Brent Vartan is Managing Partner and Co-Founder at Bullish, a unique hybrid combining a branding agency and a consumer-focused venture fund. With decades of experience in brand strategy, Brent and his team have been early investors and builders behind some of the most iconic DTC and consumer brands of the past decade, including Peloton, Warby Parker, Casper, Harry's, Hu, Bubble, and more.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Brent shares his perspective on what it takes to build generational consumer brands from the earliest stages. He discusses Bullish's hands-on investment approach, the importance of brand strategy as a growth mechanism, and what differentiates brands that become household names. Brent also breaks down real playbooks from companies like Sunday Lawn and Nom Nom, providing founders concrete advice on what it takes to build brands worth talking about—and worth buying.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Bullish’s hybrid brand agency and VC model
2. What it means to invest as “first money” and why it matters
3. The difference between building a business and building a brand
4. Why customer lifetime value (CLV) trumps CAC and COGS
5. Product-market fit: moving from awareness to lifetime value
6. How Bullish supports brands like Harry’s and Nom Nom in their earliest days
7. Tactical advice for founders on capital raising and allocation
8. Building brands for acquisition vs. IPO
9. The playbook for becoming an acquisition target (what buyers actually want)
10. The underrated power of innovation and product launches
11. The role of cultural relevance in DTC brand building
12. Real-world examples from Sunday Lawn, Peloton, Bubble Beauty, and more
13. How great DTC brands focus on AOV, CLV, and brand loyalty
14. Pitfalls to avoid around capital structure and loss of momentum

Timestamps
00:00 Introducing Brent Vartan and Bullish
03:49 Bullish’s track record and notable investments
05:22 What makes Bullish different
10:10 Investing as “first money,” how Bullish evaluates concepts
13:19 Patterns Bullish looks for in breakout DTC brands
16:09 Deep dive: Sunday Lawn’s growth and strategy
18:36 Positioning Harry’s and building a hundred-year business
21:04 Timelines, capital, and operational realities for breakout brands
23:37 Building for acquisition vs. IPO: how strategies diverge
28:57 What buyers are really seeking in DTC acquisitions
31:47 Nom Nom’s Mars acquisition and the power of niche audiences
33:59 The importance of cultural relevance and taking creative “shots”
35:32 Bubble Beauty: case study in innovation and customer engagement
38:27 Finding the right capital structure and maintaining founder equity
41:06 The risks of stalling momentum and overplanning
43:33 Where to allocate raised capital: innovation vs. marketing
46:20 Where to find Bullish, Brent’s socials, and their newsletter

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

-----
Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Brent Vartan - Managing Partner & Co-Founder of Bullish
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Apoorva Govind is the founder and CEO of Bestever, a platform focused on helping brands and marketers generate ad creatives powered by real performance data and advanced AI models. With a background spanning technical roles at Apple, Uber, and Nvidia, Apoorva brings unique insights into the intersection of technology and growth marketing.

In this DTC POD episode, Apoorva and Blaine discuss how the AI toolkit for advertisers is evolving, the reality behind AI-generated ads, and why strategic inputs—not just rapid content production—drive sustainable brand results. Apoorva outlines how Bestever AI analyzes existing ad data to identify winning creative elements, then automates the production of new assets using the latest AI models. The episode also covers practical advice for early-stage brands on managing creative ops, what workflows will look like as AI video matures, and the future role of platforms like Meta in creative automation.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Apoorva’s background at Apple, Uber, and Nvidia
2. The early vision and pivot of Bestever AI
3. The role of AI in modern creative production
4. Ad creative strategy vs. pure output volume
5. Measuring ad performance with data-driven insights
6. Practical workflow tips for early-stage brands
7. When and how to leverage agencies
8. How to analyze competitors and learn from top-performing brands
9. Demystifying AI video: state of the tech in 2025
10. Building workflows to leverage multiple AI models
11. How Meta and other platforms are automating creative
12. The importance of creative analysis and transparent reporting
13. Future trends for agency and brand marketers

