Honest Ecommerce

Aimee Dudum Colorado is the Co-Founder and Chief Merchandising & Marketing Officer of VICI, a women's apparel brand based in California. VICI's mission is to be the go-to destination for accessible, on-trend fashion—helping customers explore their personal style for every day and every occasion. Founded in 2012, VICI has grown into one of the leading DTC brands to emerge from the Bay Area, with a retail presence in Nashville. Aimee has been deeply hands-on since day one and remains both product and customer obsessed. She stays closely connected to the VICI community—regularly engaging on social and responding directly to customer feedback. She leads fashion buying and brand direction with a strong point of view on emerging trends, grounded in a deep understanding of the customer. Passionate about styling and outfitting, Aimee is focused on inspiring confidence and helping women feel their best for every moment. Aimee lives in Alamo, California with her husband and four sons. In This Conversation We Discuss:…

Charles Brun is a French entrepreneur who co-founded the eyewear brand IZIPIZI in Paris in 2010 alongside his longtime friends Xavier Aguera and Quentin Couturier. The three founders saw that the standard reading glasses sold at drugstores lacked style, and they set out to prove that readers could be something people actually wanted to wear. That instinct paid off. Today, IZIPIZI is known for colorful, affordable, design-driven glasses made for everyday life. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:12] Glasses for every moment in life [01:42] An idea born from their moms' ugly readers [02:59] From incubator to the real launch in 2012 [04:05] Landing Colette as the first wholesale yes [05:16] Klaviyo [07:25] How the first yes opens every other door [08:14] Building a partnership between three friends [10:10] The Friday wheel that decides who speaks first [11:06] Intelligems [12:32] When ecommerce entered the picture [13:45] Why wholesale alone wasn't enough [14:19] Wholesale partner pushback on…

Ben Lord, Founder and CEO of Softlimit, has been in and around the music industry for over 30 years and in ecommerce for the last sixteen. A touring drummer (Falling Forward / Elliott / Sharon Van Etten / Mascott / Bird of Youth / Phantom Family Halo / Kilowatthours), he's also released records through independent labels (Initial, Revelation, Temporary Residence Ltd., Jagjaguwar), and worked in Atlantic Records' New Media Division during the launch of the first digital music store. He later led campaigns at Bond Strategy and Influence across entertainment verticals before spending the last decade building Softlimit, a Shopify Premier Partner Agency helping brands like Sacred Bones, Temporary Residence Ltd., Polyvinyl, Moon Juice, Misen, and The Perfect Jean grow their ecommerce revenue. Music still sits at the center of his life, and he works closely with label heads, agents, and artists. In This Conversation We Discuss: This conversation draws on Softlimit's January 2026 whitepaper, "Built-In Demand, Broken…

Neema Frazier is the Director of Logistics and a founding team member at Brandon Blackwood NY, where she leads global logistics, fulfillment, and supply chain operations for the recognized luxury fashion brand. Born and raised in New York City, Neema brings a unique blend of operational expertise, strategic thinking, and the discipline developed through years of professional dance training. Her passion for building scalable systems and driving operational excellence has supported Brandon Blackwood NY's rapid growth while delivering an exceptional customer experience. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Introduction [00:43] Meet Neema Frazier [01:31] The products behind Brandon Blackwood, New York [03:05] How Neema met Brandon and joined the brand [05:46] Scaling from 10 orders a day to 500 [06:29] Intelligems [08:13] Learning fashion operations in real time [10:26] Building middleware for pre-order management [11:17] Could anyone learn to do this? [13:16] Klaviyo [15:40] Auditing a hypergrowth brand's…

As COO of The Snooki Shop, Gina Cecala oversees the moving parts that customers may never see but that ultimately determine whether a brand can successfully grow. Her responsibilities span staffing, inventory, fulfillment, customer experience, expansion strategy, and daily operations across The Snooki Shop's various locations. During her tenure, the company has increased overall sales by more than 50%, grown to approximately 27 employees, and expanded beyond its New Jersey roots into new markets. The business now serves between 35,000 and 60,000 customers each month, while 47% of customers participate in its loyalty program and 20% return to make another purchase. One of Gina's most consequential contributions was helping lead the company's transition to Shopify. The move created a unified inventory and fulfillment system across every location, giving the business the operational structure it needed to grow without losing control of the customer experience. Since that transition, ecommerce sales have…

Samuel Rieder is Co-Founder at dear digital, an Odoo Gold partner and Shopify Premier partner. He loves thinking about technology and building things–whether that's companies, brands, websites, or ERP systems–and has co-founded several businesses over the years. Today, he spends his time at dear digital helping teams grow with the right tools and tech. What drives Sam is working with motivated people who are fun to build things with, that's where the magic happens. When he's not deep in systems or strategy, you'll find him outside exploring and enjoying nature. Jaap Vergote is the Founder of UpsellPlus (2022, NYC), where he helps grow revenue for Shopify brands. Before founding UpsellPlus, Jaap was Head of Sales at Viabill (2019, NYC), Co-Founder of Campo (2017, NYC & upstate NY), and worked in sales at Showpad, a B2B sales enablement platform (2015, SF). In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Introduction [01:37] Jaap's path into the Shopify ecosystem [02:25] Sam's ecommerce roots and Shopify Plus [05:07]…

