Advertise on podcast: Customers Who Click: How DTC Leaders Turn Traffic into Revenue

Jules Vertrees, co-founder of Verve Culture, explains how building a brand around culture and craftsmanship creates both growth and complexity. From scaling artisan supply chains to balancing wholesale, DTC, and marketplaces, this episode breaks down what it takes to turn storytelling into revenue. We also explore why experiential products are growing, how COVID reshaped buying behaviour, and the real challenge behind strong traffic but lower purchase conversion. If you’re building a brand rooted in story, not just product, this episode shows what works - and where it gets difficult.

Mike Yarbrough, founder of Rustic and Main, breaks down what it really takes to grow a story-led ecommerce brand in a short-attention world. From rejecting “optimised” product imagery to building a high-converting ring customiser, this episode explores how authenticity, personalisation and social proof actually drive performance. We also dive into quiz funnels, long purchase cycles in the wedding industry, and the challenges of trusting AI in paid ads. If you are balancing brand storytelling with performance marketing, this episode gives a clear view of what works and what does not.

Rita Zahir breaks down why ecommerce brands need to move beyond revenue and focus on profitability to survive today’s market. She explains how shifting from broad metrics like AOV to precise, product-level contribution margin can transform merchandising, advertising, and growth strategy. The conversation covers product prioritisation, dynamic ads, customer segmentation, and why many brands are still optimising the wrong things. Rita also shares practical insights on testing, tooling, and avoiding common mistakes that waste time and resources. A sharp, practical look at what it takes to build a profitable ecommerce business today.

Customers are no longer following a funnel. In this episode, Bryony Tagg explains how buying behaviour has shifted into what she calls the “intent web”, where decisions happen across multiple platforms before customers ever reach your website. We cover why most brands fail to show up in these moments, how Chilly's is rethinking content and positioning, and the challenges of managing DTC, Amazon and wholesale at the same time. A practical look at modern ecommerce, content strategy and why visibility matters more than ever.

Sergio Tache, founder of Dossier, shares how he built a $100m+ perfume brand by challenging traditional pricing and scaling from DTC into retail. He explains why sticking to fundamentals beats chasing new channels, how increasing AOV unlocked growth, and why brand awareness becomes essential once acquisition costs rise. The conversation covers pricing strategy, bundling mistakes, wholesale expansion, and the operational realities of scaling. If you’re navigating growth beyond early-stage DTC, this episode offers a clear view of what actually changes as you scale.

Laura Cantor, Head of Marketing and Ecommerce at New York & Company, joins Will Laurenson to discuss what it takes to run a modern DTC apparel brand. They explore how the company shifted from retail stores to a fully direct-to-consumer model, why conversion has become the most important metric in ecommerce, and how brands can increase revenue without relying on paid ads. Laura also shares practical insights on giveaways vs discounts, post-purchase monetisation, loyalty strategies, and the surprising comeback of mobile shopping apps. If you want to understand how ecommerce brands are driving growth in today’s environment, this episode is packed with tactical ideas.

Victoria Staten relaunched Famolare, a footwear brand originally founded in 1969, and has grown it more than 514% year-over-year. In this episode she explains how she rebuilt the company from scratch, the marketing strategies driving that growth, and why community building is central to the brand’s future. Victoria also shares her perspective on modern consumer behaviour, the risks of overusing AI in marketing, and how a hybrid supply chain model allows the business to scale quickly while staying profitable. The conversation offers practical lessons on reviving heritage brands and building sustainable ecommerce growth.

Scott Jordan, founder of ScottEVest, explains how frustration with carrying gadgets led him to create a clothing brand built around functional pockets and technology-enabled design. After quitting his law career and ordering 3,000 units with no confirmed buyers, he turned to online pre-orders in 2001, becoming one of the earliest clothing brands to sell exclusively through e-commerce. In this conversation, Scott shares lessons from 25 years in business, including why chasing growth can destroy companies, the surprising reality of patents, and how personal customer interactions became the foundation of ScottEVest’s long-term success.

Content marketing is becoming harder, more expensive, and more competitive than ever. In this episode, Lizzie Hearne from UK Lash explains why chasing viral trends is no longer enough and how brands can build scalable content strategies that actually drive growth. She shares how her team uses data, customer research and creator programmes to produce consistent, high-performing content across social, marketplaces and international channels. The conversation covers AI in content production, the rising cost of UGC creators, and why brands must rethink how they measure success on organic social. If you are responsible for ecommerce content strategy, this episode offers a clear look at what is changing and what still works.

Selling technical safety gear online is far more complex than most ecommerce categories. In this episode, Madeleine Issenhart from Mustang Survival explains how education, product quizzes, and content-driven experiences help customers choose the right life jacket for their activity and environment. We discuss why many brands underestimate the role of education in ecommerce, how quizzes can drive real conversion impact, and why Mustang Survival is moving to a headless Shopify architecture to support international expansion and better customer experiences. If your products require explanation before purchase, this episode offers valuable insight into how education can become a powerful growth lever.

Jim Phillips, co-founder of Graymatter, joins the show to discuss how he built a mental performance supplement brand in one of ecommerce’s fastest-growing categories. Jim shares how his own struggle with startup pressure led him to explore neuroscience, meditation and nootropics, eventually inspiring the creation of Bright Mind. The conversation explores subscription economics, AI automation in ecommerce operations, and the constant challenge of producing high-performing ad creative. Jim also explains why Graymatter is focused on reaching profitability while expanding into new channels like Amazon, TikTok Shop and affiliates, and how a personal health scare reshaped his mission as a founder.

Katherine Cousins, CEO of Quay Eyewear, joins the show to discuss scaling optical, navigating multi-channel complexity, and using AI without compromising brand integrity. She shares how Quay moved from creating 400 assets per year to 400 per month, how a “summer of AI” transformed their content production, and why they are cautious about consumer-facing avatars. Katherine also reveals that optical is up 200 percent year on year and 30 percent above forecast following its relaunch in February 2025. A practical conversation on growth, brand positioning, and moving fast in a rapidly changing retail landscape.

Michael Callahan, Global SVP and GM of Luminex Home Décor & Fragrance - PartyLite, joins Will to discuss how a 53-year-old fragrance brand has transformed into a digital-first DTC business. They unpack consumer journey obsession, AI localisation, loyalty economics, influencer strategy, and the real challenges of acquiring customers in a crowded candle market. Michael shares how his team pressure tests the site daily, experiments with product-free TikTok storytelling, and balances emotional brand building with operational discipline. If you sell online and care about customer experience, localisation, and long-term retention, this episode is packed with practical insight.

Josh Roberts, co-founder of Very Special Games, joins Will Laurenson to unpack what it really takes to scale a tabletop games business across DTC and retail. They discuss why Meta ads are still the strongest channel despite becoming harder to predict, how retail attribution pushes brands to build more sophisticated data stacks, and why TikTok works better organically than through paid media. Josh also shares his personal motivation for creating inclusive games for children with autism and explains why licensing and mobile apps are often riskier than they appear.

Eric Bandholz, founder of Beardbrand, joins Will Laurenson to unpack what it really looks like to run a DTC brand in a category that’s no longer growing. From declining search demand and Meta struggles to selling out special edition fragrances, Eric shares hard-earned lessons from 13+ years of bootstrapping. The conversation covers top-of-funnel challenges, brand repositioning, customer-led product decisions, and why modern marketing often has to be divisive to work. A grounded, honest look at growth, profitability, and leadership in today’s ecommerce landscape.