So many DTC brands think nice PR is more important than honesty. But that’s not us.
I'm Nik, and I'm tired of all the hot air in our industry. This podcast is the behind-the-scenes conversation that gets to the heart of what DTC is really like.
Nik Sharma founded Sharma Brands - and has no reason not to call people out, and share his spicy takes. Joined by the most experienced names in the industry, these are the conversations you won’t hear anywhere else.
We’ll be diving deep into industry moves, autopsies on failed brands, and why we’re investing in certain companies.
Episodes drop every Wednesday. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
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S9 E7: What You Might Be Getting Wrong as a DTC Founder
Wednesday, September 4, 2024 • Duration 44:39
What are Nik’s messages like?
If you answered, “Hey Nik, I’ve founded (insert company here). It should be doing this, but it’s not. What should I do?” you’d be correct. Starting a brand isn’t easy work—so that’s why Nik has a playbook ready. Should you do a pre launch test? What conversion events should matter to you? What even is a water report? There’s a ton of concerns that a lot of founders don’t ask about, but should.
Plus, in this solo episode, Nik reveals that your content should make sense to three people: your mom, buzzed people, and fifth graders. He explains how all three are related, even if they probably shouldn’t be in the same sentence.
Then, Nik speaks survey: what did they buy and did they like it? How can you, as a brand, take information and improve your ops? Customer experience is a goldmine—one that you could be missing out on.
And don’t forget to check out Nik’s helpful hacks here:
nik.co/tiktokads
nik.co/everydaydose
Haus is an automated, self-serve platform that allows you to configure regional experiments to measure incrementality, optimally allocate marketing dollars, and maximize growth. Test all your marketing channels, both online and offline, measure the impact across all your sales channels (DTC, Amazon, and retail), and calibrate your platform reporting for incrementality with Haus.
Add scientific rigor to your marketing and make the most impact with your spend. To learn more, go to haus.io/limitedsupply
Want more DTC advice? Check out the Limited Supply YouTube page for more insider tips.
Check out the Nik’s DTC newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mOUJMJ
And if you’re looking for an instant stream of on-demand DTC gold, check out the Limited Supply Slack Channel for Nik’s most unfiltered, uncensored thoughts.
Follow Nik:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mrsharma
S9 E6: The Cheesecake Factory Menu of DTC with Cody Plofker
Wednesday, August 28, 2024 • Duration 29:43
Ready for a rapid-fire round of questions about DTC as big as The Cheesecake Factory menu?
CMO of Jones Road Beauty and Nik’s X-Mutual-turned-IRL-friend Cody Plofker is back on the pod—and they’re talking about incrementality, building creative teams, and more. What should you look for in building a team? What’s attribution and why is it click-based? Is Cody frugal or cheap?
Then, Nik chats about how he uses TikTok and Reddit to understand new audiences. How can we reach new people? What do they care about compared to our current market?
Plus, Cody reveals how Jones Road is gearing up for Black Friday, with new strategies, customization opportunities, and setting realistic (but BIG) sales goals.
And don’t forget to check out Nik’s helpful hacks here:
nik.co/tiktokads
nik.co/everydaydose
AfterSell empowers businesses to maximize their revenue potential with upsell, cross-sell, and post-purchase engagement solutions. Our data-driven tools and seamless integrations help you transform customer interactions and boost revenue effortlessly.
To learn more visit aftersell.com/limited.
Want more DTC advice? Check out the Limited Supply YouTube page for more insider tips.
Check out the Nik’s DTC newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mOUJMJ
And if you’re looking for an instant stream of on-demand DTC gold, check out the Limited Supply Slack Channel for Nik’s most unfiltered, uncensored thoughts.
