Chris Hunter joins the Wavebreak Podcast to share his journey as the co-founder of Koia, and previously Four Loko. We chat about how Koia launched nationwide into Whole Foods from Day 1, building and scaling consumer brands, and so much more. Chris Hunter is the co-founder of Koia and Four Loko. Grab his book here: Blackout Punch Links Mentioned Ko…

In today's episode, Kara Brothers, President at Starface, shares Starface’s mission and how the brand flips the acne narrative on its head through out-of-the-box marketing strategies, campaigns, and product drops. Links Mentioned Starface Learn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brands…

Recently, we released a podcast episode titled "15 Minute Exec Guide to Email & SMS in 2024" and we received a lot of positive feedback. We're excited to share that it’s been expanded into a 30-minute webinar replay that you can watch or listen at your leisure: Watch The Webinar Here In this expanded podcast episode, we cover what actually moves th…

Preston Rutherford joins the Wavebreak Podcast to share his journey with Chubbies. We chat about how Chubbies was able to maximize profitability by focusing more on brand marketing and less on direct response marketing, and how you can do the same, even in 2024. Preston Rutherford is a co-founder of Chubbies and Loop Returns. Chubbies.com Links Men…

Focus on these 3 recommendations in 2024 and you will generate more revenue from Email and SMS marketing. Additionally, learn about the new Gmail and Yahoo email marketing guidelines and what to do about them. Links Mentioned Learn more about Wavebreak: the email & CRM agency for high-growth DTC brands…

In this solo episode of Leading Brands, the following topics are discussed: 2023 Learnings and Q4 Results: What's Working Now 2024 Strategic Recommendations: What To Focus On Email and SMS Opportunities for 2024 New Gmail and Yahoo sending requirements A/B Test Results and What Moves The Needle And more! Links Mentioned Learn more about Wavebreak: …

Dr. Lisa Creaven joins the Wavebreak Podcast to talk about Made By Dentists and their nationwide launch into Target. In this episode we discuss: Launching the brand directly into Target nationwide with no previous DTC or retail sales. Tips for building a lean, experience team that isn't afraid to get their hands dirty. Current state of the oral car…

Mike Beckham joins the Wavebreak Podcast to talk about Simple Modern and their rapid growth to nearly $200 million in annual revenue. In this episode we cover: Breakdown of Black Friday/Cyber Monday results for 2024, including insights into Simple Modern's limited edition daily releases of 1,000 units. The importance of financing and how Mike was a…

In this episode of the Leading Brands podcast, we're joined by Kevin Escalera, Senior Director of Marketing at RSP Nutrition and AminoLean®. Join us as we dive into the brand's rapid growth and viral campaigns. In this episode, the following topics are discussed: Innovation: How you can continue to innovate, regardless of the age of your company, a…

Ryan Bartlett joins the Wavebreak Podcast to talk about True Classic and their rapid growth to $150 million/year in revenue in 3 years. In this episode you’ll learn: The Meta (Facebook/Instagram) marketing strategy that scaled the brand from $0 in 2019 to $150 million in 2022 (that still works today) How they increased revenue 30% by expanding inte…

In this episode of the Leading Brands podcast, we're joined by Hind Sebti, the co-founder and Chief Growth Officer of Waldencast PLC (NASDAQ: WALD). Join us as we dive into how she's leading Waldencast to become a global "house of brands." In this episode, the following topics are discussed: From Procter & Gamble to NASDAQ: Hind shares lessons lear…

Ryan Lupberger, Co-founder & CEO of Cleancult, joins the Leading Brands podcast to discuss the journey of Cleancult from its ecommerce launch to current retail expansion, the key elements of building a strong leadership team, and more. In the episode, the following topics are discussed: Navigating Ecommerce Growth and Pivoting Successfully: Learn h…

Filipe Keuppens, Executive Vice President of Pickle Juice™, joins the Leading Brands podcast to share the remarkable journey of the drink's growth, from a $250,000 revenue in 2015 to becoming the preferred choice of top athletes. In the episode, the following topics are discussed: Unique Go-To-Market Strategy: Achieving millions in revenue growth w…

Eric Christianson, CEO of Nutrient Survival, joins the Leading Brands podcast to share his invaluable insights, drawn from his vast experience in CPG, where he led marketing for prominent brands like Campbell's Soup and Perdue Chicken, and to discuss his journey of now spearheading a high-growth startup. In the episode, the following topics are dis…

Deb Waterman Johns, Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer of SCOUT, joins the Leading Brands podcast to share the brand's origins, specialty retail, and lessons from building a multi-generational brand. In the episode, the following topics are discussed: Founding Story: Taking the brand from idea to 1,500+ retailers and loved by customers all over. S…

Shawn Nelson, Founder & CEO of LOVESAC, joins the Leading Brands podcast to share his story, lessons learned, and the future of consumer brands. In the episode, the following topics are discussed: Founding Story: Taking the brand from his mom's basement to the NASDAQ. Building Brand: Keys to building a brand that lasts and mistakes to avoid. Future…

