DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built

On this episode of DTC POD, Dylan Menter shares his journey from building literal rockets to bootstrapping his own CPG business. We discuss the challenges, research, and scaling up production of his product. We cover everything from patents, to manufacturing, to bootstrapping, to purchase orders, to branding on this info packed episode. Here's a few more key themes we'll dive into:1. Building in saturated markets2. Creating a unique product3. Research and collaboration with professionals4. Scaling a solo operation5. Importance of having a stable job6. Navigating the manufacturing process7. Patenting and protecting proprietary information.Timestamps[00:03:13] Former SpaceX employee creates creatine gummies[00:10:55] Protecting proprietary formula - patent specific formula researched[00:20:29] Natural product creation takes year trial, commitment crucial[00:27:48] Making the gummies involved physical and mental exhaustion[00:31:59] Find experienced manufacturers in retailers you want to target[00:38:11] Google Ads aided in brand growth, positive feedback received[00:43:48] Plans to scale ad platforms & bring in professional athletesShownotes powered by CastmagicP.S. Get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!Episode brought to you by Finaloop, the real-time accounting service trusted by hundreds of DTC Brands. Try Finaloop free - no credit card required. Visit finaloop.com/dtcpod and get 14 days free and a 2-month P&L within 24 hours.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.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 hereFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokDylan Menter - Founder & CEO of Bear BalancedRamon Berrios - CEO of Trend.ioBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

On this episode of DTC POD, the Kippenbergers join Blaine & Ramon to talk about turning a $1000 magazine about powerboating and avante garde transportation into a lifestyle brand of choice for billionaires. They've done everything from having a race boat team, a rally car team, to furniture collaborations with Ligne Roset and selling the most expensive cold brew coffee in the world. They discuss their brand's values and approach to collaborations over industry gatekeepers, and the risks involved in pursuing growth. Additionally, we focus on quality and design principles for modern brands.This is an extremely unique, must listen episode for anyone who's trying to stand out in a copy-cat culture of sameness.We cover:1. Power boating and offshore racing championships2. Collaboration and strategic partnerships in branding3. Anti-censorship and pro-freedom values4. Quality and innovation in consumer products5. Challenges of motivation and avoiding burnout[00:05:54] RollsRoyce Project; Underground Zine; $1000 Power Boating Mag.[00:13:59] High-Quality Consumer Products; Partnerships; Managing Growth and Motivation.[00:20:15] Boat Racing Team; Car Team; Organic Coffee; Sponsorships.[00:29:47] Vintage Clip Owners for Commentary; Unique Creation.[00:35:22] Magazine Cover Collaboration; Partnering with Brands; Building CPG products.[00:43:50] Reminiscing on Red Bull's Rise to Success.Shownotes powered by CastmagicP.S. Get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter! Episode brought to you by Finaloop, the real-time accounting service trusted by hundreds of DTC Brands. Try Finaloop free - no credit card required. Visit finaloop.com/dtcpod and get 14 days free and a 2-month P&L within 24 hours.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.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 hereFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokChris Kippenberger - Founder of VehiculeJo Kippenberger - Founder of VehiculeRamon Berrios - CEO of Trend.ioBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

