Amanda Greeley has been thinking about Spence since 2017. She didn't rush it.

Before launching the racket sports brand, she built Tink & Tiger out of Brooklyn's garment district during Instagram's pre-ad era, founded Thelma footwear (picked up by J. Crew before her Italian manufacturer collapsed during the pandemic), and led creative direction at Serena & Lily. She's someone who has done this before — multiple times — and has the scar tissue to prove it.

In this episode, we get into what it actually looks like to build a brand in today's DTC climate: tighter investor appetite, more expensive paid media, and a fundraising environment that has completely reset from the Warby Parker window of the early 2010s. Amanda is candid about all of it — what's working, what she'd do differently, and why she's more optimistic now than ever about the racket sports category.

We also talk about the creative tension at the core of Spence — nostalgia versus futurism — and why tennis, pickleball, padel, and squash represent one of the most underserved brand opportunities in the market right now.

Topics covered:— Why the DTC fundraising window has closed and what that means for founders building today— The Lululemon and Nike comparison: what happens when a brand expands the TAM instead of just serving it— Building in public: the risks, the upside, and why Amanda is leaning into it with Spence's journal— Surf and skate as a brand template for racket sports— AI in brand operations: where it's useful and where it produces forgettable creative— The optimization trap in wellness — and why racket sports is uniquely positioned outside of it— Why "idea people" only get so far, and what execution actually demands

After 15 years of building brands across every category, John Scheer and his partner made a bet that focus would beat breadth and it paid off. In just three years, Herman Scheer doubled their business by going all-in on healthcare, self-care, and wellness branding.

In this episode, John breaks down:

On Positioning & Niching:

• Why specialization turned prospects from comparing agencies to making a choice
• How focusing on healthcare eliminated the "comparison game" with dozens of other creative agencies
• The real reason most agencies stay generalists (and why that's a mistake)

On Building Healthcare Brands:

• Working with brands like Ritual, Bobby, and disruptive healthcare startups
• Why "your first 500 customers talk about you more than your next 5,000"—and what that means for brand positioning
• The shift in supplement marketing: from benefit-forward to science-backed transparency

On Industry Evolution:

• Why AG1's recent efficacy controversy signals a major shift in wellness marketing
• How consumers now understand bioavailability and demand proof of results
• Balancing science vs. feeling when selling health products

On Agency Growth:

• How bringing on a third partner helped them move upmarket and double revenue
• The transition from "taking any creative work" to working with sophisticated businesses
• Moving from Venice Beach to Cleveland while maintaining cutting-edge wellness work

John Scheer is Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of Herman Scheer, a strategic brand consultancy specializing in healthcare, self-care, and wellness brands. They work with everyone from venture-backed startups to established CPG brands in supplements, fitness, health tech, and healthy food & beverage.

ABOUT THE MARKETING FACTOR:Hosted by Austin Dandridge, Creative Director of Cobble Hill (a Pyxl company). Get tactical marketing insights from brand founders and marketing leaders driving real growth.

In this episode of The Marketing Factor, Austin Dandridge sits down with Julian Modiano founder of Acuto and Weavely to unpack the future of data, automation, and AI inside modern marketing agencies.Julian’s rare background blends deep PPC experience from Merkle and Brainlabs with true engineering chops as a Google Cloud developer — giving him a uniquely technical and marketer-centric view of what agencies actually need. We cover data warehousing, MMM vs attribution models, AI slop, automation pitfalls, BigQuery, Looker, TikTok’s rise, and whether agencies should hire developers. This episode is loaded with practical insights for performance marketers, operators, founders, and anyone building the “agency of the future.”💡 What You’ll Learn• Why data warehousing is becoming essential for agencies — and when brands should adopt it• How Acuto and Weavely were built to solve real reporting and automation pain • Why platform reporting from Meta & Google keeps getting worse• How MMM + MTA can actually work together• The #1 reason most automation projects fail (and how to avoid it) • Whether agencies will need developers (or if AI will replace them first)• Why AI is creating a “slop era” — and how to stand out with real human creativity • Where AI genuinely helps marketers (and where it’s still terrible)• The rise of TikTok as a core data source for agencies • How future marketers will blend technical fluency with creative thinkingHighlights00:00 — How Julian blends PPC + engineering01:59 — The origins of Akudo & Weavely04:52 — Why platform reporting is breaking07:46 — How to think about attribution vs MMM10:57 — When brands should consider a data warehouse12:33 — Why automation projects blow up14:23 — What to automate vs what humans should own17:05 — Will marketers get replaced by AI?19:56 — AI slop + why original thinking matters22:59 — Why full AI-generated reporting is dangerous27:57 — Advanced workflows: MCPs, APIs, and querying your own data34:24 — TikTok’s rise in agency reporting stacks36:18 — The future of Akudo & Weavely37:45 — Barcelona restaurant hot takes38:10 — Best book Julian recommends

In this episode, Austin Dandridge talks with Jon Howard, founder of JoHo & Co. and longtime outdoor industry marketer, about what it takes to build enduring brands in today’s crowded DTC landscape. From shifting outdoor storytelling beyond product specs to developing data-driven customer personas, Jon shares how to align teams, leverage community marketing, and balance wholesale with DTC growth. They unpack post-COVID trends, influencer credibility, evergreen campaigns, and why clarity—not constant chasing—drives long-term success.

In this episode of The Marketing Factor, Austin Dandridge interviews Curry Hagerty, the marketing mastermind behind HART Jewelry's explosive growth. Discover how this contemporary jewelry brand scales without heavy discounting and dominates Black Friday with innovative strategies.KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Black Friday pre-sale strategy for existing customers
• Why creative testing beats optimization for Meta ads
• Building a marketing team with EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System)
• Klaviyo automation for retail stores and trunk shows
• Attribution tracking with Triple Whale vs Meta reporting
• AI tools for e-commerce growth and customer discovery

• Running 25-30 new ad creatives monthly on Meta
• Whitelisting campaigns using real customers vs mega-influencers
• Omnichannel customer feedback loops from retail to online
• Geographic email segmentation for pop-up events
• Browse abandonment flows without heavy discounting

• Klaviyo for email/SMS marketing
• Triple Whale for attribution tracking
• Meta advertising optimization
• Shopify Plus AI features
• Daydream.io for AI-powered shopping discovery

Perfect for e-commerce founders, marketing managers, and jewelry brands looking to scale profitably without racing to the bottom on pricing.

In this episode of The Marketing Factor, host Austin Dandridge speaks with Wil Reynolds, founder of Seer Interactive, about the evolving landscape of digital marketing.

They discuss the importance of embracing a testing mindset, fostering a culture of innovation, and navigating uncertainty in the industry. Wil emphasizes the need for operational transparency over content volume and the significance of cross-divisional collaboration.

The conversation also touches on leveraging AI for insights and the future of marketing in an AI-driven world, along with personal use cases for AI in everyday life.

Key takeaways* Embrace a testing mindset to thrive in marketing.* Fostering a culture of innovation is crucial for success.* Navigating uncertainty requires honesty with clients.* Operational transparency is more important than content volume.* Cross-divisional collaboration enhances marketing effectiveness.* Understanding customer experience is key to marketing success.* AI can provide valuable insights for marketers.* Personal use of AI can enhance everyday decision-making.* Marketers must adapt to the changing landscape of digital marketing.* Continuous learning and improvement are essential in marketing.Chapters

00:00Introduction to the Marketing Factor01:07Embracing a Testing Mindset in Marketing03:22Fostering Innovation and Team Dynamics05:51Navigating Client Expectations in Uncertain Times07:56The Shift from Certainty to Probabilistic Marketing08:52Operational Transparency in Brand Relevance11:19Adapting Strategies for AI and LLMs14:45Cross-Divisional Collaboration for Marketing Success19:01Leveraging Data for Insights22:50The Importance of Customer-Centric Marketing27:16Personal Use Cases for AI in Everyday Life

In this episode of The Marketing Factor, host Austin Dandridge sits down with Suze Dowling, co-founder, operator, and one of the sharpest minds in DTC. From her unexpected path to Gin Lane to her role shaping the brand collective at Pattern, Suze unpacks what it really takes to build emotionally resonant brands in today’s landscape.

