Former CEO of Lume Cube, an 8-figure DTC brand, considers starting an ecom HoldCo. They discuss the good, bad and ugly of DTC aggregators, CRO tests that led to 30-40% conversion rate lifts, challenges of scaling a company, hiring e-commerce talent from the Philippines, customer acquisition, and conversion optimization strategies.
Consider starting a holding company for new brands post successful DTC stint.
Evaluate acquiring distressed businesses in a holding company structure for growth.
Choose between scaling a diversified portfolio or focusing on a single high-value brand.
Deep dives
Riley Strickland Contemplates Next Business Move
Riley Strickland, former CEO of Lume Cube, delves into the dilemma of his future career path. Having overseen the transformation of Lume Cube into an eight-figure e-commerce enterprise, Riley faces the decision on whether to venture into a holding company, pursue another product-based business, or delve into a services business. Reflecting on past experiences and achievements while contemplating new opportunities, Riley seeks advice on navigating the evolving landscape of e-commerce to make informed choices for his next venture.
Exploring the Challenges of Distressed Business Acquisition
Delving into potential endeavors, Riley muses on the prospect of acquiring distressed businesses within a holding company model. Discussing the intricacies of transitioning from a successful brand like Lume Cube to evaluating opportunities in distressed assets, Riley reflects on the complexities of navigating troubled businesses, considering factors such as debt, management issues, and the inherent risks associated with reviving struggling enterprises.
Strategic Considerations for Business Development
In considering the strategic direction for his future endeavors, Riley weighs the options of scaling a diversified portfolio of smaller brands versus focusing on building a single enterprise with substantial value. Evaluating the trade-offs between managing multiple lean businesses with Virtual Assistants efficiently or pursuing the challenges of scaling a high-value consumer brand, Riley contemplates the intricacies of business growth, resource allocation, and market differentiation to shape his next entrepreneurial journey.
Challenges of Scaling E-commerce Business
Scaling an e-commerce business from $20 million to higher revenue levels poses challenges due to the need for significant growth efforts beyond existing strategies. With limited customer lifetime value and repeat orders, relying on subscriptions becomes difficult, leading to costly marketing campaigns and product failures. Building and scaling a brand in today's competitive market requires innovative product strategies and extensive brand development to stand out.
Optimizing conversion rates by tailoring landing pages and ad funnels to specific customer segments can yield substantial improvements, unlike traditional CRO methods like minor design tweaks. Focusing on creating custom funnels aligned with customer interests and storytelling can lead to significant conversion rate boosts, outperforming conventional CRO practices. The key lies in aligning ad creatives with targeted landing pages, facilitating higher engagement and conversions for businesses.
He had left his role as CEO of Lume Cube, a mid-8-figure DTC brand that he co-founded and I'd worked on briefly a number of years ago, and was thinking about what he wanted to do next. One idea he had: start an ecom HoldCo and try to spin up multiple new brands.
When he reached out to ask for my input (as a former aggregator CEO myself), I told him, "Let's talk. And how about we record it?" And Riley agreed to it.
Come for the conversation about the good, bad and ugly of DTC aggregators, stay for Riley's insights about the CRO tests that led to 30-40% conversion rate lifts for Lume Cube.
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