Follow Nik:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mrsharma
S8 E9: Temu Has the Power to Take Down Wayfair, Etsy, and Amazon— Here’s Why
Thursday, June 20, 2024 • Duration 44:53
Goodbye, Shopify. See ya later, Etsy. Hasta la vista… Amazon???\
Yeah, we said it. Temu has the power to compete with Amazon. Has the Chinese drop shipping company grown too powerful to defeat? Or can our old-school favorites find a way to slay the DTC giant? Nik and Moiz discuss the looming threat of Temu to several major e-commerce retailers. What strategies do they need to stay relevant?
Plus, what would it take for Outdoor Voices to crawl out of the grave they dug themselves into? Hear us out— it’s definitely not impossible...
The guys also discuss the latest acquisition of Asian noodle company, Omsom, by DDC. What, if anything, does it mean for other Asian DTCs like immi, FLY BY Jing, and Sanzo?
And later in the episode, Nik declares arbitrage. When is it okay to use arbitrage in the DTC community, and are there any ethical concerns? Well, if we know anything… at the very least, we definitely know where Moiz stands on the issue.
Streamline your entire operations process, from accounting and order management to inventory and warehouse management, manufacturing production, and EDI integration. Providing a single source of truth for your business, Fulfil offers real-time insights, automates tedious tasks, and ensures you never miss a sale. Learn more at https://www.fulfil.io
Want more DTC advice? Check out the Limited Supply YouTube page for more insider tips.
Check out the Nik’s DTC newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mOUJMJ
And if you’re looking for an instant stream of on-demand DTC gold, check out the Limited Supply Slack Channel for Nik and Moiz’s most unfiltered, uncensored thoughts.
Follow Nik:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mrsharma
Follow Moiz:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/moizali
S8 E8: Our Top Secrets to Absolutely Smash Your Sales at Target
Wednesday, June 12, 2024 • Duration 37:21
Welcome back, ya 88s.
Quit trying to make brick-and-mortar happen. It’s never going to happen. Or at least not like you think it will. Nik and Moiz break down the common pitfalls DTC businesses make when it comes to opening up retail stores. How many stores are too many? And are you thinking about staffing in a realistic manner?
Speaking of brick-and-mortar stores, why aren’t places like Outdoor Voices or Alo focusing more on that post-purchase follow-up? If Moiz just threw down $500 on yoga pants, he wants to feel like the prettiest, pretty princess of them all. After all, isn’t focusing on retaining high-spending customers far less expensive than acquiring new ones? Nik and Moiz go over some possible solutions to increase post-purchase satisfaction.
Then, the guys play devil’s advocate. Sure, they just told you to stop focusing so much on brick-and-mortar stores, but they sincerely hope that didn’t make you throw all your hopes into dot-com-only strategies. They explain the value of selling your product in-store and explain what kind of selling velocity you need to stay on Target’s shelves.
Streamline your entire operations process, from accounting and order management to inventory and warehouse management, manufacturing production, and EDI integration. Providing a single source of truth for your business, Fulfil offers real-time insights, automates tedious tasks, and ensures you never miss a sale. Learn more at https://www.fulfil.io
Want more DTC advice? Check out the Limited Supply YouTube page for more insider tips.
Check out the Nik’s DTC newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mOUJMJ
And if you’re looking for an instant stream of on-demand DTC gold, check out the Limited Supply Slack Channel for Nik and Moiz’s most unfiltered, uncensored thoughts.
Follow Nik:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mrsharma
Follow Moiz:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/moizali
Just because the guys don’t wear makeup doesn’t mean they can’t dig Sephora. They discuss the makeup giant’s clever loyalty program and explain why it’s the prime example of how to make a loyalty program work.
Then, Nik and Moiz ruminate over how to make corporate gifting a lucrative DTC business. Could their idea for a corporate gifting channel turn into the next big Faire?
And later, Nik just can’t shake his bad streak with ambulance-chasing attorneys. He’s got a chip on his shoulder and is sharpening his pitchfork for bloodsucker threatening small DTCs to pay up or else. What’s the latest sitch? And how can other DTCs make frivolous lawsuits a thing of the past?
Streamline your entire operations process, from accounting and order management to inventory and warehouse management, manufacturing production, and EDI integration. Providing a single source of truth for your business, Fulfil offers real-time insights, automates tedious tasks, and ensures you never miss a sale. Learn more at https://www.fulfil.io
Want more DTC advice? Check out the Limited Supply YouTube page for more insider tips.
Check out the Nik’s DTC newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mOUJMJ
And if you’re looking for an instant stream of on-demand DTC gold, check out the Limited Supply Slack Channel for Nik and Moiz’s most unfiltered, uncensored thoughts.
Follow Nik:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mrsharma
Follow Moiz:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/moizali
S8 E6: Racist or Righteous? Unpacking the Hate Against Chinese Companies
Wednesday, May 29, 2024 • Duration 33:18
We can’t escape TikTok Shop, and chances are good neither can you. But is it actually working for the brands that are using it? And what does their AoV look like?
Nik also breaks down TikTok Shop’s shift to QVC-like ads as the boys debate the latest trends and happenings in TikTok Shop. How much do affiliates get paid anyway?
But let’s get down to brass tacks—because the guys are wondering whether or not the US government is trying to ban Shein for legitimate reasons or if they’re just plain racist against Chinese companies. Sure they might have a case for banning TikTok, but is there any merit to restricting the fast fashion empire from selling products in the US? Is Shein sourcing its raw materials from dubious sources or is it all just a bunch of smoke without fire?
Then, Nik and Moiz make the case for why DTC businesses need to start looking outside the US market for sales. Why aren’t more brands considering selling in other countries? And how come most marketing agencies aren’t interested in bringing brands to other nations?
Plus, Moiz unleashes the smartest business idea he’s ever had… or the dumbest idea he’s ever had. Take your pick.
Unravel the complexities of fulfillment with Red Stag - a 3PL that guarantees zero shrink, zero mispicks, and zero missed shipments. Backed by performance assurances, they ensure excellence in every order —Literally, RedStag offers coverage at no additional cost for any guarantee that is missed AND $50 reimbursement per instance for the inconvenience. Discover why Red Stag isn't just another fulfillment provider - visit redstag.com/limited today.
00:00:38 - Live Streams Focused on Products
00:06:46 - TikTok Embraces Live Streaming Trend
00:12:27 - How TikTok Customizes Comments Algorithm
00:14:48 - US Government Targets Chinese Businesses
00:20:57 - Expanding Internationally
00:22:13 - Europe Dominates Amazon US Traffic
00:25:02 - Opportunities for Brands in Amazon
00:28:31 - Creating a Business for GLP Medications
Want more DTC advice? Check out the Limited Supply YouTube page for more insider tips.
Check out the Nik’s DTC newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mOUJMJ
And if you’re looking for an instant stream of on-demand DTC gold, check out the Limited Supply Slack Channel for Nik and Moiz’s most unfiltered, uncensored thoughts.
Follow Nik:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mrsharma
Follow Moiz:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/moizali
S8 E5: Cart Promo Hacks, Old School vs. New School DTC Brands, and Capitalizing on Private Labels
Wednesday, May 22, 2024 • Duration 44:19
Who can possibly resist the “add two more leggings to your cart—and get the third one free” offer?
Nik and Moiz discuss the power of cart promos—what do the best offers look like, and what are the game-changing moves brands are taking to capitalize on cart deals? They dive into the curious case of Halara, and unravel how the influencer-based brand leveraged cart deals, TikTok, and influencers to compete with the likes of Shein and Fashion Nova.
Then the guys break down the rise of new DTC brands—what sets companies like Strawberry Milk Mob and Crown Affair apart from their predecessors like Warby Parker and Bonobos? How has the DTC landscape changed so drastically in such a short period of time? Is this the death of huge campaigns and the shift to slow audience validation?