On this episode of DTC POD, Tui joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about transforming traditional financing options for brands in the CPG space. Her focus at Ampla is creating purpose-built financial products that prioritize trust, partnership, simplicity, and speed/innovation. Tui discusses the importance of aligning around a company's mission and vision and the need to be intentional about channels required to scale and achieve success.We cover:Customer empathy and market understandingOmnichannel solutions for brandsBuilding and scaling physical productsLong-term planning and KPI trackingChallenges in CPG industryTools and ecosystem for CPG businesses[00:03:46] Ampla: Omnichannel solution with funding and tools.[00:10:49] Ampla: Analytics and insights for better decisions.[00:13:52] Shopify lacks depth, Amplin offers comprehensive capital.[00:18:31] Vision, intention, and planning key to success.[00:21:12] Ampla simplifies B2B commerce, removes business overheads.[00:25:22] Ampla's suite of financial products for CPG and brands.[00:28:54] Ampla: Trust, partnership, simplicity, and agility.[00:33:54] Alignment, strategy, measurement, and involving customers crucial.[00:38:59] Balancing innovation and focus.[00:41:40] Ampla: AI, competitive interest rates, modernizing supply chain.Shownotes powered by CastmagicP.S. Get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter!Episode brought to you by Finaloop, the real-time accounting service trusted by hundreds of DTC Brands. Try Finaloop free - no credit card required. Visit finaloop.com/dtcpod and get 14 days free and a 2-month P&L within 24 hours.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.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 hereFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokTui Allen - Head of Product at AmplaRamon Berrios - CEO of Trend.ioBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.On this episode of DTC POD, we dive into the fundamentals of launching a product across different types of companies. We discuss why internal marketing and communication are vital, and how a lack thereof can lead to a failed launch. Derek explains how launches involve more than just a checklist of tasks, encompassing planning, coordination, and support. We learn the importance of building a centralized repository of knowledge and automating processes to streamline launches.(00:03:44) Launching diverse companies(00:06:54) Planning, enablement, iteration(00:09:49) Brand consistency & scaling(00:13:21) Strategy, assets, automation(00:15:51) Automated tools overview(00:18:50) Retrospective survey benefits(00:21:50) Systematizing & automation(00:24:20) Automating launch process(00:28:40) Information hierarchy & iteration(00:31:16) Tips for successful launchShownotes powered by Castmagic Episode brought to you by Finaloop, the real-time accounting service trusted by hundreds of DTC Brands. Try Finaloop free - no credit card required. Visit finaloop.com/dtcpod and get 14 days free and a 2-month P&L within 24 hours.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.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 hereFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokDerek Osgood - Founder & CEO HaveIgnitionRamon Berrios - CEO of Trend.ioBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated 

On this episode of DTC POD, dive into the art of content creation, Philip joins Blaine to share his insights on defining content pillars and optimizing for views and followers. They discuss the importance of hyper-testing and copying when starting out, as well as the power law of content distribution. They chat about what makes unique and memorable content, and how content differs for B2B and D2C brands. They also touch upon the importance of content ROI and share case studies of successful startups.Here's what you'll learn..1. What are content pillars, and why are they important for content creation?2. What are the two types of content best suited for organic?3. What is the best starting point for creating content?4. What is hyper testing, and why is it important for content creation?5. The Power Law in content distribution. How do you get to be in the top 0.1%?Timestamps[00:07:47] Define content pillars, use well-known brands, optimize for views.[00:11:15] Multiple platforms = credibility, two case study examples, intangible ROI.[00:16:58] Copying is good, hyper-testing helps, repurposing is key.[00:19:30] Separate hires for each social media platform, understanding content creator tiers.[00:23:10] Stand out, invest in high quality production, be in top 1%, waste no resources.[00:27:00] Educational, voiceover-based videos, differentiate for success, faster revisions.[00:32:54] Consistency is key, incorporate news, find sustainable system.[00:35:36] Wide variety of content, analyzing performance, Chat GPT for ideas.[00:40:25] Create content around problem-solving for DTC brands, balance entertainment vs. educational for B2B.[00:43:17] Unique content is important, Duolingo's unique brand identity example. Shownotes powered by Castmagic Episode brought to you by Finaloop, the real-time accounting service trusted by hundreds of DTC Brands. Try Finaloop free - no credit card required. Visit finaloop.com/dtcpod and get 14 days free and a 2-month P&L within 24 hours.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.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 hereFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokPhilip Ruffini - Founder and CEO of Content AssistantRamon Berrios - CEO of Trend.ioBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

On this episode of DTC POD, Scout joins Blaine to dive into the world of branding, marketing, and entrepreneurship. We talk about Katy Perry's involvement in building her flagship non-alcoholic beverage brand, as well as exploring the lasting trend of health and wellness driving consumer behavior, the importance of social media presence, and the impact of beverage sales in-store. We learn about De Soi's scrappy approach to working with brand ambassadors, finding product-market fit in their direct-to-consumer (DTC) business, and their focus on efficient and sustainable growth.[00:03:16] Learnings from consulting generalist to startup.[00:06:22] Katy Perry + Morgan McLachlan create De Soi.[00:10:36] Health and wellness trends & sober curiosity.[00:16:02] Katy's role in brand development[00:20:03] De Soi's DTC launch, media features.[00:24:54] Strategy: DTC, wholesale, and social media.[00:31:40] Target audience and location for branding.[00:34:33] Leveraging Brand ambassadors & events.[00:37:43] Navigating fundraising and strategy.[00:41:39] Shift to efficient, sustainable growth and profitability.Building A Brand With Katy Perry: "It's been really important to us along the way that De Soi is its own brand. It's a brand that resonates with Katie and her personal values, whether that's celebration and fun, if it's empowerment, if it's wellness, but that it also stands on its own because at the end of the day, it is De Soi."— Scout Brisson 16:02Could Alcohol Disappear Forever?: "Our consumers have they've gone to almond milk and then to oat milk and then back. They're looking at all of these decisions across the board of things that they're consuming or that they're buying, and they're saying, what is the better option? And so when you look at people talk a lot about, at least in my bubble, right, that Gen Z is a generation that just drinks so differently than even millennials or our parents generations. But I'd say millennials and Gen Z are driving this trend of people just drinking less and less every year."— Scout Brisson 10:36A Nightmare Trend For Booze Companies "but knowing that you want something that feels really indulgent in the moment, but you're pairing this inner and outer wisdom of okay, I want something that tastes really good, hits that sweet tooth, feels very satisfying, but is also going to make me feel physically well afterward."— Scout Brisson 4:00 Shownotes powered by Castmagic Episode brought to you by Finaloop, the real-time accounting service trusted by hundreds of DTC Brands. Try Finaloop free - no credit card required. Visit finaloop.com/dtcpod and get 14 days free and a 2-month P&L within 24 hours.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.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 hereFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokScout Brisson - CEO of De SoiRamon Berrios - CEO of Trend.ioBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.On this episode of DTC POD, Sydney Sykes of Lightspeed Venture Partners joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about the current state of direct-to-consumer brands and e-commerce. Sydney shares her experience in venture capital and growing direct-to-consumer brands, and offers advice for founders seeking investment. We also dive into various topics including circular fashion to generative AI and SEO, and how they are transforming the modern e-commerce landscape. We also discuss how to create unique demand and distribution advantages, the importance of networking, and which businesses are best suited for vc funding.Timestamps[00:01:37] From psychology major to venture capitalist.[00:04:52] Investing in direct-to-consumer brands evolution.[00:13:10] Diversity in venture capital is important.[00:16:00] Women can bring good returns to VC.[00:18:10] Ways to reach investors and get funded.[00:20:53] Common mistakes made by founders.[00:23:59] Investment in unique brands with advantages.[00:28:32] Exciting times for brands due to enablement tools and AI.[00:34:48] Importance of content and personalization.[00:38:23] Circular fashion's growing market and benefits.Shownotes powered by Castmagic Episode brought to you by Finaloop, the real-time accounting service trusted by hundreds of DTC Brands. Try Finaloop free - no credit card required. Visit finaloop.com/dtcpod and get 14 days free and a 2-month P&L within 24 hours.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.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 hereFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokSydney Sykes - Partner at Lightspeed Venture PartnersRamon Berrios - CEO of Trend.ioBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

