The Growth Class with Phil Masiello

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Tony Lane, President and Co-Founder of GS Draft, a company transforming the beverage dispensing industry through innovative draft beer systems and technology. 

They explore how bars, restaurants, breweries, and entertainment venues can improve operational efficiency, reduce keg waste, and increase profitability through smarter beverage dispensing solutions. 

Tony shares why temperature management, proper beer line cleaning, and system maintenance are essential to achieving optimal keg yields, revealing how poorly managed draft systems can operate at just 77% keg yield compared to 95% for well-managed systems. 

He also discusses how technologies like automated temperature monitoring, bottom-filling dispensers, and high-speed mobile kiosks are helping operators minimize waste and serve more customers efficiently. 

Beyond the technology, Tony offers insights into educating operators, overcoming resistance to new systems, and navigating the challenges of scaling a hardware business amid rising shipping costs, tariffs, and economic uncertainty. 

GS Draft’s approach demonstrates how investing in the right equipment, technology, and operational practices can turn draft beverage service into a stronger source of revenue and long-term profitability.

GS Draft website: https://www.gsdraft.com

Support the show

There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll.

They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book.

That’s not me.
 I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all.

And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.
 We don’t just advise — we execute.
We write the playbook.

So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place.

This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk.

https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello

https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/

https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/

https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello

#StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips 

#ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Mark Murrell, Founder and CEO of Get Maine Lobster. 

Mark shares how he turned his childhood connection to Maine seafood into a nationwide direct-to-consumer ecommerce business, building a brand around premium seafood, exceptional customer service, and reliable delivery of perishable products. 

He explains how he initially leveraged Groupon and other marketplace platforms to validate demand, understand customer behavior, and build a loyal customer base before expanding into CRM, email marketing, and paid advertising. 

The conversation explores the operational complexities of shipping live seafood nationwide, managing fulfillment schedules, negotiating better shipping rates, and using technology to anticipate logistics challenges. Mark also shares his approach to measuring marketing performance through overall ROAS and new customer acquisition costs rather than evaluating channels in isolation, the growing importance of founder-led creative in paid advertising, and why authentic content continues to outperform AI-generated marketing for consumer brands.

 They also discuss the opportunities and challenges of live selling, brand partnerships, and adapting ecommerce strategies to changing consumer behavior. 

Get Maine Lobster website: https://getmainelobster.com

Support the show

There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll.

They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book.

That’s not me.
 I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all.

And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.
 We don’t just advise — we execute.
We write the playbook.

So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place.

This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk.

https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello

https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/

https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/

https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello

#StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips 

#ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Gary Trudell, owner of Custom Comfort Mattress. 

With nearly 40 years of experience in handcrafted mattress manufacturing, Gary shares how his family built a successful business by going against industry trends and prioritizing product quality, natural materials, and traditional American craftsmanship. He explains why Custom Comfort Mattress continues to manufacture double-sided, hand-tufted mattresses while much of the industry has shifted toward synthetic materials and mass production. 

Gary also discusses the importance of personalized sleep solutions, including how body type, sleeping position, and individual comfort needs influence mattress design. 

The conversation explores the business value of customer referrals, repeat business, hospitality partnerships, and custom manufacturing for professional athletes and luxury clients. As Custom Comfort Mattress prepares to expand beyond its eight locations, Gary shares the challenges of scaling a family-owned business without compromising its standards, customer experience, or brand integrity. His story offers valuable insights into building a differentiated brand, competing through quality rather than price, and growing a business while staying true to its founding principles.

Custom Comfort Mattress website: https://customcomfortmattress.com

Support the show

There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll.

They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book.

That’s not me.
 I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all.

And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.
 We don’t just advise — we execute.
We write the playbook.

So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place.

This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk.

https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello

https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/

https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/

https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello

#StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips 

#ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Michele Bohbot, co-founder and Safety Director of Oxynergy2, a longevity and wellness center in Beverly Hills, California. 