And later, Nik wonders whether there’s room for companies to start utilizing private label brands more often. Is there a world where a franchising type of mindset can work for DTC? Or has Nik completely lost his mind?
Unravel the complexities of fulfillment with Red Stag - a 3PL that guarantees zero shrink, zero mispicks, and zero missed shipments. Backed by performance assurances, they ensure excellence in every order —Literally, RedStag offers coverage at no additional cost for any guarantee that is missed AND $50 reimbursement per instance for the inconvenience. Discover why Red Stag isn't just another fulfillment provider - visit redstag.com/limited today.
Want more DTC advice? Check out the Limited Supply YouTube page for more insider tips.
Check out the Nik’s DTC newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mOUJMJ
And if you’re looking for an instant stream of on-demand DTC gold, check out the Limited Supply Slack Channel for Nik and Moiz’s most unfiltered, uncensored thoughts.
Follow Nik:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mrsharma
Follow Moiz:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/moizali
S8 E4: The Dirty Truth About Fad Products (We're Looking at You, Prime Energy)
Wednesday, May 15, 2024 • Duration 54:55
Polish up your POG collection because Moiz is still trying to pawn off his slammer at an absurdly high price to anyone gullible enough to buy it.
In this week’s ep, the guys debate the sustainability of fad businesses. What’s the lifespan of the average fad—and is it wise to hop on the bandwagon before it dies out? Nik and Moiz break down the ways to build a sustainable and discuss whether or not brands like Prime Energy and Stanley are poised to fade into oblivion soon.
The boys also explore the pain points of distribution in the beverage world and the potential pitfalls of private equity takeovers. Is there any way a brand won’t go to shit after a private equity takeover? Does flooding the market with knock-off fad products ever work?
And later, the guys dive into the latest trends in social media marketing, including the difficulty of going viral through TikTok shops, building a timeline for CRO changes, and outwitting the competition by dominating the funnel on Google Maps.
00:01:04 - Protein Shake Brand Acquired for $280M
00:07:00 - Private Equity's Impact on Wellness Industry
00:13:39 - Prime Sales Decline
00:20:51 - Stanley Cup: Fad or Sustainable?
00:23:49 - Building Businesses on Fads: The Truth
00:31:30 - TikTok Shops Increase Revenue Cuts
00:43:11 - Cutthroat Lead Gen Strategy
00:47:24 - Innovative Furniture Company with Local Tryouts
00:49:42 - Business Timeline Creation: A Must-Have
00:55:03 - Private Label Brands and TikTok Marketing
Unravel the complexities of fulfillment with Red Stag - a 3PL that guarantees zero shrink, zero mispicks, and zero missed shipments. Backed by performance assurances, they ensure excellence in every order —Literally, RedStag offers coverage at no additional cost for any guarantee that is missed AND $50 reimbursement per instance for the inconvenience. Discover why Red Stag isn't just another fulfillment provider - visit redstag.com/limited today.
Want more DTC advice? Check out the Limited Supply YouTube page for more insider tips.
Check out the Nik’s DTC newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mOUJMJ
And if you’re looking for an instant stream of on-demand DTC gold, check out the Limited Supply Slack Channel for Nik and Moiz’s most unfiltered, uncensored thoughts.
Follow Nik:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mrsharma
Follow Moiz:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/moizali
S8 E3: Analytics vs. Creative: Which Matters More? with Nood’s VP of Marketing Bryan Cano
Wednesday, May 8, 2024 • Duration 31:08
Nik’s live from the Whalies and talking to one of DTC’s brightest minds—Nood’s VP of Marketing, Bryan Cano.
In this jam-packed special episode, Bryan and Nik unravel marketing’s greatest mysteries. Are analytics marketing’s best attempt at science-ing the shit out of great creative? Are analytics mostly BS or are they the greatest tool in your DTC marketing belt? And if they are, what’s the #1 message you should be taking away from your analytics?
Bryan also uncorks the secrets of scaling Nood from $0 to $60 million in less than two years. How did doubling down on TikTok pay dividends for the nascent company? And what are the platforms Bryan swears by?
Plus, stay tuned as he and Nik field questions from the audience and unpack the virtues of being more methodical, balancing your ROAS and MER, and avoiding TikTok ad fatigue.
Unravel the complexities of fulfillment with Red Stag - a 3PL that guarantees zero shrink, zero mispicks, and zero missed shipments. Backed by performance assurances, they ensure excellence in every order —Literally, RedStag offers coverage at no additional cost for any guarantee that is missed AND $50 reimbursement per instance for the inconvenience. Discover why Red Stag isn't just another fulfillment provider - visit redstag.com/limited today.
00:01:07 - Nood’s Journey to $60 Million
00:02:29 - TikTok Spending Strategy for Success
00:04:26 - Using Different Attribution Models in Marketing
00:09:11 - Diversifying Channels: TikTok vs. Meta
00:12:25 - Understanding Media Consumption for Effective Advertising
00:14:46 - Avoid Wasting Money on Clicks
00:18:45 - Building a Resilient Brand with Press
00:20:27 - Optimizing In-Store Sales with Budget
00:25:21 - Optimizing Tech Stack for Brand Success
00:28:19 - Landing Page Testing Platform Recommendations
00:29:40 - Audience Q&A Session
Want more DTC advice? Check out the Limited Supply YouTube page for more insider tips.
Check out the Nik’s DTC newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mOUJMJ
And if you’re looking for an instant stream of on-demand DTC gold, check out the Limited Supply Slack Channel for Nik and Moiz’s most unfiltered, uncensored thoughts.
Follow Bryan:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryancano/
Follow Nik:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mrsharma
Follow Moiz:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/moizali
S8 E2: How an Investor Thinks About an IPO (& Dirty Tricks for Founders to Beat Them at Their Own Game)
Wednesday, May 1, 2024 • Duration 34:27
How did category-leading brands like Caraway and Mejuri rise to rapid DTC success? Nik and Moiz break apart the brand playbook and dive into Facebook’s top suggestions for creating more effective ads. How can celebrity testimonials and advertorials take your brand to the next level?
Then, find out exactly how investors think about IPOs. Moiz analyzes the biggest conflicts of the founder-investor relationship when it comes to going public. What do you need to know to protect your own interests?
And finally, Nik and Moiz break down the fastest-growing shopping categories in the Meta landscape, discussing the value of various brands in the e-commerce space and dissecting the different ways they can be acquired or go public.
Unravel the complexities of fulfillment with Red Stag - a 3PL that guarantees zero shrink, zero mispicks, and zero missed shipments. Backed by performance assurances, they ensure excellence in every order —Literally, RedStag offers coverage at no additional cost for any guarantee that is missed AND $50 reimbursement per instance for the inconvenience. Discover why Red Stag isn't just another fulfillment provider - visit redstag.com/limited today.
00:01:02 - Amazon's Use of Anonymous Tracking
00:05:46 - Heat Map: Revenue-Driven Analytics Tool
00:07:29 - Absurdly High Valuations for Software Companies
00:13:20 - CEO-Investor Incentive Disconnect at IPO
00:17:20 - Fastest Growing Meta Categories Revealed
00:21:23 - Predicting Mattress Conversion Rates and AOV
00:23:57 - Utilizing Celebrity Testimonials in Marketing
00:26:17 - Experiment with Colors and Models for Audience Reach
00:28:48 - Facebook's Approval: Analyzing CPM Trends
00:33:33 - Building Category Leading Brands in Marketing
Want more DTC advice? Check out the Limited Supply YouTube page for more insider tips.
Check out the Nik’s DTC newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mOUJMJ
And if you’re looking for an instant stream of on-demand DTC gold, check out the Limited Supply Slack Channel for Nik and Moiz’s most unfiltered, uncensored thoughts.
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