Mariah Parsons hosts Daphne Benzaquen, Founder of the E-commerce lifestyle brand daph, inspired by her Peruvian heritage. Daphne started daph eight years ago, learning design and manufacturing herself. The brand has been featured in Forbes and Buzzfeed, and Daphne later founded an agency to help other small brands. Daphne emphasizes the importance of customer experience, using sensory branding like scents, recipes, and playlists to immerse customers in Peruvian culture. She values authenticity, community, and intentionality in her marketing strategies, including personalized emails and storytelling. Daphne also relies on her community and podcasts for support and learning.

Mariah Parsons hosts Daphne Benzaquen, Founder of the E-commerce lifestyle brand daph, inspired by her Peruvian heritage. Daphne started daph eight years ago, learning design and manufacturing herself. The brand has been featured in Forbes and Buzzfeed, and Daphne later founded an agency to help other small brands. Daphne emphasizes the importance of customer experience, using sensory branding like scents, recipes, and playlists to immerse customers in Peruvian culture. She values authenticity, community, and intentionality in her marketing strategies, including personalized emails and storytelling. Daphne also relies on her community and podcasts for support and learning.

Podcast website: retentionchroniclespodcast.com

Sponsor website: gomalomo.com

Episode Timestamps:

00:00 - 01:07 | Introduction

Host Mariah Parsons introduces the podcast and guest, Daphne Benzaquen.

Brief background on how they met at ShopTalk.

01:07 - 06:07 | Daphne’s Background & Founding daph

Daphne’s journey from pre-med to business school and eventually launching daph, a lifestyle brand inspired by her Peruvian heritage.

Teaching herself design and working with Peruvian artisans to create her first product collection.

06:07 - 10:56 | Learning Design & Manufacturing Process

How she approached design from a business mindset.

The process of finding manufacturing partners in Peru and learning through hands-on experience.

10:56 - 15:50 | Expanding from Accessories to Apparel

Starting with leather accessories and evolving into alpaca fleece apparel.

The importance of customer feedback and adapting to demand.

How unisex and one-size-fits-most apparel helped reduce inventory risks.

15:50 - 19:34 | Pivoting to Home Fragrance During COVID

Supply chain disruptions led to the launch of a home fragrance line.

Creating scents inspired by different regions of Peru.

How customer demand shaped product expansion.

19:34 - 26:33 | Enhancing the Customer Experience

Developing a multisensory brand experience with scent, music, and Peruvian recipes.

Running a “Scent Soirée” event to collect customer feedback on fragrance selections.

Personalizing the unboxing experience with a postcard, playlist, and cultural touchpoints.

26:33 - 32:05 | Customer Retention Strategies

Personalized post-purchase emails thanking repeat customers.

Offering exclusive early access and special perks.

The power of storytelling in emails and social media to build an emotional connection with customers.

32:05 - 37:51 | Community, Learning, & Growth as a Founder

The importance of authenticity and transparency in e-commerce.

Balancing entrepreneurship with self-care.

Leveraging founder networks, industry podcasts, and journaling for growth.

37:51 - 40:51 | Closing Thoughts & Final Takeaways

Daphne’s advice: “Jealousy is the thief of joy”—focus on collaboration over competition.

Shout-out to Malomo, a Shopify order-tracking platform, as the episode’s sponsor.

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