The Nerd Marketing Ecommerce Podcast is a series of conversations about growing an ecommerce business. It's by CEOs and CMOs for CEOs and CMOs. Ecommerce veterans and 20-year operators Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein deliver clear, actionable, data-driven strategies.
…
continue reading

1
NM Live: Turn Retention into Your Most Profitable Channel with Zak Cassady-Dorion, CEO of ECD Digital Strategy
21:31
21:31
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
21:31After auditing hundreds of Shopify brands, Zak Cassady-Dorion has a clear message: You’re missing easy revenue. He joins Drew to reveal his retention-first approach, killer Klaviyo playbook, and why PostPilot is his secret weapon.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
NM Live: Touchland’s Big Exit, Meta’s Future, and What Brands Can Learn from Aviator Nation
22:34
22:34
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
22:34This week, Drew and Michael unpack the latest tariff relief and what it means for DTC operators, break down Zuck’s vision for Meta as a fully automated ad platform, and explore the tension between brand and performance marketing. Plus, a deep dive into Aviator Nation’s remarkable rise—from Venice Beach to Forbes’ richest list.…
…
continue reading

1
NM Live: How We Run a Remote Company Without Losing Alignment
21:05
21:05
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
21:05What really changes when your DTC brand scales from 10 to 120 people - remotely? Drew and Michael break down the systems, rituals, and mindset shifts that helped PostPilot grow fast without losing culture, speed, or clarity. From all-hands to offsites to decision frameworks, this is a behind-the-scenes look at scaling alignment in a distributed tea…
…
continue reading

1
NM Live: Navigating Uncertainty — What Tariffs & Consumer Trends Mean for DTC
17:30
17:30
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
17:30Drew and Michael are joined by PostPilot’s Head of Finance, Daan Harmsen, to unpack what the latest eCommerce data reveals about consumer behavior and shifting market sentiment. They dive into lessons from past tariff disruptions and share practical strategies for leading through uncertainty—emphasizing transparency, adaptability, and keeping momen…
…
continue reading

1
NM Live: Balancing Brand and Performance Marketing With John Hutchison, CEO of Bonobos
41:14
41:14
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
41:14Performance marketing gets all the spend—but is it driving real growth? Bonobos CEO John Hutchison talks with Drew & Mike about how rebalancing the mix toward brand led to stronger revenue, better retention, and long-term customer loyalty. Plus, they dive into his leadership style, navigating culture during change, and what younger marketers should…
…
continue reading

1
Tariff Insanity: How DTC Brands Can Make It Through
12:22
12:22
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
12:22Drew and Mike react in real time to the Tariffs on China and break down how a number of tips from their DTC turnaround days apply more than ever. Get 30 turnaround tips in one place at https://www.postpilot.com/turnaround. (edited)
…
continue reading

1
NM Live: Shoptalk Recap (Suite Party, AI, Unified Commerce) + Unloading Pura Vida
18:28
18:28
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
18:28Mike gives a full rundown of Shoptalk, from the Vegas suite party to the AI trends in DTC. Plus, the Nerds talk about Vera Bradley unloading Pura Vida for... only $1 million?By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
NM Live: Maximizing Your Shopify Store’s Valuation with Drew Fallon, CEO of Iris
25:17
25:17
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
25:17What’s driving eCommerce valuations today? Drew Fallon, CEO of Iris Finance, reveals the latest trends in M&A, what makes a Shopify store attractive to buyers, and the financial strategies that separate high-growth brands from struggling ones. If you're a CEO or CFO thinking about scaling or selling, this episode is a must-listen.…
…
continue reading

1
NM Live: Series A Success, Cozy Earth’s Direct Mail Wins & Email + Direct Mail Synergy
33:53
33:53
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
33:53Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein break down PostPilot’s Series A journey - why they chose growth equity over VC, the challenges of raising capital, and how it impacted their business strategy. They also dive into Cozy Earth’s winning direct mail strategy, revealing how the brand optimized its catalog program for faster, more effective customer acqu…
…
continue reading

1
NM Live: Shopify’s Enterprise Gap, Loyalty Myths & Smarter eCommerce Playbooks
26:30
26:30
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
26:30Shopify has made a huge push into the enterprise market, but why are so many big brands still hesitant to make the switch? Drew and Michael break down key insights from eTail, explore why legacy brands remain stuck on outdated tech stacks, and highlight the massive opportunity Shopify is missing. They also debunk common loyalty program myths and sh…
…
continue reading

1
NM Live: Klaviyo’s Big CRM Launch & Why Direct Mail is a Retail Growth Hack
26:45
26:45
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
26:45Klaviyo just launched its first-ever CRM built for B2C brands, and Drew was on the ground at the event. He and Michael break down what this means for eCommerce, Klaviyo’s competitive landscape, and whether this signals a major shift in the industry. Plus, they dive into two major DTC acquisitions and reveal how Four Sigmatic leveraged direct mail t…
…
continue reading

1
NM LIVE: DTC Super Bowl, CFO-CMO Synergy & Scaling Apparel Brands
31:30
31:30
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
31:30Super Bowl ads are the biggest marketing stage of the year - but are they actually driving new customer acquisition? Drew and Mike break down why most ads focused on brand retention over acquisition and what that means for DTC brands. Plus, they dive into the CFO-CMO dynamic - how alignment between these roles drives real, profitable growth - and w…
…
continue reading

1
NM Live: Surviving Tariffs, Meta Madness & Hexclad’s Super Bowl Play
26:12
26:12
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
26:12The DTC landscape is shifting fast: tariffs are disrupting supply chains, Meta’s ad platform is more unpredictable than ever, and DTC brands are feeling the pressure. Drew and Michael break down the five major ways tariffs are impacting eCommerce, how Meta’s latest changes are frustrating advertisers, and why brands like Hexclad are scaling smarter…
…
continue reading

1
NM Live: The CMO Playbook – Smarter Customer Acquisition, First-Party Data, Marketing Efficiency
27:48
27:48
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
27:48Drew and Michael break down why over-relying on one channel is risky, why ROAS is flawed, and how cutting costs can backfire. Plus, insights on driving high AOV in acquisition, beauty brand demographics, and the Jonathan Adler acquisition.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
NM Live: 2025 Predictions, Abercrombie & True Religion’s Successes, Trends & Turnarounds
28:54
28:54
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
28:54Introducing Nerd Marketing Live, our new format where Drew and Mike break down key insights and trends in the eComm/retail space and answer audience questions. In this episode, they spotlight how True Religion and Abercrombie achieved remarkable turnarounds and what other businesses can learn from their success. They discuss key trends shaping 2025…
…
continue reading

1
Synergies Between Direct Mail and Digital Marketing: 1 + 1 = 3
24:48
24:48
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
24:48Drew and Michael welcome Tim Curtis, CEO of CohereOne, to discuss the often-overlooked advantages of direct mail. Learn how catalogs create a halo effect on other marketing channels, boost online sales, and enhance customer lifetime value. Get practical tips on launching your own catalog campaign and see why direct mail is a game-changer for modern…
…
continue reading

1
Meta Who? Building a Direct Mail Marketing-First Business like Baudville Brands
31:43
31:43
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
31:43Drew and Michael sit down with Brad Darooge, CEO of www.baudville.com/. Learn how Baudville went all-in on direct mail: how they did it, why they did it, and gives some actionable tips to incorporate direct mail into your marketing mix.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
50 Years of Direct Mail Experience, 1 Podcast
26:01
26:01
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
26:01Drew chats with Tracey Migliaccio, Sr. Manager of Direct Mail at Humann about. Tracy's been in the eComm game for several years (previously at Wolverine Worldwide, parent company of Sperry, Keds, Wolverine, Saucony, and others), and like Drew, has been doing direct mail way before it was cool.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
The Nerd Fundraising Guide: Tips, Advice, and lessons from PostPilot's Series A
20:31
20:31
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
20:31Drew and Michael break down the Series A process for PostPilot, offering valuable tips and insights for anyone looking to raise capital in the market today.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
Retention Marketing Masterclass with Chris Orzechowski
27:42
27:42
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
27:42Drew + Michael nerd out on retention marketing with the rainmaker, Chris Orzechowski. Learn how to convert first-time buyers into believers, crush email campaigns, and build a brand identity to beat the competition. Chris shares insights from his newest book, The Moat, and his experience at brands like Carnivore Snax.…
…
continue reading
Join Drew & Michael as they lay out the direct mail playbook that propelled brands like Dr. Squatch, Hexclad to glory. Steal their tactics to add 10% to your top line.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading
They're not done sharing secrets. Drew and Mike discuss the next 15 of Drew's 30 turnaround tips, based on their time together turning around big, busted eComm brands.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading
TLDR: Profits, fast. Drew and Mike discuss 15 of Drew's 30 turnaround tips, based on their time together turning around big, busted eComm brands.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
Masterclass in eCom-Economics + Finance with Bill D'Alessandro of Natural Dog
33:01
33:01
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
33:01The Turnaround legends, Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein, are joined by Bill D'Alessandro of Natural Dog to talk buying brands, the perils and rewards of retail, eCom-economics + finance, and the earlier days of eCommerce.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
How to Get Customers to Buy Without Discounting
20:00
20:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
20:00Every brand wants to be Apple, and they can be—at least when it comes to avoiding discounts. In this episode, PostPilot CEOs Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein discuss discounting alternatives that ecommerce brands can use to juice sales while preserving profit margins.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
Building a Big Brand with a Small Team with Matt Mullenax of Huron
27:16
27:16
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
27:16Men’s grooming brand Huron has become a phenomenon with a team of just four. Co-founder and CEO Matt Mullenax joins hosts Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein to discuss maniacal focus, the importance of brand, and why Huron isn’t rushing to get into retail. CPG founders and marketers won’t want to miss this episode.…
…
continue reading