JW Wiseman is the Co-Founder and CEO of Curious Elixirs, a booze-free adaptogenic craft cocktail brand with the mission to redefine how people drink socially. In 2015, JW woke up one morning after having 20 drinks in a single night and deciding to radically change his relationship with alcohol. He was inspired to explore his curiosity about life with less booze and started Curious Elixirs. Combined with JW's interests in herbs and adaptogens, Curious Elixirs launched as one of the first brands in America to pioneer the non-alcoholic and sober curious movement. As a fast-growing leader in the N/A space, Wiseman has been able to forge relationships with the best Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-winning restaurants, nightclubs and hospitality venues, and DTC partners in the world, serving over 10 million bottles and cans of Curious Elixirs since launch. Prior to Curious Elixirs, JW founded the Good Business marketing agency, helping companies that aim to do well and do good in the world. Primarily focused…

Aman Advani is Founder and CEO of Ministry of Supply, a clothing brand using science to make the world's most comfortable clothing. The company was founded in 2012 with the mission to incorporate fundamental engineering and performance principles into clothing staples, ultimately building a wardrobe that both looks good, and feels comfortable. Prior to co-founding Ministry of Supply, Advani spent 4 years in management and non-profit consulting with Deloitte and TechnoServe. He holds a BSIE from Georgia Tech, and half an MBA from MIT, was a member of Forbes 30 under 30 list and BBJ's 40 Under 40 list, and has been featured as the cover of both ASB and Boston Magazine. Most recently, Aman was named to the NRF's 2023 "List of People Shaping Retail." In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Introduction [01:58] First reactions to AI tools and Lovable [05:04] Co-founder’s non-technical background [07:39] Sponsor: Klaviyo [09:45] Using Claude for CRO and analytics [13:07] Sponsor: IntelliGems [15:16] Build vs buy…

Alex McEachern is Head of Marketing at Intelligems, where he helps ecommerce brands unlock profitable growth through pricing and retention strategies. With a background spanning product marketing, product management, and brand development, Alex has led cross-functional teams and go-to-market efforts at high-growth companies. He is acclaimed for building strategic narratives, scaling brand visibility, and launching initiatives that align product experience with customer value. A graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University with a BBA in Marketing, Alex brings analytical depth and creative energy to the intersection of growth, user experience, and commerce. His work is informed by a passion for behavioral psychology, practical experimentation, and a belief that great brands earn trust over time, not just clicks. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Introduction [02:20] Disclosure on the Intelligems partnership [04:05] Mistranslating conversion rate optimization [07:50] Why CRO undersells what the work is [10:15]…

Giulia Miotti is Senior Ecommerce Experience and Performance Manager at Bang & Olufsen, the Danish luxury audio brand where Scandinavian design meets high-fidelity sound. With over a decade of international experience across Adidas, Escada, and B&O, she's built her career at the intersection of digital innovation and brand storytelling; leading content, SEO and AI search, and ecommerce growth strategies that bring a legacy brand confidently into a digital-first, omnichannel future. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Introduction [02:20] A century of maintaining brand craftsmanship [05:02] Kicking off the brand’s digital transformation [09:46] Sponsor: IntelliGems [11:47] Building omnichannel Ecommerce roadmaps [15:03] Sponsor: Klaviyo [17:24] Legacy systems and internal friction [18:17] Piloting in-store appointment bookings [23:40] Sponsor: eFulfillment Service [25:59] Winning over franchisees with customer data [27:19] Callouts [27:29] Optimizing for AI search and AEO [36:48] Why strong SEO fuels AI…

Matt Raminick spent nearly two decades of his career on the brand side (Quiksilver, Volcom, Pacsun, Mophie) hiring and managing agencies before founding Sunnyside. Working with dozens of agencies big and small led him to realize that in most cases they repeatedly optimized for vanity channel metrics instead of outcomes that impacted the bottom line, often having no line of sight beyond a siloed view of the channels they managed. So in 2020, after getting laid off from a high-profile exec role and with no prior agency experience, he founded Sunnyside and built a framework called Profit360™. This system connects finance, brand moments, products, creative strategy, and paid media to reliably produce sustainable, predictable, and profitable growth at the business level, not isolated channel wins. Sunnyside's unfair advantage is that every client gets a team of former brand-side marketers who've sat in the client's seat and know what's actually at stake because they've been in their shoes. To date, Sunnyside has…

Michael Bervell is co-founder and CEO of TestParty, an AI-powered digital accessibility platform that automatically scans and fixes source code so websites meet WCAG and ADA standards, without slowing down engineering teams. Before TestParty, Michael worked in accessibility and product inclusion at Google and the United Nations, was a software engineer at Twitter, and held product and venture roles at Microsoft and M12. He holds a BA from Harvard and an MBA from Harvard Business School, is the author of Unlocking Unicorns, and was named to the Forbes Accessibility 100. TestParty raised a $4 million seed round led by Harlem Capital and the Urban Innovation Fund. Jason Tan is co-founder and CTO of TestParty and the technical architect behind its automated remediation engine. He came to the problem firsthand: while at Twitch, the company was sued for digital accessibility violations, and in researching fixes he discovered that accessibility lawsuits had become an industry norm. He co-founded TestParty in 2023…

