LEADING BRANDS® — Wavebreak Podcast

In this episode, we're joined by Ryan Babenzein, co-founder and CEO of Jolie, a beauty wellness brand that has achieved remarkable success in less than 18 months. Ryan is no stranger to entrepreneurship, having previously founded GREATS, a DTC pioneer that was acquired by Steven Madden in 2019. Ryan shares the growth strategies that have made Jolie so successful, so fast.

You'll learn: 

• Jolie's Growth Strategy: Ryan explains the tactics that Jolie has used to grow from zero to millions in revenue, all while being effectively bootstrapped. 
• Building a Team: Ryan shares how he has been able to maintain a small team of 3 (yes, 3) while achieving such fast growth.
• Contrarian Takes on DTC: Ryan offers his unique perspective on the direct-to-consumer (DTC) business model and how Jolie has used a contrarian approach to achieve success. 

Ryan Babenzein is CEO of Jolie Skin Co.

• Jolie Skin Co.
• Learn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brands

Klaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.

Tidio — Tidio is the first software that enables small and medium-sized ecommerce brands to solve customer problems with a conversational AI chatbot called Lyro. Lyro uses technology similar to ChatGPT to answer 4 out of 5 customer questions, freeing up your support agents to solve complex issues. The AI chatbot understands context and remembers previous conversations, answering questions with fluid, natural language. Visit www.tidio.com/wave and join the Tidio Lyro waitlist to be among the first to see Lyro in action!

Bloomreach - Personalization is complicated. Bloomreach makes it simple. Show millions of customers the right product, in the right place, at the right time.

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Monica Royer, Founder & CEO of Monica + Andy, the children’s and family brand parents can rely on for the products, resources, and support needed to confidently navigate every stage of raising a family. 

Monica’s experience advising her brother, Andy Dunn, Founder of Bonobos, combined with her passion for high quality essentials and entrepreneurship, has been a driving force behind the continued growth and evolution of the Monica + Andy brand.

You'll also learn:

• Why the brand launched with a retail location and how it became the primary growth driver during the early years of the brand
• Retail strategy and how the brand has created a sub-brand that is launching in 1,000+ Walmart locations
• Future of the brand as they continue to scale into retail while remaining true to their DTC roots

Monica Royer is the Founder & CEO of Monica + Andy.

• Monica + Andy
• Learn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brands

Klaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.

Tidio — Tidio is the first software that enables small and medium-sized ecommerce brands to solve customer problems with a conversational AI chatbot called Lyro. Lyro uses technology similar to ChatGPT to answer 4 out of 5 customer questions, freeing up your support agents to solve complex issues. The AI chatbot understands context and remembers previous conversations, answering questions with fluid, natural language. Visit www.tidio.com/wave and join the Tidio Lyro waitlist to be among the first to see Lyro in action!

Bloomreach - Personalization is complicated. Bloomreach makes it simple. Show millions of customers the right product, in the right place, at the right time.

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Andrew Ferenci, Founder and CEO of Comrad. Comrad launched their innovative compression socks after 200+ test iterations and have since become the leader in the category. 

You'll also learn Comrad's: 

• Product development process that led to industry-low return rates
• Approach to retail expansion as a digitally native brand
• CX best practices to stand out from the competition and create the best possible products 

And so much more. 

Andrew Ferenci is the Founder and CEO of Comrad.

• Comrad
• Learn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brands

Klaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.

Tidio — Tidio is the first software that enables small and medium-sized ecommerce brands to solve customer problems with a conversational AI chatbot called Lyro. Lyro uses technology similar to ChatGPT to answer 4 out of 5 customer questions, freeing up your support agents to solve complex issues. The AI chatbot understands context and remembers previous conversations, answering questions with fluid, natural language. Visit www.tidio.com/wave and join the Tidio Lyro waitlist to be among the first to see Lyro in action!

Bloomreach - Personalization is complicated. Bloomreach makes it simple. Show millions of customers the right product, in the right place, at the right time.

