Future of Consumer Marketing

The Anti-Pandering Playbook: How Shed Avoids Marketing Clichés

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Brett Stapper interviews Lance Dobson, Senior Director of Marketing and Analytics at Shed. Formerly known as Shed Rx, the company focuses on enhancing physical, mental, and emotional wellness through medical interventions, including weight loss medications like GLP-1s. Lance shares insights on creating authentic, connective marketing that resonates with consumers, avoiding tired marketing clichés, and structuring marketing teams to balance creative and analytical functions. He also discusses the evolving role of AI in marketing and the enduring importance of simplicity in effective consumer communication.
Topics Discussed:
Transitioning from Shed Rx to Shed and expanding beyond GLP-1s to a more holistic wellness approach
Creating marketing that makes consumers feel understood rather than merely understanding the brand
Building creative and performance marketing teams with complementary skill sets
Using authentic customer stories to create emotional connections with target audiences
The impact of AI on marketing roles and resource allocation
The enduring value of marketing fundamentals in an increasingly complex landscape
The future of consumer marketing and the shift toward product features over traditional branding
 

How Every® Doubled Retention by Going Subscription-Only

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Roman Kirsch interviews Casimir Rob, Founder and Managing Director of every®, a plant-based frozen meal subscription service. Launched at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, every® has evolved from an emergency meal solution to a transformative subscription service helping busy professionals maintain healthy eating habits. Through their journey, Casimir shares how they've doubled customer retention, dramatically expanded lifetime value, and successfully shifted to a subscription-only model despite initial conversion challenges. Their focus on high-quality flash-frozen plant-based meals bridges the gap between convenience and nutrition, targeting time-strapped professionals who want to prioritize their health without sacrificing quality or time.
Topics Discussed:
Transitioning from a hybrid purchase model to subscription-only business
Developing brand messaging that resonates with long-term subscribers
Optimizing customer acquisition for subscription models
Building and leveraging word-of-mouth marketing (30%+ of new customers)
Balancing quality, convenience, and nutrition in product development
Managing the educational challenge of marketing frozen food as premium
Testing and optimizing subscription offers and funnels
Implementing AI tools to enhance marketing efficiency

Growth Loops vs. Funnels: Popsa's $1M Revenue Per Employee

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Roman Kirsch interviews Nathan Levi, CMO at Popsa, a mobile-first "memory curation platform" that's disrupting the traditional photo printing industry. Popsa has transformed a dated category dominated by web-first incumbents into a frictionless mobile experience, particularly appealing to an older demographic seeking beautiful photo products without needing design skills. Nathan shares how Popsa built a global presence from day one, why they've rejected traditional brand marketing in favor of self-reinforcing growth loops, and how they've achieved impressive revenue-per-employee metrics through senior talent and AI-enabled workflows.
Topics Discussed:
Transforming the photo printing industry through mobile-first technology and frictionless design
Building an international business from day one versus focusing on a single market
Rejecting traditional marketing funnels in favor of self-reinforcing growth loops
Managing marketing complexity across multiple countries, platforms, and channels
Creating an internal creative agency to handle unprecedented content velocity
Leveraging AI throughout the organization for productivity and product enhancement
Balancing digital and physical photo products to serve core customer needs

How Bobbie Built a Brand Loved by Moms (and Dads) w/ Kim Chappell

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, Brett Stapper speaks with Kim Chappell, Chief Brand Officer at Bobbie. As the first new infant formula company to enter the US market in eight years, Bobbie has created a beloved brand by addressing a critical gap in the baby nutrition market. Kim shares how Bobbie built remarkable brand loyalty in a heavily regulated and emotionally charged category by leading with authentic storytelling, creating real community connections, and turning marketing challenges into opportunities to drive meaningful change for parents.
Topics Discussed:
Building a trusted brand in a highly regulated and emotionally charged category
Creating a marketing strategy with minimal budget by leveraging authentic community building
Navigating the transition to a fully remote company structure during the pandemic
Managing supply chain disruptions and their impact on brand trust
Balancing premium positioning with transparency about ingredient sourcing
Developing an activist brand voice that resonates with modern parents
Executing impactful experimental marketing campaigns

Luxury D2C Growth: Why Carlisle "Dokk" Knight Rejected Standard Fulfillment

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, Brett Stapper interviews Carlisle “Dokk” Knight, co-founder and COO of Pura Cashmere, a luxury cashmere clothing brand. From his early days pioneering game streaming technology in the late 90s to building a multi-million dollar bootstrapped D2C fashion brand with his wife, Dokk shares invaluable insights on sustainable growth, maintaining product quality at scale, and the advantages of controlling your own fulfillment operations. With 5 consecutive years of doubling revenue and 800% growth according to Inc. 5000, Pura Cashmere offers a masterclass in building a successful D2C brand without venture funding, focusing on quality, customer experience, and long-term vision over rapid growth and quick exits.
Topics Discussed:
Bootstrapping a D2C fashion brand to 8-figure revenue
The hidden costs of outsourcing fulfillment and taking back control
Strategic factory relationships as alternative financing
Building a sustainable business focused on quality over rapid scaling
Targeting and retaining customers in the 35-45+ demographic
Creating versatile, heirloom-quality garments with low return rates
The advantages of operating D2C businesses from low-cost locations

Marketing the Feeling, Not the Product: Feast & Fettle's Playbook

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, Brett Stapper interviews Alon Rivel, CMO of Feast & Fettle, a meal delivery service focused on solving dinnertime fatigue for families. Unlike competitors who simply market food, Feast & Fettle positions itself as giving time back to busy parents. With a vertically integrated operation serving over 6,000 families weekly in the Northeast, Feast & Fettle is taking a deliberate, quality-focused approach to growth. As a recent Boston Globe-recognized fastest-growing company in New England, they're expanding strategically through acquisitions while maintaining their commitment to quality and operational excellence.
Topics Discussed:
Differentiating in the crowded meal delivery market by focusing on solving dinnertime stress
Making strategic acquisitions to grow thoughtfully rather than prioritizing rapid nationwide expansion
Building a flat, efficient marketing team structure that maximizes productivity
Leveraging AI tools to enhance marketing operations and decision-making
Using gut instinct to identify true customer needs behind product purchases
Making counter-intuitive career moves for long-term professional growth
Finding authenticity in marketing communications for modern consumers

From Shark Tank Chaos to 4,000% Growth: Swimply's PR Playbook

In this episode of The Future Consumer of Marketing, host Brett Stapper interviews Bunim Laskin, Founder and CEO of Swimply. Swimply has revolutionized recreational access by creating a marketplace that allows homeowners to rent out their private pools by the hour. With over $60 million in funding, expansion to 130 cities across three countries, and hosting over 4 million guests, Swimply is democratizing access to luxury pool experiences. From a Shark Tank appearance that aired on the exact day COVID lockdowns began to 4,000% growth during the pandemic, Bunim shares how he built a community-focused marketplace that connects "haves and have-nots" in an entirely new sharing economy category.
Topics Discussed:
Creating an entirely new marketplace category for private pool rentals
Navigating the challenges of the "stranger danger" perception
Leveraging Shark Tank exposure despite airing during COVID lockdowns
Building supply and demand in a two-sided marketplace
Implementing creative PR and influencer marketing strategies
Managing community and neighbor relations
Handling regulatory challenges across different municipalities

Reimagining Marketing Teams for AI: João Janes' 4-Part Model

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, Brett Stapper interviews João Janes, Global VP of Marketing at Habyt. Habyt is disrupting the housing market by providing flexible living solutions that bridge the gap between short-term Airbnb stays and traditional long-term housing. Operating in over 20 cities worldwide, Habyt has become the leading player in the flexible co-living space by simplifying the housing process with lower deposits, streamlined documentation, and month-to-month flexibility. João shares his journey from selling opposite experiences to parents and students in the travel industry to building a transparent, user-focused brand that addresses the fundamental challenges of modern housing.
Topics Discussed:
Creating a disruptive brand in the traditionally stagnant housing market
Balancing performance marketing with brand building strategies
Building transparency into marketing and customer experience
Rethinking marketing team structures in the age of AI
Marketing to the fragmented Gen Z audience
Transforming customer touchpoints into brand-building opportunities
Finding and utilizing authentic content creators for brand storytelling
 

How Spot & Tango Achieved Profitability While Many D2C Brands Struggle

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Brett Stapper interviews Russell Breuer, Founder and CEO of Spot & Tango. What started as homemade dog food recipes in a New York City studio apartment has evolved into a thriving direct-to-consumer pet wellness brand with a $25 million manufacturing facility. Russell shares how the company has capitalized on the "humanization of pets" trend by creating personalized, high-quality dog food options while building a profitable D2C business model in a challenging market landscape. From making tough decisions about vertical integration to developing a data-driven marketing approach, Russell provides valuable insights on building a consumer brand that's both customer-centric and financially sound.
Topics Discussed:
Evolution from homemade recipes to a scaled D2C pet food business
Capturing the "humanization of pets" trend through product innovation
Building and operating a $25 million manufacturing facility
Creating a data-driven marketing organization focused on customer acquisition
Developing a subscription-based business model with strong retention
Achieving profitability in the D2C space against market headwinds
Balancing entrepreneurship with family life and personal commitments
 

Beyond Metrics: Rethinking Creator Partnerships with Beacons

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Brett Stapper interviews Kaitlin Macholz, Head of Marketing at Beacons. Beacons provides a comprehensive business platform for content creators, enabling them to monetize their content across various social platforms through multiple revenue streams. With over 7 million users, Beacons has recently expanded their ecosystem with "Beacons for Brands," connecting advertisers with relevant creators for partnerships. Throughout the conversation, Kaitlin shares insights on creator marketing, product-led growth, and the evolving creator economy landscape, emphasizing the importance of empathy and understanding the unique challenges content creators face in building sustainable businesses.
Topics Discussed:
The unique product-led growth loop that powers Beacons' customer acquisition
Beacons' expansion from link-in-bio tool to comprehensive creator monetization platform
The launch of "Beacons for Brands" to connect advertisers with relevant creators
The uncertain landscape for content creators and challenges they face
Balancing quantitative measurement with qualitative value in influencer marketing
Marketing to three distinct but interconnected audiences within the creator ecosystem