
Social Studies
Growth marketing is the single most important function in the modern-day business organization. It is also one of the most dynamic. Marketing success hinges on the ways teams interact with new technologies, team structures, and strategies.
The Social Studies Podcast is about our experience working with the best entrepreneurs in e-commerce, software, and consumer. We are focused on how world-class startups use innovative ways to grow revenue and build brand awareness. We also analyze business models and discuss current events in the advertising space.
Lucas DiPietrantonio is the founder of Darkroom, one of the leading growth consultancies in America. Across our portfolio, we are fortunate enough to advise, invest, and work with many of the fastest-growing businesses across industries. We inject those learnings into weekly conversations on growth, brand-building, and entrepreneurship.
Follow along with our conversations each week.
Latest episodes

Feb 6, 2024 • 45min
EP 12: The Content Engine behind a $22 Million Bootstrapped SaaS Startup | Adam Robinson, CEO of Retention.com
Join us for a deep dive with Adam Robinson, the strategic mind behind Retention.com, as he unpacks the essentials of engaging content creation and audience connection. In this episode, Adam shares his playbook for turning everyday insights into compelling content narratives, the intricacies of maintaining authenticity in a crowded digital space, and building a loyal community in the B2B ecosystem.Discover Adam's approach to leveraging storytelling for Retention.com's growth, the art of crafting content that captivates and converts, and the importance of genuine engagement in establishing a standout brand presence.🔗 Subscribe to our newsletter for expert marketing tips, exclusive event invites, and our perspective on the latest content marketing trends.🔗 Connect with Adam, Lucas, and Jackson

Jan 29, 2024 • 45min
EP 11: Unboxing Customer Experience and Product Differentiation | Ian Blair, CEO of Laundry Sauce
Join us as Ian Blair, the mind behind Laundry Sauce, shares his unique journey from concept to e-commerce success. In this episode, Ian offers a candid look at the challenges and milestones of evolving a basic laundry product into a compelling brand in a competitive market. He talks about the significance of creative approaches in marketing, the art of product differentiation, and why customer experience is central to Laundry Sauce's identity.Explore how Ian uses fine fragrances to transform everyday items into something special and how genuine brand messaging resonates with consumers. This episode is an engaging dive into the realities of growing an e-commerce brand and the subtleties of making everyday products stand out.📰 Sign up for our newsletter to learn from the best growth marketers in the world, gain early access invitations to our events, and hear our thoughts about what's happening in the industry.🔗 Connect with Ian, Lucas, and Jackson

Jan 22, 2024 • 51min
EP 10: Breaking through Business Barriers | David Wolfe, CEO of ABLE
David Wolfe, CEO of ABLE and a veteran in brand building and entrepreneurship, brings his extensive experience from various executive roles and as an investor in innovative companies.In this episode, David shares insights on scaling businesses, from the initial challenge of earning the first million to the strategic nuances involved in growing beyond $100 million. He delves into the fundamentals of brand messaging, the evolution of consumer behavior, and customer acquisition strategies. Additionally, David discusses the changing roles of CEOs and marketers and the significance of community in brand growth.📰 Sign up for our newsletter to learn from the best growth marketers in the world, gain early access invitations to our events, and hear our thoughts about what's happening in the industry.🔗 Connect with David, Lucas, and Jackson

Oct 31, 2023 • 45min
EP 9: Brand Building through Community | Sam Blumenthal, Founder of Banter
Lucas and Jackson speak with Sam Blumenthal, the CEO of Banter. As a seasoned expert in commerce, community, and investment, Sam's insights and expertise inspired him to launch Banter, an omni-channel commerce network, and to establish Compounding Thoughts, an inventive content platform.In this episode, we explore the nuances of community-building and how brands can harness marketplaces as distribution channels through fostering an interactive consumer-centric ecosystem. Additionally, we discuss the construction of digital identities in the realm of fashion and the interplay between social and financial capital across social networking sites such as Instagram and Tiktok📰 Sign up for our newsletter to learn from the best growth marketers in the world, gain early access invitations to our events, and hear our thoughts about what's happening in the industry.🔗 Connect with Sam, Lucas, and Jackson

Oct 24, 2023 • 44min
EP 8: Revolutionizing the Future of Mobility | Taras Kravtchouk, Founder & CEO of TARFORM
Join Lucas and Jackson as they engage in a conversation with Taras Kravtchouk, the Founder, CEO, and Designer at TARFORM. Leveraging his passion for design and entrepreneurship, Taras is revolutionizing the transportation industry through TARFORM, an automotive startup that pioneers a fresh generation of electric motorcycles, fusing cutting-edge technology, sustainable mobility, and intelligent connectivity.Taras provides insights from his journey, spanning from securing pre-seed funding to capitalizing on the power of viral organic marketing. We also dive into the significance of design, strategies for market validation, and how founders can craft a compelling brand narrative.📰 Sign up for our newsletter to learn from the best growth marketers in the world, gain early access invitations to our events, and hear our thoughts about what's happening in the industry.🔗 Connect with Taras, Lucas, and Jackson

