Explore every episode of the podcast The Growth Class with Phil Masiello

Dive into the complete episode list for The Growth Class with Phil Masiello. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

	Title	Pub. Date	Duration
	Fashion to Longevity: Reinventing an Entrepreneurial Legacy with Michele Bohbot	27 Oct 2026	00:28:43
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Michele Bohbot, co-founder and Safety Director of Oxynergy2, a longevity and wellness center in Beverly Hills, California. After building an internationally recognized fashion brand, Michele reinvented her entrepreneurial journey by combining her lifelong passion for creativity, yoga therapy, and holistic wellness to enter the longevity industry. She shares how the COVID-19 pandemic inspired her to explore hyperbaric oxygen therapy and build a business focused on personalized wellness, recovery, and proactive health. Michele explains how Oxynergy2 combines hyperbaric oxygen therapy with red light therapy and other wellness services to create customized protocols based on individual goals, while emphasizing the importance of client education, safety, and personalized care. She also discusses the challenges of balancing entrepreneurship with family life, the role of continuous learning in staying ahead of emerging wellness technologies, and her vision for expanding Oxynergy2 through franchise partnerships that share the company’s commitment to quality and individualized service. Oxynergy2 website: https://oxynergy2.com/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Performance Marketing: Why Human Expertise Outperforms Automation with Ben Faw	26 Oct 2026	00:42:48
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Ben Faw, co-founder of AdVon Commerce and partner at Dynamism Capital. A West Point graduate, U.S. Army veteran, and seasoned technology entrepreneur, Ben shares lessons from building and scaling BestReviews into a business acquired for a combined valuation of $160 million. He explores the fundamentals of e-commerce growth, performance marketing, and customer acquisition, explaining why skilled human oversight and strong data workflows can outperform automated advertising tools. Ben also highlights the power of strategic public relations, sharing how a creative campaign offering baseball player Brian Wilson $1 million to shave his beard generated widespread media coverage, increased brand awareness, and helped drive sales. The conversation examines how PR can strengthen SEO performance and brand credibility, why businesses need to balance paid advertising with organic growth strategies, and how consumer intent shapes effective marketing. AdVon Commerce website: https://advoncommerce.com/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Scaling Creative Businesses: Building a Tattoo Brand That Lasts with Clay Montgomery	22 Oct 2026	00:33:52
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Clay Montgomery, founder of Atomic Tattoos and a professional tattoo artist who has grown a single shop into a multi-location business with 17 studios across Florida and Wisconsin. Clay shares how he built a recognizable tattoo brand by balancing standardized business systems with the creative freedom and individuality that make each studio unique. He explains why investing in company culture, employee retention, and customer service is essential to scaling a creative business without losing its authenticity. Clay also reveals how centralized operations, including inventory management, billing, lease negotiations, and other back-office functions, allow tattoo artists to focus on their craft while regional managing partners oversee daily operations. Clay also discusses the challenges of expanding into new markets, preparing the next generation of leadership, and navigating emerging technologies like AI in an industry where authenticity and artistic integrity remain central to the customer experience. Atomic Tattoos website: https://atomictattoos.com/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Bootstrapped Beauty Entrepreneurship: Building a Clean Beauty Brand with Gabrielle Melchionda	19 Oct 2026	00:27:45
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Gabrielle Melchionda, founder of Mad Gab’s, a pioneering natural and organic beauty brand. Gabrielle shares how she built a business from a homemade lip balm recipe in her mother’s kitchen into a nationally recognized brand featured on QVC and in publications like Vogue, eventually securing retail partnerships with major retailers. She explains the realities of bootstrapped entrepreneurship, the importance of building relationships with retailers and industry mentors, and how persistence helped her navigate business setbacks, market changes, and the challenges of balancing entrepreneurship with family life. Gabrielle also shares valuable insights into retail expansion, including how to evaluate trade show investments, choose the right sales brokers, understand retailer requirements, and differentiate products in a competitive market dominated by established brands. As Mad Gab’s continues to grow after more than 35 years in business, she discusses the importance of authentic founder-led marketing, building brand awareness through social media, and maintaining a sustainable business model without outside investment. Mad Gab’s website: https://www.madgabs.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Consumer Product Innovation: Scaling Retail Brands with Anish Patel	17 Oct 2026	00:25:00
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Anish Patel, Founder and President of Ashtel Studios. Anish shares how he built a consumer products business from a dorm-room web design venture into a multi-category manufacturer serving major retailers across the United States. He explains how product innovation, persistence, and a problem-solving mindset helped him overcome repeated retail rejections, launch the successful Brush Buddies brand, and secure major retail partnerships. Anish also discusses the challenges of scaling physical products, including inventory risk, cash flow management, supply chain efficiency, and the financial consequences of unpredictable celebrity partnerships. He reveals how diversifying through branded products, private-label manufacturing, and licensed partnerships helped reshape Ashtel Studios’ business model and create more sustainable growth. The conversation also explores how TikTok is helping smaller consumer brands compete with established CPG companies by driving traffic to retail stores, increasing product sales, and creating opportunities for expanded shelf space. For entrepreneurs looking to build consumer brands, break into retail distribution, and scale a product-based business, Anish offers valuable lessons on resilience, strategic diversification, and turning product innovation into long-term growth. Ashtel Studios website: https://www.ashtelstudios.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Outdoor Gear Entrepreneurship: Building a Marketplace from the Ground Up with Jake Cohn	06 Oct 2026	00:43:07
