The Bottom Line: Ecommerce Tactics for Profitable Growth

Hosted by Cody Wittick & Taylor Lagace

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May 2026

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Join Cody Wittick and Taylor Lagace, Co-Founders of Kynship, on their podcast as they dive into the challenges and strategies for growing ecommerce brands to 8-9 figures. They share insights on overcoming ad creative challenges, managing cost caps, scaling Meta ads, unit economics and forecasting, and expanding influencer marketing programs. Their expertise in performance marketing is not just theoretical; with a track record of launching successful campaigns for major brands (M&Ms, Purdy & Figg, Supergut, & AnimalHouse Fitness to name a few) and generating over $350M in revenue, they offer practical, actionable advice. So, if you're looking to improve your marketing strategies, boost profitability, or scale your ecommerce brand, this podcast draws on experience from industry leaders and founders just like you. Meet them every two weeks for new episodes where you can find more training, templates and get help with your influencer marketing campaign at https://bit.ly/Kynship_Podcast or by DMing them on X at @Cody_Wittick and @TaylorLagace.

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60 recent

May 13, 202645 min

KC Holiday: The Thing Nobody Tells You Before You Build a Brand

KC Holiday sold Qalo at 30. What came next surprised him more than building it did.He moved to Australia, worked in venture capital, came back, and spent two and a half years coaching ecommerce founders at Daily Mentor. Almost 1,700 sessions in, one pattern kept showing up across every brand he worked with: the founder is the ceiling of the business.In this episode, KC and Cody cover the grief that hits after an exit, why going from founder to employee was one of his most eye-opening experiences, and the difference between founders who grow past the plateau and the ones who stay stuck.He also gets honest about whether he'd start an ecommerce brand today, who is actually making money in the industry, and what the middle class of ecommerce looks like right now.Subscribe for more conversations on DTC strategy, eCommerce growth, and what it really takes to build a brand past eight figures.Grow your bottom line: https://www.kynship.co/Key Takeaways:00:00 Introducing KC Holiday, Co-Founder of Qalo02:36 The Grief Nobody Talks About After Selling06:50 From Founder to Employee: What KC Learned09:20 How Onboarding Determines If Someone Succeeds12:22 Hiring Is Inventory Management14:02 What KC Actually Looks for in a Hire19:22 When People Show You Who They Are, Trust Them20:38 Agencies vs. Internal Hires26:52 The Founder Is the Ceiling of the Business29:18 Why Being Around Bigger Founders Changes Everything33:22 Energy Management Over Identity Management35:36 Would KC Start an Ecommerce Brand Today?40:30 Who Is Actually Making Money in Ecommerce43:00 The Middle Class of EcommerceAdditional Resources:Featured Guest KC Holliday — Co-Founder, Qalo https://www.kcholiday.com/ Follow us on X:👉 Cody: https://x.com/Cody_Wittick 👉 Taylor: https://x.com/TaylorLagace The Bottom Line is your go-to podcast for honest ecommerce conversations on profitable growth strategies. Join Cody Wittick and Taylor Lagace, Co-Founders of Kynship, as they dive into the challenges and strategies for growing ecommerce brands to 8-9 figures. They share insights on overcoming ad creative challenges, managing cost caps, scaling Meta ads, unit economics and forecasting, and expanding influencer marketing programs.Their expertise in performance marketing is not just theoretical; with a track record of launching successful campaigns for major brands (M&Ms, Purdy & Figg, Supergut, & AnimalHouse Fitness, to name a few) and generating over $350M in revenue, they offer practical, actionable advice.So, if you're looking to improve your marketing strategies, boost profitability, or scale your ecommerce brand, this podcast draws on experience from industry leaders and founders just like you. 🎧 Follow the podcast on your favorite app, so you never miss an episode: https://pod.link/1631630533 #TheBottomLine #DTCpodcast #ecommercegrowth #WildBird #targetretail

