The Story of a Brand Show

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Matthew says, “regardless of your industry, if you’re thinking about subscriptions or if you're already doing subscription, you should, think about and collecting data on these two things: one, what people like or don't like and two, the reason people subscribe and why people cancel. Understanding those two components is critical because they can influence each other immensely.”

Today we interview Matthew Holman, Co-founder & Head of Growth for QPilot. QPilot unleashes Scheduled Shopping like Subscribe and Save or Automated Replenishment to work with any platform and any customer experience.

In this episode, we’re given trends & insights and strategic and tactical best practices that you can use right away to enhance and grow your subscriptions. We also cover some growth advice for other SaaS companies.

We discuss:

* His gratefulness for his opportunity to join QPilot * Overview and origin story of company * SaaS growth advice, including building with the customer * Trend and insights in subscription, including growth, popularity, and fatigue * Best practices including what data you should collect, flexibility, LTV, and how you should approach problems with your subscription strategy * People subscribe because they love your product, but why do they cancel? Hint: customer experience. * How long, on average, do people stick around? * Why they prefer percentage versus usage fee * Their launch checklist * How to prepare for a subscription strategy * Why they don’t like the term subscription instead they like “Scheduled Orders” * How to work with QPilot

Join Ramon Vela and Matthew Holman, as we break down the inside story of QPilot on The Story of a Brand.

For more on QPilot, visit: https://qpilot.cloud/

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.

*

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!

This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.

When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.

Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Nick says, “this is how I look at Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG). CPG is incredibly difficult. We all know it. Everyone that's in it know’s it's really, really difficult. You’ve got business-to-business (B2B). The brand to the retailer. You got business-to-consumer (B2C) sales, which is direct to consumer, Amazon, anything like that. And then you have B-to-B2C.

He goes on to say, “So when you sell to Sprouts or Kroger or Target or whatever it may be, how do you then get a consumer product off of the shelf? Yes, you've sold it to Target. Target is now buying your inventory, but if consumers don’t buy it, you're going to have to pay for it again. You're going to have to buy it back with less of an expiration date and so on. That's where it gets really, really difficult.”

In today's interview, we have a return guest and friend of the show (episodes #383/384), Nik Hall, Founder of Vitafive. Vitafive is on a mission is to provide high-quality, benefit-based supplements in eco-friendly packaging!

In this episode, we’re given a behind the scenes look at the products we love to buy, whether it’s online or at a retailer, and the challenging environment entrepreneurs face bringing products to market.

We discuss:

* His gratefulness for his wife * Overview & update of Vitafive * How retail has changed * Why he believes in selling more to less retail stores * Why you should not do consignment * How to start with retail, including starting local and test * How to get more sales through retail * Why channel strategy is critical * Growth versus profitability * Advice to CPG founders, including pricing strategies and if you don’t think you can do it, don’t! * And more…

Join Ramon Vela and Nik Hall, as we break down the inside story of Vitafive on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Vitafive, visit: https://vitafive.com/ 

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.

*

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!

This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.

When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.

Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Shae says, “I'm a big believer in product being the priority. I think brand is really important but people respond to product. So we started by developing products and creating something that was unique.”

Shae also says of his partner Drew Barrymore, “her unique point of view as she called it was creating the Apple for women in the kitchen —- simplistic design and unique use of materials and colors. She really pushed us to step outside of the norm.”

Today we interview Shae Hong, Founder & CEO of Made By Gather. Made By Gather makes small kitchen appliances and kitchenware for the modern consumer aspiring to make their kitchen a more special place.

We discuss:

* His gratefulness as a 22-year-old startup founder * Origin and overview of the brand * A review of their brands Bella, Beautiful, Crux and the significance of each brand * How they brought a unique design esthetic to Kitchenware * Why strategic plan is so crucial to scaling a business, including a breakdown of the process * Why product is the priority above the brand * Their partnership with Drew Barrymore and creating the “Apple for Women in the Kitchen” * Their concept of Humans and the Helm and what it means to the consumer * How you grow from Founder to CEO (lessons learned) * Why you should continually invest in the team and why you should build a team for where you want to go * Why kitchenware should be like having art in your home * Where to buy, partnerships, and more…

Join Ramon Vela and Shae Hong, as we break down the inside story of Made By Gather on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Made By Gather, visit: https://madebygather.com/

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.

*

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!

This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.

When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.

Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Greg says, “one of the biggest challenges with apparel based e-commerce is that you can't try it on. But then you have a whole slew of reverse logistics issues because customers are likely going to try something on and then return it, try something on and return, right? Which is not very good for the company. For example, abandonment is 35 percent based on sizing. Returns are in the 50 plus percentages based on size and fit related reasons and something like 82 percent of all inbound chat requests are for size and fit. It’s a tremendous problem across the board.”