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Jake Cohn, President of Out&Back Outdoor, Inc. Jake shares the unconventional journey from professional freer skier and entrepreneur to building and scaling an outdoor gear marketplace that ultimately led to the acquisition of The Locals Sale by Out&Back Outdoor. He discusses how a simple idea to sell excess ski gear evolved into a community-driven business, the importance of staying adaptable when business plans inevitably change, and the lessons he learned from growing through lean teams, limited resources, and plenty of unexpected challenges. Jake also shares how his experience as a professional athlete shaped his entrepreneurial mindset, why persistence and the ability to keep moving forward matter when things go wrong, and how Out&Back is working to make outdoor gear more accessible through new and used products and a more sustainable circular model. The conversation also explores leadership and delegation, building teams around individual strengths, the realities of running a growing business, and Jake’s approach to balancing entrepreneurship, adventure, family, and his continued involvement in the outdoor industry. Out&Back Outdoor, Inc. website: https://outandbackoutdoor.com/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Niche Digital Platforms: Scaling Local Wine Events Worldwide with Eric Orange	05 Oct 2026	00:30:24
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Eric Orange, Founder and CEO of LocalWineEvents.com. Eric shares the story behind building one of the longest-running digital platforms for wine, food, beer, and spirits events, after a poorly attended wine dinner in 2000 revealed a simple problem: people needed one place to discover local experiences. He explains how a $1,500 startup evolved into a global event discovery platform, the importance of solving a clear market need, and how early digital advertising helped create a sustainable business model. Eric also discusses how consumer behavior in the wine industry has shifted from traditional wine education toward experiences, connection, and smaller, more intimate events. He shares insights into building a valuable audience and data set, using customer behavior and AI to better understand consumer interests, and the opportunities to scale and improve monetization through targeted advertising, event promotion, and audience segmentation. LocalWineEvents.com website: https://www.localwineevents.com/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Food Brand Manufacturing: Scaling Production In-House with Marshall Rader	30 Sep 2026	00:46:00
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Marshall Rader, co-founder and CEO of The GFB. Marshall shares the story behind turning a personal need for better gluten-free food into a nationally distributed CPG brand, from developing the first products by hand to building an in-house manufacturing operation and expanding into major retail channels. He explains why The GFB chose to manufacture its own products, how bootstrapping and disciplined operations helped the company scale, and the challenges of navigating retail slotting fees, deductions, margins, and distribution. Marshall also discusses the importance of choosing the right retail and foodservice partners, building a team capable of supporting sustainable growth, and knowing when an opportunity creates more complexity than value. The episode also explores The GFB’s evolution into The Gluten Free Brothers, its expansion into new product categories and co-manufacturing, and how the company approaches long-term growth while maintaining its values as a Certified B Corp. The GFB website: https://theglutenfreebar.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Clean Beauty Branding: Building a Resilient Consumer Brand with Deanna Wallin	26 Sep 2026	00:49:49
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Massiello interviews Deanna Wallin, Founder & CEO of Naples Soap Company. Deanna shares how she turned a personal need for better skincare into a business that grew from a 300-square-foot retail shop into a health and wellness brand with 13 Florida stores, e-commerce, and wholesale distribution. She discusses the importance of building a business around a real customer problem, creating strong product-market fit, and using customer lifetime value to guide growth decisions across retail and digital channels. Deanna also shares how Naples Soap Company navigated major disruptions including COVID-19 and Hurricane Ian, diversified its revenue streams, and built resilience through e-commerce, wholesale, corporate gifting, and brick-and-mortar retail. Naples Soap Company website: https://www.naplessoap.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Retail E-Commerce: Scaling a Suit Business Across Multiple Channels with Marty Babayov	18 Sep 2026	00:32:26
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Marty Babayov, founder of The Suit Depot. Marty shares how he turned a teenage eBay reselling hustle into a multimillion-dollar menswear business, evolving from clearance and overstock inventory into manufacturing, direct-to-consumer e-commerce, and brick-and-mortar retail. The conversation explores the economics of selling through marketplaces like Amazon, the importance of owning the customer relationship, and how combining e-commerce volume with in-house manufacturing can support more competitive pricing and scalable growth. Marty also explains why The Suit Depot has focused on building repeatable systems and processes before expanding its retail footprint, including reducing founder involvement in day-to-day operations. The Suit Depot website: https://thesuitdepot.com/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Craft Rum Distilling: Building a Local Spirits Brand with JoAnn Elardo	16 Sep 2026	00:26:58
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Massiello interviews JoAnn Elardo, founder and owner of Wicked Dolphin Distillery. JoAnn shares the unconventional entrepreneurial journey that took her from building an international footwear and apparel business across 11 countries to creating a craft rum brand rooted in Florida agriculture. They explore how spotting an overlooked market opportunity led to the creation of Wicked Dolphin, the challenges of entering an industry with restrictive regulations, and how JoAnn helped push for changes to Florida’s craft distilling laws. The conversation also covers building a differentiated product through local ingredients and quality, growing organically through distribution, and deciding when to pursue expansion through new markets, partnerships, or acquisitions. Wicked Dolphin website: https://wickeddolphin.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Legacy Brand Growth: Modernizing Natural Foods Through E-Commerce with Mitchell Hagan	15 Sep 2026	00:30:05
