Caleb Alvarez is the founder of Shadow Light Studios, an agency specializing in high-converting paid and organic content. He has worked with major consumer brands like Monster Energy, Snapchat, and Samsung, as well as influencers like Tony Hawk, Logan Paul, Ice Cube, and many more.
In this episode of DTC Pod, Caleb breaks down how founders can create better content, build and scale a content engine, and strike the right balance between organic and paid content. He unpacks everything from finding your USP and mapping out content pillars to establishing a sprint-based production process. Caleb also shares how he helped scale Nectar Hard Seltzer from $2M to $5M in revenue using only organic content.
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On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Founder-Led Content Strategies
2. Building a Content Engine: Key Roles and Process
3. Systems for Creating and Managing Content
4. Agile Workflow for Content Creation
5. Social Media Content Types and Pillars
6. Optimizing Content for Conversions
7. Balancing Paid and Organic Marketing
8. Balancing Virality and Conversion Goals
Timestamps
00:00 Caleb's background and getting into content creation
05:22 How Shadow Light Studios works with brands
07:35 The power of founder-led content and storytelling
12:44 Who should create founder-led content
15:02 Key pillars for effective founder-led brand content
18:55 Balancing content creation as a founder with limited time
22:16 How to structure content teams and roles
28:40 Paid ads vs. organic content—how they work together
31:39 Building a content strategy and implementing a system
36:18 Managing content sprints and pipeline
43:01 Content that performs vs. content that converts
49:01 Lead capture and conversion optimization techniques
53:09 Wrap up and where to follow Caleb Alvarez
Show notes powered by Castmagic
Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.
Additional episodes you might like:
• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth
• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content
• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views
• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands
• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook
• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands
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Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:
DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content
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Caleb Alvarez - Founder of Shadow Light Studios
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic
DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built