Ep 555: How Outway Got Back to Profitable 8-Figure Growth: Channels, Margins, & the Brand Moat Ahead

DTC Podcast

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup

Rob Fraser, founder of performance sock brand Outway, returns to the DTC Podcast to share how his business rebounded from flat growth to profitable eight-figure scale. Rob reveals exactly how Outway added Amazon, wholesale, and U.S. distribution, and why 2026 is all about community and brand.

This is a must-listen for brand owners scaling past $5M and trying to professionalize ops, expand markets, and stay profitable while doing it.

🔑 In this episode:

• How Outway treated the U.S. like a separate business unit — and why you should too

• Their 3-prong expansion strategy: Amazon, wholesale, and 3PL logistics

• The margin unlock that let them outspend competitors and return to profitability

• How Rob plans to build brand and community in the running space

• What changes when you hit 8-figures: cash flow, inventory planning, and team complexity

• Rob’s hot take on brand as the last defensible moat in DTC

If you're building a real business, not just chasing growth hacks, this episode is for you.

Timestamps

00:00 The future of brand and community building

02:40 Outway’s U.S. expansion and logistics challenges

05:30 Overcoming slow growth and finding new sales channels

09:10 Amazon vs DTC strategy and merchandising lessons

12:20 Profit focus, tariffs, and efficiency improvements

15:00 Scaling pains: hiring, inventory, and cash flow

18:00 Founder evolution and professionalizing the business

20:00 Building a Canadian brand and competing with U.S. giants

23:00 The return of brand and the power of community in 2026

29:00 Outway’s 2025–26 brand and running club strategy

33:00 Expanding in the U.S. and adapting creative for new markets

34:30 Balancing entrepreneurship and personal health

37:00 Living brand values through team culture

38:00 Rebranding from Endur to Outway and lessons learned

41:00 Founders, equity mistakes, and long-term thinking

43:00 Q4 readiness, demand signals, and Prime Day insights

46:00 Using AI tools like Sora for creative production

47:30 Future of streaming ads and creative reinvention

49:00 Closing thoughts on creativity and growth mindset

Hashtags

#dtcpodcast #outway #robfraser #ecommerce #brandstrategy #d2c #marketing #entrepreneurship #communitybuilding #scalingbrands #runningcommunity #founderstory #directtoconsumer

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup

Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise

Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse

Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter

Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video