At 6 years old, Kevin Keller was already "stealing" his father's cologne — a habit generously tolerated by his dad — and discovering that scent could change the way you felt before you ever said a word. That early fascination with transformation eventually became Fulton & Roark, the American fine fragrance house Keller co-founded in 2013 with $11,000 and a belief that perfumery could be both deeply personal and distinctly American. Raised in Atlanta and educated at Georgia State University and Wake Forest University, Keller began his career in journalism before turning to music and culture, where he profiled brilliant emerging musicians and artists. What stayed with him was a fascination with culture, place, and tradition — and how those forces subtly shape the way we carry ourselves in the world. Built without outside capital, Fulton & Roark has grown into a nationally distributed independent fragrance brand, available in nearly 500 retail locations including premier independent boutiques, select…

Alexander Morabbi Wulsch is a Danish entrepreneur and business leader. Previously, he has held leadership roles in several companies across sectors including design (URU Design) and digital marketing/social media (Nordic Social). Alexander's background also includes earlier ventures, after a stint in banking he launched an e-commerce business selling socks online, before eventually co-founding Nordic Social which was sold to PE in 2023. Today, he is the CMO of OMHU, one of Europe's fast growing D2C brands. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Introduction [01:56] Starting young in Ecommerce [02:55] Joining brands as an early as employee [03:44] Lessons from a failed first business [04:52] AOV then versus now [05:23] Unit economics simply explained [06:51] Sponsor: Klaviyo [09:00] Bundling and upselling on big-ticket items [10:18] Leaning and maximizing social first strategy [11:47] Why doubling down beats spreading thin [13:08] Building influencer teams in today’s market [14:04] Sponsor: Intelligems…

Andrea Faulkner Williams is the head mama and co-founder of Tubby Todd Bath Co., which she launched with her husband, Brian Todd, as a solution to her own family’s sensitive skin in 2014. For years her family struggled with dryness and eczema, and smooth skin always seemed impossibly out of reach. It was frustrating spending money on one product after another that wasn’t helpful, clean, or safe for their little ones. Out of those discouragements came a drive and passion to create clean bath and skincare staples and they spent years developing products and testing them in their own home. Since then, Tubby Todd has grown into an entire line of body care basics. She lives in San Diego with her husband and four little ones. In This Conversation We Discuss: 00:00 Introduction 01:58 The entrepreneurial dream that started it all 04:06 Launching with zero money and no retail shelf 04:39 How her husband got the idea from his job 06:42 Skipping retail to build direct on Shopify 08:30 Sponsor: IntelliGems 10:22 What…

M. Sal had his own Ecommerce store. He realized that no Canadian accountant understands US tax and virtually no one understands a Shopify business. That’s what led him to start SAL Accounting where their team now solve these problems for brands. In This Conversation We Discuss: 00:00 Introduction 01:13 Discussing the accounting brand 01:34 How the guest entered the ecommerce tax niche 03:09 The hidden Shopify fee for international sellers 04:13 Do you need a US LLC: Plus plan vs sales split 06:36 Revenue threshold for opening a US LLC 08:00 Step-by-step process to set up a US LLC 10:22 The costly mistake of naming yourself as owner 12:30 Do US brands need a Canadian setup too 13:56 The $25,000 penalty for missing Form 5472 15:38 Why proper bookkeeping matters for ecommerce brands 17:57 How monthly books help you save on taxes 19:33 The risk of hiring a cheap bookkeeper 22:00 Where to learn more and get help 23:43 Returning Questions to a Fellow Host Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube CPA Tax…

Robert Patton is the Founder and CEO of SHEATH, a premium men's underwear brand he conceived while serving as a U.S. Army Sergeant in the scorching heat of the Iraqi desert. After two combat deployments, Robert left the military with a mission: to create performance-driven underwear built around a patented dual pouch system that delivers unmatched comfort and support for active men. What started as a bootstrap idea fueled by a $5,000 insurance check and a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2013 has grown into a globally recognized brand selling to customers in over 120 countries. SHEATH is the first ever Official Underwear Partner of the UFC — a milestone Robert built without taking on outside investors. A daily meditator, lifelong student of Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich, and relentless entrepreneur, Robert's story is a testament to grit, reinvention, and the power of solving a real problem the world didn't know it had. In This Conversation We Discuss: 00:00 Introduction 01:02 What an elite underwear…

Lndn Gray Co-Founder Tyler Straub is a creative director, photographer, and entrepreneur with more than 13 years of experience building and scaling high-growth brands across the creative, technology, and consumer sectors. Before launching Lndn Gray in 2023, Tyler held leadership roles at high-growth companies including Blade, Bird, and Gametime, where he became known for cross-functional operations paired with strong creative and brand vision. With a background spanning a breadth of industries and roles- including premium lifestyle brands, aviation, live events, celebrity/influencer partnerships, and more- Tyler gained an understanding of brand building, creative partnerships, and rapid scaling with early-stage consumer product ventures and founder-led businesses. As Co-Founder of Lndn Gray, Tyler oversees business development, operations, partnerships, creative direction, and artist curation. Under his leadership, the platform has become known for championing independent and emerging artists worldwide, with…

Yash Chavan is the founder and CEO of SARAL and SATHI. SARAL has helped 200+ DTC brands including Grüns, Spacegoods, and Slumberkins generate over $59M in influencer-driven revenue. SATHI is his team's newest product: a Shopify-only affiliate platform built around two breakthroughs: cookieless tracking and multi-touch attribution. Yash is running every SATHI demo personally for a limited time exclusively for Honest Ecommerce listeners. Book your slot by visiting mysathi.io/demo and let them know we sent you. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:31] Stumbling Into a New Ecommerce Venture [05:34] Sunsetting a Brand to Focus on a New One [07:05] Learning User Needs Through Manual Work [08:54] Matching The Products to Customer Needs [10:30] Paying for Actual Sales Instead of Ad Clicks [13:03] Callouts [13:10] Doing The Actual Work To See Business Results [16:10] Prioritizing Active Partners Over Volume [19:30] Setting Margins for Marketing Expenses [21:37] Targeting Smaller Partners For Better…

