DTC Podcast

EP 483: Velocity Wins: How Curtis Matsko Scaled Portland Leather Goods to 9 Figures by Moving Faster Than Everyone Else


Listen Later

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter -⁠https://dtcnews.link/signup


📢 What does it really take to scale a 9-figure DTC brand? Relentless speed, constant reinvention, and never playing defense.

In this episode of the DTC Podcast, we sit down with Curtis Matsko, founder and CEO of Portland Leather Goods, to break down how he built one of the fastest-growing direct-to-consumer brands by outpacing the competition at every turn.

Curtis doesn't hesitate—he makes decisions fast, learns fast, and scales fast. While most brands overanalyze, he moves forward, makes adjustments in real time, and never stops evolving.✅

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

  • Why "velocity wins"—and how moving fast (not perfection) is the key to DTC success
  • The 3-6-9 hiring framework Curtis uses to keep his team leveling up every year
  • Why 92% of Portland Leather Goods’ ad spend goes to Meta & Google (and why TikTok isn’t even on his radar)
  • How vertical integration in Mexico became their ultimate growth hack—ensuring inventory never kills scaling
  • The truth about luxury brands: Why most "leather" bags aren’t real leather—and why that’s Portland Leather Goods’ biggest advantage
  • How to know when it's time to reinvent your brand—so you don’t end up like the five competitors that went bankrupt

This episode is a must-listen for any brand owner looking to scale fast, break through growth ceilings, and build a brand that actually lasts.

🎧00:00 – Curtis Matsko on embracing change in business

02:30 – The origin story of Portland Leather Goods

06:00 – The importance of real leather and craftsmanship

10:15 – Scaling a brand through rapid decision-making

15:40 – The power of customer experience and brand trust

20:20 – How vertical integration fuels growth

25:10 – Hiring, leadership, and internal team development

30:50 – The role of Meta and Google in scaling DTC brands

35:45 – Why customer retention is key in DTC success

40:30 – The future of Portland Leather and business expansion


#DTC #Ecommerce #LeatherGoods #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #MetaAds #GoogleAds #MarketingStrategy #CustomerExperience #ScalingBusiness #FounderStory #DirectToConsumer #BrandBuilding #RetailSuccess #Shopify


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
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

DTC PodcastBy DTC Newsletter and Podcast

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

35 ratings


More shows like DTC Podcast

View all
The Digital Marketing Podcast by Ciaran Rogers, Daniel Rowles and Louise Crossley

The Digital Marketing Podcast

114 Listeners

Social Media Marketing Podcast by Michael Stelzner, Social Media Examiner

Social Media Marketing Podcast

1,447 Listeners

Capitalism.com with Ryan Daniel Moran by Capitalism.com

Capitalism.com with Ryan Daniel Moran

731 Listeners

Shopify Masters by Shopify

Shopify Masters

375 Listeners

The Foundr Podcast with Nathan Chan by Foundr Media

The Foundr Podcast with Nathan Chan

568 Listeners

The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish by Shane Parrish

The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish

2,640 Listeners

Marketing School - Digital Marketing and Online Marketing Tips by Eric Siu and Neil Patel

Marketing School - Digital Marketing and Online Marketing Tips

1,256 Listeners

The Game with Alex Hormozi by Alex Hormozi

The Game with Alex Hormozi

4,348 Listeners

My First Million by Hubspot Media

My First Million

2,616 Listeners

Marketing Made Simple by Powered by StoryBrand

Marketing Made Simple

293 Listeners

The Startup Ideas Podcast by Greg Isenberg

The Startup Ideas Podcast

198 Listeners

Marketing Against The Grain by Hubspot Media

Marketing Against The Grain

352 Listeners

OPERATORS by OPERATORS

OPERATORS

45 Listeners

Moneywise by Hampton

Moneywise

643 Listeners

Never Enough by Andrew Wilkinson

Never Enough

56 Listeners