April 22, 202645 min

Wild Bird's Nate Gunn: The Product Pivot

Nate Gunn spent nearly a decade building Wild Bird before it finally broke through. In this episode, Cody sits down with the co-founder and CEO to talk about what actually turned the business around — a full product pivot during COVID, two years of selling out on pre-orders, and the financial clarity that came from bringing in the right partners at the right time.Nate shares the three things that took Wild Bird from low seven figures to landing all 1,800 Target doors: getting honest about the product mix, investing in financial structure, and expanding into every channel where their customers actually shop.If you run a DTC brand and you have ever wondered whether the plateau you are in is a product problem, a marketing problem, or just a timing problem, this episode is worth your full attention.Subscribe for more conversations on DTC strategy, eCommerce marketing, paid media, and LTV optimization.👉 Grow your bottom line: https://www.kynship.co/ Tune in now. #TheBottomLine #DTCpodcast #ecommercegrowth #WildBird #targetretailKey Takeaways:00:00 Meet Nate Gunn, Co-Founder of Wild Bird01:28 Wild Bird's Two Existential Crisis Moments03:10 Considering Selling the Business05:08 Running Lean With Real Ownership06:40 Landing All 1,800 Target Doors13:28 The Full Pivot: Killing the Old Product Line18:02 Bringing in Fractional Partners for Financial Clarity21:50 The Loneliness of Running a Brand25:30 Why Founder Networks Matter33:00 How Wild Bird Chose the Right Agency40:50 The 3 Things That Turned Wild Bird Around44:30 Solving Patterns, Not One-Off ProblemsAdditional Resources:Featured Guest Nate Gunn, Co-Founder & CEO. WildBird https://wildbird.coFollow us on X:👉 Cody: https://x.com/Cody_Wittick 👉 Taylor: https://x.com/TaylorLagace The Bottom Line is your go-to podcast for honest ecommerce conversations on profitable growth strategies. Join Cody Wittick and Taylor Lagace, Co-Founders of Kynship, as they dive into the challenges and strategies for growing ecommerce brands to 8-9 figures. They share insights on overcoming ad creative challenges, managing cost caps, scaling Meta ads, unit economics and forecasting, and expanding influencer marketing programs.Their expertise in performance marketing is not just theoretical; with a track record of launching successful campaigns for major brands (M&Ms, Purdy & Figg, Supergut, & AnimalHouse Fitness, to name a few) and generating over $350M in revenue, they offer practical, actionable advice.So, if you're looking to improve your marketing strategies, boost profitability, or scale your ecommerce brand, this podcast draws on experience from industry leaders and founders just like you. 🎧 Follow the podcast on your favorite app, so you never miss an episode: https://pod.link/1631630533

March 10, 202631 min

3 Ways to Grow When Paid Media Stops Working

DTC and eCommerce brands are facing rising ad costs, climbing CAC, and tighter margins in 2026. If your growth strategy still depends on cheaper paid media, it is time to adjust.In this episode of Bottom Line, Cody sits down with Chris Hall, founder of Ecomm Cowboy and former Shopify operator, to break down the new DTC operating system for profitable growth.He shares three strategic shifts brands must make as paid media gets more expensive:• Generate more organic and low cost traffic• Increase LTV through smarter product development• Cut overhead and operate leanIf you run a Shopify brand or lead an eCommerce marketing team, this episode is a practical blueprint for navigating rising ad costs and building sustainable growth.Subscribe for more conversations on DTC strategy, eCommerce marketing, paid media, and LTV optimization.👉 Grow your bottom line: https://www.kynship.co/ Tune in now. Key Takeaways:00:00 Intro01:28 Why DTC Needs Real-Time Learning02:42 The Loneliness of Remote Operators04:01 The Future Marketer: AI + Generalist Skill Stack06:49 Clarity > Clever in Modern Marketing09:15 Chris’s Path: Football to Ecom18:52 The Hard Truth About Agencies20:56 Free or Cheap Traffic Is Mandatory21:35 Increase LTV Through Product Development22:35 Get Lean and Cut Overhead28:02 The Future of Brands, Agencies, and SaaS38:00 Recap and OutroAdditional Resources:Chris Hall (Ecomm Cowboy) on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSwY9_J4Vk4qTWQ2oFAH95gFollow us on X:👉 Cody: https://x.com/Cody_Wittick 👉 Taylor: https://x.com/TaylorLagace The Bottom Line is your go-to podcast for honest ecommerce conversations on profitable growth strategies. Join Cody Wittick and Taylor Lagace, Co-Founders of Kynship, as they dive into the challenges and strategies for growing ecommerce brands to 8-9 figures. They share insights on overcoming ad creative challenges, managing cost caps, scaling Meta ads, unit economics and forecasting, and expanding influencer marketing programs.Their expertise in performance marketing is not just theoretical; with a track record of launching successful campaigns for major brands (M&Ms, Purdy & Figg, Supergut, & AnimalHouse Fitness, to name a few) and generating over $350M in revenue, they offer practical, actionable advice.So, if you're looking to improve your marketing strategies, boost profitability, or scale your ecommerce brand, this podcast draws on experience from industry leaders and founders just like you. 🎧 Follow the podcast on your favorite app, so you never miss an episode: https://pod.link/1631630533

