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On this episode of the DTC Podcast, we sit down with Samantha Rayner, founder of Better Basics, a mission-led household goods brand focused on reducing plastic and toxins. With years in the consumer product space and a deeply personal story, Samantha shares how Better Basics grew from a purpose-driven idea into a brand that resonates with eco-conscious consumers.

Key takeaways from this episode:

Building a Mission-Led Brand: Why sustainability needs to align with product design and function.

Leveraging Vulnerability: The "Save Our Business" campaign that nearly sold out their inventory through authentic storytelling.

Pivoting to a Drop Model: How Better Basics plans to create urgency, reduce waste, and scale intentionally in 2025.

Samantha also talks about the role of community in building a brand and why organic growth through partnerships and storytelling has outperformed paid ads for them. Listen in for actionable insights on navigating the challenges of running a mission-driven, bootstrapped DTC brand.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Starting the DTC Podcast with Samantha Rayner

02:00 - The mission behind Better Basics

05:00 - Tackling plastic and ingredient challenges

07:30 - Partnerships as a growth strategy

10:00 - Bootstrapping challenges and focusing on SKUs

15:00 - Moving to a drop model and pre-orders

18:30 - Authenticity in marketing and the "Save Our Business" campaign

23:00 - Lessons learned from selling out inventory

26:00 - The importance of standing for something as a brand

Hashtags:

#BetterBasics #SustainableLiving #EcoFriendlyProducts #DTCMarketing #PlasticFree #SmallBusinessJourney #MissionDrivenBrand #Entrepreneurship #ProductDrops #MarketingTips

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In this All Killer No Filler episode, Dougie from Pilothouse’s Google team shares invaluable insights from Google’s latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday data. From e-commerce growth to late-stage holiday strategies, learn how to position your brand for success in the critical Super 5 shopping period (Dec 20–24).

Key Takeaways:

E-commerce vs. Retail: Online sales grew 8% during Cyber 5, while retail remained flat.

Super 5 focus: Prioritize convenience-driven messaging (shipping, pickup, gift cards) to capture late-stage shoppers.

Category leaders: Apparel, toys, and personal care dominated Cyber 5 gifting trends.

PMAX and YouTube: How to maximize awareness and demand generation ahead of major shopping events.

Canada Post strike impact: Why reliable shipping messaging outperformed discounts in the Canadian market.

Discover actionable strategies to optimize your holiday campaigns and close the year on a high note.

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Introducing Pongamia Oil: A Sustainable Seed Oil Alternative

In this episode of the DTC Podcast, we’re joined by Ashley Kleckner, Chief Growth Officer at TerViva, a company revolutionizing sustainable agriculture with Pongamia oil. TerViva transforms beans from the regenerative Pongamia tree into sustainable food ingredients, offering healthier and eco-friendlier alternatives to traditional seed oils.

Key Takeaways:

What is Pongamia Oil? A mid-oleic oil rich in omega-9 fatty acids, perfect for culinary applications from bars to salad dressings.

Sustainability Benefits: Pongamia trees restore degraded soils, require minimal resources, and provide economic opportunities for farmers.

Industry Challenges: Learn how TerViva tackles scalability and cost pressures while maintaining sustainability goals.

B2B Partnerships: Examples like Aloha Bars showcase how brands can integrate impactful ingredients while maintaining quality and consumer appeal.

Discover why functional, sustainable food systems start with better ingredient choices and scalable solutions. Learn more at https://terviva.com/

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introducing Ponova Oil and the Seed Oil Debate

[02:00] TerViva's Regenerative Pangamia Super Tree

[05:00] Comparing Ponova Oil to Traditional Seed Oils

[09:00] Scaling Sustainable Food Ingredients with Partners

[15:00] Challenges in Food Supply Chains and Procurement

[21:00] Functional Benefits of Ponova Oil and Flour

[28:00] Empowering Sustainable Decisions in the Food Industry

Hashtags:

#Sustainability #SeedOilAlternatives #RegenerativeFarming #PonovaOil #HealthyFats #DTCBrands #FoodInnovation #CPGMarketing #CleanIngredients #TerViva

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In this episode of the DTC Podcast, Eric Dyck sits down with Jordan Gordon, host of TWBERP (The World’s Best Email and Retention Podcast) and Retention Director at Pilothouse, to unpack the latest email marketing trends and retention strategies following Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM).

Subscribe to the World's Best Email and Retention Podcast (TWBERP)➝ https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/twberp

Jordan shares groundbreaking insights into how inbox providers like Gmail and Yahoo are tightening spam filters by selectively targeting segments of email lists. These changes demand a more refined approach to email marketing—what Jordan calls “sniper segmentation.”

Marketers will learn why untargeted campaigns are becoming obsolete, how to avoid Gmail’s spam pitfalls, and why focusing on flows and automations is the key to maximizing deliverability and ROI in 2024.

Key Takeaways:

BFCM Wins and Losses: Discover why nimble, online-native brands thrived while legacy brands struggled.

Sniper Segmentation: Learn how to ensure your most engaged audiences see your emails while avoiding spam folder pitfalls.

The Future of Segmentation: Why AI-driven tools will dominate email marketing—and how to stay ahead by understanding segmentation fundamentals today.

If you’re ready to adapt your email strategy for a smarter, more competitive digital landscape, this episode is a must-listen.

Timestamps:

[00:00] Banner Year for Shopify and E-Commerce Growth

[02:00] Email Inboxing Changes: Spam Filters and AI Impact

[04:30] Black Friday Cyber Monday Retention Insights

[07:00] Gmail’s Sniper Segmentation and New Rules

[09:30] Automations vs Campaigns: Switching to Flows

[14:00] Dedicated vs Shared IP for Email Success

[18:00] Email Fight Companion: Analyzing Brand Emails

Hashtags:

#Ecommerce #BlackFriday2024 #CyberMonday2024 #ShopifySuccess #EmailMarketing #AIinMarketing #RetentionStrategies #DigitalMarketing #DTCGrowth #MarketingTips

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In this episode of the DTC Podcast, we’re joined by Martin Forde, Founder and Principal of Forde Consulting. With a background as a key player in the rapid retail expansion of Dr. Squatch, Martin now helps consumer brands navigate the challenges of scaling into retail.

Martin shares how Dr. Squatch evolved from a DTC powerhouse to a retail juggernaut, breaking into major retailers like Walmart with bold strategies that continue to inspire.

Key insights include:

The Retail Advantage: How treating retail as a customer acquisition channel fuels overall growth.

Endcap Success: The design strategy that turned a bold, disruptive retail display into a velocity machine.

Data-Driven Expansion: Using DTC data to validate retail strategies and negotiate with major partners like Walmart.

Seasonal Products: Leveraging special releases to secure off-shelf placement and drive demand.

Omni-Channel Synergy: Why having a presence on every platform—from Walmart to TikTok Shop—ensures long-term viability.

Tune in to learn how to take your DTC brand to the next level by mastering retail expansion.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Martin Forde and Dr. Squatch's retail strategy

03:00 - Martin's career journey and joining Dr. Squatch

06:00 - Key factors behind Dr. Squatch's DTC and retail success

10:00 - Retail launch strategy: Walmart and beyond

15:00 - Leveraging end caps and seasonal products for retail success

20:00 - Transitioning to omnichannel and building demand in retail

26:00 - The importance of brand awareness for scaling DTC and retail

30:00 - Advising brands on retail expansion and consumer insights

33:00 - How to approach retailers and build key partnerships

Hashtags:

#RetailStrategy #DirectToConsumer #OmnichannelMarketing #BrandAwareness #DrSquatch #EcommerceTips #RetailExpansion #DTCGrowth #ConsumerInsights #ScalingBrands

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In this All Killer No Filler episode of the DTC Podcast, Eric Dyck sits down with Clifford and Rob from Pilothouse to dissect the early results of Black Friday 2024 on Amazon and explore the platform's evolving ad strategies. From the challenges posed by Amazon’s new broad-matching behaviors to the impact of tariff changes, this episode is a masterclass for DTC marketers looking to refine their Amazon playbooks.