Jordan Nathan is the Founder and CEO of Caraway, the disruptive, non-toxic and thoughtfully-designed home brand known for its colorful ceramic cookware. Prior to launching Caraway, Jordan was instrumental in the rebranding of Vremi (owned by Aterian, NASDAQ-ATER), where he successfully launched over 200 kitchen products in 18 months that sold into over 1 million homes, and was promoted to CEO of Vremi. Jordan’s unique experience in the home goods industry as well as his commitment to non-toxic, design-forward, color-rich products allow Caraway to set the standard for quality cookware and design. As a data-driven entrepreneur, Jordan is passionate about letting social-listening drive new product innovations for the brand to expand beyond the kitchen. Jordan graduated Magna Cum Laude from Colby College in Consumer Psychology and was awarded Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2018. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:30] Learning concrete business operations on the job [04:10] Navigating the challenges of…

Katrina is a growth leader with over a decade of experience in DTC marketing, specializing in new customer acquisition, paid media, and creative strategy. She currently serves as Director of Growth Marketing at Timeline, where she’s helped scale the brand across both nutrition and skincare to nearly nine figures. She’s known for building high-performing acquisition engines by combining data, creative testing, and conversion optimization to drive efficient, scalable growth. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:35] Growing into a marketing leadership role [03:03] Balancing acquisition and lifetime value [04:56] Defining the North Star for your business [05:56] Sponsor: Migrate [07:53] Diagnosing disconnects in customer journey [01:27] Sponsor: Intelligems [13:53] Structuring landing pages to tell a story [18:22] Sponsor: Electric Eye [19:32] Eliminating buyer confusion to drive sales [22:40] Moving past shotgun marketing tactics [27:18] Callouts [27:28] Diversifying your marketing channels…

Jacques Spitzer is a 4x Emmy® award-winning creative agency founder who was named to AdWeek’s Agency Vanguard as one of the top 20 leaders shaping the future of advertising. His agency, Raindrop, has generated billions in campaign sales for powerhouse brands like Dr. Squatch, Native and Grüns and insurgent brands like Good Culture, Hello Panda, Magic Spoon and more. Raindrop’s creative force has been showcased by their work on three Super Bowl campaigns and their recent execution of the largest brand launch in Procter & Gamble history for Spruce. As a champion for the next generation of disruptive companies, Jacques serves as a strategic advisor to high-growth CPG brands that Raindrop Ventures has uniquely helped launch and invested in, including Grüns, Laundry Sauce, ForAll, VitaWild, Maeva and Magic Mind. With a trophy case boasting over 50 advertising awards, Jacques’ work is consistently recognized for its rare blend of viral creativity and massive ROI. His insights have been featured in Forbes, AdAge,…

Angela Clark - Mubarak is a senior digital and eCommerce executive with 30 years of experience building and transforming digital businesses at some of the world's most recognized consumer brands — including Patagonia, Levi Strauss, eBay, elf Cosmetics, Williams-Sonoma, True Religion, and Eddie Bauer. Most recently VP of Digital at Patagonia, Angela now leads Eclipse Advisory Group, a consultancy focused on helping PE-backed brands, legacy retailers, and DTC startups unlock digital growth. She serves on the board of the California State Park Foundation, is an incoming Fellow at the Graham School at the University of Chicago, sits on the Total Retail Advisory Board, and has been recognized as a Direct 60 Honoree and CommerceNext 2024 Leader to Watch. She is based in LA, where is an avid cycler and dog mom to Maximus and Chloe and super auntie to her 12 yr nephew Evan. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:31] Adapting old strategies to new mediums [07:33] Sponsor: Klaviyo [09:39] Measuring success…

In this episode, Laura Cantor shares key takeaways from her experience at Vendors in Partnership, including emerging trends in retail, the growing importance of meaningful partnerships, and how brands can cut through the noise in a tech-saturated landscape. She dives into why people—and the partnerships they build—are still the foundation of innovation and growth, even as AI continues to transform the industry. Laura also highlights tactical approaches that are driving real results today, including insights on high-impact ecommerce solutions like AfterSell, a platform helping brands maximize revenue through post-purchase optimization. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:38] Learning the value of brand building [06:20] Sponsor: Migrate [08:19] Prioritizing learning over job titles [12:46] Sponsor: Intelligems [14:46] Overcoming organizational status quo [17:08] Streamlining operations for future tech [21:06] Sponsor: Electric eye [22:14] Optimizing brands for agentic AI search [23:43]…

Kevin McLaughlin is a Google Analytics and Tag Manager expert specializing in building custom Google Analytics implementations that give you consistent, accurate, and easy to use results that actually help you make better business and product decisions. Because of his years of experience in product development and management, he knows how to implement your marketing analytics tools so you can derive new insights from your data. As a developer and engineer, Kevin can deal with any level of technical-detail, from quick audits to in-depth, custom javascript setups and maintenance. He has worked at both large companies and small startups and have setup analytics for both as well as many blogs, small businesses, and non-profits. Kevin is currently developing several web-applications myself, which keeps me up to date on the latest web technologies and how to implement analytics effectively with them. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:30] Intro [01:30] Solving messy data gaps in business [03:33] Building tools…

