Operators

Hosted by Sean Frank, Mike Beckham, Matt Bertulli, and Jason Panzer

Business Entrepreneurship

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Episodes

226

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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About the show

In the world of ecommerce, a legendary text group is rumored to hold the secrets to unimaginable success. The catch? You must have nine figures in revenue to gain entry. The world’s biggest brands have denied its existence for years, until now. Four titans known as the “Operators” are leaking the secret contents in an effort to share its wealth of knowledge with people like you. Sean Frank (CEO, Ridge), Jason Panzer (President, HexClad), Mike Beckham (CEO, Simple Modern) & Matt Bertulli (Founder, Pela Case x Lomi).

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October 22, 2026Episode 261 hr 23 min

How Hulken Hit $50M Without Raising: Founder Alex Schinasi

“We didn’t actually choose them. They chose us.” Can a bootstrapped brand enter Target and Costco while still growing DTC? Alex Schinasi (Co-Founder & President, Hulken) joins Matt Bertulli (Founder, Pela Case & Lomi) and Mike Beckham (CEO, Simple Modern) to unpack how a two-time SaaS founder built a ~$50M rolling tote brand without raising money. She had raised $3M for a new SaaS when Hulken hit $1M a month. A year later she exited the startup, and now nine people run the business with AI chiefs of staff. She wants a brand that lasts decades, yet she still moves at software speed. Powered By Walmart https://marketplace.walmart.com/operators Alia https://hubs.la/Q04zdpBQ0 AfterShip https://9ops.co/AfterShip Podqi https://9ops.co/7zz1ux AppLovin https://www.9operators.com/paid-growth https://applovin.com/9operators

October 21, 2026Episode 1881 hr 14 min

5 Things Every CMO Wishes CEOs Knew But Will Never Say to Your Face

“Some businesses aren’t ready for great CMOs.” What do CMOs need from their CEOs but never say out loud? MacCoy Merkley (CMO, Portland Leather Goods), Matt Bertulli (Founder, Pela Case & Lomi), Jason Panzer (President, HexClad), and Mike Beckham (CEO, Simple Modern) unpack 5 truths CMOs won’t say to the boss’s face, and what CEOs lose by ignoring them. MacCoy took a $13K-a-year job off Craigslist and now leads marketing at a nearly $250M brand. HexClad still has no CMO, so Jason and its co-founders carry the role themselves. Hand the keys to the wrong hire, and the blame lands long before the results do. Powered By Fulfil https://9ops.co/fulfil Richpanel https://9ops.co/richpanel Northbeam https://9ops.co/northbeam Saras Analytics https://9ops.co/saras Postscript https://9ops.co/postscript Aftersell ⁠https://9ops.co/aftersell-operators⁠ Operators Portal https://portal.9operators.com/dashboard Operators Newsletter https://9operators.com/

October 19, 2026Episode 91 hr 35 min

10 Elements of a Winning Offer & How to Test Them: Operators Build (E9)

“A great offer makes the customer feel stupid for saying no.” How do you know your offer is wrong before the market tells you? Jordan Menard (Co-Founder, Instant Hydration) and Lina Fahizul (Chief Ovary Officer, Freelance) join this episode to put Winks’ pricing, promotion, and pitch on trial. The payoff is a 10-element offer playbook any DTC brand can steal. 1. Not just price or discounts 2. Fits how the product is used 3. One customer + one problem 4. Adds value before discounts 5. Tackles your top objections 6. Gives a reason to buy “now” 7. Priced right for your market 8. Your most-valuable customer 9. Built for orders 2, 3, 4, etc. 10. Profitable unit economics It starts from a simple claim: Your discount gives away margin once. Jordan catches the founders without an answer for the CAC they can afford. Lina shows why making moms feel bad wins the click and loses the customer. Today's “winning” offer could lose money for months. Powered By Iris https://www.irisfinance.co/operators Omnisend https://9ops.co/omnisend OuterSignal https://9ops.co/outersignal Richpanel https://9ops.co/richpanel Runneth https://9ops.co/motion-runneth Skio https://9ops.co/skio-9operators Operators Portal https://portal.9operators.com/dashboard Operators Newsletter https://9operators.com/