Today we interview Greg Moore, Founder & CEO of WAIR. WAIR is inventing Sizeless Commerce. WAIR developed a product and size recommendation solution where they predict the body dimensions of the shoppers and align them with a custom recommendation algorithm built for each product.

We discuss:

* His gratefulness for his parents and family * How Rhone was his very first customer * Why sizing is the problem to solve for apparel companies? * Why brands don’t know the size and body dimensions of their customers * The origins of WAIR and what they do * Trends in the apparel industry * Advice for SaaS founders * Their vision of “Sizeless Commerce” * Best practices for brands in apparel * Customer Success story * How they do size mapping * Their onboarding and implementation process and why there’s no real maintenance * Who makes an ideal customer? * Why they like to work with brands with a sustainability focus * Last words for listeners

Join Ramon Vela and Greg Moore, as we break down the inside story of WAIR on The Story of a Brand.

For more on WAIR, visit: https://www.getwair.com/ 

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.

*

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!

This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.

When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.

Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Desiree says, “I am my customer. I’m that millennial who is shopping for myself or my partner for my home, wanting to introduce products that are better for me, that are better for the environment. I think the best thing we've done is really listen to our customers and see what it is they want next or make more of what they love and basically that's how we've grown.”

Today we interview Desiree Gaitan-Buchanan, Founder Poplinen. Poplinen is a size-inclusive, American-made clothing brand dedicated to making better fitting, beautiful, timeless tops for women. Poplinen is a member of 1% for the Planet and donates 1% of all sales to Step Up, a non-profit that propels teen girls living or going to school in under-resourced communities to fulfill their potential by empowering them to become confident, college-bound, and career-focused.

We discuss:

* Gratefulness for her pattern maker * Overview of Poplinen * Why she is willing to suffer for her passions * How she learned on the go * Why she considers herself her customer * How she supports size inclusivity * Challenges in business, including starting small, incubator, imposter syndrome, and more * What she has sacrificed for growing the company * The Poplinen Design Philosophy * Why they drop 3 items per season * Review of materials * And more…

Join Ramon Vela and Desiree Gaitan-Buchanan, as we break down the inside story of Poplinen on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Poplinen, visit: https://www.poplinen.co/ 

***When you visit Poplinen, promo code SOB20 for 20% off our entire store****

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.

*

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!

This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.

When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.

Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Alexej says, “most margins are compressing because supply chain costs are going up, raw material prices are going up, and other factors are going up because of inflation in other areas. What you see is that a lot of the bigger brands are struggling. So when we look at brands, we look at smaller brands. Why? On top of all the issues you have for bigger brands, you don't actually have a big universe of buyers for smaller brands. So we are one of the few buyers out there.”

Today we interview Alexej Pikovsky, Co-founder & CEO of Alphawell Brands. Alphawell Brands is a global acquisition and incubation platform with a health & wellness focus.

We discuss:

* His gratefulness for his parents, who left Ukraine for a better life * Discussion and explanation of acquisitions, multiples and how they view them * How brands are to dependent on paid media for growth * Their operating framework * Description of their brands including 96North & Alpha Green * Advice for brand founders, including why many brands are dead and just don’t know it yet * Why they start with positioning * Why they have a 100 step process when they acquire a company * What areas of health & wellness are they interested in * How to prepare for an exit * Their criteria for acquisition * Why selling a brand takes time * Last words: Look at this as a marathon and adopt a long-term mindset

Join Ramon Vela and Alexej Pikovsky, as we break down the inside story of Alphawell Brands on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Alphawell Brands, visit: https://alphawellbrands.com/

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.

*

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!

This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.

When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.

Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Ronda says, “So Romesco originated in the 15th century in northern Spain. So it has been around for a very long time. There's no one particular recipe for Romesco, much like Mexico has a variety of salsas. We make our Romesco with California almonds, roasted red pepper, garlic, tomato, spices, olive oil and a little red wine vinegar. It is an all natural, low carb, gluten-free product. It's vegan, vegetarian as well.”

Today we interview Ronda Catherine Brittian, Co-founder of Ronda’s Fine Foods. Ronda’s Fine Foods is a Petaluma, CA based woman and minority-owned family business, focused on creating unique, small batch, gourmet food items to inspire the discerning home chef.

Besides discussing products, we do a thorough analysis of her story. From going back to school, later in life, to become a neuro trauma nurse. To losing her mother, father and grandfather at the same time her marriage was ending. She struggled to support 3 children but learned some valuable lessons which she shares in this episode.

