On this episode of DTC pod, Peter joins Blaine to share lessons from building Floof, as well as some tricks and growth levers from his time in the manufacturing & design business.

We cover:

- Prioritizing branding before product development.

- Conducting focus groups and analyzing consumer data.

- Exploring opportunities to partner with platforms like Kindred.

- Identifying a gap in the market for accessible high-end pillows.

- Utilizing out-of-the-box methods to grab attention and optimize marketing channels.

- Designing for packaging, customer support, and unboxing

- Staying focused on brand goals and not being swayed by short-term profits.

Timestamps:

04:48 Opportunity in the pillow market.

08:03 Journey of brand building.

11:41 Targeted direct channels, consider scaling.

14:50 Unique pillow personalization experience.

19:55 Using real models for pillow showcase.

21:30 Healthy profit margins.

25:11 Streamlined purchasing with design guidance.

27:56 Empower consumers as designers.

32:05 Discounts from designers and trade shows.

35:17 Communicate brand value, aggressive growth.

39:39 Kindred: platform for apartment swapping.

41:37 Focus on social proof, partnerships.

Shownotes 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.

Check out our guide to all the best brands here.

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

-----
Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?
Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.

Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?
Check out our newsletter here

Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!

DTCPod Instagram
DTCPod Twitter
DTCPod TikTok

Peter Sivas - Founder of Floof
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Meta Mystics| How To Develop & Harness Your Psychic Empathy