1
Thinking Outside the Black Friday Box with Luke McAlpine of Taylor Stitch
25:31
25:31
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
25:31The VP of brand for cult menswear label Taylor Stitch joins Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein to go deep on Black Friday strategies. They talk about why you should think hard about your holiday objectives, how promos can be dangerous to your financial health, why you should have a plan B (and C) ready to roll, and more. This is a conversation you do…
…
continue reading

1
Making Your Brand Ubiquitous with Katie Hanna of Ka’Chava
23:43
23:43
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
23:43How do you stand out in a crowded market? What propelled Ka’Chava’s growth from startup to nine-figure brand? And how are they strategizing around Black Friday? Katie Hanna, director of retention at Ka’Chava, spills some tea on the rocketship business with hosts Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
Lessons from 45 Black Fridays in Ecommerce
29:00
29:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
29:00Together Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein been through almost 50 Black Fridays. In this episode, they share the big, hard lessons they've learned over the years—not the tactical moves, but principles for winning Black Friday/Cyber Monday. Tune in to learn why brands often lose money on offers, how to avoid bleeding cash on high CPCs, and more.…
…
continue reading

1
What Successful Ecom Brands Know with Anthony Choe, Founder of Provenance
26:04
26:04
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
26:04Why do you need to know your tribe? What makes smart investors buy into an ecommerce business? How should founders approach brand-building? Visionary investor Anthony Choe lets Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein pick his very large brain. You don’t want to miss the insights in this episode!By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
Marketing a $100M Brand with Julia Perez, CMO of OWYN
21:14
21:14
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
21:14Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein chat with Julia Perez, CMO of plant-based protein-shake brand OWYN. She shares her route to the C-suite, why retail is much more than a sales channel, the three keys to becoming a nine-figure brand, and how she ID’s job candidates who are trailblazers.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
How to Grow a Brand Profitably with Brandon Park of 100 Thieves
30:32
30:32
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
30:32Drew Sanocki talks with Brandon Park, CMO of 100 Thieves and former CEO of Homesick, about creating brands, rolling up ecom companies, and always showing a profit.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
How to Change an Industry with Morgen Newman, CEO of Cora
30:51
30:51
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
30:51Drew Sanocki and guest host Mike Maher talk with Morgen Newman, co-founder of period-care brand Cora, about why he tries to scare potential hires, how to stay premium on Amazon, and what they did to survive a cash crunch.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
Secrets of Successful Ads with Jacques Spitzer, CEO of Raindrop
40:59
40:59
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
40:59Jacques Spitzer has generated more than a billion views and $1 billion in sales for brands like Dr. Squatch, Manscaped and Native. He shares why the “green Lamborghini” is key to impactful ads, big mistakes brands make, and how businesses need to change their marketing approach as they grow.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
The Pura Vida story: How a surfing trip turned into a 9-figure lifestyle brand with co-founder Griffin Thall
28:25
28:25
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
28:25From the vault, Drew and guest host Mike Maher interview Griffin Thall, co-founder of Pura Vida, shortly after their sale to Vera Bradley. Hear the origin story of how Griffin and Paul bootstrapped all the way to a $100M valuation, how Pura Vida entered new categories, and what he thinks about starting a DTC brand today.…
…
continue reading

1
Bootstrapped to big exit with Garret Akerson of DTC maternity brand Kindred Bravely.
33:16
33:16
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
33:16In this episode, we go deep on how Garret bootstrapped the brand he started with his wife to a big private equity exit. Hear the details of the deal process and his role post-exit. He also shares tips on hiring and building a great remote team.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
Crushing conferences and collabs with Joe Rogan: The Carnivore Snax story
24:56
24:56
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
24:56Drew & Michael interview Mark Ritz, co-founder of Carnivore Snax on the secrets to scaling from 3 to 12 million profitably. Learn his strategies for working with influencers, successfully executing trade show events and why he’s not planning on going into retail.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
How $2.5 BILLION CPG haircare brand Olaplex manages marketing with Alisa Pospekhova, head of brand marketing.
24:18
24:18
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
24:18Drew and Michael interview Alisa Pospekhova who does double duty as head of brand marketing for the massive, publicly traded haircare brand Olaplex and founder & CEO of kindroot, an omnichannel herbal supplement brand. Learn how she applies learnings from the mega brand to her startup and vice versa, how brands should think about direct response vs…
…
continue reading

1
Executing a successful DTC roll-up with Taylor Stitch’s Mike Maher
16:11
16:11
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
16:11As the big ecom aggregators mostly flame out, is the roll-up model destined to fail? Learn how Mike Maher, founder of online apparel innovator Taylor Stitch, is making it work and creating accretive enterprise value.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
Discounting strategies and coupon alternatives with Oren Charnoff
30:17
30:17
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
30:17We often hear brands ask about discounting strategies…When is the right time? What’s the right amount? What are alternatives to coupons? We asked Oren Charnoff, one of the founders of Fondue, a cash back alternative to discounts. Hear lots of actionable advice, plus breaking news on their acquisition by Postscript!…
…
continue reading

1
How Mr. Beast's Feastables Skyrocketed Brand Revenue
19:50
19:50
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
19:50Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein sit down with Joseph Siegel, Director of Retention at Mr. Beast's Feastables. Joseph gets into what it's like to work for Mr. Beast, why gamifying marketing works and how they've grown their brand within a massive media company.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
The Mattress Titan: How Resident Conquers the Sales Game
31:17
31:17
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
31:17Data-driven marketing strategies scale the success of mattress sales in the e-commerce space. Eric Hutchinson, the co-founder of Resident Home, an $800 million mattress company, knows a bit about marketing best practices. He discussed the importance of using data to drive sales and experiences that resonate with consumers. Cozy up to this episode w…
…
continue reading

1
From TinyPrints to Big Success: How Ed Han and Laura Ching Sold a $333 Million Business
28:25
28:25
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
28:25Ed Han and Laura Ching sit down with hosts Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein. Ed and Laura are the brains behind the $333 million exit success story, TinyPrints. They discuss their early days of brainstorming business ideas with friends, their passion for entrepreneurship, and the role of the internet in their success.…
…
continue reading

1
The Future of Direct Mail and Marketing | DTC Podcast Interview with Drew Sanocki
36:39
36:39
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
36:39Host and ecom guru Drew Sanocki joined Eric Dyck on the DTC podcast to talk about the world of ecommerce success. Known for his obsession with profitability (sorry, growth-obsessed folks) and his love with Marginal CAC, Drew is helping brands unlock a new profitable channel: Direct mail. Yup, good ol' snail mail is making a powerful comeback in the…
…
continue reading

1
CPG Investing Strategies: A Conversation with Julianne Hummelberg
25:11
25:11
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
25:11Hosts Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein chat with Julianne Hummelberg, a VP at Summit Partners, to share the secrets of dominating the CPG industry. With Julianne's experience in investing in CPG brands, she gets into crucial success factors that entrepreneurs should prioritize.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
Building a CPG Brand: Insights from a $225 Million Exit
22:32
22:32
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
22:32What's it like to exit for $225 million? Craig Elbert spills. He's the former CMO of Bonobos and now Co-Founder, CEO at Care/of, a company that was sold to Bayer for $225 million. Craig digs in on how to think about an exit for a CPG brand, emphasizing the importance of tackling specific problems in a consumer-friendly way. He uses the example of C…
…
continue reading

1
Wharton Professor Peter Fader on Managing Your Business Around Your Customers
38:47
38:47
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
38:47Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein are joined by the legendary Professor Peter Fader from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. They dive deep into the world of customer centricity and how to run businesses that are all about pleasing the customers.By Nerd Marketing
…
continue reading

1
Jedi Strategies for Meetings That Will Grow Your Brand
20:29
20:29
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
20:29Brace yourselves for today’s heart-stopping topic: meetings. Yup, we all love to hate them. But here’s the thing: Bad meetings can hold your business back, and effective ones can fuel success. PostPilot co-CEOs Drew and Michael swear by the EOS Level 10 framework. This week, they brought on EOS implementer Derek Anderson to dig into why the system …
…
continue reading

1
Mastering Catalog Marketing: Success Strategies for Maximum Impact With Rick Binger
18:19
18:19
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
18:19In this episode, take a behind-the-scenes look at the catalog process. Joining Drew and Michael is guest Rick Binger, Founder Brand + Creative Director at Binger, who has been working on catalogs for over 30 years. They chat about why a DTC brand would want to create a catalog, how PostPilot's Cardalogs could help your business, and the process beh…
…
continue reading

1
Leveraging Online Success to Expand into Traditional Retail with Erin Chambers
24:58
24:58
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
24:58Join Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein as they sit down with marketing dynamo Erin Chambers to explore BOOM! and oVertone's journey from online success to brick-and-mortar dominance. Gain new insights into game-changing techniques that can skyrocket your store velocity, and grab Erin's tips if you're contemplating a retail venture.…
…
continue reading