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Dan Schaefer, co-founder of Native Pet. Native Pet launched as an Amazon-first brand in 2017 and today is an omnichannel brand across Amazon, DTC, and retail.

In this episode you'll:

• Discover why Native Pet decided to launch their brand exclusively on Amazon and how this strategy helped them gain traction in a highly competitive market
• Find out the results of Native Pet's initial advertising testing on OTT platforms and the impact it had on their brand awareness and sales
• Learn the valuable lessons Native Pet learned when launching their brand into retail

Dan Schaefer is co-founder of Native Pet.

• Native Pet
• Learn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brands

Klaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.

Tidio — Tidio is the highest-rated live chat software on Shopify. Through Live Chat, Chatbots, and Ticketing, Tidio helps Shopify merchants gain and retain more customers with personalized shopping experiences. Automate up to 47% of recurring questions and offer discounts based on user behavior to maximize revenue. If you want to increase sales and customer satisfaction check out Tidio and use promo code "LEADERS" to get an exclusive discount.

Bloomreach - Personalization is complicated. Bloomreach makes it simple. Show millions of customers the right product, in the right place, at the right time.

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Philip Inghelbrecht, CEO of Tatari. Tatari is the TV advertising platform behind TV advertising for top brands such as Calm, Roman, Glossier, Nutrafol, Cuts, and more.

This is a masterclass on getting started with TV advertising with everything you need to know to get started across strategy, testing, creative, budget, measurement, and more. 

You'll also learn:

• Why TV advertising isn't as complex or expensive as you may think
• How brands can test and scale TV into a top channel
• What's currently working well in TV advertising
• How to know when your brand is ready for a Super Bowl commercial

Philip Inghelbrecht is the CEO of Tatari.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Tatari. #ad

• Tatari
• Learn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brands

Klaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.

Tidio — Tidio is the highest-rated live chat software on Shopify. Through Live Chat, Chatbots, and Ticketing, Tidio helps Shopify merchants gain and retain more customers with personalized shopping experiences. Automate up to 47% of recurring questions and offer discounts based on user behavior to maximize revenue. If you want to increase sales and customer satisfaction check out Tidio and use promo code "LEADERS" to get an exclusive discount.

Bloomreach - Personalization is complicated. Bloomreach makes it simple. Show millions of customers the right product, in the right place, at the right time.

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Michael Charley, co-founder at Sunski. Michael co-founded the brand after he graduated into the Great Recession with no job prospects and today the brand generates millions in revenue. 

In this episode you'll learn:

• The brand's successful Kickstarter strategy and how Michael would approach the launch differently in today's market
• Why the sunglasses brand hasn't expanded into ski goggles like other brands in their space have
• Fresh ideas for increasing customer retention and building a long-term brand that lasts 

Michael Charley is co-founder at Sunski.

• Sunski
• Learn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brands

Klaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.

Tidio — Tidio is the highest-rated live chat software on Shopify. Through Live Chat, Chatbots, and Ticketing, Tidio helps Shopify merchants gain and retain more customers with personalized shopping experiences. Automate up to 47% of recurring questions and offer discounts based on user behavior to maximize revenue. If you want to increase sales and customer satisfaction check out Tidio and use promo code "LEADERS" to get an exclusive discount.

Bloomreach - Personalization is complicated. Bloomreach makes it simple. Show millions of customers the right product, in the right place, at the right time.

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Olek Potrykus, Head of Customer Experience at Tidio. Olek has worked at Tidio for nearly a decade helping brands master the art and science of customer experience. Today on the show, he shares best practices for 2023 and beyond. 

In this episode you'll learn:

• Current state of customer expectations and how you can use great CX to increase conversion rate by up to 3x
• AI's impact on Customer Experience and how you can be ahead of the pack in every way
• Essential best practices for customer success (channels, automation, and more)

Get an exclusive discount on Tidio with promo code "LEADERS" - Tidio is the highest-rated live chat software on Shopify. Through Live Chat, Chatbots, and Ticketing, Tidio helps eCommerce merchants gain and retain more customers with personalized shopping experiences. Automate up to 47% of recurring questions and offer discounts based on user behavior to maximize revenue. If you want to increase sales and customer satisfaction check out Tidio today. 

• Tidio
• Learn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brands

Klaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.

Tidio — Tidio is the highest-rated live chat software on Shopify. Through Live Chat, Chatbots, and Ticketing, Tidio helps Shopify merchants gain and retain more customers with personalized shopping experiences. Automate up to 47% of recurring questions and offer discounts based on user behavior to maximize revenue. If you want to increase sales and customer satisfaction check out Tidio and use promo code "LEADERS" to get an exclusive discount.

Bloomreach - Personalization is complicated. Bloomreach makes it simple. Show millions of customers the right product, in the right place, at the right time.

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Jedd Rose, Cofounder and President of Topo Designs. Since 2008, Topo Designs has grown from a vision of two founders, Jedd Rose and Mark Hansen, into a talented 70-person team. Consumers can find Topo Designs products sold in over 30 countries and 1,200+ stores.

You'll also learn Topo Designs:

• Inspiring founding story and lessons learned launching a brand in 2008 with no previous experience making products
• Approach to product innovation that stands out from the competition and rest of the market
• Future of the brand with their recent investment raised and their exciting expansion plans for the company

Jedd Rose is President of Topo Designs.

• Topo Designs
• Learn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brands

Klaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.

Tidio — Tidio is the highest-rated live chat software on Shopify. Through Live Chat, Chatbots, and Ticketing, Tidio helps Shopify merchants gain and retain more customers with personalized shopping experiences. Automate up to 47% of recurring questions and offer discounts based on user behavior to maximize revenue. If you want to increase sales and customer satisfaction check out Tidio and use promo code "LEADERS" to get an exclusive discount.

Bloomreach - Personalization is complicated. Bloomreach makes it simple. Show millions of customers the right product, in the right place, at the right time.

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Brad Day, CEO of Helm Boots. Brad joined the brand after a successful career at Adidas and TaylorMade, and he brings a wealth of retail knowledge and experience to the table.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Learnings from Brad's time at Adidas and TaylorMade and how he applies them to his work in DTC
• How the brand was able to increase profitability while lowering prices
• Core strategies for maximizing profitability as CEO across the entire business

Brad Day is CEO at Helm Boots. 

• Helm Boots
• Learn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brands

Klaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.

Tidio — Tidio is the highest-rated live chat software on Shopify. Through Live Chat, Chatbots, and Ticketing, Tidio helps Shopify merchants gain and retain more customers with personalized shopping experiences. Automate up to 47% of recurring questions and offer discounts based on user behavior to maximize revenue. If you want to increase sales and customer satisfaction check out Tidio and use promo code "LEADERS" to get an exclusive discount.

Bloomreach - Personalization is complicated. Bloomreach makes it simple. Show millions of customers the right product, in the right place, at the right time.

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Rod Morris, Cofounder and President of Lovevery, a company that creates and sells innovative developmental products. Since its founding in 2017, Lovevery has grown to over $200 million in revenue. Rod shares the brand's story and insights on how they were able to scale so successfully.

You'll also learn Lovevery's:

• Unique approach to retail, which includes selling in Target and on Amazon as a DTC business
• Product development strategy and how it has been a key growth lever for the brand
• iOS-proof marketing strategies, which enabled the brand to weather changes to Meta with minimal consequences
• Influencer marketing strategy and how they work with influencers to reach their target audience and drive sales

Rod Morris is President of Lovevery. 

• Lovevery
• Learn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brands

Klaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.

Tidio — Tidio is the highest-rated live chat software on Shopify. Through Live Chat, Chatbots, and Ticketing, Tidio helps Shopify merchants gain and retain more customers with personalized shopping experiences. Automate up to 47% of recurring questions and offer discounts based on user behavior to maximize revenue. If you want to increase sales and customer satisfaction check out Tidio and use promo code "LEADERS" to get an exclusive discount.