Timestamps
00:00 Intro and Apoorva's technical background
01:19 Apoorva’s early career at Apple, Nvidia, and Uber
03:04 Apoorva’s take on Apple’s iOS 26 glassmorphic UI and focus on AI
06:09 Security, future, and mass adoption of self-driving cars
13:30 Transition into ad creative, Bestever AI’s founding, and early pivots
18:31 How Bestever AI analyzes ad data to inform new creative
20:49 Current state and skepticism around fully AI-generated ad content
23:44 Meta’s push toward creative automation
26:56 Ad creative strategy for early and scaling brands
35:24 How Bestever AI helps brands diagnose and double down on winning ads
43:07 The reality of AI video: what’s possible now and what’s coming next
46:18 Investing in workflows and abstraction layers for future-proof creative ops
50:14 Where to connect with Apoorva and learn more about Bestever AI

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

-----
Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Apporva Govind - CEO and Founder of Bestever
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Chris Koch is the founder and CEO of VO/D, a venture studio that partners with massive talent celebrities to build enduring CPG brands across DTC, e-commerce, and retail. With a background in sports, investment banking, and talent management, Chris brings deep experience in identifying consumer needs, pairing them with the right creators, and executing product-first brand launches.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Chris walks through Void’s venture model, emphasizing the importance of strong products over mere celebrity endorsement. He shares the inside story of 1Up Candy’s rapid national retail rollout and outlines key frameworks for structuring talent partnerships, screening for true product-market fit, and ensuring long-term profitability in the saturated creator-led brand space.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. VO/D’s Venture Studio Model  
2. Partnering with Celebrities and Creators  
3. Product-First Versus Talent-First Approach  
4. Identifying Consumer Problems 
5. Selecting The Right Talent  
6. Talent as a Marketing Utility  
7. Challenges in Sourcing and Engaging Talent  
8. Social Following vs Purchase Influence  
9. Structuring Talent Partnerships  
10. Brand Launch Funding and Operations  
11. 1Up Candy Launch Story  
12. Retail Distribution Partnerships  
13. Inventory Financing and Cash Flow  
14. Creator-Led Marketing Strategies  
15. Legal and Contractual Safeguards  
16. Tips for Talent-Led Brands  
17. VO/D’s Future Direction 

Timestamps
00:00 Chris’s background & intro to VO/D
03:35 Why Void is product-first, not just talent-powered
05:04 An inside look at VO/D’s venture studio model
06:55 Talent as a utility & making brands that stand alone
10:31 Challenges matching creators to authentic product opportunities
11:28 Assessing conversion, reach, and fit in creator partners
13:40 How 1Up Candy with FaZe Rug came together
17:31 Disrupting candy with innovation and viral challenges
20:33 Breaking into 4,000 Walmart stores & key retail strategy
23:30 Operational realities of scaling fast (financing, supply chain, DTC vs. retail)
29:18 How to structure talent deals: equity, vesting, and incentives
35:17 Red flags and protective provisions in creator agreements
40:08 What’s next for VO/D: new categories, creator partners, and acquisition opportunities

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

-----
Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Chris Koch - Founder of VO/D
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Aaron Nosbisch is the founder and CEO of BRĒZ, a cannabis social tonic beverage designed as an alcohol alternative that offers a euphoric, feel-good effect without the downsides of alcohol. He built his expertise in e-commerce from an early age, launching multiple internet brands and scaling previous ventures like MONQ (portable aromatherapy diffuser, 0 to $15 million in three years as CMO), and running Lucyd Media, the world’s largest cannabis social advertising agency, which run 80% of meta ads for the cannabis space.