They get into the weeds on why email still outperforms, how to hire for curiosity (not credentials), and what a “clarity check-in” can do for your business. You'll also hear Suze’s take on navigating acquisitions without losing a brand’s soul, her personal rituals for staying balanced, and why Melbourne might just be her spirit city.

Whether you're scaling a DTC brand or just trying to get your email flows to convert, this episode delivers sharp insight without the fluff.

Highlights:

• Creating tension for emotional connection

• The underrated power of email marketing

• Why hiring curious people changes everything

• Using clarity check-ins to stay focused

• What makes a brand acquisition actually work

  
  

  Chapters00:00

  Introduction to Suze Dowling and Her Journey

  02:49

  Transitioning from Marketing to Brand Building

  05:22

  The Evolution of DTC Marketing Strategies

  08:14

  Understanding Consumer Behavior and Engagement

  10:42

  The Importance of Email Marketing in E-commerce

  13:34

  Navigating the Challenges of a Holding Company

  16:16

  The Role of TikTok in Modern Marketing

  19:13

  Final Thoughts on Marketing Strategies and Brand Growth

  25:02

  Performance Marketing Insights

  26:10

  The Clarity Check-In Framework

  29:56

  The Power of the Pivot

  32:22

  Hiring for Curiosity

  33:53

  Evaluating Brands for Acquisition

  37:02

  Revitalizing Acquired Brands

  40:57

  Daily Habits for Sanity

  43:18

  Admiring Innovative Brands

  
  

Justin Watt, co-founder of Switchboard and expert in systems design, joins Austin Dandridge to break down how high-performing teams use AI and automation to scale without adding complexity. In this episode of The Marketing Factor, they cover low-lift, high-impact workflows, how to prep your business for AI, the real bottlenecks behind AGI, and why tools like Notion and Airtable are still top picks for lean teams. If you're building a direct-to-consumer brand, creative agency, or fast-growing business, this conversation will change how you think about operations, automation, and modern marketing strategy.

In this episode of The Marketing Factor, Austin Dandridge sits down with Molly Fienning, the serial entrepreneur behind Babyators, Red Clay Hot Sauce, and now SipLand—a platform redefining non-alcoholic beverage culture through community, content, and curation.

Molly shares what it means to build from the second mountain—a phase of entrepreneurship driven not by scale or speed, but by alignment, intuition, and presence. They discuss how younger founders are rewriting hustle culture, why the future of consumer brands depends on in-person community, and how building for yourself can actually be the smartest strategy of all.

If you’re rethinking how (and why) you build your brand, this one’s essential.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:
00:42 – Meditation, Joe Dispenza, and tuning in
04:15 – The “second mountain” and redefining success
09:58 – Starting Babyators and spotting market gaps
13:30 – SipLand: a new vision for non-alc community
19:42 – Gen Z founders, boundaries, and new energy
27:57 – Gut vs data: how Molly makes decisions
30:38 – Building real-life brand experiences
33:50 – SipLand as a brand consultancy
37:53 – Who you think your customer is vs who it actually is
43:37 – Why Molly builds for herself first
47:42 – DTC, margins, and what to avoid in CPG
50:13 – Where to find Molly and learn more about SipLand

In this episode of The Marketing Factor, Austin Dandridge interviews Lucas Ballasy, CEO and partner at Barrel, a specialized CPG commerce agency. Lucas shares insights from his journey from freelance designer to agency leadership, while discussing his popular weekly newsletter and approach to creative work.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:41 - Lucas's journey with writing and creative expression

03:46 - The process of writing a weekly newsletter

12:38 - From freelance designer to CEO at Barrel

19:06 - Finding focus in the CPG space

23:53 - Effective landing page strategy for CPG brands

29:20 - Why headless commerce rose and fell

33:20 - When brands should invest in custom vs theme websites

38:03 - Evolution of website development methodologies

43:58 - Current trends in e-commerce and CPG