We discuss:

* Her gratefulness for her family and her partner, Steve * Being in your 50s and not wanting to live in regret * Being okay with failure * Losing her father, mother, grandfather and marriage - Her origin story * Starting over as a single mother * Why you never win the war by running away from the battle * A review of her award-winning Romesco, including ingredients * Advice for other Founders, including don’t put boulders on your path * Where to buy her Romesco * New products launching soon

Join Ramon Vela and Ronda Catherine Brittian, as we break down the inside story of Ronda’s Fine Foods on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Ronda’s Fine Foods, visit: https://rondasfinefoods.com/ 

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.

*

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!

This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.

When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.

Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Andrew says, "people know Wove for being the only engagement ring company that builds custom replica rings for our couples to try on at home. Our couples design, try on and purchase their engagement rings without ever having to leave their home. And I think what's surprising to most people is that the replica ring isn't just a plastic ring that you try on, it looks and feels indistinguishable from the final ring."

Today we interview Andrew Wolgemuth, Co-founder & CEO of Wove. Wove is a custom engagement ring company that provides replica rings for at-home try-on. Wove matches clients with their own expert jewelry designer over video chat to design their one-of-a-kind ring.

Andrew says that Wove uses the same manufacturing process for their replica rings as they do for the real ring. They use non-precious metals and imitation diamonds to create the replica rings, so you feel confident knowing you’re buying the right ring. Plus, there’s one more hidden benefit that I believe to be the best thing about this process. You get to keep that replica ring as your travel ring or adventure ring.

We discuss:

* Andrew’s gratefulness for his wife’s support * Wove Origin story, which starts with two Army Rangers in Afghanistan * 70% of couples buy their ring together * How he grew up in the Jewelry business and lessons learned * Why they are a mix of tech startup and master artisan * A breakdown of their customer process * How customers get their own master craftsperson to work with * Challenges and advice for other entrepreneurs * How everything is made with “just-in-time” manufacturing * Why it’s important that their customer feels seen and heard * Why his team is his competitive advantage * And more…

Join Ramon Vela and Andrew Wolgemuth, as we break down the inside story of Wove on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Wove, visit: https://wovemade.com/

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.

*

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!

This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.

When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.

Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Dr. Anthony Nakhla says, “your skin has its own code or its own language where the cells communicate to one another. So when there's a wound, it's trying to heal itself. With the products we developed, we say that we speak the language of skin. Meaning that we use ingredients that are not foreign, but are native to skin cells that stimulate your cells towards healing and repair and renewal.”

Today we interview Dr. Antony Nakhla, Founder of Eighth Day. Eighth Day products are infused with Peptide-Rich Plasma®, a patent-pending, biologically active blend of ingredients and clinically tested delivery system, formulated by Dr. Nakhla to give you, easily, the best skin of your life.

We discuss:

* Overview and Origins of the brand Eighth Day * Their product focus and goal, including focusing on ingredients * Why they are bridging the gap between skincare and surgery * Why you should think of skin issues as “wounded skin” * Clinical versus non-clinical and why it’s important to know the difference * Their product philosophy * Why a brand should be more than storytelling but scientifically sound * Advice for other founders * Breakdown of products * And much more.

Join Ramon Vela and Dr. Antony Nakhla, as we break down the inside story of Eighth Day on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Eighth Day, visit: https://eighthdayskin.com/ 

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.

*

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!

This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.

When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.

Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Yotpo.

Miryha says, “there are a lot of brands that have entered the market and have been founded by marketers instead of product designers or innovators. They identify a consumer pain point and decide they are going to enter the market and solve that problem."

She continues, “but in reality, all they have is a great marketing angle and a product that ultimately doesn't deliver. It's attributed to them not having the infrastructure and the design team and the quality teams, et cetera, et cetera, who know how to make that type of product. At Wacoal, we own the entire process.”

Today we interview Miryha Fantegrossi, SVP of Merchandising and Design for Wacoal America. Wacoal is a premium bra brand that believes that wearing the right bra can change a woman’s look and her outlook. Fit, quality, comfort and craftsmanship are what we know them for. We have a lively discussion about the origins of Wacoal, why she loves the industry, the design process at Wacoal, and how they are partnering with Susan G. Komen® for a Fit for the Cure where they already donated millions for a breast cancer cure. Please visit their site for more info on how you can help with the cure for breast cancer.

Topics include:

* Miryha’s gratefulness for her first internship and for her current role at Wacoal * Why she loves the industry * The Wacoal Origin story * The secret to the Wacoal longevity * How their fit consultants work with retail sales people * Why having their own manufacturing is a competitive advantage * The Wacoal “Aha Moment” * The Wacoal design process breakdown and why their designers are both creative and technical * The Size & Shape equation and why it is so crucial to success * How they make products that will last * Where to begin on the Wacoal journey * And more…

Join Ramon Vela and Miryha Fantegrossi as we break down the inside story of Wacoal America on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Wacoal, visit: https://www.wacoal-america.com/

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand,” or click here to listen on your favorite podcast player: Listen now.

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This episode is brought to you by Yotpo.

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