October 14, 2026Episode 1871 hr 6 min

How to Position Your Brand & Products: 5 Ways to Win Against “Better”

“Better is probably the worst word you could use in marketing.” How can a DTC brand stand out in a category full of identical promises? Matt Orlić (Co-Founder, Qure Skincare) joins Mike Beckham (CEO, Simple Modern) and Matt Bertulli (Founder, Pela Case & Lomi) to break down why brand positioning beats a better product. Each story shows how a brand can win a crowded category without inventing anything new. Qure’s water filters beat Jolie’s on technology and patents, yet Orlić can’t out-position them. Mike explains how Yeti took Thermos’s 1800s vacuum insulation and sold it for cold drinks. Once a position works, competitors move in, and the founders debate how to hold it. Powered By Saras Analytics https://9ops.co/saras Postscript https://9ops.co/postscript Aftersell https://9ops.co/aftersell-operators Richpanel https://9ops.co/richpanel Fulfil https://9ops.co/fulfil Northbeam https://9ops.co/northbeam Operators Portal https://portal.9operators.com/dashboard Operators Newsletter https://9operators.com/

October 12, 202656 min

Our Ecommerce Marketing Strategy vs. Real Data: Operators Build (E8)

“We know how to run ads. This is a playbook.” How should you market a new DTC brand in its first six weeks? Matt Bertulli (Founder, Pela Case & Lomi), Cody Plofker (Advisor & fmr. CEO, Jones Road Beauty), and Curtis Christopherson (Chief Growth Officer, Ammortal) hold the Winks marketing plan up against the results since launch. They built the brand for moms, yet men keep showing up to buy. Meta CPMs hit $800 until a free account fix and a smaller budget turned them around. Now creators and credible doctors have to bring CAC down to $100 before they scale. Powered By Aftersell https://9ops.co/aftersell Skio https://9ops.co/skio-9operators Omnisend https://9ops.co/omnisend OuterSignal https://9ops.co/outersignal Richpanel https://9ops.co/richpanel Runneth https://9ops.co/motion-runneth Operators Portal https://portal.9operators.com/dashboard Operators Newsletter https://9operators.com/

October 8, 2026Episode 251 hr 29 min

Away’s CEO & New DTC Playbook: Amazon, TikTok Shop, and 300% Over Plan

“It’s about closing the imagination gap, not what it can do.” Jessica Schinazi (CEO, Away) joins Matt Bertulli (Founder, Pela Case & Lomi) and Curtis Matsko (CEO, Portland Leather Goods) to break down how she took the reins of a decade-old DTC pioneer and opened it to new channels in 18 months. Away builds luggage to last 7 to 10 years, which Jessica calls a horrible business model. She chases new buyers: Up to 9% of her Amazon category and a $400 suitcase sold out on TikTok Shop. Now she has to bring each customer home before a day-one startup steals them. Powered by Podqi https://9ops.co/podqi AppLovin https://www.9operators.com/paid-growth https://applovin.com/9operators Shoplift https://shoplift.ai/operators Shiphero https://9ops.co/shiphero-titans

October 7, 2026Episode 1861 hr 0 min

He Grew 4X as a Solo Founder. Now TJ Bongiorno (Outgoing Co) Has to Learn to Say No!

“You can have anything you want, but you can’t have it all at once.” Should you raise money when your only problem is working capital? Help an Operator Out (HAOO) is a series where real business owners join the podcast with live questions. In this episode, TJ Bongiorno (Founder, The Outgoing Co) brings two questions: when to raise capital and how to price the round. As a solo founder, he 4X’d the business to nearly $4M in a year. Nearly 90% of TJ’s revenue comes from powder, yet his cans perform 100X better on TikTok Shop. The hosts push him to choose which product leads his pitch. Matt makes the case for a price where investors win easily. Caught between seed funds and VCs, TJ needs a deal the right investors will take. Powered By Postscript https://9ops.co/postscript Aftersell https://9ops.co/aftersell-operators Richpanel https://9ops.co/richpanel Fulfil https://9ops.co/fulfil Northbeam https://9ops.co/northbeam Saras Analytics https://9ops.co/saras Operators Portal https://portal.9operators.com/dashboard Operators Newsletter https://9operators.com/

October 5, 2026Episode 71 hr 0 min

Every AI Tool We’re Using & 4 Pillars to Guide You: Operators Build (E7)

“They’re the most capable ever, but not trained on your business.” What pillars should every AI-first brand build, and which one comes first? Matt Bertulli (Founder, Pela Case & Lomi) and Cody Plofker (Advisor & fmr. CEO, Jones Road Beauty) open up the playbook behind Winks, a brand where AI does the grunt work and humans make the calls. Piece by piece, they break down the four components that make that split work. 1. Company brain: Context, memory, skills 2. Operating system (OS): Human interface 3. Software and tools: Existing tech, SaaS 4. Agents: Researcher, writer, analyst, etc. The era of “prompt engineering” is over. Company context lets agents upload ads and match landing pages without being told twice. Yet AI tools still misread research, which leaves one question: How much can you trust them? Powered By Richpanel https://9ops.co/richpanel Runneth https://9ops.co/motion-runneth Skio https://9ops.co/skio-9operators Omnisend https://9ops.co/omnisend TBAR Partners https://9ops.co/tbarpartners OuterSignal https://9ops.co/outersignal Operators Portal https://portal.9operators.com/dashboard Operators Newsletter https://9operators.com/

September 30, 2026Episode 18553 min

How to Create Buying Moments: Give People a Reason to Buy All Year

“You’re never gonna make a big impact on Black Friday.” Should you worry if frequent promotions will hurt your brand equity? Sean Frank (CEO, Ridge), Matt Bertulli (CEO, Pela Case and Lomi), and Mike Beckham (CEO, Simple Modern) break down how Ridge manufactures demand instead of waiting for it. A slow summer becomes an 8-figure-plus sales season, anchored by a Lamborghini sweepstakes with Tony Hawk. Sean walks through how the campaign evolved from a $100K MVP into a five year, celebrity backed giveaway with a grand prize built in. He explains why a 45-day window beats trying to own a single day like Black Friday. The hosts continue to cover why a wider product catalog creates more natural sales peaks throughout the year. Powered By Aftersell https://9ops.co/aftersell-operators Richpanel https://9ops.co/richpanel Fulfil https://9ops.co/fulfil Northbeam https://www.northbeam.io/ Saras Analytics https://9ops.co/saras Postscript https://9ops.co/postscript Operators Portal https://portal.9operators.com/dashboard Operators Newsletter https://9operators.com/

September 28, 20261 hr 23 min

Ecommerce Subscription Playbook & Benchmarks: Operators Build (E6)

“You almost feel stupid buying the product as a one-time customer.” Why do some subscription brands retain customers and stack LTV while others lose them? Matt Bertulli (CEO, Pela & Lomi) and Cody Plofker (Advisor & fmr. CEO, Jones Road) sit down with Aidan Thibodeaux (CEO, Skio) and Bernard Meyer (AI Operations Manager, Omnisend) to ask the questions every subscription brand needs answered. Aidan argues that the offer matters more than anything else. He pushes quarterly plans and free gifts over discounts. Discounts train customers to wait for deals. He sets targets of 65% or higher for subscription take rate, 80–90% retention into the second order, and 35% at six months. Bernard lays out the post-purchase basics, including a welcome email that sets expectations and check-ins after delivery. The group also debates when to ask for reviews, roasts Winks’ current buy box, then closes with quick skip buttons, subject line tests, and win back emails built on cancel flow data. The question every subscription company needs to answer: What exactly are you promising a subscriber with recurring orders? Powered By OuterSignal https://9ops.co/outersignal Richpanel https://9ops.co/richpanel Runneth https://9ops.co/motion-runneth Skio https://9ops.co/skio-9operators Omnisend https://9ops.co/omnisend TBAR Partners https://9ops.co/tbarpartners Operators Portal https://portal.9operators.com/dashboard Operators Newsletter https://9operators.com/