February 17, 202619 min

10 Proven Ways to Break Through Your Growth Plateau

👉 Grow your bottom line: https://www.kynship.co/ If you’re listening to this, chances are you’ve hit a wall. Revenue has flatlined. What worked last year isn’t working now, and you’re wondering if you’ve maxed out your brand…Here’s the thing most people won’t tell you: plateaus are actually normal. Most brands hit ceilings. The ones that break through do it by pulling the right growth levers at the right time.What actually moves the needle versus what people think moves the needle are two very different things. So today, I want to give you 10 ways to break through a growth plateau. Not theory, not fluff, actual strategies that are working right now. You’ll learn why fixing your unit economics is the first step before testing a single new channel or product, why retention is more powerful than acquisition and can drive 20 to 100% more profit, and how to grow in your weak area, whether that’s paid or organic.If your brand is stuck but your foundation is solid, these are the levers that will actually move the needle.Tune in now. Key Takeaways:00:00 Intro01:12 Fix Your Unit Economics 02:53 Use Retention as a Growth Lever04:20 Paid vs Organic: Grow In Your Weak Area 06:29 Create Promotional Moments 07:45 New Product Development 09:16 Influencer Marketing and Events 10:26 New Demand Gen Channels 12:34 Create a Creative Machine That Runs Itself 13:42 Retail and Wholesale Expansion 15:13 Audit Your Customer Journey 16:28 Recap and Outro Additional Resources:Follow us on X:👉 Cody: https://x.com/Cody_Wittick 👉 Taylor: https://x.com/TaylorLagace The Bottom Line is your go-to podcast for honest ecommerce conversations on profitable growth strategies. Join Cody Wittick and Taylor Lagace, Co-Founders of Kynship, as they dive into the challenges and strategies for growing ecommerce brands to 8-9 figures. They share insights on overcoming ad creative challenges, managing cost caps, scaling Meta ads, unit economics and forecasting, and expanding influencer marketing programs.Their expertise in performance marketing is not just theoretical; with a track record of launching successful campaigns for major brands (M&Ms, Purdy & Figg, Supergut, & AnimalHouse Fitness, to name a few) and generating over $350M in revenue, they offer practical, actionable advice.So, if you're looking to improve your marketing strategies, boost profitability, or scale your ecommerce brand, this podcast draws on experience from industry leaders and founders just like you. 🎧 Follow the podcast on your favorite app, so you never miss an episode: https://pod.link/1631630533

