

LEADING BRANDS® — Wavebreak Podcast
Dylan Kelley
Go behind the scenes with Leading Brands®. Ecommerce, Direct to Consumer, Retail, Wholesale, Luxury, Sustainability, Marketing, Entrepreneurship. No topics are off the table. New episodes every Monday.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 18, 2022 • 49min
Bespoke Post: Scaling to 300,000 Subscription Box Subscribers with Alvaro De La Rocha
Our guest today has helped grow Bespoke Post, a subscription box company, to over 300,000 paying customers. Alvaro De La Rocha joins the Wavebreak Podcast to explain how he leads a team handling massive revenue in the most effective way possible. In this episode you’ll learn:What happened between the time Alvaro joined the company as Employee #2 as a do-it-all marketer (10 years ago!) to becoming CMO today. How marketing has changed over the last 10 years—and what’s stayed the same.How Alvaro, and Bespoke Post as a company, are thinking about the future. Alvaro De La Rocha is CMO at Bespoke Post, goods and guidance delivered in a monthly box of awesome – plus a full shop of uniquely cool products.Links MentionedBespoke PostLearn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brandsSponsored by...Klaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.Okendo — The new standard in customer reviews for high-growth Shopify brands. Okendo is helping over 4,000 of the fastest-growing Shopify retailers such as Kim Kardashian’s underwear label- SKIMS, Nomad, and Buck Mason to leverage their most powerful asset; their customers. They offer super affordable monthly subscriptions starting at $29. Visit Okendo.io to learn more.Recharge — Over 15,000 merchants have launched and scaled their subscription business with Recharge. Be it a curated monthly box, recurring necessities or access to exclusive perks, Recharge powers billions of dollars in annual processing for more than 50 million subscribers.

Apr 11, 2022 • 52min
From Zero to 10,000 Customers in Under 6 Months with Andrew Case
Our guest today is fresh off launching an ecommerce business from scratch in 2021—and his brand already has over 10,000 customers! Andrew Case joins the Wavebreak Podcast to walk us through what it’s really like to launch an ecommerce brand from scratch in 2022.In this episode you’ll learn:What is Noonbrew, how did it acquire paying customers so fast, and what you need to do to see similar success on your own ecommerce startup. How to navigate the extremely competitive ecommerce landscape in 2022 and why a ‘glass half-full’ attitude is non-negotiable.What every ecommerce brand needs to know about supply chain management in the post-pandemic landscape.Andrew Case is Co-Founder at Noonbrew, an iced tea with 19 superfoods designed to increase natural energy, boost digestion, and enhance focus.Links MentionedNoonbrewLearn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brandsSponsored by...Klaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.Okendo — The new standard in customer reviews for high-growth Shopify brands. Okendo is helping over 4,000 of the fastest-growing Shopify retailers such as Kim Kardashian’s underwear label- SKIMS, Nomad, and Buck Mason to leverage their most powerful asset; their customers. They offer super affordable monthly subscriptions starting at $29. Visit Okendo.io to learn more.Recharge — Over 15,000 merchants have launched and scaled their subscription business with Recharge. Be it a curated monthly box, recurring necessities or access to exclusive perks, Recharge powers billions of dollars in annual processing for more than 50 million subscribers.

Apr 4, 2022 • 53min
Scaling A Consumer Brand Beyond Facebook & Paid Social with Sunday Scaries
Mike Sill and Beau Schmitt join the Wavebreak Podcast—in the first episode ever to feature 2 guests—to cover everything from podcast marketing as a consumer brand, to big picture branding, and everything in between.In this episode you’ll learn:The story of how Mike and Beau went from running a boring restaurant to launching a CBD brand.Why Mike and Beau resorted to using their moms’ Facebook accounts prior to getting kicked off Facebook entirely.How to scale a brand while prioritizing marketing channel diversity, and why it might be the best thing you can do for the long term health of your business.Mike Sill and Beau Schmitt are Co-Founders of Sunday Scaries, a company providing stress relief products with CBD and vitamins.Links MentionedSunday ScariesLearn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brandsSponsored by...Klaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.Okendo — The new standard in customer reviews for high-growth Shopify brands. Okendo is helping over 4,000 of the fastest-growing Shopify retailers such as Kim Kardashian’s underwear label- SKIMS, Nomad, and Buck Mason to leverage their most powerful asset; their customers. They offer super affordable monthly subscriptions starting at $29. Visit Okendo.io to learn more.Recharge — Over 15,000 merchants have launched and scaled their subscription business with Recharge. Be it a curated monthly box, recurring necessities or access to exclusive perks, Recharge powers billions of dollars in annual processing for more than 50 million subscribers.

Mar 28, 2022 • 36min
Growing Fur to Multiple 8-Figures in Revenue with Lillian Tung
Lillian Tung joins the Wavebreak Podcast to break down how she went from getting doors slammed in her face to running a company doing 8-figures in revenue.In this episode you’ll learn:The polarized “you’re genius” or “you’re crazy” response Lillian faced when initially trying to launch a pubic hair care product line.Why investing in PR was one of the first, and most valuable, moves Fur made in creating legitimacy for their brand.The strategies Fur is using to grow and scale past the 8-figure markLillian Tung is Co-Founder at Fur, a company making clean products that hydrate skin, soften hair, and eradicate ingrowns from head to toe.Links MentionedFurLearn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brandsSponsored by...Klaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.Okendo — The new standard in customer reviews for high-growth Shopify brands. Okendo is helping over 4,000 of the fastest-growing Shopify retailers such as Kim Kardashian’s underwear label- SKIMS, Nomad, and Buck Mason to leverage their most powerful asset; their customers. They offer super affordable monthly subscriptions starting at $29. Visit Okendo.io to learn more.Recharge — Over 15,000 merchants have launched and scaled their subscription business with Recharge. Be it a curated monthly box, recurring necessities or access to exclusive perks, Recharge powers billions of dollars in annual processing for more than 50 million subscribers.

Mar 21, 2022 • 1h 18min
Building and Scaling “Crazy” Real Life Organic Chocolate Factories with Scott Kucirek
Scott Kucirek joins the Wavebreak Podcast to share why he got into the candy business, the rise of OCHO candy, and how the company survived 2020 despite being within 1-2 weeks of bankruptcy for the entire year. In this episode you’ll learn:How Scott evolved from a complete beginner with zero experience in the chocolate industry to running a chocolate company.Why the candy market has traditionally been so slow to innovate, and how the recent influx in consumer choice is making your taste in chocolate more sophisticated.Why a top candy executive told Scott “this is the craziest setup I’ve ever seen” after getting a tour of the OCHO candy factory.Scott Kucirek is CEO at OCHO Candy, organic and fair trade certified chocolate candy, made with love.Join Our Private Email ListOur industry-leading DTC newsletter is trusted by ecommerce and marketing leaders at top brands like Goop, Skims, Cartier, Walmart, and thousands more.Click here to sign up ->Links MentionedOCHOLearn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brandsSponsored by...Klaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.Okendo — The new standard in customer reviews for high-growth Shopify brands. Okendo is helping over 4,000 of the fastest-growing Shopify retailers such as Kim Kardashian’s underwear label- SKIMS, Nomad, and Buck Mason to leverage their most powerful asset; their customers. They offer super affordable monthly subscriptions starting at $29. Visit Okendo.io to learn more.Recharge — Over 15,000 merchants have launched and scaled their subscription business with Recharge. Be it a curated monthly box, recurring necessities or access to exclusive perks, Recharge powers billions of dollars in annual processing for more than 50 million subscribers.

Mar 14, 2022 • 44min
Developing Your Company into a True Omni-Channel Brand with Jurrien Swarts
Our guest today took inspiration from a Tim Ferriss book and channeled it into launching a successful brand that makes it easy for busy consumers to slowly remove single-use products from their day-to-day life. Jurrien Swarts joins the Wavebreak Podcast to reveal how Stojo has scaled from a launch on Kickstarter into a true omni-channel brand poised for international success. In this episode you’ll learn:How Jurrien went about inventing a brand new product without any experience in product development.Why a narrow focus on single channeling marketing has led to disaster for certain brands, and why omni-channel marketing is so important.Why Jurrien feels transparency and authenticity are key ingredients when building a company for millennial and Gen Z consumers.Jurrien Swarts is Co-Founder and CEO at Stojo, a company committed to designing earth-conscious, sustainable products that make it easier to live sustainably.Join Our Private Email ListOur industry-leading DTC newsletter is trusted by ecommerce and marketing leaders at top brands like Goop, Skims, Cartier, Walmart, and thousands more.Click here to sign up ->Links MentionedStojoLearn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brandsSponsored by...Klaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.Okendo — The new standard in customer reviews for high-growth Shopify brands. Okendo is helping over 4,000 of the fastest-growing Shopify retailers such as Kim Kardashian’s underwear label- SKIMS, Nomad, and Buck Mason to leverage their most powerful asset; their customers. They offer super affordable monthly subscriptions starting at $29. Visit Okendo.io to learn more.Recharge — Over 15,000 merchants have launched and scaled their subscription business with Recharge. Be it a curated monthly box, recurring necessities or access to exclusive perks, Recharge powers billions of dollars in annual processing for more than 50 million subscribers.

Mar 7, 2022 • 47min
How NOMATIC is Thinking About Growth in 2022 with Jacob Durham
Our guest today managed to strategically steer his company towards one of their most profitable years ever—in the middle of a pandemic, as a travel brand! Jacob Durham joins the Wavebreak Podcast to break down NOMATIC’s growth as a company, and fill us in on what’s happened since his co-founder Jon Richards was last on the Wavebreak Podcast.In this episode you’ll learn:The emergency steps NOMATIC took to navigate the pandemic as a travel brand, why 2021 was even worse than 2020, and why Jacob’s optimistic about 2022.The exact tool NOMATIC uses to drill down on attribution, leading to their most efficient ad spend ever.How calling their customers led NOMATIC to shift the messaging they use in their marketing materials.Jacob Durham is CEO and co-founder at Nomatic, a company creating minimalist products like travel bags, backpacks, watches, notebooks and wallets. Join Our Private Email ListOur industry-leading DTC newsletter is trusted by ecommerce and marketing leaders at top brands like Goop, Skims, Cartier, Walmart, and thousands more.Click here to sign up ->Links MentionedNOMATICScaling to $20mm with Jon Richards of NOMATICLearn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brandsSponsored by KlaviyoKlaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.Okendo — The new standard in customer reviews for high-growth Shopify brands. Okendo is helping over 4,000 of the fastest-growing Shopify retailers such as Kim Kardashian’s underwear label- SKIMS, Nomad, and Buck Mason to leverage their most powerful asset; their customers. They offer super affordable monthly subscriptions starting at $29. Visit Okendo.io to learn more.

Feb 28, 2022 • 44min
Leaving Harvard and Scaling A Sustainable D2C Wine Brand with Kristin Olszewski
Our guest today is a Harvard Medical School dropout turned sommelier!Kristin Olszewski joins the Wavebreak Podcast to share the unique journey she took on the way to founding Nomadica, and the moves she’s made since then to grow the company into an exciting D2C brand.In this episode you’ll learn:Kristin’s favorite part about being a sommelier and how that led to founding NomadicaWhy their D2C channel has already grown 50% after only recently launchingWhat it’s like to approach influencer marketing as a wine brand Kristin Olszewski is Founder and CEO at Nomadica, a premium modern wine company focused on sustainable alternative packaging. Join Our Private Email ListOur industry-leading DTC newsletter is trusted by ecommerce and marketing leaders at top brands like Goop, Skims, Cartier, Walmart, and thousands more.Click here to sign up ->Links MentionedNomadicaLearn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brandsSponsored by KlaviyoKlaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.Okendo — The new standard in customer reviews for high-growth Shopify brands. Okendo is helping over 4,000 of the fastest-growing Shopify retailers such as Kim Kardashian’s underwear label- SKIMS, Nomad, and Buck Mason to leverage their most powerful asset; their customers. They offer super affordable monthly subscriptions starting at $29. Visit Okendo.io to learn more.

Feb 21, 2022 • 49min
How Graza Launched Last Month And Sold Out Without Paid Social with Andrew Benin
Our guest today launched a business last month, and already their entire inventory is sold out! Andrew Benin joins the Wavebreak Podcast to walk us through exactly how they did it. In this episode you’ll learn:What Andrew learned working for Warby Parker, Casper (employee #7), and Magic Spoon.How much branding costs for new DTC startups and how much you should spend on your PR agency.The ‘no-ad spend required’ strategy they used to sell out month 1 after launching.Andrew Benin is Co-founder and CEO at Graza, the only olive oil you need.Join Our Private Email ListOur industry-leading DTC newsletter is trusted by ecommerce and marketing leaders at top brands like Goop, Skims, Cartier, Walmart, and thousands more.Click here to sign up ->Links MentionedGrazaLearn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brandsSponsored by KlaviyoKlaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.Okendo — The new standard in customer reviews for high-growth Shopify brands. Okendo is helping over 4,000 of the fastest-growing Shopify retailers such as Kim Kardashian’s underwear label- SKIMS, Nomad, and Buck Mason to leverage their most powerful asset; their customers. They offer super affordable monthly subscriptions starting at $29. Visit Okendo.io to learn more.

Feb 14, 2022 • 25min
Growing VitaCup to $23 Million/Year with Brandon Fishman
Brandon Fishman joins the Wavebreak Podcast to walk us through the formula behind VitaCup’s success.In this episode you’ll learn:What Brandon learned from running an agency before founding VitaCupSeveral unique ideas on how you can decrease CACHow to build a brand that thrives in today’s marketplaceBrandon Fishman is Founder and CEO at VitaCup, a company adding vitamins and superfoods to make healthy coffees and teas that boost metabolism, energy, and focus.Join Our Private Email ListOur industry-leading DTC newsletter is trusted by ecommerce and marketing leaders at top brands like Goop, Skims, Cartier, Walmart, and thousands more.Click here to sign up ->Links MentionedVitaCupLearn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brandsSponsored by KlaviyoKlaviyo — Over 265,000 innovative brands are growing their businesses by listening and understanding to cues from their customers--easily turning that information into valuable marketing messages used to build highly segmented, automated email & SMS campaigns, such as win back campaigns or abandoned cart recovery and more.Okendo — The new standard in customer reviews for high-growth Shopify brands. Okendo is helping over 4,000 of the fastest-growing Shopify retailers such as Kim Kardashian’s underwear label- SKIMS, Nomad, and Buck Mason to leverage their most powerful asset; their customers. They offer super affordable monthly subscriptions starting at $29. Visit Okendo.io to learn more.