Ben Cogan, co-founder of Agora, joins the Wavebreak Podcast to share the current state of direct-to-consumer and how you can maximize success in 2023 and beyond. Topics covered include: Marketing Strategy: The importance of a smart marketing strategy for DTC businesses, including what channels to focus on, profitability optimization, and incrementa…

In this episode, we're joined by Jordan Hall, a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner and the Founder & CEO of Barefaced. Jordan started the brand with no prior product experience or capital. Today, the brand is one of the fastest-growing in skincare and proudly boasts 90% customer retention. In this episode, we cover: Starting from Scratch: Discover …

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, we're joined by Lauren Dovey, the founder of Heat Healer. Heat Healer is a direct-to-consumer health & wellness brand focused on developing the world’s best heat therapy products. In this episode, we cover: The story behind Heat Healer and how they sold out of their initial inventory in just 2 weeks How Hea…

Jim Huether, CEO of Hyperice, joins the Leading Brands podcast to discuss the brand's rapid growth, global expansion, continued product innovation, and more. In the episode, the following topics are discussed: Growth Strategy: The approach that led the brand to scale from $500k to $65+ million in annual revenue in just 4 years Team Collaboration: E…

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Mikey Goldman, the Founder and CEO of Quiet Mind, makers of the original weighted pillow. Topics covered include: Launch strategy: How Quiet Mind approached their product launch, including PR and product seeding, and the initial results and lessons learned. Scaling UGC: Optimizing an…

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Katerina Mountanos, the Founder & CEO of Kosterina shares her inspiring journey building a leading lifestyle brand, starting with the world's best extra virgin olive oil. In the episode, we cover: The fascinating founding story of Kosterina and surprise Whole Foods inquiry that led to rapid growth Lessons l…

In this episode, we're joined by Stafford Meyer, founder and CEO of Porte + Hall. As an interior designer, Stafford found a lack of doormat options that were stylish and functional, so she created them. The result? A collection of mats that are as beautiful as they are durable. In this episode, we cover: Why Mats: The founding story and motivation …

Over the last few years, Momentous Supplements has achieved rapid growth and in today's interview with Founder & CEO Jeff Byers, we cover it all. Momentous is a human performance company dedicated to creating no-compromise products and tools that support the endless improvement of personal performance. In this episode, you'll learn: Founding Story:…

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Ryan Duey, the co-founder and co-CEO of Plunge. Plunge is the creator of The Cold Plunge that you've seen all over your social media feeds the past few years. In this episode, we cover: The fascinating founding story of Plunge and their journey in popularizing the term "Cold Plunge" …

In this episode, we're joined by Mike Xhaxho and Connor Saeli, the co-founders of Waterboy, a healthier and more effective way to hydrate and recover. Waterboy has scaled to a remarkable $10M+ in sales within a span of two years without any external funding. You'll learn: Waterboy's Growth Strategy: How they market the brand as a "creator" and scal…

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Henry Murray, co-founder, CMO, and GM of the US Market at Waterdrop. In this episode we cover: Marketing for 2023: paid social, influencer, ambassador, offline, and more Expanding into retail: from large retailers to company-owned flagship stores in locations like Mall of America Glo…

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Haley & Adam Weidenbaum, founders of Everhem, a leading custom window treatment brand. We chat about the brand's launch, rapid growth, and what's next for the company. You'll also learn how Everhem: Successfully brought a traditional in-person experience into the digital world Tested…

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Charles Gorra, the Founder and CEO of REBAG, the luxury resale authority. In the episode, the following topics are discussed: The founding story of REBAG and their innovative utilization of AI How luxury trends have evolved in recent years and insights into the present-day market lan…

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Meha Agrawal, Founder and CEO of Silk + Sonder, a women’s emotional health and mental wellness startup backed by Redpoint, 500 Startups, and more that makes daily and proactive self-help and self-care more personalized, accessible, and actionable for modern women and their communitie…

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Kelly Watters, Co-founder and CEO of Western Rise, a high-growth apparel brand experiencing over 115% YoY growth. In this episode, you'll discover: The inspiring brand journey of Western Rise as they redefine performance apparel through a captivating blend of style and functionality.…

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley is joined by the team at Kettle & Fire and Tatari to dive deeper into TV advertising. From the Kettle & Fire team, we're joined by Niccolo Gloazzo and Victoria Belinsky, who are the Director of eCommerce and Senior Director of Brand Marketing at Kettle & Fire, respectively. Matt Giannetti, Head…

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Margaret Wishingrad and Ian Wishingrad, the co-founders of Three Wishes Cereal. Three Wishes is a healthy-while-delicious cereal brand that has rapidly expanded its presence in the market. In this episode, you'll learn: The motivation behind creating a nutritional cereal and how Marg…