Key Takeaways:

Amazon’s new ad targeting quirks: Why you need to scrutinize search term reports more closely than ever.

Branded vs. generic ROAS: How to avoid blending data and ensure growth-oriented decision-making.

Tariff preparedness: Why U.S.-based sellers may hold an advantage in the coming years.

Learn why it’s critical to stay vigilant in managing ad spend and how Pilothouse keeps their clients ahead of the curve on Amazon.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Amazon Marketing Cloud
02:00 - Early Black Friday Returns and Trends
04:30 - Amazon's Broad Match Ads Explained
08:00 - Challenges with AI in Amazon Advertising
12:30 - Amazon Hall and its Implications for Sellers
16:00 - No New Amazon Fees and Scamming Tools
19:00 - Black Friday, Cyber Monday 2024 Outlook

Hashtags:

#AmazonMarketing #BlackFriday2024 #CyberMondayDeals #AmazonAdvertising #EcommerceTrends #AmazonSellers #AIinMarketing #AmazonFBA #DigitalMarketing #EcommerceGrowth

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In this episode of the DTC Podcast, we’re joined by Markus, a founding team member of Four Sigmatic, and Dave Colina, founder of O2 Hydration, to discuss their latest venture, CPG Fast Track. This innovative coaching community helps early-stage CPG founders scale effectively by combining expert mentorship, peer support, and actionable strategies.

Key themes include:

Bridging the knowledge gap: Why early-stage founders need affordable coaching and community resources.

Tangible wins: How CRO audits and branding exercises have led to dramatic conversion rate improvements.

Omnichannel evolution: Why CPG success now requires retail strategies, optimized DTC funnels, and authentic brand storytelling.

Whether you’re running a $100K or $1M CPG business, this episode is packed with insights to help you grow. Listen in to learn how to balance paid media, branding, and community support to achieve sustainable success.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to CPG FastTrack

02:00 - Building a Coaching Community for Entrepreneurs

04:00 - The Origins of Four Sigmatic and O2 Hydration

07:00 - Challenges Facing CPG Founders Today

09:00 - Success Stories and Key Value Drivers in Cohorts

12:00 - The Importance of Brand Consistency Across Channels

14:00 - Strategies for Scaling DTC Brands

Hashtags:

#CPGFastTrack #Entrepreneurship #DTCBrands #StartupGrowth #BrandConsistency #ScalingStrategies #EcommerceTips #CommunityBuilding #PodcastAdvertising #CPGInsights

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Welcome to the DTC Podcast, where we focus on practical tactics for scaling your DTC business. This week, Eric Dyck is joined by Pilothouse’s social team—Taylor Cain, Aves, and Jacob—to dive into the strategies that power top-performing Q4 sales ads.

Key Takeaways:

Creative Variety Matters: Balance raw CGC with polished brand imagery to address every awareness stage.

Urgency Wins: First impressions count. Optimize the first second of your video and use countdowns to drive action.

Landing Pages Are Key: Simplify the buyer journey with deal-specific pages and clear CTAs.

Discover how to test, iterate, and keep your campaigns fresh during Black Friday and beyond. From quirky creative ideas to catalog ad best practices, this episode delivers actionable insights for DTC marketers.

Topics Discussed:

The pros and cons of avoiding sales in your growth phase.

How to diversify creative for different stages of customer awareness.

Why catalog ads deserve a prominent spot in your strategy.

The magic of reusing old high-performing ads with new overlays.

Ready to make your ads stand out this Q4? Tune in for expert advice and actionable tactics.

Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction to Great Sales Ads

2:15 Diversifying Creative for BFCM Success

4:40 The Psychology of Running Sales

7:00 Types of Creative: CGC to Branded Content

11:30 Using Last-Minute Urgency in Creative

14:20 Optimizing Landing Pages for High Conversion

17:45 Testing and Rotating Past Winning Ads

20:00 Effective Use of Catalog Ads

23:00 Adding Urgency: Countdown Timers and Last Chance Creative

27:45 Dot Style Ads: Capturing Attention with Design

Hashtags:

#DTCMarketing

#EcommerceTips

#BlackFridayAds

#SalesStrategies

#CreativeAds

#MetaAds

#HolidayMarketing

#AdCreativeTips

#PerformanceMarketing

#DigitalAdvertising

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TikTok Shops are rewriting the rules of e-commerce, and the numbers don’t lie—$1.5 billion in US sales in the summer of 2023 alone. In this special episode of the DTC Podcast, we team up with Charlie Grinnell, Co-CEO of RightMetric, to unveil a groundbreaking report on TikTok Shops. This exclusive research, conducted over summer 2023, provides fresh, actionable insights into what’s working (and why) on this fast-growing platform.

Download the report and follow along: https://rightmetric.co/tiktok-shop

Whether you're new to TikTok or looking to refine your strategy, this episode is a must-listen for DTC professionals ready to take advantage of this massive opportunity.

Key Highlights:

Why TikTok Shops are unique: The platform seamlessly combines content and commerce, creating an addictive shopping experience unlike any other.

Fresh, exclusive data: This collaborative report between RightMetric and DTC analyzes $1.5 billion in sales data from Summer 2023—offering insights no one else has.

Who’s succeeding: Beauty, women’s wear, health, and electronics are among the top-performing categories, with creator-driven content leading the charge.

How to win: Learn how to leverage creators, live streams, and strategic content production to maximize revenue.

Big opportunity for small brands: Major players haven’t entered TikTok Shops yet, giving early adopters a first-mover advantage.

Why listen now? This report is fresh, actionable, and data-driven. If you’re in e-commerce, TikTok Shops could be your next big growth channel.

Follow Charlie on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliegrinnell/

Timestamps:

00:00 - TikTok vs. Snapchat: Time Spent and User Demographics

02:00 - TikTok Shop: Key Selling Strategies

05:00 - Live Streams Driving Sales on TikTok

09:00 - TikTok’s Unique Algorithm and Content Strategy

15:00 - Top TikTok Shop Categories and Revenue Insights

20:00 - Creator Marketing and Affiliate Strategy on TikTok

25:00 - TikTok Shop Challenges and Best Practices

Hashtags:

#TikTokMarketing

#EcommerceGrowth

#TikTokShop

#ContentStrategy

#AffiliateMarketing

#LiveStreamingSales

#DigitalCommerce

#TikTokAlgorithm

#DTCBrands

#CreatorEconomy

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Hello and welcome to the All Killer No Filler DTC Podcast! Today, we're thrilled to have Dougie from Pilothouse’s Google Ads team. With Q4 well underway and Black Friday just around the corner, Dougie shares critical insights for optimizing Google Ads performance during the busiest shopping period of the year.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why Google’s slower platform dynamics require earlier budget and bid adjustments.

How to avoid costly mistakes during and after Black Friday.

Pro tips like using strike-through pricing to boost ad effectiveness.

If you're ready to make your Google Ads campaigns thrive this Black Friday, don’t miss this episode.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction to Google Ads for Black Friday

2:05 - Key Google Ad Budget Strategies

4:30 - Preparing for Black Friday: Budgets and CPAs

6:55 - Avoiding Mistakes During Black Friday

9:20 - Using Scripts and Real-Time Data

12:45 - Post-Black Friday Campaign Adjustments

15:10 - Tools and Tips for Real-Time Attribution

17:30 - Black Friday Expectations for 2024

19:55 - Closing Thoughts and Consumer Trends

Hashtags:

#BlackFridayAds

#GoogleAdsTips

#EcommerceMarketing

#HolidaySales2024

#DigitalMarketingStrategy

#CyberMondayDeals

#GoogleAdvertising

#PPCStrategies

#DTCBrands

#Q4Marketing

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