February 4, 202618 min

Meta Isn’t Volatile. You’re Just Reading It Wrong

👉 Grow your bottom line: https://www.kynship.co/Day-to-day ad performance can feel chaotic. One day results are strong, the next they drop, and suddenly it feels like something is broken.In this episode, I break down why that reaction is costing brands more than they realize.Meta ads aren’t volatile. Human behavior is. And most performance swings are the result of small sample sizes being misread, not problems with the platform itself.Using real client examples and simple probability logic, I explain why daily data creates false urgency, how over-optimization drains budgets, and what disciplined teams do differently when nothing in the account has actually changed.This conversation is about shifting from reaction to process, and learning how to let probabilistic systems work instead of fighting them.In this episode, I cover:Why Meta performance feels volatile even when nothing is brokenHow small sample sizes distort decision-makingWhy daily reporting leads teams to overreactWhat it really means when Meta increases or decreases spendWhy turning off high-spend ads often backfiresHow cost controls act as guardrails, not constraintsThe mindset shift required to manage ads with confidenceIf you’ve ever felt pressure to “fix” ads after a bad day in the dashboard, this episode will change how you read your data and how you make decisions going forward.🎧 Listen to The Bottom Line for clear, practical conversations about growth, margins, and decision-making that actually moves the needle.Key Takeaways:0:00 Meta ads aren't volatile1:11 Process vs. results matter more than daily performance4:47 Small sample sizes create misleading patterns5:26 Statistical variance explains performance swings6:37 Don't make decisions based on isolated days7:55 Meta reads signals you can't see9:00 Cost controls work with the algorithm, not against it10:36 Three core principles for success:14:34 Weekly analysis minimum16:12 Don't turn off high-spending ads prematurelyAdditional Resources:Follow us on X:👉 Cody: https://x.com/Cody_Wittick👉 Taylor: https://x.com/TaylorLagaceThe Bottom Line is your go-to podcast for honest ecommerce conversations on profitable growth strategies. Join Cody Wittick and Taylor Lagace, Co-Founders of Kynship, as they dive into the challenges and strategies for growing ecommerce brands to 8-9 figures. They share insights on overcoming ad creative challenges, managing cost caps, scaling Meta ads, unit economics and forecasting, and expanding influencer marketing programs.Their expertise in performance marketing is not just theoretical; with a track record of launching successful campaigns for major brands (M&Ms, Purdy & Figg, Supergut, & AnimalHouse Fitness, to name a few) and generating over $350M in revenue, they offer practical, actionable advice.So, if you're looking to improve your marketing strategies, boost profitability, or scale your ecommerce brand, this podcast draws on experience from industry leaders and founders just like you.🎧 Follow the podcast on your favorite app, so you never miss an episode: https://pod.link/1631630533

January 28, 202622 min

BFCM Recap: What 2025 Tells Us About 2026

👉 Grow your bottom line: https://www.kynship.co/The headlines after Black Friday Cyber Monday were mixed.Spending was up. Costs were up too. Once you factor in inflation, a big portion of that growth disappears.In this episode, I share the actual Black Friday Cyber Monday numbers from our clients and break down what really worked in 2025, and what needs to change heading into 2026.Across our client base, revenue was up 28 percent year over year. Most had a strong Q4. But at the same time, ad spend increased and new customer acquisition became more expensive.The brands that performed well did not rely on finding new channels or waiting for costs to come down. They focused on returning-customer revenue, LTV, and building a business that does not depend entirely on acquiring strangers.If you are planning for 2026 and want a clearer strategy for navigating rising costs, this episode breaks it down.Key Takeaways:00:00 Intro00:30 Industry Analysis & Client Results01:24 The Numbers Breakdown03:13 The Key Insight09:19 2026 Quarterly Playbook09:49 Q1 (Audit Phase)11:30 Q2 (Fix Foundation)13:59 Q3 (Activate & Test)16:23 October (Final Prep)17:55 Closing ThoughtsAdditional Resources:Follow us on X:👉 Cody: https://x.com/Cody_Wittick👉 Taylor: https://x.com/TaylorLagaceThe Bottom Line is your go-to podcast for honest ecommerce conversations on profitable growth strategies. Join Cody Wittick and Taylor Lagace, Co-Founders of Kynship, as they dive into the challenges and strategies for growing ecommerce brands to 8-9 figures. They share insights on overcoming ad creative challenges, managing cost caps, scaling Meta ads, unit economics and forecasting, and expanding influencer marketing programs.Their expertise in performance marketing is not just theoretical; with a track record of launching successful campaigns for major brands (M&Ms, Purdy & Figg, Supergut, & AnimalHouse Fitness, to name a few) and generating over $350M in revenue, they offer practical, actionable advice.So, if you're looking to improve your marketing strategies, boost profitability, or scale your ecommerce brand, this podcast draws on experience from industry leaders and founders just like you.🎧 Follow the podcast on your favorite app, so you never miss an episode: https://pod.link/1631630533

