High-growth DTC brands encounter roadblocks and questions on a regular basis. That’s because technology is often moving quickly, but different platforms and DTC support systems don’t always talk to one another. Patrick Johnson is an engineer with a background working for Red Antler and the CEO of Progress Labs. His work has attracted clients like Huas, Soma Water, Andie Swim, and many more. He’s found that the key to navigating the DTC landscape lies in educating clients on their options, so that they can make choices that will empower their brand in both the short term and the long haul. Show Topics Differentiate on more than priceThe caveats of going headlessThe role of pre-optimizationEngineers should educate and guide brandsCare about more than conversions Show Links Connect with Patrick Johnson on LinkedIn or TwitterCheck out 1-Click PonyConnect with Ben Fisher on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Joel Van Horn on LinkedIn or Twitter

Are you feeling subscription fatigue? With the subscription world getting more competitive, it takes more for brands to stand out. Rather than focusing on making a quick buck, brands need to recognize the need to promote long-term loyalty. That starts with simple things, like not pissing off your customers by shipping without warning, and ends with innovative tactics like data-based reminders and gifting programs. Dean Bakes, Chief of Staff for co-op commerce, has a long history of promoting customer acquisition and tech efficiencies for early-stage brands. He joined us on Subscription Radio to share his thoughts on transparency, customization, scaling, and more. Show Topics Focus on reducing frictionCustomer loyalty and subscriptions go hand-in-handMake smart decisions as you scaleBright ideas for subscription innovation Show Links Check out co-op commerceConnect with Dean Bakes on LinkedIn or TwitterCheck out 1-Click PonyConnect with Ben Fisher on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Joel Van Horn on LinkedIn or Twitter

What happens when a subscription aficionado becomes a DTC investor? Alex Malamatinas is the founder and managing partner at Melitas Ventures, a VC fund that partners with innovative early-stage food and beverage companies like OLIPOP, Verb Energy, and MUD\WTR to take them to the next level. Alex joined us on Subscription Radio to share why customer experience is so important, and the different ways that the brands backed by Melitas are standing out to customers and investors alike. Show Topics Customer experience is keyLeverage the potential of SMSLook at owned tech as IPIntroduce subscription flexibilitySeek out new platforms to acquire customers Show Links Check out Melitas VenturesConnect with Alex Malamatinas on LinkedInCheck out 1-Click PonyConnect with Ben Fisher on LinkedIn or Twitter

Sometimes a scotch-taped-together tech solution is just what you need to jumpstart your subscription services. But if you grow fast enough, the tape won’t hold up. Dan Freed experienced this firsthand as he grew Formula, an incredible company specializing in personalized nootropics. In this episode, Dan shared how he’s reengineering Formula’s operations to provide the very best customer experience possible, and learning from the customer and competitors every step of the way. Show Topics The formula for a great tech stackGetting out of “technical debt”You can’t improve what you can’t measureBeat competitors with a superior experienceWhy bootstrapping guarantees a quality product Show Links Check out FormulaConnect with Dan Freed on LinkedInCheck out 1-Click PonyConnect with Ben Fisher on LinkedIn or Twitter

David Silverman is the VP of Brand + Digital at Brewbike, a mission-driven coffee company that exists to empower young people through entrepreneurial experience. Pre-pandemic, that was accomplished by giving students the keys to their own coffee business on college campus. That all changed in March 2020, when campuses closed and revenue went to zero overnight. Brewbike quickly created a Shopify store and launched a DTC model that remains a thriving sector of their business over one year later. David joined us to share the steps Brewbike took to embrace DTC, the core pillars of a successful subscription service, and what’s next as Brewbike expand to an additional six campuses this fall. Show Topics Using Shopify as a base will take you farApplying online subscriptions to in-person salesLeverage conversational communicationMake subscribers feel specialFocus on subscription customizationCommunicate with subscribers at the right time Show Links Check out BrewbikeConnect with David Silverman on LinkedInCheck out 1-Click PonyConnect with Ben Fisher on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Joel Van Horn on LinkedIn or Twitter

Streamlining workflows is a common business need. Consolidating the suite of apps you use for your subscription service is no different. Whether you are a brand or a developer, there are increasingly more and more ways that you can take the dozen isolated apps you currently use and turn them into a handful of hardworking, integrated solutions. In this episode, we explore what caused apps to become so soiled in the first place, and emerging ways to integrate them. Show Topics The challenge of app consolidationShopify’s new central hubThe shortcomings of SMS and email marketing servicesThe advantages of a custom Shopify solution Show Links Check out 1-Click PonyConnect with Ben Fisher on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Joel Van Horn on LinkedIn or Twitter

Shopify Unite 2021, the annual partner and developer conference, delivered much to get excited about. It also left us with some questions. How will bespoke themes transition to Online Store 2.0? Now that merchants can create payment gateways as an app, will there be extra fees? What is the future for Shopify Plus? We discussed the highlights and did our best to give you our predictions. Show Topics Troublesome theme transitions to Online Store 2.0Enhanced developer toolkit with HydrogenCreate payment gateways as an appCalculate international paymentsImproved developer experienceShift in value of Shopify Plus Show Links Check out 1-Click PonyConnect with Ben Fisher on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Joel Van Horn on LinkedIn or Twitter

Should you buy or build? Hire an engineer? Go headless? These are the questions that can consume DTC brands, and there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. We were joined once again by Ben Kochavy, who helped shed light on the questions above. The key takeaway is this: there’s a time for brands to live on a platform like Shopify, and a time to go custom. There’s also a middle ground, where you can build custom apps for your Shopify-based business. What you don’t want to do is drown your early-stage company in engineering costs, or hobble your growth with systems that prevent agile pivots. Show Topics When to buy versus buildThe pros and cons of customWhy Shopify is the best bet for new brandsTech doesn’t always add valueInvest in custom appsAim for fewer failure points Show Links Check out ColdBru DigitalConnect with Ben Kochavy on LinkedIn or TwitterCheck out 1-Click PonyConnect with Ben Fisher on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Joel Van Horn on LinkedIn or Twitter

DTC brands might see subscriptions as the go-to framework, but it’s not so simple. For supplements or other easily-timed products, they work great. But for other non-linear products, subscriptions are hard to get right. So, what’s the solution? Ben Kochavy of ColdBru Digital talked with us about the benefits of bundles, why cash flow needs to be taken as seriously as LTV and CPA, and how brands need to bring a VIP experience to reduce churn. Show Topics Subscriptions are a tradeoffBundles are sometimes better than subscriptionsCash flow is as important as LTVChurn is a big problem for subscriptionsDTC brands need to bring a VIP experience Show Links Check out ColdBru DigitalConnect with Ben Kochavy on LinkedIn or TwitterCheck out 1-Click PonyConnect with Ben Fisher on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Joel Van Horn on LinkedIn or Twitter

Subscriptions may be the future. But that doesn’t mean they’re perfect for every brand. Some products and services lend themselves to subscriptions more easily than others, period. Other times, it’s simply in the approach. For example, is the delivery cadence appropriate? Is the customer ending up with too much or too little? Is an on-demand option possible? We don’t have all the answers, but we explored those questions and more in this episode. Show Topics The issue of subscription replenishmentThe concept of “just in time” subscriptionsThe advantage of large brandsSubscriptions as outsourcingDigging into the customer experience Show Links Check out 1-Click PonyExplore GroveExplore Clockwork NutritionExplore Daily HarvestExplore MotionConnect with Ben Fisher on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Joel Van Horn on LinkedIn or Twitter