code audience + analytics templates (and when AI-generated SQL helps) Why you should test AMC audiences in net-new campaigns (so you don’t accidentally choke your winners)The “broad keyword + qualified audience” play (example: bidding on “cooler” but only for outdoors browsers)Measuring DSP impact: what happens after someone sees DSP, then hits Sponsored Brands/Products Who this is for: Amazon managers, DTC founders, and growth teams trying to scale Sponsored Ads past the “set it and forget it” phase. What to steal: Build a “generic keyword” campaign, then overlay an in-market audience (nodes/categories) so you can bid higher without paying for junk clicks.Keep audience tests isolated in new campaigns; don’t jam audiences into legacy structures and hope.Run the AMC overlap reporting to spot the campaigns that actually increase conversion when paired together (then fund those). Timestamps: 0:00 Amazon Marketing Cloud is now open to all sellers 2:05 What AMC actually does: audiences and analytics 4:10 No-code templates vs custom SQL queries (and the built-in AI helper) 6:10 Audience targeting strategy to improve ACoS without over-narrowing 8:55 Using prebuilt analytics to see which campaigns lift conversion together 11:10 When AMC becomes worth it based on ad spend and effort required 13:15 How Pilothouse uses AI day-to-day for Amazon work (including Rufus content) 15:20 Measuring DSP incrementality and overlap with sponsored ads using AMC reports 17:30 Platform notes: Amazon layoffs and the OpenAI + Amazon speculation Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF585 Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

    18 min
  8. Ep 584: Building in Pubic: Inspecting Bushbalm’s 70% Growth via Retail & the Pro Channel

    FEB 9

    Ep 584: Building in Pubic: Inspecting Bushbalm’s 70% Growth via Retail & the Pro Channel

    Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Bushbalm co-founder David Gaylord returns for his third appearance on the pod — and he brought receipts. The brand just pulled off one of the most impressive growth runs in DTC: 70% YoY revenue growth18,000+ waxing salon accounts (up from 2,000 in 2023)Expanded shelf space at Ulta BeautyFocused DTC growth (+25%) while spending less on Meta We unpack how they’ve built a growth machine that’s lean, durable, and built on word of mouth — not channel sprawl. For DTC brands thinking bigger than Meta ads. Why their pro channel is the ultimate word-of-mouth flywheelHow they invest $200K+ into retail the right wayWhat goes into planning a product launch 2 years outWhy pulling back on Meta actually helped retentionHow exclusivity (not everywhere all at once) became their moat Who this is for: Brands navigating retail, trade marketing, or B2B scale What to steal: How to anchor your retail bet on ONE whale by building deepBuild demand from the pros outwardTreat your best partners like real channels (with loyalty perks + exclusive SKUs) Timestamps 00:00 Bushbalm’s 70% growth and shift to profitability 02:30 Why retail and the pro channel now drive the business 06:20 Going deep with one key retailer instead of many 09:40 How trade marketing and in-store displays impact sales 12:30 DTC growth, Meta ads, and changing channel priorities 18:00 Launching exclusive products through the pro channel 22:00 Simplifying DTC assortments to improve performance 25:00 Category rewiring in hair removal and skincare 31:40 Expanding shelf space versus adding new retailers 37:00 Building a sustainable, profitable growth engine Hashtags #DTCPodcast #Bushbalm #DavidGaylord #DTC #Ecommerce #RetailStrategy #BeautyBrand #FounderJourney #RetailMarketing #ProChannel #UltaBeauty #BrandGrowth #Omnichannel 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

    40 min
See All (711)

4.5
out of 5
36 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
    711
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 352487
  • Show Website
    DTC Podcast

You Might Also Like