In this episode, Aaron and Blaine explore how BRĒZ identified untapped demand, iterated their product to solve a genuine founder problem, and brought it to market with precision: leveraging lean startup methodology, subscription-first landing pages, micro-batch production, effective founder-led UGC creative, and meticulous customer service. They discuss cash flow realities, funding first runs, the role of retention in beverage DTC, and how direct-to-consumer momentum powers retail expansion and shelf velocity. Aaron also shares transparent insights on ad spend, internal ops, and the principles that fuel brand growth.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Pillars of a Successful DTC Brand
2. Challenges of Scaling Beverages DTC
3. Early Stage Funding and Resources Management
4. Supply Chain Processes in Product Launches
5. Team Building, Finding the Right Partners
6. Pre-Launch and Launch Strategies
7. Testing and Iterating Ad Campaigns
8. Founder-Led Content in Advertising 
9. Guerrilla Strategies for Audience and List Building
10. Media Buying, Optimizing CAC, and Scaling Spend
11. Building AOV, Subscription, and Retention
12. Customer Feedback and Iteration Cycles
13. Importance of Timing and Market Readiness

Timestamps
00:00 Introducing Aaron and BRĒZ
05:06 The “alcohol alternative” white space and product vision
13:21 Launching a DTC beverage: initial capital and inventory
20:32 Validating demand, managing resource constraints
25:44 First ads and sales: founder content, guerilla tactics
34:07 Early CACs, ad budgets, and optimizing for LTV
38:22 E-commerce vs retail: channel mix and growth phases
46:50 Key takeaways & where to follow Aaron and BRĒZ

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

-----
Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Aaron Nosbisch - Founder and CEO of BRĒZ
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Marin Ištvanić is a partner at Inspire Brands, a boutique agency focused on paid social ads, primarily on Facebook and Instagram. He has personally spent over $150 million on Facebook ads for clients and internal brands, successfully scaling Inspire's own brand to $30 million in revenue by their third year.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Marin shares his insights on growing brands profitably through paid social. He discusses the importance of achieving product-market fit, crafting compelling offers, and understanding unit economics. Marin also details his agency's creative testing process and how to efficiently scale winning ad angles from static images to videos to landing pages.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Achieving Product-Market Fit
2. Scaling Brands through Facebook Ads
3. Product Differentiation
4. How to Craft a Compelling Offer
5. Subscription Products and Pricing Strategies
6. Landing Pages for Facebook Ads
7. Advertorials and Third-Party Content for Ads
8. Whitelisting and Leveraging External Trust in Ads
9. Ad Format Mix and Budget Allocation
10. Advantage+ Campaigns and AI
11. Scaling Ad Creative Production
12. Testing Ad Variations and Hooks

Timestamps
00:00 Marin's background and joining Inspire Brands 
04:48 Importance of product-market fit and differentiation 
06:50 Creating demand vs picking an established market
10:34 What makes an effective offer and how to craft one
12:41 Subscription models and free trial strategies
16:59 $1K/day spend as indicator of product-market fit 
18:36 Choosing the right landing page for your product 
25:07 Whitelisting strategies and organic-looking content
27:48 Typical budget allocation across ad formats
30:29 Facebook's Advantage+ campaigns and AI features 
33:23 Strategies for scaling ad creative
24:44 Final tips: know your numbers and when to spend

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

-----
Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Marin Ištvanić - Partner at Inspire Brands
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Justin Sherlock is the co-founder and CEO of Caspian, an AI-native duty drawback platform designed to help brands navigate complex global trade and tariff environments. Prior to Caspian, Justin gained deep experience in finance and logistics at Flexport, where he led Flexport Capital, and previously had several years experience in private equity.

In this episode, Justin breaks down the rapidly changing landscape of tariffs, duties, and global supply chains—especially relevant amid recent policy moves and volatile trade relations. He explains what customs brokers, tariffs, and duty drawbacks are, why these concepts matter for brands importing and exporting goods, and how most businesses are missing out on significant duty refund opportunities. Justin also offers real-world insights for DTC operators facing escalating tariffs, discusses strategies for mitigating increased costs, and shares how AI is making advanced trade advisory accessible beyond just Fortune 500 companies.

