Claim OwnershipCustomers Who Click: How DTC Leaders Turn Traffic into Revenue
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© Will Laurenson; Monkey Blocks 2025
Description
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
300 Episodes
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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.
Gifting is one of the most overlooked growth opportunities in e-commerce. In this episode, Nick Kennedy, co-founder of GiftNote, explains why gifted orders convert higher, carry higher average order values, and introduce brands to entirely new customers they usually never see. Nick shares real Q4 gifting data, how brands can identify and engage gift recipients compliantly, and why gifting should be treated as an always-on strategy, not just a seasonal feature. A practical conversation on customer experience, revenue, and the hidden potential inside gifting.
Barclay Saul, CEO and co-founder of Kyrgies, joins Will Laurenson to discuss what it really takes to build a product-led ecommerce brand without relying on constant paid media growth. From leaving Amazon and reducing Meta spend to doubling down on word of mouth, wholesale, and in-person experiences, Barclay shares the strategic shifts shaping Kyrgies’ next chapter. The conversation also explores customer-led product decisions, international expansion, and a surprising scientific study showing how Kyrgies slippers interact with bacteria in the home.
James Connell, CEO of baby lifestyle brand Loulou Lollipop, joins Will Laurenson to unpack what brand really means in modern e-commerce. Drawing on nearly 30 years of experience, James explains why product quality is now table stakes and how trust, service, and storytelling drive differentiation. The conversation covers gifting strategy, B Corp values, execution over perfection, hiring for culture, and scaling through retailers and distributors. James also shares how AI could reshape online shopping into a more human, inclusive, and experiential channel.
Simon Jablon, Creative Director and owner of Linda Farrow, joins the podcast to unpack what really drives growth in modern businesses. He explains why being busy is not the same as being effective, how misplaced priorities quietly stall progress, and why empathy for customers is often missing, especially in B2B. Simon shares practical examples of using automation and AI to remove admin, free up teams, and improve service, alongside his belief that businesses need to question processes like an eight-year-old if they want to keep adapting in an increasingly volatile world.
Peter, Head of E-commerce and Digital Growth at Slick Gorilla, joins Will Laurenson to break down what actually drives sustainable growth in modern DTC brands. They discuss why fundamentals still matter more than hype, how AI and product information are reshaping shopping behaviour, and the value of launching at 80–90% instead of chasing perfection. Peter shares behind-the-scenes insights on gifting, advent calendars, rising ad costs, TikTok Shop challenges, and running lean teams at scale. A practical, honest conversation for anyone building or scaling an e-commerce business.
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.
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