The Omnichannel Marketer

In this episode, we meet Yannis Varellas, the founder and CEO of OLYRA organic breakfast biscuits. 

We will learn how Yannis Varellas combined his family business which has been operating for five generations in Greece, with his science background to launch OLYRA.

Other topics covered in this episode

• Going retail first, DTC second
• Having great customer experience in DTC
• Having an integrated supply chain
• Capital intensive nature of CPG

 Key Takeaways

• Play to your strengths
• Success requires a lot of testing and learning
• You need to be in the top 25% of your product category to win retail
• Create brand awareness around geographic distribution
• Manage your working capital to grow your brand 

Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!

Where to find Yannis Varellas:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yannis-varellas-ouzounopoulos-8b3ba643/?originalSubdomain=gr 

​Website: ​ https://olyrafoods.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olyrafoods/?hl=en 

Where to find Kait Stephens:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/

Website: www.brij.it 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETER

www.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, Kait is at the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas, where she met four hardware experts:

1. Alyssa DeSio from Paragon
2. Scott Collins from YAT
3. Brian Nooner from Twist & Seal
4. Curtis Newman from DK2

Topics covered in this episode

• Representing a portfolio of brands
• Brand licensing and partnerships
• Going from OEM to a consumer brand
• The nuance of selling in online retail marketplaces
• Role of distributors in hardware and durable good distribution
• Role of customer service in hardware and durable goods

Key takeaways:

• The hardware industry facings the same exact challenges as CPG
• The hardware category is huge and you can grow a massive business
• With a single successful product, you can launch new product lines
• With growth, comes growing pains
• To win big you need to be customer obsessed. 

Where to find our guests:

Alyssa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssadesio/

Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottcollinsjr/

Curtis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtis-neuman/

Where to find Kait Stephens:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/

Website: www.brij.it 

In this episode, we meet Michael Wieder, co-founder of Lalo.
 
Lola is a baby brand for modern parents. It was conceived to alleviate the overwhelm of shopping for baby products and to celebrate milestones and memories of being a parent.
 
We will learn how Michael and the Lalo team are obsessed with customer experience and how they leveraged their DTC channel to build a strong relationship with the customer. 
 
Other topics covered in this episode

• Outsourcing your brand to an agency
• Mapping the different types of customers and their channels
• Understanding the circular loop of customer purchase
• The importance of customer education and experience
• How to get the timing right when expanding channels 

 
Key Takeaways

• Understand the key problem you are solving with your product
• As founders, you need to tell the story of the brand
• All businesses have failures, it’s important to learn from them
• Retail expansion timing is all about brand scale, market share and awareness
• Showing up for customers wholeheartedly to make their experience easier will help your brand
• Comparison with other brands is counterproductive

Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!

Where to find Michael Wieder:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-wieder-1a712515/
​Website: https://www.meetlalo.com/
Instagram: ​ https://www.instagram.com/lalo/?hl=en

Where to find Kait Stephens:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/
Website: www.brij.it

SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETER
www.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Kevin Wong, co-founder of Lunar, the first Asian-American craft hard seltzer. Kevin is a hands-on founder and demo machine, doing 100s of events in the last couple of years, including trade shows, food and beverage fairs, and in-store demonstrations. 

In this interview, we cover how Lunar had a highly unusual launch direct-to-consumer online during the pandemic. And the brand cut its teeth going door-to-door in New York City. 

Also covered in the episode:

• Bringing minority representation to an industry that is 93% white
• Creating an end-to-end brand experience across restaurants, retail, and at-home
• The unique challenges of building an alcohol brand
• Thinking about your business as a backable asset

Key takeaways:

• If you can make it in New York City as a brand, you can make it anywhere
• The best way to improve your marketing is by talking to customers
• It’s important to show the human element of your brand. 
• You need to repeat where your customers can buy over and over on social media
• You make money in retail, but you build a brand in restaurants

Where to find Kevin Wong:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinhwong/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wovenking

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinklunar/

Where to find Kait Stephens:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/

Website: www.brij.it 

In this episode, we meet Namik Soltan, the founder and CEO of GNGR Labs, a health shot brand with a modern approach to ancient remedies.  

We will learn how Namik Soltan persevered after failing at two startups and eventually built a successful brand with GNGR.

Other topics covered in this episode 

• Direct sales distribution
• Regional growth strategy
• Getting Amazon best seller badge
• Using QR codes for a modern customer experience

Key Takeaways

• Never give up
• Test and learn before investing big
• Dominating in one region is better than being everywhere in performing mediocrely
• Manage your resources and plan out the strategy to build velocity over time

Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!

Where to find Namik Soltan:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/namiksoltan/ 

​Website: ​ https://gngrlabs.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gngrlabs/?hl=en 

Where to find Kait Stephens:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/

Website: www.brij.it 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETER

www.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Brooke Harris, founder of Goodmylk. Goodmylk is plant-based milk with all the goodness of homemade qualities with clean ingredients.  

We will learn how Brooke Harris`s personal health issues and passion for making homemade products led to building the GoodMylk brand.

Other topics covered in this episode

• Plant-based products
• Understanding the products in the market and your positioning
• Farmer’s markets as a testing ground
• The coffee shop sales channel
• B2B sales and distribution

Key Takeaways

• Focus on one channel to start
• Side-by-side sampling with competition can be powerful
• Make partnerships that create opportunities for the brand
• Be unapologetic about your message

Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!

Where to find Brooke Harris:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-harris-aa884298/ 

​Website: ​ https://goodmylk.co/  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodmylkco/?hl=en 

Where to find Kait Stephens:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/

Website: www.brij.it 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETER

www.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Hasan Hasmani, founder, and CEO at Underdog Games. 

Underdog Games creates family board games, most notably the “Trekking” game series including Trekking the National Parks, Trekking Through History, and HerStory. 

Hasan shares the founding story of the business and the road to $5M in annual sales. 

Topics covered in this episode

• The nuance of marketing board games
• The role of Amazon in board game marketing
• Pivoting acquisition channels where ROAS is highest throughout the year
• Value of customer email addresses 
• Changing Amazon FBA costs

Key Takeaways

• Board games are a publishing business
• Discovery is the biggest challenge in board games
• Games business growth is via line extension (i.e. new book, game etc)
• It’s also a hit-driven business
• Amazon is a cost-effective fulfillment and storage partner for heavier products
• Providing free value-added offers post-sale can help collect email addresses from Amazon buyers

Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!

Where to find Hasan Hasmani:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasanhasmani/

​Website: https://www.underdoggames.com/

Where to find Kait Stephens:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/

Website: www.brij.it 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETER

www.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Breanna Atkinson, founder, and CEO of Kokada. Kokada is a coconut spread that is sugar-, nut-, and gluten-free. 

We will learn how Breanna Atkinson co-founded Kokada during COVID and hear her journey from farmers' markets and co-ops to Amazon and larger retailers.. 

Other topics covered in this episode

• How kitchen experiments led to Kokada
• What is a co-op and the benefits in selling there
• Target Forward Founders Program
• Role of education in new product marketing
• Planning a partnership with a major retailer

Key Takeaways

• Start slow and focus on learning 
• Know your customer well
• Collaborate with local co-op stores to understand the product
• Have a cofounder with a complementary skillset 
• Be vulnerable and divide responsibilities as a team
• Build your supply chain transparently
• Embrace rejection and keep persisting

Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!

Where to find Breanna Atkinson:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/breanna-atkinson-588136b7/ 

​Website: https://kokada.com/ ​ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatkokada/

Where to find Kait Stephens:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/

Website: www.brij.it 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETER

www.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Matt Mullenax, the founder, and CEO at Huron. Huron is a men’s skincare brand. 

Matt shares how his own personal experience with experience with skincare led him to found Huron and fuels his passion and drive as a founder. 

Topics covered in this episode

• The value of being human and telling relatable stories
• Immediate feedback loops on DTC and Amazon
• Price control on Amazon
• Value of playbooks

Key Takeaways

• Strive to make your brand human
• Know your infrastructure pillars
• Beware of “tried and true” playbooks
• Being your own consumer is a superpower
• Play to your strengths

Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!

Where to find Matt Mullenax:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-mullenax-4b4b086/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MattMullenax

​Website: https://usehuron.com/

Where to find Kait Stephens:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/

Website: www.brij.it 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETER

www.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Cedar Carter, CEO of the Good Patch and Lauren Farraye, head of Ecommerce & Digital at The Good Patch . 

The Good Patch is a plant and hemp-based wellness patch experiencing triple-digit growth and available in 10,000 retail locations.

Topics covered in this episode

• Organic retail first expansion
• What an Omnichannel strategy looks like
• The value of a brand compass
• Learnings from launching in Target
• What is middle funnel in CPG
• Speaking in results

Key Takeaways

• A brand should be present at every touch point in the consumer journey
• There’s no such thing as a silver bullet in marketing
• Always be testing something
• Measure with a full-funnel view
• Customers may not be different across channels but behaviors are

Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!

Where to find Cedar and Lauren:

Cedar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cedar-carter-43319611/

Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenkanick/

Where to find Kait Stephens:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/

Website: www.brij.it 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETER

www.theomnichannelmarketer.com