Today we are joined by Dan McCormick, co-founder and CEO of Create Wellness. Create went from zero to $20M+ in revenue in just two years with only six-full time employees, and today he’s sharing what those roles are and how he went about building his high-leverage DTC business. We discuss the power of positioning, agency vs. in-house teams, the future of supplement brands, team structure, retention strategies, and what makes a modern brand scalable.

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

00:00 Introduction

02:13 Growth Strategies and Creative Testing

04:31 Dan McCormick and Create Wellness Overview

07:19 Identifying Market Opportunities in Creatine

10:44 Team Management and Organizational Structure

13:51 Revenue Growth and Headcount Dynamics

20:04 In-House vs. Outsourcing Strategies

26:32 Marketing Operations and Team Responsibilities

32:21 Future Growth Projections and Business Scalability

37:18 Market Trends and Challenges in the Supplement Industry

39:12 Navigating the Supplement Industry's Challenges

42:57 The Evolution of DTC Brands

46:20 Building High-Leverage Teams

56:21 Leveraging AI and Technology in Marketing

01:01:34 Capitalizing on Seasonal Trends

01:03:01 Product Expansion Strategies

01:09:19 The Power of Influencer Marketing

Operators Exclusive Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/9operators/shared_invite/zt-2tdfu426r-TepSHJP~evAyDfR29U2qUw

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Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Haus.

http://Haus.io/operators

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Today we are getting into the hottest new ad channel in ecommerce right now - AppLovin. We discuss how we’ve been using it within our brands, the pros and the cons of this emerging channel, and whether it's a scalable alternative to Meta Ads. Cody shares results from his team's recent holdout test, breaking down AppLovin's impact on incremental sales, new vs. repeat customers, and CPAs. We also unpack broader strategies for driving growth across paid media, creative campaigns, and channel diversification.

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

00:00 Celebrating Milestones and Sales Success

02:47 Scaling Paid Social: Creative Testing Strategies

05:49 Exploring AppLovin: The New Ad Channel

18:11 Understanding AppLovin's User Base and Growth

23:49 Measuring Incrementality: The AppLovin Test Results

29:46 Reactivating Customers: The Cost-Benefit Analysis

33:40 Customer Reactivation Challenges

36:01 Understanding Incrementality and Profitability

39:14 Analyzing New Customer Acquisition

46:07 Exploring the Limitations of Customer Exclusions

51:04 Innovative TV Campaign Strategies

56:24 Measuring TV Campaign Effectiveness

Operators Exclusive Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/9operators/shared_invite/zt-2tdfu426r-TepSHJP~evAyDfR29U2qUw

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⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

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With Black Friday and Cyber Monday behind us, we’re unpacking our results and looking at what went right, what went wrong and what lessons we learnt for this time next year. We talk about trends we’re seeing this holiday shopping season, meta performance, navigating inventory challenges, tactical pivots to clear inventory and boost sales, and how we’re transitioning into our holiday sales. Whether you crushed it or felt the pressure this BFCM, this debrief is here to help you refine your DTC marketing strategy for next year’s Q4 and beyond.

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

00:00 Coping Mechanisms During BFCM

06:26 Insights from Black Friday to Cyber Monday

12:54 Consumer Behavior and Sales Trends

20:12 Evaluating Marketing Strategies and Performance

30:07 Testing and Adapting Offers for Future Success

33:37 Meta Advertising Strategies and Optimization

40:01 Inventory Management and Demand Generation

52:26 Holiday Sales Strategy and Funnel Clearing

01:00:28 Testing and UX Improvements for Sales Pages

Operators Exclusive Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/9operators/shared_invite/zt-2tdfu426r-TepSHJP~evAyDfR29U2qUw

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⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

http://Haus.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

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In today’s episode of Marketing Operators, we’re getting real about our biggest mistakes from the past year, and the lessons learnt from these. We cover why forecasting isn’t always straightforward, the importance of adjusting tactics quickly, the tricky balance of optimism versus realism in decision-making, and what it takes to scale sustainably in a tightening market. Tune in for a deep dive into what worked, what didn’t, and how we’re sharpening our growth strategies for the future.

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

00:00 Introduction

05:52 Navigating Black Friday Predictions

16:01 Learning from Mistakes: Agency Expectations

21:01 Projections and Lessons Learned

30:04 Inputs vs. Outputs in Revenue Projections

35:17 Navigating Challenges in DTC Business

44:48 Facing Reality: Leadership and Accountability

52:36 Lessons from Past Failures

55:25 Rapid Decision-Making and Opportunity

01:00:36 Building a Strong Internal Team

01:05:15 Testing Pricing Strategies for Sales

Operators Exclusive Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/9operators/shared_invite/zt-2tdfu426r-TepSHJP~evAyDfR29U2qUw

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⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

Happy Black Friday week everyone! In today’s episode we are diving in on the day-to-day tactics and operations our teams will be using this weekend to optimize performance during one of the most crucial sales periods of the year - Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

We’re discuss the shift from pre-sale planning to sale operations, covering our real-time data analysis plans, ad spend and budget allocation, our marketing mix during this time, the cadence of our BFCM newsletters, handling inventory challenges, how we react if things don’t go as planned and much more.

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

00:00 Introduction

03:01 Navigating Black Friday Sales

08:55 Intra-Sale Operations and Strategies

14:59 Budget Adjustments and Inventory Management

18:14 Evaluating Ad Spend Efficiency

21:08 Incrementality Measurement in Marketing

23:50 Channel Mix and Budget Allocation

27:01 Upper Funnel Strategies and Influencer Marketing

39:22 The Importance of Cross-Channel Measurement

40:29 Team Operations During Peak Seasons

43:47 Email and SMS Strategies for Cyber Weekend

48:28 Adapting Tactics During BFCM

56:23 Adjusting Offers and Inventory Management

01:01:55 Learning from Misses and Failures

Operators Exclusive Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/9operators/shared_invite/zt-2tdfu426r-TepSHJP~evAyDfR29U2qUw

Related episode:

E024: Resident's EVP Jared Brody on Attribution Tooling, Analytics Teams & Data-Driven Marketing

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4JMC1QszKyrnKkOT9PHk1E?si=434d203eba3f4d02

Powered by:

Motion.

⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Haus.

http://Haus.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

Today it’s the three of us back together! We’re talking about our approaches and playbooks for launching new marketing channels and our insights on what it takes to scale effectively. We cover strategies for choosing the right channels, establishing measurement frameworks, and how to determine when to invest heavily versus cautiously testing.

00:00 Introduction

05:46 Consumer Spending Expectations and Market Trends

11:54 Preparing for Q4: Strategies and Anxieties

20:49 Launching New Marketing Channels: Strategies and Considerations

32:54 Exploring Newsletter Advertising Effectiveness

35:51 Challenges of Incrementality Testing for Larger Brands

39:09 Strategizing Scalable Marketing Channels

41:28 Launching New Channels: Best Practices

45:11 Balancing Measurement and Marketing Creativity

49:01 The Role of Out-of-Home Advertising

55:21 Testing Site Speed and Its Impact on Conversion Rates

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

Operators Exclusive Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/9operators/shared_invite/zt-2tdfu426r-TepSHJP~evAyDfR29U2qUw

Related episode:

E024: Resident's EVP Jared Brody on Attribution Tooling, Analytics Teams & Data-Driven Marketing

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4JMC1QszKyrnKkOT9PHk1E?si=434d203eba3f4d02

Powered by:

Motion.

⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

Today we are joined by Zach Stuck, founder of the growth marketing agency Homestead. He shares his insights on acquiring and launching brands, how to identify market trends, when's the right time to diversify into different ad channels, running a lean team, and he shares his advice on the key tactics for driving growth at each revenue band. One not to miss.

00:00 Introduction

06:04 Transitioning from Agency to Brand Ownership

12:12 Identifying Trends and Market Opportunities

18:06 The Importance of Product Development and Marketing Alignment

24:07 Navigating Financial Challenges in E-commerce

29:59 Future Trends and Innovations in E-commerce

34:06 Understanding Financial Growth in DTC Brands

39:50 Revenue Bands: Strategies for Scaling Brands

50:02 Channel Diversification and Its Impact on Growth

59:55 Building a Lean and Effective Team for Growth

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

Operators Exclusive Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/9operators/shared_invite/zt-2tdfu426r-TepSHJP~evAyDfR29U2qUw

Powered by:

Motion.

⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Haus.

http://Haus.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

We’ve got a special guest today, David Herrmann is back, our first ever second time guest. We’re talking about what channels we’re scaling as we head into Q4, we talk about ad account builds, creating a memorable brand, we get deep into meta media buying and creative diversification and what that means for your ad account and lots more.

00:00 Introduction

06:04 Channel Diversification Strategies

11:52 Creative Approaches in Advertising

17:46 Measuring Marketing Effectiveness

24:05 Balancing Brand and Performance Marketing

34:00 Building Memorable Brands

39:07 The Challenge of DTC Marketing

44:13 Optimizing Meta Ads for Performance

51:47 Creative Diversity in Advertising

56:05 Adapting to New Platforms: Reels vs. Feed

Operators Exclusive Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/9operators/shared_invite/zt-2tdfu426r-TepSHJP~evAyDfR29U2qUw

David's first appearance on the podcast:

YouTube - https://youtu.be/ostjzdP7y2U

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Ep75J0weFLw8umy3hzpJ6?si=ac6a3dbd8af64018

Powered by:

Motion.

⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠

Prescient AI.

⁠⁠⁠https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.

⁠⁠⁠https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

First up today, we’re checking in on Cody’s recent product drop and talking about some of the tactics and thinking behind the success of the drop so far, and then we get into Q4 production and what we’re working on right now to get ready for the biggest time of the year and ensure a successful BFCM. We also get into our first MOperators Hotline question so stay tuned for that. If you’d like to submit your question or current DTC challenge for a chance for it to be discussed on the show, click this link to apply: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

00:00 Introduction

11:27 Jones Road Beauty's New Product Launch

27:04 Preparing for BFCM: Strategies and Insights

38:31 Inventory Management and Marketing Collaboration

42:46 Product Launch Strategies and Team Dynamics

47:23 Innovative Approaches for Black Friday Campaigns

52:33 Direct Mail and Retention Strategies

56:41 Web UX and Team Collaboration

01:01:11 Service-Based Business Marketing Insights

Operators Exclusive Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/9operators/shared_invite/zt-2tdfu426r-TepSHJP~evAyDfR29U2qUw

Powered by:

Motion.

⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠

Prescient AI.

⁠⁠⁠https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.

⁠⁠⁠https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Haus.

http://Haus.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

This week we are joined by Reza Khadjavi, Founder and CEO at Motion, our premier sponsor. We’re talking the evolution of performance creative and the importance of creative strategy in DTC marketing, and Reza shares his insights on the rise of the creative strategist role, the impact of AI on creative workflows, the future of creative strategy and his advice for brands who are just starting to venture into performance marketing, his contrarian views on marketing and much more.

00:00 Introduction

06:08 The Rise of the Creative Strategist Role

08:59 Navigating the Shift from Audience Targeting to Creative

12:13 The Importance of Data in Creative Workflows

15:03 Future Predictions for Creative Strategy and AI

17:57 Building a Command Center for Creative Strategists

20:49 The Role of Research in Creative Development

23:45 The Future of Performance Creative

40:12 The Importance of Research in Creative Strategy

43:40 AI's Role in Creative Workflows

46:32 Navigating Capital and Growth Strategies

50:16 Investing in Product Development and Team Growth

53:03 Measuring Marketing Effectiveness

55:43 Leveraging AI for Creative Processes

01:02:25 Building Core Competencies in Performance Creative

01:11:50 Contrarian Views on DTC Marketing

MOperators Hotline:

To be in with a chance to have your question answered on the show, click the link below to apply: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

Operators Exclusive Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/9operators/shared_invite/zt-20pd2eq4n-UVM6oTQkdltEwLINwkCWIA

Powered by:

Motion.⁠⁠⁠

https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads

⁠⁠⁠Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/