Catherine Hayden is the Chief Marketing Officer at Kate Farms, the #1 doctor-recommended plant-based nutrition brand. Since joining the company in 2018, she has helped scale Kate Farms through rapid growth, multiple funding rounds, and its acquisition by Danone, while building an omnichannel business spanning healthcare, direct-to-consumer, subscription, Amazon, and retail. Catherine began her career as a Registered Dietitian, giving her a unique perspective at the intersection of healthcare, nutrition, and consumer behavior. Today, she leads brand strategy, commercial growth, innovation, and integration across both healthcare and consumer channels. Kate Farms was founded to solve a deeply personal problem. After being diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age five, Kate struggled to tolerate existing nutrition formulas and relied on a feeding tube for nourishment. What began as a solution for one child has since grown into a company that has nourished more than 600,000 people. In this episode, Catherine shares…

Bob Verlaat and Nick Nijhof are Amsterdam-based entrepreneurs and Co-Founders of Hears, the fast-growing hearing protection brand redefining earplugs through premium design and industry-leading sound clarity. Prior to Hears, the duo successfully scaled luxury sleep wellness brand Dore & Rose to $30M in revenue, building deep expertise in branding, Ecommerce, and consumer behavior. Their entrepreneurial journey has been shaped by creating products that solve real consumer problems while building emotionally resonant brands. After Bob experienced hearing damage and persistent tinnitus from loud music, the pair became increasingly aware of the global problem of noise-induced hearing loss and the lack of earplugs people actually wanted to wear. Existing products compromised sound quality, looked unattractive, and failed to fit seamlessly into modern lifestyles. Driven by that personal frustration, Bob and Nick spent 1.5 years researching and developing Hears from scratch, investing in patented filter technology…

Jason Zigelbaum is the solo founder behind Zigpoll—the zero-party data platform trusted by Sony, HP, Kraft Heinz, and Hallmark. Zigpoll collected over 100 million survey responses and counting. Third-party cookies are going away. Ad platforms are losing signal. Brands that don't collect first-party data are flying blind. Zigpoll fixes that. Zigpoll makes it dead simple to launch contextual surveys that ask the right questions, at the right time, in the right channel so brands can stop guessing and start knowing. How brands use Zigpoll: - Discover how customers found you with post-purchase surveys - Improve products with real customer feedback - Boost sales with on-site CRO surveys - Recover lost sales with abandoned cart & exit intent surveys - Segment audiences by demographics and psychographics for higher-ROI campaigns What makes it easy: - No code. Installs on Shopify in seconds - Surveys in any language with built-in translation - Conditional logic and follow-up questions that dig deeper - Triggers for…

Hilary Dubin is co-CEO and head of Jones’ digital product & behavioral support program. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania magna cum laude, majoring in cognitive science with a concentration in computation and cognition, an honors thesis on the effects of gender, realism, and role of virtual agents, and a minor from Wharton in consumer psychology. She worked in David Brainard’s visual neuroscience lab for 3 years and published 4 papers and supplementary materials on illumination discrimination (color perception). After Penn, she was selected as one of ten Americans to be a Ventures Fellow in the Excel Ventures incubator program in Tel Aviv, and continued on to be the inaugural member, and later program lead, of the US Associate Product Manager Program at Atlassian. She worked as a product manager at Atlassian for 5 years, ultimately as Head of Confluence Editions & Admin Experience where she launched Confluence Premium & Free into multi-million dollar product offerings with 2M+ users. She…

Ethan Haber is an inventor, founder, and CEO who built Happy Habitats—an award-winning, industry-recognized small-pet products brand—from the ground up with no outside funding. Under his leadership, the company achieved distribution across North America and beyond, brought the business to six figures in 2025, and earned multiple Best in Show awards at Superzoo and Global Pet Expo. Ethan is credited as a key inventor on Happy Habitats’ Halo and Roam products, which are protected by U.S. utility patents #12,219,927 and #12,465,021, and he is launching a new product with a major big-box retailer next month. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:49] Identifying niches with stagnant innovation [04:10] Partnering with experienced agencies [04:56] Sponsor: Migrate [06:54] Scaling into national retail chains [09:08] Finding the right marketplace partner [10:20] Sponsor: Intelligems [12:18] Shifting ad spend to marketplace advertising [14:00] Starting complementary product ecosystems [15:01] Callouts…

Sean Wendt is the founder of dtcmvp. dtcmvp connects shopify partners with leaders at established brands. From intros to insights, they handle everything: you reach your ideal audience, build a better product, and attract more brands. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:30] Understanding prospects’ rejection [05:48] Defining the role of outbound sales reps [10:54] Crafting a strong offer for your outreach [12:29] Callouts [12:39] Increasing discovery with paid consultations [15:00] Aligning solutions with existing goals [21:51] Determining the right time to scale outreach [24:39] Designing workflows around busy calendars Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Shopify's Modern Expert Network dtcmvp.com Follow Sean Wendt linkedin.com/in/seanwendt If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Gustavo Cardona is VP of Technology at Levain Bakery, where he leads IT infrastructure and data strategy to bridge innovative technology with the operational reality of a craft-focused, omnichannel retail business. He's responsible for building Levain's enterprise systems, including integrating Toast, NetSuite, and CrunchTime into a unified data platform, migrating the organization to real-time reporting with Tableau, and developing a multi-year technology roadmap. Gustavo's approach focuses on what he calls the "adoption challenge"—ensuring technology actually gets used rather than just implemented. He's currently leading Levain's Emerging Tech Strategy with a focus on operational efficiency, product innovation, and decision intelligence through responsible AI governance. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:35] Networking with peers at conferences [06:10] Sponsor: Klaviyo [08:17] Leveraging past experience in a new role [11:36] Sponsor: Intelligems [13:36] Cultivating adaptability and…

Xander Shepherd is the co-founder of Artet, a brand that is changing the way we gather, toast, and experience cocktail culture. Rooted in tradition with a modern twist, Artet was founded by two brothers, and their cousin who wanted to create an alcohol-free alternative that blends sophisticated mixology with nuanced botanical flavors. With its amaro-inspired aperitif and a selection of elevated canned spritzes, Artet offers a hemp-derived Delta-9 THC-infused experience that is both refined and approachable—perfect for those seeking an NA option to savor at the table amongst family and friends. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:17] Finding Ecommerce ideas in daily life [05:48] Experimenting in small, safe spaces [10:29] Sponsor: Migrate [12:27] Reshaping customer perspectives [18:22] Callouts [18:32] Navigating customer purchase friction [21:11] Presenting your product as opportunity [25:05] Sponsor: Intelligems [27:05] Navigating state-by-state THC rules [31:50] Protecting customers with age…

Scott Dancy is the founder and CEO of Azuna, a fast-growing challenger brand in at-home odor elimination. Since launching in 2019, Scott has scaled Azuna into a serious category disruptor. Prior to launching Azuna, Scott built, scaled, and sold several companies across cybersecurity, staffing, and energy - with curiosity as his fuel. During the dot-com boom, Scott was the youngest member of the cybersecurity board, working directly with the Attorney General to navigate the rapidly changing early years of the internet. He is a graduate of the University of Rochester and resides in Buffalo, NY where Azuna is based. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [00:47] Tripling revenue by solving everyday problems [03:00] Reinvesting profits to outlast competitions [05:25] Sponsor: Klaviyo [07:32] Learning from mistakes at every stage [12:23] Sponsor: Intelligems [14:23] Building LTV when first orders barely profit [17:02] Grinding to millions without ever going viral [20:14] Sponsor: Electric Eye [21:22]…

Cleo is the Co-Founder of Barrière and also serves as the brand’s CEO and brand-lead. Before starting Barrière with her Co-Founder, Alexa Adams, in 2020, Cleo had over a decade of experience in corporate fashion and styling. She was inspired to leave the corporate world and start Barrière to offer a chic, yet medically-effective masking option to customers during the global pandemic. This led her and Alexa to expanding the brand into transdermal supplement patches, as inspired by her own issues with nutritional deficiencies. Before starting Barrière, Cleo’s most recent professional roles included Brand Manager at Moda Operandi and Director of Special Projects at Saks Fifth Avenue, where she led brand, marketing, and e-commerce strategy for these top fashion destinations. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:19] Finding inspiration from personal pain points [05:04] Sponsor: Klaviyo [07:03] Setting your own standards when regulations fall short [10:26] Avoiding the one-size-fits-all trap in…

Gloria Chou’s untraditional, proven approach has helped small businesses across industries earn over a billion organic views and land features in outlets like Forbes, Vogue, Oprah Daily, BuzzFeed and Business Insider —all without pay-to-play. Named the #1 small business PR expert by ChatGPT and Al search, she's leading the charge in helping overlooked founders dominate visibility—not just in the press, but in Al search results that drive discovery and trust. Is there a guest (or two!) that you'd like to hear on our podcast in the future? Will think about this and let you know! In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:00] Navigating the shift from old SEO [02:37] Discovering free brand featuring ways [06:21] Understanding why PR tips a trust signal [09:34] Callouts [10:44] Seeing how backlinks offer great publicity [12:29] Repurposing wins into long-term content [16:11] Using 3 prompts for an effective pitch [19:10] Writing subject lines that journalists open [23:20] Building PR foundations before…

Samantha Diamond and Breanna Hughes are Co-Founders of Bird&Be, the fertility brand providing evidence-backed, comprehensive at-home tests and supplements for both partners at every stage of the fertility journey. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:31] Turning a diagnosis into a mission [03:23] Becoming your product's success story [04:44] Callouts [04:54] Finding focus groups with limited budgets [07:37] Sponsor: Klaviyo [09:44] Letting research reverse product roadmaps [13:41] Building trust through science-backed content [15:12] Sponsor: Intelligems [17:12] Sharing vulnerable stories for customer loyalty [18:36] Tapping nice creators to amplify early content [21:41] Seeing early signals of product-market fit [23:49] Sponsor: Electric Eye [25:00] Letting word of mouth unlock B2B strategies [27:17] Allowing your data do the selling for you [30:16] Expanding impact to underserved customers Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Doctor-formulated prenatals, fertility supplements,…

Russell Breuer is the Founder and CEO of Spot & Tango, an innovative pet health and wellness brand that provides dogs with high quality, human grade meals, delivered direct-to-consumer. Russell was inspired by his dog, Jack, to create the company, which now has over $100+ million in annual revenue and has sold over 120 million meals since inception. Prior to Spot & Tango, Russell worked in private equity and held leadership positions at BerchWood Partners, Zephyr Management, and Nash & Co Capital in London. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:43] Starting a venture as a side gig first [03:55] Sponsor: Migrate [05:54] Using free channels to find first users [06:56] Iterating platforms as the business grows [08:24] Starting local before scaling distribution [10:47] Sponsor: Intelligems [12:47] Failing fast to find what actually works [15:06] Aligning growth speed to profitability goals [18:08] Sponsor: Electric Eye [19:17] Building innovative products to scale [21:39] Callouts [21:48] Learning…

Lauren Barker is the CEO and Co-founder of Uresta, the first self-managed, FDA-cleared bladder support device for stress urinary incontinence. With nearly a decade in finance before joining Uresta, Lauren brought the analytical skills to identify a massive market gap and the vision to build a solution that prioritizes women's quality of life over symptom management. She personally reads every customer review, using those insights to shape product development and build Uresta's highly engaged community. Under her leadership, Uresta has become an eight-figure business serving over 30,000 women. What is Uresta? Uresta is revolutionizing bladder control with the first self-managed bladder support designed specifically for modern women, with no prescription or doctor visits required. Unlike traditional solutions, Uresta addresses leaks at their source, providing immediate all-day protection during physical activities like exercise, laughing, sneezing, and coughing. With 97% effectiveness and 90% continued use…

Alissa Miky is a Japanese entrepreneur and the founder of OoMee, the first seaweed-based beverage in the U.S. She’s the youngest woman ever recognized on Forbes Japan’s Top 100 list. After running a successful flower business, Alissa created the viral seaweed candy company Misaky.Tokyo, and later launched Aqua Theon, a seaweed tech company. In spring 2025, Alissa turned her proprietary Seabiotics™ technology into the star ingredient for OoMee -- the functional beverage bringing the wellness benefits of agar-agar to America's beverage aisle. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:58] Pioneering a niche in an untapped market [03:43] Using cultural roots to drive innovation [06:51] Sponsor: Klaviyo [08:52] Sizing up categories before committing [10:57] Callouts [11:07] Using competitor research as winning edge [14:25] Sponsor: Intelligems [16:23] Letting the product do the talking [19:44] Knowing when to launch and building [21:51] Sponsor: Electric Eye [23:00] Using intellectual property for…

Tamara is the Founder & CEO of Bark Bistro Company, creator of Buddy Budder—a line of 100% natural peanut butters made for dogs. What began in her kitchen has grown into a nationally distributed brand available DTC, Ecommerce, independent retailers, and now expanding into mass and grocery channels. She is passionate about blending innovation and creativity, brand design, and business strategy to make products that bring joy and health to pets while scaling into new retail channels. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:37] Discovering ecommerce as the growth engine [05:38] Solving a personal problem to spark a product [07:18] Sponsor: Klaviyo [09:24] Leading a category by entering early [10:29] Choosing Ecommerce to accelerate growth [12:10] Callouts [12:20] Bootstrapping growth with early revenue [13:57] Sponsor: Intelligems [15:56] Validating demand through review data [18:02] Listening to customers to improve goods [22:03] Engaging customers to co-create the brand [23:47] Sponsor: Electric…

Co-founded in 2012 by Ryan Emmons, his cousin Alex Preston, a Hawaiian artist and game designer, and friend Matt Meyer, Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Beverages is a premium beverage company from Hilo, Hawai‘i, offering volcanic water, sparkling water, and coffee, crafted with deep respect for the land, its people, and the responsibility that comes with both. Rooted in sustainability, Waiākea is setting a new standard for CPG, blending exceptional taste with conscious practices. From their certified B Corp status and proprietary 100% post-consumer recycled plastic, OceanPlast®, to their community-driven Kōkua Initiative nonprofit, Waiākea is changing the way we hydrate. Inspired by the founders' long-standing work with clean water and education non-profits, the concept for Waiākea was to move away from singular profit and towards a triple bottom line model (circular packaging, sustainable sourcing, and commitment to the community). Their water embodies that mission with an experience that’s natural alkaline pH,…

Julian Tcherassi is the founder of Magiktea, the first USDA Organic & Wildlife Friendly certified palo azul tea brand in the world. Under his leadership, Magiktea has grown from a small independent startup into a nationally recognized wellness brand, now available in over 1,000 health food stores nationwide. Passionate about natural remedies and sustainability, Julian started Magiktea with the mission to share sustainably sourced palo azul so that everyone can enjoy Mother Nature's most magical tea. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:06] Spotting an opportunity from personal experience [02:56] Starting a business through personal readings [05:06] Prioritizing retail over DTC for early traction [06:53] Offering consignment as visibility strategy [10:31] Callouts [10:41] Embracing rejection as early sales training [14:43] Sponsor: Klaviyo [16:49] Learning advertisement tactics from founders [18:41] Optimizing website to support conversions [26:46] Sponsor: Intelligems [25:46] Improving listings…

Eliah Thanhauser is the Co-Founder and CEO of North Spore, a company dedicated to making mushroom cultivation accessible to all. Since its inception in 2014, they’ve grown from a small operation in a garage in Maine to a vertically integrated manufacturer and a national leader in mycological supplies. Eliah’s journey began with a passion for sustainable agriculture and a desire to empower individuals to grow their own food. At North Spore, Eliah and his team provide high-quality mushroom cultivation products and education, supporting everyone from home growers to commercial farmers.​ Beyond business, he’s committed to environmental stewardship, advocating for better public access to Maine's shorelands and exploring innovative ways to integrate fungi into sustainable practices. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:10] Launching North Spore from a tiny garage [05:47] Callouts [05:57] Embracing ecommerce before it was crowded [07:16] Creating educational content to attract buyers [09:05] Sponsor:…

Irene Chen is the Co-Founder and Partner at Parker Thatch, a role she has held for over 24 years. Her top skills include Brand Development, Fashion, and Social Media. Before co-founding Parker Thatch, Irene served as the Director of Product Development for Donna Karan. She is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles. Matthew Grenby is the Partner and Co-Founder of Parker Thatch, a position he has held for over 24 years. His expertise lies in Strategy, Start-ups, and Entrepreneurship. Prior to Parker Thatch, he was a Vice President at Castling Group, where he led UX and design to launch online divisions for major brands, and a Data Scientist at Intel, developing novel data visualizations. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, an MS from the M.I.T. Media Lab , an MS in Graphic Design from ArtCenter College of Design , and an AB in English from Harvard University. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [00:56] Bootstrapping growth through cash flow [03:23] Turning local talent…

Kate Voyten is a seasoned business leader with over 20 years of experience revitalizing small brands and stagnant businesses. She started her career at Procter & Gamble, working first in operations and eventually moving into brand management, where she ran businesses across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Her consumer-centric approach to innovation and commercial strategies, combined with her operational expertise, has helped transform businesses across consumer goods, automotive, and healthcare categories. Some of her favorite challenges include relaunching the iconic $500 million Herbal Essences brand and returning it to profitable growth, spearheading the digital transformation and omnichannel strategy for the Hertz loyalty program, and building the OneTouch diabetes business in retail and e-commerce. Today, Kate is the Chief Commercial Officer at Cadence OTC, where she is leading the effort to bring the next generation of oral contraceptives over the counter—expanding access to safe, affordable birth control…

Laura Andersen is the owner and managing director of AlumiTubs. Made to handle it all, AlumiTubs is made to last for generations. Obsessively designed to outperform and outlast, it's the classic cedar hot tub, upgraded for a lifetime of performance. AlumiTubs is 100% Canadian handcrafted from materials made to stand the test of time. It’s perfect for the backcountry or the backyard, with flex heating for 365 days of use, wherever you find your escape. With 1000s in the wild since 2001, AlumiTubs are home to Canada, now available for properties across the globe. Where artistry, craftsmanship, and considered design intersect, the AlumiTubs wood fired, electric and hybrid hot tubs come in 3 sizes with endless heat options, advanced filtration for at-home use, a 50% bigger firebox and 3 layers of insulation for less smoke, less water, and nothing wasted along the way. It is not an average hot tub, AlumiTubs is guaranteed to get hot and stay hot, no matter how cold it is outside. Bringing people and those they…

Rima Mattok is the Director of Demand Generation at Taboola, where she leads the global acquisition and engagement strategy of Realize, a performance advertising platform focused on driving measurable results for brands. With a background in user engagement, Rima brings a deep understanding of audience behavior and conversion optimization—experience that shapes her approach to helping marketers scale efficiently across channels. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:09] Getting to know the new product, Realize [02:33] Facing rising ad costs across platforms [04:22] Launching before peak season to save costs [07:10] Questioning the myth that more budget wins [09:31] Challenging the idea that AI replaces strategy [11:30] Callouts [11:40] Unlocking incremental growth on the open web [14:16] Testing new channels with wise budgets [15:17] Running quarterly moonshot experiments Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Performance beyond search and social taboola.com/ The performance built…

Monica Rich Kosann is an internationally recognized fine jewelry brand based in New York. Rooted in the idea that every woman has a story to tell, the collection encompasses lockets, rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings that inspire and empower the wearer. The eponymous label was founded in 2004 by Designer and Chief Creative Officer Monica Rich Kosann–member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America–as an extension of her passion for fine art photography and storytelling. She runs the company with her husband Rod, who serves as CEO. A Certified B Corporation working to meet the highest standards of quality and excellence, Monica Rich Kosann crafts sustainable heritage pieces that are made ethically and responsibly. The brand is sold in over 120 retailers across the country, has three free standing stores - two in New York and one at Somerset Collection in Troy, a shop at Bergdorf Goodman and a robust direct-to-consumer business. Designed using 18K Yellow Gold and Sterling Silver, Monica Rich…

Matt Ezyk has decades of experience building, scaling and leading digital commerce technology and strategy at some of the most innovative companies in the world. Matt serves as Senior Director of Engineering, Ecommerce at Hanna Andersson which is a leading direct-to-consumer premium children's apparel and lifestyle brand. Prior to joining Hanna Andersson, he led digital at Pet Supermarket with oversight of product and engineering. Additionally he served as Director of Functional Architecture and Director of PMO at RafterOne (f/k/a PixelMedia) with operational oversight of teams working with iconic brands like Skechers and LL Bean. Matt also served in progressive leadership roles at Accenture, Merkle (f/k/a LiveArea) and several startups working with hundreds of global brands like Uniqlo, Disney, Revlon, Tapestry and many more. Matt brings to retailers and DTC brands a deep expertise in developing and implementing diverse end-to-end commerce strategies. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [00:24]…