Oct 16, 2023 • 0sec
EP 7: Curated Marketplace for Commerce | Bennett Carroccio, Co-Founder and CEO of Canal
Join Lucas and Jackson in conversation with Bennett Carroccio, Co-Founder and CEO of Canal. Drawing from his background in venture capital and e-commerce, Bennet created Canal, a curated marketplace transforming the way products are sold online.In this episode, we discuss the impact of higher education on achieving success, understand the significance of a robust network in venture capital and entrepreneurship, and take a closer look at the evolving landscape of commerce. We also dive into Bennett's journey, exploring his experiences and insights in founding Canal, from the initial idea conception to steering a rapidly growing, investment backed company.📰 Sign up for our newsletter to learn from the best growth marketers in the world, gain early access invitations to our events, and hear our thoughts about what's happening in the industry.🔗 Connect with Bennett, Lucas, and Jackson

Oct 9, 2023 • 44min
EP 6: The Changing Dynamics in Ecommerce Manufacturing | Nathan Resnick, Founder of Caffeinated CX and Sourcify
Lucas and Jackson speak with Nathan Resnick, Founder of Caffeinated CX and Sourcify. With a background scaling 6 figure businesses, raising more than 1 million dollars on Kickstarter, and bringing over a dozen products to life, Nathan is a seasoned serial entrepreneur.We discuss the global geopolitical climate, its impact on e-commerce manufacturing in China and other countries, and how entrepreneurs can succeed in an otherwise confusing sourcing landscape. We also explore the current state of American markets and consumer habits along with AI’s impacts on marketing trends and future potential in key operational functions.📰 Sign up for our newsletter to learn from the best growth marketers in the world, gain early access invitations to our events, and hear our thoughts about what's happening in the industry.🔗 Connect with Nathan, Lucas, and Jackson

Sep 25, 2023 • 28min
EP 5: Consumer Tracking in Digital Advertising | Rishabh Jain, Co-Founder and CEO of FERMAT
Join Lucas and Jackson as they sit down with Rishabh Jain, the CEO and Co-Founder of FERMAT, a revolutionary content native shopping platform optimizing brand’s customer acquisition and conversions. As a preeminent thinker on the state of consumer tracking in digital advertising, Rishabh’s experience through ventures including Live Ramp have contributed to his success in empowering brands through innovative data collection and attribution strategies. In this episode, we cover topics including where attribution is heading in 2023 and beyond. We discuss closed-loop ad ecosystems, the changing role of the CMO, and how brands can take advantage of simplifying their message to make more compelling ads.Sign up for our newsletter to learn from the best growth marketers in the world, gain early access invitations to our events, and hear our thoughts about what's happening in the industry.https://www.darkroomagency.com/newsletterConnect with Rishabh, Lucas, and Jackson:Rishabh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rishabhmjain/Lucas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucasdipietrantonio/Jackson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcorey/

Sep 18, 2023 • 49min
EP 4: Building a Lean Creative Production System | Matthew Gattozzi, Founder of Goodo Studios
Join Lucas and Jackson in conversation with Matthew Gattozi, Founder of Goodo Studios. With expertise spanning creative strategy, performance ad creative, organic video, and product content, Matthew is renowned for working with numerous notable brands including Harry’s, Kopari Beauty and Huron.Matthew dissects the creative strategy process from his agency owner perspective, offering insights on establishing lean creative production systems for brands. We explore how brands pinpoint successful angles within single creatives and then expand to create strategic roadmaps, all while navigating the current content creator landscape.Sign up for our newsletter to learn from the best growth marketers in the world, gain early access invitations to our events and hear our thoughts about whats happening in the industry.https://www.darkroomagency.com/newsletterConnect with Michael, Lucas, and Jackson:Lucas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucasdipietrantonio/Jackson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcorey/Matthew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewgattozzi/

Sep 11, 2023 • 47min
EP 3: Measuring the Impact of Your Marketing Campaigns | Michael Kaminsky, Founder of Recast
Lucas and Jackson speak with Michael Kaminsky, an econometrician and the founder of Recast who specializes in data science, data modeling, and media mix modeling for consumer brands. He’s well known for leading the data analytics team at Harry's and speaking on the importance of MMM in an increasingly obscure tracking environment.Michael shares his unique perspective on how we can use data as a tool to improve the efficiency of advertising and to deliver better outcomes for business. We dive into strategies for dealing with a changing digital landscape and explore solutions available by both Darkroom and Recast MMM.Sign up for our newsletter to learn from the best growth marketers in the world, gain early access invitations to our events and hear our thoughts about whats happening in the industry.https://www.darkroomagency.com/newsletterConnect with Michael, Lucas, and Jackson:Lucas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucasdipietrantonio/Jackson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcorey/Michael: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-the-data-guy-kaminsky/