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Massiello interviews Mitchell Hagan, CEO and President of Country Life Natural Foods. Mitchell shares how his background in healthcare administration shaped his approach to leading a legacy natural foods business and discusses the transition from traditional food distribution to a predominantly e-commerce-driven model. The conversation explores how Country Life Natural Foods is modernizing a decades-old brand through e-commerce, AI-powered shopping experiences, and a carefully curated product selection while maintaining its focus on quality, convenience, and customer service. Phil and Mitchell also examine customer acquisition and retention in an increasingly competitive market, including why word-of-mouth can be one of the most effective growth channels and how delivering an exceptional customer experience can turn existing customers into a source of new business. They also discuss the challenges of expanding from e-commerce into physical retail and how lessons from digital commerce can shape a more engaging, customer-focused retail experience. Country Life Natural Foods website: https://countrylifefoods.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Fashion Brand Scaling: Blending Creativity and Data with Amy Riordan	10 Sep 2026	00:01:32
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Amy Riordan, Chief Executive Officer of Sachin & Babi. They explore how the luxury fashion brand evolved from a wholesale-reliant business into a stronger direct-to-consumer and e-commerce operation, and how data can inform creative and product decisions without compromising a brand’s identity. Amy shares insights on using e-commerce analytics to understand customer behavior, refine merchandising and pricing strategies, identify product-market fit, and make smarter inventory decisions. She also discusses the changing role of video in digital marketing, the challenges traditional wholesale businesses face when accessing customer data, and how fast fashion has reshaped consumer expectations around quality, craftsmanship, and price. Sachin & Babi website: https://www.sachinandbabi.com/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Wellness Entrepreneurship: Turning Yoga Culture into a Global Brand with Ian Lopatin	02 Sep 2026	00:32:28
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Ian Lopatin, co-founder of Of Course Sanctuary and co-founder and former CEO of Spiritual Gangster. Ian shares his journey from entertainment law to building At One Yoga and ultimately turning a yoga studio T-shirt concept into Spiritual Gangster, a global wellness and lifestyle brand. The conversation explores how validating customer demand can create the foundation for scalable growth, how community and culture can turn a product into a movement, and what it takes to build a brand beyond its original market. Ian also discusses the personal side of entrepreneurship, including the relationship between achievement and stress, his decision to stop drinking, and the mindset shift that came from realizing that greater success does not always lead to greater fulfillment. He explains how these experiences shaped his next chapter with Of Course Sanctuary, which focuses on meditation, mindfulness, connection, and helping high-performing people live with less stress and greater presence. Of Course Sanctuary website: ⁠https://ofcoursesanctuary.com/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Sustainable Scaling: Rethinking Retail Growth Through Wholesale and Walmart with Misha Kuryla	27 Aug 2026	00:27:37
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Massiel interviews Misha Kuryla, founder of Misha’s Cupcakes. Misha shares the story of building her dessert brand from a home kitchen in 2005 into a multi-location, multi-channel consumer business, offering an honest look at what it takes to scale while preserving the heart of a brand. They explore the realities of rapid expansion, including managing multiple stores, maintaining product consistency, building the right team, and navigating the operational challenges that come with growth. Misha also explains how COVID forced a major rethink of the business, leading to store closures, a stronger focus on wholesale, online ordering, and new distribution opportunities. Today, Misha’s Cupcakes continues to evolve through retail, wholesale, nationwide shipping, and new product opportunities, demonstrating how resilience and adaptability can help a consumer brand navigate major transitions. Misha’s Cupcakes website: ⁠https://mishascupcakes.com/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Business Acquisition: Transforming an Established Brand with Layne Mayfield	26 Aug 2026	00:29:22
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Layne Mayfield, owner of BBQ Outfitters. Layne shares how he transitioned from a 12-year career in commercial real estate to entrepreneurship through acquisition, ultimately purchasing the established Texas barbecue retailer in 2021. They explore the advantages of acquiring an existing business rather than starting from scratch, including the value of an established brand, customer base, and market awareness, as well as the operational challenges that come with scaling an established company. Layne discusses how BBQ Outfitters consolidated disconnected systems, implemented an operating system to improve accountability and execution, and built a business capable of running without constant owner involvement. BBQ Outfitters website: https://bbqoutfitters.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Fashion Entrepreneurship: Building a Lifestyle Brand with Pattie Friedman and Kristin Wilenga	25 Aug 2026	00:32:09
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Pattie Friedman and Kristin Wielenga, Co-Founders of Think Royln. They share how two longtime fashion industry professionals turned a small collection of functional, fashion-forward bags into a growing lifestyle brand built around “life on the fly.” Pattie and Kristin discuss starting Think Royln with limited resources, using decades of industry relationships to open doors, and recognizing market demand when their bags became the breakout category. They also explore how the brand navigated COVID-19 by staying nimble, strengthening relationships with boutique retailers, and leaning into the growing demand for hands-free, lightweight products. They also share how Think Royln continues to anticipate the needs of its customers by expanding beyond everyday bags into travel, sports, and other aspects of a modern woman’s lifestyle. Think Royln website: https://thinkroyln.com/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Challenging the Status Quo: Building a Platform for Social Impact with Meredith Curren and Bari Harlam	15 Aug 2026	00:39:11
