The Smart Marketer Podcast Episode 250: Scaling Regulated Brands & Building What You Believe In
What happens when you mix a viral beverage, a high-compliance industry, and one of the sharpest minds in performance marketing?
In this episode, recorded live at Smart Marketer Live 2025, Nick Shackelford joins Zach Dampier for a candid behind-the-scenes look at building BRĒZ a microdose beverage brand blending THC, functional mushrooms, and adaptogens. From navigating paid media challenges to retail expansion, Nick shares real talk on scaling products you care about, retention strategies that actually work, and why creative still trumps targeting on Meta.
"Our mission is to reduce human suffering and maximize human potential through a better beverage." – Nick Shackelford
You Will Learn:-
How to scale a product in a highly regulated category like THC
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The exact creative that outperforms for BRĒZ (hint: it's not what you expect)
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Why retail is still essential, even for DTC brands
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A smarter way to build LTV from first purchase to loyal customer
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Why "broad targeting" is Meta's new reality
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Nick's bold prediction about AI-generated content and Meta's next big move
- Smart Marketer Black Friday / Cyber Monday Sale – smartmarketer.com/BFCM-2025
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BRĒZ Beverage – drinkbrez.com
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Nick Shackelford on Instagram – @iamnickshackelford
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Smart Marketer – smartmarketer.com
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Instagram – @smartmarketerig – Follow Us
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Instagram – @mollypittmandigital – Follow Molly
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Omnisend (Email & SMS Tool) – smartmarketer.com/omnisend – Use code SMART for 50% off
00:00 – Intro: Nick Shackelford joins live at Smart Marketer Live 02:46 – Nick's journey & how BRĒZ was born 04:08 – From agency life to brand ownership 05:27 – Navigating compliance in regulated industries (like THC) 07:19 – Cultural shifts: The rise of non-alcoholic social beverages 09:35 – Why retail still wins: "Cans in hands" matters 10:42 – The creative that outperformed all ads: A real customer call 12:35 – LTV & retention: How to optimize post-purchase flow 14:21 – The most common mistake in paid ads (and what Meta reps say now) 16:25 – What fuels Nick's team: Mission, movement, and remote hustle 19:10 – Full-circle moment: How pirated Ezra content sparked Nick's career 22:51 – Purpose & product: Nick's take on meaningful business 24:38 – Bold prediction: Meta's new "Vibes" AI feed & where it's heading 27:28 – Closing thoughts: Reaffirmation bubbles, dual realities & what's next
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