On this episode of DTC Pod, We dive into the challenges of building a product that combines traditional accounting, finance, and tax with the progressive world of DTC, and the importance of financial statements, tax-saving opportunities, and inventory management. We also explore the impact of integrating real-time cost of goods sold data, the importance of understanding profit, financing, and cash flow, and the potential of measuring return on net profit. Finally, we talk about ways to identify profitable products and unlock business opportunities, and why focusing on conversion alone may not necessarily lead to profitability. [00:01:34] Real-time ecommerce bookkeeping. Inventory system coming.[00:04:12] Lios background in accounting and law.[00:08:35] Essential financial basics for DTC brands.[00:12:02] Ecommerce-specialized bookkeepers and software.[00:16:02] Finaloop - high-value real-time accounting.[00:23:54] Full ledger with SaaS functions. Investing in R&D.[00:27:47] Integrating inventory management system.[00:31:06] Real-time financial data. Net profit-based ROAS.[00:38:37] Understanding profits, cash flow, and financing is crucial.[00:47:53] Tips: pick up deductions, recognize bad debt, legit deductibles.The Rise of DTC Brands in the Financial Ecosystem: "I just couldn't ignore the big opportunity of combining, I'd say, the traditional word of accounting finance tax into the progressing word of DTC. And this is basically how Finaloop was born."— Lio Pinchevski 4:12Outsourcing Bookkeeping: "Even for these firms, the bookkeeping work is usually a loss making part of the business that is just meant to cross finance the more profitable part of the business, which is the CFO and the taxes."— Lio Pinchevski 16:02Challenges of building a broad MVP: "With us, we're a different animal. We are somewhere between an infrastructure company and a SaaS company. So we built on one side a ledger, a full ledger, and then on the other side, we need to add SAS features to this ledger. This is unique because if you think about bookkeeping, either I do your bookkeeping or I don't do your bookkeeping, and then you need to get a bookkeeper."— Lio Pinchevski 23:54Real-time Business Management: "If we ask 100 brand owners right now how much money in cash and in profit they did yesterday, 100% would tell you that they don't know. They know roughly how the business is doing. They don't know exactly how it's doing. And the difference in 2023 between roughly and exactly is huge." - Finaloop's focus on real-time PNL, balance sheets, and KPIs can revolutionize brand management by providing exact information instead of approximations.— Lio Pinchevski 31:06powered by castmagicEpisode brought to you by Finaloop, the real-time accounting service trusted by hundreds of DTC Brands. Try Finaloop free - no credit card required. Visit finaloop.com/dtcpod and get 14 days free and a 2-month P&L within 24 hours.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.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 hereFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokLio Pinchevski - Founder and CEO of FinaloopRamon Berrios - CEO of Trend.ioBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.On this episode of DTC Pod, Izzy Joins Blaine to lead a masterclass on saving on shipping.1. What are the most common mistakes when negotiating shipping rates?2. What surcharges and hidden fees most commonly drain shipping budget?3. What are the most common overlooked details that make brands lose money on shipping?4. What type of shipping carrier is best for my store?shownotes powered by castmagic 00:04:28 - Shipping costs = 10% of revenue00:09:31 - Create account, leverage resellers00:14:08 - Consult peers, ask for transparency00:18:01 - Use lightweight services, regional carriers00:24:41 - Optionality and reduced rates with regionals00:28:03 - Service, volume, contract negotiation = cost00:31:34 - Know carrier, understand data, negotiate everything00:37:41 - Negotiate discounts; be proactive about rate increases00:42:21 - FedEx EB increasing costs, offer discounts00:46:16 - Negotiate for peak period costs Episode brought to you by Finaloop, the real-time accounting service trusted by hundreds of DTC Brands. Try Finaloop free - no credit card required. Visit finaloop.com/dtcpod and get 14 days free and a 2-month P&L within 24 hours.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.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 hereFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokIzzy Gewirtzman - Founder of ShiplionRamon Berrios - CEO of Trend.ioBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated

Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.On this episode of DTC Pod, Athan joins Blaine for a deep dive in what it takes to launch one of the fastest growing travel brands. Here's a few of the questions we answer on the show:1. How did July create the world's lightest carry-on luggage?2. How did they find market validation before even talking to one customer?3. What is July's biggest secret to rapid growth?4. How is retail driving the brand forward in 2023?5. How many product iterations have they gone through in 4 years?0:00 - 1:30 - Introduction to July00:02:32 - Partnered to enter mobile market dominated by Samsonite.00:05:39 - Entered luggage market, opened store, faced 2020 slowdown.00:12:57 - Founders Club presold products, leather tags popular, containers sold quickly.00:21:11 - Started with no 3PL, shipped product ourselves, nurtured early stages.00:22:51- Customer feedback key, world's lightest double wheel created.00:29:04 - Investment in physical retail, China launch during COVID, lux & lightweight luggage.00:36:42 - Two new polycarbonates created for US and Australian, expanding to Europe.00:41:00 - Richard helped company sell in China, built international personalization engine.00:47:23 - Remote US launch, UK launch with physical presence from day one.00:53:15 - UK launch, experimenting with new products, creatively fulfilling category.Shownotes powered by Castmagic Episode brought to you by Finaloop, the real-time accounting service trusted by hundreds of DTC Brands. Try Finaloop free - no credit card required. Visit finaloop.com/dtcpod and get 14 days free and a 2-month P&L within 24 hours.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.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 hereFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokAthan Didaskalou - Founder of JulyRamon Berrios - CEO of Trend.ioBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated