Claim OwnershipCustomers Who Click: How DTC Leaders Turn Traffic into Revenue
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© Will Laurenson; Monkey Blocks 2025
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Customers Who Click is a weekly podcast for DTC founders and senior marketing leaders.
Host Will Laurenson sits down with operators to have honest, unscripted conversations about growth decisions, trade-offs, and what actually changes as brands scale.
Expect real stories, real opinions, and conversations you’d normally only hear behind closed doors.
Join 5,000+ DTC marketers getting our podcast insights every week at https://customers-who-click.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Host Will Laurenson sits down with operators to have honest, unscripted conversations about growth decisions, trade-offs, and what actually changes as brands scale.
Expect real stories, real opinions, and conversations you’d normally only hear behind closed doors.
Join 5,000+ DTC marketers getting our podcast insights every week at https://customers-who-click.beehiiv.com/subscribe
284 Episodes
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Dan Griffiths, CEO of Lume, joins Will Laurenson to unpack what it really takes to scale a DTC brand into a nine-figure, omnichannel business. They explore how AI is changing content creation, why hands-on execution still matters, and how fulfilment and 3PL strategies must evolve as order volumes grow. Dan also shares hard-earned lessons from expanding into major retailers like Target, Walmart, and Costco, the challenges of losing clean attribution in retail, and why building a new product category requires patience, data, and relentless focus.
Daniel Temm, CEO of Pure Sport, joins Will Laurenson to break down what it really takes to scale a DTC sports nutrition brand. From Pure Sport’s early days operating without Shopify or paid ads, to its current obsession with cracking a scalable acquisition offer, Daniel shares hard-earned lessons on CAC payback, subscription strategy, and hero SKUs. The conversation covers channel mix, product rationalisation, leadership challenges, and why simplicity becomes a competitive advantage as brands grow. A practical look at building foundations before pushing for serious scale.
Jeff Abraham, CEO of Promescent, reveals how a tragic event led him to helm one of North America's fastest-growing sexual wellness brands. In this candid conversation, Jeff shares how deep customer insight, medical credibility, and personal outreach have fuelled loyal repeat buyers—2,400 customers have spent over $1,000 each. He also discusses ad platform censorship, retail expansion, and the emotional stigma around intimacy products. With 15 years of bootstrapped growth and new product innovation, Jeff is now eyeing strategic partnerships to break through scale barriers. This is a story of mission-driven entrepreneurship and customer obsession in an often-taboo space.
What happens when you treat cookware like culture? Will Laurenson is joined by Thea Mathias, GM International at Our Place, to explore how this LA-based brand is expanding globally through deeply local insights. From Paris pop-ups to Moroccan tagines in London, Thea shares how real-life interactions shape product messaging, why education around toxins matters, and the unique challenge of scaling without losing soul. If you’re growing a DTC brand internationally or crafting meaningful community experiences, this episode is filled with honest insight and smart strategy. Discover how Our Place blends storytelling, product design and human connection — one pan at a time.
Pete Stirling, CEO and co-founder of Scouts Honor, joins Will Laurenson to share how his pet care brand uses storytelling, efficiency, and scientific credibility to scale across e-commerce and retail. They discuss the power of in-house tools for tracking marketing impact, the importance of product perfection, and why 90% is sometimes enough — but not always. Pete also reveals how Meltwater helps identify authentic influencer voices and drive real-time content adjustments. If you're navigating omnichannel growth or balancing performance with purpose, this episode offers real-world advice on building a responsive and resilient brand in a fast-moving industry.
TALA CEO Morgan Fowles joins Will Laurenson to share how the activewear brand is scaling sustainably without relying on deep discounting. Morgan opens up about retail growth, product development, and the risks of falling into the discount trap. She discusses how TALA maintains close connections with its audience, adapts to shifting fashion trends, and navigates operational complexity. With retail becoming a significant channel after launching only two stores, and the brand doubling its headcount this year, this episode is packed with insight into managing smart growth and staying true to your brand values — even during rapid change.
AJ Patel, SVP of Global Growth at U Beauty, joins Will Laurenson to explore how luxury DTC brands grow in an age of rising CAC and changing algorithms. From testing channels like AppLovin and TikTok Shops to personalised retention strategies using AI voice notes, AJ shares real tactics U Beauty is using to scale. He opens up about the challenges of educating customers on advanced tech, adapting subscription models, and maintaining brand integrity. This is an episode packed with practical insights on acquisition, retention, and operating at the intersection of innovation and luxury.
Will sits down with Dima Zelikman, CMO of Unbound Merino, to unpack how the brand has grown into one of the leading names in premium travel apparel. Dima breaks down why they run only one sale each year, how they maintain a strong premium perception and the shift from broad creative testing to deep, interest-based content. He also shares how AI-driven email triggers, customer lifecycle personalization and tight control of fulfilment shape their approach to retention. A smart, tactical conversation on brand discipline, performance marketing and building products people genuinely want to pack and wear.
Will chats with Dan Sinnott, Head of Marketing at Bunches, about how a 36-year-old flower gifting brand is growing by going deeper, not broader. They discuss why younger generations have lost confidence in gifting flowers, how Bunches leans into “for nothing” occasions, and the power of emotional storytelling in brand campaigns. Dan explains their intentional pivot from discounting to multi-funnel marketing, how they personalise CX without hype, and why 10% of orders still come by phone. If retention, emotion and relevance matter to your brand, this one’s for you.
Will chats with Christiana Valenzuela, Marketing Director at Crane Wellness, about scaling a Japanese supplement brand in the US with a team of five. They break down the shift from niche grocery to DTC, why educational content beats discounts, and how 60% of revenue landed in just one week last Black Friday. Christiana also shares insights on SEO-led growth, customer segmentation, and the role of AI tools in scaling creative and CX. From unknown ingredients to unexpected challenges, this is a deep dive into building brand trust, fast growth and operational resilience in wellness e-commerce.
Will sits down with Neal Goyal, SVP at PostPilot, to unpack how direct mail is becoming a data-driven acquisition channel for DTC brands. They discuss rising CAC, declining Meta ROAS, and why retention is the only real path to profitability. Neal explains how AI and first-party data are transforming physical mail into a personalized, programmatic tool that cuts through digital noise. They also explore margin compression, brand defensibility in an AI-first world, and the evolving role of creativity in e-commerce marketing.
Will Laurenson chats with Sanjay Jenkins, Head of Growth at Replo, about scaling brands through smarter operations and authentic content. From building a nine-figure soap company in 14 months to driving growth at Replo, Sanjay shares what today’s e-commerce brands often miss: focusing on fundamentals. They explore AI’s role, the rise of organic video, and why backend optimisation—supplier deals, pricing, margins—matters as much as front-end marketing. A must-listen for operators who want sustainable growth, not just quick wins.
Will speaks with Chris Kneeland, co-founder of Cult Collective and fractional CMO for Spikeball, about why most brands have lost sight of what matters — the people they serve. Chris explains why marketers should stop buying impressions and start making them, how to identify and engage true brand fanatics, and why Spikeball focuses on impact over profit. From balancing community with commerce to becoming part of pop culture, this episode explores how enduring brands build relevance, not just revenue, and why longevity — not virality — is the ultimate marker of success.
Will Laurenson talks with John Roman, CEO of BattlBox, about live shopping’s explosive rise and how brands can use it profitably. John shares insights from running BattlBox’s live shopping channel—now their second-largest within six months—and breaks down why Whatnot outperforms TikTok Shop. He discusses AOVs, customer behaviour, AI’s impact on commerce, and how to balance growth across DTC, marketplaces, and subscriptions. A grounded, insightful conversation about building profitable channels, adapting to changing buyer behaviour, and testing new models without losing focus on what makes your brand valuable.
Will Laurenson chats with Alex McEachern, Head of Marketing at IntelliGems, about why CRO has lost its edge and how brands can go beyond the page to test what truly matters—profit. They explore testing shipping prices, thresholds, and pricing strategies, the concept of profit per visit, and the importance of hypothesis-driven experimentation. Alex shares the “three E’s” framework and real examples of testing business decisions before committing resources. A sharp, practical conversation on turning testing into a decision-making superpower rather than a box-ticking exercise.
Will Laurenson talks with Allegra Contatore, Head of European Communications at Sunday Riley, about how clean beauty brands balance fast-moving trends with consistent brand messaging. Allegra shares why tailoring influencer campaigns by product, market, and influencer is essential, and explains how Sunday Riley’s B Corp values shape their strategy. She highlights how Gen Z and male consumers are reshaping skincare habits, the importance of product efficacy in building loyalty, and the challenges of adapting communication across diverse European markets. A behind-the-scenes look at influencer strategy, sustainability messaging, and growth in the competitive skincare space.
Will Laurenson speaks with Isaac Lewin, Director of Sales at Country Life Natural Foods, about building a bulk-organic brand in today’s competitive market. Isaac shares how Country Life Plus, their new membership programme, has boosted purchase frequency—particularly on their mobile app where members buy 5x per year. He opens up about churn challenges, paid ad inefficiencies, and the need to focus on hero products like vegan parmesan. The discussion also dives into the role of AI tools in growth and why the third or fourth purchase is the true indicator of long-term customer loyalty.
Will Laurenson sits down with Sarah Vilenskiy, founder of Blossom Essentials, to discuss the realities of building an indie skincare brand. Sarah shares how Blossom scaled to 7 figures through Meta ads before platform restrictions forced a pivot to retail. She explains the challenges of standing out on crowded shelves, competing with conglomerates, and managing costly brand awareness campaigns. The conversation also dives into retention wins through direct mail, QVC opportunities, and surviving tariffs with bold inventory bets. A candid look at the struggles and strategies behind growing a skincare brand today.
Laura Cunniffe joins Will to unpack how DrinkWell is building a new category of better for you alcoholic drinks, without being allowed to say “better for you.” She shares how they navigate strict regulations, scale without deep discounts, and increase lifetime value through subscriptions and annual delivery passes. Laura explains how they're repositioning their wine brand Traces through new packaging, and how a £14.99 sample pack drives high ROAS and AOV. From community driven product decisions to the limits of alcohol advertising, this episode offers a masterclass in creative problem solving for growth under constraint.
Gareth Johnson returns to share how Overclockers UK is rethinking customer experience and retention. He explains how they help customers avoid costly mistakes, why education matters more than discounts, and how their forums and Discord keep people coming back. Gareth breaks down their Black Friday strategy, future loyalty plans, and why Haribo might just be the secret to 5-star reviews. He also shares how licensing deals are helping them blend physical and digital experiences. If you sell complex or high-AOV products, this episode is full of actionable insights — straight from a brand that’s thriving in a tough market.
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