The DTC Insider

Hosted by Brian Roisentul

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144

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Welcome to The DTC Insider podcast hosted by entrepreneur, digital marketer, and co-founder of BSR Digital, Brian Roisentul. On this podcast, you will find the best practices for building a successful DTC brand.

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November 6, 2026Episode 25548 min

Inside The TikTok Shop Growth Playbook

In this episode of The DTC Insider, Brian Roisentul sits down with Jordan West, Founder of Social Commerce Club to break down the TikTok Shop growth playbook, from building creator relationships to measuring its impact across DTC, Amazon, and retail. Jordan shares his journey from building and acquiring e-commerce brands to going all in on TikTok Shop. He explains why brands need to win over creators first, how sales-driven content differs from traditional influencer marketing, and why strong partnerships require more than sending products. They discuss creator commissions, when retainers make sense, and how community groups, founder calls, and in-person events help keep creators engaged. They dive into realistic expectations for the first six months and why Jordan views TikTok Shop as a marketing channel whose value extends beyond on-platform profitability. He discusses the halo effect, shares the Portland Leather Goods growth story, and explains how sampling, product bundles, shipping, and advertising shape channel economics. Jordan also breaks down his approach to identifying standout creators and Social Commerce Club’s Blitz methodology, which concentrates creator posts and advertising spend into a 24-to-48-hour window to build momentum. Plus, Brian and Jordan explore GMV Max, the differences between short-form creators and live sellers, and the team needed to operate a growing TikTok Shop. Jordan shares why he rejects AI-generated content that imitates human creators while using AI extensively to automate tasks and make more time for personal connections. They also discuss social search as an overlooked opportunity for product discovery, creating videos around customers’ specific questions, and why building a business should serve a purpose beyond revenue. -- This episode is brought to you by BSR . BSR helps 7-figure+ brands build and optimize strategic growth systems that unlock hidden revenue and scale profitably, without adding chaos, channels, or unnecessary spend. To learn more about BSR, visit their website or book a call .

October 30, 2026Episode 25444 min

Inside a Skincare Brand Selling In 85+ Countries

In this episode of The DTC Insider, Brian Roisentul sits down with Julia Garyfallou Northcraft, Senior Director of Marketing and Sales at Timeless Skin Care , to discuss the decisions behind running a fully bootstrapped skincare brand selling in more than 85 countries across DTC, marketplaces, and retail. Julia shares how growing up in her family’s business in Greece shaped her approach to marketing and sales, how her role evolved over eight years at Timeless, and why understanding operations matters as much as creativity. She explains how the brand manufactures its products in-house in Texas, maintains a small, focused catalog, and prioritizes simple formulas and accessible prices instead of chasing trends. They also discuss international expansion, finding strong local partners, and adapting strategies to different markets rather than copying what works in the U.S. They dive into AI discoverability and why Julia now considers marketplaces essential to a complete strategy. She discusses adapting website content and product pages for large language models, maintaining consistent messaging across channels, and the uncertainty around whether AI recommendations will send shoppers to a brand’s website, a marketplace, or a retailer. Julia also explains why entering retail requires careful evaluation of investment, margins, demand, and replenishment capacity before accepting an opportunity. Plus, Brian and Julia explore how customer education, monthly promotions, and a loyalty program support retention when customers can return through different channels. Julia shares why Timeless works with creators who already use and recommend its products, how potential partners are encouraged to test products before collaborating, and why product quality remains essential to repeat purchases. They also discuss the brand’s early investment in TikTok Shop, its plans for live selling, and extending Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions beyond DTC. Throughout the conversation, Julia explains how she balances long-term brand awareness with profitability and the operational demands of growth. -- This episode is brought to you by BSR . BSR helps 7-figure+ brands build and optimize strategic growth systems that unlock hidden revenue and scale profitably, without adding chaos, channels, or unnecessary spend. To learn more about BSR, visit their website or book a call .