Join us as a Guest on DTC POD: SUBMIT GUEST FORM HERE
Apply to join our DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode we cover
Rising tariffs and global trade dynamics
Supply chain challenges for DTC brands
Role and importance of customs brokers
Duty drawback: process and benefits
Impact of US-China tariff escalation
Technology and AI in trade compliance
Strategies for brands to navigate tariffs

Timestamps
03:59 From Flexport to Caspian
09:31 Customs Compliance
11:11 Understanding Tariff and Duty Classification
15:54 Trump's Tariff Strategy: A Provocative Move
18:26 Debate Over Section 321 Provision
22:46 "Supply Chain Opportunities and Challenges"
25:03 Reshoring Critical Industries Strategy
28:04 10% Tariff Impact on US Businesses
32:53 Optimizing Supply Chain and Vendor Management
36:22 Trade Predictions: Japan, Taiwan, India, Vietnam
37:52 Geopolitical Isolationism and China's Rise
41:41 "Navigating Duty Drawback Challenges"
45:07 International Pricing and Tax Strategies
48:07 Future of Supply Chain Optimization

Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

-----
Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Justin Sherlock - Founder of Caspian
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Peter Czepiga is the founder of Flighted, an agency that helps DTC brands profitably scale their advertising on platforms like Meta, TikTok, and Google. He also runs his own brand, Ando. Flighted has worked with some of the most popular DTC brands spending between $50-300k per month on ads.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Peter shares his strategies for launching and scaling profitable ad campaigns on Meta for DTC brands. He covers how much to spend to prove out product-market fit, what types of creative work best, his approach to audience targeting, and how AI is impacting ad creative production. Peter also explains how DTC ad tactics can be applied to other business models like SaaS.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Proving Product-Market Fit
2. Setting up Ad Accounts for New Brands
3. Budget and Assets Needed to Test Ad Creative
4. Creative Strategies for Successful Ads
5. AI in Ad Creative Generation
6. Applying DTC Ad Tactics to Other Business Models
7. Flighted’s Agency Model and Client Engagements

Timestamps
00:00 Peter's background in ecommerce and growth 
04:08 What is takes to prove product-market fit with ads 
09:57 Scaling ad budget after initial traction 
13:32 What is Meta Advantage+ campaigns and when to use it
16:10 How to manage ad frequency and exclusions
19:31 Creative mix: formats, messaging, placements
24:36 Messaging frameworks that resonate in ads
27:43 Tips for sourcing and creating ad creative 
32:31 AI-generated ad creative: potential and limitations 
38:28 Applying D2C ad tactics to SaaS and other businesses 
43:23 How Flighted works with clients 
45:32 Wrap up; how to connect with Peter

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

-----
Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Peter Czepiga - Founder of Flighted
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Irene Chen and Matthew Grenby are the co-founders of Parker Thatch, a luxury handbag and accessories brand they bootstrapped to 8-figures over the course of 20 years. Matt’s expertise spans tech, design, and marketing, while Irene brings deep fashion industry knowledge from working with powerhouse brands like Donna Karan and Calvin Klein.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Matt and Irene share how they navigated the shift from an e-stationery startup to eventually finding product-market fit with their signature luxury bags. They discuss key lessons learned in bootstrapping—the importance of market timing, how to manage inventory risks, and why flexibility and systems are critical when growing a brand.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Founding and Evolution of Parker Thatch
2. Initial Business Concepts and Pivots
3. Strategies for Managing and Allocating Inventory
4. Importance of Flexibility in Business Operations
5. Bootstrapping and Capital Allocation
6. Building Systems for Scalability
7. Marketing and Demand Generation Strategies
8. Community and Customer Engagement