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Meredith Curren and Bari Harlam, co-founders of TROUBLE, also known as TroubleMakers for Good. They explore how challenging the status quo can create better outcomes in business and society, from advancing gender equity to bringing more diverse perspectives into decision-making. Meredith and Bari explain TROUBLE’s unique model of using merchandise sales and community engagement to generate funding and visibility for organizations working to promote gender equity, while also highlighting the importance of supporting organizations that are already creating meaningful change. The conversation also examines workplace flexibility, shared parenting, the value of diverse perspectives in business, and how companies can move beyond traditional thinking to build stronger teams and make better decisions. They also discuss the challenge of reaching younger audiences in an increasingly fragmented media environment and the role of social platforms in sharing factual, purpose-driven content. Learn more about how TROUBLE is building a community of people committed to creating positive change and challenging the status quo. TROUBLE website: https://troublemakers.org/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Entrepreneurial Leadership: Growing Yourself Before Growing Your Business with Catherine Dennig	06 Aug 2026	00:36:04
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Catherine Dennig, co-founder and former CEO of Fursure. Catherine shares how a deeply personal experience with unexpected veterinary bills inspired her to build a venture-backed pet insurance company that helped thousands of pet owners better prepare for the financial realities of caring for their pets. Drawing from her background as a former Facebook Senior Product Manager, she discusses the realities of startup life—from validating an idea and finding product-market fit to raising venture capital and ultimately achieving a successful exit. The conversation explores why founders should embrace experimentation before scaling, the importance of doing things that don’t scale in the early days, and how authentic marketing, PR opportunities, and bold decision-making can create outsized growth. Catherine also reflects on the role of personal development in entrepreneurship, explaining why self-awareness, resilience, and intuition are often the greatest drivers of long-term business success. Fursure website: https://getfursure.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Retail Brand Growth: Balancing E-Commerce, Exclusivity, and Customer Experience with Tina Loyd	31 Jul 2026	00:26:47
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Tina Loyd, CEO of Terry Costa. They explore what it takes to grow and sustain a destination retail brand through changing customer expectations, technology, and market conditions. Tina shares her journey of taking over Terry Costa in 2007, navigating the challenges of growing the business during a recession, expanding its brick-and-mortar presence and e-commerce operation, and developing an exclusive product line through international manufacturing. The conversation also examines the importance of creating a memorable customer experience in specialty retail, building a highly trained team, and balancing growth with authenticity. Tina and Phil discuss the practical challenges of manufacturing, forecasting, logistics, CRM implementation, and adopting AI without losing the human connection that makes a consumer brand distinctive. Terry Costa website: terrycosta.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Heritage Branding: Turning Craftsmanship into Long-Term Business Growth with Chris Bray	28 Jul 2026	00:26:35
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Chris Bray, co-founder of BILLYKIRK and co-founder of Bray Brothers Creative. Chris shares the story of how he and his brother transformed a simple leather watch strap idea into a heritage brand known for timeless craftsmanship and products designed to last for decades. Chris also discusses the inspiration behind Bray Brothers Creative, where the team helps companies rethink corporate gifting and hospitality design by replacing disposable promotional items with meaningful, well-crafted experiences that strengthen customer relationships and elevate brand perception. BILLYKIRK website: https://www.billykirk.com Bray Brothers Creative website: https://braybrotherscreative.com/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Wholesale Growth: Scaling a Fragrance Brand to 500 Retailers with Ricky Tiscareno	06 Jul 2026	00:29:06
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Massiello interviews Ricky Tiscareno, co-founder of Poured Candle Bar and co-founder of Poured New York. Ricky shares how he and his husband, Dennis Green, transformed a retirement dream into a thriving experiential retail business and nationally distributed luxury fragrance brand. The conversation explores how Poured Candle Bar carved out a unique niche by combining custom candle, perfume, and diffuser-making with hospitality, creating a destination experience that fueled organic growth. Ricky also discusses the strategy behind launching Poured New York, scaling into more than 500 retail locations through wholesale, and why the founders chose a bootstrapped growth model over outside investment. He offers candid insights into managing cash flow, navigating retail payment terms, overcoming supply chain disruptions, and building a premium brand through thoughtful product development, customer experience, and long-term relationships. Poured Candle Bar website: https://www.pouredcandlebar.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Custom Gifting Innovation: Scaling a Brand Through Personalization with Hannah Redmond	03 Jul 2026	00:36:01
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Hannah Redmond, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Happy Box. Hannah shares the remarkable journey of turning a thoughtful care package for her sister into one of America’s fastest-growing custom gifting companies. The conversation explores how Happy Box evolved from an Etsy side hustle into a thriving consumer and corporate gifting platform, the bold marketing decisions that fueled explosive growth during the pandemic, and the difficult lessons learned about scaling, profitability, and operational resilience. Phil and Hannah also discuss why successful entrepreneurs must embrace pivots, trust customer insights over assumptions, balance paid marketing with authentic brand-building, and recognize that sustainable businesses are built through continuous testing and adaptation—not overnight success. Happy Box website: https://happyboxstore.com⁠ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Premium Pet Nutrition: Building a Farm-to-Shelf Brand with Dewar Gaines	26 Jun 2026	00:31:05
In this episode of The Growth Machine, host Phil Masiello interviews Dewar Gaines, Founder and CEO of Gaines Family Farmstead. Dewar shares the inspiring story behind building one of the fastest-growing premium pet treat brands, from hand-slicing sweet potatoes in a 700-square-foot garage to scaling into a nationally recognized omnichannel business. The conversation explores how a relentless focus on product quality, strategic supply chain partnerships, and systems-driven operations enabled the company to grow while maintaining its commitment to all-natural, single-ingredient dog treats. Phil and Dewar also dive into the future of ecommerce, discussing why founder-led live commerce is outperforming traditional digital advertising, how authenticity is becoming the most valuable marketing asset in the AI era, and why platforms like Whatnot and TikTok Shop are reshaping customer acquisition for consumer brands. Gaines Family Farmstead website: https://gaines.pet Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	CPG Innovation: Reinventing Kids’ Frosting for Direct-to-Consumer Growth with Tomo Delaney	25 Jun 2026	00:24:27
In this episode of Crunch Your Growth, host Phil Masiello interviews Tomo Delaney, founder and CEO of Noshi For Kids. Tomo shares the remarkable journey of transforming an innovative idea born from his own parenting challenges into a category-defining children’s food brand. After years of developing edible “Food Paint” made from organic fruit purée, a Shark Tank deal with Mark Cuban inspired a bold pivot toward naturally colored, naturally flavored frosting designed to make mealtimes more fun while addressing growing consumer demand for healthier ingredients. The conversation explores the realities of product innovation in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, why sometimes the best entrepreneurial move is to pivot instead of persevering with the original concept, and how direct-to-consumer channels like Amazon and TikTok Shop are creating new opportunities for disruptive brands. Tomo also discusses the challenge of reinventing a category that has seen little innovation for more than a century, the importance of natural food colors and flavors, lessons learned from selling into Walmart, and why creating products that children genuinely love can generate powerful organic marketing through user-generated content. Noshi For Kids website: https://www.noshiforkids.com/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Fractional CFO Services: Turning Financial Data into Growth Decisions with Rob te Braake	24 Jun 2026	00:30:56
In this episode of Crunching Your Growth, host Phil Masiello interviews Rob te Braake, Founder and Fractional CFO of Insight Matters. Rob breaks down how founders of online and e-commerce businesses can move beyond surface-level reporting and start using financial data as a real operational decision-making tool. He explains why most business owners underutilize their numbers, how breaking down revenue, margins, and cost structures reveals hidden performance drivers, and why monthly financial visibility is critical once a business reaches the seven-figure range. The conversation also explores customer acquisition economics, the trade-offs between aggressive growth and profitability, and how businesses can avoid common scaling pitfalls such as cash flow strain and poor unit economics. Rob emphasizes the importance of building reliable financial systems that support smarter decisions, not just compliance, and how fractional CFO support can help founders gain clarity without the overhead of a full-time finance team. Insight Matters website: https://www.financeinsightmatters.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Niche Product Development: Solving an Overlooked Hair Care Problem with Chimere Faulk	18 Jun 2026	00:30:08
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Chimere Faulk, Founder and CEO of Dr Locs. Chimere shares the entrepreneurial journey behind building a premium hair care brand dedicated to the loc community, explaining how years of hands-on experience as a loctician inspired her to create vegan, buildup-free products that solve real customer problems. The conversation explores the importance of developing products from direct client feedback, building trust through education rather than relying solely on traditional advertising, and creating a purpose-driven brand with a loyal customer community. Dr Locs website: https://drlocs.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Floral Ecommerce Innovation: Building a Farm-Direct Flower Empire with Liza Roeser	17 Jun 2026	00:30:50
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Liza Roeser, Founder and CEO of FiftyFlowers. Liza shares how a Peace Corps assignment in Ecuador led her to discover the global flower export industry and eventually build one of the first direct-to-consumer online flower companies. Starting with just $2,400 in savings, she transformed FiftyFlowers into a leading farm-direct ecommerce business serving weddings and events across the United States. The conversation explores the complexities of managing a highly perishable international supply chain, scaling a niche ecommerce brand before modern platforms like Shopify existed, and building operational systems capable of delivering flowers at scale. Phil and Liza also discuss lessons in brand positioning, customer trust, and staying focused on core business strengths, including how the company navigated the challenges of COVID-19 by adapting operations while remaining committed to its events-focused business model. FiftyFlowers website: https://fiftyflowers.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Sustainable Pet Treats: Turning Regenerative Farming Into Brand Growth with Stephen Calsbeek	17 Jun 2026	00:27:22
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Stephen Calsbeek, co-owner of Farm Hounds. They discuss how Farm Hounds grew from a small pet retail concept into an Inc. 5000 direct-to-consumer brand built around regenerative agriculture, transparent sourcing, and single-ingredient dog treats. Stephen shares how a conversation with White Oak Pastures sparked the idea for transforming nutrient-rich farm byproducts into premium pet chews while supporting small family farms and reducing waste. The conversation explores the challenges of scaling a niche e-commerce business in the highly competitive pet industry, the power of word-of-mouth marketing and customer trust, and why Farm Hounds intentionally prioritizes slow, sustainable growth over rapid expansion. Phil and Stephen also discuss consumer behavior shifts toward clean-label pet products, the importance of operational control and inventory management, and how radical transparency has become a major competitive advantage in modern pet commerce. Farm Hounds website: https://farmhounds.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	E-commerce Brand Building: Creating Sustainable Boutique Growth Models with Tina Burgos	16 Jun 2026	00:27:25