After building an internationally recognized fashion brand, Michele reinvented her entrepreneurial journey by combining her lifelong passion for creativity, yoga therapy, and holistic wellness to enter the longevity industry. She shares how the COVID-19 pandemic inspired her to explore hyperbaric oxygen therapy and build a business focused on personalized wellness, recovery, and proactive health.

Michele explains how Oxynergy2 combines hyperbaric oxygen therapy with red light therapy and other wellness services to create customized protocols based on individual goals, while emphasizing the importance of client education, safety, and personalized care. 

She also discusses the challenges of balancing entrepreneurship with family life, the role of continuous learning in staying ahead of emerging wellness technologies, and her vision for expanding Oxynergy2 through franchise partnerships that share the company’s commitment to quality and individualized service.

Oxynergy2 website: https://oxynergy2.com/

Support the show

There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll.

They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book.

That’s not me.
 I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all.

And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.
 We don’t just advise — we execute.
We write the playbook.

So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place.

This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk.

https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello

https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/

https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/

https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello

#StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips 

#ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Ben Faw, co-founder of AdVon Commerce and partner at Dynamism Capital. 

A West Point graduate, U.S. Army veteran, and seasoned technology entrepreneur, Ben shares lessons from building and scaling BestReviews into a business acquired for a combined valuation of $160 million. He explores the fundamentals of e-commerce growth, performance marketing, and customer acquisition, explaining why skilled human oversight and strong data workflows can outperform automated advertising tools. 

Ben also highlights the power of strategic public relations, sharing how a creative campaign offering baseball player Brian Wilson $1 million to shave his beard generated widespread media coverage, increased brand awareness, and helped drive sales. 

The conversation examines how PR can strengthen SEO performance and brand credibility, why businesses need to balance paid advertising with organic growth strategies, and how consumer intent shapes effective marketing.

AdVon Commerce website: https://advoncommerce.com/

Support the show

There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll.

They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book.

That’s not me.
 I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all.

And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.
 We don’t just advise — we execute.
We write the playbook.

So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place.

This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk.

https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello

https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/

https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/

https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello

#StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips 

#ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Clay Montgomery, founder of Atomic Tattoos and a professional tattoo artist who has grown a single shop into a multi-location business with 17 studios across Florida and Wisconsin. 

Clay shares how he built a recognizable tattoo brand by balancing standardized business systems with the creative freedom and individuality that make each studio unique. He explains why investing in company culture, employee retention, and customer service is essential to scaling a creative business without losing its authenticity. 

Clay also reveals how centralized operations, including inventory management, billing, lease negotiations, and other back-office functions, allow tattoo artists to focus on their craft while regional managing partners oversee daily operations.

Clay also discusses the challenges of expanding into new markets, preparing the next generation of leadership, and navigating emerging technologies like AI in an industry where authenticity and artistic integrity remain central to the customer experience.

Atomic Tattoos website: https://atomictattoos.com/

Support the show

There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll.

They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book.

That’s not me.
 I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all.

And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.
 We don’t just advise — we execute.
We write the playbook.

So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place.

This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk.

https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello

https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/

https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/

https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello

#StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips 

#ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Gabrielle Melchionda, founder of Mad Gab’s, a pioneering natural and organic beauty brand.

Gabrielle shares how she built a business from a homemade lip balm recipe in her mother’s kitchen into a nationally recognized brand featured on QVC and in publications like Vogue, eventually securing retail partnerships with major retailers. She explains the realities of bootstrapped entrepreneurship, the importance of building relationships with retailers and industry mentors, and how persistence helped her navigate business setbacks, market changes, and the challenges of balancing entrepreneurship with family life. 

Gabrielle also shares valuable insights into retail expansion, including how to evaluate trade show investments, choose the right sales brokers, understand retailer requirements, and differentiate products in a competitive market dominated by established brands. 

As Mad Gab’s continues to grow after more than 35 years in business, she discusses the importance of authentic founder-led marketing, building brand awareness through social media, and maintaining a sustainable business model without outside investment.  