October 23, 2026Episode 25338 min

From Handmade Headbands To Nordstrom Shelves

In this episode of The DTC Insider, Brian Roisentul sits down with Summer Harris, co-founder of Baby Bling , to discuss how handmade headbands for her daughter became a brand sold at Nordstrom, Von Maur, and hundreds of specialty stores across the U.S. Summer shares how the business started in 2005, from selling through a local children’s boutique to finding sales representatives who helped introduce the products to retailers nationwide. She explains how those relationships opened doors to major department stores, how the brand expanded into direct-to-consumer sales, and why local manufacturing remains central to the business. They also discuss the challenge of communicating quality and ethical production when customers can find lower-priced alternatives on Amazon. They dive into the lessons Summer learned about operating with a leaner team, making difficult staffing decisions, and using existing systems more efficiently. Summer explains why founders need to stay connected to the day-to-day operation and understand which responsibilities they can realistically take on. She also shares how TikTok live selling is helping the brand reconnect with customers and reach a younger audience through product demonstrations, real-time conversations, and a more personal shopping experience. Plus, Brian and Summer explore what happens during six-hour livestreams, why auctions are working for the brand, and how small product batches, limited editions, and mystery bags are encouraging customers to become collectors again. Summer discusses livestream consistency, rotating presenters, hourly pay and commissions, and why she sees live selling as a growing career opportunity. They also cover broadcasting from the warehouse using a phone, launching collections on Shopify before TikTok, turning off Meta ads while keeping Google ads running, and the challenges of managing inventory across both platforms. Ultimately, Summer shares why staying true to your product, treating customers well, and preparing for the ups and downs of business remain essential. -- This episode is brought to you by BSR . BSR helps 7-figure+ brands build and optimize strategic growth systems that unlock hidden revenue and scale profitably, without adding chaos, channels, or unnecessary spend. To learn more about BSR, visit their website or book a call .

October 2, 2026Episode 25245 min

The Growth Playbook Behind a Brand in Major Retail

In this episode of The DTC Insider, Brian Roisentul sits down with Brittany Tomkiewicz, VP of Marketing at Kate McLeod , to discuss how the brand approaches growth across customer acquisition, creators, paid media, DTC, and major retail partners including Sephora, Nordstrom, Anthropologie, Goop, and boutiques across the U.S. Brittany shares how nearly 15 years in marketing have shaped the way she thinks about growth in an environment where platforms, consumer behavior, and technology are constantly evolving. She explains how Kate McLeod has built an acquisition ecosystem that connects content creation, creator partnerships, and paid media, using CPA and blended CAC thresholds to determine when to scale. They also discuss why Meta remains the brand’s biggest advertising channel, how TikTok and Google fit into the mix, and why Pinterest is becoming their next area of exploration. They dive into Kate McLeod’s creator strategy, from building authentic, long-term relationships to paid partnerships and whitelisting creator content. Brittany explains how the team evaluates creators, why they avoid oversaturating audiences, and how expanding their creator program has led to a major uptick in sales. She also shares why founders of younger brands may be better off building creator relationships themselves before hiring someone to manage the program. Plus, Brian and Brittany discuss how the brand is preparing for Q4 and Black Friday, why one of its biggest promotions of the year remains largely unchanged, and how gift-with-purchase offers and contingency planning can help maximize revenue. They also explore how Kate McLeod adapts its strategy across DTC and major retail partners, from sponsored ads and in-store events at Nordstrom to creator communities at Sephora, and how the team is beginning to use AI for data analysis, customer support, and brand discoverability. Ultimately, Brittany shares why successful growth today requires constant evolution while still staying focused on the channels, relationships, and strategies that actually work. -- This episode is brought to you by BSR . BSR helps 7-figure+ brands build and optimize strategic growth systems that unlock hidden revenue and scale profitably, without adding chaos, channels, or unnecessary spend. To learn more about BSR, visit their website or book a call .