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Tina Burgos, founder of Covet + Lou, a curated online boutique and retail store that champions independent, sustainable, and women-owned designers. They explore what it really takes to build a scalable retail brand in a world obsessed with volume, trends, and aggressive discounting, and how disciplined curation and customer understanding can create long-term brand loyalty instead of short-term sales spikes. Tina shares lessons from her early brick-and-mortar experience in Boston’s Newbury Street retail scene, including the operational risks of mismanaging inventory per square foot and underestimating market readiness for emerging designers, as well as how those lessons shaped her more intentional approach to building Covet + Lou. Covet + Lou website: https://covetandlou.com/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Movement Building Strategies: Growing Mission-Driven Organizations with Carlos Carvalho	11 Jun 2026	00:27:02
In this episode of Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Carlos Carvalho, co-founder of One Movement Threads. Carlos shares his journey from working as a city laborer and union advocate to building a purpose-driven company that helps unions, nonprofits, and community organizations strengthen engagement through custom apparel, branding, websites, podcasting, and marketing services. The conversation explores how authentic community building can create stronger organizations, why merchandise can be a powerful tool for movement growth, and the challenges and opportunities of supporting ethical, locally made manufacturing in North America. Carlos also discusses the importance of understanding workers, serving mission-driven organizations, and creating brands that people are proud to represent beyond the workplace. One Movement Threads website: https://onemvmt.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Craft Business Growth: Scaling Through Content and Community with Claudia Chase and Elena Kawachi	06 Jun 2026	00:31:42
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Claudia Chase, founder and president and Elena Kawachi, Co-owner and head of marketing at Mirrix Looms. Claudia shares the remarkable story of how a personal need for a portable, professional-quality tapestry loom evolved into a globally recognized weaving brand that has served artists and makers for nearly three decades. The conversation explores how Mirrix Looms built a loyal customer base through education, content marketing, community engagement, and continuous product innovation rather than relying on traditional advertising. They discuss the power of solving a real customer problem, the importance of creating products that last, and how a niche manufacturing business can achieve sustainable growth while remaining debt-free and committed to U.S.-based production. Mirrix Looms website: https://mirrixlooms.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Medical Device Manufacturing: US-Based Red Light Therapy Production Standards with Michael Londo	25 May 2026	00:26:49
In this episode of Crunch Your Growth, host Phil Masiello interviews Michael Londo, founder of Body Balance System, a US-based manufacturer of FDA-registered red light therapy beds designed for med spas, wellness centers, and longevity clinics. They explore the growing gap between marketing claims and real product performance in the red light therapy industry, where terms like “FDA cleared” are often misused and difficult for buyers to verify. Michael breaks down how measurement standards such as milliwatts per centimeter squared are actually defined, why many competitors inflate output numbers, and how physical design factors like diode distance and beam angle dramatically impact real-world effectiveness. Body Balance System website: https://bodybalancesystemonline.com/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Golf Coaching Strategy: Building Consistency Through Better Decision-Making with John Hughes	25 May 2026	00:27:31
In this episode of Crunching Your Growth, host Phil Masiello interviews John Hughes, master golf instructor and founder of John Hughes Golf. They explore John’s unconventional journey from collegiate and professional soccer player to becoming a respected figure in golf coaching, and how that transition shaped his philosophy on performance, discipline, and mindset. John breaks down how elite performance in golf is less about mechanics and more about decision-making, emotional control, and consistency under pressure, drawing strong parallels between success in sport and success in business. John Hughes Golf website: https://johnhughesgolf.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Adaptive Creativity in Product Design: Turning Physical Limitations into Jewelry Innovation with Meesha Farzaneh	24 May 2026	00:26:50
In this episode of The Growth Machine, host Phil interviews Meesha Farzaneh, founder of Meesha Farzaneh Jewelry. They explore how a season of physical recovery and personal adversity became the foundation for a globally recognized creative brand built on resilience, experimentation, and intentional design. Meesha shares how multiple invasive surgeries and limited mobility led her to discover textile art as a form of healing, eventually evolving into polymer clay jewelry design that balanced creativity with physical limitations. The conversation dives into the early organic growth of her brand, the unexpected virality of her signature “Medusa” designs, and how rapid success during the pandemic exposed the challenges of scaling too quickly without operational alignment. Meesha Farzaneh Jewelry website: https://www.meeshafarzaneh.com/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Health Tech Innovation: Creating Science-Backed Shielding Solutions for Modern Devices with Kylen Ribeiro	23 May 2026	00:29:25
In this episode of Crunch Your Growth, host Phil Masiello interviews Kylen Ribeiro, CEO of DefenderShield, a health-tech and digital wellness company focused on EMF awareness and protective consumer products. The conversation explores how Ribeiro helped scale DefenderShield from early-stage innovation into a category-defining brand in the digital wellness space, while working alongside leading researchers to bring EMF education into mainstream awareness. Key insights include how the company approaches science-backed product development without fear-based messaging, and how it builds practical solutions—from cell phone cases and AirTube earbuds to lifestyle accessories—that integrate seamlessly into everyday life. The discussion also dives into the broader implications of living in a rapidly evolving, tech-saturated environment, particularly for families and children, and why education and informed choice are central to navigating modern digital exposure. DefenderShield website: https://www.defendershield.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Alcohol Innovation Strategies: Reinventing Drink Personalization with Paul Wolchuk	20 May 2026	00:29:13