Mad Gab’s website: https://www.madgabs.com

Support the show

There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll.

They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book.

That’s not me.
 I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all.

And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.
 We don’t just advise — we execute.
We write the playbook.

So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place.

This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk.

https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello

https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/

https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/

https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello

#StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips 

#ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Anish Patel, Founder and President of Ashtel Studios. 

Anish shares how he built a consumer products business from a dorm-room web design venture into a multi-category manufacturer serving major retailers across the United States. He explains how product innovation, persistence, and a problem-solving mindset helped him overcome repeated retail rejections, launch the successful Brush Buddies brand, and secure major retail partnerships. Anish also discusses the challenges of scaling physical products, including inventory risk, cash flow management, supply chain efficiency, and the financial consequences of unpredictable celebrity partnerships. He reveals how diversifying through branded products, private-label manufacturing, and licensed partnerships helped reshape Ashtel Studios’ business model and create more sustainable growth. 

The conversation also explores how TikTok is helping smaller consumer brands compete with established CPG companies by driving traffic to retail stores, increasing product sales, and creating opportunities for expanded shelf space. 

For entrepreneurs looking to build consumer brands, break into retail distribution, and scale a product-based business, Anish offers valuable lessons on resilience, strategic diversification, and turning product innovation into long-term growth.

Ashtel Studios website: https://www.ashtelstudios.com

Support the show

There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll.

They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book.

That’s not me.
 I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all.

And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.
 We don’t just advise — we execute.
We write the playbook.

So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place.

This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk.

https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello

https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/

https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/

https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello

#StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips 

#ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Jake Cohn, President of Out&Back Outdoor, Inc. 

Jake shares the unconventional journey from professional freer skier and entrepreneur to building and scaling an outdoor gear marketplace that ultimately led to the acquisition of The Locals Sale by Out&Back Outdoor. 

He discusses how a simple idea to sell excess ski gear evolved into a community-driven business, the importance of staying adaptable when business plans inevitably change, and the lessons he learned from growing through lean teams, limited resources, and plenty of unexpected challenges. 

Jake also shares how his experience as a professional athlete shaped his entrepreneurial mindset, why persistence and the ability to keep moving forward matter when things go wrong, and how Out&Back is working to make outdoor gear more accessible through new and used products and a more sustainable circular model. 

The conversation also explores leadership and delegation, building teams around individual strengths, the realities of running a growing business, and Jake’s approach to balancing entrepreneurship, adventure, family, and his continued involvement in the outdoor industry. 

Out&Back Outdoor, Inc. website: https://outandbackoutdoor.com/

Support the show

There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll.

They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book.

That’s not me.
 I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all.

And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.
 We don’t just advise — we execute.
We write the playbook.

So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place.

This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk.

https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello

https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/

https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/

https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello

#StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips 

#ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Eric Orange, Founder and CEO of LocalWineEvents.com. 

Eric shares the story behind building one of the longest-running digital platforms for wine, food, beer, and spirits events, after a poorly attended wine dinner in 2000 revealed a simple problem: people needed one place to discover local experiences. 

He explains how a $1,500 startup evolved into a global event discovery platform, the importance of solving a clear market need, and how early digital advertising helped create a sustainable business model. 

Eric also discusses how consumer behavior in the wine industry has shifted from traditional wine education toward experiences, connection, and smaller, more intimate events. He shares insights into building a valuable audience and data set, using customer behavior and AI to better understand consumer interests, and the opportunities to scale and improve monetization through targeted advertising, event promotion, and audience segmentation. 

LocalWineEvents.com website: https://www.localwineevents.com/

Support the show

There are a lot of  "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll.

They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book.

That’s not me.
 I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all.

And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital.
 We don’t just advise — we execute.
We write the playbook.

So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place.

This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk.

https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello

https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/

https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/

https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello

#StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips 

#ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth