DTC Podcast

By

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 ... more

Download on the App Store

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

FAQs about DTC Podcast:

How many episodes does DTC Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 93 episodes available.

DTC Podcast episodes:

February 09, 2026DTC Podcast | 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 growth
18,000+ waxing salon accounts (up from 2,000 in 2023)
Expanded shelf space at Ulta Beauty
Focused 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 flywheel
How they invest $200K+ into retail the right way
What goes into planning a product launch 2 years out
Why pulling back on Meta actually helped retention
How 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 deep
Build demand from the pros outward
Treat 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
...more
41min
February 06, 2026DTC Podcast | Ep 583: Counter Intuitive Ways to Maximize Net Present Value from Your Email List with Jordan Gordon
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter – https://dtcnews.link/signup
Jordan Gordon, VP of Retention and CRO at Pilothouse returns to the pod to break down a concept every retention marketer thinks they understand but rarely applies: Net Present Value (NPV). This isn’t finance class — this is a tactical breakdown on how to treat your email list like an appreciating asset.
For DTC retention leads and founders thinking beyond one-off campaigns.
Why NPV thinking changes your entire email strategy
How to measure email value beyond open/click/purchase
Ways to increase the long-term worth of every subscriber
Where CRO fits in to boost lifecycle value
Email as a compounding channel: what most brands miss
Who this is for: Retention marketers, growth leads, lifecycle teams
What to steal:
A framework to value your email list like a P&L
How to spot (and increase) high NPV customers
Why short-term ROI thinking stunts your retention
Timestamps
00:00 Building engagement-first email habits
02:10 Why email and CRO belong together at the bottom of the funnel
04:05 How flat revenue businesses can increase valuation
06:05 Using content emails to grow list size and engagement
08:20 Pairing engagement email with high-converting site funnels
10:15 Why a larger, more engaged list increases business value
12:00 Finding the right engagement content for any brand
14:05 Authentic vs produced content in engagement emails
16:00 Email grows the audience, the website converts it
Hashtags
#ecommerce #emailmarketing #retentionmarketing #netpresentvalue #dtc #cro #emailstrategy #customerlifetimevalue #digitalmarketing #shopify #ownedmedia #foundermarketing #growthstrategy #bottomfunnel #marketingstrategy
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter – https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC – https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse – https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF583
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter – @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube – https://dtcnews.link/video
...more
20min
February 02, 2026DTC Podcast | Ep 582: How SURI Sold 5,000 Toothbrushes in a Week: DTC Growth in a Boring Category
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter – https://dtcnews.link/signup
Mark Rushmore, co-founder of SURI, joins the pod to break down how they built a toothbrush brand people actually love. From selling out 5,000 units in a week to hitting 15,000+ Trustpilot reviews, SURI is proving you can create DTC magic in even the most boring category—if you take the time to get it right.
For DTC founders scaling from $1M to $20M who want to increase retention and earn real customer love.
Why “low expectations” created the perfect wedge for disruption
The anti-agency approach to Meta ads that helped them scale profitably
How they turned 15,000 reviews into a custom GPT to inform product dev
The real reason they’re dominating Trustpilot (and Amazon)
Their upcoming launch into 1,900+ Target stores
Who this is for: Brand builders in crowded or low-interest categories, especially if you’re post-product-market fit and scaling retention/subscription.
What to steal:
Reframe a boring utility into a desirable ritual
Use Trustpilot + Slack API to keep every team member close to customer voice
Don’t overthink performance creative—fast iteration beats polished production
Timestamps
00:00 Why toothbrushes are a massive but unloved category
02:55 Building a better toothbrush through design and sustainability
05:00 Finding product-market fit and early traction
07:05 Why customers say they love this toothbrush
09:40 How Suri’s ad strategy evolved over time
12:00 Growth mix across ads, email, creators, and retail
15:00 Competing with Oral-B and Philips on shelf
18:00 Using reviews as a growth and product feedback engine
20:00 Retention, subscriptions, and gifting behavior
22:00 Amazon strategy and retail expansion
25:00 Long-term vision for Suri and redefining success
Hashtags
#dtcpodcast #directtoconsumer #ecommerce #dtcbrands #productmarketfit #brandbuilding #consumerproducts #subscriptionbusiness #growthmarketing #metaads #amazonfba #retentionmarketing #founderstory #startuppodcast #physicalproducts
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
...more
34min
January 31, 2026DTC Podcast | New to the DTC Podcast Network: Agency Confidential. Tom Shipley on Buying Growth: Scaling Your Agency Through Acquisitions
Follow Agency Confidential on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lbaJzKRArC51qwCX00fUp?si=QdWT3jyjTAC3cUgB–r58w
Follow Agency Confidential on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyConfidential
“Any business problem can be solved with an acquisition.”
In Episode 1 of Agency Confidential, Jeff Shannon sits down with investor and operator Tom Shipley to break down how agencies actually use M&A as a growth lever—from buying businesses with limited capital to structuring deals that reduce risk.
Tom shares the stories behind his first acquisitions, the criteria he uses to identify potential deals, and why he sees growing opportunity for agency acquisitions amid AI disruption and market uncertainty.
If you’re an agency founder, operator, or leader thinking about growth beyond organic sales, this episode explores the mental models, deal structures, and real-world mechanics behind acquisition-led growth.
What you’ll learn:
Why acquisition can outperform organic growth at scale
How to define a “buy box” for acquisition targets
Why volume of seller conversations matters
The real purpose of due diligence
What integration looks like after an acquisition
How AI and uncertainty are influencing agency exits and deals
Chapters:
00:00 Any Business Problem Can Be Solved With an Acquisition
00:31 Meet Tom Shipley and His M&A Journey
01:57 Buying a Business When You’re Out of Cash
05:17 Using Acquisitions to Add Capability (Agency Examples)
08:03 Organic Growth vs Acquisition Growth (The Math)
12:18 Motivated Sellers and Creative Deal Structures
20:50 Due Diligence and Risk in Agency Acquisitions
24:33 Integration: What Actually Breaks Deals
30:11 AI, Market Uncertainty, and the Future of Agency M&A
Links & Resources:
DealCon: https://dealconlive.com
Pilothouse: https://www.pilothouse.co/
Agency (peer network): https://www.joinagency.co/?utm_source=podcast
Subscribe to the DTC Newsletter: https://www.directtoconsumer.co/
...more
38min
January 30, 2026DTC Podcast | Ep 581: Meta Ads Aren’t About Targeting Anymore: How $5–50M Brands Win with Intent-Based Creative
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter – https://dtcnews.link/signup
Daniel Sendecki, VP of Brand + Performance at Pilothouse, joins us to explain why the old model of “persuasive creative” is dead—and what’s replacing it. In a post-Andromeda Meta world, the brands winning on paid social aren’t out-designing or out-targeting anyone. They’re out-resolving.
Role-Based Hook:
For DTC teams building creative that compounds—across Meta, search, and the full funnel.
Inside the episode:
Why creative isn’t about persuasion anymore—it’s about resolution
How Pilothouse mines Google queries to map real customer friction
What Meta’s Andromeda update means for targeting and creative structure
Why intent clusters matter more than personas
How to build a living creative library that scales
Who this is for:
DTC founders, brand leads, creative strategists, and media buyers navigating post-iOS Meta
What to steal:
Group customer questions into “psychological intent clusters”
Use creative to answer, not pitch
Build ad libraries like a searchable index of problems solved
Timestamps:
00:00 Creative is shifting from persuasion to resolution
02:05 Why interest-based targeting no longer works
04:55 Creative as answers to customer questions
07:05 Meta evolving into an intent-driven platform
09:15 Psychological intent clusters explained
12:10 Why idea variation matters more than asset tweaks
14:10 Funnel congruency in the Andromeda era
17:05 Creative as an operating system, not an output
19:40 Brand storytelling inside modern performance systems
21:10 Recognition hooks vs interruptive hooks
24:10 Blending brand and performance through intent
26:15 Avoiding AI-sounding creative outputs
Hashtags:
#DTCMarketing #CreativeStrategy #MetaAds #PerformanceCreative #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #PaidSocial #CreativeTesting #Andromeda #IntentMarketing #DigitalAdvertising #EcommerceMarketing #Pilothouse
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter – https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC – https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse – https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF581
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter – @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube – https://dtcnews.link/video
...more
30min
January 26, 2026DTC Podcast | Ep 580: How Fan Bi Revives DTC Brands with 30 Days of Cash Left
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter – https://dtcnews.link/signup
Fan Bi is the founder of The Hedgehog Company, where he acquires distressed DTC brands and helps get them profitable fast. He’s also the creator of In the Money, a must-follow podcast and content brand unpacking the capital side of consumer.
For DTC founders navigating exits, plateaus, or profitability hell…
What most founders still get wrong about valuations
How the buyer landscape has shifted post-Unilever & Walmart
Signs your bridge round is a bridge to nowhere
The trenches of sub-$20M exits, explained with examples
Why switching costs matter more than ever
Who this is for: Founders, operators, and investors trying to understand today’s DTC M&A landscape
What to steal:
20%+ post-marketing contribution as a key health metric
The 3-week test to know if your exit has traction
Realistic comps on $3M, $10M, $30M brand valuations
Timestamps
00:00 Real math behind DTC exits in today’s market
02:15 Why 3–5x revenue exits no longer exist
05:00 The real state of DTC profitability and acquisition costs
07:00 What makes a distressed DTC brand worth buying
09:00 Turning around Baboon to the Moon and fixing fundamentals
11:00 DTC exit trenches from $1M to $100M+ brands
15:00 What kills DTC acquisition deals fastest
17:00 Why bridge rounds often fail
19:00 DTC vs software and AI from an investor lens
22:00 Product market fit vs product channel fit
24:00 Categories that still work for DTC exits
26:00 What it takes to build a winning DTC brand today
Hashtags
#DTC #DirectToConsumer #DTCExits #Ecommerce #EcommercePodcast #StartupExits #MergersAndAcquisitions #BrandAcquisition #DTCBrands #EcommerceGrowth #FounderAdvice #ConsumerBrands #PrivateEquity #ShopifyBrands #BusinessPodcast
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
...more
30min
January 23, 2026DTC Podcast | Ep 579: How to Nail DTC Merchandising in Q1: From Scroll to Sale
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter – https://dtcnews.link/signup
In this episode, Pilothouse’s Taylor Cain and Aves break down how to merge creative strategy with merchandising to win Q1. This is the planning season where smart brands lock in the building blocks for scalable growth—and avoid wasting paid budget.
For DTC marketers planning evergreen creative and site strategy in Q1…
Why Q1 is the time to de-risk creative investments
How to connect merch and creative across the entire funnel
What emotional truths are, and why they drive action
How to create merchandising that aligns with user intent (without sounding like a pitch deck)
The subtle difference between price-based and identity-based offers
Who this is for: Media buyers, growth leads, and brand-side marketers aiming to improve conversion and site experience
What to steal:
The linear structure Taylor uses to build conversion flows
Aves’ 3-step audit for understanding persona behavior online
Why great PDPs start with emotion, not features
Timestamps:
00:00 Merchandising in ecommerce and cognitive competition
02:45 Why shoppers visit multiple brands before buying
05:10 Bringing the in-store experience into digital creative
07:20 Funnel congruency and full-funnel merchandising
09:40 Merchandising on social feeds beyond direct competitors
12:10 Information architecture and emotional storytelling on PDPs
14:05 Selling identity and ritual instead of product features
18:30 How Meta optimization and Andromeda affect merchandising
20:40 Practical merchandising spot checks for brands
Hashtags:
#ecommercemarketing #digitalmerchandising #dtcbrands #paidmedia #creativestrategy #conversionoptimization #brandstrategy #marketingfunnels #metamarketing #shopifybrands #performancecreative
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter – https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC – https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse – https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF579
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter – @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube – https://dtcnews.link/video
...more
25min
January 19, 2026DTC Podcast | Ep 578: How Breath Death Cracked TikTok Shop: Funnels, Affiliates, and $0 Creator Content
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter – https://dtcnews.link/signup
Thomas Robinson has helped build full‑funnel growth engines for brands like Tiege Henley and now Breath Death — where he’s turning chaotic traction into scalable funnels and converting creator buzz into sustainable growth.
For growth leaders scaling DTC with low‑AOV products.
In this episode, Thomas breaks down:
How YouTube influencer authenticity became a systematic funnel driver (not a one‑hit wonder).
Why TikTok Shop is the top strategic revenue channel — and how it boosts Amazon performance.
The three‑part funnel framework: Hook → Integration → CTA + cohesive landing page.
Why psychographics beat demographics in creative.
Omni‑channel retention: SMS, email, DM automations, WhatsApp.
Who this is for: D2C marketers scaling early‑growth brands, content and performance teams, founders wrestling with low‑AOV CAC.
What to steal:
Turn creator moments into evergreen assets for Meta, TikTok, and YouTube.
Build landing pages that mirror ad intent (don’t lose momentum).
Segment email/SMS flows by customer psychographic intent.
Timestamps
00:00 — Turning creator buzz into scalable growth
02:00 — Why Breath Death chose TikTok Shop as a core channel
04:00 — Gen Z targeting, nostalgia, and early audience signals
06:00 — Learning from Liquid Death’s polarizing brand strategy
08:00 — Turning influencer moments into evergreen funnels
10:00 — Structuring ads with hooks, integrations, and CTAs
12:00 — TikTok Shop, Amazon halo effects, and channel synergy
14:00 — Affiliate strategy from nano creators to macro partners
16:00 — Why YouTube influencers compound better than paid ads
18:00 — SEO, Reddit, and authority in AI-driven search
20:00 — Scaling low-AOV products on Meta ads
22:00 — Psychographics, motivations, and creative archetypes
26:00 — Q4 growth, LTV focus, and retention strategy
28:00 — Email, SMS, WhatsApp, and DM automation
31:00 — Long-term brand storytelling vs direct response
34:00 — Personalized landing pages and post-click experience
Hashtags
#dtcpodcast #dtcbrands #ecommercegrowth #tiktokshop #influencermarketing #creatorcommerce #brandstrategy #performanceads #youtubeinfluencers #affiliatemarketing #consumerbrands #foundermarketing #growthmarketing #directtoconsumer
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
...more
37min
January 16, 2026DTC Podcast | Ep 577: Why Content Targeting on YouTube Is Beating Cheap CPVs
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter – https://dtcnews.link/signup
Eric sits down with Dougie, Pilothouse’s Google Lead, to dig into why content targeting—specifically with YouTube Select—is outperforming audience-based targeting, even at premium CPMs. If you’ve been running low-cost YouTube campaigns with underwhelming results, this is the mindset shift you need.
For DTC brands tired of wasting money on passive YouTube impressions.
What YouTube Select actually is (and why it matters for performance)
How to think about placements vs. audiences
Why content congruence improves funnel performance
Scaling tips: what kind of brands can go big with Select
How to build creatives that match the content being watched
Who this is for: Brands spending serious dollars on YouTube, or considering a shift from Meta to a broader channel mix.
What to steal:
Align creative to content before launch
Use Google reps to identify top indexed channels by persona
Treat YouTube Select like TV: flight-based, not daily budget-driven
Timestamps
00:00 Content vs interest targeting
02:01 Why content alignment converts
04:02 YouTube Select explained
06:02 Why low quality inventory fails
08:04 How content based creative works
10:03 Google and YouTube strategy shift
12:02 Aligning creative to placements
14:02 Meta and Google funnel synergy
16:01 Scaling with YouTube Select
Hashtags
#YouTubeSelect #GoogleAds #ContentTargeting #MediaBuying #DigitalAdvertising #PerformanceMarketing #BrandStrategy #YouTubeAds #PaidMedia #MarketingPodcast #DTCMarketing #AdStrategy #AudienceTargeting #CreativeStrategy #Pilothouse
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter – https://dtcnews.link/signup
Advertise on DTC – https://dtcnews.link/advertise
Work with Pilothouse – https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF577
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter – @dtcnewsletter
Watch this interview on YouTube – https://dtcnews.link/video
...more
18min
January 12, 2026DTC Podcast | Ep 576: How Silk & Snow Scaled to 10 Retail Stores by Focusing on Profitable CAC
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter – https://dtcnews.link/signup
Albert Chow built Silk & Snow in the shadow of the DTC mattress wars—but instead of racing to burn VC cash, he played the long game. Today, Silk & Snow has grown into a full home brand with 10 retail stores, a thriving Canadian customer base, and a strong U.S. expansion roadmap.
For DTC founders scaling from $5M to $50M…
Why they skipped the mattress arms race and leaned into vertical integration
How bundling less (and planting trees instead) saved $1.3M
What they learned scaling from 1 to 10 retail stores in a year
The metrics they track now that ROAS is irrelevant
Why launching a sofa was more about customer affinity than furniture
Who this is for: Operators scaling past one SKU or one channel—and looking for a sustainable path to growth.
What to steal:
Bundling with purpose (optional tree planting vs. free stuff)
Bottom-up brand building: low-funnel mastery first
How to use DTC data to drive brick-and-mortar strategy
Timestamps
00:00 Organic growth and surviving the DTC mattress crash
02:00 Entering the crowded mattress market in 2017
04:00 Why Silk and Snow became a full home brand
06:00 Factory-first supply chain and Canadian manufacturing
08:00 Launching with Kickstarter and early traction
10:00 The 2019 DTC apocalypse and sustainable growth
12:00 Expanding beyond mattresses into sleep accessories
14:00 Functional vs aspirational buying in home goods
16:00 Becoming a multi-channel retailer
18:00 Using customer data to choose store locations
20:00 Canada vs US growth strategy
22:00 Building brand from the bottom of the funnel
24:00 Replacing bundles with tree planting
26:00 Performance marketing roots and early Google
28:00 Shifting into awareness and brand media
30:00 Why ROAS isn’t the real growth signal
32:00 Retail partnerships and staying DTC
34:00 Black Friday for big-ticket home products
36:00 Fulfillment, returns, and sustainability
38:00 Repeat customers and long-term LTV
40:00 Sleep Country acquisition and retail scale
42:00 Vancouver store and physical retail strategy
Hashtags
#DTC #EcommercePodcast #SilkAndSnow #AlbertChow #DTCBrands #HomeGoods #MattressIndustry #BrandBuilding #RetailStrategy #DirectToConsumer #EcommerceGrowth #StartupPodcast #FounderStory #CanadianBrands #PerformanceMarketing #Omnichannel #RetailExpansion #DTCpodcast
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
...more
46min

FAQs about DTC Podcast:

How many episodes does DTC Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 93 episodes available.