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Paul Wolchuk, founder of iiCiNG, a Canadian beverage flavor enhancement company. They explore how Icing evolved from an initial focus on beer flavoring into a versatile product used across vodka sodas, tequila, wine, cocktails, sparkling water, juices, and even non-traditional applications, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of building an entirely new beverage category. Paul shares insights into the realities of retail distribution, including the long process of entering major chains like Loblaws, and explains how a “try it first” sampling approach became a powerful driver of conversion by helping buyers and consumers immediately understand the product’s value. The conversation also covers the strategic decision to expand through smaller regional liquor stores to build traction before approaching larger U.S. retailers, as well as the broader shift toward customizable drinking experiences in a changing alcohol market. iiCiNG website: https://iicing.ca/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Retail Brand Growth: Scaling a Mission-Driven Baby Food Startup with JJ Jaxon	17 May 2026	00:26:33
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews J.J. Jaxon, co-founder and co-CEO of Mission MightyMe. The conversation explores how a deeply personal parenting challenge evolved into a fast-growing consumer brand on a mission to help end the food allergy epidemic. J.J. shares the origin story behind Mission MightyMe after his daughter developed severe food allergies and how groundbreaking pediatric research inspired the company’s science-backed snacks designed to help parents safely introduce allergens early in infancy. Phil and J.J. also discuss the realities of launching a disruptive food brand during the COVID-19 pandemic, navigating retail expansion, educating consumers in an emerging category, and building long-term retail velocity beyond simply getting shelf placement. Mission MightyMe website: https://missionmightyme.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Sustainable Fashion Supply Chains: Building Ethical Kids wear at Scale with Tierra Forte	10 May 2026	00:28:02
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiolo interviews Tierra Forte, co-founder and CEO of Mightly. They explore how a values-driven approach to fashion can reshape an entire business model, from prioritizing organic cotton and supply chain traceability to building a brand rooted in ethical production and long-term sustainability. Tierra shares how her early experience as a mother influenced her awareness of environmental and consumer safety issues, ultimately leading her to challenge the norms of the fashion industry and build a company focused on transparency and responsibility. The conversation also dives into the realities of manufacturing decisions, including producing in India, ensuring supplier accountability, and navigating the trade-offs between cost, quality, and ethical standards in a highly competitive global apparel market. Mightly website: https://www.mightly.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Consumer Psychology in Pet Care: Building Products People Actually Want to Use with Marissa Gurdian	09 May 2026	00:31:40
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Marissa Gurdian, founder of Sweet Paws. They explore how identifying everyday friction points in pet ownership can lead to scalable product innovation, and how Marissa built Sweet Paws by focusing on both functional and emotional needs of pet parents. The conversation highlights how solving small, overlooked problems—like puppy teething or opening dog waste bags—can evolve into differentiated products with strong consumer demand, as well as how tapping into emotional drivers led to the creation of a greeting card line designed specifically for pet parents. Marissa also shares insights on expanding from a single product into major retail channels, emphasizing the importance of persistence, product-market fit, and understanding the deeper motivations behind consumer behavior. Sweet Paws website: https://sweetpawspup.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	B2B Niche Marketing Strategy: Driving High-Quality Leads Through Focused Positioning with Joshua Rystedt	08 May 2026	00:26:49
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Joshua Rystedt, Managing Owner of R Creative, a digital marketing agency specializing in high-stakes industries such as finance, healthcare, and architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC). They explore why most B2B companies struggle with lead generation due to overly broad positioning and how narrowing focus can dramatically improve marketing performance. Joshua shares why many firms mistakenly rely solely on referrals, leaving significant untapped opportunity in channels like SEO, which can deliver exceptionally high ROI in industries such as construction. R Creative website: https://www.rcreative.marketing Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Hospitality Waste Innovation: Scaling a Sustainable Supply Solution with Gregory Hegger	08 May 2026	00:32:19
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Gregory Hegger, co-founder of Fox Fold. They explore how a simple observation inside hotel rooms—partially used toilet paper and tissue products being discarded—turned into a scalable B2B opportunity within a traditionally overlooked industry. Gregory shares how identifying inefficiencies at scale can unlock meaningful cost savings and sustainability improvements, and why some of the best business ideas come from problems hiding in plain sight. The conversation also dives into the realities of building a physical product company from scratch, navigating complex distribution systems in the hospitality sector, and the importance of persistence when entering fragmented markets with multiple decision-makers. Fox Fold website: https://foxfold.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Functional Product Innovation: Reinventing Everyday Essentials for Performance with Dr. Bob Baravarian	07 May 2026	00:25:22
In this episode of Crunching Your Growth, host Phil Masiello interviews Dr. Babak Baravarian, founder of Arch Tek Socks. They explore the realities of building a product in an “unsexy” category and why even the most innovative products struggle without the right go-to-market strategy. Dr. Baravarian shares how his background as a foot and ankle surgeon led him to rethink product design from a functional, performance-first perspective, ultimately reinventing the traditional sock with patented features aimed at improving alignment, reducing fatigue, and enhancing overall body performance. The conversation dives into two key lessons: first, the importance of selling outcomes rather than features when positioning a product, and second, how narrowing focus to the right audience—such as healthcare professionals—can unlock traction, credibility, and strategic partnerships like his collaboration with FIGS. Arch Tek Socks website: https://archteksocks.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Entrepreneurship Reality Check: Navigating Pressure and Long-Term Commitment with Jesse Coslov	04 May 2026	00:26:08