December 10, 202521 min

5 Things Most Brands Get Wrong About LTV

👉 Grow your bottom line: https://www.kynship.co/ Most brands are optimizing for LTV the wrong way.Tracking shallow metrics, trusting false profitability, and scaling acquisition without understanding how or if the revenue will come back…Here's the brutal truth... If you don’t understand the real levers behind LTV, you’ll keep chasing tactics that barely move the needle.That's why today, I’m breaking down why you need to measure with cohorts, how long-tail retention impacts your true profitability, why product type —not marketing—drives repeat behavior, and which tactics actually work when it comes to scaling your specific business.The worst outcome is spending years optimizing tactics that just barely move the needle, so don't miss out.Tune in and discover the real reason your business is stalling.Key Takeaways:00:00 Intro 01:13 You need to measure with cohorts05:07 The truth about customer value07:38 Retention is genetic 12:20 Tactics that actually move the needle 16:33 Be honest about your business model viability 18:35 What you need to remember 19:40 Outro Additional Resources:Follow us on X:👉 Cody: https://x.com/Cody_Wittick 👉 Taylor: https://x.com/TaylorLagace The Bottom Line is your go-to podcast for honest ecommerce conversations on profitable growth strategies. Join Cody Wittick and Taylor Lagace, Co-Founders of Kynship, as they dive into the challenges and strategies for growing ecommerce brands to 8-9 figures. They share insights on overcoming ad creative challenges, managing cost caps, scaling Meta ads, unit economics and forecasting, and expanding influencer marketing programs.Their expertise in performance marketing is not just theoretical; with a track record of launching successful campaigns for major brands (M&Ms, Purdy & Figg, Supergut, & AnimalHouse Fitness, to name a few) and generating over $350M in revenue, they offer practical, actionable advice.So, if you're looking to improve your marketing strategies, boost profitability, or scale your ecommerce brand, this podcast draws on experience from industry leaders and founders just like you. 🎧 Follow the podcast on your favorite app, so you never miss an episode: https://pod.link/1631630533 

November 12, 202517 min

How to Make Ads That Actually Speak to What Your Customers Want

👉 Grow your bottom line: https://www.kynship.co/ Every purchase decision your customers make is driven by one simple psychological principle…Master this principle, and you’ll scale your marketing in ways most businesses can’t even imagine.Today, I’m breaking down why some ads convert 3x higher than others, why most businesses miss the mark on messaging, how to effectively segment your audience, craft messaging that resonates, and leverage creative diversity to skyrocket your conversion rates.Ready to 3X your conversions the easy way?Tune in now.Key Takeaways:00:00 Intro 00:17 The psychology of purchasing decisions 07:48 Objective vs. subjective benefits 09:55 How to find your marketing angles 12:17 How to create specific messaging for each audience  16:14 Outro Additional Resources:Follow us on X:👉 Cody: https://x.com/Cody_Wittick 👉 Taylor: https://x.com/TaylorLagace The Bottom Line is your go-to podcast for honest ecommerce conversations on profitable growth strategies. Join Cody Wittick and Taylor Lagace, Co-Founders of Kynship, as they dive into the challenges and strategies for growing ecommerce brands to 8-9 figures. They share insights on overcoming ad creative challenges, managing cost caps, scaling Meta ads, unit economics and forecasting, and expanding influencer marketing programs.Their expertise in performance marketing is not just theoretical; with a track record of launching successful campaigns for major brands (M&Ms, Purdy & Figg, Supergut, & AnimalHouse Fitness, to name a few) and generating over $350M in revenue, they offer practical, actionable advice.So, if you're looking to improve your marketing strategies, boost profitability, or scale your ecommerce brand, this podcast draws on experience from industry leaders and founders just like you. 🎧 Follow the podcast on your favorite app, so you never miss an episode: https://pod.link/1631630533 

November 5, 202518 min

The #1 Mistake Brands Make With Ads During BFCM (And How to Fix It)

👉 Grow your bottom line: https://www.kynship.co/ Most brands are missing out on sales during BFCM without even realizing it… They fall victim to the lie that their campaigns won’t pick up, make edits at 6 AM just to feel like they’re doing something, and end up resetting optimization at the worst possible time.In this episode, we’re breaking down why cost controls are your secret weapon during BFCM, how to structure your campaigns for peak performance, and the post-sale move that will save you thousands in wasted spend.You’ll learn why evergreen campaigns often outperform flashy promo ads, how to avoid the dreaded post-BFCM crash, and why you should always trust the machine. Want to scale your sales this BFCM? Tune in now.Key Takeaways:00:00 Intro 00:21 BFCM and the beauty of cost controls 01:35 Challenges of BFCM advertising 04:06 Optimizing for one-day vs. seven-day clicks06:27 Post-promotion crash and cost control adjustments 07:50 The power of patience 09:55 Budget adjustments during and after promotions 12:50 Separating evergreen and promotional campaigns 16:36 Outro Additional Resources:Follow us on X:👉 Cody: https://x.com/Cody_Wittick 👉 Taylor: https://x.com/TaylorLagace The Bottom Line is your go-to podcast for honest ecommerce conversations on profitable growth strategies. Join Cody Wittick and Taylor Lagace, Co-Founders of Kynship, as they dive into the challenges and strategies for growing ecommerce brands to 8-9 figures. They share insights on overcoming ad creative challenges, managing cost caps, scaling Meta ads, unit economics and forecasting, and expanding influencer marketing programs.Their expertise in performance marketing is not just theoretical; with a track record of launching successful campaigns for major brands (M&Ms, Purdy & Figg, Supergut, & AnimalHouse Fitness, to name a few) and generating over $350M in revenue, they offer practical, actionable advice.So, if you're looking to improve your marketing strategies, boost profitability, or scale your ecommerce brand, this podcast draws on experience from industry leaders and founders just like you. 🎧 Follow the podcast on your favorite app, so you never miss an episode: https://pod.link/1631630533 

October 1, 202531 min

Why Your Offer Matters More Than Your Ad Creative

👉 Grow your bottom line: https://www.kynship.co/ If you’ve been focusing all your energy on creative testing but are still struggling to convert, it’s time to test your offers.Many entrepreneurs get so caught up in analyzing and tweaking the creative parts of their ads that they overlook the importance of testing their offers.In this episode, Taylor and I break down the importance of offer testing and why it’s the missing piece in most brand strategies.We dive deep into what an “offer” truly is (hint: it’s not just a 10% discount), how brands can strategically structure their offers based on core business metrics, and why smaller brands should stop viewing offers as something that could dilute their brand.Taylor also shares actionable insights from real case studies of both high- and low-LTV brands, giving practical tips on how to test and optimize offers effectively.Want to dominate Q4 with winning offers? Hit play now to learn how to master offer testing.Key Takeaways:00:00 Intro00:53 Why most brands overlook offer testing03:52 Test offers like you test creative06:11 Offer ≠ brand dilution for emerging brands07:29 Factors to consider when building offers11:34 High LTV case study: subscription + free gift18:56 Low LTV case study: threshold spend offers23:38 Testing and optimizing offers: a Southern Scholar case study28:35 Takeaways 30:29 Outro Additional Resources:Follow us on X:👉 Cody: https://x.com/Cody_Wittick 👉 Taylor: https://x.com/TaylorLagace The Bottom Line is your go-to podcast for honest ecommerce conversations on profitable growth strategies. Join Cody Wittick and Taylor Lagace, Co-Founders of Kynship, as they dive into the challenges and strategies for growing ecommerce brands to 8-9 figures. They share insights on overcoming ad creative challenges, managing cost caps, scaling Meta ads, unit economics and forecasting, and expanding influencer marketing programs.Their expertise in performance marketing is not just theoretical; with a track record of launching successful campaigns for major brands (M&Ms, Purdy & Figg, Supergut, & AnimalHouse Fitness, to name a few) and generating over $350M in revenue, they offer practical, actionable advice.So, if you're looking to improve your marketing strategies, boost profitability, or scale your ecommerce brand, this podcast draws on experience from industry leaders and founders just like you. 🎧 Follow the podcast on your favorite app, so you never miss an episode: https://pod.link/1631630533 