September 11, 2026Episode 25141 min

From the Army to Building a Brand That Makes a Difference

In this episode of The DTC Insider, Brian Roisentul sits down with Elisabeth Crossley-Wright, founder of With Love Darling , to discuss her unconventional path from serving in the Danish army and deploying on nato missions to building a jewelry brand centered around storytelling, purpose, and creating meaningful impact. Elisabeth shares how joining the army at 19 and spending five years pushing her physical and mental limits shaped the resilience she would later bring to entrepreneurship. After studying law, working with the UN, and raising her family, she reached a point in her late 30s when she knew she wanted to build a business that could make a difference. That idea eventually became With Love Darling, a jewelry brand designed to be about much more than the product itself. They dive into how Elisabeth found her first production partners in India, why storytelling became central to the brand, and how her customers ultimately helped shape the business. She explains how Facebook advertising helped take the brand from one or two orders per day to as many as 30, why rising acquisition costs eventually made that model less attractive, and why she later made the difficult decision to scale back paid advertising and focus more on organic growth, community, and building a stronger brand voice. Plus, they discuss how With Love Darling works with women in Kenya, how creating economic opportunities unexpectedly helped build a support network and greater independence within their communities, and how meeting those women led Elisabeth to discover another challenge she had never considered: access to period products. That experience inspired an initiative that donates reusable period kits and reinforced her belief that deeply engaging with a community can be more powerful than simply spending more on advertising. Ultimately, Elisabeth shares why building a meaningful business is not about solving every problem, but about finding where you can make a difference and starting there. -- This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠BSR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠BSR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ helps 7-figure+ brands build and optimize strategic growth systems that unlock hidden revenue and scale profitably, without adding chaos, channels, or unnecessary spend. To learn more about BSR, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠visit their website⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or book a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠call⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ .

September 4, 2026Episode 25045 min

What They Changed to Spend 60-70% Less On Ads

In this episode of The DTC Insider, Brian Roisentul sits down with Nick Sanetra, Director of Marketing at Clove , to discuss how the brand is rethinking customer acquisition, creative strategy, and profitability while staying focused on the fundamentals of understanding its customers. Nick shares his journey from ad tech and agencies to the brand side, and how that experience shaped the way he thinks about growth and unit economics. He explains how Clove evolved from a growth-first mindset to making every marketing dollar pull its weight, and why ambitious revenue goals need to be backed by the right systems, marketing calendar, and customer demand. They dive into Clove’s customer acquisition strategy, why broad targeting and highly automated campaigns didn’t work as expected for the brand, and how changes to targeting and creative helped Clove spend 60–70% less year over year in a given month while generating more revenue. Nick also shares why TikTok is becoming a larger part of the media mix, how Clove approaches creative differently across the funnel, and why UGC continues to play an important role in reaching new customers. Plus, they discuss why post-purchase surveys have become one of Clove’s most valuable sources of customer and attribution data, how those insights influence budget allocation and creative decisions, why its loyalty program has become a consistent driver of incremental revenue, and how the team uses AI to accelerate time-consuming analysis without outsourcing critical thinking. Ultimately, Nick explains why sustainable growth comes back to strong systems, customer insights, and caring about the people you’re building for. -- This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠BSR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠BSR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ helps 7-figure+ brands build and optimize strategic growth systems that unlock hidden revenue and scale profitably, without adding chaos, channels, or unnecessary spend. To learn more about BSR, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠visit their website⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or book a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠call⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ .

August 21, 2026Episode 24935 min

How This Brand Grew by Thinking Bigger Than Its Size

In this episode of The DTC Insider, Brian Roisentul sits down with Mary McMahan, Brand Marketing Manager at WithSimplicity , to discuss how a small clean beauty brand grew by staying resourceful, building genuine relationships, and putting community at the center of its marketing. Mary shares how she joined WithSimplicity in 2019 as the brand's sole marketer, working with a limited budget while taking on everything from rebranding and packaging to website optimization and social media. She explains how focusing on owned and earned channels helped strengthen the brand's online presence, and how creative ideas like augmented reality makeup filters helped WithSimplicity adapt during the pandemic. They dive into the brand's affiliate strategy, how Mary manually finds creators through Instagram, why building genuine relationships matters more than treating affiliates as marketing metrics, and how one affiliate relationship is now evolving into a product collaboration. Mary also shares how WithSimplicity grew 130% in one year by being prepared to capitalize on the right opportunity and connecting with creators who were already aligned with the brand's values. Plus, they discuss why brand is ultimately about how customers feel, how email marketing and loyalty programs can strengthen retention, the value of behind-the-scenes and founder-led content, when agencies can help growing brands, and why AI still needs human knowledge and oversight in marketing. -- This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠BSR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠BSR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ helps 7-figure+ brands build and optimize strategic growth systems that unlock hidden revenue and scale profitably, without adding chaos, channels, or unnecessary spend. To learn more about BSR, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠visit their website⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or book a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠call⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ .

August 14, 2026Episode 24844 min

The Decisions Behind 3X Revenue Growth in 5 Years

In this episode of The DTC Insider, Brian Roisentul sits down with Arin Schultz, Chief Growth Officer at Naturepedic , to discuss the key decisions that helped the brand triple its revenue in just five years. Arin shares how Naturepedic evolved from its wholesale roots into a growing omnichannel brand, while explaining how influencer marketing, physical retail, and a willingness to continuously rethink their strategy have contributed to the company's growth. They dive into Naturepedic's influencer strategy, why the company has a six-person team dedicated to working with creators, how UGC is being used across Meta and CTV, and why choosing the right channels matters more than simply following the latest marketing trends. Arin also shares the lessons behind Naturepedic's retail expansion, how physical stores can drive online growth, why site selection can make or break a location, and how giving employees a sense of ownership can improve performance and retention. Plus, they discuss AI and the changing customer journey, why Naturepedic is investing more in prospecting and demand generation, the limitations of focusing too heavily on immediate ROAS, and why brands should never become too comfortable with the marketing strategy that's working today. -- This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ BSR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ BSR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ helps 7-figure+ brands build and optimize strategic growth systems that unlock hidden revenue and scale profitably, without adding chaos, channels, or unnecessary spend. To learn more about BSR, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ visit their website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or book a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ call⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ .

July 10, 2026Episode 24734 min

Mid-Day Squares: The Human Side of Brand Building

In this episode of The DTC Insider, Brian Roisentul sits down with Jake Karls, Co-Founder & Rainmaker of Mid-Day Squares, to discuss what it really takes to build a brand people genuinely connect with. Jake shares the journey of building Mid-Day Squares from a condo kitchen into one of the most recognizable brands in CPG, while explaining why authenticity, storytelling, and human connection have been the foundation of the company's growth from day one. They dive into the realities of entrepreneurship, overcoming adversity, finding the right role as a founder, building a brand through vulnerability, and why documenting the journey can be more powerful than trying to create the perfect marketing campaign. Jake also explains why trust is the foundation of every great relationship, how brands create emotional connections that competitors can't replicate, and why authenticity remains one of the biggest competitive advantages in business. Plus, they discuss AI, the future of brand building, creating communities instead of audiences, and why the brands that will thrive are the ones that never lose their human connection. -- This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠ BSR⁠⁠⁠⁠ . ⁠⁠⁠⁠ BSR⁠⁠⁠⁠ helps 7-figure+ brands build and optimize strategic growth systems that unlock hidden revenue and scale profitably, without adding chaos, channels, or unnecessary spend. To learn more about BSR, ⁠⁠⁠⁠ visit their website ⁠⁠⁠⁠ or book a ⁠⁠⁠⁠ call⁠⁠⁠⁠ .

July 3, 2026Episode 24653 min

The Biggest Lessons From a 3x Founder

In this episode of The DTC Insider, Brian Roisentul sits down with Josh Sprague, founder of Orange Mud , Seven Clay, and Anvil & Acre , to discuss what it really takes to build and grow successful DTC brands in an ecommerce landscape that never stops evolving. Josh shares the lessons he's learned after launching three companies across different eras of ecommerce, explaining why strong business fundamentals, customer understanding, and operational excellence matter far more than chasing the latest marketing trends or growth hacks. They dive into the realities of paid media, attribution, Amazon, customer retention, and why founders should fully understand their business before investing in advertising. Josh also explains how he built a community of nearly 1,000 brand ambassadors, dramatically reduced product returns through customer education, and why testing and continuous optimization remain essential for long-term growth. Plus, they discuss AI, direct mail, email automation, scaling ecommerce brands, and what Josh would do differently if he were starting a brand from scratch today. -- This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠ BSR⁠⁠⁠ . ⁠⁠⁠ BSR⁠⁠⁠ helps 7-figure+ brands build and optimize strategic growth systems that unlock hidden revenue and scale profitably, without adding chaos, channels, or unnecessary spend. To learn more about BSR, ⁠⁠⁠ visit their website⁠⁠⁠ or book a ⁠⁠⁠ call⁠⁠⁠ .