In this episode of Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Jesse Kozlov, Co-Founder and CEO of The Dog Stop. They explore the realities behind entrepreneurship and franchising, breaking down why not everyone is suited to business ownership and what it truly takes to sustain and scale a company. Jesse shares candid insights on the pressures of running a business, from the shift to 24/7 responsibility to the long-term commitment required once you take the leap. The conversation also highlights one of the most overlooked drivers of success: a relentless focus on the customer. Jesse explains how consistently viewing decisions through the lens of the customer—and later, the franchisee—has shaped the company’s growth, simplified complex decisions, and built long-term trust. The Dog Stop website: https://thedogstop.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Business Resilience Strategies: Pivoting Quickly After Failure with Amy McCord	02 May 2026	00:29:00
In this episode of The Growth Machine, host Phil Masiello interviews Amy McCord, founder and CEO of Flower Moxie. They explore the realities of entrepreneurship, including why there is no perfect formula for success and how strong leaders develop the resilience to pivot quickly when plans fail. Amy shares her perspective on business decision-making, explaining how entrepreneurs must accept trade-offs between money, time, creative freedom, and impact, and why identifying those priorities early can shape long-term growth. The conversation also highlights the importance of bouncing back from setbacks, learning from unexpected failures, and building businesses that evolve through experimentation rather than rigid planning. Flower Moxie website: https://flowermoxie.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Brand Growth Strategy: Turning Retail Feedback into Scalable Expansion with Larry Reines	27 Apr 2026	00:25:32
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Larry Reines, CEO and President of Floafers. They explore how decades of experience across the footwear industry—from warehouse operations to executive leadership—shaped a 360-degree understanding of building and scaling a brand. Larry breaks down how deep operational exposure creates stronger leadership decisions, especially when managing teams, sourcing products, and aligning execution across functions. The conversation also dives into how Floafers identified unexpected growth in the kids’ market by closely listening to retailers and analyzing real customer behavior, revealing powerful “family-driven” purchase patterns that expanded the brand beyond its original use case. Floafers website: https://floafers.com/ Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Traditional Medicine Models: Applying Portfolio Thinking to Modern Health with Matt Warnock	25 Apr 2026	00:30:18
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Matt Warnock, CEO of RidgeCrest Herbals. They explore how his transition from attorney to business leader led him to challenge long-standing medical assumptions and rethink how modern healthcare approaches treatment. Matt shares insights into the limitations of the traditional “one disease, one drug” model and explains how portfolio-style formulations—combining multiple ingredients to address health challenges from different angles—can create more predictable and balanced outcomes. RidgeCrest Herbals website: https://www.rcherbals.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Contrast Therapy Growth: Scaling Cold Plunge Products to Thousands of Customers with Kyle Ponton	25 Apr 2026	00:28:08
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Kyle Ponton, co-founder and CEO of The Cold Life. Kyle shares the personal health experience that introduced him to contrast therapy and ultimately inspired the creation of a premium cold plunge brand built around performance, recovery, and product quality. He explains how a single breakthrough moment with cold plunging sparked a business journey that has grown into a nationally recognized wellness brand, selling thousands of units and expanding into complementary product categories such as filtered shower systems. The Cold Life website: https://thecoldlife.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Women’s Entrepreneurship: Creating Flexible Income Through Direct Sales with Nancy Bogart	24 Apr 2026	00:29:02
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Nancy Bogart, Founder and CEO of Jordan Essentials. Nancy shares the origin story behind launching her business from her kitchen table after years as a stay-at-home mom, where she created her first product—a solid lotion bar—that eventually grew into a thriving direct sales company focused on empowering women and families. She discusses how necessity and flexibility drove her entrepreneurial journey, highlighting the importance of creating income opportunities that allow people—especially mothers—to balance work and family life. Jordan Essentials website: https://jordanessentials.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth
	Online Coaching Scalability: Transitioning from In-Person to Digital Growth with Nick Shaw	19 Apr 2026	00:31:30
In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Nick Shaw, Founder and CEO of RP Strength, an evidence-based fitness and nutrition company that has grown from a small coaching operation into a global digital platform serving clients worldwide. Nick shares the origin story of how simple client referrals between colleagues evolved into a scalable online coaching business, including the pivotal shift from in-person training to remote services that dramatically expanded reach and flexibility. He also discusses the key lessons learned about scaling beyond personal time by hiring highly trained coaches, building standardized systems, and eventually transitioning into digital products that fueled rapid growth. RP Strength website: https://rpstrength.com Support the show There are a lot of "experts" out there giving advice who’ve never built a thing. They’ve never stayed up all night sweating a product launch. Never had to scale a team. Never had to meet payroll. They’re just regurgitating what they read in someone else’s book. That’s not me. I’ve built brands. I’ve scaled them. I’ve exited them. I’ve failed, won, and fought through it all. And now, my team and I help brands do it every single day — across eCommerce, retail, and digital. We don’t just advise — we execute. We write the playbook. So if you’re done with fluff, fake gurus, and marketers who’ve never sold anything outside of a slide deck — you’re in the right place. This show is real strategies, real tactics, and real talk. https://www.facebook.com/philmasiello https://www.instagram.com/philmasiello/ https://www.tiktok.com/@philmasiello https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-masiello/ https://www.youtube.com/@philmasiello #StartupGrowth #EcommerceTips #ScaleYourBrand #DTCMarketing #PhilMasiello #GrowthClass #BrandStrategy #MarketingPodcast #CrunchGrowth #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth

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