In this episode, we're joined by Ryan Babenzein, co-founder and CEO of Jolie, a beauty wellness brand that has achieved remarkable success in less than 18 months. Ryan is no stranger to entrepreneurship, having previously founded GREATS, a DTC pioneer that was acquired by Steven Madden in 2019. Ryan shares the growth strategies that have made Jolie…

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Monica Royer, Founder & CEO of Monica + Andy, the children’s and family brand parents can rely on for the products, resources, and support needed to confidently navigate every stage of raising a family. Monica’s experience advising her brother, Andy Dunn, Founder of Bonobos, combined…

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Andrew Ferenci, Founder and CEO of Comrad. Comrad launched their innovative compression socks after 200+ test iterations and have since become the leader in the category. You'll also learn Comrad's: Product development process that led to industry-low return rates Approach to retail …

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Dan Schaefer, co-founder of Native Pet. Native Pet launched as an Amazon-first brand in 2017 and today is an omnichannel brand across Amazon, DTC, and retail. In this episode you'll: Discover why Native Pet decided to launch their brand exclusively on Amazon and how this strategy hel…

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Philip Inghelbrecht, CEO of Tatari. Tatari is the TV advertising platform behind TV advertising for top brands such as Calm, Roman, Glossier, Nutrafol, Cuts, and more. This is a masterclass on getting started with TV advertising with everything you need to know to get started across …

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Michael Charley, co-founder at Sunski. Michael co-founded the brand after he graduated into the Great Recession with no job prospects and today the brand generates millions in revenue. In this episode you'll learn: The brand's successful Kickstarter strategy and how Michael would app…

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Olek Potrykus, Head of Customer Experience at Tidio. Olek has worked at Tidio for nearly a decade helping brands master the art and science of customer experience. Today on the show, he shares best practices for 2023 and beyond. In this episode you'll learn: Current state of customer…

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Jedd Rose, Cofounder and President of Topo Designs. Since 2008, Topo Designs has grown from a vision of two founders, Jedd Rose and Mark Hansen, into a talented 70-person team. Consumers can find Topo Designs products sold in over 30 countries and 1,200+ stores. You'll also learn Top…

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Brad Day, CEO of Helm Boots. Brad joined the brand after a successful career at Adidas and TaylorMade, and he brings a wealth of retail knowledge and experience to the table. In this episode you'll learn: Learnings from Brad's time at Adidas and TaylorMade and how he applies them to …

In this episode of the Wavebreak Podcast, Dylan Kelley interviews Rod Morris, Cofounder and President of Lovevery, a company that creates and sells innovative developmental products. Since its founding in 2017, Lovevery has grown to over $200 million in revenue. Rod shares the brand's story and insights on how they were able to scale so successfull…

Dan Zavorotny, COO and Co-founder of Nutrisense, joins the Wavebreak Podcast to discuss the hiring and marketing playbook that scaled the company from a Wix website to 170+ employees. You'll also learn: The exact hiring process Nutrisense uses to hire top talent, including specific case study examples How Nutrisense uses their Quiz to execute a per…

Calvin Quallis, CEO and Founder of Scotch Porter, joins the Wavebreak Podcast to discuss the brand's rapid growth, retail expansion, $11 million Series B, and more. You'll also learn: Marketing strategy as an omnichannel brand with DTC, Amazon, and retail presence in Target, Walmart, and more Keys to building out a strong leadership team, from recr…

Vanessa Pham, CEO and co-founder of OMSOM, joins the Wavebreak Podcast to share her experience starting and scaling the brand from initial concept to national retail. In this episode you’ll learn: The story and origin of the OMSOM brand, including multiple iterations of the early brand Lessons from launching DTC and scaling into Whole Foods and Tar…

Chase Ramey is the VP of Finance at Organifi and has been with the brand since 2017. He joins the Wavebreak Podcast to share his experience overseeing finance at the high-growth brand, as well as his strategy for 2023. In this episode you’ll learn: The unique and unlikely story that led to Chase joining Organifi Top learnings and lessons from scali…

Ryan Bartlett joins the Wavebreak Podcast to talk about True Classic and their rapid growth to $150 million/year in revenue in 3 years. In this episode you’ll learn: The Meta (Facebook/Instagram) marketing strategy that scaled the brand from $0 in 2019 to $150 million in 2022 (that still works today) How they increased revenue 30% by expanding inte…

Jeremy Horowitz joins the Wavebreak Podcast to share how brands can win in 2023 and beyond. In this episode you’ll learn: Current state of DTC in public and private markets Key metrics and levers to maximize profitability How you can leverage inventory management and merchandising to drive growth Jeremy Horowitz is the Partner Marketing Lead at Gor…

Ty Haney, Founder of TYB, Joggy, and Outdoor Voices joins the Wavebreak Podcast to share her experience building a leading lifestyle brand. In this episode you’ll learn: Top learnings and lessons from scaling Outdoor Voices into a top brand The modern playbook for building a brand that lasts Tactical examples of community building to maximize loyal…