The Andrew Faris Podcast

Tal Moore and Dave Stickland, co-founders of Popsmith, take listeners on a rollercoaster ride through their near-bankruptcy saga. They reveal the emotional toll of their financial crisis and the grace that kept their partnership intact. The duo details the game-changing moment when a cold pitch to Oprah led to unimaginable sales and a brand resurgence. From tactical marketing strategies to prioritizing personal mental health, they share invaluable lessons for founders navigating the highs and lows of entrepreneurship.

Michael Ting, Head of Revenue at Jaxxon, brings his data-driven expertise to the table. He dives into why Jaxxon focuses on cost-per-lead as a core metric, detailing its impact on timing seasonal spending. Michael discusses leveraging low-cost opportunities during volatile market moments and the varying values of leads based on timing. He emphasizes the importance of predictions in refining marketing strategies and urges businesses to balance risk with decision-making. The conversation balances long-term growth with tactical spending in the competitive DTC landscape.

Jordan Menard, co-founder of Instant Hydration, shares his expertise in scaling DTC brands and media buying. He dives into the nuances of creative testing, describing how to organize and scale winning campaigns effectively. Jordan emphasizes the need for high-volume, high-quality creative while debating the impact of manual bidding in Meta’s ecosystem. He argues that successful scaling blends creative strategies with solid unit economics, stressing the evolving landscape where agency founders are transitioning to brand operators.

In this engaging discussion, Edward Wimmer IV, CEO of RoadID Brands, shares his entrepreneurial journey that began with a life-changing near-accident and his father's wisdom. He delves into the importance of product passion and the longevity of brands, exploring how RoadID expanded to DogID and soon, RackRabbit. Edward emphasizes realistic growth strategies, contrasting them with typical rocket-ship narratives, and highlights the significance of building strong customer relationships through exceptional products and services to drive word-of-mouth.

The complexities of integrating AI in agency work are unveiled, highlighting how it often complicates processes instead of simplifying them. Discover an in-house AI co-writer named Prometheus, designed to enhance creative output by transforming ideas into compelling scripts. The discussion reveals the importance of context and operational knowledge for successful AI utilization, and the need for ongoing updates to align with brand needs. Emphasizing patience, the conversation offers practical strategies for effectively adopting AI tools and turning them into valuable assets.

Kareem Elgendy, the CEO of Veiled, leads a profitable eight-figure modest apparel brand tailored for Muslim women. He shares insightful strategies that propelled Veiled’s growth, such as a meticulous focus on unit economics and supply chain innovation, negotiating advantageous terms with manufacturers. Kareem emphasizes the importance of data analytics in driving profitability and detail how they navigate inventory challenges. He also discusses their hybrid fulfillment approach and the benefits of maintaining a strong connection with retail performance and customer engagement.

Taylor Holiday, the Founder and CEO of Common Thread Collective, shares insights on growth dynamics and e-commerce strategies. He emphasizes that growth is fundamentally the CEO's responsibility, focusing on the balance of revenue, margins, and inventory. Holiday discusses the complexities of equity splits in partnerships, the importance of maintaining founder control, and the role of creative strategy in scaling businesses. He challenges conventional marketing roles, arguing for distinct teams in exploring and expanding creative efforts, and shares thoughts on the evolving landscape of Meta advertising.

Sunil Agrawal, the founder and CEO of VGL Group, shares insights from scaling a publicly traded company generating $400 million. He reveals his deep discount strategy that prioritizes brand trust while cleverly mixing low and high price points. Sunil discusses the importance of in-house manufacturing in India, his shift from TV to DTC marketing, and how constant learning fuels his leadership. With a goal of reaching $1M/month in ad spend, he emphasizes the need for CEOs to understand digital to hire effectively and cultivate a purpose-led company culture.

Explore how redefining success can protect brands from chaos. Discover a framework using EOS for setting achievable goals while managing real constraints like supply chain and hiring. Andrew discusses the pitfalls of aggressive growth strategies, illustrated through real business case studies. Learn how a balanced mix of returning customers can reduce costs and why relentless focus on product quality and customer experience drives long-term success. Find out how to seize opportunities without over-leveraging for sustained growth.

In this engaging discussion, Patrick Coddou, COO of AJF Growth and former founder of Supply, dives into operational creativity in marketing. He shares insights on deploying AI tools like Sora 2 for crafting compelling 3-5 second hooks, balancing creativity with practical constraints. Patrick highlights the importance of a message-first framework for ads and discusses how to create a hook library to streamline processes. They also explore the potential for bold AI-generated content and testing strategies for Meta ads. Tune in for a fresh perspective on creative scalability!