Timestamps
00:00 Matt and Irene's backgrounds before Parker Thatch 
06:55 Starting an e-stationery business in 2000
07:43 Pivoting to selling physical stationery and home goods 
9:00 Lessons on market timing and pivoting when starting a business
11:51 Changing company name from iomoi to Parker Thatch
13:52 Creating Parker Thatch's debut handbag
18:19 Bootstrapping, capital allocation, inventory decisions
22:08 Why early business success depends on flexibility and testing
25:53 Introducing leather bags and streamlining production
29:10 Why small businesses fail without systems
32:29 Shifting to systems thinking to enable business growth
35:07 Marketing strategies to drive customer demand
37:01 Building community and brand identity around "functional luxury"
42:34 Relationship dynamics as husband and wife co-founders
45:55 Key focuses for 2025 and beyond with PTTV 
47:48 Where to find and connect with Parker Thatch

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

-----
Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok  

Irene Chen and Matthew Grenby -  Co-Founders of Parker Thatch
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Caleb Alvarez is the founder of Shadow Light Studios, an agency specializing in high-converting paid and organic content. He has worked with major consumer brands like Monster Energy, Snapchat, and Samsung, as well as influencers like Tony Hawk, Logan Paul, Ice Cube, and many more.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Caleb breaks down how founders can create better content, build and scale a content engine, and strike the right balance between organic and paid content. He unpacks everything from finding your USP and mapping out content pillars to establishing a sprint-based production process. Caleb also shares how he helped scale Nectar Hard Seltzer from $2M to $5M in revenue using only organic content.

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Founder-Led Content Strategies
2. Building a Content Engine: Key Roles and Process
3. Systems for Creating and Managing Content
4. Agile Workflow for Content Creation
5. Social Media Content Types and Pillars
6. Optimizing Content for Conversions
7. Balancing Paid and Organic Marketing
8. Balancing Virality and Conversion Goals

Timestamps
00:00 Caleb's background and getting into content creation 
05:22 How Shadow Light Studios works with brands 
07:35 The power of founder-led content and storytelling 
12:44 Who should create founder-led content 
15:02 Key pillars for effective founder-led brand content
18:55 Balancing content creation as a founder with limited time
22:16 How to structure content teams and roles
28:40 Paid ads vs. organic content—how they work together
31:39 Building a content strategy and implementing a system
36:18 Managing content sprints and pipeline
43:01 Content that performs vs. content that converts
49:01 Lead capture and conversion optimization techniques
53:09 Wrap up and where to follow Caleb Alvarez

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

-----
Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!

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Caleb Alvarez - Founder of Shadow Light Studios
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Ben Matthews is a general partner at Night Ventures, an early-stage consumer VC fund, focused on culture, community, and creators. They have partnered with some of the most famous people on the internet including Mr. Beast, Kai Cenat, and Hasan Piker.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Ben and Blaine discuss:

• Lessons from incubating and investing in early-stage consumer companies
• The key elements of successful talent-driven brands, including audience fit and long-term commitment
• Choosing the right business opportunities based on market potential and operational feasibility
• Structuring effective partnerships between creators, operators, and investors
• The future of TikTok and emerging monetization avenues for content creators

Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.

On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Business Launch and Growth
2. Talent-Driven Brands
3. Challenges in Creator Partnerships
4. Creator-Audience Relationship
5. Employment Trends and AI Impact
6. Content Commerce Trends
7. TikTok’s Future and Market Impact
8. Elements of Business Success
9. Incentive Structure in Partnerships
10. Importance of Having an Audience
11. Monetization Opportunities for Creators

Timestamps
00:00 Ben Matthew’s background and Night Ventures
06:05 Building business with talent: the case of Mr. Beast
10:54 What works in creator-brand partnerships
15:25 Picking the right talent to represent a brand
19:42 Picking the right business and products
23:01 Incubating early-stage consumer companies
30:07 Investing in early-stage consumer companies
33:03 Future trends in the creator-commerce space
35:19 Future trends in the content creator landscape

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

-----
Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here.

Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok  

Ben Matthews - General Partner at Night Ventures
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic